3 Sales problems you don't want

Selling has become more challenging than ever for companies of all sizes in 2023.

In this article, we will explore the three biggest struggles that businesses face....

Articulating the value proposition

One of the biggest struggles that companies face when selling is communicating their value proposition effectively. Many businesses fail to convey their value proposition in a way that resonates with potential customers, often due to a lack of understanding of their specific needs and challenges.

For example, a software company may focus on its product's features instead of highlighting how they solve problems for its target audience. To overcome this, companies should invest time in researching their target audience's pain points, motivations, and goals. By crafting a value proposition that speaks directly to their specific needs and challenges, companies can increase their chances of success.

Whether you are a salesperson or solopreneur, one of the key skills needed is to be able to understand the value proposition and show prospects how that value can add tangible value into their business. This is different for almost every prospect. In a call, you job is to ask good questions, so you can show people how your services can help with that.

Being able to quickly adapt your value prop to a prospects situation is not just important it's essential. They won't get the need for it without it.

The danger with rigid sales processes is they become a crutch, the reps follow the scripts and never really understand what they are selling, why is matters and as a result, they can't communicate that in outreach conversations.

Reliance on technology to sell rather than scale

Another common struggle that companies face when selling is relying too heavily on technology to sell rather than scaling their sales process. This is often justified as "sales is a numbers game," and whilst that is true to an extent, it's being used as reasoning to send generic outreach which appeals to nobody.

Prospects are receiving outreach messages daily. In most cases, they are receiving more than 5 email outreaches each day. Prospect's aren't stupid and they can spot when something has been sent to a ton of prospects.

I have a golden rule. If my email isn't something I'd say in person, I won't say it in an email. Most outreach emails end up at the extremes of the spectrum - oddly formal filled with jargon or like they were written by Forrest Gump.

Most people can spot the templates and prospect's aren't stupid, they know when you have fired out automated emails, why? because they can feel impersonal communication.

We are emotional creatures.

It might sound oddly ineffective, but simpler messaging works better. The phrase, informal, but never familiar is key in crafting outreach that can scale.

Key Insight: Cold email has a 0.6% success rate in booking meetings with prospects but with a more informal and simpler messages, can increase response rates over 10%.

No prospect engagement

Always be closing.... what a stupid mantra.

That has been used to justify trying to push through sales without trying to engage a prospect.

Recently a salesperson told me the following:

I pitch our services, follow up a few times and I get nothing back, I don't waste time on people who aren't interested.

That is the very definition of a lazy salesperson.

That tells me they are only interested in easy wins from outreach.

Anything that requires some work or personal investment - they will not do.

We know, that for every easy win, there are 5 sales we could work for.

If a company wants to pursue easy wins, they could fire most of their sales teams and automate all of their outreach.

Just live off the low hanging fruit.

But that doesn't work long-term - it's hard to keep finding needles in haystacks. At some point, you have to get down into it.

Most prospects won't respond to cold pitches. That doesn't mean they don't have interest or need for the services you sell.

Prospects are generally more open to talking to people who have engaged them previously.

So, practice engagement before outreach.

For example, engaging a prospect on LinkedIn, no pitching just rapport building, then making a call will increase openness by a factor of 3.

Engaging on LinkedIn before sending an email will do the same.

Yet - nobody wants to do that work.

Why?

Which would you pick...

1. Sending automated emails to prospects responding to the positives
2. Engaging prospects on LinkedIn and investing time in building relationships before you outreach to them.

No.2 is more successful, but No.1 is easier.

Engaging a prospect before outreach requires personal investment.

Sales is difficult and it will be more difficult, if we don't invest in these three areas, better use of technology, more engagement with prospects and the knowledge and skills to communicate the value proposition.

It's essential to note that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to selling, and companies should be willing to experiment with different strategies. By being open to new ideas and willing to learn from mistakes, companies can improve their sales process and succeed in today's challenging selling landscape.

Need help?

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