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Education

No need to fear As I entered, the hum of avionics surrounded me as I
searched wildly for the aircraft's manual. Tucked in a
selling in B2B panel toward the rear of the cockpit, there it was. I grabbed
it and rustled through the pages. Nose gear hookup had to
be in there somewhere. At last, I found it, complete with a
diagram and instructions on how to hook up the tow bar.
A few minutes later I was all set, heading back down to
connect the aircraft to the push-back tug where, in about
an hour, I would push 250 people and crew from the gate
to start their journey to New York.

Years later, I often think about this experience. I had
taken an airline job while waiting for a sales training
class to start at a future employer. My first task, on my
first night working at the airline, was to push a plane
loaded with passengers from the gate. I can still hear the
supervisor asking, "You know how to push a plane, right?"
I answered that of course, I did when I did not have a clue.
By Roger McNamara Not to worry. As a pilot, I knew everything was in the
manual. How hard could it be and what was there to fear?
Guide2Interchange I reasoned.

scending the airstairs of the jet bridge, I felt Shape your destiny
my heart pounding. I punched in the security
code for access, swung open the entry and pro- As B2B merchant supplier sellers, we have primal fears
A ceeded to the aircraft's door. A quick turn left, of rejection and the dreaded no from our prospects. As
and I raced through the first-class section of this massive a result, we fear failing and not making our goal, and
L-1011 airliner. Ahead and a step down lay the cockpit. finally, some of us fear not being liked by our customers,
which further adds to our sales woes. As B2B salespeople,
we will face a no or two along the way, as well as a ton of
rejection. It is part of the territory. The sooner we get used
to it and accept it, the better off we'll be. Few prospects I've
sold to have ever said, "We are so glad you're here; we've
been waiting to buy from you."
2021
Most sales situations are loaded with unexpected twists
STILL and turns. Sometimes we have the answers to the
questions customers ask; other times we do not, and we
where the industry meets seek an expert or manual for the correct answer. For the
merchant services community, much time and effort
gaylord opryland | nashville | july 25-27 have been spent getting B2C knowledge for this mature
segment of our portfolios.

As we enter B2B sales, we may lack the requisite
knowledge, accelerating the number of nos we get from
prospects. Getting a statement, hoping to save a business
a penny or two probably aren't words a supplier prospect
wants to hear. So, what can we do?
The first step is to be realistic. You and only you are
responsible for your destiny: you must be willing to self-
evaluate, self-improve and self-educate constantly. Can
you articulate the time-value of money and how you, as
one-stop shop to advance your POS sales a merchant seller, can reduce days sales outstanding for
• education a supplier? Are you able to talk the language of B2B, or
are you speaking in B2C, a dialect suppliers probably don't
• networking recognize and one that will surely mark you as foreign to
• meet suppliers them?

You may have received excellent product training from a
www.GoRSPA.org/RetailNOW gateway that you will need in B2B. But can you address

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