Barriers to Selling

Tell Instead of Sell; Does Not Ask Enough Questions

The salesperson does most of the talking. Instead of asking questions to determine a customer’s interest, the salesperson charges ahead and rattles off product benefits. This forces the customer into the passive role of listening to details that may not be of interest. As a result, the customer becomes increasingly irritated.

For example, a person selling a computerised payroll system may tell a customer how much clerical time could be saved by using this service. However, if clerical time is not a concern, then the customer has no interest in learning how to reduce payroll-processing time. On the other hand, the same customer may have a dire need for accurate record keeping and be extremely interested in the computerised reports generated by the system.

Over-Controls the Call; Asks Too Many Closed-End Questions

This sales dialogue resembles an interrogation and the customer has limited opportunities to express needs. The over-controlling salesperson steers the conversation to topics the salesperson want to talk about without regarding the customer. When the customer does talk, the salesperson often fails to listen or respond, or does not acknowledge the importance of what the customer says. As a result, the customer is alienated, and the sales call fails.

Does Not Respond to Customer Needs with Benefits

Instead, the salesperson lets the customer infer how the features will satisfy his/her needs. Consider the customer who needs a high-speed machine. The salesperson responds with information about heat tolerance but does not link that to how fast the equipment manufactures the customer’s product. As a result, the customer becomes confused, loses interest, and the call fails.

Research shows a direct relationship between the result of a call and the number of different benefits given in response to customer needs; the more need-related benefits cited, the greater the probability of success.

Does Not Recognise Needs; Gives Benefits Prematurely

For example, a customer discussing telephone equipment mentions that some clients complain that the line is always busy. The salesperson mentions the benefits of his answering service, but the customer responds that busy lines are not important since people will call back. In this case, the customer is not concerned enough to want to solve the problem.

Does Not Recognise or Handle Negative Attitudes Effectively

The salesperson does not recognise customer statements of objection (opposition), indifference (no need) or scepticism (doubts). What is not dealt with effectively remains on the customer’s mind and left with a negative attitude, the customer will not make a commitment. The research shows that customer scepticism, indifference and objection are three different attitudes. Each attitude affects the call differently; each one requires a different strategy for selling success.

Makes Weak Closing Statements; Does Not Recognise When or How To Close

In one extreme case, the customer tried to close the sale on a positive note, but the salesperson failed to recognise the cue and continued selling until the customer lost interest. The lesson is that successful salespeople are alert to closing opportunities throughout the call.

The most powerful way to close a sales call involves a summary of benefits that interest the customer. Success was achieved in three out of four calls that included this closing technique.