If One More Out-of-Work Sales Person Calls Me…
OK…so the headline might be a little harsh (and maybe I’m a bit grumpy tonight). But I must tell you — that while I’m happy to help out-of-work sales people network, I’m frustrated with their general lack of creativity when it comes to job hunting.
Let me see if I understand this…you fancy yourself as a great sales person…and you’re looking for a job…and you network with me…and you expect ME to hand over my database and go out of my way to call my contacts to ‘see if they’re hiring’ — and all you can do is hand me a resume?
That’s the extent of your salesmanship?
You Can Do Better Than That
As I’ve said before in this blog, the sales person of the future MUST be a good marketer–not just a good closer. And the best way to demonstrate your marketing prowess is in how you position yourself when hunting for a job. Yet most are clueless.
My Great Idea…Met With Luke Warmness
So, I got called the other day by a friend of a friend who was “networking.” I told her to go to LinkedIn (she was all over LinkedIn) and put up a Google app that allows you to create a PowerPoint presentation to exhibit your know-how.
Should The ‘Butler’ Way Be ‘Your’ Way?
Forgive me for indulging you in the conversation of basketball. But I think if you’ll read this closely, there may be a message for you.
Butler University is in the Final Four of the NCAA basketball tourney. And the beauty is they are also the host team (it’s played this year in Butler’s hometown of Indianapolis).
But the reason this is important to you is the light I want to shine on what’s called The Butler Way. And make the case that the Butler Way should be Your Way.
Teamwork. Preparation. Fun.
The statistic that you should care about is 10 of the 12 players on the team are homegrown…right in Butler’s home state of Indiana. They don’t need massive travel budgets…they aren’t looking for the most sought after kids. They look for kids with talent, integrity and a predisposition to team work. If they’re a little shorter, OK. If they play below the rim instead of above the rim, that’s OK too. Because the Butler Way isn’t about getting the best players. It’s about having the best team. A huge difference.
There’s a Lesson Here For Salespeople and Business Leaders
Get the fundamentals right. Get the thinking right. Get your mind right.
If you get those right, you don’t have the be the sharpest knife in the drawer. You don’t have to have the quickest wit in the room. You don’t have to say ‘everything right’ to close the sale or acquire a piece of business. You don’t have to wear the latest fashion so you impress your prospect…in fact you don’t even have to impress your prospect. And you definitely don’t have to have the best price—because it ain’t about price.
Butler Coach Brad Stevens
Because the Butler Way is not about impressing anyone. It’s about playing within yourself–playing your game, not the other guy’s game. Having a ball doing it. Never getting rattled. Being really, really smart on the floor. And it’s about a player being OK with scoring 24 points one game and 4 the next…and not getting bent out of shape about it.
I don’t know whether Butler has a chance to win it all. I do know this: that the tide is changing in our world. It’s not about being the biggest and overpowering today (politicos will recognize this as “too big to fail”).
You don’t have to have the biggest marketing budget–or the biggest booth at the tradeshow to win business. In fact, I would suggest that you have an advantage if you AREN’T big. (I’m quite sure that schools like Butler use their size as a recruiting advantage.) Those are NOT the fundamentals of business.
Here are Six Fundamentals to get you started–and these should be Your Way:
- Listen to your prospect. They’ll tell you what they really want and what’s important to them. In other words, stop talking and pitching.
- Do what’s right in the process. If there is a wrinkle in your product or service, bring it up upfront. Don’t hide it hoping your customer never sees it. It’s not good for your Karma.
- Be of “integrity.” Meaning, if you’re thinking it on the inside, then say it on the outside. When you begin holding things back, you lose.
- Be who you are. Know what you’re really good at and don’t try to ‘make things fit’ just to make a buck. It always seems like a good idea at the time, but seldom is. I can’t tell you how many clients are looking to cut clients because the fit just isn’t right–and some of that business in unprofitable.
- Care. Doesn’t sound like a Harvard Business School strategy does it? But it will make massively more successful than some academic marketing concept.
- Finally, have some fun. How many times have you been called on by someone who just doesn’t seem like they’re having much fun? I have, often. Take a lesson from Butler, and have some fun. Laugh a little. Celebrate. Don’t get rattled. And do the fundamentals right—let the outcome take care of itself.
Don’t Let a Good Recession Go to Waste!
I was with one of my coaches last week, and she said the funniest thing… ”Don’t let a good recession go to waste!” BRILLIANT! This statement has stuck in my brain. I’ve tweeted it only to have it re-tweeted (http://twitter.com/CaskeyChick). It received a slew of comments on my Facebook page. Obviously, it struck a chord with others as well. So what does it mean to you? Seriously, I’d love to hear.
Here’s my take on how we should be working the recession for all it’s worth:
• Workforce: What a perfect time to get rid of your underperformers. You can’t afford not to be getting the highest return on your investments on your most expensive assets—your people. They say the cream rises to the top. In hard times, other stuff floats to the top. Ever heard the expression “turds in a punch bowl”? I don’t think I need to say more.
• Training: For your peak performers, now is a great time to give them an edge. Maybe it’s outside training, coaching, or cross training within your organization. Truly turn your team into a lean machine. If you’re not green and growing, you’re ripe and rotting. (I think Einstein said that.)
• New ideas: Have you been sitting on a new, innovative approach to your market place? Have you been thinking “the same stuff is still working, I’m going to keep doing it”? I would guess the “same stuff” isn’t working anymore. Whip out those new ideas. Take a chance. Think outside the box. If not now, when?
• Clients: Take care of what you have. When’s the last time you asked your current clients what challenges they have, even if it doesn’t have anything to do with something you can sell them? How can you bring more value to your relationship? Have you surveyed them? Asked them about their dreams and goals? Or, have you been taking them to lunch once per month and talking about your kids because “that’s what we always do.” Tisk, tisk.
What’s your new normal? What’s your strategy to survive and thrive?
“Wipe That Smile Off Your Face! I’ve Got A Problem.”
Why do we sales 
people feel like we have to smile when we’re in front of a prospect? Answer? We shouldn’t.
I was called on last week by a guy who seemed like an OK chap. But he never stopped smiling. It was some kind of a “put on” smile. Pretty obvious.
He seemed overly enthusiastic–and you know what I think about fake enthusiasm (I hate it!). So, when it came to him asking me some questions about what I was looking for–and any problems I was experiencing with my current vendor–I thought he’d hide the smile.
But No! Similar to the “tell tale heart” he kept right on smiling! Smiling right past the pain.
At one point, I felt like saying, “Why are you feeling so happy when I’m telling you my problems?” But I didn’t. I just said “Goodbye.”
Lesson
Come on people…if you’ve bought in to our philosophy that you are a problem finder — then a problem solver, wipe the fake, cheesy grin off your face. It’s not helping me tell you my problems. And it certainly doesn’t give me much faith you’re listening.
President Obama And His Sales Pitch To IOC
Let me say first I was not there when Mr. and Mrs. Obama made their pitch for Chicago as 2016 Olympic Host. So I speak from heresay. But if the reports/videos/transcripts are correct, they did a miserable job of selling it.
Had they been in our sales class-and come to us last week and told us of their opportunity– here is the ONE THING we would have told them.
“Keep Your Intent High”
That’s because most of we sales people fail when it comes to our intent. I describe INTENT as that which is in your heart that governs how you attract or repel prospects to you.
High Intent is when everything is about THEM, YOUR CUSTOMER, YOUR PROSPECT, YOUR TARGET.
Low Intent is when everything is about YOU, YOUR NEEDS, YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR DESIRES.
One sure way to “whack up” your sales process and your presentation is to make everything about you. That’s what the Obamas did.
FACT: There were probably dozens of other issues that got in the way. In fact our rule at Caskey is: “Never allow the final presentation do the heavy lifting.”
You should know prior to the presentation if you are getting the business.
The reason for that rule is the tendency for us to look needy and desperate in that final “pitch” for the business. And that’s exactly what happened here.
Chicago won’t get the Olympics in 2016. Maybe that’s a good thing–or a bad thing. But never miss the opportunity to learn from the failed sales mistakes of others.
And keep your Intent high.
Don Hewitt. “Tell Me A Story.”
Don Hewitt, the Executive Producer of 60 Minutes for 37 years died last week.
A stirring salute was done on 60 Minutes last night, but here is my “two lesson” version.
My lessons were:
Lesson 1) Tell Stories
That was his motto–”Tell me a story.” That was all 60 Minutes was–stories. I love this because every sales professional should be good at that very skill–story telling. Make them short, concise, compelling and relevant. But tell them.
He said during an interview, “Why don’t others get this? The reason for my success was that all I did was tell stories every Sunday night. There is nothing magical about it.”
Lesson #2) Control The Details To Everything Important.
You should have seen Don work to make sure every detail came together perfectly–for every episode. Was he arrogant? Of course. Was he right? More often than not. Was he visionary? Yes, every week.
He knew exactly what he wanted each and every episode. He could see it. He visualized it.
Do you pay attention to the details? Are there misspellings in your blog? (I’ve been guilty of that before). Are there mistakes in your presentations? Is your grammar correct in your letters? All are details. But all worth getting right.
