The Complex Sale – Part 2

Yesterday, we discussed the elements of the complex sale and the factors that make it so challenging.  I also asked whether you should you attempt to incorporate some of the elements of the complex sale in order to outsell your competitors.

Today, we will revisit the factors that make it so challenging and discuss how various selling weaknesses interact with those factors.

There are several common selling weaknesses that cause salespeople to become ineffective in various selling scenarios.

Need for Approval, or the need to be liked, prevents them from asking tough questions, challenging, and pushing back.

Those who have Difficulty Recovering from Rejection avoid questions or statements that carry the perceived risk of evoking a “No”.

Salespeople who have a Discomfort Talking About Money aren’t able to have an in-depth conversation about finances – finding the money that isn’t there.

A Non-Supportive Buy Cycle causes salespeople to empathize with various stalls, put-offs, excuses and objections rather than asking questions to overcome them.

A Self-Limiting Record Collection has salespeople listening to their greatest fears and self-limiting beliefs, affecting outcomes before they have left their offices.

Salespeople who easily Become Emotionally Involved on calls go into reaction mode rather than calmly and systematically continuing to ask questions.

Salespeople who are Too Trusting don’t challenge or push back on conventional buyer thinking, put-offs or stalls because they take everything they hear at face value.

The table below places the 16 challenges from yesterday’s article in a matrix with the 7 common sales weaknesses and illustrates which weaknesses impact each of those 16 challenges.