Sales in the Retail Industry have undergone some major changes in the last few months, probably because of the COVID 19 outbreak that is gripping the world. Based on the information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the turnover rate for March 2020 has increased by 8.5%. This industry now stands at more than $30 billion.
There are many myths in sales that need to be addressed to improve any team’s strategy. For many companies, B2B sales training is a good way to improve overall sales. Identifying these myths and addressing them are both important to improve sales efficiency and revenue.
A Good Salesperson Can Sell Anything
This statement is not strictly true. Most sales calls typically require one business call to close a deal. Expecting someone to be a successful salesperson in different fields is unrealistic. For example, a salesperson for a food company cannot be expected to succeed in book sales immediately. Effective sales require some expertise in the field to answer customer’s questions.
More Calls Lead to More Sales
In any business process, efficiency is important. Thus, making for business calls does not necessarily mean it is better if the conversion rate is very low. Having an acceptable sales conversion rate is one thing that companies concentrate on. There are only so many possible clients in any sales list. Making sure that salespeople do everything they can to close a deal is something that should always be done.
Start at the Top
It has been pointed out to salespeople many times that they should talk directly to the decision-makers. Highly-effective sellers do not rush to the top of an organization. They spend time talking to the middle-rank officers to fully comprehend the issues before talking to the owners or CEOs. Learning more about the organization can help you arrange a more effective deal and something that is tailored for the companies involved.
Close a Deal Immediately
Sales teams have always been told that closing a deal as soon as possible is a good thing. Granted, closing a deal is always good if the company wants your product or service. However, prematurely trying to close a deal when a company is not very interested can actually lose business. It gives the impression that all a salesperson needs is to sell something instead of sincerely wanting to help a client. Be more sensitive and wait for the right moment to close a deal, even if it takes a second or third meeting.
Salespeople Are Born, Not Made.
Many companies in the past have always told their employees that salespeople are born, not made. If so, why do companies commission B2B sales training for their sales teams? What is most important for effective sellers is the ability to nurture relationships with decision-making teams. That ability can be taught to anyone who wants to learn.
Not all business owners, CEOs, and managers have the same outgoing personality. Some of them are introverts too and having a sales team who are all extroverts might fail to connect meaningfully with an introverted client.
Making sales teams more effective has always been essential for any company. More sales mean more revenue. However, believing in these myths can make any team less effective, especially when these beliefs aren’t even based on true research. Fact-based training is what teams need nowadays. The time for myths is finally over.
