Are You Guilty?
by Tim Connor
Every day thousands of salespeople annoy their customers and prospects with a variety of actions, behaviors and decisions. Are you guilty of any of the following? If you are you might want to re-evaluate your selling behavior. Why lose sales or customers needlessly when all that might be necessary are just a few minor changes in your selling style or communication methods.
Do you send emails instead of calling?
Do you act like the customer owes you the business?
Are you an effective communicator?
Do you take customer loyalty for granted?
Do you work as hard to keep the business as you did to get it in the first place?
Are you sometimes vague and non-committal?
Do you sometimes push just a little too hard for the sale or an answer?
Do you just “check in” when in reality you are hoping for a sale?
Are you a poor listener?
Do you respond quickly enough for requests for information, help or answers?
Do you get annoyed when you get a no when you were expecting a yes?
Do you invalidate your customers in any way – consciously or unconsciously?
Are you only concerned with selling something or helping them solve a problem?
Do you follow-up when you say you will?
Is your word your bond?
Do you make commitments you can’t honor?
Are you ever rude, arrogant or inattentive?
Do you treat their questions or concerns lightly?
Do you act like you understand something when you really don’t?
Are your sales skills up to par?
Do you pass the buck on problems or customer issues or complaints?
Do you support your support staff when they need your help on behalf of a customer?
Are you ever late for anything?
Do you need to improve your customer knowledge?
Do you ever make assumptions?
Do you waste your prospect’s or customer’s time?
Do you sell at the right level?
Do you tailor your sales message to the buying style of your prospect or customer?
I could go on and on with these types of questions. The real question is are you doing anything to annoy your customers or prospects and therefore sabotaging your success?
© 2006 by Tim Connor, all rights reserved. Used with permission.
Speaker/Best Selling Author/Trainer/Consultant and Business Coach, Tim Connor is the President and CEO of Connor Resource Group and Peak Performance Institute. He has been a full time professional speaker and trainer since 1973, and he has given over 4500 presentations in 21 countries, to a wide variety of sales, management and executive audiences. Contact him at 704-895-1230 (Voice) or 704-895-1231 (Fax) or e mail him at: [email protected] or visit his website at www.timconnor.com