EP010: The top 10 mistakes that are stopping founders building six-figure sales momentum💔

EP010: The top 10 mistakes that are stopping founders building six-figure sales momentum💔

Episode summary I see behind the scenes of a lot of businesses, and the difference between the founders who fly and the ones who stay stuck usually has very little to do with how good they are at what they do. So this episode is an honest list — updated for 2026 — of the 10 (plus a bonus 11th) mistakes I see entrepreneurs under £100k making, and what I'd do instead. Some of it is perhaps more direct than you may be used to me being, but it's all given with love and the intention of helping you spot where you might be becoming the bottle neck or keeping yourself stuck. Key takeaways * Start broader, not narrower: niche down once you've got traction and money coming in, guided by where the opportunity is. * Protect your time for what actually creates revenue: connections, conversations, talking about your offer and asking for the sale. * Your voice is your edge — AI can assist your content and interrogate your plan, but it shouldn't replace either. * Don't delay selling: aim for proof and profit at every stage, and build with your clients rather than before them. * Your next 10 clients (or next £10k) are probably already in your existing network. * Keep it simple and sell first every day — 30 minutes of income-generating activity, even when you're busy. Episode outline / timestamps 00:00 – Welcome + why some founders fly while others stay stuck 00:43 – Mistake 1: Niching down too far, too soon 02:46 – Mistake 2: Trying to do too much, too soon 03:46 – Mistake 3: Spending time on things that don't generate revenue 04:51 – Mistake 4: Only posting "business" content (and why it's boring) 05:43 – Mistake 5: How you're using AI — in your content and your planning 09:44 – Mistake 6: No systems, no help, no investment in yourself 11:19 – Mistake 7: Delaying selling until everything is "perfect" 13:42 – Mistake 8: Underestimating how much selling (and work) it takes 15:41 – Mistake 9: Chasing new leads while ignoring the ones you have 16:36 – Mistake 10: Overcomplicating it with scaling strategies too early 18:01 – Bonus Mistake 11: Stopping sales activity when you get busy 19:16 – Recap + the one action to take today Links + Resources: * Want to see your greatest opportunities to increase sales? https://www.annapayne.online/quiz [https://www.annapayne.online/quiz] * Join us for 30 days of free online networking? https://www.annapayne.online/networking [https://www.annapayne.online/networking] * Download your free leads tracker https://www.annapayne.online/tracker [https://www.annapayne.online/tracker] * Book a free 15 minute sales game plan call with Anna https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction [https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction] * Buy my best-selling book on sales here: https://amzn.to/4u9fJy9 [https://amzn.to/4u9fJy9] * See a complete list of ALL the FREE and paid ways I can support you with sales https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything ] Meet Your Host: Anna Payne is a sales and business growth expert with almost three decades of experience across sales, leadership and entrepreneurship. She has founded and co-founded three successful businesses since 2008, selling and delivering millions of pounds of consultancy and working with clients across five continents, as well as building and leading high-performing teams. Anna is also the author of the number one bestseller Everything You’ve Been Taught About Sales is Wrong (*Probably) and a keynote speaker on sales and entrepreneurship. Website: https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything] Subscribe / Follow: * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To\ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To\] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales [https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales]

EP009: Follow the money: how to use my Sales Bullseye to find your quickest sales opportunities

Episode summary Most people think lead generation means finding brand new to your world people. Anna's take: your fastest sales are usually sitting far closer to home. In this episode she walks you through her Sales Bullseye, a target board with your warmest opportunities at the centre. You'll learn how to map your own board, match your sales action to the warmth of each relationship, and follow the money to the people most likely to buy soonest. Key takeaways * Follow the money: start with the people most likely to buy soonest, then build longer-term pipeline. * Leads are not equal so match your sales action to the warmth of the relationship. * Past buyers are statistically more likely to buy again, decide faster, and spend more. * The biggest mistake is focusing on new leads. * No clients yet? Your centre is "existing trust" your relationship bank. * Your open opportunities (your hot list) are one of the fastest places to close follow up to a clear yes, no, or not now. * Visibility only pays off if you draw new connections inward and actually have conversations. Episode outline / timestamps 00:00 – Welcome 00:28 – The big idea: picture your sales plan as a target board 01:42 – "Follow the money": start with who'll buy soonest (while building future pipeline) 03:00 – Ring 1 (centre): existing clients — their next natural step, upsell/cross-sell 05:03 – Newer in business? Reframe the centre as "existing trust" — your relationship bank 07:29 – Ring 2: active prospects + open opportunities (your hot list) — follow up to a decision 09:03 – Ring 3: past clients and previous buyers — give them a reason to re-engage 11:24 – Ring 4: older leads who went quiet — reactivate with a warm check-in (+ the 4 Ps) 13:13 – Ring 5: your existing audience — content that gets people to raise their hand 16:53 – Ring 6: new visibility and new connections (colder, longer-term) 21:00 – Why it works: leads aren't equal, so match your action to the warmth 22:11 – Action to take today: draw your board, map your rings, work the centre first Links + Resources: Want to see your greatest opportunities to increase sales? https://www.annapayne.online/quiz [https://www.annapayne.online/quiz] Join us for 30 days of free online networking? https://www.annapayne.online/networking [https://www.annapayne.online/networking] Download your free leads tracker https://www.annapayne.online/tracker [https://www.annapayne.online/tracker] Book a free 15 minute sales game plan call with Anna https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction [https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction] Buy my best-selling book on sales here: https://amzn.to/4u9fJy9 [https://amzn.to/4u9fJy9] See a complete list of ALL the FREE and paid ways I can support you with sales https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything] Meet Your Host: Anna Payne is a sales and business growth expert with almost three decades of experience across sales, leadership and entrepreneurship. She has founded and co-founded three successful businesses since 2008, selling and delivering millions of pounds of consultancy and working with clients across five continents, as well as building and leading high-performing teams. Anna is also the author of the number one bestseller Everything You’ve Been Taught About Sales is Wrong (*Probably) and a keynote speaker on sales and entrepreneurship. Website: https://www.annapayne.online/everything Subscribe / Follow: * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To\ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To\] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales [https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales]

EP008: How To Generate Better Leads

Episode summary Why visibility alone is not enough, and how to create better leads and warmer sales opportunities. In this episode, I’m talking about how to generate more and better leads. Lead generation is the most important activity in your business because all sales, client growth and long-term revenue sit downstream of it. But being visible and generating leads are not the same thing. I’ll walk you through how to think about lead generation as an ongoing business task and habit, why most small businesses need to be both the ‘lighthouse’ and the ‘door-knocker’, and how to create more warm sales opportunities. We’ll also look at where to start first, how to spot the warmest opportunities already in your business, and what simple actions you can take this week. By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to take lead generation beyond posting on social media and hoping for the best, and start using your time more strategically to create more leads, better conversations, better opportunities and, ultimately, more sales. Key takeaways * Lead generation is a core daily job, not a quiet-month rescue mission, and small, consistent actions compound. * Visibility and a big audience help, but they don't equal leads: plenty of 100k-follower accounts make few sales, while sub-1,000 audiences turn over six and seven figures. * Success leaves clues: look at where your last 10 clients actually came from, then double down before chasing anything new. * Work out how many leads you genuinely need; your strategy should fit your business, not industry norms. * Be both the lighthouse (content that draws people in) and the door knocker (proactive outreach, follow-up, networking). * What you measure, you can manage, and Anna notes roughly 80% of sales happen between the 5th and 12th follow-up. Episode outline / timestamps 00:00 - Welcome + why lead generation underpins everything 01:11 - Be more intentional, not just busier 02:14 - Lead gen as a daily habit that compounds (Sales First & sales fitness) 04:00 - The big myth: visibility and audience are not lead generation 05:55 - Success leaves clues: where do your clients really come from? 09:30 - How many leads do you actually need? 11:11 - The lighthouse vs the door knocker 14:54 - Track everything (and the 5 to 12 follow-up rule) 18:01 - Your practical actions + 30-day plan 20:00 - Strategy options: networking, workshops, borrowing audiences 22:00 - Recap + what's coming next week Links + Resources: * Want to see your greatest opportunities to increase sales? https://www.annapayne.online/quiz [https://www.annapayne.online/quiz] * Join us for 30 days of free online networking? https://www.annapayne.online/networking [https://www.annapayne.online/networking] * Download your free leads tracker https://www.annapayne.online/tracker [https://www.annapayne.online/tracker] * Book a free 15 minute sales game plan call with Anna https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction [https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction] * Buy my best-selling book on sales here [https://amzn.to/4u9fJy9] * See a complete list of ALL the FREE and paid ways I can support you with sales https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything] Meet Your Host: Anna Payne is a sales and business growth expert with almost three decades of experience across sales, leadership and entrepreneurship. She has founded and co-founded three successful businesses since 2008, selling and delivering millions of pounds of consultancy and working with clients across five continents, as well as building and leading high-performing teams. Anna is also the author of the number one bestseller Everything You’ve Been Taught About Sales is Wrong (*Probably) and a keynote speaker on sales and entrepreneurship. Website: https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything] Subscribe / Follow: * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To\ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To\] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales [https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales]

EP007: How to create an easy yes offer that leads to bigger sales

In this episode, you'll learn how to create a simple "easy yes" offer that can reduce buyer friction, build trust quickly, and become a natural bridge into your higher-value programmes, packages and consultancy. Episode summary If you're selling a higher-value programme, package or service, your buyers often need a smaller first step before they're ready to say yes to the main thing. Without one, you're likely leaving money on the table. In this episode, Anna breaks down the "easy yes" offer: what it is, the two formats that work right now, real examples from her own business, and the pitfalls to avoid.  Key takeaways * Buyers need to feel both desire AND safety to buy.  * The bigger the price, the bigger the need for safety and trust. * Good selling = removing friction (practical and emotional) from the buying process. * Two formats work best for this type of entry level offer to lead to upsells.  * Use the Person / Problem / Promise framework to avoid vague offers like "an hour of my time." * Keep the scope contained: high value for the client, low lift for you. * The bridge supports your main offer, it doesn't replace it. * Some buyers don't need a bridge. Keep your main offer visible at all times. Episode outline / timestamps 00:00 – Welcome + why an easy yes offer creates sales momentum 01:30 – Why buyers need to feel safe before they invest 02:30 – Sales is about removing friction (practical + emotional) 04:00 – What an easy yes offer actually is 04:30 – Type 1: The diagnostic (audit, review, focus session) 06:00 – Type 2: Small discrete value (workshop, half day, focused session) 08:00 – Anna's £99 WhatsApp coaching hour + the conversion data 10:30 – The 2021 Instagram Power Hours story (£4k+ revenue) 13:30 – The membership data: 60% bought something bigger within 12 months 13:30 – How to make your offer specific and valuable 15:00 – Pitfall 1: Too vague 16:30 – Pitfall 2: Priced so low it drains your energy 18:00 – Pitfall 3: Giving so much you negate the main offer 19:00 – Pitfall 4: Hiding from your main offer + forgetting follow-up 19:30 – Why your main offer must stay visible 20:30 – Your action: review or create your easy yes offer Links + resources * Join the Summer Sales Sprint (30 days to bring more money into your business in June): https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything] * Book a £99 async coaching hour with Anna: https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything] * Want to see your greatest opportunities to increase sales? https://www.annapayne.online/quiz [https://www.annapayne.online/quiz] * Join us for 30 days of free online networking: https://www.annapayne.online/networking [https://www.annapayne.online/networking] * Download your free leads tracker: https://www.annapayne.online/tracker [https://www.annapayne.online/tracker] * Book a free 15-minute sales game plan call: https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction [https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction] * See everything Anna offers: https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything] Meet your host Anna Payne is a sales and business growth expert with almost three decades of experience across sales, leadership and entrepreneurship. She has founded and co-founded three successful businesses since 2008, selling and delivering millions of pounds of consultancy and working with clients across five continents, as well as building and leading high-performing teams. Anna is also the author of the number one bestseller *Everything You've Been Taught About Sales is Wrong (Probably) and a keynote speaker on sales and entrepreneurship. Subscribe / Follow * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To [https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales [https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales]

EP006: Sales First™: The 30-minute sales habit that will change your business

In this episode, you’ll learn the Sales First method™: a 30-minute daily routine that builds sales fitness and helps you create sales almost every working day. Episode summary What if you could make sales nearly every day in just 30 minutes? In Episode 6, Anna shares Sales First™, the simple daily practice she’s used to make sales on roughly 99% of her working days for years. She introduces “sales fitness” (a riff on the NHS guideline of 150 minutes of activity a week, applied to sales), explains why “roller coaster revenue” happens to almost every solopreneur, and walks you through exactly how to structure a 30-minute Sales First block: when to do it, what counts, and what doesn’t. You’ll also get a practical 30-day challenge, two formats to choose from depending on how you work best, and Anna’s honest take on what to expect in weeks one and two when resistance kicks in. Key takeaways * Sales fitness comes from consistency, not heroic effort: 30 minutes a day, five days a week. * Roller coaster revenue happens when sales activity stops the moment you get busy with delivery. * Attention is more limited than time, and where you direct it predicts your results. * Sales First™ works because it gets income-generating activity done before the day pulls you elsewhere. * The filter is simple: will this task directly generate income in the next 30 (or 60–90) days? * Choose your format: one focused activity per day (Option A) or split focus across three tasks (Option B). * Commit to the activity, not the outcome, and use the 80/20 rule when life gets in the way. Episode outline / timestamps 00:00 – Welcome + introducing sales fitness 01:12 – The roller coaster revenue problem 02:55 – Anna’s recruitment-days lesson: protected core sales time 04:46 – Two strategies that changed everything: recurring revenue + Sales First™ 05:53 – Attention as your most valuable resource 07:30 – Step 1: book the recurring appointment, make it non-negotiable 09:39 – The Sales First™ filter: direct income-generating activity only 10:42 – Option A vs Option B: single focus or split focus 12:50 – Your leads tracker as a working document 14:00 – The 30-day Sales First challenge 14:33 – Week 1: expect resistance 15:48 – Week 2: momentum, evidence and confidence 16:55 – The 80/20 rule (and avoiding all-or-nothing thinking) 17:48 – Habit-stacking examples 19:23 – Your actions from today + closing Links + Resources: * Want to see your greatest opportunities to increase sales? https://www.annapayne.online/quiz [https://www.annapayne.online/quiz] * Join us for 30 days of free online networking? https://www.annapayne.online/networking [https://www.annapayne.online/networking] * Download your free leads tracker https://www.annapayne.online/tracker [https://www.annapayne.online/tracker] * Book a free 15 minute sales game plan call with Anna https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction [https://calendly.com/annapaynecall/introduction] * Buy my best-selling book on sales here [https://amzn.to/4u9fJy9] * See a complete list of ALL the FREE and paid ways I can support you with sales https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything] Meet Your Host: Anna Payne is a sales and business growth expert with almost three decades of experience across sales, leadership and entrepreneurship. She has founded and co-founded three successful businesses since 2008, selling and delivering millions of pounds of consultancy and working with clients across five continents, as well as building and leading high-performing teams. Anna is also the author of the number one bestseller Everything You’ve Been Taught About Sales is Wrong (*Probably) and a keynote speaker on sales and entrepreneurship. Website: https://www.annapayne.online/everything [https://www.annapayne.online/everything] Subscribe / Follow: * Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-make-more-sales-with-anna-payne/id1895374587] * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To\ [https://open.spotify.com/show/5RMn940JibdhqMWeQo73To\] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales [https://www.youtube.com/@HowToMakeMoreSales]