Sales Leaders, Bring Out Your Inner Cowboy
Sales Prospecting Perspectives is pleased to bring you a guest post from Jamie Shanks, Social Selling Expert at Sales for Life.
Last week, I was speaking to a client who was really down in the dumps. He had just found out minutes before our training session that a multi-million dollar engagement had fallen through. They had been selected months before hand, and now it was T&C’s time, but their prospective buyers’ inner circle was just too indecisive. Our client was extremely frustrated, as the ROI was there, the discounts in place… but their prospective buyer just couldn’t make up their mind.
After my training, I thought about my conversations with similar “Status Quo” VPs of Sales. It boggles my mind that a VP of Sales can also be caught in the limbo of indecision. Imagine saying to someone: “I know exactly how to help your sales team, and you, make more money. I will guarantee this will provide a great ROI.” Yet amazingly, there are VPs of Sales that say NO, and are just happier thinking they have all the answers.
Question: Did you not become the VP of Sales because you had been aggressive and drove next steps in your sales career? Were you not the gun-slinger that got things done?
Those that make decisions will always prevail. Cowboys thrived because they were willing to ride into uncharted territory and adapt to the harsh environment. A cowboy is the personification in the book READY, FIRE, AIM, about business leaders taking action, rather than suffering paralysis from analysis.
I pose this question back to you, the CSO of your company - How are you pushing the boundaries of your business? The world is changing, and there is no reason to swim the new waters alone. Don’t be stubborn and think you have to do it all alone. Instead, find partners that complement your existing efforts.
If you’re not creating enough inbound leads, why aren’t you finding a partner to supplement?
If your inside sales reps are unsure about basic sales techniques, or are not grasping your teachings, are you looking for outside help?
The buyer is more social, yet can you help your sales team master LinkedIn and other social tools? Have you looked into training?
The Bottom Line: If you don’t want to be left behind the 8 ball – you need to start to take action, like a cowboy. The following dozen blog posts on Social Selling strategies using LinkedIn can help you start. If you are really looking for some hidden gems on how you can attract a very specific prospect, I recommend you check out 42 LinkedIn Tips. Find the topic of Social Selling interesting? Click below to book a time in my calendar to explore further!
Jamie Shanks is one of North America’s leading Social Selling experts. He has personally built Social Selling solutions in nearly every industry, ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations. After proving great success, he decided to help other technology firms build Sales 2.0 models under the brand Shanks Group Inc. In December 2011, Jamie saw the opportunity to merge Shanks Group Inc. with Sales for Life to form a leading Social Selling agency.
