Conrey is for Closers

At the end of the day who decides if you were successful that day? Did you close a deal (or two)? Did you make the cold call you dreaded? Did you get some more leads? Did you do all of those things?

More importantly – If you didn’t, can you still be successful?

I would argue yes. As a salesman your success is your own responsibility, and you certainly will have outside forces who have goals for your production – but those should not be your standards for success. When I was selling cars there was a minimum expectation from higher ups for me to sell 15 cars a month. I was never happy unless I was selling 20. But even on the times when I wasn’t selling, if I was making my phone calls, making appointments, and doing the steps right – even if I wasn’t closing the deal – I felt as though I was being successful. Those two success parameters may seem as though they are at odds with each other, but I am a firm believer in the fact that the process will pay off if you follow it.

When you start to feel unsuccessful you can allow yourself to get into bad habits that will keep you from what has brought success in the past. You’re going to look for short cuts and quick ways to make the deal – even at a long term loss.

Define your own success in everything – and don’t be happy to just have the minimums. I am thrilled with 25-30 views per post on this blog – but that doesn’t qualify as a success for me – I want more. I was happy to sell 15 cars a month but I wanted 20 (and I got it). I’m happy to keep Integrum busy with work, but I want to be so busy we have to hire more people or turn work away.

What can you define your own success in today?

The AP ran a great story this week about the University of Michigan doctors found that when they admit that they made a mistake and offered compensation before the patient sued them that they actually had a lower number of suits filed.

Doctors aren’t perfect any more than you and I are, but this isn’t about the insanity of malpractice insurance, or law suits or insurance claims. This is about the UofM health care system doing the right thing. A sincere apology is the number one way to diffuse a situation where your client has ill will towards you. Why do you think we teach our kids to apologize as soon as they hurt someone’s feelings or push them off the playground?

When you screw up admit it, apologize and work as hard as you can to solve the problem. Offer them a discount, or a rebate, or some form of logical compensation. Fix the issue quickly in their mind and they’ll forget that there ever was a problem.

No really, love em. Love them like you love your wife/husband/girlfriend/whatever.

A real client should be a relationship with as much background, history, and built up trust as any truly loving relationship. Let me set the scene for you and tell me if this helps:

Your eyes meet from across the room, and suddenly you can’t take your eyes off her, she looks perfect even if you don’t know how to describe why. A few awkward sentences is all you can string together at first, but at least you were able to score her number. After a few aborted attempts at calling, you finally work up the nerve to stay on the line after she picks up and you somehow are able to convince her to go on a real date with you. Dinner is nice, the movie is lame, but she laughed at your jokes and you both can feel something special here. A few more dates later and the awkwardness is gone, and you two feel so comfortable around each other that you don’t even need to finish your sentences around each other. Sure you still bicker from time to time but you both know that you can’t be happier without the other one than with.

Now for the same thing but as a client/salesman:

You see their inquiry into your product and you just know that you are going to be perfect for their needs, even before you can know why. You scramble together a few awkward sentences in an email response but something at least gets them to give you some more information. After a few aborted attempts at calling, you finally work up the nerve to just make your pitch and run with it – somehow you convince them to meet you in person. The meeting is nice, you’re not on your A-game, but things seem to click a little and they laughed at your jokes and want to start moving forward with your product. A few more meetings and you both can tell that this is going to be a good fit and can start to see exactly where your mutual goals align well. Sure you still hit a few snags here and there, but you both know that neither one of you would be happier with someone else on the other end.

Overblown metaphors or not, if you aren’t spending as much time and effort into building the relationship with your clients that you would with a potential love interest, you’ll never get the ultimate reward. Go the extra mile, buy the metaphorical equivalent to flowers and a bottle of wine, make sure that your client knows that you are the only one that can really make them happy.

Just keep your pants on in this case, as that kind of rejection is the wrong one for this situation.