Todd Thiewes

Stan was frustrated. He kept getting “shot down on price” during discussions with prospective buyers. He knew he was supposed to talk directly about money issues before making a presentation… but somehow, he never seemed to iron out the details in a way that gave him a clear sense of whether the buyer felt his pricing was acceptable. 

Marina was having some problems with the opening phases of her sales process. Her early discussions with prospects were rarely productive. She sat down with Fred, her manager, and did some role-playing in the hope of improving her interviewing technique.

Jane, a new sales hire, was settling into her workspace on Friday morning, all ready to celebrate the first quarter in which she’d been able to exceed her revenue target… when she got a voicemail message that made her stomach churn.

Eliza, a new sales hire, had posted an abysmally low closing ratio in her first 60 days on the job. She was spending most of her time with prospects who ended up picking her brain for advice and information... and then disappearing. Frank, her manager, asked her during a coaching session why she thought that was happening.

Ryan, a salesperson in his mid-fifties, had hit a performance plateau. His commissions had been flat for the past six months, and he had narrowly missed quota in each of those months.

As adults, we are often taught to never give mental recognition to the possibility of failure. You must succeed, be a winner, to lose is not an option. While these are positive mindsets the fact is they’re not always realistic in the real world.

Those who have not worked in the day-to-day competitive world of business development often misunderstand the world of professional sales. Many think it’s all about being the gregarious, extrovert who can sweet-talk his/her way to the prospect’s wallet.

As sales managers, we’re all familiar with the conversation. One of your sales reps is making the case to pursue an opportunity and you question why. “It’s a big deal” is the response, “It’s right in our power swing”. Or perhaps, with candor entering the room, “I really need to win this”.

The three-point line is an arch drawn on a basketball court about 20 to 24 feet away from the basket, depending on which league you are playing in. A field goal made from inside the arch is worth two points, but one made from beyond the line is worth three.

Technology and the sales process have always gone together. The phone, the computer, and the GPS are old friends of the traveling sales representative. Today, the buyer's journey has evolved into online-heavy research and marketing, but technology, just a different sort, is still crucial to the sales process and its success.