June 11, 2024

Good morning!

What if sales is a science? If it is, many salespeople are hosed.?

One of the oft-repeated mantras from the sales-is-an-art-crowd is that it's all about relationships and understanding people. Some say that sales success relies on nuance and intangibles, being able to say the right thing or craft the right solution and present it in a customized, highly personal way.

OK.

What if that's actually not correct??

I won't argue that relationships, emotional intelligence, and hyper-personalization aren't important in sales. Of course they are. They are the ante and the table stakes needed to get into the game.?

I think sales is a science. It relies on data-driven strategies that can be tested, refined, measured, and improved. There are steps. To proceed in the sales process (assuming there is a sales process), conditions must be met. Sales is a skill, and because of that, it can be learned.

Salespeople are not born. They are made.?

If sales is a science, then there are questions that we must answer along the way. For example:

• What is your strategy for building trust with another human being??
• Can you clearly define your ideal prospect and describe "too small" and "too large?"?
• What are the specific problems that your clients call you about, and what are the best questions to uncover?
• What is your questioning strategy??
• Do you have your sales process written down??

I could go on.?

If you can't answer these questions, then you are likely either really new at sales or believe that sales is an art.?

Good luck.?

The Huddle is a weekly newsletter that is designed for leaders. Leaders must be learners. There is never a moment when leaders arrive. It's a never-ending growth process. I hope this can be a resource that you can use to stay sharp and share with your team.

With that, here are some things I ran across this week.?

You Have 22 Seconds. Go! - How long does it take for someone you meet to start sizing you up? It happens immediately.?

I've trained and coached Chip Massey, an author, consultant, and former FBI hostage negotiator. He's a top-shelf person and a bit of a savant when it comes to building relationships and understanding people.

I love this short clip . When you meet someone today, ask, "Are they trying to connect with me or impress me?" I also recommend his book?Convince Me .?

Unintended Consequences -?If you are of a certain age, you may remember Domino's Pizza's "at your doorstep in 30 minutes, or your pizza is free" slogan. It was brilliant.

"We could get in the car, go somewhere to eat, or just get Domino's to bring it. It'll be here in 30 minutes."

At the time, food delivery wasn't really a thing. Other pizza places delivered, but would it still be hot when it finally reached your door? With the 30-minute-or-it-free promise, Domino's solved that problem.?

This article examines the unintended consequences of a marketing strategy that promised pizza delivery in 30 minutes or less. This strategy inadvertently encouraged reckless driving. Drivers sped through parking lots and ignored red lights, leading to tragic accidents to deliver on time.

Unintended consequences are real. The goal was to increase sales, not endanger lives. When introducing new initiatives, it's crucial to consider our actions' second—and third-order effects.

Invest in Your People - In the lead-in this week, I shared that I believe selling is a science that can be taught. This made me wonder why few companies invest in training their people, especially in the revenue-producing area of sales.?

Many do, of course, but by and large, most don't.

In sales, it's likely the idea that salespeople are martyrs or vagabonds. If I train them, they will take the training, improve, and then leave for a better, more lucrative job.

That's fair.

But there is also the risk that you don't train them, and they?don't?leave for a better job. That's worse.?

I'm teaching a four-week sprint class in July, covering everything I know about prospecting . If you have someone on your team who wants to learn how to prospect in the 21st century (instead of the outdated ways that don't work), I encourage you to investigate.?

75 Quotes to Inspire Your Team - I like a good quote. Quotes are a bit like rules or axioms. They serve as a sort of shorthand for a deeper concept. I may not remember the concept, but I can remember the rule.

An example of a rule is "Don't spill your candy in the lobby." It reminds me that I should be curious, ask questions, and not dominate conversations with my "brilliant thoughts." As Chip said in the clip above, it reminds me to connect with the person instead of trying to impress them.?

Quotes can help us be better communicators. I'll never forget a note I got from my college baseball coach in response to my note expressing my disappointment in their recent loss. He said, "It hurts too much to laugh, and I'm too old to cry." In one sentence, using a quote, he communicated more than paragraphs could.?

Here is a list of 75 quotes that are worth reading . Bookmark them for the next team meeting, email, or even your own thinking time.?

A quote to leave you with

Have a great week!