The qualit our fiailure

tTt"t sELLER wHo

makes $50K a I year looks at the seller making $200K a year and says, "That guy is a machine! I wish I had his account base and his gift of gab... I'd be killing it... I guess I'll never be a natural.... I hope I get lucky and get some big accounts... (like him)."

This logic is flawed. The $50K salesperson calls 100 people and gets 98 no's. The $200K seller calls 100 people and gets 92 no's. Both are in the "high-rejection" business, but the master seller is getting four times as many yes's as his less remunerated competitor. It just seems to the struggling seller that life at a higher income is easier.

It's not easier. The master seller is in the 927o rejection business! The master seller receives more no's than the journeyman seller because he asks for the order more. He has a higher quality of failure.

Every Gall ls a Marketing Gall

Think about your last (major) purchase. How many times had you seen that car, golf club, or cruise advertised before you made the decision to buy?

Advertisers say we have to see an ad seven times before it makes an impression on our brains. Fifty percent of salespeople call back once (which means 507o don't even call back!). Twenty-five percent call back twice. Only lOVa call back more than twice! Per the rules of advertising, only lJ%o o[ salespeople call enough to make an impression on new customers. (How many call seven times?)

Every call we make is a marketing call. Within those marketing calls there will be sales calls, but every call we make sends a message to our customers and our industry about who we are. For example:

Seller: "I've got a great deal on a block of studs. They are selling well. We had 20 and we are down to 10. How many would you like?

Customer: "I don't need any right now; I'm full up."

Seller: "What areyou buying?"

Message: I'm here for the order.

Seller: "I've got a good deal on studs... etc."

Customer: "I don't need any right now... etc."

Seller: "What is your current stud position? How are sales on studs? What is your average cost on studs? When will you be buying back in? What's the best you've seen on studs in the last week?"

This seller asks detailed questions about the customer's business. Message.' I amyour partner.l am not (just) here to sell you something.l want to get to know you and your business.

Many sellers send "I'm just here for the order" messages and wonder why they are treated poorly. The opposite is also be true. Many sellers are trying to be so congenial-whatever you say, Mr. Customerl-that they send the message that they don't want the business. They confuse unctuousness with being a partner.

Account Development Progression

They take our call.

They give us some time on each call.

They sporadically buy.

. They buy on a regular basis, making us a secondary or tertiary supplier.

We become their #l supplier.

In terms of business development, we have to become the secondary or tertiary supplier with many and continue quality work until we become the main supplier to a few more. This is the beginning of many great sales careerssecondary supplier to many.

It takes time to become a number one supplier with anyone. What does that mean to us building sales careers? It means that while we are building our business, every call is being judged and measured by our account base-even when they don't buy.

Want Dontt Need

Every time we contact a customer we send a message to them and ourselves. Our potential customers and our own psyche are listening to every word.

"l want your busi- needycustomers and other humans run from the needy-they ; make us feel uncomfortable.

"I don't need your order. I've got plenty of orders (again, without being arrogant)."

Message: "What I need are more partners. Do yqu want to be my partner? "

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