Sales is the lifeblood of any business, but even the best companies can struggle if they’re making fundamental mistakes. Many B2B businesses unknowingly fall into the same traps—losing potential clients, wasting valuable time, and slowing their growth.

The good news? These mistakes are fixable. Below, we’re breaking down the three most common sales mistakes businesses make and how to correct them for long-term success.

🚨 Mistake #1: Focusing Too Much on the Pitch, Not the Relationship

One of the biggest misconceptions in sales is that success comes from having the perfect pitch. In reality, B2B sales are built on relationships, not just transactions.

🔴 The Problem:

• Many businesses focus on pushing their product or service instead of truly understanding what their potential customers need.
• Sales reps often jump straight into presentations without taking the time to build trust.

📉 The Impact:

• 88% of buyers say they only engage with sales reps who are seen as trusted advisors. (Source: HubSpot)
• If your prospects feel like they’re being “sold to” rather than helped, they’ll tune out quickly.

✅ The Fix:

• Shift to consultative selling. Ask questions, listen to their challenges, and position your solution as a tailored fit for their specific needs.
• Build relationships before making an offer. Engage with your prospects through content, conversations, and value-driven touchpoints.
• Follow the 80/20 rule: Spend 80% of your conversation listening and 20% talking.

💡 Pro Tip: Instead of starting with, “Here’s what we do,” try: “What challenges are you facing right now in your business?” Let the prospect talk, and then position your offer as the solution.

🚨 Mistake #2: Not Having a Clear, Repeatable Sales Process

Many businesses rely on their sales reps' experience and intuition rather than a structured, scalable sales process.

🔴 The Problem:

• Without a clear process, sales efforts become inconsistent.
• Leads fall through the cracks because follow-ups aren’t systematically tracked.
• It’s difficult to scale sales efforts if every rep is “doing their own thing.”

📉 The Impact:

• 65% of B2B sales reps say they struggle with consistency in their sales process. (Source: CSO Insights)
• Companies with a documented sales process generate 18% more revenue than those without one. (Source: Harvard Business Review)

✅ The Fix:

• Map out your sales process. Clearly define each stage—from lead generation to closing the deal.
• Track performance with data. Monitor conversion rates, deal stages, and sales activities to identify bottlenecks and optimize your approach.
• Build a Sales Playbook. Create email templates, call scripts, and follow-up sequences that can be automated for efficiency while allowing for personalisation to build genuine connections.

💡 Pro Tip: Ask yourself, “If I had to double my sales team tomorrow, would they know exactly what to do?” If the answer is no, it’s time to build a repeatable process.

🚨 Mistake #3: Ignoring Follow-Ups

Many businesses make the mistake of assuming if a prospect doesn’t respond after the first outreach, they’re not interested. But in reality, most deals require multiple touchpoints.

🔴 The Problem:

• 44% of sales reps give up after just one follow-up.
• Yet, 80% of sales require at least five follow-ups to close. (Source: Marketing Donut)

📉 The Impact:

• Deals that could have been closed are lost simply because sales teams didn’t follow up enough.
• Prospects who might be interested in the future never hear from you again.

✅ The Fix:

• Set up a structured follow-up sequence. Use a mix of emails, phone calls, LinkedIn messages, and value-driven check-ins.
• Follow up with value. Instead of “Just checking in,” send a useful article, case study, or industry insight to keep the conversation warm.
• Use automation wisely. Email automation tools can help ensure follow-ups happen consistently, without feeling robotic.

💡 Pro Tip: If a prospect hasn’t responded after 4–5 follow-ups, instead of giving up, try this email:

Subject: Is this still a priority?
Hey [First Name], I haven’t heard back, so I wanted to check—should I take you off my list, or is this still something you’re considering?
No pressure either way!

This gives them an easy way to either re-engage or opt out—without feeling awkward.

🚀 Final Thoughts: Sales Success is About Strategy, Not Just Hustle

Avoiding these common sales mistakes doesn’t require working harder—it requires working smarter.

🔹 Focus on relationships, not just pitching.
🔹 Build a structured, repeatable sales process.
🔹 Commit to consistent follow-ups.

If you’re ready to improve your sales strategy and close more deals, let’s talk. At Gen Growth Group, we help businesses optimise their sales and marketing processes for sustainable growth.

📩 Need help fixing your sales approach? Let’s chat: contact@gengrowthgroup.com