Hey, Sam Taggart here, with insights from our latest electrifying series, “Knock on My DM’s,” – a live Q&A where we talk about the sales ecosystem, life hacks, and everything in between. It’s no secret that my DMs are bursting with queries ranging from recruitment strategies and scaling businesses to the art of juggling relationships and staying on top of your fitness game.
And let’s not forget the classic sales problems we all face, like handling rejection and making those crucial first impressions count.
That’s the idea behind Live Q&A with Sam Taggart—to answer your burning questions directly from the DMs, combining spontaneous live insights with structured advice to navigate the sales landscape and beyond.
The 8 Big Common Sales Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
- Neglecting First Impressions
- Allowing a Negative Mindset to Take Over
- Believing You Must Be an Extrovert to Sell
- Shying Away from Going for the Close
- Camping on One Mountain
- Letting Age or Appearance Undermine Your Confidence
- Failing to Build Rejection Resilience
- Ignoring “No Soliciting” Signs
Key Takeaways
1. Neglecting First Impressions
Mistake: Reflecting on my early days, looking barely post-puberty at 18 and outselling veterans, I realized it’s not about age; it’s about the value you bring to the table. Your appearance or age doesn’t dictate your sales success; your ability to deliver value does. Walking up with a neutral face, an unkempt beard, or poor hygiene instantly raises objections before you even speak.
Solution: Smile sincerely, maintain fresh breath, and present yourself professionally—your appearance is your first sales tool. Studies show that a genuine smile in the first few seconds greatly increases likability and trust.
2. Allowing a Negative Mindset to Take Over
Mistake: Going into each door weighed down by comparison, self-doubt, or past rejections.
Solution: Start every interaction with a gratitude exercise—list three to five things you’re truly thankful for. Gratitude shifts focus from scarcity to opportunity, boosting positivity and performance.
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3. Believing You Must Be an Extrovert to Sell
Mistake: Assuming only silver-tongued extroverts can succeed, then trying to force a persona that isn’t you.
Solution: Embrace your introverted strengths—deep research and active listening—to build authentic rapport. Introverts often outperform because prospects sense genuine care over canned pitches.
4. Shying Away from Going for the Close
Mistake: Letting insecurity steer you into “one or two objections, then bail” instead of persisting toward a yes.
Solution: Adopt proven closing techniques: listen for true objections, acknowledge concerns, then confidently ask for the sale. Treat every “no” as feedback that moves you closer to “yes.”
5. Camping on One Mountain
Why it matters: You hit your first goal, celebrate, then stall—without thinking about what’s next. Sales, like life, is a series of peaks and valleys.
How to fix it:
- Set tiered goals: 6-month, 1-year, 5-year targets. Think beyond this weekend’s quota.
- Plan for the downhill: Expect dry spells and have a backup strategy—savings, side hustles, new skills.
- Keep climbing: Every summit is a checkpoint, not the finish line.
6. Letting Age or Appearance Undermine Your Confidence
Mistake: Worrying that looking younger or older turns prospects off before you prove your value.
Solution: Shift the conversation to the ROI you deliver. When you demonstrate clear benefits, people ignore surface traits and focus on substance.
7. Failing to Build Rejection Resilience
Mistake: Facing rejection at the doors and in life is unavoidable. How you handle it defines your path. Use door-to-door sales as a training ground for life’s larger battles. It builds resilience, teaching you not to take setbacks personally, just like we teach in our flagship online sales training courses at D2D University.
My advice? Embrace the no’s. They’re stepping stones to yes’s. Persist, push for that close, and remember, a maybe is never your goal. Taking every “no” personally erodes confidence and leads to fewer attempts.
Solution: Practice deliberate rejection goals—aim for a set number of “no’s” daily to normalize objections and strengthen your mindset. Over time, resilience skyrockets.
8. Ignoring “No Soliciting” Signs
Mistake: Seeing a “No Soliciting” sign and immediately walking away or worrying about rules.
Solution: Recognize the homeowner’s time barrier, then offer rapid, genuine value: a quick question about their needs or a brief insight demonstrating your respect for their time. Approach them as a helper, not a pest.
Wrapping Up: The Journey Continues
Sales isn’t just a career; it’s a journey of relentless pursuit, growth, and adaptation. The peaks and valleys, the nos and yeses, sculpt us, making us formidable warriors in this arena we call life.
Stay passionate, stay driven, and as always, go FULL SEND!
I knocked doors since I was 11! Never bought into the whole hourly normal job, and used direct sales to be the vehicle to create MASSIVE success. I Started the Direct Sales division for Solcius as their VP building it up to have 70+ sales reps nation wide. In 2018 I left to pursue a greater mission to unify and uplevel the Door to Door industry and founded the D2D Experts.
