A sales person was lamenting the other day that their company wouldn't buy them a new laptop computer. I was curious and asked "why not". They said "because they don't think it's worth the money". I asked "is it?". The response was a resounding "YES, It will make me a lot more efficient and definitely help me make more sales!"
Then I asked "if you make more sales will you make more money"? To which the salesperson responded "well of course, I'm on commission." Then if getting a new laptop will make you more money and if you are sure it will pay off, think like an entrepreneur and buy it yourself! You can imagine the look of profound and utter disbelief! Suddenly, when it was his money he wasn't so sure!
Sales people would be much better off if they thought like entrepreneurs...every time someone asked them to do something would they be so quick to act if they were spending their own money? I don't think so... would you send all the samples that you send, or spend time writing all the proposals you write that never close? Would you send that package over night express or offer your design services hoping it would land you a deal? Just because it's the companies money doesn't mean it's there to waste. Maybe more importantly for the sales person, using company assets indiscriminately can keep you from having what you need to sell when a real prospect shows up.
One of our clients is in the commercial interior design business. Wallpaper swatch books, carpet samples, molding and trim strips always seem to be in short supply. Sales people lament about how the company doesn't invest enough money in selling material and samples. And yet how often do samples go out and not get returned, or when they are returned yield no results other than "wow, you have nice looking stuff!" How many times have you needed samples or internal support only to find out there aren't any available?? It's probably already cost you money that you never knew you spent!
Another client sold it's products to commercial printers. They were often asked for samples which the sales people were often willing to ship overnight (60lb packages are expensive to send!). And then, when they would follow up and ask how the sample ran, they would often hear "I'm not sure what job it ran on could you send another?" Amazing you say, if I named the company you would know them immediately. Before you say "I would never do that" think hard and try to see how this affects you in your business.
Thinking like an entrepreneur is the only way to function when you're in sales... even if you have to pay for it!
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