Secrets of a sales geek
Like it or not when you’re in business you have something to sell, whether that be a product or service. While we may be passionate about our product or service and our business, the selling bit doesn’t always come naturally.
How do you overcome that hurdle and sell your wares without selling your soul?
At Launchpad, we’ve been running a series of practical workshops led by Lisa Ansell L.ISP, helping businesses do just that.
With Lisa and her Sales Geek wisdom (endorsed by the The Institute of Sales Professionals) and resources, you can stop wondering what you’re doing wrong and get comfortable with selling for success without the ick.
In an effort to lift the veil of mystique, Lisa is also sharing a few pitfalls to avoid when you’re trying to get buyers on board and make that sale.
Do you do any of these?
If so, don’t worry. You can learn a better way by signing up to the Sales Geek classes.
In the meantime, read on to find out what you need to stop doing now.
Pushy sales isn’t good sales
For someone to part with their hard earned cash, you have to pull them in but time and time again, I see businesses making these mistakes, which are wasted time, effort and money.
These are the five big actions to avoid if you’re looking to sell better and sell more:
1. Talking at people
Trying to wear someone down might work some of the time but ultimately, it’s a lot of effort for a poor conversion rate and it undermines a good relationship.
People buy people so if you don’t have trust, you don’t have a sale.
The effort put into listening to potential and existing customers helps you to understand their pain points and barriers, which you can respond to.
Ask the right questions to uncover a strong and urgent need.
2. Not knowing what you’re selling
You might think you’re selling a product but you’re not, you’re selling convenience, value, aspiration, a solution to a problem, and then some.
Do not pitch until you know what you’re selling and what this means for your potential customer.
By understanding your product and your customer, you can bridge the gap between problem and solution.
3. Assuming everyone is A. N. Other
All football fans are the same. All mums are the same. All business owners are the same, right?
Of course not, you are unique and so are your customers; while there may be commonalities that doesn’t make everyone the same.
You must recognise and respond to your customers unique experiences and perspective, otherwise you won’t get the sale.
If you’re selling to everybody, you’re selling to nobody.
4. Not understanding the market
You think your product or service is great – no doubt it is – but don’t assume it will sell.
Understand the proposition of your product or service and be prepared to prove its value.
Have a Go-To-Market strategy in place . This will help you to minimise risk and achieve competitive advantage. Don’t worry if that sounds like a lot, the Sales Geek workshops will teach you how to do it.
5. Ignoring feedback
Don’t ignore your customers feedback and objections.
People don’t complain unless they care.
With a learning culture, instead of a blame culture you can turn customer feedback into an opportunity to improve.
The Sales Geek difference is moving sales from ‘old-school’, brash, pushy sales to a more customer centric approach built on understanding perspectives and the science of behaviour change.
You have to ask yourself that with all the learning and development, professional or otherwise, you’ve done as an entrepreneur, why wouldn’t you invest in learning how to sell better?
The workshops are free to attend so book a place for yourself or your business development team and move that dial.
- Friday 5th April: Sell like a Geek – An introduction to a new way of selling, placing curiosity over pitching.
- Friday 7th June: Do you want fries with that? The secrets of upselling and cross selling.
- Friday 2nd August: What do you cure? Understanding your proposition.
- Friday 4th October: Sharpen your sales cycle: processes, all the steps within them and incremental gains.
- Friday 6th December: Developing your 2025
Book your space on one or more of the free Sales Geek sessions to avoid the what not to dos and start changing the way you and your customers perceive sales.
