Buyers have heard it all before, which makes them a little more demanding. In short they are less forgiving when salespeople make any of the following mistakes:
- Not knowing enough about your own products, or the customer’s industry. The number one complaint of buyers is a lack of product knowledge on the part of sales people.
- Suggesting we need your solution without taking the time to find out about our needs, or requirements. It is risky to assume the customer has a problem and needs your solution, so don’t forget to ask first.
- Claiming that your solution meets every company’s needs and failing to appreciate that my business is different, or that my challenges are special.
- Talking as if yours is the only alternative, or option, making us suspect that you want to sell to us regardless.
- Hinting that the customer does not know what they are doing, or that what he/she is doing is wrong. Surprisingly this is quite common, with many sales pitches beginning with a statement such as ‘80% of software projects are over budget’, ‘most IT inventories are out by as much as 20%’, etc. These could be seen as thinly veiled insults to the customer.
- Oversimplifying the customer requirements, for example suggesting easy integration with 3rd party systems, when buyers know that integration is never easy.
- Making exaggerated claims that detract from the credibility of their message. For example ‘reduces time to market from months to just hours’, ‘cuts integration costs by up to 90%’, or ‘can be implemented for just 10% of the cost of traditional solutions’. Your claims must be believable and backed up by valid customer references.
- Talks in terms of marketing fluff, as opposed to objectively verifiable and quantifiable information.
- Getting defensive if the customer asks questions about your solution, or not attaching enough importance to objections and questions raised.
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