Creating new deals and bringing in more business doesn’t always have to be via new client acquisition. Tapping into your existing client base is one of the most cost effective and successful ways to generate further revenue for your business. Remember, there’s a fine line between keeping your professional relationships warm and sending your previous clients running for hills.
Here are five things you should never do when on a sales call to new or existing clients:
- Behave as if your sales target is more valuable than your prospective client’s time. Your clients have a job to do too, if they tell you they have five minutes to talk to you, be grateful that they are giving you five minutes of their precious time and figure out how condense your pitch in that time/or less.
- Continue trying to force a sales conversation after the client has made it clear she is not interested at this time. Not only is this rude and disrespectful, it undermines the relationship you’ve worked hard to establish. There’s nothing wrong with asking one or two questions, but don’t force your prospect in to a corner, or worse an argument.
- Overselling, don’t continue trying to sell your product/service after the client has made it clear they are interested and will be using your services. This has happened to me recently, the car company I have my PCP plan with last week called to offer incentives for returning customers. I informed the sales person that my wife and I were extremely happy with their service thus far, and that we will absolutely be upgrading our vehicle and continuing with a similar plan in the near future. In spite of my commitment to work with them again, he continued to “sell” the benefits of their company- excellent customer service, quick turnaround, guaranteed prices, etc. Not only was this a waste of the 5 minutes I told him I had, it became abundantly clear that he was more interested in getting through his pitch in its entirety, rather than listening to me - his customer.
- Attract and then switch. After gaining a customer’s interest in your product or service and closing the deal, one of the most confusing things you can then do, is then switch focus to an entirely different product or service. Cross selling has it’s time and place, but closing a deal, then swiftly moving on to a new conversation is a sure way to aggravate your client. A better way of handling this, could be within your email confirmation, or even a follow up call a little way down the line. This is a more subtle and considered approach to introducing your other great products.
- Become rude when it’s clear your prospect will not be buying from you today. There are many reasons why sales sometimes doesn’t close, regardless of the reason on this occasion, you are a professional and should behave like one. If you have positioned and articulated your product/service well, and explained the benefits it can deliver, then the choice is up to the client. If they aren’t ready to buy right now, that’s fine, you’ve planted the seed for future sales (created future opportunity). Over-selling, rudeness and poor customer service, are sure fire ways of guaranteeing you’ll never hear from that client again.
Remember durhamlane Sales Mantra #2 beProfessional, Humble Courteous, Pro-active, Hungry, Ambitious, and if you already are, ensure your sales and customer facing staff are too!
For more information about how to improve your sales conversations and create more sales opportunities, take a look at our high impact sales training ‘Selling at a Higher Level’ masterclass brochure, or call us and ask us about our sales consultancy solutions.
