What is the true effect of avoiding sales calls? – Are we not all salespeople directly or indirectly?

I’ve been in sales for almost 15 years, the majority of which have been very successful I'm proud to say but not without some unsuccessful ones either. In that time I’ve almost seen and heard it all and thankfully I am very thick skinned when it comes to the negatives (you have to be). But the one thing that really does leave me scratching my head whilst simultaneously face palming, is the clear cut ignorance/arrogance from some people when you’re trying to prospect or network. Simply because they know you’re associated with sales one way or another.

OK, this isn’t a witch hunt. In fact far from it, because let’s be honest many salespeople over the years have helped shaped the belief that they are pushy arrogant time-wasters and in some cases they’re only in it for themselves. However does that mean they all are? What effect can this thought process have on a business? Are we not all salespeople in some way? Are we not all involved in a business that is competing with another, or at least trying to grow? Are we not all representing our businesses no matter what the role may be?

“There's a cost when leadership views a salesperson's approach to be a hindrance instead of a potential value.”

Nobody likes to be sold to, yet people love to buy things and continuously seek better ways of achieving success. But unless we genuinely do know it all, how do we know that what is being proposed to us is an actual benefit or a waste of time without giving that person the time and platform to demonstrate. Take my current role for example, 9 years in the industry (with a concept that has been around for 3 decades) yet many people I speak with still don’t fully understand it. Yet it can be the difference between a business failing or not!

Nowadays there seems to be an unspoken rule of “How dare you call me! Nobody just calls anybody out of blue anymore! You have to email or even write in to the company” (yes, I know). You can call a person, “sorry we don’t except calls”, you email a person, “I don’t respond to unsolicited emails”, you try to network with a person, “I don’t respond to LinkedIn messages from people I don’t know”………..So how are you supposed to do business.???? Not forgetting when you do eventually get through to somebody you’ve struggled to reach, there’s the passive-aggressive approach of "if I haven’t got back to you by now, you should get the message". I’m sorry but this is very rude and unprofessional.

In any case can you really understand what their business can uniquely offer from an email, their website, a LinkedIn message or even a recommendation from somebody?

OK, so frustration vented, how do we suggest to make things better? Well, an open forum below would be good.

I personally will give anybody the chance to introduce themselves, their company, high level overview of their proposition and finally the chance to question why I/ the business would not benefit (unless it does and we move to the next stage of course). Sometimes this may spread out to another call or two.

While it is true that taking salesperson's calls takes time, the simple solution is in finding a method to quickly filter information yourself or to suggest the appropriate department and have them glean the critical information.

This is something I had seen on LinkedIn some time ago - How many business are operating with their heads down, oblivious to new methods, technologies and solutions because they view inbound sales and marketing efforts as disruptions to their on-going schedules?

To the Procurement, Category Management and Supply Chain people, take the time to meet new companies. I understand that you are inundated with keeping the business going, but take an hour a week and meet with a new company that you don't do business with. Many of them have new and refreshing approaches that could add value to your company and may provide a competitive edge.

Anyway, as always I’m keen to hear from people with their views (whichever way they may be) feel free to connect or comment below.

Mark Ryan