A Third of Sales Comes From Doing Nothing at All

Good salespeople know that a third of their sales come from doing nothing at all. If you talk to enough people, some will buy it. Like the people who sell hats in Times Square, merely asking if you want to buy one results in sales.

See also:

  • Discovery Questions in Sales Calls Should Feel Consultative

    I used to feel like asking a list of discovery questions to qualify a prospect during a call was awkward and not useful. Now I realize it’s actually a key part to a consultative sales experience and should feel conversational.

  • In Sales, Top of the Funnel Growth Cures All Ails

    In sales, the difference between hitting your numbers and not has more to do with the volume of your top of the funnel than anything else. Since a third of sales comes from doing nothing at all, simply increasing the amount of prospecting and appointment setting will improve your sales numbers and can make a big difference.

  • Is Your Pricing Too High?

    How do you know if your price is too high? A few things could be happening: the product isn’t actually as valuable as you think, you’re talking to the wrong customers, you’re not conveying the value properly, or some combination of the three.

  • No next Step, No Deal

    In sales, it’s easy to mislead yourself into thinking a sales deal is on track when it’s not. A simple way to know that it’s not is to ask yourself if there is a clear next step that both parties have agreed to. Without it, you won’t close the deal and if you do, it’s probably a nothing sale.

  • Sending Follow-up Emails Is Worth Billions Per Year

    It’s surprising how much selling happens by sending follow-up emails. We all lead busy lives (for better or worse) and a well-timed nudge can result in a sale. I would estimate that this single behavior generates billions of dollars of revenue per year.

  • It’s Hard to Sell If You Have to Convince People There Is a Problem

    Selling something is already difficult enough but when you have to sell the problem first, it’s even hRder. That’s because convincing someone about a problem they didn’t know they have is like trying to push the bolder uphill. Sure it’s possible, it just takes a lot more effort.