The Most Difficult Side of Selling

Selling can be very hard work, especially in today’s economic climate. It seems the whole world is trying to find ways of spending less, whilst the sales professional’s role is persuading people to spend more. There’s a disconnect – a barrier at the emotional level which is very hard to overcome. In times like these opportunities for improving anything take a back seat. Prospects’ primary interest is improving only one thing – expenses.

Right now, most sales people when asked about the most difficult part of their job would answer “It’s the economy, stupid“.

At other times, when the economy is racing, the problem might be different. When markets are booming competition gets hotter. More companies are aggressively chasing new business, and prepared to invest in winning it. Life is hard when markets are booming as well. It’s just different.

Regardless of the economy, prospecting for new clients is tough. Calls to targets go straight to voicemail. Emails go unanswered. Security stops sales people at the gate. Simply finding a way to pitch the message at those who should be interested can be impossible.

Potential buyers are tough. With all the information available, they think they can find out more than the sales professional can inform. Customers are truly King when the Internet is full of reviews, and opinion.

But the most difficult side of selling, in any economy, is the management. CEOs, CFOs, CSOs, COOs, and a bunch more of the administrative staff, all believe they have the inside track on what’s right for the business, and the authority to impose their views on sales people.

Life gets easier for sales people when their management understands market dynamics, and pivots the company to offer an improved value proposition.

Unfortunately, persuading management to change its thinking so the sales people can be better equipped to do their job is the most difficult side of selling – always.

Learning to manage the management should be the first class in sales training.