sales autopsy

The Biggest Sales Mistake You Can Make

The Biggest Sales Mistake You Can Make

“I’m terrified I’ll make a fatal sales mistake that will kill my business,” he said.

sales autopsyMy client looked away from me as he confessed the root of his problem.

He’d asked me for advice about how to get more sales.  Progress prospecting on just about everything slowed as he over-researched and over-thought every telephone call or meeting. His fear was paralyzing and as a result, business growth had come to screeching halt.

“If you’re not making mistakes in your business, you’re slowly killing your business,” I told him.

Mistakes are an organic occurrence when we’re out in the world making stuff happen.

Every humiliating, seemingly fatal sales mistake I ever made in my 25+ year career, ran through my mind in that conversation. I can laugh about them now but in the moments, days and weeks after they happened, I was sure recovery was not in the cards for my business. Fortunately, in the end, the mistakes provided me important lessons as well as ample stories to make people smile and take comfort in knowing mistakes happen as a normal part of running a business.

Okay, are you dying for a few of my mistakes? Warning: these are going to make you cringe.

The Phone Sex Debacle

It was one of my best clients. The sales division of a large, multi-national company had secured me to improve their sales program. We’d just launched an online sales assessment product. About 1,000 sales staff members received the related materials I’d produced, which included a helpline for inquiries.

After launch of the program, all was going well and my client was eager for the preliminary results.

Then I received a call from the company’s VP of Human Resources.

I had mistakenly transposed a few phone numbers on the listed helpline phone number. Instead of reaching a helpful company representative, company employees were welcomed by a pay-by-the-minute phone sex line operator. The VP of HR and other key people at the company believed the error to be a strategic prank I’d planned, rather than the unintended, but unacceptable oversight.

My heart sank. Nausea hit. Sweat formed.

Swift action to correct the error, endless apologies and hours of non-billable work to maintain the good relationship ultimately enabled me to retain the business. Surely, this error could have instantly ended my contract with the company. Since that mistake, I am completely paranoid about contact info errors. I triple check every phone number and email address. It was a solid lesson about the critical importance of attention to detail. In that way, I’m almost grateful that the mistake happened. Almost.

The Pregnancy Gaffe

In Sales 101, we learn the art of conversation and building relationships. When I arrived at a prospective client’s office, I introduced myself to the branch manager. Ever eager to establish rapport with key individuals with a client, I recalled the company’s CEO mentioning in a prior conversation the forthcoming maternity leave of the company’s branch manager. “So, when is the new addition to your family expected to arrive?” I asked with extreme enthusiasm. She stared blankly back at me, her face reddening with embarrassment and anger, and then tersely replied, “Colin, I am not pregnant.” Then I remembered an important detail in that CEO conversation. The project manager was expecting, not the branch manager. It was among the most uncomfortable moments of my life. Despite my best efforts, I was never able to develop a good relationship with the branch manager. Go figure. Unless a woman goes into labor next to me, I do not acknowledge pregnancies.

The Dick Move

My new client was thrilled about their a six-figure deal. They hired me to assist in ensuring the effective closing of the deal. During intros, I missed the name of the decision maker so I pulled the account executive aside. “His name is Richard,” he said. “But whatever you do, don’t call him Dick. He hates that.” In the excitement and commotion of the big meeting, my mind was focused only on the details of the deal and on making a good impression on my new client. So, amazingly, all I heard of the account executive’s reply was “Dick.” Mr. Decision Maker became Dick. Throughout the entire presentation, I made an effort to address Dick by name. Every time I said Dick, there was a notable, physical reaction of annoyance on his face. Clueless, I was. Convinced he was bothered by the content of my presentation, I tried to address his concerns and smooth over the situation so I ramped up the questions to him – all beginning with “Dick, can you tell me…”

The account executive. The poor account executive. He repeatedly kicked my shins under the table. This baffled me, as we had together planned and reviewed the entire sales strategy. We did not close the deal that day. Subsequent meetings with my client and Dick, eer Richard, eventually led to a deal. While I remained part of the strategy, I was not present for the in-person conversations, wisely.

Do you feel better about yourself and your business now?

Despite mistakes like this from time to time, I’ve been very successful with my business. The most detrimental mistake you can make is the fear of mistakes itself. Back to my overly-cautious client mentioned earlier. He recognized that not taking action and avoiding activity in hopes of reaching a 100%-ready state would lead to the demise of the business he’d worked so hard to build. His business growth was kick started.

Quit waiting for perfect. It’ll never happen. Do at least one sales activity every day that scares you.  Sometimes, you’ll make gaffes. But most of the time, you’ll rock it out.

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