HTSS177- Why am I struggling in sales - Scott Sylvan Bell

Why am I struggling in sales

Questions about struggles in sales are more common than you would know. When it comes to sales you have to know what is normal and what isn’t. Finding yourself without closed leads can happen over time or it can happen quickly. Distractions are common, you have things going on in your life besides closing deals. 

Sales is repetitive and so are struggles 

You must get the reps in, it's just like going to the gym. You have to put in the work and the effort. There are cycles to sales, you do good and then you don’t

You have to get used to:

• Your presentation – Comedians go to small towns to work on their sets to get their timing right
• Your timing in the conversation and interactions with your buyer 
• Your comfort – the average salesperson takes 200 – 600 presentations to feel normal
• It took me 500 videos to get used to being in front of a camera
• Confidence is felt, heard, and spotted – On the spectrum so is a lack of confidence and arrogance
• What happens when you face emotional meltdown
• How you hold and keep your Attitude

Why am I so bad at sales

• No preparation or lack of presentation to the buyer 
• No role-play or practice 
• No patience with people and their objections 
• Not putting a sale on the horizon – future pacing – if vs when (this takes 7-10 times) urgency.
• No networking with other salespeople and or closers
• No working with others to increase your sales skills. 

 

Why is sales so difficult?  

So many books say build rapport with your buyer. The problem is at some point rapport works against you and your process. Rapport can help you close deals and at the same time when you cross the line of interaction you end up hurting yourself. Yes, you do need to build rapport and interact with your buyer and you also need to have some tension in the sales process. You cant always agree with the buyer, you need surprise and you need tension. 

Sell on price and die poor

So many salespeople say raise the price to discount it. This doesn't require sales skills it requires a calculator to make something happen.  It's also common for salespeople to say to price match in order to close a deal. The problem with price matching and is that it becomes addictive. When you sell on price you will die poor.

Comfort in sales  

What they don’t tell you is you need to be comfortable for the buyer to feel comfortable – the go-to move is rapport but fake rapport is felt. Most salespeople ask the questions that every other salesperson asks. There is not point and it feels like a routine. You can't just stay in the learning lane forever. There will be a point where you have to put in the work and the effort.  You will be beyond the book at some point, which means your skills and talents will have to increase over time.