All I Really Need to Know about Sales I Learned in Kindergarten By Cathy Jackson, Sales Coach, Sales Champions	<< Back
Many of you probably remember the best-selling book, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten," by Robert Fulghum. It's uncanny how his book on "uncommon thoughts on common things" was a hit and read by millions. After enjoying this book a decade ago, I decided to add it to my summer reading list. Kicked back on a warm, sunny afternoon reading Mr. Fulghum's musings, it occurred to me how these fundamental things learned in kindergarten can be applied to a sales professional selling enterprise software--no, really! Sales Fundamentals--Forgotten Share everything: Remember, that you are part of a "selling team." This team is made up of your sales peers, administrative support, technical support, and your manager. It's your job to orchestrate these resources as needed to solve your customer's enterprise problems and make new sales. By sharing what you know, your team mates can help support you better and perhaps give you fresh ideas that may reduce your sales cycle time, help you be more productive, and close more sales. And, maybe your experiences shared can help one of your colleagues improve their selling skills. Play fair: Your employer has hired you to find new opportunities for selling enterprise software. This means your days should be filled with prospecting, engaging with customers, and closing business. If you are spending too much time learning about products, surfing the Internet, reading emails, organizing your files, commiserating with your peers and colleagues, than you aren't doing what you were hired to do. That's not fair to the company making an investment in you. Don't hit people: Never, never, never knock your competition. Once when selling business equipment systems, I won a sale only because my competition gave the prospect fraudulent information about my product which the prospect checked out. Today, with so many mergers, alliances, and coopetition, learn how to position your competitors by emphasizing your enterprise software's strengths and differences. Put things back where you found them: Time is your most valuable asset. When you are disorganized and can't find things you waste time. Simplify your work area; get rid of those magazines that have been piling up for months that you are never going to read. Get focused on selling and don't let anyone get you off track. Clean up your own mess: "I would have won that deal if I had better products." I lost because of price." "If customer service would get it's act together, than I could win more sales." Ever heard comments like these from software sales professionals after losing a sale? You never lose if you learn from your mistakes. You never learn from your mistakes if you don't "replay" the call to see what you could have done more effectively. Take responsibility for your own actions and for developing your sales skills. Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody: I missed a business appointment recently and when calling to explain why, I heard myself give "excuses" of why I didn't make the appointment. The truth was I just forgot about it. I did say I was sorry repeatedly but I feel like I have a strike against me with this new prospect. I would feel much better about the relationship if I had fessed up and told the truth. Now I feel like the relationship is not on solid ground. The lesson learned is that no matter how hard it is, it's better to be honest. Then when you say you're sorry, you feel a lot better and your integrity is intact. Wash your hands before you eat: Take time to eat nutritiously while on the road. At a recent tradeshow, I was meeting with a prospect over breakfast. This true "road warrior" was having the "lean slim breakfast" and skim milk with his decaffeinated coffee while I was chomping down a three-egg cheese omelet. I rationalized that if I traveled as much as he did, I would be eating like him too. It's important to eat right while on the road and wash your hands before you eat. Flush: As Zig Ziglar would say, "get rid of that stinking thinking." Remember that what you do is a result of how you feel which is a result of what you say to yourself. If you want to change non-productive behaviors than you have to change what you do by changing how you feel by changing what you say to yourself. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. On a recent business trip, I noticed how many of the weary "business" travelers were enjoying ice cream and McDonald French fries while waiting for flights to whisk them home. It's okay to reward yourself with things that make you feel good. Live a balanced life--learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some: Keeping fit helps you muster up the energy for that one last call. Your family puts life back in perspective and loves you when it seems nobody else does. Studies done by Behavioral Science Research Press, Inc. (BSRP) on top-producing salespeople brought up the role of religious faith in sales success. These top performers insisted that this be included in the study. They felt that believing their "future is in better hands than their own" was an important aspect of their career management strategy. Take a nap every afternoon: Safety and Rescue (SAR) organizations teach the importance of taking naps when working sustained operations. They stress how naps greatly increase performance. Here are some facts about minimum nap times: (a) 1 minute at a time, total sleep 5 hours does not restore alertness. (b) 10 minutes at a time, minimum sleep to restore alertness. (c) 20 minutes optimal nap time for a fragmented sleep schedule. SAR states that naps are good anytime. A nap during the drop in alertness that naturally occurs mid afternoon is good. Prophylactic napping (naps before sleep deprivation expected) are also useful. Usually on the order of two hours worth of napping or extra sleep. The point here is that to be your best, get your rest. When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together: Prepare for every sales call. Set your commitment objective for the call and then develop questions that equip you with the information needed to sell your enterprise software and how to sell it. If you are selling in a team, review the call plan with your sales partner, so they know your commitment objective and don't get the call off track. Prepare for any possible roadblocks that may come up. Don't wing your sales call. Be aware of wonder: I moved to a mountain community, which is abundant with wild flowers. When taking walks, I see new flowers (or weeds--I can't tell the difference) and I find myself saying, "I wonder what that is." I should buy a book that will identify all these plants but I just keep wondering. How many times do you "wonder" about things during the day? You may say, "I wonder if my prospect has looked at the proposal yet". I wonder if my competition is calling on them"? I wonder if I should follow-up again"? If you hear yourself "wondering" all the time, then it's time to pick up the phone and just ask. And remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned--the biggest word of all--LOOK: Always prospect. There are new customers all around you--be aware of your surroundings and always tell people about what you do. You never know who may know somebody who can get you in a door. When riding around, jot down notes of new businesses opening up, or buildings under construction. Read the business sections of the newspapers and trade magazines and make contact with people in the news. Keep "looking" for new business opportunities--everywhere. Since great salespeople are sometimes great storytellers, here's Robert Fulghum's Storyteller's Creed. You may agree with his or create your own. I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.
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All I Really Need to Know about Sales I Learned in Kindergarten