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Owning Up to Mistakes #416
Do you like being right and hate being wrong or being called out for making a mistake for goofing up? And let me add to that, have you ever had to apologize for your mistake or worse yet your companies mistake? Unfortunately once in a while this situation pops up and it’s extremely uncomfortable for the sales professional. Which is why it’s our topic for today. Advice on what to do when you’ve done wrong.
Today’s Chapter: Owning Up To Mistakes
A Master Seller knows they are not perfect.
When they make a mistake, they realize it.
Having realized it, they own up to it.
Having owned up to it, they correct it.
They consider clients who point out their faults as their teachers.
They think of their competition,
as being as perfect and flawed as themselves.
Today’s Story
Chris goofed and Chris knew it. Lee asked Chris for two simple requests but they fell between the cracks and now Chris was scrambling. This lack of attention was noticed by Lee and no doubt they were considering yanking the contract. What was Chris to do?
Chris asked Pat “I know I screwed up but it’s not all my fault. Lee never returned the report they promised to send and I asked Customer Experience for the update, but they never got back to me and now we’re in this predicament! This could permanently damage our relationship. How can I fix it?”
Pat nodded and then framed the situation. “We’re only human, people make mistakes and when they happen it’s best to come clean and own it. I get that it’s not all your fault, but we salespeople are the face of the company. If you’re going to be successful is sales you will need to get used to apologizing for mistakes you never made.
“Tell them it’s all our fault, even if it’s not. Tell them we should have done better and then ask what we can do to make this right. Own it completely. When you do that you might find that Lee will be very generous and forgive us. What they mostly want is to be heard.
“Again own it and ask what it will take to make this right. And then do it!
Take Action Quote
Ben Franklin wisely said “never ruin an apology with an excuse”. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to humble myself before a client due to a mistake I made or more often my company made. But I never shared an excuse, even if I had a good one. 9 out of 10 times, the client was totally OK with a quick resolution if I TOTALLY OWNED the mistake. In fact, often they would step up and take part ownership of the issue.
The best way to deal with the situation was just call it for what it is and make things right. Take ownership of the mistake, fix it and then move on. It’s the thing professional sales people do.
Thank Our Sponsor Wingman
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How to Connect with Pat Helmers at Sales Babble
Sales Babble shares selling secrets for non-sellers. There is no need to be pushy, aggressive or uncomfortable reaching out to prospective buyers. Masterful selling is understanding what buyers want, discerning if you can help, showing what you have and helping them to make a decision that is good for their business and yours.
You can listen to our podcast on any podcast app and if you signup for our newsletter you will be able to download a free copy of the Tao Te Ching of Sales eBook. This book has been the inspiration for these Sales Babble episodes and you can see what topics we’ll be covering in the future. Use this book for daily inspiration with short one page chapters on a balanced non-pushy approach when selling.
You can be yourself when selling. It’s all about helping others with their challenges and aspirations. I’ve interviewed 100s of sales experts and discuss all things sales: prospecting, qualifying, value propositions, presentations, demos, closing, generating referrals, earning references, upselling, marketing, lead generation, copywriting, and most important the right selling mindset.
Stop fearing sales and embrace it. Learn the selling secrets for non-sellers and start making a difference today. Here is the entire back catalog of episodes in the sales podcast.
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