Second in a series:
Our conversation with Mark Giganti, a leading sales trainer on the west coast, continues...
What are the most common mistakes you see sales professionals and managers making?
"Most managers I begin training are just at the point where they begin managing people with the "golden rule" philosophy: "Manage people as you would want to be managed. But I try and get them to see that gold isn't good enough anymore...they need to get to the "platinum rule" philosophy: "Manage people as they need to be managed." There's a big difference.
"Also, I see a lot of professionals who like to 'manage from the hip'. No plan, no real reason for doing what they do. I liken it to going into battle with a bow and arrow. They manage poorly because they don't like change, which is where I come in."
OK, what about the most common mistakes you see sales professionals making these days?
"I think I would have to say that the most common sales mistake I deal with is sales people who focus all of their efforts on the close, and not enough time on the needs of the prospect. I'd say that if a sales person wants to increase their closing ratios, don't look at how you close, look upstream and analyze how you developed your prospect's needs."
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