Articles - Top 10 Sales Mistakes

A Top 10 of Sales Mistakes

Some common mistakes and some tips for improving your selling skills...

1. Not listening. You cannot sell to someone if you do not know what they want. Ask open questions, identify their needs, and then sell the benefits of how your service fulfills those needs.
2. Talking too much. There is a fine line between being a good sales person and being pushy. Know when to stop selling.
3. Being unprepared.  Be prepared... know what you are going to say and be ready to handle the questions or objections you may be asked. Re-hearse!
4. Jumping straight to the sale. Establish rapport.  Do not rush to the sale. Take the time to educate your customers, and they will reward you with sales.
5. Not closing the sale. Once you have provided your customer with the information he or she needs, ask if they are ready to make a purchase... asking for the sale can be the nudge your customer needs to make a final decision!
6. Going off topic. Some salespeople overdo the need for a “relationship” with excessive chatter. While you do want to build a relationship and make your customer comfortable, the goal is to make the sale.
7. Not researching your customer. If you are trying to sell to a specific client, you need to know what he or she is all about. Do some research before the sales meeting and get a good idea of the prospect’s likes, dislikes, interests, and manner of doing business.
8. Pre-judging. Salespeople routinely miss sales because they prejudge their customers. Never pre-judge or assume.
9. Not following up on leads. Just because someone does not buy immediately does not mean they will not be interested later -- particularly if they requested information. Follow-up is a critical aspect of sales that is often neglected.
10. Not prospecting for new customers. Even when sales are at their peak, you need to devote time to looking for more customers. No company can survive without a constant influx of new customers!

For advice and guidance on selling skills, call Mark Ace 0117 9563 564 or email mark@mcassociates.info