Sales Myths That Derail Sales Organizations

There was a popular movie several years ago called Ghostbusters.  I think movie producers need to look at another movie called Sales Busters.   The theme of the movie could be around “busting” the myths surrounding what it takes to succeed in sales.   Here are a few of my favorite myths that many sales organizations still believe which prevent them from achieving predictable and sustainable sales. 

Myth Number One:   Salespeople are disorganized.  No, bad salespeople are disorganized.  In my years of leading a sales team and now teaching salespeople, I find the best salespeople are highly organized.  Their week is planned and they don’t deviate from the plan.  They constantly analyze their business and focus only on the highest return activities and prospects.  Look at a top producing rep’s calendar and an average producing rep’s calendar and note the difference.    One will be full of action items and to-do lists. The other will be filled with, well…. not much.

Myth Number Two:  The best salespeople are good at building relationships.  No, the best salespeople build relationships AND add value to each client interaction.   Building relationships is the entry to the sales game and let’s face it; your best competitor is going to be likeable.   

What your relationship building competitor may not be is thought provoking.  He or she relies too much on shaking hands and kissing babies and not enough time adding value.  That value could be providing customers with introductions, challenging them on the current way they do business or providing them with data that they don’t have time to research or have access to.  

Myth Number Three:  Good salespeople are high maintenance…it just comes with the territory.  (Can you imagine if every department in a company had this mindset?)   If you are good at your job, that gives you the right to be a pain in the neck.   That would be an interesting organization chart. 

Companies can’t afford high maintenance salespeople.  These salespeople tend to over promise and not play well with other departments.  When you really look at the true profit picture, the bottom line may not be as pretty as you think after you get done cleaning up the messes.   

The best salespeople are emotionally intelligent, work well with others and know how to get the job done without being a bull in the proverbial china shop.  They recognize that it takes all departments pulling together, doing their jobs well, to satisfy an ever increasingly demanding customer. 

What sales myths are you still believing?