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\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\u2714\ufe0f Do get to know your buyer thoroughly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cherilynn Castleman, managing partner, <\/strong>CGI Executive Coaching<\/strong>\u279a<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even costly mistakes can be worth it in the end. Years ago, I was in charge of organising a medical conference for healthcare providers. I put together what I thought would be an awe-inspiring event: a sunny weekend at a summer jazz festival. I spent $100k securing gourmet food, room blocks, and entertainment. And we got \u2026 one registration. It was an epic \u201coops\u201d moment. Donald C. Kelly, founder, <\/strong>The Sales Evangelist<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I thought everything was going great with my first big deal. I had built a great relationship with the champion and brought the whole thing right to the finish line, contract in hand. Then, the economic buyer \u2014 the person who controls the budget \u2014 blew it up. My instinct was to point my finger at them in anger. But when I reflected, I had no choice but to point that finger at myself. Lindsey Boggs, global director of sales development, <\/strong>Quantum Metric<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n When my sister passed away abruptly in 2016, I had absolutely no idea how to process grief, so I turned to what I knew best: work. I wanted to avoid the feelings of grief. Instead, I burned out. I sought professional help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Losing my sister made me realise that as much as we love sales, it\u2019s just a job. No one\u2019s life is at risk by selling software. The experience made me wish I\u2019d been more present with my family when my sister passed. Today, I set boundaries at work. I shut down my computer at 5 p.m., I do digital detoxes often, and I make a point to spend time with my family. I\u2019m not perfect, but that\u2019s not the point. I\u2019m on the right path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anita Nielson, sales expert and owner, <\/strong>LDK Advisory Services<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I thought I was about to close the deal. I had a great relationship with the buyer. But there was something I didn\u2019t know. A couple of times a day, she would go on a smoke break with someone from a different company in the same complex: an employee who worked for my competitor. Over hundreds of smoke breaks, this employee built a strong relationship with the buyer, eventually swaying her to buy from my competitor instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the deal closed, the buyer said something that I can still hear in my head so many years later: \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but I couldn\u2019t betray my friend. I wanted to buy from you, but I had to give her a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n My sales advice is that you can\u2019t trust an org chart to show you who really influences a buyer. Broaden your view to consider people who might be influencing your prospects outside of their organisation. Make it a point to find out who the smoke-break partner is, every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elyse Archer, founder and CEO, <\/strong>She Sells<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once, I had a sales call with someone who heard me speak at a conference and wanted to learn more. He was a hot lead, someone who should have been an easy sale. When it came time to close, my gut was telling me to deviate from our normal script and use a more direct, succinct approach. But I was afraid. I stuck to the script.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I lost the sale. Afterwards, he gave me difficult feedback: \u201cI wish you\u2019d just talked to me like a human.\u201d The experience taught me that the most important thing in sales is authenticity. We have to speak to the customer like we\u2019re speaking to a friend we care about, and tailor our message to meet them where they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scott Leese, founder, <\/strong>Scott Leese Consulting<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I once lasted less than eight months in a VP of sales role. Why? I did a terrible job vetting the company, founder, and product. The pay was great but the product wasn\u2019t ready, and the team didn\u2019t act with urgency \u2014 which is one of the things I value in a team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a painful lesson about what really matters in sales. Don\u2019t chase titles, money, and equity. Instead, find companies that provide real value to their customers, with leaders who have the same mission and values as you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ian Koniak, CEO, <\/strong>Ian Koniak Sales Coaching<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I once lost a $47 million deal. (That number is not a typo.) The CEO was on board, the terms were approved, and we were solving a major problem. \u00a0Larry Long, Jr., sales trainer and CEO, <\/strong>LLJR Enterprises<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Early in my career, an inbound prospect reached out and said they were excited to talk. I was so psyched that I set up a meeting right away and gave them a sales pitch based off a generic script. I figured their enthusiasm was enough to keep the conversation going. Instead, there was only silence. After the call, I waited, followed up, and waited some more. Nothing. I got ghosted, toasted, and roasted. Every seller knows the feeling. Discover how Sales Cloud uses data and AI to help you manage your pipeline, build relationships, and close deals fast.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Alexine Mudawar, CEO, <\/strong>Women in Sales<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I once was asked to upsell one of our company’s largest accounts. I was used to net-new deals, so a customer expansion sounded easy. I scheduled an in-person meeting in our fanciest conference room and walked in carrying two dozen doughnuts, ready for a layup deal. Instead, I found a table full of angry executives who told me my company had dropped the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I kept my laptop in my bag, leaving my presentation for another day, and I brought out a notebook and pen instead. I owned the miss and went around the table to hear everyone out, taking notes as they spoke. I held onto the account, and I held onto the lesson, too: Do your research before you walk into the room \u2014 so you know whether to offer gifts or apologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marcus Chan, founder and president, Venli Consulting Group<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I thought I had a $520k opportunity in the bag. I gave the demo of my life and made a clear business case. I was so confident in the close that I neglected some key decision-makers and didn\u2019t sell competitively against the status quo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sure enough, I got the phone call: They decided to stay with their current vendor. I was crushed, mostly because their rejection didn\u2019t gel with the image I had in my head of me being a sales rep at the top of my game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking back, I\u2019m glad it happened. I needed to be humbled. It was a great reminder that the only time we really lose in sales is when we lose the lessons that come from our mistakes. I applied these lessons to the next quarter and closed $1.1 million in new business, never losing sight of the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Niraj Kapur, LinkedIn trainer and author, “<\/strong>Everybody Works In Sales<\/strong><\/a>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I first got into sales, I gave a presentation to one of my prospects and remember thinking that I nailed it. Surely, I was going to get the deal. Instead, the prospect went elsewhere. Eager to learn, I reached out and asked them what I did wrong. They said I spent too much time talking about my achievements and too little time asking questions. Dini Mehta, former chief revenue officer, Lattice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When I first got promoted to manager, I made the mistake of telling my sales team exactly what to do. I gave detailed notes on what to say in emails, when responding to objections, while negotiating key terms \u2026 the list goes on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of coaching them to improve, I was doing the selling for them. I\u2019ve since learned that my job isn\u2019t to teach, but to pave the way for sellers to find their own unique path to winning. My advice for new leaders is this: Run your own race, and help your team run theirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n John Barrows, CEO, <\/strong>JBarrows Training<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d just met with a key decision-maker for a $200k deal. We mapped out the plan, set the timeline, and as far as I knew, the product-customer fit was there. Then came the dreaded phrase: \u201cWe need more time.\u201d For weeks, I followed up. I did more research, lined up more meetings, and created more pitches<\/a>. Eventually, I lost the deal. Sales stars: They\u2019re just like us. The next time you make a mistake on the job, remember that you\u2019re not alone, and take it as an opportunity to learn and improve.
That\u2019s when I realised the importance of understanding my audience before<\/em> devising any grand plans. I hadn\u2019t bothered to investigate the interests of my target audience. (Hint: Not jazz.) I spent the next few months diving into my buyer persona<\/a>. The following year, I organised a conference on a golf course \u2014 a favourite haunt for my prospects. It was a smashing success. I\u2019ve carried this lesson to my sales career: Before making moves, step into your customer\u2019s world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u2714\ufe0f Do involve the economic buyer as soon as you can<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I hadn\u2019t been diligent enough in selling directly to the economic buyer. I\u2019ve since learned to make that relationship a priority from the start. Sometimes this person is the CEO or the CFO<\/a>. Other times it\u2019s a manager with a big budget. No matter the title, this person has veto power over the deal, and they want a deep dive on value \u2014 getting a return on investment, mitigating risk, and thinking long-term. I\u2019ll never overlook this stakeholder again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u2714\ufe0f Do put your well-being above everything else<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2714\ufe0f Do follow the chain of influence, not the chain of command<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2714\ufe0f Do go off-script<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2714\ufe0f Do join a company you believe in<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2714\ufe0f Do connect with every decision-maker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Then, at the last minute, someone on the board who happened to be friends with Bill Gates asked for a competing bid from Microsoft. Uh-oh. The deal got delayed, then killed. According to \u201cThe Challenger Customer<\/a>,\u201d the average enterprise sale must be approved by\u00a0 five or six decision-makers. I\u2019ve since learned to identify them all, and do everything in my power to connect with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u274c Don\u2019t skip the discovery stage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What did I do wrong? I didn\u2019t dig deep enough. If you want to know my sales advice, it\u2019s that the most important stage in the sales process<\/a> is discovery: understanding what the prospect needs and why. Until you know someone\u2019s pains, goals, and dreams, you\u2019re flying blind.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDrive pipe faster with a single source of truth<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\u274c Prepare for meetings so you don\u2019t bring doughnuts to an ambush<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u274c Don\u2019t let your ego tank a deal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u274c Don\u2019t fall in love with your own voice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This mistake was a turning point for me. If you\u2019ve made a similar mistake, here\u2019s my sales advice: Talking is silver; listening is gold. As Dale Carnegie\u2019s Sunita Gill said, with relationship selling<\/a>: \u201cWe have to listen intently to understand the customer\u2019s real needs, and build a relationship that earns us the right to keep talking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u274c Don\u2019t force your working style on your team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u274c Don\u2019t take too long to lose a deal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I wish I\u2019d listened to my spidey sense and realised sooner that I was going to lose the deal. Then I would have let go sooner. Sellers are often told to push through \u201cno\u201d to get to \u201cyes.\u201d But I believe that \u201cno\u201d is often an actual \u201cno.\u201d To discover the truth behind a \u201cno,\u201d we have to ask the right questions and determine whether the prospect even has the ability to buy. <\/p>\n\n\n\nShare your own sales advice and build your network<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Have you learned some lessons the hard way? Tell us what happened and what you learned. The conversation is happening in the Salesblazer community<\/a>, the largest and most successful community of sales professionals anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n