Sales Excuses and The Real Answers
Every day I hear sales people tell me why they didn't make the sale. I hear excuse after excuse after excuse, after awhile you want to shake them violently and slap them around a bit, but as a professional sale trainer and small business adviser I refrain from doing so. It would be bad for business if i did. I have assembled a fine assortment of pitiful sales excuses that I have ever heard, along with what the truth behind the excuse. If you can stop yourself from using these excuses, it would be like finding barred treasure.
* The prospect went with someone else at a higher price. Proof that lowest price doesn't matter. Value and relationship will win.
* Our competition is out pricing us, we can't compete with the lower prices. (BUZZZZZ) your wrong again. The prospect does not see a difference in your product to that of the competition and again you have not built value into your product.
* There's no sales support in this company. Meet with your boss. If that doesn't work meet with your boss's boss and so on. If you don't get what your looking for then leave and go to another company that does. At least you'll know what to ask in the next intervew.
* No one in the company likes the sales team. Switch jobs for a day or two. Walk in each other's shoes, sit in each other's chairs. Mutual respect will follow.
* The prospect will not make a decision. You have not done enough to build value or urgency in the product for them to make a decision now.
* I can't create a sense of urgency. Who's fault is that? Talk to the customer about lost profit and greater productivity instead of offering to cut your price.
* We're selling the same old product everyone else is selling. You are killing me! You are suppose to be a sales professional. It's your job to prove that your product has value.
* Our competitors are closing more sales by lowering their prices. Whenever you get beat on price, it means you were perceived as the same and price was all that mattered.
* My company cut my territory. Find another job. Theyll keep cutting.
* I don't have time to do what I need to! You will if you get off of you butt and watch a lot less television. Figure out how many time wasters you have in your day and get rid of them.
* We lost a big account to the competition. Oops, I guess next time you'll pay better attention to your clients needs.
* The client will not set an appointment with me. Because you haven't earned the appointment. You have to give them a valid reason for them to meet with you.
* The customer lied to me. Usually the lie is about money, or pitting you against a competitor, or both. If you are certain, confront the customer with a question, not an accusation.
* I can't get to the decision-maker. The reason is that you started too low on the totem pole.
* I had to bid through a purchasing agent. You were too chicken, or unprepared, to meet with the boss (who, by the way, tells the purchasing agent what to do).
* The customer or prospect wouldn't return my call. Because you gave them no reason to.
* Our sales cycle is too long. That's because you're dealing with influencers, not decision-makers. CEOs decide in two minutes.
* Our service sucks. Work in the service department for a few days, write down all the reasons customers call. Then, and only then, can you get to best practices.
* Company policies fight the sales effort. Just make more sales, don't worry about policies or politics. If the situation is unbearable or untenable, find another job.
* My company cut my earnings or cut my commissions. Find another job. They'll keep cutting.
* The company took my largest account and made it a house account. Unless it was too big for you to handle on your own and required upper management to handle, then I would be looking for another job.
* My company can't deliver on time. Meet with the CEO - not production or shipping - and resolve it.
* My company won't buy me the tools I need. Either find another job or go out and buy the tool yourself.
* The training here sticks. Meet with the training department. Sometimes they're unaware of your needs. Make sure they have customized sales training, not generic. And make sure there are courses on presentation skills, positive attitude and customer loyalty.
* I hate coming to work everyday! Wow then why do it. No job or amount of money is worth your happiness. And if your not happy you will not be successful.
* My sales plan (quota, goal) is not realistic. Goals and quotas are set for the andquot;mediocreandquot; level of salesperson.
* They don't pay me enough to Yes they do, you just didn't understand that you have to do things to better yourself.
Dexter is a business adviser with MFS Consulting. They focus in business marketing, business plans, finance, and website design and marketing. You are welcome to reprint this article - but get your own unique content version here.
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Sales Excuses and The Real Answers
