The Obstacles That Keep You From Closing The Sale
Selling is hard. Selling consistently, specifically, is harder than many imagine. In fact, it really takes a unique type of person to be able to sell consistently and make sales.
The old adage of "you have to show up every day" couldn't be more true if you ask me. It's sad that so many people do the exact opposite of this and don't show up anywhere near often enough - but they still want their golden ticket out of selling.
The reality is that if you are going to master selling, you will have to be like the rock that stands tall when the waves of failure crash over you. Selling is rough for even the best.
I am not a great sales person, but I have gotten pretty good at closing a sales deal and making money from my craft. I am grateful for that every day.
I know what it feels like to struggle in this business, so I am very careful not to take my successes for granted. Every time I close a deal, it's still incredibly exhilarating for me and brings me just as much joy as it did when I was starting out.
The reason I am writing this is because I have taken some great advice from a business coach I love and trust implicitly, who told me that sometimes we need to take a step back in order to move forward.
How true. Sometimes you have to look at the obstacles that stand between you and success before you can get out of them. In order for me to use his advice, I had to be face up to the obstacles in my own life - specifically the ones that kept me from closing more sales and making more money growing my business.
Here are 15 obstacles that keep most people from closing a sale:
1) You are too agreeable all the time.
You are the kind of person that people love to do business with because you are so easy and pleasant to do business with.
The problem is that you don't stand a chance at closing more sales if you aren't willing to put your foot down when someone does something wrong. You have to stand up for yourself, believe in your product or service, and be willing to say no when you need to.
This isn't always easy and it may hurt your feelings sometimes, but it's a necessary thing for your success as an entrepreneur. People who don't listen don't buy - plain and simple.
2) You are an underachiever.
I know this sounds harsh, but face it. There are not many great business people who are completely underachievers. The problem is that a lot of people fail to reach their full potential because they refuse to "go after their dream" and give 110% at all costs when it comes to making money from their venture.
At the end of the day, you have to give it your all if you want to have a chance at success. If you're not willing to learn every day and work hard, then you will never get ahead.
3) You lack consistency.
You don't show up early and give your all every single day. You don't follow up on contacts like you should, and sometimes you just cut corners or do things in a way that they aren't done.
The problem is that without consistency, there is no success to be had. If you are going to make money from something, it's going to take time and hours upon hours of dedication each week for years upon years. There is no other way around it, so be prepared for a long journey ahead of you.
4) You have a giant ego.
Egos are funny things. They come in all shapes and sizes, but they all do one thing: they get in the way of success. The problem is that when you have a big ego, you feel like you are entitled to success and that money should be sliding your way even when you don't deserve it and haven't earned it yet.
At the end of the day, your value isn't defined by how much money you make or how many sales you make each month; it's about who you attract around yourself and how honest of a person you are to everyone who comes into contact with you.
5) You aren't respected.
This is the most important one on this list. You are so focused on closing deals that you haven't shown the people around you that you deserve to be respected and treated fairly.
If you don't start showing people respect, no one is going to respect you or want to do business with you, and if they don't respect your values and integrity, they probably won't want to buy from you either.
You have got to start treating others right if you want more business in your life - plain and simple.
6) You don't understand your target audience.
You only talk to people who look and talk like you. You aren't willing to learn anything new about your target market, and that's why you struggle so much when making a sale.
The problem is that until you can understand what makes the people around you tick, you will never be able to truly sell them on anything. Until you start putting yourself in their shoes, they won't feel connected to what it is that you are selling them.
7) You don't get out enough.
You don't go where your prospects are, and you don't talk to the people who want to do business with you. In fact, it seems like whenever someone you want to do business with is in the same area as you, you never talk to them.
This one kind of stings because it's so easy for me - an Internet entrepreneur - to get out quite frequently. But if you can't get out and make a few sales when the opportunity comes up, then how will you ever be successful?
The big problem is that if someone only sees you at home or at work, they probably won't feel any connection to what it is that they are buying from you. And since you are so under-prepared for the most important sales call of your life, there is a good chance that you won't ever make it.
8) You don't do what you say you will do.
This is one of the biggest reasons why so many entrepreneurs fail in their business. They don't follow through on what they've promised to do and often fail to deliver on time without any kind of compensation.
It's not only difficult but extremely frustrating when you have people who order from you and don’t get exactly what they paid for or when you follow up with them on the progress they bought from you but never hear back from them again at all.
Conclusion: This is why you need to pay attention and do what you say. Otherwise, you will never close any sales and will always struggle to make money from any business venture.
9) You aren't organized.
This is the biggest reason why so many businesses fail. If you aren't organized or if your systems aren't streamlined, it's impossible to succeed as an entrepreneur or even a regular business owner. You don’t know who did what or when it was done, you don't realize how much money is being wasted in the office each week, and nothing ever gets accomplished on time for the most important people around you - your customers.