In this week’s episode, we cover 2 of the most important and exciting things you can do to make you a much better sales professional. I am going to show you how to set a trap for yourself to prevent lapsing into bad sales habits. I am also going to show you how to use social media and digital media to set up a winning scene.
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Set a Trap To Help Yourself
Problem: 
Jack had been with the company for only two years, yet he was considered their most technically competent salesperson. He was the “go to guy” when the other salespeople needed someone to talk to about solutions, specifications, and competitive information.
He was an expert when it came to product knowledge. Yet he had the worst closing rate and was the lowest paid salesperson.
Analysis:
Jack had a bad habit and it was hurting his sales big time. He inevitably began to discuss solutions before he understood the prospect’s problems. His product knowledge and technical expertise was causing failure, not success. Despite the training, he’d had over the years that taught him to diagnose the prospect’s problem before prescribing a solution, it seemed he just couldn’t help himself.
He had to talk about his product.
Deep down he believed that when they heard about all the features, advantages and benefits, they’d be compelled to buy. And he believed that dispensing his solutions and other free advice would endear him to his prospects. But it didn’t! He had to do something or he’d be looking for another job. What a waste of good product knowledge that would be!
Solution:
Jack came to me for advice. He understood the problem, but seemed helpless to break the habit after several months of trying.
I suggested that he “set a trap” for himself.
I told him to tell every prospect during the meeting agreement,
“You know, one of the biggest concerns I have is that I get so excited about our products that I often start selling them before I’ve taken the time to really understand what the customer needs. It’s not very fair to you, so if I start to do this today, will you please stop me? After all, I can’t be much help to you if I don’t understand your issues, can I?”
Now, not many prospects would actually stop him in the middle of his sales pitch, but it gave him an excuse to stop himself!
He learned to say,
“I’m sorry, there I go again. I told you I might do too much talking. Can we go back a step? I’d like to ask you a question about….”
This “trap” helped him eliminate premature product knowledge dumping, got him to ask more questions, qualify better, and build better rapport because his prospects felt he really cared about their issue. Best of all, he closed more business.
What bad selling habits do you have?
Do you forget to discuss money issues, fail to get to the real decision maker, never get referrals?
How can you use a “trap” to help you?
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First Impressions Are Dead
There, I said it.
If first impressions are still a part of your life, you’re doing it all wrong.
There is no reason for anyone to be faced with a first impression any longer. There are just too many places and too much information out there for the first impression to matter.
Well, in-person first impressions that is.
Digital first impressions, they’re not dead, they’re in their infancy and rapidly growing in importance.
Here’s the deal.