No sales professional would ever do or say anything that would intentionally antagonize a prospect, but what about those unintentional miscues? Whether you’ve offended on purpose or in innocence, the result is likely to be the same: Antagonize the prospect - lose the listing or the sale.

Reflect back on your recent turndowns. Did you make an effective presentation? Did the prospect like your offerings or service but still didn’t buy? If there’s nothing amiss with your presentation or product, perhaps the prospects decided it’s you they could do without. Take a moment and check some areas where your presence has been less than welcome.

When you meet a prospect, do your manners go out the window?
A frequent complaint of purchasing agents is some sales reps fail to use common courtesy - smoking without asking permission, sitting down before being invited to do so, cutting off the prospect in the middle of a sentence, being late for an appointment, complaining when kept waiting beyond the appointed time are a few forms of bad manners.

Are you too polite?
In a sincere attempt not to rub the prospect the wrong way, you could move too
far in the other direction. Politeness helps create a friendly, sales-producing
environment but an overdose of friendliness and compliments can lose you customers. Use good judgment.

How deep is your product knowledge?
You cannot impress a prospect with mere superficial information that can be found in brochures and other literature about your company, services and products. A professional salesperson must be able to provide answers to what buyers want to know - why they need your products, how your service will solve their problem, and what they can expect from you and your company during and after the sale. That’s consultative selling.

Do you go beyond the basics?
If your presentation focuses solely on features, the prospect must determine whether they can use it or not. And many of them won’t bother to do that. Buyers are interested in features but they are far more interested in benefits and advantages those features represent. Listen to your client/customer and do your homework.

Are your calls too often or not often enough?
Call too often and you can become an annoyance. Don’t call often enough and you’re perceived as not interested in keeping the business. A simple rule to remember: base your call schedules on each client’s needs and expectations. Take care that you don’t leave room for a competitor to steal your business.

Do you keep your promises?
Closely examine the tactics you’re using to get sales. Do you make offhand remarks that you soon forget but the customer takes as promises? Your casual assurance may win you the business, but it will probably lose you a lifetime customer. Never promise what you can’t deliver. In fact, the old adage, “Under promise, over deliver,” still works.

Remember, you are part of the package the prospect considers whether to do business with your company.

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