I often see salespeople who when they have a bad month, they start getting bummed out. They get depressed and beat themselves up. Then they think about quitting. Instead, they need to do what any good doctor does: diagnose the problem and fix it. Here is a 20-question checklist to help you self-diagnose.

1. Was I on time for the appointment?

2. Did I establish a need or desire for my product or service?

3. How was my opening statement received?

4. Did I ask good questions?

5. Did I receive the answers I wanted?

6. How did I appear to the prospect?

7. Did I control the interview?

8. Did I speak and act as an equal, or did I assume a superior or subservient attitude?

9. Did I wait and listen to the prospect’s reaction, or did I anticipate his answer and tell him?

10. Did I rush through the presentation?

11. Was I totally prepared for the presentation?

12. Did I try to make the prospect obligated to me?

13. Did I really get to the main objection?

14. How did I prepare the prospect for the final price?

15. Did I treat pricing consistently and persistently?

16. Did I use a trial close? When?

17. What options or alternatives did I give?

18. Did I summarize all the benefits?

19. Did I show where and how the prospect could benefit?

20. How do I now feel toward the prospect? Most likely, they will feel how you feel.

Taken from sales expert Hal Becker’s book, “May I Have 5 Minutes of Your Time?”

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