Don't get caught off-guard

September 27, 2011 at 08:00 PM
Share & Print

It's not uncommon to be caught off-guard during a sales call, meeting or presentation. An unexpected question, an unresolved problem with a current product, or an unresponsive prospect can all throw a wrench into the best-laid plans. It's how you respond that makes a difference.

If you become flustered, you won't succeed at delivering your value proposition in the best possible manner. If you allow the questions to throw you off-track, you may lose sight of your main objective. If you can't respond appropriately to objections or concerns, you will not likely move the sales conversation forward.

Remember, selling is a contest-a contest between you and your major competitor. And if you want to win it's essential that you perform under pressure.

How do you do this?

In a word…prepare

Before every single sales presentation, meeting, appointment or call, you need to consider:

You don't need to spend hours thinking about these questions; usually a few minutes of uninterrupted time is more than sufficient. However, it is time well-invested because it is less likely that you will be caught off-guard.

For more on sales techniques, see:

Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals master their sales conversations so they can win more business at higher profits. Get a free copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" and "Sales Blunders That Cost You Money" at http://www.Fearless-Selling.ca.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 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.

Related Stories

Resource Center