A sale is almost always a human-to-human process, even when your client is another business. This means that it can be difficult to reduce sales assessments to mere data points. However, because sales are so personal, they are also prone to human error. Here are six important ways your sales team might be missing out on deals.

1. Not qualifying a prospect

First, it’s important to remember that not every prospect who approaches your company is qualified. They may be undereducated about your service areas, what exactly you sell, or even their own budgetary constraints.

Early in the sales process, be sure that your salespeople are asking questions that qualify prospects. For example, ask, “Why don’t you tell me a bit about your company’s goals?” Otherwise, you’re wasting payroll hours chasing dead ends.

2. Not knowing the value proposition

A crucial aspect of making a sale is understanding just what you’re selling. This goes beyond knowing stats about products or your company’s history; you must understand the value proposition behind what you’re selling. In fact, many people are willing to overpay for products and services if they are emotionally attached to them or the value exceeds the price in their minds.

Why exactly would a client be interested in—and even need—what you sell? What common pain points does your company solve? Answering these questions is an integral part of a good sales strategy. For example, a magazine subscription service should speak to health care professionals with the knowledge that entertainment is their main value proposition. Patients need entertainment to endure long lobby wait times, which their magazines can help address.

3. Reading a script

Many salespeople over-rely on a process that has led them to success, like a script, and end up losing control of too many conversations. After all, no sales pitch will follow the same path every single time, no matter what a sales flow chart may indicate. Any experienced salesperson will agree that few questions receive a solid “yes” or “no” answer.

Relying on proven phrases, like a well-written value proposition, isn’t necessarily detrimental. In fact, many salespeople depend on a bulleted list of phrases or points they need to hit in every call. However, nobody likes speaking to a robot. Remember that a script is best utilized when memorized and adapted to the prospect’s perceived communication style.

4. Not following up

Almost half of all salespeople give up after just one attempt at following up with a prospect. However, the sales consulting firm Marketing Donut also found that 80 percent of sales happen after the fifth touchpoint. So many salespeople give up early, miss out on deals, and even become discouraged. Your best salesperson is often not the most talented but the most persistent.

Be sure to follow up for referrals. Referrals are far more likely to convert to clients than cold calls. In fact, a BNI.com survey found that 73 percent of companies polled get most of their business from networking and referrals.

5. Not closing the deal

Don’t hold back when it’s time to get a credit card number. Salespeople can deliver an amazing pitch and still fail to make a crucial leap: asking for the prospect’s business. If you have kept a prospect hooked long enough to communicate the price of a product or service, assume that you have earned the right to request an order. The worst that will happen is they will say no.

Remember that “no” isn’t the end of the road. Declined or delayed offers give you the opportunity to uncover and handle any objections you may have missed throughout the sales process. Outright declined offers can also transition into a referral request.

6. Not communicating to the individual

Remember that productivity apps and automated phone lines don’t accept deals; people do. Individuals are far more likely to accept deals from people they like, respect, and even find enjoyable to talk to. As sales coach Shiera O’Brien suggests, “If clients feel and believe they have a relationship with you, it’s because of your rapport-building skills. At that point, the trust begins to build and they will commit time and effort to you.”

Also, stats don’t sell products or services as well as stories do. Communicating with a compelling voice and even personal experience helps prospects visualize themselves in possession of your product or service, which is a hook any good salesperson can tug on.

It’s unreasonable to expect every contact to end in a sale. However, even if there is no such thing as a foolproof pitch, bear in mind that these six mistakes can terminate winnable deals.

Take action:

Review these six pitfalls with your sales team. Where can you make improvements? Share this list with each salesperson so they can assess their techniques as well.