You Know Your Sales Process is Outdated When …

Fashions change, seasons change, and so do client needs. So, when is the last time you looked at your sales process to determine it was keeping up with the times? The information age has dramatically changed how businesses compete. Small businesses look and act big. New ideas are copied quickly and lead to services and products looking like everyone else's. Customers have more options than ever before with access to the Internet. The market has changed; has your sales approach?

In homage to late-night talk show host David Letterman, "You know it's time to update your sales process if…"

Your sales process includes overcoming objections.
Think about this archaic, distasteful selling technique that has been taught to salespeople for years. It sounds like this: "The first objection is never the real one. Overcome the prospect's objection three to seven times. Keep overcoming the objections until you get to a yes."

It's truly amazing that more salespeople have not been physically thrown out of prospects' offices. Put yourself in the prospect's shoes. Does sitting in front of a salesperson who is "overcoming your objections" really encourage you to tell the truth? Does this type of interface build trust and relationships?