5 Common Sales Hurdles And How To Overcome Them

Selling is a crucial part of business success. Without sales the business heads for extinction. The number of customers a business generates may be the difference between its failure and success. 

Every business leader looks to increase brand profitability by improving the brand's sales performance. However,  certain conditions can impede this goal, making the business underperform in the market despite the huge potential for success. These conditions create sales barriers that slow down sales progress. Anything that stalls sales is a direct threat to the existence of the business. 

 Below are 5 common sales barriers and how to overcome them.  

 Buyer anxiety 

People are cautious when it comes to trying out especially, new products. They are not certain it will not bring them regrets. Every customer wants to be sure they will be getting full value for every cash they part with. Put simply, customers want peace of mind and are not ready to take risks with their money. When your product is unknown and you encounter such a barrier, what you need to do is to present to the prospect the testimonies of some of your happy customers. A short video will be an excellent presentation in this regard. Trust is often built and deepened by the testimony of other clients. When they know that your current customers are happy they will most likely feel comfortable enough to give you a try. 

High price

Customers want great value at rock-bottom prices. If they perceive your product as unnecessarily expensive you will find it extremely hard to close sales. The problem is often not about the price but about the value being exchanged for the price. If customers are convinced your price doesn't have any commensurate value then they judge your product as expensive. If you find out your product is facing a price-related rejection, then you may have to review your communication strategy. Redirect your message to center more on the benefits the product brings to customers. For example, the convenience or the problem it helps customers solve.  If you succeed at making the potential customer focus more on the value your product offers and less on the price he or she will most likely consider buying. 

Prejudice

Some brands may suffer a level of misrepresentation because of popular but unvalidated beliefs about the product or company. Sometimes it is not exactly about the products per se but about a strong predisposition against the home country the product maker is located in.  In some cases, a product suffers rejection because it goes against a strongly held superstition or religious belief. For instance, the widespread perception of Chinese products is that they cost less but are not durable.  With this kind of negative reputation, even if a Chinese product compares with the best in terms of quality you are likely going to have a very hard time closing the sale especially when the customer's major need is centered on quality. To scale this huddle, you may have to give a much longer warranty, money-back guarantees, and enough testimonials to break such bias and close the deal. 

Negative record

If a product has a record of falling flat on customers' expectations, that feeling of disappointment doesn't just go away, it lingers for a very long time in the mind of the customer than most people anticipate   When another product from the same source shows up in the market, customers will greet it with a  strong user apathy, making it far more difficult to survive in the market. To overcome this major sales barrier,  you have to first empathize with the feelings of the customers by first admitting the past failures of the product and apologizing for how it made them feel.  Afterward, tell them about any new product improvements or innovations.  New research findings and current features of the product are excellent examples of the type of information you should arm yourself with.  Testimonials and lengthier warranties will be a great help in securing a  new level of buyer confidence. 

Market Saturation 

Customers are constantly bombarded with all kinds of products and services. Your product will certainly not be the last of its kind. Even if you are the first in the new category you will only have a few weeks to enjoy a sense of monopoly afterward comes fierce competition. For most products, the case is that of late market entry. If this is what you are up against then you should commit yourself to studying the competing product diligently to identify their strengths and weaknesses. See where the strengths of your product cancel the advantage the competing product has and use that to position your product as the customer's best choice.  Also, fortify your market share by capitalizing on the weakness of the competitor's product while magnifying your product's special benefits. 

The above barriers are not exhaustive, they are simply some barriers you are most likely to be confronted with when your product or service makes its journey into the marketplace. Following the tips given above would likely help you live above the limiting effect of the common barriers in question.