Squeaky wheel gets the grease

My 9th grader came home the other day with a homework assignment to ask his parents about a “motto” they live by, and then write a paper about why it is important.  My wife and I competed to share the motto our son would chose to write about. Although I ultimately lost out, I think this was an excellent assignment as it invited my wife and I to share some of our wisdom without it being a “lecture” to him... 4 stars to that teacher!

My motto (which I still think should have won) was “Squeaky wheel gets the grease” -- if you do not ask for something you will never get it.  

In my years of sales experience, I have continued to see this principle in action.  You must continue to ask for things as you progress through the journey with your prospect.  One of my great mentors described it like this… “A deal is like a fish- if it ain’t moving, it’s dying”.  You should always be moving the deal forward.   To do this, you need to ask for things at every interaction.  As little as these ‘asks’ may seem, they get you closer to the sale every time.  

Some ‘asks’ that I have found people seem to forget are:

• Ask if you can invite others to the meeting.  There is no reason to do a solo performance. Additional attendees give you more depth into the account, and provides additional contacts if your primary contact leaves or becomes unresponsive
• Ask for the sale.  I see so many sales reps afraid to ask that question. Even though the customer is likely not ready to buy, you will find out 2 important things:
• If they are going to buy, this will help you identify the remaining obstacles you need to overcome to get the deal.  You now have your path to the sale.
• If they are a time waster, this will help you get them out of your forecast.
• Ask for referrals.  When is your customer the happiest?  The moment they buy.  At that moment, ask them to refer you to others they know that could benefit from their service.

This assignment made me reflect on my long career in sales and what I would like to instill in millennials entering sales today.  I have found that millennials are like sponges; they absorb concepts quickly.  More importantly, they are not afraid to apply what they learn in the real world to better themselves.

So as you enter sales, here are some additional insights that will help you along the way...

Insight #1 Find the person who is the top performer and take them to lunch.  This person will give you valuable ideas for navigating through the company and processes.  Trust me, this is important!

Insight #2  Don’t reinvent the wheel.  Figure out what has been successful,then duplicate it.

Insight #3  Get noticed quickly.  When you first start your job, do something that makes you stand out in your boss's eyes.  

Insight #4  Volunteer for as many tasks as possible.  This shows your commitment to the position, showcases your talents, and allows you to develop new skills.

Insight #5 Be the first in the office and the last to leave.  Enough said!

Insight #6 Force your boss to have quarterly review meetings with you.  Ask them how you are doing and what you can improve upon!

Insight #7  Offer solutions, not problems.  This sounds simple, but think about the last time you said, “I have found these issues, and they are impacting our ability to perform.  I suggest that we twist this. Instead, ask what change will allow us to reduce this negative impact by XX%.”  Even if is not the right answer or suggestion, the impact of you offering a solution instead of just a problem is HUGE!

Insight #8  Ask this one question at the end of your conversation, and you will increase your effectiveness 10X...  **Drumroll**... “Do you see any red flags in moving forward?”.  This works in sales and job interviews.  Ask it...you will be amazed at the answer and the reaction of the person you asked!

Enough for now... I will expand on these insights over the coming weeks, so keep an eye out!

Until then...

Think big. Start small. Move fast!