The Salespersons' Universal Distress Signals

SOS, is known in Morse code as a universal distress signal. For salespeople, a “Save Our Ship,” becomes a “Save Our Sales” distress call. While everyone selling likely has their own SOS, here are five common sales calls for help.

1. Cancelled appointments

Are you confirming any appointments you set with prospects? Either the day before or the morning of, telephone or email prospects. I usually telephone. If something has come up for the prospect, I reschedule with them right then; they’re already on the telephone. If they just don’t show, that’s an entirely different problem and solution. NOTE: never assume that a no show means not interested.

2. Prospects buying from competitio

Are you going through all that you know how to do and losing sales to the competition? What about losing to the competition of procrastination? Examine your qualifying process. You have a qualifying process, right? At a minimum, early on you want to be certain of four things: you are working with someone with a budget for your product or service; you are talking with all decision makers; the prospect has indicated a need by conveying a problem they want to eliminate or a solution they need, and their timeline fits with your sales process timeline.

3. Not following up because of whatever excuse

I’ve heard most of the excuses: “I don’t have time, I feel like I’m bothering people, I don’t know what to say next, I don’t have enough energy, I’m afraid.” If you have this SOS call, run, don’t walk, and get a sales coach. Selling IS about follow up.

4. Poor presentation skills demonstrates lack of confidence

If you are at any business function, or even social for that matter, you want to speak with confidence. Be confident with your elevator pitches. Drop the “ums,” the “ya knows,” and any other puffy fillers that chip away at your image. Why be careful even at social events? It is absolutely true that it is a small world; you are only ever about six people away from who you want to meet. Your ability to speak in a way that people want to listen to will help you meet them.

Selling has a beginning and a continuation. It really never ends. Don’t ignore the SOS coming from your lack of sales results. Instead, when you examine your sales results, get to the problems that are hurting you and then take a different approach to solve them.