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Sales Planning Mistakes Salespeople Make & How to Avoid Them (Part 2)

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By: MercuriSA

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Articles, Sales training

Hello everyone. How confident are you when walking into your sales meetings?

Today, we're going to look at planning part two. If you missed our Planning Part 1, be sure to check that out first.

You may be asking: "How much can I plan for a sales meeting when I don't know how the meeting is going to pan out? There are so many factors that can throw in a curveball."

This is even more reason why it is crucial in today's competitive market to plan for your sales meeting.

Let's have a look at some key points to consider.

Mistake 3: Not Planning for Each Sales Meeting

In Part 1, we touched on the importance of planning for each sales meeting. But it's worth exploring in more detail because it's one of the most common—and costly—mistakes salespeople make.

How many of you plan for each sales meeting that you have with existing and new customers? I assure you, by doing this, it will increase your confidence dramatically.

Here's why meeting-level planning matters and what it should include.

Understanding Client Needs Before the Meeting

How well can we understand the client's needs before the meeting?

Proper planning allows us to research and understand:

  • The client's business

  • Their industry

  • Their challenges

  • Their needs in a competitive market

This is also key to shortening long sales cycles.

A generic sales pitch falls flat. This knowledge enables the creation of a tailored sales pitch that addresses specific pain points and offers relevant solutions.

Action Step: Before every meeting, spend 15 minutes researching the client. What's happening in their industry? What challenges are they facing? What might they need from you?

Plan Your Questions

A good way to prepare is to plan questions for your meeting.

Of course, you don't know what the answers are going to be. But by going in with prepared questions—making sure they are open questions to get the most information from the client—you will have more confidence.

This is especially true if you role-play and practise them before the time.

Action Step: Write down five open-ended questions before every meeting. Practice asking them out loud.

Anticipate Client Reactions and Objections

In addition to preparing questions, we also need to anticipate client reactions and objections.

What potential objections or reactions might the client have? This is a vital part of the planning process.

By anticipating questions and concerns, we can provide immediate, informed responses. Not only does this make us more prepared, but it builds credibility and trust with the client—which is essential for establishing long-term relationships.

Action Step: List three objections you might face in your next meeting. Prepare thoughtful responses for each.

Know Who's Going to Be in the Meeting

Another really good point to consider: Who's going to be in my meeting?

Am I meeting with the MD or someone from an operational level? I'm not going to speak to them in the same way—I'm sure you agree.

Preparing questions for different buying zones within the company is important. This way, you are prepared in case someone is called into the meeting that you weren't expecting. This is also part of understanding the decision-making unit.

Action Step: Identify who will be in the meeting. What are their priorities? What do they care about? Prepare questions for each type of stakeholder.

Mistake 4: Wasting Time in Meetings

Time is becoming less and less available. Efficient use of your time during a sales meeting is critical.

This is one of the core benefits of effective sales planning.

Planning helps structure the meeting, ensuring that all key points are covered without unnecessary digressions.

Presenting an agenda to the client beforehand and taking note of the time allocated for your meeting is a great way to help structure your meeting. This not only respects the client's time but also allows you to cover all the necessary information within the time that has been allocated to you.

Action Step: Create an agenda for your next meeting. Share it with the client beforehand. Stick to it.

Mistake 5: Failing to Review and Adjust

A plan without review is just a document.

Many salespeople create a plan at the beginning of the quarter or year—and then never look at it again. But planning isn't a one-time event. It's an ongoing process.

Regular review allows you to:

  • Track progress against your goals

  • Identify what's working and what's not

  • Adjust your approach based on new information

  • Stay focused on what matters most

Action Step: Schedule a weekly review of your sales plan. Spend 15-30 minutes each week reviewing progress and adjusting your approach.

Mistake 6: Neglecting the Pipeline

A plan without a healthy pipeline is just wishful thinking.

Your sales plan is only as good as the opportunities in your pipeline. If you're relying on too few opportunities, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

Building and maintaining a healthy pipeline requires:

  • Consistent prospecting

  • Qualifying leads effectively

  • Moving opportunities through the stages

  • Regularly reviewing pipeline health

Action Step: Review your pipeline. How many opportunities do you have? Are they enough to meet your targets? If not, what needs to change?

Mistake 7: Lack of Accountability

Plans without accountability are just ideas.

Accountability is what turns a plan into action. It's what keeps you focused when distractions arise and motivation wanes.  It's also about showing up—for yourself and your team—day after day.

Accountability can come from:

  • Regular check-ins with a manager or mentor

  • Peer accountability partnerships

  • Public commitments to your team

  • Personal tracking and reflection

Action Step: Share your plan with someone you trust. Ask them to hold you accountable.

Practical Solutions: A Better Planning Framework

So what does good planning look like? Here's a simple framework you can use:

Before the meeting:

  • Research the client

  • Prepare open-ended questions

  • Anticipate objections

  • Know who will be in the meeting

  • Create and share an agenda

During the meeting:

  • Follow the agenda

  • Ask your prepared questions

  • Listen more than you speak

  • Address objections thoughtfully

After the meeting:

  • Review what worked and what didn't

  • Update your plan based on new information

  • Follow up promptly on commitments

On an ongoing basis:

  • Review your plan weekly

  • Maintain a healthy pipeline

  • Stay accountable to your goals

Questions to Ask Yourself

Take a moment to reflect:

  • Do you plan for every sales meeting?

  • Do you prepare open-ended questions in advance?

  • Do you anticipate objections and prepare responses?

  • Do you know who will be in the meeting and what they care about?

  • Do you present an agenda and respect the client's time?

  • Do you review and adjust your plan regularly?

  • Do you have a healthy pipeline?

  • Do you have accountability in place?

Conclusion

In summary, what have I discussed with you today?

It's important to plan your questions for your meetings. Keep them open to gain as much information as possible.

Remember to speak to your different buying zones.

Also, plan for customer objections and possible reactions and behaviours.

We would like to know how these tips have helped you or how you plan for your meetings. Please comment down below.

I'm wishing you all the best with your future planning.

 

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About Mercuri International

Mercuri International are the sales training experts. Operating in over 50 countries, we tailor our training around your specific needs, and our experts on the ground are there to help you implement them in the real world. Together, we'll release the potential of the talent inside your company to help you grow and thrive.

Our cutting-edge training and coaching blend digital and physical learning formats to hone and develop the sales skills that transform your results.

 

 

Explore more articles in our Sales Planning & Process category.

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