How to Avoid the Seven Deadly Sins of Selling

Today’s college or university sales person has to deal with the economy, competition, wearing many hats internally, lack of sales training and territories.  If that wasn’t enough, committing even one of the Seven Deadly Sins of Selling could stop the sale or lengthen the sales cycle.  What are those seven deadly sins and what can you do to avoid them?

1. Talk too much and listen too little– Do your company research and then create a list of questions to uncover the specific needs.  Don’t assume anything—ask more questions, probe deeper, listen and takes notes.
    
2. No processes or systems in place for selling – Automate beyond technology.  Create new habits, scripts, typical questions to ask, pipeline reports, follow-up systems, top customer tracking forms, proposal and contract templates, and company research sites.
    
3. Fail to build trust before trying to sell your products and services – Customers won’t buy from a sales person unless they trust them.  Slowly build trust and rapport with your prospects.  Show you have done your homework.  Tell stories about other companies you have helped in their market.  Erase the prospect’s fear of doing business with you.
    
4. Sells features instead of benefits or value – Don’t discuss what your products and services do—discuss what they will do for the prospect.  Talk about the difference it will make in the prospect’s organization such as increased productivity, build better leaders, improve a process, become more competitive, or increase their bottom line.
    
5. Being discouraged by the amount of work it takes to succeed in sales, excessive rejection and college bureaucracy – Control your attitude by practicing good self-talk, reading positive selling books, and saying daily affirmations.  Concentrate on what is going well instead of what isn’t, and utilize a mentor or a coach.
    
6. Rushing the prospect to buy and selling the wrong solution – Understand your prospect’s buying style and generation and sell accordingly.  You can’t rush a prospect to a decision if they aren’t ready.  Make sure you have asked all the probing questions needed to uncover the true customer need and then prescribe the right solution.  Become a trusted advisor with good information, resources and solutions.
    
7.  Not separating your college or university from the rest of the competition – Identify how you are better and different from the competition.  Why should companies buy from you?  Determine your Value Proposition Statement and use it everywhere.  Differentiate yourself by focusing on the specific needs of the prospect, delivering an outstanding solution and following up to reinforce learning and sell additional products and services.
 

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