Salesmen and saleswomen along with entrepreneurs and small business owners are a busy lot. They scurry around the marketplace looking for suspects and prospects. Many remind me of hummingbirds quickly darting from flower to flower beating their wings in their ongoing quest to grab their golden nectar.
Yet, what I have observed is that those in sales suffer from the Activity Malady where they confuse activity results. Symptoms of this malady include:
Attending lots and lots of business networking events
Grabbing lots and lots of business cards
Scheduling lots of meetings
Having lots of breakfasts, lunches and dinners
From all of this activity, these industrious sales executives literally forget why they are engaged in all of these activities – to make sales.
One of the reasons for the increase of this Activity Malady is because of a recent event that has happened within the business world. Look on many business cards and you will see the infecting agent.
What I am speaking about is the removal of the word “sales” in the description of those involved in sales and the replacement with the word “business development.” Rumor had it that the word sales turned off people. My belief is turned off those in sales because those individuals believed that selling is hard.
I am a big believer in the power of words as words are directly tied to your beliefs. So what does it mean to develop business:
Meet people?
Collect business cards?
Share your expertise?
Yet, does the term business development mean to make a sale? From my observations, the answer to this question is "No." Too many people are out in the business world as business development whatever and company sales are suffering.
By using the word sales in the job title, individuals understand that their goal is to make sales and not just develop business. Heck, I could hold the door open for someone coming into my store and actually be developing business. Or I could wine and dine a client and be developing business. But, the real question that needs to be answered is “Am I achieving a sale?”
Until the focus returns to sales, many in the business world who hold the title of business development will continue to suffer from the Activity Malady and the goal to increase sales will not be achieved.
Sales Coaching Tip: Lose the Business Development Title If You Want to Increase Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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