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The 25 Most Common Sales Mistakes ... and How to Avoid Them
Noted sales trainer, Stephan Schiffman, the famous master of cold calls and sales techniques, provides bite-sized tips on correcting common sales problems, using the same nuggets-of-advice format as in many of his other books!
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
128 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1989
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152 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 30, 2024
25 sales tips boiled down to one sentence. Be organized and treat people like human beings and not dollar signs.
This book is effectively a blog post before that was a thing.
This book is effectively a blog post before that was a thing.
August 13, 2019
This might be a short read, this might be a book from two decades ago but the content is super relevant and nails down the process of the successful sales career.
Here are the few pointers that really stood out:
1) Remember, solving customer problems is what sales is all about, and you will - or should - spend a great deal of time trying to ferret out information from your prospects.
2) If you can't stand behind what you do and where you do it with every fiber of your being, why bother? Why punch a clock? Why do something that, clearly, you do not enjoy doing? Why ask people to buy a product or service if you don't believe in it?
3) If you don't take pride in your product or service, and in the organization that stands behind it, you will never be successful.
4) You make money when someone says 'no'.
5) Every call you make, and every appointment you go on, is a part of your personal sales cycle - including the rejections!
6) There is only one sure-fire way to avoid rejection...never to ask for anything.
Here are the few pointers that really stood out:
1) Remember, solving customer problems is what sales is all about, and you will - or should - spend a great deal of time trying to ferret out information from your prospects.
2) If you can't stand behind what you do and where you do it with every fiber of your being, why bother? Why punch a clock? Why do something that, clearly, you do not enjoy doing? Why ask people to buy a product or service if you don't believe in it?
3) If you don't take pride in your product or service, and in the organization that stands behind it, you will never be successful.
4) You make money when someone says 'no'.
5) Every call you make, and every appointment you go on, is a part of your personal sales cycle - including the rejections!
6) There is only one sure-fire way to avoid rejection...never to ask for anything.
April 30, 2019
Must-read for any sales professional. ESSENTIAL read most written in a "straight to the point" manner. Finished it in one seating. Most of the time, it's the basic things we think we know already that we fail to apply in our daily dealings. This is an enjoyable read to slap us with the basic truth on how to be a good salesperson.
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August 31, 2020These basic behaviors should be practiced without thinking twice. Not just in a sales process, but in life - Listening, respect, empathizing, focus, ... - In today's world they are essential for creating the value in relationships with the people you care about and look to help!
July 25, 2018
Decent common sense advice.
March 14, 2021
Good read
This book is an important tool for land brokers in India. They show most of these mistakes mentioned in the book.
This book is an important tool for land brokers in India. They show most of these mistakes mentioned in the book.
February 16, 2017
I liked it as a refresher for sales people. I liked the second half of the book over the first half.
March 17, 2012
إن كنت ممن يعمل في المبيعات أو التسويق أو لك اهتمام بهذا الموضوع فهذا كتاب جيّد. فيه نصائح ثمينة تعرف أثرها في التطبيق العملي
و إن كنت تسعى لتسويق أي شيء سواءاً مشروعاً خيرياً أو فكرة جديدة أو حتى هدية لمن تحب فهذا كتاب فيه فوائد لن تُعدم أثرها
وبحكم عملي فلي حاجة لأعرف ما هي الأخطاء الشائعة في هذا المجال. وقد وجدت ما ذكره الكاتب صحيحاً بنسبة كبيرة حيث عرفني على أخطائي وأخطاء من يعملون معي. ومنها الخطأ المتعلق بترددنا في الطلب النهائي باتمام الصفقة ولعل ذلك بسبب نشأتنا الشرقية التي تنزهنا عن طلب أي شيئ من الناس. ولكن ينبه الكاتب أن الأمر في البيع مختلف ولابد من الطلب بعد بعد إتمام المقدمات وإلا فقد أضعت وقتك ووقت الآخرين
واضح من أسلوب الكاتب أنه من الأمريكان العمليين وهم معروفون بصراحتهم الشديدة. ولهذا فقد تصدمك تعليقاته الجافة أحياناً، ومنها قوله "إن لم تكن قادراً على بدء محادثة فاختر لك عملاً آخر غير البيع" ! ربما صحيح
و إن كنت تسعى لتسويق أي شيء سواءاً مشروعاً خيرياً أو فكرة جديدة أو حتى هدية لمن تحب فهذا كتاب فيه فوائد لن تُعدم أثرها
وبحكم عملي فلي حاجة لأعرف ما هي الأخطاء الشائعة في هذا المجال. وقد وجدت ما ذكره الكاتب صحيحاً بنسبة كبيرة حيث عرفني على أخطائي وأخطاء من يعملون معي. ومنها الخطأ المتعلق بترددنا في الطلب النهائي باتمام الصفقة ولعل ذلك بسبب نشأتنا الشرقية التي تنزهنا عن طلب أي شيئ من الناس. ولكن ينبه الكاتب أن الأمر في البيع مختلف ولابد من الطلب بعد بعد إتمام المقدمات وإلا فقد أضعت وقتك ووقت الآخرين
واضح من أسلوب الكاتب أنه من الأمريكان العمليين وهم معروفون بصراحتهم الشديدة. ولهذا فقد تصدمك تعليقاته الجافة أحياناً، ومنها قوله "إن لم تكن قادراً على بدء محادثة فاختر لك عملاً آخر غير البيع" ! ربما صحيح
March 4, 2015
If you are a sales professional who enjoys self help books, I strongly recommend adding this supplement to your collection. While not going to be the center of your growth path, that is not the intent of this book. This one bwas designed to be short and impactful. Straight to the point, very little fluff. 25 pieces of advice, with bried explainations and examples, that for the price is well worth the next to nothing you will pay. I bought it at a local used bookstore for 50 cents, and there was a sticker where the previous owner (the one who turned it into this bookstore) had paid 99 cents. So for about a buck or so, well worth the time and money to add to your library.
December 31, 2015
A short and concise telling of how not to be an awful salesperson, and how to be a good one. At least half of Schiffman's mistakes hit a little too close to home for me. I was especially appreciative that Schiffman's style is telling relevant stories as opposed to the trend of forgettable acronyms. I recommend this book to anyone who represents something they would like to make look good to others. While the context of the book is sales, many of us sell things in work and life without realising we are doing so, and the mistakes listed here apply to many situations (like knowing when to talk and when to shut up!).
August 9, 2012
Quick read (read it in an hour or so) that outlines the worst mistakes in sales. The great thing is that, no matter what you're selling, the principles translate. Highly recommended as either an overview or first introduction to sales.
July 27, 2012
Schiffman rocks. Small book. Read in one hour. This revised version has 5 extra points bringing the total to 30.
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