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“Selling Without Slip-Ups: 9 Turn-Offs to Avoid”
Sometimes it’s what you don’t do that counts. Below are a few turn-offs that could cost you a valuable sale:
- Poor grooming.
- Smoking.
- Knocking anyone, especially competitors. To outsiders, it looks like the competitor may be better than you — and your resentment causes you to demean them.
- Bad speech habits that are constantly repeated, such as: "you know," "basically" and "uhhh."
- Making exaggerated claims with no proof.
- Inappropriate remarks or jokes about sex, religion, politics or racial matters.
- Being late/unprepared for appointments.
- Making a sales call "just to introduce yourself." This is an incredible waste of everyone’s time. If you don’t have a strong reason for a sales call, then find a better prospect or learn more about a company so you can make an intelligent — and worthwhile — visit.
- Talking too much. Ask prospects what they need. How can you describe the features that meet their needs unless you ask them first?
Source: Ted Tate, sales trainer