When I started my first full-time business, I did so because I got laid off during the Great Recession. In less than an hour, my 5-year plan to open my own business after working in corporate became a 6-month plan. (Because that was how long I had unemployment benefits.)

Like most business owners who come to me now for sales coaching, I thought getting more sales was the answer to all my business problems. I was on the roller coaster ride of finding a client, paying the bills, delivering the work, cash running low, scrambling to find a new client…

I thought I needed to get better at sales. And so I did. 

Sales grew, but I was still on the roller coaster ride. When money came in, it went out.

I wasn't thinking of my business in a #profitfirst way. 

Here's the sales mistake.

When I had to go and find a new client, and cash was low, I would make sales mistakes. 

Whether it was because I was uncomfortable talking about money, or getting emotionally involved because I was thinking about how much I needed the money. 

Therefore, I didn't ask good questions and did not actively listen.

Here's the other big problem.

Not knowing what I needed to make to gain a profit and how to do that in the numbers caused me to take on clients that wouldn't be profitable because I didn't know what to charge. Because I didn't know what I needed to charge, I didn't know what questions to ask to determine if they were a good fit.

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Growth isn't always about getting more sales. It was about getting more profit.

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If you haven't read Profit First by Mike Michalowicz, do so. The double win is that operating your business from a profit-first mindset will help you be comfortable discussing money with buyers, dig deeper into your questions, and actively listen.

You'll be a better Buyer First seller.