10 Mistakes to Avoid in Sales

These 10 Mistakes to avoid in sales are not necessarily listed in order of importance. There are probably a few more to add to the list but I think you’ll agree, that it’s essential to concentrate on improving in these areas.

Mistake #1: Not Serving People and their best interest

Fortunately, I learned very quickly, that in sales it’s not about ME, it’s about THEM. Anything that doesn’t focus on the needs, wants, and desires of our prospects, clients, and customers is the wrong approach. Serve your clients with their best interest in mind and make yourself valuable by creating and delivering value first. Most don’t care about our wonderful products or services until they know that it’s about them not us. I’ll cover various facets of putting our customers first throughout the rest of my list.

Mistake #2: Managing Rather than Leading

Managers focus primarily on the tasks at hand and working day to day in the business. It’s true we need managers and especially need to manage ourselves, keep a schedule, supervise our team and keep track of things. That’s working in the business. But developing your business begins with working on yourself and then developing others. It’s leadership that inspires and motivates people and ultimately creates sustainable growth. Why? Because leaders focus on developing people.  What’s leadership? John Maxwell says Leadership is Influence, plain and simple. One way to influence people is to lead with our example. Familiarize yourself with their world. Discover ways to help them win and most important help them develop their leadership skills.   An old proverb says, “If you think you’re leading and no one if following then you’re only taking a walk.” 

Mistake #3: No Patience — I Want it NOW!

The term “delayed gratification” is difficult for many to understand in the age of drive-through fast food, microwaves, cloud computing, and digital photos. Will someone talk to my daughter about patience?  We want it now! Jim Rohn taught me years ago, that: Profits are better than wages. Working for profits relates perfectly to commissioned sales. If we’re patient and consistent, there is a compounding effect and a huge future payoff. Are you looking for that BIG HIT, a quantum leap, and that HUGE sale from that dream client? Well, dream on. Start thinking multiplication rather than just addition. A multiplier views their business network as a living asset that grows and compounds over time. Want to be successful in sales?  Do the high payoff activities every day, consistently. That doesn’t mean shuffling business cards and checking emails. Get connected and build relationships. Call them, meet them, serve them, follow up and ask for referrals. “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t” — Jerry Rice

Mistake #4: Not Valuing Relationships

Building and cultivating business alliances and strong relationships is crucial for survival.  Connect with people and make your business personal. Effective salespeople are not about the sizzle and the close. They recognize that sales involve a relationship that develops during the courtship process. I didn’t bring an engagement ring to the first date with my future wife, did you?  Relationship marketing is reciprocal and involves creating value, serving, attracting, enhancing, and maintaining long-term customer relationships. Here’s a solid relationship-building philosophy. As good old Zig Ziglar said: “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”  

Mistake #5:  Not being Authentic. 

Be realistic, accurate, and honest about your company, products, or business opportunity. It’s so true in life; people don’t care until they know you care.  Be honest, real, and Authentic. One might get away with little white lies for a while but the sins eventually come back to haunt at the most inopportune times. Don’t build on a shifting, unstable foundation. Be accurate and give credit where credit is due. Once confidence and trust are lost by clients, it’s almost impossible to regain them.  Authenticity, creating value, and building trust is the ingredients for success. Ask these questions. “Does he or she know you, like you, and trust you? Does he want to see you succeed? Does she want to help you find new business? If so, then you have yourself a ‘Personal Walking Ambassador.”– Bob Burg

Mistake #6: Losing  Focus

Is there a cause?  What’s your WHY?  Strive for consistent clarity of purpose. Pursue your vision with the realization that success is a process, not a destination. Understand, that there is a price to pay for pursuing your prize. With challenges and obstacles along the way, sometimes, the grass looks greener in the other pasture. This reminds me of a story in a book entitled, Acres of diamonds. People miss out on fortunes because they did not consider that the diamonds were right there under their feet all along. Don’t be distracted by the glistening, shiny objects that will surely obscure your vision during your journey. Be intentional, set your sail, and keep your eyes on your prize. “The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but no vision.” — Helen Keller

Mistake #7: Not Networking 

Many find themselves pinning their hopes on an old list of contacts and their existing client or customer base. I live on a Lake, South of Seattle. It’s interesting that people ask me all the time; “How is this lake fed?”  A healthy lake requires an inlet and an outlet because, without a flow of fresh water, it stagnates. People also ask me; Are their fish in your lake.”  “Yes, I say, the lake is spring fed and it flows out into a river about a half a mile from here. And yes, the County stocks it with Rainbow Trout every year.” So here’s the lesson. A healthy business, has a consistent flow of activity and where there’s activity there’s lots of fish, so make sure to network in healthy, active lakes! Expand your network consistently at various clubs, associations, the Chamber of Commerce, networking groups, Linkedin, Facebook, church, and as you’re out and about. Use Bob Burg’s Go-Giver philosophy –– Create value for your potential clients. Ask them about THEM.  It’s not about getting it’s about giving. Don’t stop networking, stay in circulation and the fish will show up.

Mistake #8: Not Following-Up

We’ve all heard it said: The fortune is in the follow-up. Making the initial contact is easy, but follow-up is vital.  Effective sales involve a process of multiple contacts and conversations with people over time. The key is to make a lot of impressions, good ones preferably.  Follow-up starts during the initial contact, your meeting, and during the discovery process. Everyone hates the one-sale, Time-Share tactics, and especially the hard close. Most show up, endure the pitch and wait for the free gift. The relationship sales process develops through a series of contacts with the best interest of your client in mind. Don’t leave business growth to chance and always schedule a meeting from a meeting. Follow-up and follow-through.

Mistake #9: Not Asking for Referrals

I’ve always emphasized that It’s not about who YOU know, it’s about who THEY know. People are our greatest resources and they all know other people. We refer our friends and colleagues to movies, hairdressers, and restaurants, right? The best reasons to serve your clients and customers and provide value beyond their expectations are obvious by this point if you’ve been reading this article. If we do a great job and provide value, people will appreciate it and want to tell others.  Do you remember the story from “Think and Grow Rich” where Darby fails to hit the mother load? He stopped too soon after a ground fault had shifted the vein of Gold only THREE FEET.  There’s a lot of gold in them there hill!

Mistake #10: Not Investing in Personal Development

Become a student of your product, your industry, and most important, become a student of life-changing education and personal development. My Success Mentors have included several leaders over the years. Success teachers like Brian Tracy, the late Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, Anthony Robbins, Les Brown, Bob Harrison, Napoleon Hill, Stephen Covey, and John Maxwell have changed my perspectives and formed my philosophies on success for almost thirty years. I recognize as I look in the mirror each morning at the start of each day; I am ultimately responsible to make decisions today, decisions that will either move me closer or farther away from my goals.  Each day we’re presented with simple choices. Personal development is easy to do. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.’ Well, I’ve got a question for you: What if it’s true? Wouldn’t that be easy to do– to eat an apple a day? Here’s the problem: It’s also easy not to do.” — Jim Rohn”  Start with YOU. Work harder on yourself than your business and success will surely follow.