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Horror Stories: The Stupidest Sales Mistakes
SalesHQ
Let Me Check with the Sales Fairy
While working my way through college, I sold vacuum cleaners. Trying to close a sales call, I asked the prospects if I could use their phone to call my boss and see if I could get them a better price. Of course, I already knew what I could sell it for. So instead of dialing the whole number and bothering the boss, I only dialed six numbers. After a few minutes of acting like I was talking to my boss, the phone started making that really loud beeping noise that lets you know the phone is off the hook. They asked me to leave.
Postmortem: If you’re going to play games like this, at least play them well. Have a decoy you can call or just call and leave yourself a message.
VeryEasyListings
12 months ago
4 comments
she collapsed? ha ha, so your boss is the woman in the story? I'm confused but what a close line. so she gets the sale when she shows her peace sign?
xpepcman
about 1 year ago
16 comments
They are very good examples of mistakes and ways to learn from them.
HarrietAlison
about 1 year ago
500 comments
Good antecdotes and adavice for everyone to keep in mind. Good reminder that the use of humor can be very useful and that we are all human.
terryc9818
about 1 year ago
2 comments
These may seem out of the realm but I can attest that they are real and that I have personally seen several of these happen and the out come was not as good.
Please keep these coming it is helpful.
LGK
about 1 year ago
2 comments
I sold medical equipment and many of the potential hospital purchasing managers were members of GPOs who were rewarded for staying within the GPO lists when considering purchases. In the first few minutes, I realized this one was a lost cause - they would never buy our product which was not on their GPO list. So, I made casual small talk before exiting. I glanced at a travel poster on the wall and said, "Lovely! Have you been there?" After the purchasing manager turned a very angry shade of purple and made some very aggressive posturing, I realized that was a poster from his trip which was his last kickback, er, I mean reward for staying within the GPO contract for all purchases.
RobertWade
about 1 year ago
84 comments
Oh wow, good stories but way too long. I think I lost two sales while reading this.