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<\/a><\/p>\nTable of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n The number one bad sales behavior that I\u2019ve seen hinder otherwise promising salespeople is getting stuck in \u201creacting\u201d mode. Too often, sellers wait passively for leads to find them. Rather than proactively reaching out and building relationships with prospects, these reactive salespeople just wait around for a perfectly teed-up opportunity to come their way.<\/p>\n This approach is understandable. After all, it\u2019s a lot less work than actively connecting with potential buyers. However, experts agree that reactive salespeople are likely to be constantly playing catch-up to their proactive competitors.<\/p>\n In his comprehensive book Sales Management. Simplified.<\/a><\/em>, Sales Coach Mike Weinberg<\/a> argues that \u201cprobably the most common and damaging driver of salespeople being perceived and treated simply as vendors is being late to a sales opportunity.\u201d Weinberg notes that to be seen as a valuable consultant rather than just someone trying to make a quick buck, it\u2019s essential for salespeople to be proactive, taking the initiative to share insights and earn their seat at the table before<\/em> the customer is ready to buy.<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Another common failure mode is an excessive focus on the product. I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve seen well-meaning salespeople put their product front and center in an initial pitch, going on and on about its many features and benefits without even stopping once to check if it\u2019s what the customer really needs.<\/p>\n Again, I can understand how salespeople fall into this trap. If you\u2019re excited about the product you sell and you truly believe in its potential to add value, it\u2019s only natural to get a little carried away when telling a prospect about it.<\/p>\n However, to move from that initial conversation to a closed deal, it\u2019s essential to balance a healthy focus on the product with a focus on the people. As Sales Coach Nick Kane<\/a> explains<\/a>, \u201cUnless your product is revolutionary, like the first smartphone, it\u2019s only marginally different from the competition. On its own, there\u2019s not much to distinguish it from the others.\u201d<\/p>\n Kane continues, \u201cThat\u2019s why a product-focused strategy is limited. Instead, even the best products need a sales strategy centered around the people who sell.\u201d<\/p>\n If you focus too much on the product, you\u2019re liable to send the message that all you care about is selling. Instead, it\u2019s critical to demonstrate that you\u2019re truly invested in understanding and delivering what the customer actually needs.<\/p>\n As a sales professional, I believe strongly in the importance of ongoing learning and development. It\u2019s essential to stay up to date with the latest trends, from the impact of AI tools to industry shifts that may be affecting your customers. That being said, it\u2019s also vital to remember the basics.<\/p>\n Specifically, one of the most common bad sales behaviors I\u2019ve witnessed from otherwise high-achieving salespeople is to completely forget the basics of how to conduct an effective sales call. For example, I\u2019ve seen sales reps fail to establish an agenda, jump right to a demo without getting buy-in first from the prospect, and go through an entire call without asking a single question.<\/p>\n Basic errors like these can make it seem like the salesperson is just there to pitch a product, rather than to learn about the customer\u2019s needs and establish a relationship with them, ultimately making them come across as self-interested and untrustworthy.<\/p>\n As Weinberg<\/a> puts it, \u201cYou don\u2019t earn a seat as the expert or consultant at the customer\u2019s table when you\u2019re viewed as a pitchman better suited to doing infomercials than to helping your customer address business challenges.\u201d Forgetting the basics of sales calls is a great way to sink a potential client relationship before it even begins.<\/p>\n Many of us like to focus on the positive \u2014 but when it comes to sales, ignoring the negative is not a recipe for success. On the contrary, it\u2019s impossible to address prospects\u2019 objections to your offering if you don\u2019t know what they are.<\/p>\n While it may feel a little uncomfortable, asking probing questions to better understand why a customer is hesitant to move forward is a key part of a good sales rep\u2019s job. Indeed, sales coach Jeet Vadher<\/a> points out<\/a> that \u201caddressing objections effectively helps build trust, as it shows that you\u2019re listening to their concerns and offering thoughtful, informed solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n Vadher further notes that \u201cwhen you handle objections with insight and clarity, you reinforce your role as a problem solver, not just a seller.\u201d At the end of the day, Vadher argues that \u201cobjection handling is not just about closing the deal. It\u2019s about creating an ongoing relationship with your customer.\u201d<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n While it may be tempting to bury your head in the sand and refocus the conversation on the positive, being willing to discuss customers\u2019 objections is a necessary step to overcoming them.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re still not sure, just ask yourself: Do you want to know what it will take to get your customer to buy? Or would you rather they just walk away without any explanation? If you ignore the prospect\u2019s objections, you\u2019ll have no way to figure out what it will take to turn their no into a yes.<\/p>\n You may have heard that the customer is always right \u2014 but that doesn\u2019t mean the salesperson can never say \u201cno.\u201d<\/p>\n On the contrary, one of the worst sales behaviors I\u2019ve seen is an unwillingness to push back on a customer. While it\u2019s always important to be respectful, it\u2019s also essential for salespeople to know how to refuse an unreasonable request or how to suggest an alternative to an uninformed customer.<\/p>\n In some cases, this may mean turning down a prospect entirely. For example, Entrepreneur and Sales Expert Michelle Weinstein<\/a> speaks eloquently to the importance of saying no when a customer isn\u2019t a good fit, sharing<\/a>, \u201cI know that the temptation to accept every client that comes your way is high, especially when you find yourself in a financial pickle. You\u2019ve got bills to pay. Rent is due. And you don\u2019t have another deal in sight. It\u2019s scarcity mentality at its worst, and it can shake you to the core. But believe it or not, if you accept a client out of sheer desperation, you might be setting yourself up for an even bigger disaster than not making rent this month.\u201d<\/p>\n In other cases, a prospect may be a good lead, but it\u2019s still important to set healthy boundaries and learn to say \u201cno\u201d when they ask for a last-minute demo, demand yet another discount, or make other unreasonable requests. As entrepreneur Theresa Delgado<\/a> explains<\/a>, \u201cWhether it’s declining unrealistic demands, setting boundaries, or redirecting your priorities, knowing how to say no tactfully and professionally is crucial for long-term success.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n So far, we\u2019ve covered what not to do. But what are the good sales behaviors that set top-performing salespeople apart? Below, I\u2019ll go through some of my favorite expert-approved good sales behaviors to practice and nurture.<\/p>\n In my experience, one of the most critical behaviors of a successful salesperson is qualifying leads. Rather than simply assuming that anyone who gets on the phone with you is a potential customer, it\u2019s essential to take the time to qualify each prospect you connect with.<\/p>\n Indeed, as Jack Bowerman<\/a>, senior marketing manager for the prospecting platform Surfe, argues<\/a>, \u201cQualifying leads effectively makes sure you\u2019re investing your time in the right prospects \u2014 which improves the overall success rate of the deals you close.\u201d In other words, if you don\u2019t qualify your leads effectively, you\u2019re likely to waste a lot of time talking to the wrong people.<\/p>\n Of course, sales isn\u2019t just about determining who is qualified to be a potential customer. Once you\u2019ve qualified a lead, it\u2019s essential to start cultivating a relationship with them.<\/p>\n Building relationships starts with building rapport. That means demonstrating curiosity about the person you\u2019re talking to, asking questions, and making the effort to learn more about them and their challenges. Aja Frost<\/a>, HubSpot\u2019s director of global growth, notes<\/a> that \u201cto build rapport, sales reps typically practice active listening to successfully uncover prospects\u2019 needs and form a relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n In addition to active listening, sales reps can build strong relationships by following best practices<\/a> such as fostering trust by mirroring the prospect\u2019s body language and speech patterns, demonstrating empathy by sharing common experiences, and emphasizing their dedication and expertise by researching the lead and their industry in advance.<\/p>\n In his comprehensive overview of the concept of value selling<\/a>, Founder and CEO of the Harris Consulting Group Richard Harris<\/a> takes the controversial stance that \u201csales hasn\u2019t changed since the days of merchants trading their wares in Mesopotamia.\u201d<\/p>\n How can that be? Harris clarifies, \u201cSure, we may have more (powerful) sales tools and new methodologies. We\u2019re even starting to harness AI to predict buyer behavior and respond to it more quickly. But, strip away all the nuanced strategy and tech, and sales remains simple: Identify a need and show how your product or solution meets that need while delivering positive economic impact.\u201d<\/p>\n At its core, selling is all about demonstrating value. Whether you\u2019re selling a product or a service, a B2B offering or mass market B2C merchandise, I\u2019ve learned that making a sale always boils down to demonstrating the value you can add to your customer.<\/p>\n To do so, Harris recommends doing your research before every call to ensure you\u2019re prepared to ask probing questions. Then, during the conversation, he suggests prioritizing active listening and empathy, to help you understand the problems the prospect is facing. And finally, Harris reminds us to \u201cavoid the hard sell:\u201d Rather than desperately trying to close the deal at all costs, great salespeople work together with their prospects to identify the best way to add value.<\/p>\n Hand in hand with demonstrating value is serving the customer. In my experience, great salespeople know that selling isn\u2019t just about closing deals \u2014 it\u2019s about truly prioritizing the needs of the customer throughout their customer journey.<\/p>\n As Sales Expert Amy Bradley<\/a> explains<\/a>, \u201cSales success hinges on more than just transactions. It\u2019s about creating lasting connections with your customers.\u201d<\/p>\n To create those lasting connections, Bradley recommends several strategies, including establishing your expertise and credibility, following up consistently, and customizing your communications for each prospect. By serving the customer in these ways, salespeople can build relationships that are genuine, sustainable, and truly mutually beneficial.<\/p>\n Finally, in recent years, I\u2019ve seen AI transform from just another hype cycle to an incredibly impactful sales tool. That\u2019s why no list of good sales behaviors would be complete without including leveraging AI and automation.<\/p>\n This can take many forms. From a tool that helps automate prospecting to AI-generated call scripts and emails, there are countless ways in which today\u2019s top salespeople have begun to use AI to save themselves time and boost productivity.<\/p>\n In fact, according to HubSpot\u2019s latest State of AI<\/a> report, nearly half of sales professionals currently use some form of AI at work, and more than three out of four<\/a> believe that by 2030, most people will use AI or automation to assist them in their jobs.<\/p>\n \u200b\u200b<\/p>\n Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n As such, it\u2019s hardly surprising that University of Alabama at Birmingham professor Colleen McClure believes<\/a> that \u201cAI technologies are helping to augment every phase of the sales process, especially as it relates to complex B2B sales.\u201d<\/p>\n AI is making a major impact on the world of sales \u2014 so it\u2019s imperative for today\u2019s salespeople to learn to leverage these new tools and technologies.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Knowing what to do (and what not to do) on an individual level is important. But what does it take to monitor and improve sales behaviors on a team? There are no shortcuts or one-size-fits-all solutions, but I\u2019ve found that the strategies below can help managers support their teams, ultimately boosting both engagement and productivity.<\/p>\n Your team can\u2019t read your mind. If you want your sales reps to follow certain processes, hit certain targets, or engage in certain behaviors, it\u2019s vital to tell them.<\/p>\n That means setting clear expectations and quantifying those expectations whenever possible. For example, don\u2019t just tell people to follow up with prospects \u201cin a timely manner.\u201d Instead, specify exactly how quickly you expect them to follow up, perhaps even with tactical guidelines around what should go into those communications.<\/p>\n Michelle Richardson<\/a>, Vice President of Sales Performance Research at the Brooks Group, argues<\/a> that \u201c\u200b\u200bin order for the members of your sales team to be successful, they must know exactly what defines \u2018success\u2019 in your organization.\u201d<\/p>\n As a result, she continues, \u201cit\u2019s critical for sales leaders to establish and communicate expectations with their sales reps early on, and enforce them on a continual basis.\u201d To begin to improve sales behaviors on your team, it\u2019s essential first to define the behaviors that you expect people to engage in.<\/p>\n Next, once you\u2019ve defined key expectations for your team, you can begin to target specific behaviors for improvement. After all, as President and CEO of ValueSelling Associates Julie Thomas<\/a> wrote in a recent Forbes<\/a><\/em> article<\/a>, \u201cTo propel your sales team toward accelerated results, you must initiate behavior change.\u201d<\/p>\n Importantly, I\u2019ve learned that it\u2019s really vital to isolate specific behaviors to focus on. While it may be tempting to try to optimize everything all at once, real progress usually happens one step at a time. So, rather than trying to push your sales team to totally overhaul their approach, choose just one or two specific behaviors to target for improvement.<\/p>\n For example, if you\u2019re interested in improving customer acquisition rates, you may opt to focus on behaviors such as prospecting, setting up introductory calls, or adding new leads to the pipeline.<\/p>\n Then, for each of these behaviors, identify exactly how you\u2019d like your team to improve. And remember: This may be different for different sales reps. Perhaps you\u2019d like one person on your team to prioritize increasing the number of new leads they add to the pipeline, while another might benefit more from focusing on scheduling more intro calls.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately,\u201d Thomas concludes, \u201cby prioritizing behavior change and investing in the necessary support structures, companies can unleash the full potential of their teams and drive sales success.\u201d Being strategic \u2014 and specific \u2014 about the behaviors you want to improve will help increase the chances that you achieve your goals.<\/p>\n Of course, you can\u2019t just say you want to improve a certain behavior and expect it to happen. To drive lasting progress, sales leaders must identify quantifiable metrics associated with those behaviors, and then track those performance metrics consistently.<\/p>\n Thomas speaks to the importance of metrics in another recent article<\/a>, sharing, \u201cMeasuring both sales behaviors (leading indicators) and sales results (lagging indicators) is important. Many organizations only set goals that focus on lagging indicators, and this narrow focus hinders enablement\u2019s ability to demonstrate its accomplishments.\u201d<\/p>\n In other words, effective sales leaders recognize the importance of tracking key performance metrics on an ongoing basis, making sure to focus on both sales results and the sales behaviors that drive those results.<\/p>\n Finally, I\u2019ve learned that when it comes to helping sales teams improve their performance, feedback is everything. That means celebrating achievements, but it also means being clear when people fall short of targets.<\/p>\n While some managers are hesitant to share constructive criticism, research<\/a> from the Center for Sales Strategy found that 91% of salespeople report that they want more learning and development opportunities. In other words, sales reps are hungry for feedback \u2014 it\u2019s up to their leaders to provide it.<\/p>\n As sales and marketing expert Dan Lever<\/a> explains<\/a>, \u201cNo matter how effective your sales training is, it\u2019s unrealistic to expect your sales reps to achieve their best without some form of ongoing sales coaching. Achieving sales excellence requires continuous development and feedback.\u201d Great sales leaders know that the most valuable thing they can offer their team is regular, open feedback.<\/p>\n\n
Bad Sales Behavior to Kill<\/h2>\n
1. Getting Stuck in \u201cReacting\u201d Mode<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n2. Focusing on the Product<\/h3>\n
3. Forgetting the Basics of Sales Calls<\/h3>\n
4. Ignoring Objections<\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n5. Never Saying No<\/h3>\n
Good Sales Behaviors to Practice and Nurture<\/h2>\n
1. Qualifying Leads<\/h3>\n
2. Building Relationships<\/h3>\n
![\"relationship](\"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sales-behaviors-4-20250224-3895332.webp\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n3. Demonstrating Value<\/h3>\n
4. Serving Customers<\/h3>\n
5. Leveraging AI<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nHow to Monitor and Improve Sales Behaviors in Your Team<\/h2>\n
1. Set clear expectations.<\/h3>\n
2. Target specific behaviors for improvement.<\/h3>\n
3. Track key performance metrics.<\/h3>\n
4. Share feedback regularly.<\/h3>\n
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