When I wrote an article a few months back entitled “The Top Five Sales Myths,” the response was overwhelming. As a result, people have asked me to debunk some additional sales fables.

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More Top Sales Myths Exposed

Price Is the Most Important Factor

Studies show that only seven percent of people buy on price, 93 percent buy primarily on factors other than price. Mass advertising and low-priced ankle-biters have brainwashed people to think that price is the only difference in products. It is your job to bring people back to reality and change their perspective. You have to remind them of what their mom told them, and what they know deep down inside, namely that you get what you pay for. It’s simple; less money equals less coverage, less service, more risk, and more potential headaches. If one company quotes $6,600 and another quotes $5,400, the consumer had better expect substantial differences other than price. To assume price is the only difference would be both tragic and idiotic.

The problem most salespeople encounter is that when someone brings up price, they go straight to cutting price. This leaves the person with the impression that price is the only difference. Instead, start by agreeing with them that price can be important, but it is only one factor to consider. Then, as an expert, educate them on the real cost of an initial low price, build value, sell yourself and your company, and finally wrap up by emphasizing that the long-term pain and headaches of the inferior product will last much longer than the initial sweet taste of low price.

Because people are not as familiar with your industry as you, they are completely unaware of many of the differences in products, price is the only thing they can instantly recognize and compare. Your job is to unveil the deception and show the “too-good-to-be-true” behind the magic trick. You won’t get everyone, but you have an obligation take your best shot at saving people from the low-price lunacy and ensuing nightmares down the road.

The Most Important Thing You Do Is Service Customers

The most important thing you do is find new business and generate revenue so you can stay in business and continue to service customers. I’ve seen many salespeople struggle and fail because they thought it was more important to service current customers than pursue new business. When you break it down, most simply did not want to do the hard work involved in getting new business. Servicing customers all day long was simply an excuse, not a commitment to customer service.

Don’t get me wrong, customers are extremely important, in fact, with the naked eye you probably can’t see the difference in importance between new business and servicing current customers, but there is a difference. The most important thing you can do is to consistently grow your business every day.

Technology Will Help Your Struggling Salespeople

Struggling salespeople are the first to clamor for new technology, new tools, and new anything to make their lives easier, and they are the first ones to blame the new tools, technology, and other items for the reason they are not selling. The first conversation at home with their significant other goes like this, “How can they expect me to sell without the latest technology? My hands are tied behind my back. XYZ salespeople have the latest stuff; I can’t compete.” Followed by the second conversation, “I couldn’t get on the road all week because I can’t figure out this stupid new software program. XYZ salespeople don’t have to deal with this; they’re out calling on people, not learning new software.”

Stop giving in to your struggling salespeople when they tell you what they need. Your top salespeople can tell you what they need, the struggling ones need to be told what they need, and new technology is not the answer to their problems. On that note, here’s the next myth….

Your Struggling Salespeople Will Eventually “Get It”

The harsh reality is that most people don’t change. You can give a pig all the help, tools, and motivational speeches in the world, but when you throw it off the top of a building, it’s still not going to fly. It’s the same with your chronic underperforming salespeople, they’re not going to all-of-a-sudden get it.

Also keep in mind that behavior without consequences doesn’t change. If someone is allowed to hang out in the office, put in little effort and miss their numbers month after month, year after year, with no consequence, they’ll keep doing it. And let’s dispel another fallacy right now: You are not doing these people any favors by keeping them around and hoping they’ll “see the light.” All you are doing is preventing them from growing and finding their way in life. No one growing up ever said, “My life’s ambition is to be a struggling salesperson and barely scrape by.” The only thing you are doing by keeping them around is killing morale while hurting, you, them, and everyone else involved. What you put up with, you condone.

Look, no one wants to fire someone or be cold and insensitive to others — well, most people don’t. Especially to someone who’s struggling, but the reality is letting them go is the best thing you can do for them, you, and the office. Remember, the most difficult thing to do is usually the right thing to do. Oh, also, you’re running a business, not a charity.