New to selling? Use our guide to break through sales obstacles and secure higher success rates.
It’s the first day on the job. You’re a new sales rep. You don’t have much experience in the field, but you’re good with people, and you know how to make connections. Plus, you’re looking forward to developing your selling skills and making better money for yourself. That’s the spirit!
But let’s be honest: there are many sales obstacles on the horizon that you’ll have to face. New salespeople have much to learn and it’s better to prepare yourself now. Don’t attempt to fly a plane if you don’t know how to land it.
How to handle 7 of the most common sales obstacles
1. Presenting with confidence and selling without pretense
The number one sales obstacle for new people is confidence. It’s the underlying factor that influences a successful career in selling. Customers trust people who carry themselves well. It makes them feel at ease and comfortable. That’s the difference between a “salesperson” and a helpful, trusted advisor.
However, if you’re looking for a quick solution, you’re in trouble. Time is your only companion here. It takes time, patience, and sustained effort to gain confidence in sales. Many newcomers give up before they overcome this obstacle.
2. Explaining your product’s features and benefits in-depth
Know your product. It’s the holy grail of selling! How can you persuade someone to buy if you don’t know everything there is to know about the product? Think of yourself as the best reference available.
Following up with prospects is a crucial step to nurturing and closing a sale. Don’t ever forget again–automate follow up with Blitz. Schedule a free demo today, and see how it works!
Be willing to do your homework. You’ll diminish minor sales obstacles by studying every product line. Conversations will flow easier. You’ll answer difficult questions with strong answers. Because there is nothing worse than saying, “Um…let me ask my manager about that.”
Plus, you’ll understand how to intuitively connect your product as THE ONLY solution to your prospect’s problems.
3. Know your customer base: their problems, desires, and deal breakers
Find out as much as you can about your customers. You won’t have to try nearly as hard when you genuinely understand the person sitting across from you.
- What do they care about most?
- What happens in their lives that make them seek out your products or services?
- How do they shop? What resources do they trust?
- Who makes the decisions about these purchases?
- What do they value most?
The list can go on and on. There is no such thing as “knowing too much about your customer.” The more, the better.
4. Organizing the sales process and staying on top of crucial tasks
No matter how many organizational tools hit the market, the sales process will never be one way. There is no universal system. Sales obstacles often appear out of nowhere.
- Canceled appointments
- Loss of interest
- Sudden decisions to go with a different company
How do you battle these issues? Stay organized. Know every task that is in front of you and have a plan of execution. When several things are happening at once, the fall out can cause unhappy experiences with customers. CRMs help salespeople stay on top of things.
5. Frustration and despair when things don’t work out
A lot of people tend to give up too soon in a new sales position. How do you handle yourself when a deal falls through? Do you blame yourself or get angry or lose focus? That frustration eventually leads to despair, stress, and finally a decision to go somewhere else. Don’t be like that.
Develop a sales mindset that focuses on the next opportunity. Let it go. No one closes one hundred percent of the time. Be willing to make mistakes and learn from them. If you stick in there and try again, your next sale is right around the corner.
6. Generating your own business through referrals and outreach
Intelligent, business-savvy salespeople create a mini-universe of networks and contacts. They don’t wait for the leads to come in; they go out and get them.
The biggest sales obstacles stem from a lack of activity. Putting forth that extra effort to establish referral sources will make a huge difference in your paycheck. If you’re pro-active and making connections, the money will flow. And you’ll have several trusted sources to tap when a slow month comes around (and they always do).
7. Learning how to combat common objections by practicing responses and new strategies
After a few deals, objections start to seem commonplace. The issue is not the customer’s resistance (everyone has buyer’s anxiety); the issue is not adjusting with useful responses. Sales obstacles aren’t indestructible. You can climb over, go under, walk around, or cut a hole to the other side. Be creative.
Write down the objections you receive. Brainstorm five different responses for each and practice them with a friend or colleague. These small adjustments create huge rewards down the line.
Following up with prospects is a crucial step to nurturing and closing a sale. Don’t ever forget again–automate follow up with Blitz. Schedule a free demo today, and see how it works!
Want to share your two cents? Tell our readers how you overcome sales obstacles!