Not long ago I published a post titled The Greatest Sales Mistake Ever Made. In that post I highlighted what I claimed was the greatest sales mistake I've seen in my career. I was wrong. What I highlighted then is big, but in no way is it number one.

Yesterday, I witnessed what has to be top on the list of sales mistakes. As it happened, I couldn't believe it:

Salesperson: Here are our benefits�...blah, blah, blah.
Me: What does it take open an account?
Salesperson: Just a second and we'll get there. feature, feature, feature.
Me: How do I start a business relationship with your company?
Salesperson: This is why you should do business with us�...feature, feature, feature.
Me: Great! What does it take to get started?
Salesperson: Benefit, benefit, benefit.
Me: Can we get started today?
Salesperson: Feature, feature, feature.
Me: Okay. I want to buy. How do we get started?!
Salesperson: I just need some basic information and I can open an account.

This is pretty close to the exact conversation I had with a sales rep yesterday. I attempted to buy no less than four times and the salesperson pushed on with their company script. Incredible!

The greatest sales mistake of all time has to be selling past the close. Selling past the close only opens opportunity to loose the sale. Never present one single solitary thing after a customer agrees to buy. Ever.

Remember, your objective is making the sale. Once that's done, stop talking and take the order.

Can you think of a sales mistake greater than this one?