The Sales Experiment

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Our Heart and Our Sales

I’m not talking about what I recently heard termed ‘head trash’ – those preconceptions, issues with self-confidence, and other screwy thinking that can bump up against our success as sales professionals.

I’m talking about taking care of our most important relationships.

Success is much much more than cash money. We all know that you can have a horrible family life and still make stacks of cash.

I wonder if a life riddled with destroyed relationships, regardless of monetary success, should be considered success at all.

Reading: Zig Ziglar – See You at the Top. Chapter on marriage (Segment 3, Chapter 3)

Zig was a traditional old guy. While it’s obvious that See You at the Top is not a purely sales book, I don’t think I’ve read any other recent sales or success literature that dedicates a chapter to nurturing ones marriage.

I struggle with trying to use the chapter to prove that if one is at odds with his or her spouse, children, and other important relationships that he or she will not be successful as a salesperson. It’s simply not true. Everybody has a story of the complete jerk who seems to close every deal.

But ultimate success – legacy – does not place deals higher than relationships.

In my world, I know that I have to be vigilant around becoming obsessed with work to the detriment of my other relationships.

The way I perform as a professional is important to my legacy, but it’s much less important than my availability to my spouse and my children. If I blow past goals but fail to build into my children, what’s the point?

I appreciate Zig’s acknowledgment of this part of our lives.

How about you?

Where is your heart while you chase sales success? Do you think it even matters?

Until tomorrow….

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Other Reading and Listening

The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation 

I just started this book, and as my 6 year old said, “Daddy, you’re always reading like 5 books at a time,” so I might set it aside so I can finish Zig’s See You at the Top.  So far, though, it’s a great book about the profile of top sales reps.  Any of my success has had to come by leveraging my natural approach while super-imposing best practices. This book, so far, offers great suggestions based on exhaustive research, regarding how to move from being a ‘core’ or mediocre sales performer to a high performer.

More Social Media Marketing Podcast, with Michael Stelzner (and various guests).

I’ve been power-listening to a bunch of these podcasts. Over the last week or so, I’ve been catching up on shows dating back to May (It’s the day before Thanksgiving, if that tells you anything.

Some good ones…

Writing and Social: Why the Written Word Is Your Marketing Advantage – w/ Guest Ann Handley

Webinars: Growing Leads and Sales With Live Online Events w/ Lewis Howes

YouTube Growth: How to Grow Your YouTube Channel – w/ Steve Dotto

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Keep Your Eyes Open

One thing I never learned as an English major or as a seminary student was to keep my eyes open for opportunities.

You’d think I’d pick this skill up while studying to be a pastor, but I have a hard head.

Nope. It’s taken five years of pounding my brain with a steady stream of sales, leadership, and, yes, personal growth content to help me realize two things about keeping my eyes open.

  1. There are opportunities everywhere.
  2. There are people who could use a hand everywhere.

Usually, the two go hand in hand.

Since I’m currently (through March 1), working through what I’ve called the Dan Miller Challenge, I’ve had to be even more observant… on the lookout for opportunities to act on what I’m reading and listening to which, in turn, keeps me on the lookout for problems to solve, people to serve, and potential to stretch.

If the quality of our life depends on our ability, willingness, and availability to create value for others, then keeping eyes open for opportunities is nearly identical with giving people a hand (and being willing to accept some value in return in the form of money – since we’re talking business and sales).

Opportunities that popped up today

I’m currently in the middle of attending a conference, so I went with the goal of finding new opportunities.

Here are a few that I stumbled upon. Most of the opportunities were seed-planting opportunities, but I wouldn’t have noticed them 6 months ago.

  • I met a vendor at the conference whom I thought could benefit from one of my prospect’s products (a software to help mental health professionals who specialize in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). I’d met with this prospect just yesterday, so I approached the vendor and mentioned my prospective client’s software. She immediately recognized the creator’s name and let me in on a secret. My prospect, apparently, is a groundbreaker in the field of behavioral therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders.  I never would have known.
  • Many of the vendors at the conference are national child-serving organizations. I’ve normally considered those who work solely within my state as potential clients. This time through, I’m considering the possibility of serving these national organizations. Why not?
  • I had the opportunity to help encourage a colleague in her sales efforts, uncovering niche opportunities and focuses (at least I was giving it a shot).

Those three items might not seem like a huge deal. But the biggest takeaway for me is the fact that I was being much more intentional than I’ve been in the past.

If I want to 10X my business or if I want to exceed expectations or double revenue in just over 4 months from now, then I must learn how to help and serve more people.

I must be a value creator.

The same goes for you, incidentally. I know this sounds more like a journal entry than a blog post, but you do know that I’m just guinea pigging myself, right?

You, too, should keep your eyes open. Look for opportunities. They’re there. You might not make bags of cash each time, but you’ll be exercising the right muscles.

Let me know what opportunities your ran into today. Leave a note in the comments.

Until tomorrow….

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Reading and Listening Today

 48 Days Podcast: October 17-Nov 7, 2014 

Much of the content above comes from an overflow of power-listening to Dan Miller’s stellar podcast. It’s a special experience listening to 4 or 5 in one day (I had a long commute today).  The concepts and Dan’s creative way of viewing opportunities and shedding our self-imposed limitations make for some powerful car time.

Networking Is Not Working: Stop Collecting Business Cards and Start Making Meaningful Connections – Derek Coburn

My approach at this conference is being informed by Coburn’s book.  His is a wonderfully fresh approach to networking.  

See You at the Top – Zig Ziglar

I’m still making my way through Zig’s book. Today, I got into the chapter around marriage, that if you’re marriage is rough, then everything else will follow suit. My wife thanks you, Mr. Ziglar.

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Do Not Pass the Buck

I wanted to tell a story about how I did not pass the buck today. Given the nature of my business, it’s hard to figure out what wise disclosure on a blog might be, so we’ll just say that I passed the test and didn’t pass the buck.

It would have been easy to brush this situation under the rug. And I could have allowed someone else to unknowingly bear the brunt of the blame, but I didn’t.

I’m not saying this to brag and show off about how full of character I am. We all have strengths in our character. We all have weaknesses. Thankfully, at work, I’ve worked hard at being willing to take responsibility when I’ve fouled up. And it’s ever so tempting to pass the buck, to shew the blame on down the line.

There are a billion ways to pass the buck.

  • We can blame colleagues
  • We can blame our busy-ness
  • We can blame clients
  • We can blame the computer system or the ridiculous barrage of emails in my inbox.
  • We can blame the systems or the processes
  • We can always blame management. They’re always fouling up, no?

One thing I’ve had to put my foot down about at work is this: I’d rather be fired after admitting to having made a bad decision or screwed up on a task than develop the reputation for never taking responsibility.

This position on taking responsibility was affirmed today when I listened to Michael Hyatt’s podcast: Why Accountability is Vital for Leaders. I’ve heard the good Mr. Hyatt mention the importance of leaders taking responsibility many times.

Perfection isn’t possible, so why pretend like we never screw up?

If we fess up, then we’re teachable. If we’re teachable and hardworking, then we’ll improve or we’ll figure out we simply need to move on.

Taking responsibility – being accountable – for our performance helps a quality leader or manager uncover our weaknesses (even if we’re our own manager or leader). If we constantly gloss over our screw-ups, then we won’t give opportunity for teachable moments and growth.

Taking responsibility is vital not only to being a leader, but for growing.

I recently lost an opportunity to a competitor. It would have been easy to blame the situation and circumstances, circumstances that were beyond my control. My contact passed the decision regarding my potential proposal to a colleague. The colleague had a friend who offered the same services I do. The colleague’s friend got the business.

I could blame them for not giving me a fair shake, but that wouldn’t teach me a dang thing.

The better approach is to ask the right questions.

  • What could I have done differently?
  • Did I clarify well enough who the decision-makers were?
  • Did I trust my relationship with my main point of contact too much?
  • Did I provide enough value in my initial appointments?

Passing the buck shields us from having to stare at ourselves in the mirror and face our imperfections.

Taking responsibility? That sucks for a few moments, but it creates opportunities for growth and learning.

Where you do you tend to pass the buck? Where do you struggle with taking responsibility?

(Leave a response in the comments)

Until tomorrow…

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Reading and Listening (in addition to the Hyatt podcast mentioned above)

Grow Your Social Media Following with These 10 Different Kinds of Posts – This is Your Life (Podcast) with Michael Hyatt & Michele Cushatt

My Top Ten Favorite Books of All Time – This is Your Life (Podcast) with Michael Hyatt & Michele Cushatt

See You at the Top – Zig Ziglar

Links to Amazon.com are affiliate links. In other words, if you click and buy, then I get a commission. This is very much appreciated if you find any value in this blog. 

 

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