How to Overcome 3 Common Moments of Sales Adversity

You can define selling as the process of overcoming multiple moments of adversity in pursuit of a purchase agreement. Sometimes we create our own adversity by failing to train and prepare properly. And sometimes buyers bring the adversity to us in the form of bad attitudes, bad communication skills and the like. Then again, sometimes it’s both of us!

Either way, if you want a career in sales, be prepared to deal with adversity. Here are three tips on dealing with some of the most common moments of adversity you will face in sales.

Moment of Adversity #1 Dealing With Mean People

Here’s a simple tip for increasing your sales – look out for the mean people! No, I don’t mean look out for them so you can avoid them, but rather seek them out so you can win them over and make those incremental sales!

Everyone wants to work with the nice buyers. The nice buyers are already getting plenty of attention and help from dozens of other salespeople.

But guess who’s wide open? Guess who no one is spending any time assisting? You guessed it – the mean people!

Winning the sales from the mean people is the best way to increase your sales exponentially and quickly.

Moment of Adversity #2 You Have a Non-Talker

Oh, the pain of dealing with the non-talker. You know, the person who stares blankly at your perfectly timed and phrased discovery question? Brutal, I know.

Here’s the thing – they are probably not trying to make your life difficult. Some people just have trouble expressing themselves.

But not to worry, most people who have trouble expressing themselves have a partner who has no trouble at all sharing all their thoughts and opinions.

So, what’s the trick? Start asking questions about the non-present partner: What does she like? What does he think about their situation?

The non-talker is often quite capable of talking through the voice of the other non-present buyer.

Moment of Adversity #3 You are Overwhelmed with Traffic & Prospects

First off, congratulations! This is a classy problem to have and here’s what you need to remember – it is your job to spend your time with the person most likely to buy from you today.

You won’t maximize your sales with a ‘first come, first served’ approach. You want to find the most motivated prospect on your sales floor and find them quickly.

Here’s what you do: get around to everyone quickly and assess their motivation levels by asking some form of “So, what has you thinking about buying a new [insert the name of your product] today?” Based on their answers you can decide who to re-engage with first on a deeper level.

Mastering these moments of sales adversity creates greater self-confidence for you as a sales professional and creates a more enjoyable experience for your prospects.

Work through the adversity and you might just get to change someone’s world!


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About the Author: Amy O'Connor

As one of the most in-demand sales training consultants in North America today, Amy O’Connor brings a decade’s worth of industry experience and knowledge, along with a fresh female perspective on leadership, to her impactful and enlightening seminars.