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Guest post by: Leanne Hoagland-Smith Become an Author

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Over 149 years ago on April 12, Fort Sumter received the first shots from the South and the American Civil War began. I then began thinking how in many cases sales people “fire on” their potential prospects or customers from business networking event to that actual first sales call.

Firing on prospects or potential customers is all about, as my friend and colleague Bill Naplolitano, being Captain Wing It. These type of sales people go all around “Spraying and Praying” (my explanation) their actions without rhyme or reason.

The other thought I had was about how sales people also engage in Fire Aim Ready marketing and selling behaviors. Action is taken without being ready meaning no marketing research. Then there is no sales growth action plan that sets a predetermined course for future behaviors specific to target market. Part of the reason for this behavior is the confusion between marketing and selling.

From my observations, this confusion begins in part with sales training coaching because so many of these learning engagements be them seminars, workshops or even college courses focus far more of the time on sales skills while ignoring marketing beyond business networking and the infamous elevator speech. Until others know about you, you may have the best products or services, but you will still not be able to increase sales.

So if you have some time to reflect as this New Year begins, be honest with yourself. Are you focusing your marketing and selling actions on specific targets or are you engaged in:

• Playing Captain Wing-It?
• Selling first with no to limited ineffective marketing?
• Fire, Aim, Ready sales behaviors?

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