Avoid Impulsiveness
One of the most damaging habits you can have as a
salesperson is impulsiveness. Impulsiveness can present itself through
unpredictable emotional responses. If you are quick to anger or lose interest
in one idea and jump to the next one without thought, then impulsiveness is
something you will have to battle.
Impulsiveness can lead people not to trust you or your decision, hurting work relationships and putting clients on edge. All of this results in lost sales.
To fix a tendency towards impulsiveness, you want to give
yourself extra time to plan anything related to your sales career. Then, think
through each action you take and consider similar past experiences.
Hogging the Conversation Can Ruin Your Sales Career
Salespeople have to communicate to do their job, but you
want to ensure you do not make every conversation about yourself. If you find
yourself shifting the focus of every conversation away from others to yourself,
you are guilty of what is known as conversational narcissism.
Conversational narcissism can destroy your sales career
because it leads you to minimise people's needs, thoughts, and concerns. As a
result, prospective clients will not want to reach out to you.
You can avoid this by validating what other people are
saying and experiencing. Listen actively and without interrupting. Never talk
just to sell but instead make it a habit of listening for feedback from your
clients.
Steer Clear of Perfectionism
Salespeople who want every sale and presentation to be perfect will have a hard time closing deals. Perfectionism can lead you to miss deadlines, not submit a proposal, or close a deal because you do not think it is good enough.
The way to avoid falling into the perfectionism trap is to
have a clear idea of your boss's expectations. Confirm your standards with
colleagues and see if your goals and expectations are realistic. Then, ask them
if you should relax some standards and where that would offer the most benefit.
Give Up Some Control
Someone who has a successful career in sales knows that you
cannot control everything all of the time. You have to rely on colleagues and
engage in teamwork. Being controlling can lead you to take on too much, at the
cost of your true responsibilities as a salesperson.
You should not try to control your clients, either, and avoid trying to direct them instead of working with them in a partnership. These behaviours can alienate clients and can make working with colleagues a challenge.
Look for ways that you can loosen control over the different
aspects of the sales process. For example, never dismiss what your colleagues
say and do not try to direct them to act in the way you prefer.
Work on Your Manners
Making a sale means speaking a lot and engaging with
different people from diverse walks of life. This does not mean you should
forget your manners. Because salespeople do their best to form relationships
with their clients, they may forget it is still a business relationship.
Professionalism is important. Remember to give people space
and privacy. Do not call after work hours or during the weekend, and always
maintain a friendly but polite demeanour with your clients.
You want to also avoid gossiping about colleagues, clients,
and even your competition. In a sales job, it can be easy to talk badly of
those you are in competition with, but it is something that reflects badly on
you. Instead, change the subject if gossip comes up or say something kind about
the person mentioned.
Pay Attention
When speaking with clients or colleagues, give them your
full attention. Do not use your phone when speaking with them and answer emails
and return phone calls in a prompt manner.
Someone who does not pay attention to what others are saying
will miss important cues that could help close that sale. If you try to do many
things at the same time, you may also end up making mistakes, which reflects
badly on you and can cause clients to lose trust.
If you have to use your phone during a conversation, excuse
yourself, and respond to messages and calls within an hour of receiving them.
Be On-Time
It is almost impossible to appear professional when you are
late to a meeting when you submit work after the deadline has passed, or when
you respond late to requests.
To colleagues and clients, this translates into your lack of
care. They can feel they are not a priority and will not find you reliable to
turn to if they need something.
You can avoid the pitfall of being late by giving yourself
more time to do things. Try not to pack your schedule and always let people
know ahead of time if you will not arrive on time.
Keep Your Sales Career on Track
By knowing what your weaknesses are, like tardiness, over-friendliness, or even perfectionism, you can do everything possible to rise above them. Do not let these things ruin your sales career.
If you want to build your sales career, we can assist at
Sales Job Board. We are here to offer the guidance and connections you need to
jump-start your career.
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