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By Percy Chong, 25th June 2015
Almost every sales consultant would have experience the helplessness of losing sales opportunities despite putting so much effort in pursuing the sale. And the harder one tries, the more it seems to slip away!
Many sales consultants have equated aggressiveness or intensity in effort, as an expression of “hunger” or desire for results. And the energy and passion derived from their inner desire is sufficient to get them the results that they want. But having “hunger” alone is no excuse to throw caution to the wind and ignore the fact that, there is certain artistry involve in the selling process. There is a difference between blind enthusiasm and finesse.
There is also a difference between desperation and desire to get results. And the prospects can tell, and that might not be the most favourable impression to leave them.
Stress and raw nerves makes us do the most foolish things. With every little mistake, the sale slips a little further. It is so easy to tell or convince the sales consultants who want the sale so badly, to relax and take a step back; and revisit the situation with a fresh perspective. But in reality, the sales consultants are wound up so tight, that they simply cannot nimble up and see.
ASG has observed the best sales calls or presentations were made when the sales consultants are the most relax and nimble. They are able to see what is going on and correctly size up the situation to react to the prospect appropriately.
Selling essentially is handling the prospect, or the sale situation. In order to be successful in handling, it requires the sales consultants to be able to first “see”, before reacting. With stress and tensions are in the way, the sales consultants can scarcely handle themselves, if not the prospects.
ASG recommends that sales consultants increase their level of activity to achieve “habituation”, or familiarity with their task. The increase in practice, allows sales consultants to shake off their nerves or get pass their initial jitters fast, to arrive at their state of “relaxness” or “numbness” to their environment. It also helps sales consultants to get familiar with their roles and dispel any misconception or apprehension of the job. Awareness and familiarity does a wonderful task of calming nerves.
The increase in sales opportunities will accord sales consultants with the “affordability” to lose someopportunities and not be greatly affected. The unwelcome anxiety and tension that comes from limited or lack of sales opportunities will likely dissipate or be manageable.
With initial jitters, raw nerves, pressure, tension, anxiety and stress etc adequately manage or out of the sales consultant’s system; sales consultants will be at a state of heighten awareness (ie. relax & nimble) to read the sales situation and handle their prospect effectively for increase sales results.
Remember the other sale’s twist…you need to “lose” a considerable amount of opportunities, before you are ready or skilled enough to convert on them! And in case you are wondering, when does it ever becomes the prospect’s fault (ie. suspect cases) for losing the sale opportunities…well it does and that is another topic to be discussed some other time.
Article contributed by Percy Chong (through Asian Sales Guru) |