Over the years, I’ve learned that there are certain things a salesperson can do that can be fatal to winning a sale. Mostly because I’ve done them. Many times. [I'm not hopeless, but I am slow.] Turns out, however, it’s not just me; most every salesperson makes these same mistakes – over and over. So, I started writing them down – ten ways to almost automatically ensure that you will kill a potential sale.

You will notice that some things you might expect aren’t on the list. For instance, many sales trainers would suggest that “asking for the order” is one of the most common mistakes made – and I would probably agree. However, in this list I’m looking at things salespeople do that kill deals but the salesperson often has no idea whatsoever that the deal is dead.

How to Kill a Deal Without Really Trying

1. Don’t do your homework before your first call

Few things are more annoying to a buyer than to deal with salespeople who obviously have no clue. They haven’t done any homework to determine what the prospect does, how the business works, or how their product or service might solve the prospect’s problem (beyond the generic application of the product/service). What generally happens is the salesperson asks question after question of the buyer, who has to spend valuable time explaining things about the opportunity they feel the salesperson should already know. Irritated by the lack of preparation, the buyer will often kill the deal before it gets to the launching pad.

Cause: Laziness

2. Demonstrate a serious lack of professionalism

Anyone who has been in sales more than a month or two should understand that people buy from people they like and trust. No trust equals no sale – every time. And if you’re not likeable, the odds of a sale happening are slim and none. On the other hand, most salespeople do know this (or say they do), but don’t realize the stupid things they are doing that erode both. Many buyers will kill a deal from the get-go if a salesperson isn’t professional. I won’t go into a lengthy dissertation about what is (and isn’t) professional, but here are couple of things to remember: Be Courteous and Polite. Be Organized. Know Your Stuff. Have The Materials You Need (and make sure they look decent). Don’t Interrupt. Don’t Condescend. Don’t Ask Stupid Questions.

Cause: Lack of self-awareness

3. Forget to identify all the buying influences

This is a tough one. Rookies and veterans alike are guilty of focusing in on the “buyer” while neglecting individuals who have the ability to kill a deal in the blink of an eye. In fact, there are times when those individuals kill the deal simply because the salesperson ignored them, not just because they didn’t address their needs or concerns about the deal. Rule of thumb: If you don’t know who all can influence a decision, assume everyone can until you know better. That includes the receptionist (yes, you’d be surprised).

Cause: Neglect

4. Don’t differentiate your company and/or solution

Most buyers have an inherent problem with salespeople. The problem? They all sound alike. Every salesperson from every company says the same thing: “We’re the best. We have the best quality. We have the best service. We’re the industry leader.” Look, your prospects may not be NASA scientists, but they do know one thing – every company cannot be the best. However, even assuming it’s true, how would the prospect know? Just because you said so? If three salespeople all have an acceptable solution and all three claim to have the best quality and service, the only differentiator left is….price. [Get your pencil sharpener ready.]

Cause: Arrogance

5. Sell your company’s “capabilities” instead of a real solution

Look, your prospect eventually needs to know that you have a good company. But leading with “capabilities” is the short route to oblivion. It’s very similar to No. 4 above in that everybody does pretty much the same thing in presenting themselves to the prospect. Rather than focusing on the prospect, the focus is on your company – the people, the culture, the building, the credentials, the projects you’ve done in the past….blah, blah, blah…this is who we are are; this is why we’re awesome. Good for you – but can you help me? Next time, how about you show your prospect how you will solve a problem or bring value to the business?

Cause: Bad habits

6. Focus only on the features of your product or service

Another sure-fire deal-killer is to sell “features.” A thirty-minute presentation of every feature of your product or service is better than Sominex. Assuming your prospect is still awake when you finish the presentation, the prospect will politely ask you to leave some information and “we’ll get back to you.” Think I’m kidding? Have you ever made a presentation and noticed that faraway, glassy-eyed stare? The one where you know they haven’t heard a word? Uh huh. What does the prospect say next? “Uh…yeah….ummm…leave me some information and…..”

Cause: Clueless-ness

7. Sell the product you want instead of the product your prospect really needs

Sales managers quite often need to sell specific products or services. They need to turn inventory, or they need to hit a number, or whatever. So, they start pushing salespeople to sell those products or services. Maybe they throw in a bonus, or put together a contest, or increase commissions. The point is the salesperson hits the streets with a mission – to sell those specific products or services. What’s the old saying? “If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.” Hey, I understand these things have to be done, but if you are selling what you want instead of what the customer wants, your deal is probably dead already.

Cause: Selfishness

8. Talk more than you listen

Of all the challenges with salespeople, this is The Nuts (a poker term….really). Salespeople talk themselves out of more deals than we could ever count. They don’t know how to ask the right questions. They don’t hear the clues that prospects provide. They don’t shut up long enough to give the prospect the opportunity to even provide those clues. Of all the cliches about salespeople, this is the one that persists – all they do is talk. If a prospect doesn’t think you are listening, or only care about telling them what you know, your deal already has one foot in the grave.

Cause: Fear (usually)

9. Don’t agree on “next steps”

This deal-killer is insidious; it’s like a slow-acting poison. When a salesperson fails to set the next appointment and/or fails to gain agreement on exactly what needs to happen next, a potential sale can languish until it ultimately dies. Have you ever found yourself calling a prospect over and over, hoping to set a follow-up appointment or hoping they have reviewed your proposal? It can be the worst feeling in the world – you have no idea where you stand, and you have no idea how to move the process forward. The reality is you have likely done a poor job in a number of areas – determining buying motives, establishing value, qualifying the account, etc. – but failing to set down the “next steps,” for both you and the prospect, has left you completely boxed in. As the guy said in the opening scene of The Matrix, “Your people are already dead.” And so is your sale.

Cause: Too many to name.

10. Don’t follow-up effectively

This late-breaking deal-killer is enough to make a grown man cry. You do everything well, your prospect is interested in what you have to offer, and they ask you for additional information. Unfortunately, you drag your feet – you’re busy or…something. Meanwhile, a competitor slips in and puts you into the wall on the last lap. Remember, a deal isn’t done until you get something signed…before and until that point, you could be in trouble. Make sure you follow up – in a timely and professional manner – or you might suffer an 11th hour defeat.  Ouch.

Cause: Hard-headed (ness).

Tagged as: Credibility, Management, Success, trust

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