20 mistakes everybody makes when selling
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The document outlines 20 common mistakes in sales, highlighting the importance of engagement, adaptation, and team collaboration. It emphasizes the necessity of understanding client dynamics and maintaining professionalism, while also encouraging a lighter approach to selling. Key takeaways include effective communication methods and the need to make a strong, genuine connection with prospects.
20 mistakes everybody makes when selling
- 1. 20 mistakes EVERYBODY makes when selling (and they have no idea they’re doing it)
- 2. 1. Focusing too hard on the product Case: You’ve secured a meeting and you couldn’t be more prepared. ✗ You walk in, shake hands, and launch into your fabulous presentation. Wrong! ✓ Before anything, talk to your prospects. Spend five to 10 minutes chatting and helping them relax.
- 3. 2. Taking it all too seriously ✗ You’re not there to stop famine or human trafficking. ✓ Keep it light-hearted.
- 4. ✗ You’re not there to be liked or taken out for dinner! People buy from people they respect. ✓ B2B selling is about positioning yourself as an expert with a solution to a business problem. 3.Flirting
- 5. 4. Hiding behind emails ✓ It’s not 1995! If a prospect isn’t answering then try contact via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and mobile phones. X People still send blanket emails that go nowhere.
- 6. 5. Not making enough calls Case: Sometimes it takes four phone calls before a prospect calls back. ✗ This isn’t being stalker-ish! ✓ This shows you care – that you really want to speak to that person.
- 7. 6. Making too many calls. ✗ If they don’t call back after eight calls, stop calling. (You’re being stalker-ish.) ✓ Change tact.
- 8. 7. Being individualistic ✓ There’s power in numbers – a team effort always generates better sales.
- 9. 8. Calling at the wrong time ✓ Think about which times might suit them best and get in touch accordingly. ✗ (9.30am on a Monday is never a good time, FYI.)
- 10. 9. Getting impatient Remember Buffet’s saying: “you can’t make a baby in a month by making nine women pregnant”.
- 11. 10. Letting the ego lead You have weaknesses, we all do. Recognise them and delegate.
- 12. 11. Not adapting Somebody wants your business, but not quite how you’d normally do it? Close the deal and figure out how to deliver it along the way. ✓ Learn to adapt and see the solution not the problem – remember Darwin?
- 13. 12. Dressing wrong If you’re meeting a tech start-up don’t show up in a suit. And if you’re meeting a high street bank don’t show up in jeans! Simple.
- 14. 13. Not preparing Know the business inside out and never be late for a meeting.
- 15. 14. Assuming they are like you ✗ The likelihood is they’re nothing like you and they don’t want to talk about shopping, football or anything else you’ve assumed they want to chat about. ✓Find out what their interests are and talk about that. (Even if it’s cricket.)
- 16. 15. Being themselves ✗ It sounds harsh, but showing up to a meeting either deliriously happy, hacked off or uber excited is a no-no. ✓ Contain your emotions, chat to your potential customer and work out what kind of state of mind they’re in, and then mirror it.
- 17. 16. Ignoring Twitter It’s not going anywhere – get on it and start using it.
- 18. 17. Ignoring LinkedIn Also not going anywhere, grow your network and start posting links and updates!
- 19. 18. Answering calls or emails in a meeting ✗ It doesn’t matter if it’s Samuel L. Jackson wanting to know if you’re free for dinner. Don’t do it. In fact, don’t take your phone out of your pocket because... ✓ ...for the duration of that meeting, the only person that counts is your potential client.
- 20. 19. Losing sight of winning Not just for yourself, but for your team too.
- 21. 20. Taking no for an answer They said no? Then you didn’t explain your proposition well enough, that’s all.
- 22. Want to know more? Get in touch with us at the Nutcracker Agency... Jenny.Knighting@nutcrackeragency.com @NutcrackerSM