Own your mistakes
Mistakes happen. Sometimes more than we like!
An example of a small error that happens every so often is when we have copied the body of a message from a previously sent e-mail to send it to another new prospect.
After you hit send you immediately realize the salutation had the name of the person in it from the previous e-mail, not the name of the new person it was intended for.
First it is embarrassing that we could be so carless. Second, we might think that it doesn't matter because the person getting your message won't care or even notice.
This simple mistake isn't so small. It does matter. They will notice and they will care. The recipient will doubt your sincerity and will wonder if this sloppiness is an indication of how you generally do your work. Worse, some may even consider this as an insult.
You can turn this perception around by getting out in front of your mistake by immediately taking responsibility for your carelessness. By sending another message with the subject line "an embarrassing mistake", tell the new prospect you realized what you did and apologize. It is very possible that you have just turned a negative into a very real positive.
The outcome to your response is that not every sales person does this. The one who does, stands out from the pack. In a competitive world, owning your mistakes can and will make a difference in your career.
