1. FAILING TO OPEN THE SALE. The first and perhaps the biggest is that they forget to open the sale. In fact 99.9% of salespeople only focus on closing the sale. My friend and leading Australian lead conversion specialist, James Yuille, says this is because the average salesperson simply doesn’t understand the process of the sale.

Either that or the sum total of their sales training consists of memorizing a heap of sales closes or tie downs.

A failure to open the sales results in crises of communication. Because the salesperson is focused on closing the sale he or she often neglects to ask the right questions of the prospect.

They fail to understand the needs and wants of the prospect and consequently a communication breakdown results leaving both parties feeling frustrated and misunderstood.

2. FAILING TO PRE QUALIFY PROSPECTS. Several years ago I was talking to a friend who owned a retail outlet when a travelling salesman walked into the store. Grasping my hand and shaking it like a pump handle he launched into his ‘Pitch’ about a new insurance policy for store owners.

I tried to interrupt and explain that he was talking to the wrong person but he held his hand up and said “Sir, please just let me finish”

10 minutes later he went for the close with a classic tie down “Peace of mind is really important when you own a retail business isn’t it? And the policy I’ve just described provides excellent peace of mind and value for money doesn’t it?”

I took a deep breath, smiled and said: “It certainly does and trust me, I would be very interested IF I owned a retail business – but I don’t. I’m an Internet marketer.

The poor man looked as if he was going to have an apoplectic fit. “Why in the world didn’t you tell me BEFORE I gave you my pitch?”

“I tried but you told me to wait until you had finished!”

The Lesson: Always pre-qualify your prospects. If you don’t you will end up wasting time on people that either don’t need your products and services or worse still – couldn’t afford them even if they wanted to.

NOTE: It is vital that you keep this in mind when selling to larger businesses. I always ask people “If you like what I have to offer today, do you have the authority to go ahead and purchase it or does that authority lie with someone else?”

3. NO FOLLOW UP. Write this down. Grab the Yellow Pages, go to the ‘S’ section and hire a sculptor. Buy a huge slab of granite and get him to ‘chisel’ these words in it and have it mounted on your desk… “There is a FORTUNE in the Follow-Up!”

Can I tell you why most sales people never ‘make the grade’ why they are about as ‘effective as screen doors on a submarine’ when it comes to generating repeat business?

The answer is dead simple.

No Follow-Up.

FACT: You will never succeed in sales if you fail to follow up diligently on your prospects and existing clients.

Here’s a question for you… When was the last time you bought a lounge suite or a refrigerator (or just about any number of products and services, then received a follow up Greetings Card (hand written and hand signed with a real live stamp) in the mail a week or so later just to say ‘Thank You’?

A couple of years ago I bought a new car. I lease one for my business because of the tax benefits but this one was for the family so I bought it.

Now right up until I signed on the dotted line the salesperson was treating me as if I was his long lost cousin from Timbuktu.

But then - - nothing!.

Two years later - - still nothing!

Now initially the guy had made a great impression. I was thinking to myself “I’m going to tell ALL my friends to come and see this guy when they need a new car…”

They could have gotten so much work from me but for a total lack of follow-up.

The result is that I wouldn’t buy a car from that dealership again if they were the last car dealership on the earth.

4. TALKING TOO MUCH. I often wonder if some salespeople are frustrated actors at heart. How else can you explain the fact that it is so hard to get them to shut up and listen?

Seriously. Good sales people are good listeners. Exceptional salespeople listen so well they make you feel as if you are the most important person in the world.

HINT: God gave you two ears and one mouth – use them in that proportion and you will make more sales. People will remember how you make them feel long after they have forgotten what you have said.

Being a good listener impacts the way people feel about you.

Chris Bloor helps people avoid costly sales mistakes at his comprehensive Sales lead Secrets Blog. http://SalesLeadSecrets.com