By: Jeffrey Gitomers Sales Caffeine e zine
These are from Jeffrey Gitomers "Sales Caffeine" e zine. Hopefully, no one can really identify with these, but good things to keep in mind….
The 29.5 Biggest Sales Whines (And how to stop drinking from the wrong cup!)
Sometimes salespeople whine. And like all wines (whines), some are fine, but most are common. Below are the finest sales whines. Most of them are vintage, and they're all worth a fortune -- if you can get rid of them. You can call them common complaints by common salespeople (not you of course).
Pick out your favorites. Pick the ones that apply to you. Then slap yourself in the face as you realize you had the answer all along.
Here are 10 of the 29.5 biggest sales whines:
1. I got beat on price (again). That would be your fault. The customer perceived no difference between you and the competition, and no value beyond the product; therefore "price" was all that mattered.
2. The prospect went with someone else at a higher price. Proof that lowest price doesn't matter. Value and relationship will win the order AND the profit.
3. 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).
4. The buyer won't decide. You have not created enough of a value proposition to interest the customer enough to act TODAY.
5. 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 (like a fool).
6. My product is becoming a commodity. What are you selling? Pigs? Oil? Corn? Those are commodities, Sparky. Your product has value, and it's up to you to prove it. Besides, your customer didn't tell you that your product was a commodity, you told yourself so many times that you actually believe it.
7. The competition is beating us by lowering their price. Whenever you get beat on price, it means you were perceived as the same and price was all that mattered.
8. The competition stole one of our big accounts. That's because they can. Whenever you lose a customer to a lower price, it means you were vulnerable to lose them. Find the REAL REASON before you start losing more of them.
9. The prospect won't give me an appointment. No, you haven't established enough rapport or interest to earn one. You're begging or selling; try engaging and gaining interest with questions about them.
10. The customer lied to me. Usually the lie is about money, or it's pitting you against a competitor, or both. If you are CERTAIN you know it to be true, confront them with a question, NOT an accusation
