I love that question. It’s a virtual certainty that if you ever attend a seminar I am leading, that question will come up. Even if it’s a seminar on how to make a kickass marinara sauce. I’ll still sneak it in.
The answers are almost predictable. Having asked it hundreds of times, I know what’s coming. Sometimes I even mouth along as the attendee speaks (though the guy in Iowa who yelled, “I would, but I go to too many danged seminars!” took me by surprise).
So, picture this:
Your company hires Bill Farquharson to be the Sales Manager (good move, btw) and I come stomping in to that first sales meeting and bellow out this question. What would you say when it was your turn to talk? Take a moment to jot down a few answers. When you are done, continue reading and I will share with you the top five answers that I have heard over the years.
Ready? Go …
Okay, welcome back. How’d you do against the following:
5. “I don’t know what to say when I call!”
4. “I’d sell more if I had better prices!”
3. “I can’t seem to find the time to sell, given all that I have to do around here!”
2. “I’m really not sure what kinds of companies to call on!”
1. “I can’t get anyone to call me back!”
Look familiar? Perhaps all five ring true. These answers are actually numbered in order of their commonality. Voice Mail continues to be the single biggest issue sales people face in trying to build new business.
The good news is that none of these top five answers are new. That means, someone else has had them and someone else has solved them. The sales challenge (shameless self-promotion alert), then, is to learn from others who have gone before you.
The key is to dump your myopic thinking and consider new solutions. It’s amazing how that square peg just doesn’t ever seem to fit in that round hole, yet we keep trying to hammer it home time and time again.
I’ve been in business for myself since I was 25. The part that I love the best (other than my 27 year streak of being employee of the month) is the problem-solving. You need to awaken your Inner Entrepreneur and bring new solutions to your sales inhibitors. Don’t simply do more. Do different. Trying harder is important, but trying new is, too.
I’ll continue to chip away at the answers and explain why I think you aren’t selling more. For your part, try improving the quality of your sales calls. Price is important, but the solutions sale lives on regardless of price. That’s where the money is.
Learn to sell print. Go to http://www.aspirefor.com/Aspire_For/Sell_Print.html and read about Bill’s Sales Challenge. Bill can be reached at 781-934-7036 or [email protected].
