10 Things to Do if you Want to Fail at Business and Sales - Mike Simmons

Three Key Quotes

1. "If you want to fail, pitch without context. Your customers care about solving their problems, not your product."
2. "Don’t try to be the hero. Remember, your customer is the hero, and you’re the guide helping them solve their problems."
3. "If you always make it about you, you will fail. Focus on the needs of others to truly succeed."

This episode highlights ten behaviors that can lead to failure in sales and business, from pitching without context to always focusing on personal gain. The host encourages listeners to avoid these mistakes and instead adopt a service-oriented, customer-focused mindset that enhances success and leads to more fulfilling work.

The Top 10 List: How to Fail at Business and Sales

1. Pitch Without Context

   • Ignore the customer’s specific problems.
   • Present your solution without understanding their needs.
   • Fail to connect your pitch to what’s important to the customer.

2. Assume Instead of Validate

   • Make assumptions about what the customer wants.
   • Skip asking clarifying questions.
   • Focus on things not directly related to the customer’s problem.

3. Overpower the Conversation

   • Dominate the discussion without listening.
   • Make the conversation all about your opinions.
   • Fail to engage the customer in meaningful dialogue.

4. Attempt to Solve Everything

   • Try to address every issue at once.
   • Spread yourself too thin and lose focus.
   • Lack clarity in your approach, leading to confusion and failure.

5. Work Alone

   • Go solo without involving others.
   • Miss out on different perspectives and collaborative solutions.
   • Fail to build a supportive network that could help you succeed.

6. Stick to the Script

   • Rigidly follow a script or template without adapting.
   • Ignore the unique aspects of each situation.
   • Miss opportunities for personalization and creativity.

7. Try to Be the Hero

   • Take on all the responsibility instead of guiding the customer.
   • Forget that the customer is the hero of their own story.
   • Overstep your role, leading to customer disengagement.

8. Wing It Without a Plan

   • Enter situations without preparation or strategy.
   • React to problems as they arise instead of anticipating them.
   • Increase the risk of failure by lacking a clear plan.

9. Take a “Me First” Approach

   • Focus on your own needs rather than the customer’s.
   • Prioritize personal gain over providing value.
   • Alienate customers by making it all about you.

10. Always Be Closing

    • Constantly push for the sale without considering the customer’s readiness.
    • Focus on closing deals rather than building relationships.
    • Develop a reputation as a pushy salesperson who is more interested in profit than people.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Contextualize Your Pitch

   • Understand your customer’s unique needs before pitching.
   • Connect your solution to what truly matters to them.
   • Avoid generic pitches that lack relevance.

2. Validate, Don’t Assume

   • Ask questions to confirm your understanding of the customer’s problem.
   • Ensure your solutions are aligned with their needs.
   • Increase predictability by clarifying expectations.

3. Listen More, Talk Less

   • Engage the customer by actively listening.
   • Make the conversation about them, not you.
   • Foster a more productive dialogue by valuing their input.

4. Plan and Collaborate

   • Prepare thoroughly before meetings or pitches.
   • Involve others to gain different perspectives and avoid blind spots.
   • Work with a plan, but remain flexible to adjust as needed.

5. Empower the Customer

   • Let the customer be the hero of their story.
   • Act as a guide, helping them navigate challenges.
   • Focus on enabling their success rather than taking control.