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masquerading-salespersonIs it real?  Is it fake?  What is it?

What I’m talking about is the person who thinks they’re a salesperson, but is anything but one.

It’s time to have one of those frank discussions about the salespeople who simply are not salespeople.

Here are 5 ways you can identify a masquerading salesperson:

1. They fail to ask for the order.

Masquerading salespeople are too scared to ask for the order. They’re afraid of being rejected, so the way they work around it is by simply not asking for the order.

2. They fail to follow-up on leads.

In fact, not only do they fail to follow-up on leads, but they also fail to follow-up on virtually everything.   The typical response is, “I’m too busy with paperwork to follow-up with the prospect.”  What they’re really saying is they don’t know what to do with the lead.

3. They give everyone a discount.

They’re wiling to cut the price for any reason whatsoever.  Yes, in their opinion, list price is only a starting point from which to discount and the masquerading salesperson always believes the price is way too high right from the start.

4. They spend all day in the office preparing to prospect.

Before they know it, the day is done and they merely decide to wait until tomorrow to begin prospecting.

The beautiful thing to them is when tomorrow comes, they don’t remember where they left off the day before, so they go back to preparing to prospect.  Gee, does that sound like the “Groundhog Day” to you?

5. They spend their day talking with others about how they could make a lot more sales if only they had some new brochure or PowerPoint or whatever.

Sure, let’s put the whole reason why sales aren’t made all on a piece of paper or some stupid software. Sure, let’s do it, because that’s the excuse from idiots who are trying to pass themselves off as salespeople.

I’m being blunt for one reason.  Too many salespeople are anything but salespeople.  Do you see any traits on this list in people you know?  In yourself?

Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

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