In sales, the challenges preventing you from succeeding abound. Here are four of them:
1. Gaining a first appointment
It can be very tough to get that first appointment. Your dream client is happy with his existing partner and doesn't have time to waste with salespeople — especially salespeople who can't create value. To these contacts, time spent with a salesperson sounds like wasted time. So they work hard to sell you a no, when you make an ask.
Your challenge: to offer a value proposition compelling enough to allow your prospect to say yes to a meeting. Talking about your company isn't that value proposition.
2. Developing latent dissatisfaction
Many of your dream clients don't know that they should be dissatisfied. Or, they know they're dissatisfied but they don't believe that anyone can help them. They have learned to live with the problems and challenges they have. Unless and until your dream clients believe they need to change, they aren't going to take action.
Your challenge: to make the case that change is necessary and to create enough dissatisfaction to spur action.
3. Getting access to stakeholders
Once you gain an appointment, you often find you need access to additional stakeholders. Access allows you to deepen your understanding of their challenges and build consensus. But some of your contacts will deny you that access, fearing they'll lose control of the situation or be forced to share the decision with others (even if they need others to say yes).
Your challenge: to gain access to the other stakeholders you need to do your best work.
4. Differentiate yourself
It isn't easy to differentiate your offering. You might inadvertently sound like a lot of your competitors. You might also have products, services and solutions that look remarkably similar to those of the last three or four salespeople your dream client has met. You can't create a preference for you and your solution unless there is a clear difference.
Your challenge: to differentiate yourself, your company and your solution from your competitors. You must be different in a way that makes a difference.
In sales, you face a myriad of challenges. But that doesn't mean they can't be overcome.
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