A detailed look at the five most common mistakes a sales rep can make, which can have a negative impact on sales, profits, and customer loyalty.

1. As companies embrace the idea of decentralizing their sales and marketing systems, team
members are given a greater freedom to select their sales approaches. In a way, this works well for
the independent salesperson, who can motivate himself and explore newer sales tactics
unhindered. But it is not necessarily the best approach for someone new to sales or who might
need additional guidance.
Here are some common mistakes a newbie (and sometimes experienced) salesperson can make:
1. Not following up a lead right away. Most salespeople will follow up a hot lead right away.
Correct? Actually, it’s not true. The average sales person underestimates his sales leads,
very often resulting in a potential customer turning to the competitor. When a lead came
through to you via a referral, networking, or via the website, they might want your product,
but unless you respond immediately, they are likely to turn to someone else.
2. Giving up before you close the deal. The best salesperson knows that a no can often be
converted into a yes. However, for someone new to the selling game, a no is disheartening
and may result in the sale falling through the cracks. Being persistent- but not pushy- is
sometimes the key to closing a sale. If you do get a negative response, it’s not time to give
up, but time to gear up and ask yourself why is the potential customer saying no? Is it a
budget issue? A price issue? Does he fail to have staff to implement? Does he have the
final say in whether or not the sale is made?

2. 3. Talking the talk, but not walking the walk. There’s a lot more to sales than just
communicating. You may have signed up for a sales job because you are a good talker,
but are you a good listener? Very often, a deal can be closed simply by listening to what
the prospect has to say, and then acting on it. Similarly, if the response has been, “send
me some information”, probe deeper and see if you could schedule a call for a better time
to talk rather than blindly sending over material. It may never reach its intended destination.
4. Not digging deep enough. In real estate, it’s all about location, location, location. In sales,
it’s all about research, research, research. Prioritize your tasks every day and dig deep into
your ‘A’ class accounts. These are the accounts that can potentially convert to sales. Use
any technology at your disposal to help you categorize your leads. My earlier
post 3 Steps to Successful Prospecting has plenty of links to marketing tools that can
help you.
5. Failing to ‘goal-set’. Goals energize you and keep you focused on real outcomes, not
possible dreams. Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, and Brian Tracy will all tell you the
importance of goals, and here’s the truth:
 A salesperson who sets goals can achieve more in less time
 A salesperson who sets goals is less likely to get distracted
 A salesperson who sets goals is more prepared and offers a better presentation
 A salesperson who sets goals is more likely to achieve them
 A salesperson who sets goals will most likely close the deal!
And finally, a bonus mistake that you should avoid; do not get complacent! It’s to do with the
nature of the job—sales is hard and stressful work, and it requires you to be patient. So when you
do make a few sales, it’s easier to let your guard down. Complacency tends to creep in when
contentment is at the door. It’s a by-product of success and the first step to a short-cut solution. But
as we know, in sales there are no short-cuts. Brush up on research, continue with self-education,
and continue to be committed. The next big sale, just like the next big employment cut, is just
around the corner. Are you prepared for it?
POSTED IN: REVENUE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT / TAGGED: COLD CALLING, CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP
MANAGEMENT, MARKETING & SALES ALIGNMENT, SALES EFFECTIVENESS, SALES ENABLEMENT, SALES
PROSPECTING
A thought-leader in the technology marketing space, Julie Bevacqua is a leading expert in
business-to-business (B2B) marketing with hands-on executive experience in corporate, industry,
and product marketing; demand management; and social media. She has held executive positions

3. at global enterprise software companies, heading up integrated marketing strategies from brand
differentiation, demand generation, sales and marketing integration, and digital marketing
strategies to media and analyst relations and corporate social responsibility.
By taking every opportunity to extend the company’s digital footprint, Julie guides her team to
achieve online dominance within the global marketplace. A natural networker, motivator and
mentor, Julie shares her marketing and business savvy through her blog www.JulieBevacqua.com.
Business and corporate marketers and entrepreneurs gain unique insights into the latest
techniques on digital and social marketing that can be applied in any organization.
Julie lives and works in Vancouver, British Columbia, a haven for technology and enterprising
upstarts, dubbed ‘Silicon North’.
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