The past year has left a mark on how we understand the world around us, and that directly relates to how we do business – specifically, within the sales profession. There has been a significant shift in the way we deal with tough business decisions, cutbacks and new products. And while it is natural to have some anxiety about the future unknown, recognizing these common themes can help alleviate the fear and better prepare you for what’s ahead.
With a nod to the Halloween season, here are five common fears amongst salespeople in 2022, and tips for how to manage them to make stronger salespeople in 2023 and beyond.
Unable to achieve set targets and quotas
The No. 1 fear for a salesperson is related to not achieving target goals and quotas. Understandable, yes, especially with the rise of global economic uncertainty.
A tip for managing this fear is to help reps develop a detailed understanding of their sales funnel and create a strategic and detailed workback – end to end. While doing this, keep in mind the conversions needed at each stage, a breakdown of the customer buying process and weekly targets. Salespeople must take advantage of their sales CRM’s insights and data reports, as these will help them track their progress and highlight where they might need to make adjustments in order to hit your quotas.
Administrative tasks are piling up
Administrative tasks and activities are part of a sales role; in fact, Pipedrive’s State of Sales and Marketing 2021/22 survey indicated that just over half (54%) of salespeople spend most of their day on selling. Other time spent is allocated towards research and prep before calls, updating and recording information into various systems and filing paperwork. With most of the day bogged down with tasks, is there enough time to sell?
This fear can be minimized through analyzing the sales process. Sales managers should assess how reps organize their day and how they prioritize selling activities. Do they start or complete any given task at a specific time of the day or week? By scheduling their day out according to task reps allow themselves dedicated time where they’re not jumping from task to task, creating a more efficient workflow. What’s more, they reduce lag time by not having to figure out what needs to be done next. Another tip for increasing productivity is utilizing the automation features that sales CRM offers, saving time and decreasing possible mistakes.
Securing a big deal
By nature, salespeople are optimistic. Yet we fear that the “big deal” won’t land this month or even next quarter. We all know the feeling of having a committed deal, but maybe it’s with an undecided customer who is still in talks with a competitor trying to steal the deal.
The key is to truly believe there is a compelling reason for the customer to engage, act and commit to you being the right choice. To achieve this, reps must be transparent and mindful of their customers’ budgets, key decision-makers, business values and expected ROI. With reassurance on these factors, the customer can confidently move forward through the sales process towards the finish line.
Believing in your product or service
From time to time, we all start to question what we’re selling, especially when we know that what we’re offering doesn’t have all the features a customer is looking for and even then, it may still be more expensive than alternative products. This is where a salesperson can focus on the value that a product or service provides by highlighting key features that are important to the customer, respectively. In short, focus on the wins.
As the seller, it’s the rep’s job to understand the customers’ needs even better than they do. Discuss their needs, what solutions are available and at what price, and finally a plan for the sales and implementation process. This is also an opportunity for the salesperson to showcase their level of expertise by introducing the buyer to helpful features or additional products that they may not have known were available.
Hearing the word ‘No’
Rejection is difficult for anyone to sit with and unfortunately, it’s a response salespeople receive on a daily basis. While rejection may never get easier to handle, there are ways to bounce back and with a clearer sense of direction and purpose.
Before a sales call, reps should a checklist ready of potential follow-up questions and solutions. This way, they can start to collect some insight and find commonalities, thereby preparing them for the next hot lead.
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