I have been involved in a number of interested and heated discussions over at the www.salesjobs.ie sales forum. One in particular, sticks out where one Irish sales trainer criticised me heavily as to how I dealt with an enquiry. I choose to qualify early so not as to waste mine or indeed the prospects time.

Based of the 2 footedness of his initial comments, I imagine this gent may have been motivated by attempting to make a bit of a name for him. To be fair to the guy, there was some merit in what he was saying. I could easily have taken a different approach. This could have let to a different outcome??

However, what this so called expert failed to grasp or indeed ask “was this the right thing to do?” based on the available evidence. Had he done this, the answer would have been no. One reason for this is that his training approach, and therefore his sales approach only goes so far as to consider actions. Simply put, it’s an act now, think later methodology.  He believes that he can sell anything to everyone.

When I explained for him, why I believed under these circumstances, taking his advice would lead to a salesperson “wasting their time”, he got cross and accused me on been “ambiguous”. He may even have felt that I had trapped him - I am not sure.

Again, I understand why he might feel this way - his training is based in a world where prospects say, do and mean in the “black and white”. Unfortunately, for salespeople, the real world is not like that and prospects are very often ambiguous.

Salespeople are all the time having to make decisions where they lack 100% of the facts. In my opinion, a big BIG part of effective selling is making great decisions with less than all the facts.

You see the net result of listening to these “chase at all costs” preachers is just that - It’s all cost. It will cost you time, it will cost you your resource and it WILL cost you sales.

Now, more than ever salespeople need to be more strategic in their approach. You cannot consider sales without considering the strategy of selling - you cannot sell without THINKING FIRST.

In the News

We are launching the latest TSE ebook- 147 pages, packed with articles from most of the Top Sales Experts including yours truly - Ill keep you posted.

Sales Expo 09 has being rescheduled for June 9th.

At the event there will be trade stands from CRM companies such as Sage, agencies such as Rightfit, Sales Trainers and Coaches, Telesales / Sales Lead Generation Companies and much more.

This event is being run to help sales professional’s boost their own motivation as well as network with like minded sales professionals so why not bring a sales colleague and network your heads off?

For more information please call Lisa on 01 236 6636

Parties interested in participating at the event with a trade stand call Niall on01 236 6636

Individuals Interested in Attending the Sales Expo ‘09:

Booking details below:

Date: June 9th
Time: 5.30pm - 8.30pm
Venue: Ballsbridge Court hotel (Formally known as Berkeley Court)
Cost: €20.00

01 236 6636 or email lisa@jobsonlinegroup.ie

Review

Niall Kelly and the good people over at www.salesjobs.ie have just launched an Irish based sales forum and chat room.

(more…)