Creating Sales "Wins"
This insight is Part I in a four part series that will be released through the month of November. At the end of the article there are additional links to the remaining insights.
What is a win for you?
When you're in sales, especially sales with a longer cycle, it's easy to get discouraged. There are days where you might think you've accomplished nothing, because you didn't get the "win" of closing on a deal. It's understandable. Closing a deal gets you paid; and, if you're like most salespeople there's a rush of excitement that comes with the closing.
It is, however, a mistake to rely on the rush of a closing as your only win. Think of sales like a marathon. The closing is the moment you cross the finish line. It feels great, but those last few steps are not what made the race. Sure, steps 50-245 may not be as glamorous as those last few over the line. You may have had a rush of excitement at the end that carried you across the line, but what really counted was back on step 500 where you felt like quitting. When it seemed like maybe a sale wasn't going to happen, but you decided to stick it out. Those small steps are the true wins.
Your true wins are easier to control than closings. They may not be as glamorous on the surface, but they definitely count. In fact, they count even more, because without them you'll never have a chance to win. Crossing the finish line/closing the sale is always the end result, but to get there more often you need to truly understand what a win is in your sales process. Your "win" is unique as it should be based on personal goals, your skill set, and your sales process, but it's easy to discover. True wins include being able to answer:
If you focus on these smaller, but easier to influence wins, two things will happen:
It's important to realize that not every day is the exact same when it comes to winning. Just like in a race, pace is vital. A successful salesperson understands that they are in control of their wins. It's up to you to create a balance that works best for you. That balance doesn't have to be the same day in and out. That balance comes from knowing what a "win" is each and every day. You achieve this through "intentional imbalance." Join us next week to find out more...
Creating Sales Wins Series
If you would like to continue receiving weekly Insights please click here to join our Business Owner Insights. This weekly newsletter is tailored to business owners and features topics such as sales, marketing, management, leadership, and more. If you join you'll also receive notifications on our upcoming 2018 newsletter which will be specific to the Financial Services Industry. To learn more about our work in the Financial Services Industry click here. |
Receive Business Owner Insights by email
