20 Slip-ups Most B2B Salespeople Make and How to Fix Them

Searches for B2B sales mistakes have jumped 120 % in the past 12 months, a sign that sales teams everywhere are hunting for practical solutions. We're always getting asked about the common mistakes B2B salespeople make – we could probably list a hundred but that would make a really depressing read (and a really long page).

So we've stuck to 20 – BIG ones you can action today.

Focusing too hard on the product.

You’ve secured a meeting and – short of knowing what the MD’s mother likes for breakfast – you couldn’t be more prepared. You walk in, shake hands, and launch into your fabulous presentation. Wrong. Before anything, talk to your prospects. Spend five to 10 minutes chatting and helping them relax.

Flip the script and open with three discovery questions about their biggest priority this quarter, then match features to that pain.

Taking it all too seriously.

You’re not there to stop famine or human trafficking. Keep it light-hearted.

Use a short ice‑breaker story (30 seconds max) that shows you understand their industry and have a sense of humour.

Flirting.

People buy from people they respect. Above everything, you’re there to be respected, not to be liked or taken out for dinner. B2B selling is about positioning yourself as an expert with a solution to a business problem.

Keep compliments professional (e.g. “I liked your recent LinkedIn article on…”) and focus on value.

Hiding behind emails.

Why is this still happening?! The year is not 1995 – we now have Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, not to mention phones. People still send blanket emails that go nowhere and mean nothing. If a prospect isn’t answering your emails then pick up the phone or get in touch through social media.

Call or message within five minutes of an inbound enquiry, reps who do are 100× more likely to connect.

Not making enough calls.

Sometimes I’ll ring a prospect four times before they call me back. This isn’t stalker-ish, this shows I care, that I really want to speak to that person.

Schedule a call‑block power hour (08:30–09:30) and aim for 8‑10 quality dials.

Making too many calls.

If they don’t call back after eight calls chance tack.

Switch channel (LinkedIn voice note, personalised video) after the fourth attempt.

Being individualistic.

There’s power in numbers – a team effort always generates better sales.

Loop marketing into larger deals so content and outreach run in tandem NX3 framework in action.

Calling at the wrong time.

Think about which times might suit them best and get in touch accordingly. (9.30am on a Monday is never a good time, FYI.)

Use a cadence tool and aim for 10:00 – 11:30 or 14:00 – 16:00 when pickup rates spike.

Getting impatient.

Remember Buffet’s saying: “you can’t make a baby in a month by making nine women pregnant”.

Track every deal in a simple Kanban CRM and celebrate micro‑conversions (demo booked, proposal sent).

Letting the ego lead.

You have weaknesses, we all do, recognise them and delegate.

Ask for peer feedback on your last two calls; remove “I” statements and focus on prospect outcomes.

Not adapting.

Somebody wants your business, but not quite how you’d normally do it? Close the deal and figure out how to deliver it along the way. Learn to adapt and see the solution not the problem – remember Darwin?

Have a flexible pricing model ready (pilot, phased rollout) so you can say “yes” without panic.

Dressing wrong.

If you’re meeting a tech start-up don’t show up in a suit. And if you’re meeting a high street bank don’t show up in jeans. Simple.

Check the prospect’s latest event photos on LinkedIn or Instagram to gauge dress code.

Not preparing.

Know the business inside out and never be late for a meeting.

Block 15 minutes pre‑meeting for an “SOFTEN” prep checklist (Size, Opportunity, Fit, Timeline, End‑goal, Next steps).

Assuming they are like you.

They’re not, in fact, the likelihood is they’re nothing like you and they don’t want to talk about shopping, football or anything else you’ve assumed they want to chat about. Find out what their interests are and talk about that. (Even if it’s cricket.)

Mirror their communication style, formal emails get formal replies; emojis get emojis.

Being themselves.

I know it sounds harsh, but showing up to a meeting either deliriously happy, hacked off or uber excited is a no-no. Contain your emotions, chat to your potential customer and work out what kind of state of mind they’re in, and then mirror it.

Ignoring Twitter.

It’s not going anywhere – get on it and start using it.

Follow five prospects a day and comment (not pitch) on their latest post.

Ignoring LinkedIn.

Also not going anywhere, grow your network and start posting links and updates.

Post one value‑first tip each week; social sellers close 45 % more deals.

Answering calls or emails in a meeting.

I don’t care if it’s Samuel L. Jackson wanting to know if you’re free for dinner. Don’t do it. In fact, don’t take your phone out of your pocket or handbag. For the duration of that meeting, the only person that counts is your potential client.

Activate “Do Not Disturb” and put your phone face‑down.

Losing sight of winning.

Not just for yourself, but for your team too.

Share a weekly “wins dashboard” in Slack or Teams so momentum stays visible.

Taking no for an answer.

They said no? Then you didn’t explain your proposition well enough, that’s all.

Ask a follow‑up question: “What would have made our offer a yes?” Document, refine, re‑pitch.

Ready to turn mistakes into momentum?

You don’t have to fix all 20 issues alone. Nutcracker’s lead‑generation services and marketing audits uncover where deals stall and how to reignite them.

Book a free audit or call us on 020 3941 0305 and let’s hit your 2025 targets.

B2B sales tips | NX3 framework