You’ve identified the first set of common sales mistakes—now it’s time to dive deeper into the errors that undermine your expertise and cost you trust. In today’s competitive market, buyers have less patience than ever for unprepared or uninformed salespeople.

Are you making these critical mistakes that scream “amateur”? Let’s break down mistakes 5–8.

Mistake #5: Lack of Product Knowledge

Why It Hurts You:
Buyers expect you to be the expert. If you can’t answer basic questions, they’ll assume your product isn’t worth their time—or worse, that you’re wasting theirs.

How to Fix It:
✅ Create a “source of truth”—a central hub (e.g., Google Drive, Notion) with product details, FAQs, and competitor comparisons.
✅ Collaborate with technical/marketing teams to develop easy-to-use resources (videos, one-pagers, demo scripts).
✅ It’s okay not to know everything—but know where to find the answer quickly.

💡 Pro Tip: Use tools like Loom to record short product explainers you can share instantly.

Mistake #6: Ignoring Your Competitors

Why It Hurts You:
77% of buyers research alternatives before engaging sales (Gartner). If you don’t know your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, you can’t position your solution effectively.

How to Fix It:
✅ Conduct a SWOT analysis for key competitors—update it quarterly.
✅ Talk to customers who switched from competitors to learn why.
✅ Differentiate, don’t disparage. Focus on your unique value, not their flaws.

💡 Example: “Unlike X, we offer Y, which means you get Z benefit.”

Mistake #7: Using Too Much Jargon

Why It Hurts You:
Jargon confuses buyers and makes you sound robotic—not relatable. Simplicity builds trust; complexity kills it.

How to Fix It:
✅ Use the “grandma test”: Could someone without industry experience understand you?
✅ Replace jargon with stories and analogies.
✅ Create customer-friendly content (e-books, videos) that educates without overwhelming.

💡 Stat: Clear communicators are 4x more likely to be trusted (Edelman).

Mistake #8: Failing to Prepare

Why It Hurts You:
Reaching out cold without researching the prospect signals disrespect for their time. Preparation is the ultimate sign of professionalism.

How to Fix It:
✅ Spend 5 minutes pre-call researching:

  • LinkedIn profile

  • Company news

  • Recent social posts
    ✅ Prepare 3-5 tailored questions based on your findings.
    ✅ Reference something specific early in the conversation to show you’ve done your homework.

💡 Pro Tip: Tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Hunter.io streamline research.

Ready to Move From Amateur to Pro?

These mistakes aren’t just minor slip-ups—they’re credibility killers. The good news? They’re all fixable with discipline and the right systems.

Struggling with inconsistent sales? Let’s diagnose your process and build a repeatable system.

📞 Call 01392 325225
📧 Email andrewdegroot@actioncoach.co.uk

#SalesPreparation #SalesTraining #Credibility #ActionCOACH