Some well-known sales techniques are just bad advice. Here are a couple of techniques that people and companies often do that should be avoided at almost all costs.
Trying to Push the Sale too Quickly
If you jump the gun on proposing a sale, you can lose a customer without a second glance. Although on occasion writing up a bill of sale can show the customer exactly what the cost of something is and how it can solve their problems for a reasonable price, most of the time it just makes the customer feel like you're moving too quickly. Usually, the process of writing up a proposal happens after you've talked to the customer several times. Because writing a proposal takes extra effort on your part, it can be time wasted unless you're pretty sure you've made a sale. Generally, only start to write one up if you've already got some agreement on the buyer's side that they do plan to buy.
Talking Nonstop Instead of Just Listening
This is probably something you hear quite often because it's so common. I know that trying to sell something to someone and actually succeeding can make one very, very excited - but that doesn't mean that you should try to drive the sale forward with words. An open ear is much more effective because customers find too much talking quite annoying. Selling is more of a passive activity. It doesn't necessarily mean that you have to explain every aspect of your product. Sometimes just listening quietly, answering the customer's direct concerns and questions, and being a good audience can make a sale. Once you know all of their questions have been answered, you can consider giving them more reasons that their product can help them.
