Weakest Link? Data?

Last night I watched Jane Lynch and 8 new victims (contestants) on the Weakest Link. It's a fun show where 8 contestants take turns answering questions adding to the prize money when they get the right answer and losing money when they're wrong. Jane very creatively finds 7 different ways to say goodbye as each player is voted off.

"Voting off" is what this article is about. After each series of questions, the contestants vote someone off. The title of the show suggests that the "weakest link" should be voted off each round and as a matter of fact, the announcer tells the TV audience who answered correctly, who answered incorrectly, who banked what and who was (according to the data) the strongest link and the weakest link.

But....last night, personalities, personal biases, revenge and an ulterior motive came into play. Last night somebody missed an easy question and was voted off even though another contestant missed ALL their questions that round. Some got voted off because they weren't as 'nice' as some other. One contestant voted against the strongest link in one round simply because they had voted against them in the prior round and in the last round, two weaker players voted off the consistently strongest player so they wouldn't have to face him in the final round for all the money.

It's a great show, but my question is what if the contestants actually looked at and followed the data? Would the strongest link win more often?

Why is this important to Entrepreneurial Selling?

• Do you hire reps with your gut or do you use data on their Core Competencies?
• Are you trying to sell by sharing how wonderful your solution is without regard to your prospect's needs or priorities?
• Are you stuck in the 20th Century? Still cold calling or sending cold emails? Are you tired of your voice mail not being returned and your emails going to SPAM?
• Are sick of prospects not opening up?

So, last Friday, I asked what you needed to get done by when? Today, I'm asking do you have the right data? Are you using the data correctly?

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