9 BIGGEST Sales Mistakes To Avoid (At All Costs)

Data-Driven Selling By Sales Insights Lab

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1. Doing what they expect.

What we want to start to do is avoid doing anything that they expect. If they are expecting us to do something, that's a mistake that we're making. We cannot be doing what they expect.

2. Pitching.

Most salespeople have been taught that when they get in front of what they believe is a qualified prospect, and that's, of course, a pretty low bar, but they believe that they need to be pitching that prospect. What we should be doing is engaging prospects in a conversation, to understand what's going on and determine whether there's a fit. And then ultimately down the road, we would give a presentation that's customized to the challenges that they have. But we need to stop that pitch right away.

3. Being excited.

"Hey, let me show you all the reasons that you need to business with me because we have the best service. We've got the best product, everything that we do is amazing!"

Many of us were taught to show high levels of enthusiasm, high levels of excitement about our product or our service. It's supposed to show somehow the prospect that we believe in what we're selling.

4. Persuading.

The problem is that sales are not about persuading people. And I know that goes counter to what most of us have been taught, but what we want to do is rather than trying to persuade anyone that's in front of us, we want to take a step back and understand what is most important to them? Understand what are those biggest challenges and determine whether their challenges and their needs align with what it is we have to offer.

5. Talking for more than 60 seconds straight.

This is one of the most common mistakes that I see salespeople making all the time. We get excited about what it is we're talking about, we feel like we're on a roll and we keep on going, and going and going and going. The problem is is that the data shows that prospects start to tune us out after close to 60 seconds, it's a little bit less.

6. Closing.

Modern selling is not about closing, but it's about taking prospects through a process that is going to both determine whether they're a fit and create value in that process so that way at the end, the only question we ever have to ask is, well, what would you like to do next?

7. Needing the sale.

When you need a sale, immediately the prospect can feel it. It's like it just oozes out of you and they feel it immediately.

8. Following up.

Instead what we want to do is always have clear and scheduled next steps so that way at the end of every selling interaction you are always scheduling a next step, always.

9. Letting them get back to you.

If you are ever in a situation where you're waiting for the prospect to get back to you, you're in trouble. Never, ever, ever let them get back to you. Always keep control of the selling interaction.