How to Kick Bad Sales Habits

Sales habits are easy to build up. The job is essentially the same every day as you chase those all important leads to reach your sales targets. Throughout your career, you will have your own routines that you swear by and some of these may have developed into bad habits.

 

What is a work habit?

A work habit is the process you follow to complete your work. It refers to how you use your time effectively and productively during the workday. A work habit is also known as a routine because it is something you do every day.

 

Salespeople are just like every worker around the world. Once we settle into a role, it is easy to pick up bad habits that do more harm than good. Here is a list of bad sales habits with tips on how to break them.

 

1. Reacting badly to rejection

Sales reps face rejection every working day. It is easy for you to see every rejection as a failure. However, you will burn out fast with frustration thinking like this. Every “no” should be turned on its head. Make a note of what you have learnt from this rejection, so you can have sales success in the future.

 

2. Not having the answers but pretending you do

A salesperson is never lacking in confidence. Some have even got into the habit of using this to show themselves as the “know-it-all” of the team. This isn’t good for yourself, the team or your customers. Do you want to give misinformation? Own up to your lack of knowledge and ask for help when needed. This will also help build a rapport with the rest of your team, and you’ll learn much faster.

 

3. Keeping good ideas to yourself

If you are part of a sales team, there is no room for selfishness. While you may have your own sales targets, your team as a whole also have set goals. If your coworkers need a bit of advice now and again, give it to them. Good sales ideas should be shared in a collaborative environment. This way, everybody can make sales especially during difficult sales processes.

 

4. Not prospecting

When sales reps have a lead nearing conversion, their vision will narrow as they focus solely on closing the deal. This is an easy habit to fall into but it can cause you huge problems. As you don’t want to fall behind on the latest developments in your product and audience, always set aside time for prospecting – it will also build up your sales skills, so you can excel even more.

 

5. Not conducting thorough research

Your sales pitches can easily follow the same script as you tend to stick to what works. Our email templates are great for us, but are they really personalised? Too much dependence on the same templates and scripts means you could be missing out on the next big sale.

 

On your next sales call, ensure you have researched the company and industry you are selling to – a customer is more likely to trust somebody who knows their stuff. Customisation can go even further within a CRM which allows you to create a personalised journey for all of your customers. With a CRM such as Salesforce, you can connect your sales data across the service while marketing and tailoring customer experiences. Not using personal sales techniques could stop a prospect from becoming a customer.

 

6. Trying to sell to everyone

As a sales professional, you have monthly, quarterly and yearly sales targets that you must meet. However, some prospects pop up that you know aren’t fit for your product. Pitching a product or service to a small business that clearly cannot afford it or even need it, is not a good sales strategy.

 

Every lead doesn’t have to become a sale. You should always be aware of the most recent buyer personas, any changes in your industry and your team’s best sales practices. Every product or service has a niche, you just have to know and understand it. A CRM can help here, Salesforce which uses artificial intelligence on every step of the sales process. As a sales rep, you can forecast and predict which of your prospects are likely to continue through the sales process.

 

7. Having no purpose in your work

It is easy to slip into a routine where your work dictates what you do every day. As a sales rep, you should be in control of your day. You have targets to meet for the company, but why don’t you set yourself your own goals? Setting goals for each day, week, month and year will keep you motivated and improving. If you use a CRM, apps can be designed to plan out your day which will boost your productivity.

 

8. Complaining about everything 

As salespeople, complaining about the quality of your leads is a habit many take on. This will not only affect your own morale and the morale of the team, it will most crucially affect your sales. It is your responsibility to meet those sales quotas and wallowing in your self pity isn’t going to achieve them. Instead, focus on developing your customer relationships. This way, the quality of your leads will improve tenfold.

 

 9. Distracting yourself far too often

Modern life brings with it a heap of distractions. The internet is full of wonders and Netflix has a new series out every month, but is this good for your development? If you really want to innovate in your field, you need to take the time to make it happen. Spend your nights, weekends or commutes to further your thinking. Read sales books, listen to podcasts or read industry articles.

Think about attending gatherings of other sales professionals. By networking with these people, you can share tips which you can bring to your next sales meeting. If there isn’t one in your area, start one.

 

10. Giving up on a sale too soon

It is easy to give up on an initial outreach. The first message gets ignored, then the second. You leave a voicemail but receive no call back. After three or four attempts, it is easy to give up. This is a bad habit that you need to break. It can take 6 to 8 attempts to reach a viable sales lead. Persist with the lead, but don’t push when it is clear it isn’t happening.

These sales habits can be broken with the implementation of a CRM such as Salesforce. Salesforce implementation on your business can help productivity and boost sales. Get in touch with the experts at Purus today to find out how.

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