Reasons Why Salespeople Fail At Prospecting: Part 1

Over the next four weeks the blog will be discussing why people fail at prospecting. Each blog will cover two aspects, totaling eight reasons for failure. Some of the reasons salespeople fail include: lack of a methodology for prospecting, call reluctance, fear of rejection, procrastination, failure to keep the pipeline full, lack of prospecting awareness, poor prospecting attitude, and an insufficient tracking system.

            This week we will cover the lack of a methodology for prospecting and call reluctance. Since we have already discussed call reluctance in some detail in previous blogs, we will provide links to this topic so you can delve deeper into the subject matter. Relating to lack of a methodology, we will discuss game plan formulation, value positioning statements and telephone effectiveness.

            One of the main reasons people fail at prospecting is because they don’t have a thorough and specific approach in which to effectively develop a game plan. The game plan should include identifying potential marketing niches, understanding market trends and how they affect your business, maintaining client retention, growth strategies and generating the right activity and behavior for your sales people; all while keeping a progressive attitude. After forming your game plan, you have initiated your journey to success by forming your methodology for prospecting. For more information regarding a game plan, check out our previous blog here.

            Once the game plan has been completed, your next business tactic should be to develop a value positioning statement. This statement should be a general statement about what your business does and answer the question, “what’s in it for them.” My value positioning statement is, “I am in the business of building and implementing sales and growth strategies for emerging businesses.” Within this statement I have pointed out what I do and who I do it for. This provides the client with information about my business as well as how I can bring value to their company. Your value positioning statement should be short and sweet but have a clear message of your significance to their operations. Remember your value positioning statement should and will change as time progresses so that it accurately describes what your company wishes to accomplish.

            Once you have your game plan and value positioning statement, now you are ready to contact potential clients. This step requires some forethought in creating what many people often times forget, a good telephone script. This is one of the most important tactics in your arsenal, in that it gives you a clear direction in which to steer the conversation while allowing the client to speak on their own behalf while creating a dialogue, in order to see if your services are a potential fit. In your call script you should ask open-ended questions and inform the caller that it is okay to say no if our services are not a match. These same processes of creating dialogue can be applied to digital conversations as well. We have previously written blogs regarding being okay with a no and the process of exploring new leads. You can read more on the subject here.

            The next issue of why people fail at prospecting deals with call reluctance. We have covered this topic in a four part series and to read about the psychological aspects as well as a case study of one of my past clients you can click on these links to read more. (1) (2) (3)

            To sum up today’s post we have discussed how and why creating a game plan, formulating a value positioning statement, and having a telephone script can provide you with a strategy for your prospecting methodology. As we’ve previously covered, call reluctance is an issue that continues to emerge when discussing complications with sales people and can be overcome through creative thought, dedication and a continuing positive attitude. Next week we will continue this series by discussing fear of rejection and procrastination.

Embracing Change- A Case Study on Business Growth

In continuing from last week’s blog on personal change and the progress it can bring to your business, this week we will be giving you a case study about one of my clients who was resistant to changing the way her business was run.  Let me first reemphasize that people like the results of what change brings but still continue to be resistant to the act of changing.  Our case study will focus on one of my past clients, Rebecca, and her small family owned upholstery business. Like many small business owners, she was progressive in many ways, but was prone to relying on past business strategies and was resistant to new technologies and changes in the industry. Through the ages, the business had spurts of growth but in the modern marketplace had fallen behind in market share due to the company’s resistance to adjust to the times. Their company resisted until change was inevitable, thus putting them behind the curve in the modern business world.

She finally got concerned with the company’s lack of change when many of her long term customers started doing business with her competitors.  This was the wake up call that spurred her realization to know that her business behavior needed to be modified.   She came to me knowing she needed to change her business strategies but not knowing which directions to take.  She shared with me that their business was not the first to embrace change, until the majority of her competitors had done so.   Their mantra had been, “It’s always worked in the past why do we need to change now?”    In the past this may have been reasonable thinking, but in today’s market the spoils go to the risk takers and those setting the pace in new endeavors.  This was an entirely new way of thinking for her company.

When I came into the equation, one of the first things that we did was look for internal problems as well as unidentified issues and addressed the concerns that surfaced.   Once we were able to spot the problems (the company’s resistance to change) we were then able to set goals and objectives to facilitate the company to begin their transformation.  Many believe that this is an industry that rarely progresses but when we broke it down and discussed the changes that were evident in the marketplace we were able to plan the direction in which the company needed to head.  This included buying new equipment, updating inventory lists, making connections with new vendors and suppliers and making the transfer into digital invoices and receipt records.  This seemed overwhelming at first but through hard work, positive reinforcement and the realization that bringing these changes was not as hard as it initially seemed we were able to slowly advance in bringing the needed amendments.  The results were noticed nearly instantaneously as efficiency was increased; they were able to offer more competitive pricing and through the use of small marketing tactics were able to regain lost customers.  Many clients and customers were impressed with the rapidity in which these changes were able to occur and word quickly spread that Rebecca’s company was back to being one of the leaders in the industry. 

Rebecca and her company were one of the most resistant to alter their ways, but when they were able to finally embrace change and set obtainable goals and objectives ended up being a fantastic success story.  As John F. Kennedy famously quoted, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” 

Embrace the Change – A key to personal and professional growth

Over the past four weeks we introduced you to Tom and his struggles and strides that he made in addressing call reluctance.  We discussed the causes and came up with answers that started his process of transition.  This afforded Tom an objective look at himself as well as allowing himself to identify his self-induced fears that can surface when you are stretched beyond your comfort zone.  Negative thoughts affect our confidence.  It’s impossible to think negative thoughts and feel good at the same time.  As I told one of my interns the other day, people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.  We all have good and bad moments, days, months, and sometimes years to move on with the understanding that we can control where we are going by how we display our behavior, activity, accountability, and attitudes based on the real business world that we live in. 

In this week’s blog we will be talking about change.  People of all walks of life are resistant to change, they are comfortable with the status quo.  The problem with this mindset however, is that the world is not in a state of homeostasis.  We are in a time of drastic changes; technologically, economically, and socially.  Sticking with the status quo will not get you the results that you wish to see in your business life.  Although people are afraid of change they are welcoming to the successes and differences that change can bring.  In beginning to change however, one has to get out of their comfort zone and do things that they have never done before.

Let me assure you that I’ve been where you are at in many cases and you can’t write about these issues if you have never had to experience and deal with them.  Each and every day people need to decide to come out of their comfort zone and promote self growth in order to become excellent prospectors, or as I like to refer to them, effective explorers.  Everything we do in life has a starting point, the beginning, the development phase, which I refer to as R&D, and finally to the success or failure mode.  Your success or failure will be directly determined by your personal effort to change and step outside your comfort zone.  These changes will only take root however, after a series of positive reinforcements.  Change is not easy, but it is still necessary.  As Thomas Friedman wrote, “the average is kaput,” this means that the status quo is no longer going to cut it, and that your success is now dependent upon the changes that you are willing to make. 

Next week we will continue discussing personal change and how it can benefit not only your personal growth but your business growth as well.  I’ll introduce you to one of my past clients, Rebecca, and we will discuss some of the changes she made in her life so that she could grow personally and professionally.

Call Reluctance 4

Tom is growing and his image of himself as a salesman (problem solver) has greatly improved in a positive way.  One of the keys to Tom’s transition is realizing that only four things transpire in the sales scenario, and they are all good.   They consist of the following: a yes, a no, a crystal clear future, or a lesson.

·         A Yes:

o   This is what every salesperson looks for in a sales scenario.  When price and value transcend one another is when a yes can occur.  This means that the customer sees a greater perceived value than what the product or service will cost.  When the customer comes to this realization this is when buy-in occurs.  A win-win situation is established and a problem is solved.

·         A No:

o   Always remember that people do not want to be sold, they want to buy for their own reasons. Both parties understand and come to the conclusion that the product or services are not a good match.  A good ‘no’ is one that occurs when due diligence takes place between two parties and both come to the conclusion that moving forward doesn’t make sense.  When speaking of due diligence, this means that a salesperson has clearly researched the potential client’s needs or wants and realizes whether or not their product or service is a good fit for that individual or company.  A good salesperson will understand what has happened and be okay with the no.  When faced with a “no”, a truly seasoned sales professional will many times make a recommendation to a potential client of another way in which they can go about solving their particular problem.  This creates trust and rapport even if the sale does not commence with your own product or service.  You are now becoming a trusted advisor in the prospect’s eyes and thus leave the door open for future business.

·         A Crystal Clear Future:

o   A clear understanding of what is going to take place next.  Knowing when you will be reconnecting and why.  Many prospects do not want to tell you no and will get you caught up in what I like to refer to as “the chase.”  If you are going to meet with a prospective client in the future it is imperative that you have a reasonably clear understanding of what is going to change.  What changes are going to take place between now and the future that will enable my product or service to become a better fit?  It’s okay to ask the prospective client these questions.  Many salespeople have difficulty asking such tough questions, but it is better to have a clear understanding between you and your prospective client rather than postponing and possibly wasting both parties’ time.

·         A Lesson:

o   When you debrief a sales call you are able to understand what you’ve done right or wrong.  When expanding on what you’ve done right you will want to pinpoint certain aspects so that these actions and communications can be repeated when called for.  A good salesperson will also dissect what they have done wrong and realize what they should have done differently.  This is crucial because behaviors and communication strategies that do not facilitate desirable outcomes should not be repeated and ingrained as acceptable.  There is a lesson in each and every sales scenario and by taking the time and effort to find out what can be tweaked for the next situation one can have much more success in the sales profession overall.  

The whole process of sales is to get to the truth and determine if what you’re selling is a good fit and creates a win-win for all involved.  By utilizing the four aspects discussed here, and through an understanding of these concepts, a salesperson can really break down the entire sales process and see what needs to be changed or edited.  Really understanding a yes, a no, a crystal clear future, or a lesson is the key to truly battle one’s fears regarding call reluctance. 

Dealing with Call Reluctance Part 3 – “No’s” They aren’t always a bad thing

In reviewing our case study of Tom, he is outgoing with an engaging personality, relates well to people, and presents the persona of what a salesperson should be in the eyes of many.  What we found most interesting is that many times Tom would go through an attitudinal change when he was in a selling scenario, primarily in the prospecting phase.  We discovered that Tom had a negative view of salespeople, even though he was in the profession.  This view affected his ability to communicate when he donned his “sales hat.” He did not realize that his negative attitude was having an effect on his ability to create lead generation by his reluctance to use the phone or to interface with a potential prospect.  Simply said, he couldn’t handle the rejection that stems from the “no” that is so very much a part of the selling arena.

            He really liked the service he represented and believed that it could solve other people’s problems but his own negative connotation of salespeople made it difficult for him to reach out in the prospecting phase and create new opportunities.  He was, in essence, afraid of the rejection even though he knew what he was selling had all the componets of a problem solving service.  To help him overcome this fear we had to introduce and teach Tom the concept of a “good no.”  Once we got him to understand and realize that not every "no" is necessarily bad, and should be viewed as a learning experience, we were able to change the view in which he saw the sales arena.  He had begun the transition from salesperson to problem solver. When he took off the “sales hat” and began the process of seeking out situations in which he could affect potential clients in a positive way he was then able to make some dramatic changes.  The phone became his friend, and afforded him the opportunity to get in front of those that were struggling with issues that he knew he could solve. More importantly, he became a different person in the selling scenario by conducting interviews that helped him to discover if he could be of help.

He was no longer plagued by a situation in which he was affected by call reluctance because now he could see and understand that his service may not be a great fit for every person but instead could build from these “good no’s” and have more confidence in generating new opportunities. This change did not and will not occur overnight.  Through continued positive reinforcement these changes were able to sink in and helped Tom to view sales through a new lens and have much greater success than he had previously experienced.

           

Next week we will wrap up the story of Tom and call reluctance, by further discussing “good no’s” and the four situations that occur at the end of any selling situation. 

What's New at Levi, Inc!

First off I'd like to thank you all for your continued support and we’ll be adding some fresh, new Sales Tips, adding new articles and events on our Facebook page, and will be posting insightful business tips on our Twitter page. 

If you haven’t noticed we’ve recently been making some changes here at Levi, Inc regarding our stance on social media.  We have started our own High-Performance sales Facebook page, become a presence on LinkedIn, started our new Twitter page (@MLevi_Inc), and have completely revamped our Sales Tip of The Week Newsletter to bring an entirely new template and look to our e-mails.

Please check out and ‘Like’ our Facebook page HERE, and be sure to check it out often as we’ll be posting relevant news articles as well as sales tips and general business strategy information!

Feel free to connect with us on LinkedIn HERE, we can be found under Mike Levi, Business Advisor at Levi, Inc.

Follow us on Twitter @MLevi_Inc to get the latest and greatest sales tips delivered directly to your feed!

Lastly, I would like you all to make sure to check out our new Sales Tip of The Week format. (You can sign up HERE) We’ve put a lot of time and effort into making our newsletter aesthetically pleasing and easy to use.  And as always, our sales tips contain extremely valuable information that can be used in enhancing your business. 

We’ve really been doing some great work these days and would love if you took a few minutes to check out all of the new, exciting news coming out of Levi, Inc.  Remember, we’re in the business of building and implementing sales and growth strategies and we are here to help YOU succeed. 

We’d really like your feedback as to what topics you’d like us to write about here on our sales blog. Please comment below and let us hear your thoughts.

Thanks again,

Mike  

Dealing With Call Reluctance- Part 2

In last week’s blog we discussed the fact that call reluctance is an issue that sales people will, in most cases, have to deal with at some point in their career.  This reluctance surfaces when a person:

·         changes companies or careers

·         represents a different or new product or service that they may or may not be familiar with

·         has a series of less than successful prospecting interviews

·         realizes that the potential client you are calling on may have more product knowledge than yourself

·         has less than a positive attitude about the company they represent

·         does not fully embrace the product or service that they are selling

·         experiences a fluctuating self-image or wavering self-confidence

·         lacks confidence in certain environmental situations

·         has inadequate sales development to be competitive in the sales scenario

·         simply cannot handle the “no”

The bottom line is that the problems we experience are self- inflicted. 

For 12 years I taught the Dale Carnegie courses in effective speaking and human relations.  Over a period of 14 weeks I was able to witness the transformation of people with a fear of public speaking emerge into a more confident communicator.  For people to be successful they must have a positive experience that allows them to get out on the edge of their comfort zone to obtain a higher self-confidence.  Once this confidence is reached however, there’s still a need for continued positive reinforcement so they can persist in their personal growth.    

Last week we discussed a case study about a man who finally admitted his call reluctance was seeded in a deep rooted lack of confidence.  For simplicity’s sake of our allegory we will refer to this man as Tom.  To help Tom, we had to reinforce his self-confidence; this was a not a single positive reinforcement, but a series of multiple positive experiences. 

The saga of Tom’s transformation will continue in next week’s blog.