Selling Lessons From The Neighborhood

We live on a cul-de-sac in our neighborhood and I was struck by two events this week in terms of their application to selling.

First, in a game of wiffle ball this week my daughter Madison hit the ball and then realizing the second baseman was going to beat her to first base and she would be out, decided to run back to home crying!  That made me think of some of the reasons sales people get called out at first base on the initial prospect call...and how they go back to the office wondering "how did that happen?"

Secondly, Madison has swim practice every day in the morning...and I mean every day Monday through Friday.  But her friend Logan from across the street has not yet given up in the hope that he will get a different response when he comes across the street to see if she can play.  Every day the door bell rings.  Every day it is Logan asking if Madison can play.  And every day it is me telling him she is at swim practice and will be home after lunch.  These porch step conversations with Logan remind me of sales people who keep calling on the same prospects over and over again but expecting a diffent outcome and who do this primarily because the prospect will at least take their call.

Translation - make sure you are knocking on the right doors...with people who have compelling reasons to speak with you...and that you have a plan for getting past first base (without crying).

Comments

[Tim de jardine]

:) very true post. We have all been there. I remember at the start of my career I experienced both those situations.