Sales Training – A rant on priorities and aligning to necessity

Posted on February 10, 2009 by Karl Goldfield.
Categories: Ask the Coach, Sales Training.

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Sorry to go on another rant…not really. I am sitting here listening to these house and senate Republicans and I am wondering who is really buying this steaming pile of “please”. This gang wants us to believe that they have a solution when really they are just looking at getting themselves in the good graces of their constituents by fighting the President. Now that they have failed at that, they turned to attacking the “Old House Dem’s” who allegedly authored this bill. These guys need to be taken to the back alley and put out of their misery.

See, Charlie Crist, the Governor of Florida has it right. See Crist is a Republican, and he is still backing the stimulus package, and it is apparent why. See it is apparent to EVERYONE WHO IS HURTING OR CARES ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE HURTING, that if we do not get some relief going, we are going to slip into a depression. Then we are all going to have to give up a lot. Forget your blackberry, forget satellite TV, most of us will be scraping for food and shelter. You know what, that sounds like a lot of fun.

Someone is advising these Republicans in the house and senate to think politically not practically. This is folly and a lack of priorities. They are convinced that being on the President’s team puts them at risk. They are wrong. Win or lose on this package, it is clear that Obama is going to be the winner here. If he succeeds, then everyone who opposed him should just retire. If he fails, those that fought him will be blamed. He is telfon don, slickwilly, and Rico Suave all wrapped into one. The people advising these politicians are fool-hearty and wrong.

Now, you may be asking, “Karl, what the f–, does this have to do with sales, you psychopathic leftie!” First of all, this is not about your politics, this is about doing what is right. That is what this has to do with sales, because good sales people always do what is right. Their top priority is serving those they want to call customers. The company may pay the bills, the sales may fuel the paycheck, but the customer is the only catalyst that can put you into a successful role.

Some things to think about:

Even in hard times a bad sale is one to walk away from. What is a bad sale?

Delivering product to someone who will not benefit from it.
Glossing over your weaknesses when you know they will afftect the customer.
Putting in an offering that is not the best option for a potential client.

Moving fast for the sake of doing more will not necessarily translate to more sales

This is for you sales leaders out there. Do not increase the metrics, increase the research. Find out who is worth calling and stop spinning your wheels.
Targeting is the key and it requires pateince. If you are drowning, it is time to call for a life preserver. That preserver is intelligence or a better lead cultivation plan.

The point my fellow sales people is a simple one. Do not align with what you think will score you points, just do what is right. If you think this way, you will always perservere, even in the darkest of times. Let’s see how many repubs lose their seats in 2010 for playing the game instead of doing what is right.

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5 comments.

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Sales Loudmouth

Comment on February 10th, 2009.

Karl,
When you write about the economy – a subject in which you are most assuredly not an expert – you leave your credibility about all subjects in question.

Your friend,

Tim

olivia

Comment on February 11th, 2009.

Right man! Althogh politics should not be related to business, They actually are the same, although. Business is Marketing, Marketing is like politics: Please the people.

Oli

Karl Goldfield

Comment on February 11th, 2009.

Tim,

As a pragmatic capitalist with a Keynesian slant, I can see how an obvious fiscal conservative may feel that way. What is interesting is you assume that the son of a political scientist who studied the history of market economies knows nothing about the economy. That is not the rub; the big factor is that my post is not really about the economy at all.

My post is about the bad decisions Republican congressmen and senators are making in fighting this bill. They know they are goin to lose, and that the bill is a solution that must happen. Most of them have admitted it at one point or another. What my post is about is looking out for your own interests in a role that is designed to ask you to look out for others.

We can agree to disagree about economics or politics, but I think you would be hard pressed to argue with that.

Always friends,

Karl

Top Sales Blog

Comment on February 13th, 2009.

Karl,

I’ll have to disagree with you here – the democratic republic we live in was meant to have a “clash” of ideas. For all those who oppose the Iraq War and other things President Bush put forth (I’m not stating that this is my opinion or not here), a loyal opposition might have stopped them in their tracks. Either we have opposition or none at all. The republic of the US is built on the idea that gridlock is good, as legislation is difficult to pass. It also seems that every time everyone gets in lock-step behind a president, the country ends up suffering. You see this time and time again throughout the history of the U.S.

My point here is simple, legislation should be difficult to pass and deserves scrutiny. If not, these folks up in D.C. would be passing anything they want. President Obama will get this bill passed, but it will cost him some of his political juice.

Thanks for post…

Will Fultz

Karl Goldfield

Comment on February 14th, 2009.

Will,

My post’s point is not that the Republicans should fall in line just because. My post’s point is that it is their job to look after the interests of their constituents, and instead they are making choices to serve their personal interest. This grandstanding is not for the good of the nation, it is for the good of the few. That is a bad way to act in politics and in sales. The parallel I was making is related to how sales people like politicians should serve those they work for. Sales people work for their prospects and customers and should have their best interests at heart.