5 Bad Sales Habits You Need to Break

Selling robotics and engineering services is an art that requires the right planning, execution and mindset. You must essentially convince a prospect that your company's robotics systems are worth the price at which it's sold. Only then will you capitalize on this opportunity by generating a sale. But many sales reps struggle because they take the wrong approach. Specifically, the following habits can hurt your chances of generating sales.

#1) Talking Too Long on the Phone

When calling prospects, be conscious of how long you spend talking. It's easy to lose track of time, turning what should be a four-minute call into a 12- or 15-minute call. This is concerning because research shows that conversion rates decrease by nearly 400% after the first minute. To succeed as a sales rep, keep your calls under 60 seconds.

#2) Not Discussing Pricing During Early Conversations

Pricing is a touchy subject for some sales reps. They avoid discussing the price of their robotics solution during early conversations with a prospect, believing that it would otherwise scare the prospect away. In reality, prospects want to discuss pricing during early conversations. One survey found that six in 10 buyers prefer to discuss pricing during the first call with a company.

#3) Not Working Smart

It's not the amount of time you spend working that matters most as a sales rep; it's what you do in that time. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average U.S. worker works for nearly nine hours a day, but they are only productive for a little under three hours a day. As a sales rep, you should use your time wisely by working smarter rather than harder.

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#4) Prioritizing Quantity Over Quality

Some sales reps have a bad habit of prioritizing the quantity of their sales communications over the quality of those communications. They assume that making more calls or sending emails will automatically result in more sales. At times, this can be true. Normally, though, it's the quality of your sales communications that matters most, not the quantity. Sending 20 customized, highly optimized emails, for example, may field twice the sales as 40 or even 80 generic, poorly optimized emails.

#5) Neglecting to Return Calls in a Timely Manner

If a prospect contacts you, it means that he or she is seriously considering your company's robotics and engineering services. Neglecting to return a prospect's call is a serious mistake that will lower your chances of scoring a sale. It sends the message to prospects that you aren't serious about your professional relationship with them, which may drive them to choose a competitor instead.