The biggest mistake in sales

Don't make assumptions!

You assume your customer agreed to the contract terms as you had three meetings with them around this topic. You assume your customer is fine with the pricing you presented. You assume your customer also has time pressure to get this deal done. You assume there is a technical win as you and the team did a proof of concept. You assume you are talking to the person who will sign the contract. You assume your customer has the budget required. You assume your competitors are not playing a role in this negotiation anymore. You assume you have a good relationship with the project sponsor and she or he will help you out. You assume …

Don’t make assumptions. Start asking and get confirmation. Only by asking the tough questions, you get assurance where you are in the sales cycle. You get an understanding of which points need more clarification and which points you are in agreement with. This is something not only your sales manager but also your customers will appreciate. This approach not only avoids misunderstandings and makes responsibilities clear to all involved parties, but it also helps you to shorten the overall sales cycle. You will be surprised how well this works.

Sounds simple? Guess what, it is. It sometimes is uncomfortable but what separates the superstars from the average salesperson.

Don’t make assumptions and start asking the tough questions.