Tales of Sales Experience
by Bob Myatt
1996 was my worst selling year ever, and I submit to you the following reason:
Every sales person dreams of landing big corporate accounts. Just imagine selling one or two accounts that make your entire year. However, we must really force ourselves to get a grip on reality. Dealing with giant accounts is often a nightmare rather than a dream come true. This road requires the sales professional to work hard for a long time, spend lots of travel money, and the rewards won't necessarily be as great as imagined.
Even in those
cases when you know someone on the inside, say a Vice President,
chances are that there are many hundreds of VPs in the corporation,
and your acquaintance may not even know who the real decision maker
is.
Expect to spend a lot of time on pricing. It is often true that large businesses are not price sensitive or are used to paying higher prices to assure better quality, but they also know that your competition is just as eager for their business.
Should you give up on large or corporate type accounts? The answer may be "Yes." You must remember that you will waste a lot of time on long closing cycles, time that you may not have.
Small to medium sized businesses are quicker and easier to secure,
they give you cash flow, and they can even be more profitable in the
long run.
Keep your hand in trying to sell a small number of
upscale businesses, but don't let it consume your selling life.
Want to see your name in print? The Green Sheet is looking for Tales of Sales Success. It's a jungle out there, tell us your adventures on the selling blacktop. What advice do you have for dealing with the natives? How can other Sales Professionals avoid the land-mines and quagmires that lurk along the selling process? Share your insights, experience, and hard-earned knowledge with other readers. Stories should be 100-150 words in length. Hardcopy and handwritten submissions will be accepted. The Green Sheet will PAY you if we use your story $50 for handwritten submissions and $100 for typed or computer formatted stories. Send your submissions to Julie O'Ryan, Associate Editor, via e-mail greensheet@greensheet.com or snail-mail at P.O. Box 6008, Petaluma, CA 94955-6008.
