Nothing is worse than appearing like you’re a broke @ss salesman. One of the keys to closing sales is confidence. It’s hard to have confidence when you’re broke AF. Problem is, for most of us, when you’re broke, you’re desperate, and when you’re desperate you struggle to close sales. The prospect can smell fear and desperation from miles away. 

There are some tell-tale signs that prospects (especially good ones) sniff out, right off the bat. The time when you are most likely to make a sale, is when you don’t need it. The time when you are least likely to make a sale, is when you need it most. No prospect wants to make a deal with a needy salesman. People are closed on confidence. The confidence that they have made the right decision. A desperate, needy, salesman can’t deliver that confidence. 

The future is here! The same BS sales tactics that worked in the 80s don’t work as well these days. Prospects are smarter than ever. They are also busier and more distracted than ever. Thanks to the internet, most prospects now have a keep sense for smelling desperation too. High level executives and entrepreneurs know the difference between a successful salesperson and a needy one. 

I’m going to give you 5 signs that tell prospects you’re desperate for business. If you’re in hard times and you’re making one of these mistakes, stop it. The reason you’re having hard times is probably due to one or more of the issues I’m about to tell you about. Identify which ones are hurting you, and use the information you learn to overcome them.

You Cold Call – It’s 2016 and according to AT&T, 86-90% of ALL phone calls go unanswered. We’ve added caller ID, text messages, the Do Not Call list and more to avoid using the phone with anyone we don’t WANT to talk to. Yet, salesmen cold call every day and say “I’ve made 300 dials today” but only talked to 5 people.  What a waste of time. At that point, just use an autodialer.

CEOs, bosses and the real players in every industry know that cold calling is low level stuff. They know that no one in any position of power is making cold calls. Cold calls are the sign of desperation and no money to market your product properly. Now, I get that if you work on Wall St and you make a million cold calling, but even that is rare these days. Referrals and advertising is what people who are good and have money do. Cold calls just reek of neediness. 

You Show Up Unannounced – Right up front, you appear as if you had nothing better to do because you assumed the prospect had nothing better to do at that time.  Producers are busy. They don’t like surprises and they have a schedule to maintain. The very fact that you appear as if you don’t, they think you’re desperate. If you’re selling to the top (which you should be) you should know that they have been in your shoes. They know…

If you’re gonna sell to the top, you’ve got to show them you’re just as important and busy as they are. Showing up unannounced, trying to sell them something, won’t work. Even when it does, it’s a fluke, not a norm. You’ve got to set a time, show up, let them know you don’t have but 20 mins, pitch, close and leave. Always set an appointment first. Even better if you have a secretary, assistant or co-worker who can set the appointment for you.

You Talk Too Much – Often times, when a salesman gets a chance to set an appointment, be it on the phone or in person, they talk too much. Worse yet, most people fail to get an appointment because they ask for too much time. If you need an hour to pitch your prospect, you talk too damn much. Ask for 10-20 mins of the prospect’s time max. Let them know you’re busy and are limited on time. Hone your pitch in, to as few words as possible. Speak short and matter of factly.

If the prospect likes what you are saying they will ask you for more of your time. Then and ONLY then, can you use up an hour of their time. Get good enough to where they ask you for more of your time. This is called a ‘trial close’ and it’s definitely a buying sign. Get ’em!

You Thank Them For Their Time – Honestly I don’t care what a prospect does with their time. For all I know they time I just spent with them kept them away from drugs, hookers, or a car accident. Who am I to call it? Joking aside, never thank a prospect for their time. It gives their time superiority over yours. When you’re a producer and making a lot of sales, your time is worth just as much or more than the prospects you’re pitching. Never make their time more important than yours.

Instead command their attention by letting them know how important the next 20 mins of their life is going to be. Show them why they made the right decision to invest their time with you AND how you’re really good at not wasting it. When you meet them, instead of saying “thank you for your time” say “I’ve got a busy schedule to stick to. Let’s jump right in” and start showing them the value. They’ll thank you for your time if you do it right.  

Saying You Have An Open Schedule – Saying something stupid like “I’m open any time this week, what works good for you?” sounds weak and desperate AF. Producers and players don’t have open schedules. You give the prospect an exact time and place. If they are already booked ask them if they can cancel it. This shows that you’re important and confident. If they say they can’t cancel give them another, firm, alternative. 

Since prospects aren’t looking at your paychecks and bank account, the only thing they can measure against you is the importance of their time vs yours. If you sell them on how important your time is, curiosity alone can get you the meeting. People like dealing with people who are busy. Nobody hires the person who’s schedule is wide open. Being busy plays to the universal law of social proof. If you’re busy that means you’re in demand and if you’re in demand, you must be good. 

If you’re in the habit of doing one of the above listed actions; stop it! The reason you’re not closing as many sales as you want is because they know you need a sale and they will hold that sale hostage against you. Don’t let them see you seat. I gave you alternative solutions on how to handle each dead giveaway. Use what you’ve learned and go make more sales.

If you’re in sales and you’re ready to step up your game, whether you’re just getting started, or you’re scaling a big team, I got your back. It doesn’t matter if you’re training yourself of your team, if you’re looking for sales training that works across the board, look no further. Grab your access to www.showupandclose.com and start programing yourself for sales success.

If you’re looking to work with me on a one on one basis, or if you’d like to come to a live event with me, simply fill out the form below in detail. All I ask is that you ONLY fill it out if you are serious and ready to make an investment into your business. I’m very busy and I only want to contact and help those who are ready to make a move today. I’m sure you understand.