Your Selling Sucks: Seven People Who Don't "Get It"

In selling solutions and services, many firms suck at selling.

Your selling probably sucks too.Why does your selling suck?It may not be what you think. It just may not be your sales people.

In fact, my scientific evaluation says - in 99 percent of the cases - it is not your sales people. It is because of you. And your lack of understanding what goes on in the selling environment today.Okay, I said you.

Who is you?

1. You = sales management - because you don't have the balls to tell upper management.
2. You = product management - because you haven't been in the field making cold calls - ever.
3. You = the CEO - because you buy into the false bravado of people surrounding you saying, let's fire the sales people and get new ones in. Except your sales people turnover is 50% or more every two years.
4. You = marketing - because you sit in the office and think attending conferences and trade shows and advertising is selling and you are afraid to tie your performance to real results.
5. You = the CFO - well, no, most of the time you do get it and your pissed because you have taken the time to analyze the situation, but you cannot get people to act because they see you just as a "numbers guy" (or "numbers person" for the women who kicked-ass and are in this position - I respect the hell out of you).
6. You = solutions architects or solutions support people who just expect the sales people to make cold calls and get appointments and move out of the way so "I can sell the prospective client."
7. You = The HR department. Wake up and get the data. Stop pussy footing around here. Drill down into what is really happening. Go to the CFO, team up and get real answers. Your CEO needs you now.

Who is it then? If it is not your sales people's "fault" for not selling - who should we hang?

Let's not hang anyone . . . Let's just answer seven simple questions. See the next post!!!!

You Suck At Selling

Why does your selling suck? Since this is a question - I will give you a choice to help you decide the answer;
A.) Is it your sales people?
Or
B.) Is it your ability - or should I say - your inability to define what it is you actually sell?

In about 99% of the cases I have been involved in - guess which is the correct answer?

How many sales people are in a state of limbo because they really don't know what it is they sell. Are you kidding me? "That's pure bullshit." one sales director would say. Okay smart guy, Let me ask you just two questions. First question; Who is your competition for this specific service (solution) and why are you better? And second question; What problem does it solve for your target prospect - specifically? And the answer "lower costs" or "improved operations" is not specific enough.

The look I get - is a puzzled look. And then an answer that basically says; "F - you." And they leave.

But no matter who is right here, the sales person does not know either. If you leave it to them to decide - you are making a huge and expensive mistake.

This needs to be defined for them. You need to - without delay - define this for them. You cannot be everything to everybody. No prospective client will even see you today without some reason - and leaving them a voicemail saying "I can reduce your costs. Please allow me the opportunity to stop by and see you." will be met with a *7 or whatever the code is to "delete" a voice message. Do you know how many calls prospective clients are getting day from sales people? This is not a value proposition. This is lazy marketing. And your sales are suffering because of it.