Sales Avoidance Tactics

We have all got them – that is reasons to delay making that cold call, following up on that lead, or visiting that prospect.

Don't feel like making that call today? Well you are not alone! Jeff Thull in his book 'Selling Excellence' quotes research suggesting that 90% of sales people have some degree of sales call reluctance, with 40% having sever reluctance.

A nice term for them is Sales Avoidance Tactics – attending a management meeting, preparing a report, submitting an expenses claim, sending emails, etc.– all tasks that compete with sales activities for our attention.

No sales person is reluctant to collect the cheque, or co-sign the sales order – it is other parts of the sales process , in particular, lead generation that people run from. Specifically, the number one area of reluctance is cold calling (about which you find lots of information elsewhere in this blog).

So, you are not alone. But, knowing that won't get the job done. Sooner or later (and preferably sooner) a bit of 'just do it' is required. So launch yourself bravely, with your goal in mind, and get stuck in.

Remember, if you do the hard jobs first the easy jobs will take care of themselves.

Start small and start easy. Pick the people you feel most confortable approaching first and block some slots from your diary. Have all your preparation (including list, call guide, email, etc.) and practice (role playing) done and find out about the person and company before you call looking for a common link, connection, or topic of conversation. Then take the phone up and dont leave it down till you are done.

Remember as Dale Carengie said ‘Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it... that is the quickest and surest way every yet discovered to conquer fear.’

It is not the recession that worries me, it is sense of helplessness that often goes with it

Almost everybody is talking about recession.  That is everybody except those sales managers most determined to meet target.

The newspaper, radio and television may be screaming RECESSION, but a downturn in the market doesn't have to mean a fall off in your sales.  That is unless you believe it will. 

The real danger is that talk of a slowdown can quickly become a self fulfilling prophecy.  So every time you hear the word recession; pick up the phone to a prospect, make a sales call, get a referral, or take some other action that has the potential to contribute to your pipeline. 

Last week the CEO of a young company reported to investors on progress with respect of sales.  Although the results were reasonable, the CEO began by talking about the slowdown in the market.  To the audience it sounded like an excuse, their response was to work harder.

Remember, even during a recession there are still products being bought and sold.  Maybe the market is not going to grow on last year, but that does not mean your sales need take a downturn. 

So, instead of worrying about a reduction in demand, increase your level of sales activity, as well the effectiveness of your sales activity.

Seize the opportunity from your competitors who are dazed by the changing fortunes of the market.  Help your customers guard against a slowdown too by showing how your solution can protect its revenues or controls its costs.