What buyers think about salespeople and their salesmanship isn't particularly good, at least according to a recently study.

Here are some of the results of a study conducted by Development Dimensions International.

"Salespeople have become the second choice for information among consumers, losing out to the Internet. Two-thirds of Canadian buyers believe salespeople's expertise is getting worse."

Losing to a living and breathing competitor is one thing. But losing to the internet sets off a loud alarm and I hope you're hearing it. What happened to good old fashioned selling and salesmanship?

"More than 90 per cent of customers would like their salesperson to be more of a resource to them. Sixty-one per cent said sales representatives were transaction-oriented only and did not understand customer needs."

Yikes - more than 90% of customers want their salespeople to be more of a resource. How's that possible when 90% of all salespeople forego asking any questions and immediately start talking about product features and pricing. The selling game is rapidly changing and you should be too.

"Some of the terms used to describe them in the survey of corporate buyers included "leeches," "rashes," and "charm school graduates" with a "snake-oil" reputation."

Imagine leaving a sales call and having buyers thinking these things about you. What if 90% of the salespeople are selling to 90% of the customers. It could mean some of your customers are thinking some of these things about you. It's never too late to learn the art of salesmanship.

"Buyers are saying you need to know about our business, what's happening in the market . . . and that means the salesperson has to invest in the relationship," says Allan Smith - Western Manager for DDI.

Okay - so the selling landscape is loaded with challenges for you.

It's never been a level playing field and it isn't one now.

The fact is, and this study supports this, that a lot of salespeople don't get it. You can't substitute salesmanship for product knowledge. And you shouldn't consider it because the internet is probably do it for you.

A lot of salespeople aren't establishing credibility and building relationships.

A lot of salespeople show up and throw up on their sales prospects and customers.

A lot of salespeople don't ask the right questions and then make amateurish assumptions about the customer's problems.

A lot of salespeople just talk too much. When in reality, the less you say the smarter you'll sound. Yeah - that's a Meisenheimerism!

I've made all the mistakes a sales person can make.

Then I read a book. The book was about asking questions. It changed my life forever.

I became obsessed with asking questions and eventually wrote my own book on asking the best questions.

When I look back on the last 19.5 years the one thing I did right that helped me earn millions of dollars was to employ my ears before I engaged my mouth.

The more I knew about my sales prospects and customers - the more I could help them.

As soon as I started asking my questions my sales took off and so did my income.

Finally - it doesn't take brains to ask intelligent questions, it simply takes some discipline.

Check out the end of this letter if you want to learn the easiest and best way to establish credibility and build lifetime relationships with your sales prospects and customers using professional salesmanship.

The road to selling success is paved with my 12 Best Questions.

Start selling more today and everyday . . .

PS - You can get more information about my best selling book titled, The 12 Best Questions to Ask Customers - using this link!

If you can't see this link in your browser just cut and paste this:
http://www.meisenheimer.com/products/12questions.htm