🚩 RED FLAGS in B2B SALES 🚩
Along with Practical Insights for Sales Talents
After a decade in B2B sales, managing and enabling >300 sales talents, here are 15 red flags that I’ve encountered repeatedly, along with candid suggestions to shift things around.
“My prospects don’t understand the value, they don’t get it”.
Risk: Misunderstanding customer needs can lead to lost deals and damaged relationships.
Solution: Understand Your Customers: If your prospects don't see value, it’s often because you haven’t fully understood their needs.
Actions:
Ask probing questions about their challenges and goals.
Map out their decision-making process and key stakeholders.
Regularly review and adapt your pitch based on feedback.
“It’s always clients first. No matter what.”
Risk: Neglecting internal priorities can result in missed deadlines and strained relationships with colleagues.
Solution: Balance External and Internal Priorities: Managing client relationships is crucial, but so is attending to internal stakeholders.
Actions:
Schedule dedicated time for internal tasks and stakeholder engagement.
Use tools like time-blocking to manage client and internal demands.
Communicate proactively with internal teams to align on priorities.
“I pitched well but the deal didn’t go through”.
Risk: Failing to address prospect concerns can result in stalled deals or outright rejection.
Solution: Master the Prospect’s Perspective: Pitching well is just a given; you must understand why prospects might hesitate and address those concerns.
Actions:
Ask prospects directly about their hesitations or concerns.
Role-play objections with colleagues to refine your responses.
Document common objections and develop tailored solutions.
“I don’t have the time to go extra-mile for my customers, that’s why ops, tech & others teams are here for”.
Risk: Over-focusing on low-value tasks can limit growth and reduce your impact on key accounts.
Solution: Prioritize High-Value Tasks: Delegate or automate low-value tasks to focus on strategic activities that add real value for your clients.
Actions:
Identify tasks that can be automated or delegated immediately.
Invest in tools or resources that help automate routine activities.
Set aside time each week for strategic thinking and planning.
“My client doesn’t complain. Everything is under control.”
Risk: Routine check-ins without value can lead to client disengagement and increased churn.
Solution: Meaningful Client Check-ins: It’s not about how often you check in, but the quality of your interactions and the value you bring.
Actions:
Prepare for each check-in by gathering insights or industry trends to discuss.
Engage multiple stakeholders in the organization to broaden your impact.
“My daily contact said s.he was satisfied”.
Risk: Over-reliance on a single contact can jeopardize the relationship if they leave the company.
Solution: Broaden Your Contact Network: Don’t rely solely on your daily contacts. Engage decision-makers and understand their goals to secure your solution’s role in their success.
Actions:
Map out the organization’s decision-making hierarchy.
Schedule meetings with key stakeholders beyond your usual contacts.
Build relationships with those higher up to understand their strategic goals.
“It’s not the best quarter to sell”.
Risk: Failing to create urgency can result in prolonged sales cycles and lost deals.
Solution: Create Urgency: Don’t accept disinterest at face value. Highlight the cost of inaction and align your solution with their strategic goals.
Actions:
Use data to illustrate the risks of inaction.
Frame your solution as urgent by linking it to their strategic objectives.
Set timelines or milestones that encourage quicker decisions.
“I am below target but It will pay off”.
Risk: Avoiding stretch goals can lead to stagnation and missed opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Solution: Challenge Yourself: Stretched goals push your limits and lead to growth. Don’t settle for incremental progress; aim for breakthroughs.
Actions:
Set stretch goals that are challenging but achievable.
Break down large goals into smaller, actionable steps.
Regularly review your progress and adjust your strategy as needed.
“My company and my manager are responsible for my career progression”.
Risk: Relying solely on your manager for growth can lead to skill stagnation and missed career advancement.
Solution: Own Your Growth: If your manager isn’t investing in you, take charge of your own development.
Actions:
Identify skills you want to develop and seek out relevant resources.
Request feedback regularly from peers or mentors.
Take on new challenges or projects that push you out of your comfort zone.
“I know how to do my job and perform”.
Risk: Without objective assessment, you risk continuing ineffective practices, leading to suboptimal results.
Solution: Assess and Improve Practices: Use a scorecard to objectively evaluate your performance. Seek feedback to continuously refine your approach.
Actions:
Create a performance scorecard that tracks key metrics like response rates and conversion.
Share your scorecard with trusted peers for feedback.
Regularly update your practices based on feedback and performance data.
“The sales call really went well. It should move forward”.
Risk: Poor meeting follow-up can lead to misunderstandings, lost momentum, and missed opportunities.
Solution: Provide Comprehensive Meeting Summaries: Go beyond “good conversation.” Offer analysis, solutions, and clear recommendations.
Actions:
Summarize key points and outcomes immediately after meetings.
Develop three potential solutions or strategies for every client problem.
Provide a clear, actionable recommendation that aligns with the client’s goals.
“The economy is bad. Same goes for our competitors”.
Risk : Failing to adapt to economic challenges can result in decreased sales and competitive disadvantage.
Solution: Navigate Economic Challenges: Embrace insights from “The Challenger Sale.” Tailor your message to the economic context and create unique value propositions.
Actions:
Study and apply the principles from “The Challenger Sale.”
Adapt your pitch to emphasize value and cost-efficiency.
Focus on building trust by providing actionable insights relevant to the current economic climate.
“My manager tracks my performances. I don’t do forecasts.”
Risk: Neglecting pipelines and KPIs can lead to poor forecasting, misaligned priorities, and missed targets.
Solution: Know your stuff: Your company tools provide visibility and predictability, helping you prioritize efforts and improve forecasting.
Actions:
Regularly review your pipeline to identify bottlenecks.
Track KPIs weekly to monitor performance and adjust strategies.
Use pipeline data to forecast more accurately and plan your activities.