Reality check: What do prospects really think?

It would be an awesome reality check if every salesperson could be a fly on their prospect’s office wall for a day, especially if they could watch their own sales call unfold. Here are few things they would likely see or hear.

During a telephone call

• The prospect hitting “delete” before listening to the entire voicemail: “Another salesperson leaving me a lame message? Don’t these people understand how busy I am?”
• The prospect checking email while the salesperson rambles on about his product.

During face-to-face meetings

• A prospect distracted by incoming emails, people wanting her attention, a stack of paperwork on her desk.
• The salesperson failing to pick up on visual clues like the prospect fidgeting and continually glancing at their watch.
• A salesperson attempting to establish rapport by referencing a photo, award or other personal item in the prospect’s office.

After a sales call

• The prospect saying to his colleague, “Can you believe how much that guy talked? It’s a wonder he ever closes a sale,” followed by laughter.
• “That’s 60 minutes of my life I’ll never get back.”
• A group of buyers saying, “Why do all salespeople sound the same? Doesn’t anyone have a unique approach?”

Harsh? Perhaps. But, it’s also the reality because the majority of sales conversations are not as effective as the seller thinks they are. Here’s a suggestion: Talk to one of your best customers, someone who would be willing to provide an open and honest opinion. Ask them what they dislike most about sales calls. Take it a step further and ask how you can improve your sales conversations. Apply their feedback and I suspect that you will increase your sales almost immediately.

For more on engaging prospects, see:

How to warm up a cold prospect