The Biggest Sales Call Mistake

Watch this week's Short Attention Span Sales Tip here.

You finally score an appointment with Humongous Corporation. To prepare for the call, you plan meticulously, correctly doubling down on your research to make certain you've got talking points and credibility.

Your Keynote slides are ready. (Cool people use Keynote. Lemmings use PowerPoint.)

The date approaches. You confirm with the customer. Yup, we are still on.

Houston, we are go for launch.

The big day arrives. You get there early, more than a little nervous. Prospective customers file in and the appointment begins.

45 minutes later, the room empties except for your key contact. You think it went well.

The look on her face says she disagrees.

“What? I thought it went great,” you say.

“I'm sure you do,” she replies. “The trouble is, you did not ask one question. At no point did you include us in your presentation. Your points were valid and your content was solid. However, the body language around the room — something else you failed to read — told me you did not make a connection.”

The number one mistake salespeople make in a sales appointment is talking too much. You might know your stuff. You might be an expert in your field and even in theirs. But there is more than one way to get your points across and a 45-minute monologue is too much you.

In your next sales presentation, make certain you are pulling the client in by asking questions, encouraging input on the fly, and referencing previous conversations.

Customer engagement is the key to any sales presentation.

Everyone loves the sound of their own voice. Make sure the client/prospect gets the chance to hear theirs.

Bill Farquharson can be reached at 781-934-7036 or through the website, SalesVault.pro.