Rectify your mistakes ! A must in sales to become successful.

 “Great services are not canceled by one act or by one single error”.Even more safe is to predict errors and to control them.

Today’s blog is about rectifying the mistakes identified as those commonly made by sales people.

  Inefficient or insufficient database:

Database is like gold mine. Gathering one is as difficult as retaining it. The source of database can be historical data, data with market information or those which can be purchased from a reliable data source. The best place to start looking own book, laptop or computer

            Overdependence on internet:

Use internet effectively as the first step to data collection. Any data taken from internet needs to be validated or vetted with a phone call or a detailed meeting. It would be wise not to make  a proposal on the basis of data from internet and one can never gain complete knowledge from it. However before visiting a prospective client especially if they happen to be big it’s a great idea to collect details which provide information about their nature of business, not suggestions on your nature of business and how effective it would be.

    Improper questioning:

Probing is the key to a successful proposal. To have a meeting that ends with having collected most of the require information a questionnaire will always be helpful. This helps in not missing out any important information. A lot of people carry profile sheets so that all data about a customer can be recorded and all of the customers’ needs are taken care of.

               Narrow Minded approach:

 Probing is not a part of initialization it is the start of a sales process.  To set an exercise to question customer even if they are not of immediate importance will be helpful for reference in a future circumstance, because what is a just an information today may be a opportunity tomorrow. Target should be to know at least 70%-80% about the customer in the first meeting and rest over the course of time

  Discontinued follow up:

Follow up is the only way to convert prospect into an opportunity and further into a successful business. No business can ever survive with only one customer or one part of a customer’s business. Follow up provides us the opportunity to be at the right time at the right place. It makes us the top of the mind recall for the customer.

              Poor after sales service:

It’s important to be there for the customer when he needs us rather than be there for him when we need him. Incremental business is as important as new business. Keeping in regular touch with then customer after initial sales always brings in more business and this can be done by scheduling meetings with customers on a in a planned manner so that these customer are never forgotten.

               Competitive industry data:

Every customer with good potential has a seller/ service provider attached to them. Similarly every competitor has a top customer. What is important is to find a source that provides information about the competitor. Once you know the source it is important to use the source to keep constant tab on the competitions foot hold.

    Competition strength analysis:

Market intelligence offers a competitive edge that one cannot achieve in its absence. The source of market intelligence can be a internet or a from a mode that makes it its job to provide that data. However the most accessible form of data would be where you ask your potential customer on what is it that makes your competitor better than you in certain areas.

  Wild goose chase:

The best way to not to waste time on a customer is to understand is to understand what is required to win a business  and set timelines. Once all necessities have been taken care of its mandatory to see what stops the customer from giving us an opportunity. Sometimes it might be useful to step up a level to a decision maker. However when you start going over and beyond timelines its necessary to draw out a strategy.

 Forget the missing:

Going through ones list of customer and pipeline helps identify lost and down trading customers. Keeping in touch with them over a mail or a phone call keep their memory refreshed about you and also reiterates that you are still interested in their business. This can lead you back into the doors of a lost customer at any time