Selling Past the Finishing Line 

Sometimes I find myself with salespeople who don’t stop selling, and what I mean by that is; they’ve understood the client, the client has decided to come on board, and the rep has not stopped selling. We call this “Selling Past the Finishing Line.” 

This happens for a few reasons: 

1) Lack of Signal Recognition 

The Rep is not reading the signals and hasn’t realised that the client is sold. 

2) Imbalanced Communication 

The Rep has done all the talking and therefore not enough listening. If they were listening to the client, they would be hearing and seeing all the signals that indicate the client is on board. 

3) The Old-School Approach 

The Rep could be old school, meaning they have the gift of the gab. “I would try to persuade you to buy.” Yet, like above, they haven’t listened properly, observed correctly, or read the client’s body language, tone, and manner, which would indicate that the client is already sold. 

The Pitfalls of Overselling 

At this point, you might think it’s fine to carry on selling when the clients are already sold. The reality is that when you sell past the finishing line, the client pulls out due to several factors; They wonder why you’re still selling.  

• Is it because you can’t sell to other people, and you can’t believe somebody has actually decided to buy?  
• Or is it because you’re just not reading the signals and being present with them, which means you’re not giving them the attention they deserve, and they can feel that you’re not giving your attention.  

Both of these lead to the client not moving ahead. 

Effective Strategies for Successful Sales 

So, if this has happened to you or someone you know, the first thing you can do is to be more present with the client and be better prepared for that meeting. Come prepared with questions, possible objections, roadblocks, challenges, etc. Do your due diligence on the clients so you really understand what they need. 

The Art of Active Listening 

When you’re with the client, make sure it’s all about them and not about you. We call it a ratio of 95 to 5%. The client talks 95% of the time, and you talk 5% of the time. The majority of that 5% is actually in the first meeting. You ask intelligent, meaningful, relevant questions and seek to understand the clients so you can see how you can serve them. Start to understand how to read people’s behaviour, understand things like the Extended DISC model, question styles, different objections, and very much understand how to read somebody else’s body language and interpret it. 

The Power of Observation 

Even if you haven’t done a lot of work in learning those areas, what you can do immediately is stop talking and start listening and observing. Selling is pretty much an observation game. It is a spectator sport at the beginning with a client. You’re not on the field playing the game with them or partnering with them; you are collaborating with them and seeking to understand them before you even attempt to pitch your solution or consider explaining, guiding, or educating your solution. You need to completely understand the client’s situation—where they’re at, where they’re going, their pain points, and how you can possibly help them. Then you move into the phase, which is now the educating and guiding phase.