As a sales motivational speaker I get the pleasure of working with thousands of salespeople every year and I get asked about many sales training challenges that they face. One area that rears its ugly head quite frequently is the act of reaching and building rapport with senior decision makers.

Many succesful salespeople who prospect new clients effortlessly every day can be pushed out of their comfort zones by asking them to contact CEOs, MDs and COOs. The ability to find, locate and build rapport with senior decision makers is critical if you want to be a sales superstar.

Unfortunately, many mistakes are made in this area as many salespeople freak out when they are faced with a senior decision maker. Here are 9 mistakes that can put a downer on your meeting fast.

1. Trying too hard to get rapport. Desperate is not attractive and shows you up as junior and less important than them.
2. Talking to them in too much detail. Too technical, too detailed, too many buzz words. Confusing your CEO is not a good plan!
3. Criticising anything, anyone and particularly your competitors! Good salespeople do not have to criticise others. The value they add speaks for itself.
4. Telling secrets that should be kept. Senior decision makers will not engage with you if they fear that you might disclose confidential information.
5. Assuming business rapport is personal. Business rapport = trust + confidentiality. That does not make you best friends.
6. Being late for your appointment. Senior decision makers are protective of their time. Keep them waiting at your peril.
7. Being indecisive and negative in your outlook. Senior decision makers make decisions. They like people who do the same.
8. Talking rather than asking questions and listening. Many salespeople talk too much when nervous. This will destroy your credibility.
9. Asking questions, asking for commitments or closing at the wrong time. Senior decision makers are just that, decision makers. Do not bully them into making decisions. They won’t.

For more on this subject join my sales newsletter and keep your eyes open for my forthcoming book No Fear Selling.

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