5 Positive Assumptions Every Sales Rep Must Make

Hopefully, you are feeling better after reading my last blog entry—“5 Unfortunate Assumptions Every Sales Rep Must Make.” If not, you will after taking in the following information.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, that means injecting a little optimism into your sales life. You’ve always thought assumptions to be bad and most times, they are. However, there are some sales assumptions that can actually serve you well.

Here are five positive assumptions that you can take to the sales bank:

Unreturned voice mails have value.—Make a list of the most frustrating parts of sales and Satan’s invention—voice mail—is sure to be at or near the top. Though most of us detest voice mail and consider it a black hole and a sales challenge (pun intended), you can gain a lot by leaving professional messages.

Instead of thinking that your words are falling into the abyss, why not make the assumption that you are auditioning for the job of print vendor? Every word, every inflection, every nuance is being scrutinized. Now, instead of leaving a bland voice mail message or worse, just hanging up, you see voice mail as a chance to demonstrate your selling skills as well as your persistency. Better preparation yields not only a better sales call, it results in a better voice mail.

Yes, that is my best price.—When a client asks the question, “Is that your best price?” why do we reply, “Let me see if I can do better?” If I were a print buyer, I’d ask that question all the time just to hear the reaction.

I did an exercise once where 80 percent of the respondents caved when asked that question. You need to go to the negotiating table with the assumption that you are presenting your lowest price. But then again, why are you selling on price? Why aren’t you selling solutions?