The Redcoats are Coming

September 22, 2009 by QBS Research, Inc.
Filed under articles

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It’s time to seriously ‘question’ traditional approaches.

In fact, isn’t it amazing how some of the strategies and techniques of yesteryear, ideas that were once thought to be state of the art, end up, in hindsight, being exactly the opposite of what actually makes sense?

Take the revolutionary war, for example. Honestly, I can’t think of anything that seems more silly than dressing up in a bright red uniform, marching out into an open field, and then standing as tall as possible, in a line of other similarly outfitted redcoats, just to be shot at by the opposition. But, that’s how entire armies used to engage in battle, mostly because it was the traditional approach.

Ironically, some of the traditional sales approaches for dealing with prospects and customers are just as antiquated.

Take cold calls, for example. How receptive are you to sales callers who start with an ‘elevator pitch’ about their product, followed by:

"I’m calling to introduce myself…"
"I just wanted to take a few minutes of your time…"
"I wanted to have the opportunity to show you our solutions…"
"I’d like to ask a few questions to see if you qualify for a special offer…"

Really? The customer should take the call because a salesperson they don’t yet know or trust wants to introduce themselves? How receptive are you to such cold calls? I bet the answer is, not so much. Yet sellers continue to make these calls and beat their heads against a wall, because "it’s how we’ve always done it"–the traditional approach.

I am not suggesting that you shouldn’t make sales calls, or initiate contact with prospective customers. Creating revenue opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t exist will continue to be an important part of every salesperson’s role. I am simply calling into question the status quo, and linking your future to approaches that no longer make sense.

When delivering ‘live’ QBS training or speaking events, one of the questions I always get asked has something to do with someone wanting to know if I experienced an epiphany that caused me to change my approach. The answer is yes, although it happened over time as opposed to being hit by a lightning bolt or having a single idea pop into my head.

I used to focus on my sales approach. How did I want to manage tomorrow’s meeting, or how was I going to accomplish certain goals. Fortunately, it started to occur to me that the customer didn’t really care about my goals.

The most important thing sellers need to focus on today stems from one simple question: "How do you want to be perceived by your prospects and customers, not to mention coworkers, friends, family, or your boss?" Ask yourself, what’s in it for them?

Unfortunately, the revolutionary war example points out the fallacy of relying on traditions for success, but it doesn’t offer much direction for the salesperson who wants to build mutually beneficial business relationships. You don’t want to go to war against your customers, and there’s no point in engaging them in battle. You may want to duck your head a bit, however, instead of just making a bunch of cold calls and hoping for the best.

I have now published five books, where the underlying theme of each is stepping outside the box of traditional thinking, in order to differentiate yourself along with your company and products. At the end of the day, being successful in selling is ultimately about two things: helping people and communicating effectively.

The best part is, every time a sales conversation goes well, the customer always "thanks" the salesperson for their help. That’s right! Every time a sales call ends in a win for the customer, the customer thanks the salesperson for their help.

Think about it. When was the last time you got thanked for making a cold call?

Tags: Sales Mananagement