1. Forgetting the customer's name When interacting with customers, choosing the correct and appropriate form of address not only helps narrow the distance between both parties and facilitates the transaction, but also leaves a good impression and reflects the degree of respect for the other party, your own upbringing, and the image of your company. Therefore, use customer titles carefully.

2. Mispronouncing the customer's name or getting their title or identity wrong Worse than forgetting a customer's name is probably mispronouncing it or getting their title or identity wrong. Mispronouncing a customer's name or mixing up names is a common error. Two common mistakes are: Reading or writing the customer's name incorrectly may seem like a small matter, but it can make the entire communication atmosphere awkward.

3. Being too casual in dress and grooming In the sales industry, a salesperson's ability and experience determine their sales performance. However, many other factors also affect their success, including their appearance and demeanor. According to surveys, appearance and demeanor account for as much as 67% of sales skills. The reason is that appearance and demeanor can organically combine the product and the salesperson, presenting ideas that are easy for customers to accept, and quickly gaining their trust. However, many salespeople often have inappropriate attire, grooming, or habits when facing customers. These bad habits directly or indirectly create obstacles to sales. Salespeople must be aware of this and avoid and restrain unprofessional and unsightly behavior.

4. Handshaking improperly or without confidence When interacting with customers, handshakes are common to express welcome, greeting, congratulations, thanks, farewell, or cooperation. Although a handshake is a small detail, it has many nuances. If not done well, it can offend customers and have a negative effect.

5. Making introductions improperly, causing embarrassment When receiving customers, incorrect introductions can be undignified and embarrassing for both parties. Therefore, salespeople who regularly deal with customers should master some basic introduction etiquette.

6. Not reading the customer's expressions and not treating them differently An American psychologist proposed this formula: A person's full meaning = 7% words + 38% tone of voice + 55% facial expressions Therefore, when negotiating with customers, observe their expressions, attitude, behavior, and environment. In short, observe everything about the other party to find suitable topics and key points for discussion, understand their psychology, and then use targeted language to persuade, taking the initiative in the negotiation and easily guiding the customer.

7. Not paying attention to collecting customer information When first approaching a customer, directly asking about their cash register matters can feel abrupt or like being investigated. Before launching sales activities, salespeople should not only understand their own company, the products being sold, and the competition, but also pay attention to collecting customer information. If you rush into a sale without understanding the customer, you may find yourself in a very awkward situation.

8. Making blind visits Visiting customers must have a clear purpose. Analyze customer needs and the necessity of the visit, prepare well, find the right timing, know how to approach the customer better, control the visit time, and flexibly apply negotiation skills. If the customer's need is weak, or they have no time, or the timing is inappropriate, the visit will only cause annoyance, waste time and energy, embarrass yourself, and irritate the customer.

9. Not choosing the best time to visit Often, if you communicate with customers at an inappropriate time, they may feel disturbed and the communication will not achieve the desired effect. For example, when the customer is extremely busy or in a low mood. Many salespeople are turned away not because of lack of enthusiasm or poor communication skills, but because they did not choose the right time to communicate.

10. Not discovering or catering to the customer's hobbies or interests Everyone has hobbies, and they often hope for appreciation and recognition from others, and prefer to find "like-minded" people, as the saying goes, "birds of a feather flock together." When you cater to their hobbies, they feel understood and appreciated, and are happy and pleased. If you also have similar hobbies, you will have a lot in common, create more resonance, and the distance between you will quickly narrow.

11. Treating customers you consider unimportant with neglect or discrimination "All customers are equal" or not subjecting them to discriminatory treatment is not only a professional ethics issue but also a strategic issue based on morality. If you discriminate against customers you consider unimportant, you will inevitably harm the service provider or the seller of the product. For customers who need service, they can simply choose another supplier.

12. Not being familiar with product knowledge Salespeople must understand the products they sell. Only by understanding your product can you explain in detail its functions, quality, benefits to the customer, which needs it can satisfy, and to what extent. You can answer customer questions satisfactorily, eliminate their objections, and guide them on how to use and maintain the product, thereby encouraging them to buy and close the deal.

13. Not understanding your product and competitive dynamics

14. Not letting the customer participate or try the product Surveys show that if the salesperson talks and the customer listens, the customer retains only about 10% of the conversation. But if the customer participates in the discussion, the impression is greatly improved. Selling is a two-way street. Salespeople should not just talk while the customer listens; they should let the customer participate, touch the product, encourage and guide them to express opinions, and ask them to try the product.

15. Not letting the customer choose Choosing products is the customer's inherent right and habit. If the customer takes time to pick and choose and the salesperson becomes impatient, the customer may feel dissatisfied and refuse to buy. If you can consistently smile and act as a consultant, helping them choose, they may buy even if they are not entirely satisfied, moved by your hospitality. Moreover, when customers are choosing, they are deciding to purchase. Providing thoughtful service at this time will lead to a sale.

16. Not understanding the customer's needs and desires Failing to understand the customer's true needs, being self-centered, and understanding the product entirely from your own perspective, ignoring the customer's wishes, feelings, and interests, and acting solely on personal intentions, will result in customer resentment. Not only will you fail to get effective feedback, but you may be told to leave. This is common in actual sales activities.

17. Not listening effectively to the customer In communication, speaking accounts for 30%, listening 45%, reading 16%, and writing 9%. Listening takes up 45% of all communication content, higher than speaking. However, how to listen is often an overlooked communication skill. From childhood, we have many opportunities to practice speaking, but little time to learn how to listen. This is our misconception. Research also shows that 75% of spoken words are ignored, misunderstood, or forgotten. To some extent, this is because most of us have not received or have rarely received listening skills training.

18. Not being able to guide the customer to purchase Many salespeople focus only on introducing the product, but customers often reject such presentations because the salesperson has not accurately understood the customer's needs, has not guided the purchase specifically, and has not stimulated the customer's buying enthusiasm.

19. Blindly introducing or forcing a sale When presenting a product, you should understand the potential customer's needs, purchasing power, and decision-making authority. Only by understanding customer needs can you give reasonable suggestions and know how to help them achieve goals and solve problems. Forcing customers to admit their needs will only backfire.

20. Easily retreating when rejected "Sales begin when the customer says no." This is a famous saying by Redman, a top insurance sales expert known as the world's number one. Many impatient salespeople become discouraged when customers say they need to think it over or look around, assuming they are not interested, and easily give up. In fact, the customer may still be interested, but due to the salesperson's negative attitude, they end up buying from someone else.

21. Disparaging competitors in front of customers When presenting products, some salespeople evaluate competitors with subjective and derogatory language. Does disparaging competitors really elevate yourself and help close the deal? Don Hopkins, a top American sales expert, tells us that such thoughts should not even arise because they are very foolish.

22. Not finding common topics Salespeople who act subjectively from personal wishes and perspectives, and are too abrupt when selling, without finding common topics with the customer, make the customer feel forced and rejected. This teaches us a lesson: the first step in communicating with customers should be to try to find topics of mutual interest.

23. Showing off professional jargon When introducing products, some salespeople use too many technical terms and jargon, leaving customers confused and in the dark. Professional jargon is not forbidden, but showing off to ordinary customers who just want to know how to use the product is making things difficult for them.

24. Not praising customers effectively In the sales process, it is acceptable to please customers with sincere compliments. However, if the praise is unrealistic or excessive, it will backfire.

25. Using inappropriate words during conversation In communication between salespeople and customers, appropriate wording and well-implied subtext are crucial to sales success, but inappropriate wording can ruin the conversation.

26. Cheating and not considering the customer's interests Many customers complain about the "cunning" of salespeople. Most of them may have been deceived by salespeople themselves or know someone who has, so they are wary of "salespeople." Indeed, some salespeople deliberately "deal with" customers, often pursuing short-term sales, caring only about their own interests, and ignoring the customer's actual needs.

27. Making customers wait too long Modern life is fast-paced, and time is precious to everyone. Long waits are unbearable for anyone. However, in many companies, you see customers sitting and waiting. "Isn't the customer's time valuable?" An organization once conducted a survey on the worst treatment consumers cannot tolerate, and "waiting too long" topped the list. "Waiting too long" greatly damages a company's image in the customer's mind.

28. Not respecting customers or making them feel embarrassed In communication, fully respect the customer and do not let them feel sarcasm. Especially if the customer has a defect or shortcoming, do not point it out bluntly, as this will cause great resentment and emotional outbursts.

29. Always trying to convince or force the customer When selling, an aggressive communication style that always tries to win may not lead to a good cooperative relationship because it puts pressure on the customer, makes them suspicious of your motives, and wary of being cheated. Particularly strong-willed customers may even develop strong resistance. Therefore, salespeople should appropriately restrain and control their behavior, avoid making customers feel pressured, and value the customer's feelings when selling.

30. Not sincerely providing advice to customers Sometimes, customers are unfamiliar with the product or service, or do not fully understand their own needs, and hope to get effective advice from the salesperson. In such cases, the salesperson should keenly observe and analyze the customer's actual needs, then propose the most suitable advice.

31. Not handling customer rejections and excuses Almost all salespeople have experienced rejection. Rejection is not scary; the key is to understand the real reason behind it and try different solutions accordingly.

32. Not eliminating customer doubts and defenses The first step in sales is to communicate with the customer, and the first step in establishing communication is to help the customer dispel doubts, defenses, or misunderstandings. Whether the customer's doubts come from the salesperson, the product, the company's credibility, or the customer themselves, the salesperson has the obligation and responsibility to resolve them, and should not easily give up or complain about the customer.

33. Not eliminating the customer's negative emotions When dealing with customers, salespeople should be observant, always aware of the customer's psychology and emotions, accurately judge their mood, and use flexible communication to resolve negative emotions. Otherwise, communication will be hindered and the deal will fall through.

34. Blaming or suspecting the customer For salespeople, customers are like parents who provide food and clothing, and they have no right to blame them. Blame is dangerous because it hurts the customer's self-esteem and provokes resentment. It is easy to make a bad impression, but extremely difficult to change it. Salespeople should take this as a lesson.

35. Emphasizing sales over service As a salesperson, to gain customer trust and satisfaction, you must fulfill the promises you make to customers. This is also a duty. If during sales communication, you fail to give timely promises on issues that customers care about, they will have more doubts about the product or service, which is not conducive to further communication.

36. Not fulfilling promises to customers Some salespeople think that once the product is sold, everything is done and the sales activity is over. But that is not true. There is a famous saying in the sales industry: "After the deal is closed, the sale begins." That is, after closing the deal, after-sales service is very important. No matter how good the product, if the service is not perfect, the customer cannot be truly satisfied. If there are defects in service, it will cause customer dissatisfaction, damage the product's reputation, and undo all the salesperson's efforts.

37. High promises, low service Sometimes, to attract customers, advertising may exaggerate and make excessive promises, raising customer expectations. But if you cannot provide service according to those excessive promises, breaking your word and lacking service consistency, it will easily cause customer disappointment and dissatisfaction. Customers will feel you are irresponsible, do not value them, and do not care about the business with them.

38. Not paying attention to personalized service What customers most want to experience when consuming is respect and attentive service. Therefore, be sure to provide personalized service, treating each customer as a unique individual. A one-size-fits-all approach is not advisable. True service is tailored to the individual customer's specific needs. Such service is what customers need most and what best proves the salesperson's professional ability.

39. Being too rigid and inflexible As a salesperson, you must comply with the company's customer service management requirements and regulations, but you should not be bound by rigid rules. Flexible service should not be constrained by rigid regulations; otherwise, it is difficult to realize the value of customer service. Compared to meeting customer needs, any regulation is secondary. Always put the customer first, strive to improve customer satisfaction, and create conditions for closing the deal.

40. Inadequate after-sales service

41. Not handling customer objections The customer is always right. Even if the customer misunderstands, never argue with them. Arguing only makes the customer more emotional, complicates matters, and may worsen the situation. The result is winning the argument but losing the customer and the business.

42. Not turning customer objections into buying reasons How to successfully resolve various objections and even opposition from customers is an important part of a salesperson's job and an essential path to closing the deal.

43. Not handling customer price objections

44. Arguing with customers who have objections During communication, salespeople hear many objections, rejections, dissatisfaction, and different opinions from customers. Some salespeople argue with customers, trying to win the debate, thinking that if they come out on top, the customer will have to agree. But is that the case?

45. Blaming customers who have objections When customers raise objections or complaints, some salespeople ignore them, make excuses, or keep them waiting. If customers encounter such salespeople, they will think, "These people just want my money, and after they get it, they disappear. How terrible." The correct approach is to take immediate action after hearing the complaint, resolve it, which will leave a good impression or at least reduce the bad one. Also, tell the customer the solution you will take and explain why you chose that method.

46. Not paying attention to customer complaints In interactions with customers, problems are inevitable. Common customer issues include product or service effectiveness, quality, organizational systems or procedures, and individual employee problems. Problems naturally cause customer dissatisfaction, but the key is the company's attitude and method in responding to these issues.

47. Not responding quickly and positively to customer complaints In the face of customer losses and complaints, salespeople must handle them quickly and positively, with an attitude of active service. Let the customer know you are helping them and are very attentive, with the aim of gaining their cooperation and improving their psychological experience. Make up for the customer's losses, soothe their emotions, do not argue about responsibility or haggle, and do not delay to the point of a bigger crisis, leaving you extremely passive and seriously damaging the company's interests and reputation.

48. Not resolving customer complaints When dealing with complaining customers, sincerely communicate with them, understand their true wishes, understand every detail of the matter, confirm the root cause, and write down the key points. If you do not fully understand the complaint, ask the customer after they finish speaking.

49. Not apologizing for your mistakes To err is human. For salespeople who make mistakes, it is important to promptly, actively, and quickly apologize to the customer, improve the factors causing complaints, and understand how to avoid negative effects when handling complaints. Enthusiastically implement solutions and turn complaints into satisfaction, which will undoubtedly earn you more loyal customers.

50. Taboos when handling customer complaints Most customers can forgive a salesperson's unintentional mistake or a product defect, but they cannot accept an unfriendly attitude when handling problems, or the displeasure caused by improper handling.

51. Not valuing the maintenance of old customers Some people spend all day developing new customers but do not value or develop old ones. In the end, they lose old customers, new customers are too fluid, and performance does not improve. In fact, compared to developing new customers, maintaining old ones takes less time and effort and is more cost-effective.

52. Not maintaining contact with customers after closing the deal Many salespeople complain about the difficulty of increasing customers, busy contacting new ones, but after closing a deal, they do not keep in touch. Even when problems arise with the product, they act as if it is none of their business. Will customers consider buying from you again? If you give up contact, customers will quickly forget you completely, and all the relationships you built will be in vain. You will have to spend more effort finding new customers. Without a solid base of old customers, sales to new customers are just compensating for lost old ones. This is a major taboo after completing a transaction.

53. Not proactively contacting customers A salesperson once made a beautiful brochure for a customer, a one-time project, and both parties were very satisfied. Later, the customer had a series of radio ads made by another company. The brochure salesperson asked why they did not let him do the ads. The customer said, "If I had known you also did radio ads, I would have given you the project." This salesperson did not contact the customer after completing the job and lost a great opportunity. This shows the importance of staying in touch. Most salespeople know the importance of maintaining contact, but how should they do it?

54. Not finding opportunities to "follow up" with customers Salespeople should also communicate with existing customers regularly; otherwise, misunderstandings, unintentional disturbances, or neglect may occur in business dealings, opening the door to competitors.

55. Lacking confidence in the product you sell If a salesperson can make the customer feel the same way about the product as they do, the customer will easily buy. If you try to persuade others to do something you cannot do yourself, they will soon see through you. If you lack confidence in your product, your customer will naturally lack confidence too.

56. Not valuing smiling service or smiling insincerely Imagine if a customer enters a store and sees a tense face and cold reception, as if the customer should not be there, they will feel cold-shouldered and discriminated against. They will not be in the mood to browse, will regret coming, "escape" from your place, and may never return. Thus, your wish to make a sale will be dashed.

57. Having a negative mindset or being overly self-deprecating The success of sales work first depends on the salesperson's psychological state, then on ability. Positive psychological cues can turn into positive actions to achieve goals, prompting salespeople to do their utmost to complete plans or tasks with a certain attitude of success. Conversely, negative psychological expectations have a strong inhibitory effect on the mind, leading to a higher probability of failure.

58. Being cold in attitude When interacting with customers, greeting language should be professional, appropriate, and suitable; attitude should be warm and sincere, calm and poised. When introducing products, act according to the situation and act as a "consultant." Some salespeople do not correctly understand the importance of greetings, disdain greeting people, or even consider actively greeting customers as a sign of servility. They are reluctant to greet customers, and when they do, they appear cold and stiff, which is unprofessional and lacks professional quality.

59. Being troubled by negative emotions Salespeople should learn to control their negative emotions and not let them affect customers. Bad emotions not only make those around you uncomfortable and hurt them, but also hurt yourself.

60. Visiting customers without an appointment, being late, or choosing an inappropriate time For salespeople, visiting customers is routine, but problems can arise with timing: first, not making an appointment and being an "unexpected guest"; second, dawdling and being late; third, choosing an inappropriate time.

61. Using incorrect gestures In real life, gestures are the most varied, expressive, and frequently used body language. When interacting with customers, gestures help convey meaning. Correct gestures make it easier for customers to understand your intentions, but incorrect gestures send negative messages. Therefore, salespeople should always be mindful of their gestures.

62. Inappropriate posture The famous anthropologist Professor Hall tells us: "Successful communicators not only need to understand others' verbal language, but more importantly, observe their nonverbal signals and use them correctly in different situations." Salespeople should pay even more attention to the impression these nonverbal signals make on customers. In reality, some salespeople have various posture problems.

63. Offensive eye contact It is often said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. When interacting with customers, the information conveyed by the salesperson's eyes can affect sales. Inappropriate eye contact can also hinder business. Here are some offensive eye behaviors that salespeople often exhibit when selling.

64. Incorrect seating arrangements when hosting banquets In business activities, hosting or attending banquets is common. Banquets have established basic etiquette, and seating arrangements are also important. Banquets are often large social gatherings, and seating can be divided into table arrangement and seat arrangement. According to social etiquette norms, each has its own specific requirements.

65. Improper behavior during meals Behavior is a non-verbal language, including posture, movements, and expressions. During conversation, a look, an expression, a small gesture, or posture can accurately convey a person's true and sincere attitude. Moreover, the information conveyed by behavior is more subtle and ambiguous than spoken language, giving people a sense of beauty. Therefore, pay more attention to your words and actions during banquets.

66. Violating taboos when giving gifts Gift-giving is a form of expressing friendship, gratitude, respect, and blessings, and a necessary public relations means to maintain relationships. There are established rules for giving gifts: to whom, what, and how are all important. Salespeople should understand the etiquette of gift-giving.

67. Taboos when answering phone calls The phone not only transmits sound but also your emotions, attitude, and demeanor. Although the phone is voice communication and the customer cannot see you, your emotions, tone, and posture are conveyed through your voice. The phone is an effective way to communicate with customers, and answering calls requires etiquette. Salespeople must master some phone answering skills; otherwise, it will not only affect the efficiency of the call but also bring unnecessary trouble and losses.

68. Treating customers with indifference In business activities, attitude can determine the customer's purchasing power. If you are indifferent and cold, with an expression of "buy it or not, I don't care," the customer will not hesitate to not buy your product. This is a major attitude taboo in sales activities.

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