 MISTAKE #1: Fail to plan the call.

Sounds simple, but trying to close when

should be qualifying (for example) is a lost sale. Fix: Never enter a door without first
thinking about what you plan to accomplish.
 MISTAKE #2. Flirt with the receptionist. It may seem tempting, but unless
you’ve got soap-opera-quality looks, chances are you’re only going to annoy (or even
alarm) the admin, who will tell the boss. Fix: Stay polite, friendly and respectful.
 MISTAKE #3: Be rude to the admin. If you act all arrogant and superior,
you’ll just antagonize the help. Fix: Once again, be friendly and respectful of the staff
- admin and otherwise.
 MISTAKE #4: Show up with a crowd. If you bring too many people, it will
draw customer’s comments about why your costs so high Fix: Use webconferencing
when you need to include additional resources.
 MISTAKE #5: Fail to check your appearance. Don’t show up with
something amiss that a quick stop in the client’s bathroom could head off. Fix: Make a
quick pit stop - with a look-over - before the call.
 MISTAKE #6. Pretend to drop by. Who are you kidding? Do you think that
it’s going to cushion the rejection if you pretend that it’s not a sales call? Fix: Have
something important to say or sell that justifies your presence.
 MISTAKE #7: Arrive late to the call. If you don’t arrive on time it tell the
customer clearly that you don’t give a damn about them or their time. Fix: Always
arrive 15 minutes ahead of time. If you drive to calls, get a GPS.
 MISTAKE #8: Be too business-like at first. Remember you’re building
bridges with another human being, not just a notch in your sales gun. Fix: Smile and
be friendly… but don’t get too gushy.
 MISTAKE #9. Be too friendly at first. There’s no better way to seem phony
than to pretend the prospect is a long-lost friend. Fix: Approach each prospect with
respect for their time, and appropriate courtesy..
 MISTAKE  #10. Talk more than you listen. Initial sales calls are all about
relationship building and gathering information, which you can’t do if your mouth is
moving. Fix: Get curious about the customer and ask questions.
 MISTAKE #11. Argue with the customer. If the customer doesn’t agree with
an important point, arguing is only going to set that opinion in stone. Fix: ask the
customer why he holds that opinion; then listen.
 MISTAKE #12: Discuss politics or religion. Such subjects are almost always
a trap into opinionated quicksand that’s hard or impossible to get out of. Fix: keep the
discussion on business or neutral ground.
 MISTAKE #13: Dive into your product pitch. Sure you’ve got something to
sell, but if you pitch too soon, you’ll get pitched out the door. Fix: Ask questions to
understand needs, before you pitch.
 MISTAKE #14: Appear flippant or sarcastic. A good-natured laugh at a
joke might be taken personally by someone watching out the window, without hearing
the context. Fix: Watch your demeanor at all times.
 MISTAKE #15: Lack requisite product knowledge. The prospect doesn’t
want to hear “I need to get back to you about that”…over and over. Fix: make sure
you’re trained on your current products and policies…before the call.
 MISTAKE #16: Forget the customers’ names. What could be more
embarrassing than actually forgetting whom you’re talking with? Fix: Write down the
names down of everyone in the room with a small table diagram.
 MISTAKE #17: Ask personal questions. You may think that the customer is
your friend, but you can easily screw up if it gets too personal. Fix: Keep the
conversation focused on business issues, especially the customer’s needs.
 MISTAKE #18. Answer your cell phone. Ouch! Ouch! What were you
thinking? How could any telephone call be more important than a real live
prospect? Fix: Turn it off and leave it in your briefcase.
 MISTAKE #19. Overstay your welcome. Your prospect has hundreds of
other things that he or she could be doing, rather than spending time with you. Fix: Set
a time limit for the call.
 MISTAKE #20. Let the meeting meander. This isn’t the time for a
wandering conversation that slowly gets to the point or a long series of complicated
questions. Fix: Provide brief agenda of how you expect the call to proceed.
 MISTAKE #21: Fail to Follow-up. If you’ve had a successful meeting, you
want the customer to remember what was decided.Fix: Schedule your follow-up
activities immediately after the meeting.  Then do them.