Now is the Best Time to be in Sales... Unless You're Not Good at Selling

Smart sales reps speak to their buyers in terms of the buyer’s problems. They DO NOT spend much time talking about what their software or their offering can do. It seems basic in nature, but the reps that kill their quotas take this concept to another level.

The real win using this mindset is that the SALES REPS THAT SPEND MORE TIME LISTENING ABOUT THEIR BUYER'S PROBLEMS CLOSE MORE DEALS. ESPECIALLY DURING UNCERTAIN TIMES.

Let me explain how I came up with that little theory and why I believe now is the best time to be in sales... especially if you are good at selling.

Circa 2000, I started my sales career selling forklifts in New Jersey. I literally learned how to sell on the same streets and at the same time that Tony Soprano was doing his fine work, keeping his “business” and family together in the Garden State. At the time, New Jersey was filled with a bunch of characters.

The thing about selling in north/central New Jersey is that you must work with NJ buyers. NJ buyers are not shy, no one in New Jersey is shy. For me, New Jersey people are so authentic about being from New Jersey, I enjoyed meeting all the characters and just enjoyed the show. 

During those first three years of my sales career, I mostly listened and learned a whole lot. As luck would have it, my employer also taught me how to sell on value, not on price. I sold plenty of forklifts too.

In 2006, I made the jump to selling software for the first time ever and my first son was born. I found myself selling SaaS for one of the world's most well-respected sales organizations. The biggest challenge back then was my own sense of belonging and overcoming self-doubt brought on by a new employer and a new family. I mean, how much software can a forklift guy from NJ sell?

I wasn't exactly certain I could pull off my career change. Looking back, I imagine it was my sense of listening and learning that helped me begin a not-too-shabby career selling SaaS. Then again, to this day, my dad always reminds me that "you have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you talk".  

Fast forward to 2009 and the shit had officially hit the fan regarding the “financial crisis”. Like today, there was chaos in every direction. I was working with Executives, Owners, and HR Leaders within all shapes and sizes of companies in every industry (except the government). I was smack in the middle of uncertain times, listening, learning, selling ideas and selling software.

THE ONE IDEA THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THE MOST WAS: Smart sales reps were killing it.

They were getting big commission checks, going on President Club trips, etc. A smaller group of sales reps enjoyed even more high-end award trips that were harder to earn due to the competition being much more intense. I listened and learned from these sales reps that were killing their quota because from 2008 - 2010 I was hitting my SaaS stride and I had the good fortune of hanging out with these sales reps on a bunch of these trips. 

Most buyer champions really want to buy things that move the needle forward and make their job easier, they do. The real problem today is how much harder it is to get their CFO's approval. It's kinda a shit-show out there for every CFO, some in good ways, some in not-so-good ways. 

Fast forward to 2021 and buyers everywhere on earth need sales reps everywhere on earth to help them solve their problems. For over 9 years, The ROI Shop's clients have been closing deals with our software and now we are seeing what really good sales reps are doing to get really good results.

The real problem ROI Shop users solve for their buyer champions is their need for a believable business case. A former SVP Global Senior Manager that recently collaborated with a client of ours and built her own value calculator shared with me:

"I didn't get the approval to buy $500,000 dollars’ worth of software because of what their software does. I got the approval because of what The ROI Shop's software does." She then added, "the value calculator made getting the Executives to buy-in 'scratch-and-sniff' easy".

Really good sales reps are smart.

They listen, they learn, they change their sales approach. They understand that by listening and learning, specifically about their buyer's needs, a stronger relationship takes hold. A trend within our data shows that a growing number of top producers are also the top users of their ROI Shop value calculators. 

2021 is on its way and based on our client's feedback, I get the sense really good sales reps are going to kill their quotas. Are you a really good sales rep? Do you want to become one? For our clients, quotas are being destroyed and sales are taking off. Shoot me a note if you want to learn more. 

Cheers!