How do your sales reps avoid buyer frustrations? By applying these four selling tips: 1) value your prospects’ time and pay attention, 2) don’t treat buyers like a transaction, 3) find out your buyers’ problem and connect the dots for them, & 4) record responses and don’t make the buyer answer anything more than once.
Are you listening to your buyers? No, I mean really paying attention and getting an understanding of what they’re saying.
With our busy modern lifestyles, it’s easy to get into the habit of skimming things and not absorbing every detail. That’s fine when you’re reading a blog post, but NOT when it comes to communicating with a prospective buyer.
In a recent podcast episode of INSIDE Inside Sales, I had a conversation with world-class sales trainer Mike Kunkle about the poor experiences I’ve had with salespeople as a C-level buyer. Check out the LinkedIn post that sparked our discussion.
You’ll notice that my sales woes listed in that post are about the customer experience, and I’m not alone in that sentiment. Sixty-four percent of people agree that customer experience is more important than price.
In this blog post, I’m sharing some practical selling tips that your salespeople can use as a reminder, so they’re not making the same mistakes that pushed me to publish my LinkedIn rant.
Five Selling Tips to Avoid Common Buyer Frustrations
It’s time to level up if you want my business – or that of another C-level buyer. Here’s a look at my selling tips and the buyer frustrations no one should have to experience when trying to give you money!
1. Value your prospects’ time and pay attention.
Read my entire email and don’t skim it. Sixy-six percent of adults say the most important aspect of a good online customer experience is feeling that the company values their time.
It’s obvious when a salesperson hasn’t completely read an email. They disregard a question or two or ask the same questions more than once. I took the time to ask questions or answer yours, so take the time to digest mine before responding.
2. Don’t treat your buyers like a transaction.
Not treating buyers as a transaction ties into number one. Personalize your interactions and show that you value their business. The conversation may deviate from the script, and that’s okay, especially if it helps to understand the buyer better.
Don’t make your buyers feel like they’re just your next commission check. Unappreciated customers may decide to take their business to your competitor.
3. Find out your buyers’ problem and connect the dots for them.
Don’t expect buyers to make the connection between their problem and your solution. Instead, do the work for your prospective client. Explain how what you offer will make their days easier and solve their issues.
Be proactive by helping your buyers address their pain points with the solution you have to offer. Show them how what you’re selling can help.
4. Record responses and don’t make the buyer answer anything more than once.
It’s pretty unlikely that your salespeople have a memory that will allow them to remember everything from each of their conversations with prospects. Keep a log of interactions to ensure that the same questions are not asked more than once.
Sales engagement software, like VanillaSoft, can help your salespeople to keep better records of their communications. If more than one salesperson or employee is involved in the sales process, the documentation will make it a much better experience for the prospect.
5. Keep your appointments (AKA Never Reschedule A Legitimate Buyer)
Getting time on their schedule is hard enough. But rescheduling just conveys that somebody else is more important than they are, which leads them to wonder if a customer relationship with you will be the same way.
Bottom Line – Focus More on the Buyer
The selling tips I shared above are not difficult to apply; however, they do seem to be things sales reps forget about occasionally. Share my advice with your team so they can avoid mistakes that can cost them the sale.
