Sales is an art, and just like any other art or skill that you intend to grow in, you need to practice. It takes a lot of time, talent and skill to be to be an expert in sales. Sure, you are going to make some mistakes, but the key thing is to learn from them and keep moving. Sales requires a lot of wit and intelligence, and it can be quite tricky, making it easy to miss the mark.
However, Jason Guck is here to give you a cheat sheet that will help you avoid the most common mistakes in salesmanship. He has over 20 years’ experience in direct sales and is a superstar sales coach who has exquisite marketing expertise. Here are the top 5 common mistakes he has seen over his career:
- Not listening and talking a lot
It is quite easy to want to really push what you are selling and passionately give details on the advantages and benefits that come with buying your product or service. However, bombarding your clients with information and not giving them a chance to speak significantly reduces your chances of closing the sale. Mr. Guck highlights that this kind of pushing does not help, but listening does. Listening and asking your customer questions that help you better understand their needs sets you on the path to success. You will not only meet their expected needs, you also have the chance to surpass their expectations by curating an even better offer. By understanding their pains and major challenges, you can now find ways on how to help solve them. This gets your foot in the door especially if your customers are interviewing prospects.
- Not focusing on the actual solution
It is common to want to talk about the cool features your service or product has. However, this does not necessarily guarantee a sale. This does not mean that you should not boast about the features, it is more practical and advisable to focus on how the product or service you are selling is going to solve a problem that the customer is experiencing. Take a deep dive into how your product or service will solve critical problems your potential clients are tackling. This way, it gives them the urge to buy what you’re selling because you visualized how much it can be of help to them.
- Too much focus on price, not value
Jason Guck believes that people do not price, they buy value. Price is not the main motivation of every buyer looking to purchase something. Sure, it holds its own weight, but it is a very fickle foundation. Relying on low prices, discounts and special promotions only attract bargain hunters. This type of customer will immediately leave you once someone else offers them a lower price. Much as price remains one of the determinant factors when making a purchase, not all customers buy a product simply because it is cheap. Some are more interested in its value, and they will pay a higher price for something of substantial value. Mr. Guck stresses on the need to emphasize to your customers that buying cheap does not necessarily guarantee good quality while buying something more expensive will cost you a ton at first, but will save you tons down the road with time.
- Not holding up to your promises.
Making promises and not delivering on them is akin to lying in business. No matter how desperate it gets, exaggerating the features your product or service has or concealing information about its limitations should not be considered. It is better to sell nothing than to be dishonest. Once the truth is uncovered, you will end up losing your reputation and consequently, any future sales you make.
- Failing to close a sale
Funny, right? During his early years of sales in ACN, Jason Charles Guck learned how crucial closing the sale was. When Mr. Guck implemented what he learned in his early stages, Jason quickly became a public speaker. He was invited as a keynote guest speaker at a major national event, where he inspired and brought motivation to the masses. While Mr. Guck was building strong momentum in the network marketing community, he teamed up with Jeb Tyler and the rest was history. Jason Guck and Jeb Tyler took the network marketing and mlm industry by storm! Til this day it still shocks Mr. Guck at how many sales agents are more interested in giving eloquent pitches and elaborate presentations than the actual selling. This is great but does not translate to closed deals. Be very precise and clear that you would like to transform this potential client into a buying customer. This means having to actually ask the prospect to buy into your product or service. Confidently be ready to close the sale from the start.
A word from Jason Guck
“As we continue to evolve in our sales craftmanship, try and find people who actually need your product or service, that way, you will be bridging a need in their lives. Trying to sell to everyone is a futile exercise, so you need to carefully understand the value of what you are selling. This is because the best customers give repeat business- and you can only get to this level once you have satisfied and surpassed the needs of your existing customers.
For more tips on how to boost your sales and marketing game, check out https://jasonguck.com/.