The 16 Biggest Mistakes New Salespeople Make

There are only three ways to sell more. Do morehandle.
right. Do less wrong. Do both.4. Giving product or company focused rather than
Here is a list I have compiled during my 35 yearcustomer focused presentations.
sales training career. that will help you understand5. Not effectively managing time, resources or
the most frequent mistakes new salespeopleyour territory.
make.6. Focusing on what is wrong, missing, broken or
Selling can be a difficult and challenging career ifwhat you can't do rather than on what is working,
you don't master many of the skills and attitudesright or you can do.
necessary for success. The price of failure is7. Not building your self-esteem. A poor
always higher than the price of success. Fail toself-esteem can have a negative impact on your
learn the necessary skills and you could be lookingprospecting and probing skills, your closing ability
for a new job or career, master them and youand your negotiating confidence.
can write your own ticket to the stars. Even if8. Poor listening skills.
you have been in sales for many years and are9. Prospecting too low in the organization.
reasonably successful, maybe even a sales super10. Giving information before you get information.
star, you might want to review the following to11. Lacking passion for what you sell, what you do
see where you might benefit from some minoror your organization's mission or purpose.
improvements or adjustments.12. Are transaction rather than relationship
The following list is in no particular order offocused.
importance. Not doing or having any one of them13. Don't ask for the business.
could contribute to your demise. You will also14. Losing control of the sales process. Letting the
notice that many in the list are either directly orcustomer or prospect take over.
indirectly related to or impacted by others in the15. Keep inadequate or poor sales records. Or the
list.failure of carefully evaluating the records you are
1.The inability to cope with, handle or overcomekeeping.
rejection and failure.16. Project your buying prejudices into the sales
2. The inability or unwillingness to control yourprocess.
attitudes no matter what is going on around youA lot to think about, yes but if you want to
in your organization, the economy or the world.become a sales super star these would be a good
3. Talking too much. Going into a verbal diatribe orplace to start. Want answers to these and other
feature dump delivering more information thansales issues and challenges? Read my best selling
the prospect or customer wants, needs or canbooks: Soft Sell and Your First Year in Sales.