What are the top 10 reasons sales resp f*ck up?

Reason #10: You talked too much.

How it screwed you up: You didn’t find out what you really needed to know in order to close the deal.
What the prospect thought: “My Lord, this guy loves the sound of his own voice.”
How to avoid a repeat: Get “centered” before your next sales call. During your conversation with the customer, focus your intent on customer: words, gestures, tonality and context. Don’t think about what you’re going to say next. Listen, then respond, then ask another question.

Reason #9: You asked obvious questions.

How it screwed you up: You ended up wasting valuable time with the customer.
What the prospect thought: “For cryin’ out loud, doesn’t this guy know we have a website?”
How to avoid a repeat: Research the customer thoroughly before your first important meeting. Continue to research throughout the cycle, as you learn more about the customer.

Reason #8: You were outsold.

How it screwed you up: The competitor outmaneuvered you by getting the inside track for his proposal.
What the prospect thought: “Why is he still calling me?”
How to avoid a repeat: Always ask who else is calling on a prospect. Figure out their sales strategy based upon whom they’re calling upon. Come up with a plan to counter the competitor’s move to keep the playing field level.

Reason #7: You forgot to sell.

How it screwed you up: You were afraid to put the friendship at risk, so you never got up the gumption to close the deal.
What the prospect thought: “Gosh, what a nice guy!”
How to avoid a repeat: Remember that the best way to build a long-term SALES relationship is to sell to the customer, early and frequently. Put rapport-building activities into a business context, so that you become business allies rather than bosom buddies.

Reason #6. You didn’t know your product.

How it screwed you up: The customer knew more about your products (and your competition) than you, totally destroying your credibility and ability to add value.
What the prospect thought: “How dare that firm send a complete novice to sell to us!”
How to avoid a repeat: When they have product training at the quarterly sales meeting, actually attend the training course — without a hangover from the previous night’s partying. Before calling on the customer, review the products that might interest him. Have all the spec sheets and information to hand (either online or in your briefcase), just in case.

Reason #5. You didn’t know the industry.

How it screwed you up: The customer realized that your experience wasn’t really applicable to his industry, thereby putting you into the “also-ran” category.
What the prospect thought: “Doesn’t this guy realize that we have unique needs?”
How to avoid a repeat: Prior to meeting with any customer, dig around on the Internet to find analyst reports and news articles about the industry. Find out the major players, the major firms, and the major concerns. Take notes, so that you don’t have to do it all over again next time you call on a similar customer.

Reason #4: You don’t know business basics.

How it screwed you up: Your lack of knowledge seriously limited your ability to add value. You couldn’t talk intelligently about ROI or how your offerings would impact the customer’s bottom line.
What the prospect thought: “Why is this guy in sales?”
How to avoid a repeat: Go to your local college or community college and enroll in a basic business course. Find out how to read a financial report, how understand an annual report, and how to calculate ROI. You don’t need an MBA degree to sell, but you do need to know what you’re talking about.

Reason #3: You didn’t know how the customer buys.

How it screwed you up: You ended up dealing with inexplicable delays as the customer took actions that were outside your understanding. You pushed for decisions when the time wasn’t ripe. Ultimately, you didn’t take the steps you needed to take in order to clinch the deal.
What the prospect thought: “This guy is really pushy.”
How to avoid a repeat: Gently ask and discover how the customer buys. Then adjust your sales process so that it matches the buying process. Take the steps that help the customer move to the next stage in their buying process.

Reason #2: You Missed a Big Change.

How it screwed you up: Your sponsors and contacts lost power (or even their jobs) in the big shakeup, leaving you without the leverage to move the sale forward.
What the prospect thought: “I wonder if I can get a job working in his firm.”
How to avoid a repeat: As soon as you discover there are big changes in the works, increase your focus on the account. Offer to help during the transition. Make more calls to your contacts. Find out who’s benefiting from the change (there’s always somebody). Move quickly to shore up your position and build enough connections so that the deal will remain alive, regardless of what happens.

Reason #1: You let the ball drop.

How it screwed you up: While you may have made some sales elsewhere, this lost opportunity means lower revenue for your company, and a loss in your reputation, both with your management and with your erstwhile prospects.
What the prospect thought: “What the heck ever happened to that sales guy??”
How to avoid a repeat: It’s all a matter of organization. Spend a half hour EVERY MORNING to structure your day. Schedule time so that you’re 100 sure that you can return ALL your calls promptly. If you discover that you’re swamped, hand some of your accounts to somebody else.