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Sales Victim or Sales Victor?
Written by: Leanne Hoagland-SmithArticle Overview: What would you do if the federal government left you with just one office after taking over 99% of your business? How long would you survive in face of this significant challenge? What does this piece of history have to do with your ability to increase sales?
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Free Download - How to Craft an Engaging Message That Highlights What You Do to Increase Sales By Leanne Hoagland-Smith |
Sales Victim or Sales Victor?
Two months after 9-11, I spoke to 100 local business owners and executives. During the keynote, everyone freely shared they had been negatively affected by that unforgettable day. However only 5 individuals in the room, two of which were my clients, had taken action by making course corrections to their strategic action plans.
The recent meltdown in the U.S. economy has affected many businesses especially those seeking credit to those desiring to increase sales. Yet, my belief is most sales people will not change; will continue to complain and will be the sales victim instead of being the sales victor.
Alan Deutschman, author of Change or Die, provided scientific evidence that revealed 9 out of 10 people will not change. His research revealed the facts, fear and force do not change people’s behaviors. For example, most people have the facts about risky health behavior, yet health care consumes 15% of the national GNP or $1.8 trillion. Even the fear of death after heart surgery does not change the behaviors of 90% of coronary bypass patients after 3 years.
Yet, in all of this doom and gloom, some companies embrace a "change and thrive attitude" instead of a "change and die." One such company is Wells Fargo. According to local Northwest Indiana Wells Fargo mortgage expert, Dru Bocek, Wells Faro is one of the strongest financial institutions in the US. Forbes ranks Wells Fargo in the world’s top 50 companies and is one of America’s 30 largest private employees with more than 168,000 team members. Their financial stability ($100 billion in stock market value) allowed them to make a bid in early October of 2008 to acquire both the assets and liabilities of Wachovia without any government, that means taxpayers’, assistance.
Two gentlemen, Henry Wells and William Fargo started this business, Wells, Fargo & Co., in 1852 to serve the west. Services included banking as well as express freight. By 1918, this business had established its presence in 10,000 communities until the federal government took over that year and left Wells Fargo with just one bank in San Francisco.
The bank could have succumb to being a Victim of government interference, but instead returned in 5 years to becoming the “banker’s bank” serving all of the west. Forty years later, Wells Fargo became a regional bank in California and in another 20 years had expanded across the country to the East Coast capturing its former tag line of “Ocean to Ocean.”
Wells Fargo is a great example of how businesses can change and thrive by adopting an attitude of Victor instead of Victim. This attitude is demonstrated in their Vision and Values statement: "Our product: SERVICE. Our valued-added: FINANCIAL ADVICE. Our competitive advantage: OUR PEOPLE."
What does this piece of business history mean for you as a sales professional, small business owner, solo-entrepreneur to C suite executive? Everything! For today, you can become the Wells Fargo of your niche market or industry.
Take Action Sales Coaching Tip: Understand what makes your sales great. Then align your sales goals to achieve that greatness.
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Article Tags: alan deutschman, assets and liabilities, bocek, coronary bypass, doom and gloom, fear of death, health behavior, heart surgery, henry wells, indiana wells, mortgage expert, northwest indiana, private employees, stock market value, two gentlemen, unforgettable day, wachovia, wells fargo, wells fargo mortgage, wells faro
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About the Author: Leanne Hoagland-Smith RSS for Leanne's articles - Visit Leanne's website  Her book, Be the Red Jacket is a no-nonsense and quick read to help discover potential gaps that may be keeping you from your goal to increase sales. The forward is by Evan Carmichael of EvanCarmichael.com Remember if you think you cannot or you think you can either way you are right. (Henry Ford). Sales Coaching Tip: Change your thoughts; improve your results. Click here to visit Leanne's website   Business Building Check List Leadership Audit For Business Leadership Assessment |
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Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
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I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz]
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