10 Sales Mistakes: Why Over 50% of Sales Executives Miss Quota

In B2B sales, missing quota is not just an occasional setback, it is a chronic issue due to sales mistakes. More than half of sales executives miss their sales quota and some statistics from Salesforce indicate that number has recently climbed as high as 84%. While market conditions, competition, product reputation, and economic shifts play a role, the reality is very often missed targets can be traced back to avoidable mistakes.

At Justellus, we have supported founders, CEOs, and sales leaders across industries. We have seen patterns emerge, behaviors and blind spots that repeatedly derail even talented sales professionals. Here are 10 common sales mistakes, prioritized in the order they typically impact results.

1. Not Aligning Sales Strategy to Buyers’ Needs

The fastest way to lose a deal is to push a generic pitch instead of addressing a buyer’s specific problems. Decision makers want solutions that map directly to their goals, pain points, and success metrics. Yet too many salespeople show up with the same deck, demo, or approach for every prospect.

The fix: Do your homework on each account and the individual buyer, personalize your approach, ask good questions, and connect your offering directly to measurable business outcomes.

2. Chasing Unqualified Opportunities

Time is your most valuable sales asset. Chasing low budget, low priority, or no authority prospects clogs your pipeline with clutter and keeps you from engaging high potential buyers.

The fix: Implement strict qualification criteria and politely walk away early if they are not met.

3. Losing to “No Decision” in Sales

Your biggest competitor is not another vendor, it is the status quo. There are other priorities. Your champion or the organization feels it is just too hard and punt to a future date. Too many salespeople fail to create a compelling business case to support the hard work change creates. Quantifying the potential drives urgency. If the buyer does not truly understand the cost of inaction, they will do nothing.

The fix: Quantify the financial and strategic impact of staying the same and make the risk of inaction crystal clear.

4. Failing to Connect with Buyers

Buyers do not buy from people they do not trust. No matter how strong your product is, if you fail to build rapport and credibility, you will struggle to win the deal. It is your responsibility in sales to sense that and fix it even if it means asking a peer for help. 

The fix: Be real. Be genuinely curious. Be empathetic. Sell with layers and do not take it personally.

5. Lacking a Likable Sales Personality

This is not the same as #4. Likability is not about being overly casual, it is about being authentic, approachable, and confident. It is about establishing a relationship. Buyers naturally gravitate toward people they enjoy working with, especially when making a large long term purchase. And, if it comes down to a decision between your solution or your competition, you never want that to be the deciding factor. 

The fix: Improve your executive presence and interpersonal skills. Make every interaction count. Show that you care and are looking after their best interests in all your interactions, not closing the deal and moving to the next one.

6. Hearing Without Listening in Sales Calls

Many salespeople hear the words but miss the meaning. Active listening uncovers hidden priorities, decision dynamics, and emotional triggers. Some salespeople, and people in general, just assume they know the answer and this backfires all the time.

The fix: Ask clarifying questions, confirm your understanding, and respond to what’s meant, not just what’s said. It is never a bad thing to revalidate again to ensure you are 100% clear.

7. Sounding Like a Scripted Sales Pitch

Reciting a memorized pitch without adapting to the conversation makes you sound like a robot and disconnected. And, if the company requires you to do that, polish up the resume that can be done with an AI agent.

The fix: Use scripts as a guide, not a crutch. Adapt your messaging in real time to align with the priorities of the buyer and all key stakeholders impacted.

8. Poor Follow-Up That Adds No Value

The “Just checking in” emails are pipeline killers. Follow ups should be proactive and deliver new insights, resources, or perspectives that move the deal forward. The only thing worse than the “Just checking in” emails is writing “I just wanted to check in”. 

The fix: Treat every touchpoint as an opportunity to add value and advance the conversation. Eliminate those words from your sales vocabulary. 

9. Avoiding Sales Objections Instead of Overcoming Them

Objections are not rejections. Celebrate them as they are buying signals in disguise. Yet many salespeople shrink back instead of leaning in or default to a statement like perhaps I should just circle back when you are ready. Learn how to handle them with poise and valuable points. Sometimes your contact is just having one of “those” days and does not want to talk. 

The fix: Anticipate objections, prepare thoughtful responses, and use them as opportunities to build trust. And, practice them often as a team as it is time well spent. Realize when you should firm up a call the following day and revisit it. 

10. Laziness and Lack of Sales Discipline

Sales is a performance profession. Without consistent effort in prospecting, research, outreach, and follow through, you are relying on luck and hope. Luck doesn’t hit quota and hope is not a strategy.

The fix: Build disciplined daily habits and hold yourself accountable to activity that drives results. Grind through slumps as hard work, along with removing bad habits, will be rewarded. 

The Bottom Line

Sales success is about focus, discipline, and buyer alignment. Understand what their pain points are, where they are now and where they want to be. Listening and asking great clarifying questions lets them know you are serious about helping them. Know what benchmark they feel is important to build trust and win the sale.

Avoid these 10 sales mistakes. You will quickly join the top tier of performers who consistently exceed quota.

About Justellus
At Justellus, we provide fractional Chief Revenue Officer and Head of Sales solutions to help B2B companies accelerate growth, improve predictability, and build high-performing sales teams. Whether you are a startup or scaling enterprise, we know how to diagnose performance gaps and turn them into competitive advantages.

Ready to boost your team’s sales performance?
Contact Justellus today to learn how we can help you hit, and then exceed, your revenue goals.

‍For additional sales tips, sales insights, and revenue growth best practices, visit Justellus’ Sales Growth Blog.