When it comes to sales, this can be a little tricky. You might take your prospects’ feedback too personally, or try to attribute their behavior as being about you rather than them. For example: If a prospect doesn’t come back on a call, is it because they’re not interested in your product or service? Or is it because they woke up late and ran out without picking up the phone?
The fundamental attribution error in sales
As we discussed earlier, the fundamental attribution error is a cognitive bias that leads us to place too much weight on internal explanations for other people’s behavior. Instead of considering other factors, such as environmental influences, we tend to attribute success or failure to the person themselves. In science and academia, this idea was first canada telemarketing list explored in the 1970s and 1980s, but it remains relevant today.
Blaming other salespeople. A common defense mechanism for failing salespeople is to try to make themselves feel better by criticizing the performance of others as well. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to help them improve their own performance. They may end up alienating colleagues who could otherwise help them grow professionally, or they may end up being fired for their poor teamwork and attitude.
why do we make this mistake?
If a prospect doesn’t buy from you, or if you lose a deal to another sales rep, it’s easy to blame them. “They were too stingy” or “they didn’t understand 3 challenges companies face to grow in 2023 the value I brought.” But if you take a step back: what else may have influenced their decision process? Were they truly price sensitive, or did they just want to spend more time with your competitor? Did they not see the value in your product because of its messaging or pricing structure?
72% of salespeople feel overwhelmed by the germany phone number number of skills required to excel in their roles, and more than 85% want leaders to better identify the skills required. Source: Gartner Seller Skills Survey 2024.
Consequences of the fundamental attribution error in sales
If you’re a salesperson, here are some ways the fundamental attribution error can affect your life:
- Blaming yourself. On the one hand, it can feel good to blame yourself when things go wrong. However, if you do it all the time, it can lead to severe anxiety and depression and prevent you from improving your performance.