Your close rate will never be 100 percent, no matter how effective you are at selling. However, if you’re losing deals you should have won regularly, there’s usually a reason – if not several.

Fortunately, once you’ve identified the problem, you can work to improve your process and, as a result, your results.

You’re attempting to sell to the general public.

“I’m not convinced my firm needs [product],” says the speaker.

Quality, not number, is the key to a successful sales funnel. Reevaluate the quality of your opportunities if your prospects aren’t buying from you. Have they been chosen with care? Do you have any idea why they’re such fantastic matches? Or are you simply attempting to pitch to everybody who has even a passing interest in your product?

While it may seem paradoxical to reject everyone, limiting your focus to the most qualified prospects will increase your chances of success. Not only will you have more time to spend with each of these consumers, but you’ll also be able to tailor your outreach and construct compelling business propositions.

You’re scaring away customers.

This is how it sounds: “Please do not contact me; I am not interested.”

Most people no longer answer calls from unknown numbers because they don’t want to be sold to. Messages from strangers will begin to go ignored if salespeople continue to use email as a spamming tool rather than a method of really interacting with and helping prospects. (Even more so than it is at the moment.)

Reduce the phony zeal. Stop bothering your leads. Instead, be yourself and add genuine value. Instead of thinking of yourself as a salesperson, imagine yourself as a consultant. You should also study everything you can about your prospects so you don’t waste their time by asking them basic questions like how big their firm is and what they sell.

You aren’t bringing up objections.

“X is a fairly big problem for us, so I think we’re going to [go with Y competitor, pass],” says the speaker.

Understandably, sifting through complaints is a daunting task. They’re out there once you acknowledge them – actual reasons why the prospect shouldn’t buy. However, whether you hear them or not, objections exist… The ideal (and, in some cases, the only) opportunity to address those issues is during the early and middle stages of the sales process when the buyer’s mind is still open.

To find out what’s holding your prospect from making a purchase right now, ask:

“What would be the explanation if this didn’t go through?”

“Now that we’ve spoken about why you enjoy [something], can we speak about why you don’t like it?”

“It’s natural to have some reservations about making this type of purchase. If you have any, would you be willing to share them with me?”

“We’ve talked about ‘benefits.’ For you, what’s on the ‘cons’ side of the list?”

You aren’t establishing a sense of urgency.

“Perhaps next [quarter, year],” says the speaker.

Your product may be your main focus, but it’s only another thing competing for your prospect’s attention. The offer is likely to die on the vine if there is no compelling incentive to buy now rather than later. Do you want it to happen? Then ask probing questions to find out why the product is important to the buyer’s business or well-being.

The following are five examples:

“What happens if this problem isn’t solved by [X date]?”

“Explain the ramifications of failing to achieve [Y aim].”

“Could you clarify what [Z approach] entails?”

“Is [fixing, resolving, and enhancing] this a current priority? What position does it occupy on your priority list?”

“How long has this been a problem for you? Why are you concentrating on that right now?”

You aren’t assisting them in feeling secure.

This is how it sounds: “I don’t think we’re quite ready for this yet.”

No one likes to put their neck on the line for something they aren’t quite sure about. Consider what would happen to your prospect if they lobbied for your product, obtained the budget, and led a time- and resource-intensive implementation initiative – only to find out that the solution was ineffective, or worse, utterly flopped.

They might not lose their jobs, but their internal reputation would take a hit.

That’s why it’s part of your responsibility to reassure them about the investment and the hazards associated. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways.

First, make sure to emphasize any buy protection terms your firm has, such as complete refunds, a trial period, or your money back if you don’t see specified results, throughout your talks.

You should also develop credibility by doing the following:

When it comes to present customers, the more well-known they are, the better.

Sending your potential case studies and testimonials

Offering to put them in touch with references

You can share positive online reviews you’ve received.

mentioning any industry awards or medals your product or company has earned

You’re not selling anything of value.

“This isn’t a priority for us right now,” says the speaker.

Pro-tip: you’re not selling items and services as a salesperson; you’re selling the value these products and services may provide to the end-user.

Buyers are unconcerned about the product’s nature or features. They are concerned with how the product or feature will make their life easier. When you market the product’s value, you’re portraying your offer as something the prospect can’t live without or out-prioritize.

As you interact with the prospect, make it evident to them how much simpler, better, or easier their life will be once they take advantage of your offer. Selling from this perspective communicates the value your product can add to their lives, and they’ll be more willing to prioritize it — or create a place in their budget for it — because life without it would appear much more expensive in the long run.

You’re not paying attention to them.

“That isn’t quite what we’re looking for,” says the speaker.

For salesmen, active listening is a crucial skill. If your prospect arrives at the end of your sales process and says, “This isn’t what I’m looking for,” there was a wasted opportunity to hear their point of view somewhere along the road.

If your sales talks with prospects are all one-sided (meaning you’re talking at them rather than having a dialogue with them), implementing active listening tactics into your sales conversations will almost certainly deliver greater outcomes. When you’re on the phone, make sure you:

To make sure you understand what the prospect is saying, repeat it back to them. “I overheard you say… Is that accurate?”

To assist the prospect in communicating their viewpoint, ask insightful questions.

Allow them time and space to speak during the conversation.

You’ve got a problem with your sales process.

If you see that many prospects don’t get far enough through your sales process to object, it’s a sign that your sales process is flawed or that your funnel has a leak that needs to be fixed.

In this case, it’s possible that your prospects aren’t being adequately qualified, or that a chance to follow up and nurture qualified leads has been missed. Work with your team to go over your sales process step by step and discover places where the buyer experience could be improved.

It’s never good to discover it’s not them, it’s you. However, now that you’ve worked out what’s wrong, you may take the necessary action.