Learn from the Leaders

From Jill Konrath's blog:

How You Can Sell Like the Very Best in the Whole Wide World

Posted: 02 Apr 2010 06:40 AM PDT

It's hot of the press. The 2010 MIller Heiman Sales Best Practices Study has just been released. One of the three key findings during this year of tough economic challenges was ...

...2009 saw sales organizations diving into lots of activity driving more by panic than by planning, such as cold calling and discounting.

On the other hand, World-Class Sales Organizations were four times more likely to apply comprehensive prospecting plans that focused on customers with a higher probability of moving through the sales cycle.

Amen! That's exactly what I've seen this past year - a panicky push for activity. More calls. More appointments. More prospects. Busy, busy, busy.

It reminds me of a The Gingerbread Man, a book I used to read to my kids when they were young. I'll never forget the lines:

"Run, run. As fast as you can. You can't catch me. I'm the Gingerbread Man."

Despite his taunts, he ended up being eaten alive - which is exactly what happens to sellers who are running as fast as they can too.

In today's business environment, planning and preparation are what's needed to be a world-class seller. It's not about being busy or making more, more, more calls.

ACTION ITEM

Be savvy. Take some time this week to identify the best companies for you to pursue. Ask yourself:

• What characteristics do my best prospects have in common?
• What were the primary issues and challenges they were struggling with?
• What goals and objectives were they striving to achieve?

Once you've identified these factors, you can then focus your sales efforts on organizations that meet these parameters. That's what world-class sellers do -- and you can do it too!

To download an executive summary of the 2010 Miller Heiman study, visit www.millerheiman.com/2010research

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