Highly successful salespeople have developed some stellar habits. They didn't become one of their organization's top reps by good luck. They have honed their craft and become the best at what they do. On the flip side, many sales reps struggle to develop winning habits. Or, maybe they remain stuck in old practices that no longer generate sales. Whatever the case may be, it's important that you connect with prospective customers the right way and provide real value in order to close the most deals. It pays to take a step back and reflect on sales habits that might be harming your success.

Marketing and social media professional James Meincke has identified nine bad sales habits that hinder a salesperson's ability to close deals. We explore them in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

1. Trying to sell to everyone. Don't make as many calls as possible and hope that you land a few clients. That's not effective. Meincke asserts that it's much better to target your sales pitches to companies that are a good fit for what you're selling.

2. Sending generic e-mails. Considering that most people receive close to 100 business-related e-mails each day, it's no secret that e-mail overload is a staggering problem. When you send a sales e-mail that is clearly from a template, you make it all too easy for the recipient to click "delete." Instead, aim to personalize your e-mails to increase your chances of getting a response.

3. Calling without conducting any research first. Don't waste your prospect's time by asking questions that can easily be researched. Before you dial their number, research the company and contact person. Use this information to inform your approach. By asking customized questions, you position yourself as a consultative partner.

4. Still using BANT. For nearly six decades, BANT (Budget, Authority, Need and Time) has been used as a tool to qualify prospects. However, the problem remains that this technique focuses on the seller's needs. When using BANT, sales reps are essentially asking questions to determine if the prospect is worth their time. Don't continue using this old-school approach. Meincke says the sales process-including qualification—should always be customer-focused. Make sure you put the customer's needs before your own.

5. Overly stating someone's name. You may think it's a good thing to keep saying a prospect's name to prove you actually know the person. However, it ends up coming off as cheesy and could potentially cost you the sale.

6. Pretending you know everything. Prospects know when you're making up an answer. It's best to admit when you don't know the answer to a question and commit to getting back to the prospect as soon as possible.

7. Sending a follow-up e-mail simply to ask for a status update. Nobody likes getting those "just checking in" e-mails. Every time you reach out to your clients and prospects, you should be adding value. Give them a link to a great article or provide an interesting piece of research. Never just "check in."

8. Giving up on a deal too soon. Sales, especially large ones, take time. Expect to talk to multiple people and complete many processes before closing a deal. Remain persistent and the work you invest will eventually pay off.

9. Asking prospects to print and sign a PDF. Don't expect customers to shoulder all the work of printing, signing and scanning the documents you need. Invest in a tool that allows contracts to be signed digitally.
Are you guilty of one (or a few) of these bad sales habits? If so, commit to building better sales habits one at a time.

Source: James Meincke is senior marketing manager at CloserIQ and a freelance social media strategist.