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April 01, 2010 at 08:00 PM
Being bad at prospecting and selling sometimes seems as if it’s at least as difficult as being good. It actually takes a lot of work to be an advisor or agent and yet be bad at sales. Think about it. You have to be consistently bad at so many things: time management, prospecting, product knowledge, business etiquette, customer service, follow-up, relationship building, and organization. That’s a lot of bad habits you’ve got to form.
Hey, some advisors just have a knack for being bad at sales. They make it look so easy – and if you’re looking to join their ranks, use these quick tips to get on the fast track to nowhere.
Leave your business cards at home
If you do use business cards, be sure they are dog-eared and dirty. But really, why do you even need them? You might as well leave your cards in your office, home, or car. If anyone is really interested in contacting you, let them take the initiative. They can always Google you.
Don’t send thank-you notes
No one does that anymore, so why be old-fashioned? Plus, buying stationery is a pain, and writing notes with a pen is a drag. If you really must thank somebody, just send ‘em an email and be done with it.
Talk to your clients only when you want something
Why else would you talk to them? Do not keeps tabs on your clients as they experience changes in their job, business, marital status, health, income level, family, and lifestyle. You can be sure they will confide in another advisor who will relieve you of their business. Let someone else be the hero.
Avoid calling prospects
Why call people who don’t want to be called to talk about stuff they don’t want to buy? They’ll just insult you, right? If you have to do it, put it off for another day if at all possible. So what if some advisors are successful at cold calling? Chalk it up to luck; there’s certainly nothing systematic about it. It’s not like they have some magical script that gets them on the prospect’s good side.
Don’t develop a plan
As we all know, life’s more fun when you fly by the seat of your pants. It can get boring when you take the time to make a to-do list or follow a set routine. Writing business plans? Marketing plans? What a waste of time! There are plenty of things that are a lot more fun. Enjoy the moment!
Get in the habit of not returning phone calls
All these callers can drive you nuts. And it’s not like having a client service system is going to double your revenue, right? If it’s all that important, they’ll call back. What’s great about this technique is that eventually, people will stop calling and the problem will pretty much resolve itself.
Don’t ask for referrals
