Avoid these avoidable business to business sales mistakes

This McKinsey study surveyed 1,200 buyers in small, medium, and large companies about their experience with sales people and it wasn’t good.

Two biggest obstacles

This study was performed in 2009 but it’s still relevant today. Their findings show the two biggest obstacles to business to business sales are lack of product knowledge and stalking clients.

Customers have access to more information, so when you sell your services you must be a subject matter expert. Lack of product and market knowledge will cost you customers. Keep up to date on your client’s industry and key trends affecting them. Learn about their customers and competition.

How to stop stalking clients

Do you stalk clients? You probably don’t know if you do. Here’s what stalking feels like. A network marketer tried selling to me a few weeks ago. She talked nonstop about how her product was the best, told me all the features and benefits of their company, and how much I could earn. Didn’t ask about me, my goals, or interests. After about 30minutes of ear-bashing I told her I had to go. About an hour later she texted me asking to meet again so she could learn about me. Sent several texts asking to meet again.

It didn’t feel good. I felt violated. My time felt wasted.

If she’d started by asking about me, and asked questions related to her service area and how it could benefit me, basically got me to do all the talking, I would not have felt violated. And if she followed up by sending me interesting and useful info about areas we talked about – of interest to me – I’d feel grateful she’s helping me.

When you communicate with clients to add value, inform, and educate them they won’t feel like you’re stalking them. If you contact them to pimp you or your product, guess what? They’re going to feel stalked.

Joint third place

• Inconsistent sales team
• Slow response to sales inquiries
• Too little contact
• No help optimizing spending
• Lack of single point of contact
• No information sharing on matters related to their business

All of this basically translates to, they have no sales process.

What are your thoughts on the list? Please share – would love to hear your thoughts.

Read this post on how to address these basic mistakes.

Have a great day!