| Procrastination, like a car’s noises, is sometimes | | | | follow up after up to a third contact, this noise is a |
| only heard on occasion for salespeople and | | | | difficult one to diagnose. From a recent survey I read, |
| independent professionals. Because it may be | | | | here’s how it breaks down: 34% feel like they are |
| infrequent, the temptation to ignore it is big. What | | | | bothering people so they don’t follow up; 32% have |
| potential selling noises are you possibly ignoring? | | | | a hit or miss process; 14.9% say they are too busy |
| Take procrastination, a noise similar to applying the | | | | with other things, and just 17% say they persist with a |
| brakes on your vehicle. You plan your day the evening | | | | series of planned actions. Just like driving a car, turning |
| before or the morning of and then you just cannot | | | | corners in sales follow up is necessary, as most of |
| make those follow up calls or those get acquainted | | | | your sales are realized in the follow-up process. Your |
| calls. You reason with yourself why. Before to long, | | | | lack of follow up is a must action to pay attention to. |
| way too many days go by and it’s the end of the | | | | Creating a lost sales strategy can help from falling into |
| week. Now you complain about not having enough | | | | a sales slump. Tim Connor, sales trainer since 1973, |
| business. Procrastination, like brake noises in a car, | | | | suggests that a lost sales strategy is an often |
| needs a check up. Get to the heart of your | | | | overlooked sales skill. Central to his strategy is an |
| procrastination, then implement the best remedy to get | | | | attitude to treat lost clients like new prospects. What |
| moving again. Whatever you do, just get started on | | | | might happen driving in a pre-owned car if you |
| doing at least one thing! | | | | didn’t have regular maintenance? Like with a car, |
| Does your sales presentation squeal? Like a loose belt | | | | soon enough things might come to a halt. If you |
| squealing noise which is heard only when the engine is | | | | don’t analyze why you lost a sale, if you don’t |
| running, you can only hear your presentation squealing | | | | take a lesson away from a loss, and if you don’t |
| when you either debrief a call or record a presentation. | | | | reframe the loss to something positive for yourself, |
| If you are too focused on yourself, your products or | | | | then your car will slow down some day to just die at |
| your services, then your presentation can squeal a | | | | the side of a road! A lost sales strategy can help |
| prospect right off of the road! Unless you get some | | | | improve your sales overall. |
| self-assessment or feedback from a sales coach or | | | | Pay attention to the sounds of procrastination, listen for |
| sales manager, you won’t know about the squeals. | | | | too many me-centered presentations, watch out for |
| Use techniques and skills that keep you talking more | | | | lack of follow up and be careful to ensure that you |
| about the customer and create less noise. | | | | have a no lost sales strategy in place. These skills may |
| Sales follow up can be noisy just like noise you might | | | | not be found in every sales training program, but you if |
| hear when turning a car around a corner. How noisy is | | | | you want to accelerate your sales results you |
| your follow-up? Since 80% of salespeople don’t | | | | seriously need to develop them. |