The One Sales Test You are Guaranteed to Fail
If you lead a sales organization, you will want to give this quick 3-question quiz to your salespeople. If you are a salesperson yourself, then you’ll want to take it.
It’s meant to mess with their heads. For the rookie reps, it offers some big AHA! moments. For the experienced people – you know, the ones who (think they) don’t need sales training – it’ll serve to humble them enough to be open to learning a thing or two.
World-class sales professionals can answer and act on these three questions. You need the best answer, not the easiest or quickest to pop into your head.
- Who are you REALLY competing with?
- What is the #1 PROBLEM encountered by anyone who sells anything?
- What is your RESPONSIBILITY on a sales call?
(hint: face-to-face or phone calls, the answer has to be correct 100% of the time)
With the first question, most people get to one answer more quickly than others. In fact, I was doing a workshop this month on How to Design or Re-design your Sales Training Program to Improve Performance. When this question was asked, a table of executives and trainers- really sharp, successful selling professionals – huddled up and their spokesperson proudly announced that quick answer, “You compete against yourself!” The guy had a big smile on his face, like he’d just won a TV game show. Well you can insert your Jeopardy wrong answer buzzer right here (go ahead, you can make the sound, nobody is listening to your read this article). Sorry, that’s a good answer, but not the best one.
For question number two? You can eliminate ability to close as the #1 problem. That’s not it because a big reason your salespeople don’t close is because they should not be spending their time (and your money) with this person in the first place. That’s the best clue you’ll get, now get back to guessing.
And finally, what is your RESPONSIBILITY on a sales call? You’ll love this answer. Get it right and it gives you focus like nothing else in selling, in order to help your sales pros succeed.
Do you want all three answers? They offer you powerful, powerful teaching moments you can use with your team.
I will reveal them, in detail, during our SMEI webinar on October 13, 2013.
After the webinar, attendees can get a nice 2-page document on this test that you can use to mess with your sales pros’ heads, while helping them make more money (for you both).
Question, thoughts? Anger over an article that leaves you hanging? Well hangout with your peers on October 10, 2013 on an SMEI Webinar.
Dan Seidman is the 2013 International Sales Training Leader of the Year and author of the 544-page Ultimate Guide to Sales Training (Pfeiffer, 2012). Dan is also a World Masters athlete with 3 Gold Medals playing on the US Basketball team. Like all great athletes and sales pros, he hates losing more then he enjoys winning. Dan both keynotes conferences and helps companies improve sales team performance by upgrading and re-crafting their sales training. You can reach Dan Seidman at 1-847-359-7860 or Dan@GotInfluenceInc.com
