Expert Identifies Four Common Barriers

You own or run a company with a great product, a good marketing plan, and an enthusiastic sales team–and yet the sales are trickling in. Author and 30-year sales veteran Gerry Cullen identifies four of the most common and destructive sales barriers in The Coldest Call: Why Some Good Products Don't Sell.

The Pain Barrier

Cullen says customers ultimately want relief from "pain." Can the sales staff explain how the product makes the customer's life easier or less painful without resorting to technobabble? "CEOs and business owners need to build companies that do not sell on buzzwords. Cut to the chase; don't gush jargon," says Cullen.

The Price Barrier

Cullen says that a lot of companies won't let the sales staff divulge prices because they are afraid of misquotes or want to size up customers to see how much they are willing to spend. However, with a wealth of product information and prices available online, it's
important that salespeople be transparent about pricing.

The Promotion Barrier

Companies should supply sales leads. One low-cost option, according to Cullen, is Web-based keyword search ads on sites such as Google.

The Policy Barrier

Support for and promotion of the sales staff should be embedded in the company's culture.
Cullen recommends that CEOs make a sales call every week, even if it's just for practice.

www.gerrycullen.com