Too often a sale is lost because the salesperson blew it during the selling process. There may have been multiple reasons why. Perhaps there was a personality issue between buyer and seller. Maybe a misunderstanding or lack of communication about what the buyer wanted was the problem. Did the rep have a basic understanding of the product or service, or did the customer perceive a total lack of knowledge about the product on the part of the agent. Was the price too high, or was there no room for negotiation? Lots of other problems may have occurred also during the process that prevented a sale.
However, many sales are lost simply because the salesperson talked too much. There is a cardinal rule in selling: he who speaks first loses. Lots of agents or merchants are so enamored with themselves that they talk too much and the customer gets turned off. Selling is a dance between the customer and the salesperson, and those who win are the most adept at timing and footwork.
According to Selling Power magazine, while long discussions can enhance relationships, most customers prefer salespeople who are to the point. Here are the top factors that keep sales reps from listening more than they speak:
Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to BenefitsPRO, part of your ALM digital membership.
Your access to unlimited BenefitsPRO content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking benefits news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical converage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.