The Blatant Truth Weblog

Blatantly Autocratic Sales

A healthy ego is certainly a good thing to have if you want to be a successful salesperson. Yet, some of us are simply off the chart when it comes to self importance. You might know who you are, and the rest of us can certainly spot you from a mile away. But, if you’re not quite sure if you’re the poster child of the blatantly autocratic sales approach, answer the following questions and find out for yourself.

Do you frequently catch yourself saying or thinking “It’s my way or the highway”?

Sure, you may or may not be able to use this tactic with your kids who are living under your roof. However, if you’re not giving your customers options and choices, and don’t bother to negotiate or work to meet others’ needs or wants, you’re guilty!

Guess what? This lack of flexibility translates into you being deemed “difficult” and a “jackass”. Sure, you can stick to your guns, but the people who you’re trying to sell to aren’t going to feel the need to put up with your attitude.

Do you demand that they sit through your presentation or else?

You’ve diligently developed your PowerPoint presentation, honed your speech, and have memorized every benefit and feature of what you’re selling. Of course, your audience is going to listen intently from start to finish without interruption. You don’t need to accommodate their pesky time constraints or questions. Right?

It’s time for a wake up call. Maybe you have a busy schedule, but so do those you’re selling to. Most likely, they have lots of salespeople who want them to sit through presentations just like yours. Unfortunately, there’s probably much more to their day than just listening to their vendors. Hey, give them a break. Make your presentations short and sweet, and do your best to work with their schedules.

Do You Not Really Care All That Much about What Your Customers Want?

It’s all about your needs. You have a commission, a quota, or a boss breathing down your neck. You just don’t have time to focus on what your customers want.

Whether you once cared about your customers needs and have just become jaded over time, or you’re just naturally a selfish, rude salesperson, this attitude is a surefire way to lose customers very quickly.

Sometimes, it’s hard to take a self-assessment and find out that you’ve become the jerk that everyone loves to hate. However, in these tough economic times, can you really afford to take this approach with your clients? Don’t think for a moment that your customers don’t recognize these behaviors.

The good news is that you can change for the better. The best salespeople really do care about their customers and want to do their job well by being helpful, informative, and professional. You can, too! Take the ego down a notch and roll your sleeves up to start working with them not just for yourself. You’ll be glad that you did!