I enjoy working with startups and small businesses. Their necessary focus on immediate action and results makes it rewarding. Interestingly, I often discover the companies with growth challenges, have nobody who is their proud seller. Why is that?
I recently talked with the ownership team of a startup having sales difficulties. They shared their business plan and organization chart and the owners were listed as President, VP Product Development, and VP Marketing. I asked who owned sales and the President said, “We all do.” I was glad to hear that but when I asked to see their sales plan the President said, “That’s why you’re here.”
They expected their low price to attract customers but that wasn’t happening. When I asked who was charged with prospecting their president said, “Unfortunately, none of us are good at putting on a suit and doing lunch.” I said, “No worries–MBA schools have classes on suits and lunch.” The president caught my sarcasm and they’ve since built a new job description for a VP of Sales.
In small businesses, everyone does everything—including sales. I find myself advising on people management, marketing, budgeting, and other things I’ve tackled in my career. However, one thing commonly surfaces that hurts sales. Business owners don’t have someone who is their proud seller and they don’t define sales as a specific role in their business plan. Three reasons why:
Great products/services sell themselves – No matter how good your offering is there are always others claiming to be better. If they’re selling and you’re not, you will lose. Even in today’s information age, you cannot guarantee that customers will see the information you intend—you must help them.
Price will win the business – The age-old business axiom still applies—price is not a strategy. Strategies articulate the thing you’re counting on to win, in the long-term. Price can attract customers for a while but if it’s the only thing you offer, your only response to competitive pricing is to lower price—not sustainable for any business. If, instead, you’re counting on customers to believe that you have the best product quality, customer service, ease of use, etc., you have a viable offering and something for proud sellers to sell.
Nobody wants to do it – Sales will forever suffer from negative stereotypes because everyone has had a bad experience where tricks, smooth-talking, and/or mistruths were used. I’ve worked with multiple small business leaders who use titles like Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Evangelist, and VP Business Development, because their executives don’t want to have sales in their title. The disastrous outcome is that nobody is accountable for growing sales.
The acceptance of two realities would benefit all small business leaders. First, as Daniel Pink says in his bestselling book To Sell Is Human, we are constantly trying to, “… coax others to part with resources.” We are asking people to spend time, effort, or money that they might not otherwise spend. Whether in business or everyday life, whether salesperson or CEO, the buyer knows we’re selling.
Second, and most importantly, you choose how you sell and, therefore, how you’re perceived. You can be the proud seller who wins lifelong customers or the stereotypical seller who wins lifelong disdain–it’s up to you. It’s best if you have someone who is a proud seller, and a proud seller for you. If you can’t yet afford to hire a dedicated salesperson then that proud seller must be you.
No matter your title, your job is to sell yourself, your company and your product. Common traits of Bill Gates, Sheryl Sandberg, Steve Jobs, and Meg Whitman–they sell. More importantly, they’re proud sellers of their products and services.
©Rick Wong – The Five Abilities® LLC
