Discover the truth behind the top 10 biggest sales myths
Knowing what is true and what is false can make a big difference to your sales success.
Learn which sales activities lead to sales success and how to avoid those that don't. Understand bad sales habits within your company and increase your awareness of what to change and why.
01. A good salesman can sell anything True or False? Research suggests that this is not entirely true. A seller of less complex products may well move from selling stationery to selling household goods and be very successful in both as selling normally involves a single call to close a deal. But what would happen if the same seller started selling large complex IT solutions?
Yes, the salesperson would need a new set of skills but also the skills to handle a longer sales cycle and multiple decision makers. Research into the 10 biggest myths in sales shows that the salesperson in less complex sales is more product-focused and talks a lot. The seller tends to "push" his product to the customer. In more complex sales , there is a lot of focus on really understanding the customer and their needs. It is often the customer who talks the most as many and varied questions come from the seller.
The seller encourages the customer to move towards a purchase decision. For an organization that sells large sophisticated solutions and wants to introduce a new range of products at low prices, their current salespeople should not be expected to be good at selling the new range - the skills required may be very different from those they use within complex sales.
02. More sales meetings and activity leads to more sales True or False? There is a link to Myth 1 here. In low-value sales where the salesperson plays the role of a talking brochure, more sales can be generated by increasing the number of sales calls and activities.
However, Huthwaite's research shows that high-value sales, where the salesperson takes the time to understand customer needs and leads the customer through a decision- and solution-based process, then proves myth 2 false. This type of customer conversation requires planning, preparation, skillful customer interaction and time for reflection after the meeting. Low value sales are about high activity while larger and more complex sales focus on quality in the meeting.
03. Start at the top! True or False? Why waste time when you can talk to the decision makers directly? One thing Huthwaite noticed when observing highly effective salespeople – they were in no rush to talk to the top. Instead, they spend time in the middle of the organization, with problem owners, to understand the challenges before approaching power. People higher up in an organization usually have less time. When a salesperson is talking to senior executives (C-suite), it is critical for them to engage the executives by:
demonstrate a basic understanding of the customer's challenges
demonstrates how the vendor's solution meets the company's needs and demonstrates the benefits it can bring
speak their language
04. Open questions are more powerful than closed questions True or False? This one is an old myth. Huthwaite's research finds no correlation between open-ended questions and success in a sales call. The conversations we have observed (+40,000 pieces) have a mixture of both open and closed questions and that there is no right mix between them.
The answers to open questions are not always a flow of information from the sender. In fact, 10% of open questions get a closed answer. And 60% of closed questions get a long answer from the sender.
Although open and closed questions can aid dialogue and interaction, the real effectiveness lies in the content of the questions.
05. Always be closing (ABC) True or False? They've been telling us for years "try to close the deal - all the time" but that's not what we see effective salespeople doing.
In fact, in consultative and advisory selling, prematurely trying to close the deal can actually cause you to lose it. Skilled salespeople explore customer needs, demonstrate their ability to meet these needs and demonstrate a clear customer benefit with your particular solution - before they start closing.
To close trades – follow these three steps:
Check that you understand the needs and that they are important enough for the customer to do something about (don't miss any customer problems/needs)
For a dialogue with the customer about the benefits of your solution and how your solution meets the customer's stated needs
Ask for an appropriate commitment from the customer
Progress in large complex deals is incremental. The salesperson's task is to get a suitable commitment from each meeting that takes the business a step forward. A meeting without a step forward taken by the customer does not equate to any progress in the sale.
06. First impressions are decisive True or False? "Most people know if they're going to do business with you in the first 60 seconds." Links back to Myths 01 and 02, it depends on the type of sale involved.
In less complex sales – Yes, this can be true. In larger, more complex sales, we find no correlation between how to open an initial customer dialogue and a successful outcome.
In fact, even a frosty start can warm up when a customer sees the business benefits the seller can offer. This does not mean that the seller can open up the customer dialog carelessly. It is important to:
determine the reason for the meeting,
the expectations of the meeting,
the meeting time, and
to position the meeting as a dialogue with questions from both sides.
It can be a new and structured experience for some customers.
07. You are born to be a salesperson! True or False? What a myth! Some early sales studies in the 1940s and 50s showed that many salespeople were extroverted individuals. However, these studies were based on sellers who mostly sold low value products. These days, a lot happens digitally, whether it's simple or complex sales. Today, customers demand to be heard, to be helped, to build trust and integrity. The sophisticated salesperson in complex sales fosters relationships with decision-making teams over long sales cycles for high-value solutions. Studies reveal that many successful salespeople are not hyper extroverts - they are often quiet, attentive, experienced professionals who care about and want to help their customers.
08. Objections are a sign of customer interest True or False? Let's take a closer look at this. We conduct a mediocre customer meeting. The customer objects. We tell ourselves that the customer must be interested if they object. Where does this myth actually come from? If customers object, it is often because they have been offered all or parts of a solution they do not value or see the benefit of. We have failed in our job as sellers to establish value for the customer. The objection originates from the seller who does not fully understand the customers' needs and offers something inappropriate.
Our study of the 10 biggest myths in sales shows that many objections are a direct response to the salesperson offering solutions where the customer has not expressed a clear need. The study also saw a correlation between the use of questions and objections - the more questions, the fewer objections. The questions were generally what helped the salesperson understand and develop needs.
09. Never talk bad about competitors True or False? Many people agree with this and it also sounds quite reasonable; don't talk bad about your competitors. However, our research shows that effective salespeople address weaknesses in competitors but in a more sophisticated way. Compare the following statements:
"Company X is a small company and their geographic coverage is very limited."
"Small businesses often find it difficult to match the geographic coverage that larger organizations require - and surely you're looking for coverage across Europe?"
The statement in point 2. is clear, but it is not directly directed at Company X. In order for salespeople to remain professional, it is important to avoid any direct criticism of competitors. Effective salespeople remind the customer where they are strong and where the competition is weak by using different business and need requirements.
10. Focus on the big customer True or False? Although that was true once upon a time, the sophisticated buyer of large organizations today paints a very different picture. Procurement aims to create the greatest possible efficiency which results in greater demands on the supplier, both as a resource and a cost centre.
Effective salespeople are beginning to realize that medium-sized customers, especially in emerging markets, may be a better option. The competition does not have to be as tough, which can lead to more profitable business. Decision makers are more accessible and decisions can be made faster, which means a shorter sales cycle for the seller.
So where should the seller focus their time and effort? "The biggest accounts" doesn't have to be the answer anymore. We know that 80% of the profit usually comes from 20% of the accounts - but sellers need to be careful - do not confuse large revenues with profitable deals and be sure that you fully understand the needs of your customers.
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