Last week I led a two-day new business development workshop for a client on the west coast. What a treat to work with this company. Great culture. Proud heritage. Engaged executive team. True consultative sellers. Fun outspoken people. We had a blast. The two days flew by.
During day one, we got into a “healthy” discussion about the role and effectiveness of business development reps (BDRs) and the leads they were contributing to the sales team’s funnel. As you might imagine, there were differing views on how dependent seller’s should be on leads and appointments produced by the BDRs. Then, at just the right moment, and delivered with perfect tone and attitude, a top-producing true blue sales hunter dropped this gem on the room:
“Appointments set for us by the BDRs should be viewed the same way we view the Social Security portion of our retirement income – as gravy.”
And there you have it. I’ve never heard it put better.
I doubt that there are too many (or any) people reading sales blogs and books who are “hoping,” or counting on Social Security payments to sustain them in retirement. Similarly, I don’t know a single A-player sales hunter who lives completely dependent on others (or the company) to provide sales opportunities and keep the funnel full.
Yet, so many salespeople live everyday in reactive mode, as victims, hoping for good leads to be served up for them on a silver platter. This is 180 degrees opposite of how top-producing consistent quota-crushers operate. Sales winners take full personal responsibility for keeping their pipelines healthy and full, and doing whatever is necessary – including prospecting – to make that happen.
And while we are on the topic of top sales producers, personal responsibility for results, and prospecting, let me take this opportunity to point you to a fantastic book I’ve mentioned before that officially releases this week. I was honored that Mark Hunter asked me to write the introduction for High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results. You will not only really enjoy reading High-Profit Prospecting, you are going to benefit greatly from it. For a quick taste of what’s in the book and why it’s very much needed today, watch this short video where I shared a few thoughts with Mark Hunter:
Excerpts from my Introduction to High-Profit Prospecting:
“In a powerful, clear, actionable way, Mark Hunter provides exactly what you need to find the best leads and drive breakthrough sales results! In a logical, easy to follow progression, Hunter walks the reader step-by-step through the why’s and how’s of effective prospecting. With a sharp sword he slays the myths about prospecting and silences today’s idiot (supposed) sales gurus who wrongly proclaim that prospecting is dead (Chapter 2). From there he tackles your attitude, mindset, and motivation (Chapter 3) – all of which are absolutely critical because what we believe and what drives us has an even greater effect on our results than our selling skills.”
“Chapters 4 through 8 help you plan your attack, point out the pitfalls and traps along the way, provide helpful definitions (contrasting prospects and suspects), and most importantly, make the case that Time. Is. Your. Most. Precious. Resource. Don’t blow through Chapter 6. Let Hunter’s message soak in. Prospecting doesn’t call you. There is always something more attractive, more urgent or easier to do. If you don’t carve out blocks of time for prospecting it won’t happen. And the harsh reality is that you might have a killer sales personality, the best phone technique, and sharpest sales story, but if you don’t take back control of your calendar and set appointments with yourself to prospect, it won’t happen. I like to say that no one defaults to prospecting mode, and Hunter drives home that point as clear as day.”
“…The balance of the book (Chapters 20-24) will stretch you and raise your game to new levels. Hunter shows you how to do the tough stuff…how to succeed getting past (or befriending) high-level gatekeepers; how to navigate the maze and run the gauntlet during complex enterprise level prospecting; why, how and when (literally when –as in exact times of day) to prospect right into the C-Suite. The material in these closing chapters is priceless. Mark Hunter shares how he masterfully prospected into the highest levels of big organizations and he provides the roadmap and instructions so you can do it, too.”
“Are you ready to stop living in reactive mode, as a victim of whatever leads happen to come your way? Would you like to learn what top sales producers do day-in and day-out to keep their pipelines full? Then grab a pen and a pad and turn the page. Your pipeline, your sales, the profit you contribute to your company, and your career are about to dramatically improve.”
High-Profit Prospecting is already selling like crazy on Amazon. Head over to get your copy now.
