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Just Do It!
| Guest post by: Meridith Elliott Powell |
Article Overview: If you want to turn your prospects into customers than you have to make the calls. Yes, you heard me, there is no free lunch, no way around it, if you want to be effective at sales then you have to Just Do It!
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Free Download - Make Your Networking Count! Relationship First, Business Second By Meridith Elliott Powell |
Just Do It!
The one thing a sales coach cannot do for you, no matter how
good they are, is actually make your sales calls for you. Sure they can go with
you if you like, support you on the call, but the actual growth of your sales
portfolio is up to you and you alone. The most important part of sales, the
"actual doing it" part, is something you need to execute.
While it is important to go through all the other steps, all the other rules,
none of those matter if you never walk out the door and actually make the call.
Making the call is important because you begin to build a relationship with
your client, you learn how to sell from actually doing it, and oh yes making
calls builds the bottom line and produces revenue.
So why do so many people fail to execute? I will have to admit this question
frustrates me. Why do people put so much time, effort and money into learning
how to sell and then not do it? What is going on here? I recently ended a
contract with a client in the field of medical sales. He hired me because in the
last two years his business has slowed down considerably. He had physicians
retiring, new competitors joining the market, and his company had changed his
territory. His challenge was moving from a strict referral based business, to
actually needing to hit the streets and develop new relationships, expand
existing relationships and establish new referral sources.
We worked to develop a solid plan, and spent a lot of time working on his
fears. (Which, I love to help people with, as I remember being very afraid to
go and sell. I am always happy to share my story and my steps for turning my
fear into positive passion) It had been years, since he had to go and make real
sales calls. I was empathetic to that, and we built a lot of support into his
coaching program. We also worked on skill to boost his confidence. We developed
his prospect list, developed strategies so all of his calls were warm vs. cold,
developed his conversations, his follow-up plans and pretty much covered all
the basis. He was ready to go! Unfortunately, he just never did. Each time we
met, each time we got together to discuss his progress, there was always some
excuse as to why he couldn't get out there and actually make the call. Things
like - He had to train a new employee, then he got buried in community
activities, his wife had surgery, his boss needed information and reports for a
critical meeting. Always some reason he could not get out the door and actually
sell.
After the first month, I asked him if he wanted to sell, if growing and
developing his sales base was something he truly wanted to do?He assured me it
was, but his words never matched his actions. desire. He failed to execute, and
as a coach you learn early on that desire is a personal choice, and while you
can provide environments that are inspiring, supportive, safe and motivating,
you cannot make anyone do anything - that is up to the individual.
So why do we fail to execute? I think part of it is what I like to call
the "Gym membership concept" Thinking that if you pay enough
money for something it will, just by osmosis, produce the desired result.
Simply by cutting the check or swiping the credit card, with no real effort on
our part, we will reap the benefits of what we paid for. Well, unfortunately,
there is no free lunch. If you want to gain the rewards of selling (or going to
the gym) , then you have to execute.
Failing to execute usually falls into one of the following categories:
Fear - you are simply just scared to execute. This one, when you break
it down actually makes a lot of sense. Most of us are afraid to do something we
have never done before and are not quite sure how to do. So, first accept
your fear and understand it is normal. However, the only way to get past fear is
to do the task, gain experience and get comfortable with the process. Also,
stop thinking and start doing. That is why children jump in with such
enthusiasm. They waste no time convincing themselves they can't or thinking
about what might happen, they just do it!
Data Distraction - you research, gather information and study to the
point of exhaustion.
Selling does not have to be perfect it just needs to get done. Don't get lost
in over studying or over planning. Sure you need to be prepared before you go
on calls, but you do not need to be able to pass the an exam. Gather your
information and go make the call!
Inept Accountability - if no one - including yourself - is holding you
accountable then there is a good chance you are not going to execute. Studies
show that people with coaches are eighty percent more likely to produce results
than those without. While your boss or your coach is a great person to hold you
accountable, if you truly want to be effective, if you truly want to develop
your confidence then personal accountability needs to be at the top of your
list.
Personal Investment - execution both produces and is the result of
confidence. You need to learn your skill, invest in your education and continue
to learn from your results. Increase your investment in yourself and you will
increase your ability to execute.
The need to execute, actually go on the sales call, is not going to go away no
matter how much you avoid it or how many excuses you come up with. At the end
of the day, if you want to prospects into customers']);"> turn your prospects into customers you have to Just
Do It!
Article Tags: busienss sales, closing sales, no free lunch, prospects, sales effectiveness, sales strategies
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About the Author: Meridith Elliott Powell RSS for Meridith's articles - Visit Meridith's website Click here to visit Meridith's website   Engage Participate Connect That is How You Network Confidence Equals Sales Success Winners Embrace Competition Listening Key To Closing Sales There Is No Instant Gratification Winning In The Trust Value Economy |
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