Rainmakah's Blog

Here’s a rule that has been around for a long time. If you’re in sales you know it and need to remind yourself of it often. In sales, the rule states that 20% of your customers will generate 80% of the revenue. Once your target audience is identified it’s all about delivering your message and value proposition. Invest in the things, that work,  that you do well and that are effective. You’ll see results. Never give up.

Are they all that different? Manufacturing, Financial, Healthcare, Retail, State and Federal Government. The process and the acronyms may be different, but the challenges are the same. Do you understand their business, their current environment, and problems that keep them up at night? If you don’t, you need to do your homework. Research their company using One Source, Hoovers, WSJ and Buzz. Read all  their press releases/ news and their competitors. Read executive speeches, mission statements, analysts reports, and attend the events and seminars they do. If you do all this, you’ll find the one secret.

Sometimes your selling to one. Sometimes to a group. Understand the politics taking place and respect all opinions and roles. There may be several forces at work in the room, least of which is price. I’m always thinking. How is each person measured and how do you make them successful. You’re being scrutinized by your competitors sponsor so always take the high road. If your competitor has a strong point acknowledge it. Hopefully they will buy from you because you offered the best solution, but beware of the politics.

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. Calvin Coolidge

To think years ago a sales person would send a letter to the General Store telling them when they were coming for a visit. We had the telegram, the phone call, and the  fax. Now we have email, Instant Messaging, texting , FaceBook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and the most effective but sometimes most difficult, face to face

So why is it so hard to get a response? Find out how your prospect likes to communicate. Be creative. Don’t give up… Anyone have a pigeon?

 “The essential nature of matter lies not in objects, but in interconnections.” As these interconnections extend out from objects, all things are then interconnected at the subatomic level. “Ultimately, whether we like it or not, we’re all part of one inseparable web of relationships.” The Movie Mindwalk.