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It’s Only Common Sense: Things I’ve Heard From Salespeople

This is certainly an interesting time we are going through. I have been in innumerable meetings with salespeople from all over the world, and I have heard things from each of them that not only boggles the mind but also pushes the very essence of common sense practically over the edge. Every salesperson I have talked to has had a different take on what they should do during this crisis, as well as the approach they should take in reaching out to customers. And while some of them ring true, many of them sound a little self-serving.

But the thing I have noticed is that the great salespeople find a way, no matter what is happening in the world, while the not-so-great cling to the pandemic for dear life as another reason why they cannot succeed in sales.

Here are some of the things I have heard come out of the mouths of salespeople, both successful and not so successful, and I’ll let you figure out which statements are which:

• With this virus going on, everyone is away from the office working from home, and I can’t reach anyone—especially since I don’t have their cellphone numbers.
• This virus has really been helpful. With everyone working from home, I am able to get them. And since they don’t have much to do, they are willing to talk, which gives me the chance to find out what’s going on with them. I am getting much more information than I’ve ever had.
• I’m not used to working from home, so I really don’t know what to do. I’m at my wit’s end right now without being able to get out and visit customers face to face. I’m afraid there’s not much I can do until this is over anyway.
• I am getting so much done working from my home office. I can reach just about anyone I want to talk to. I am sending out short sales flashes to let my customers know that we are alive and well and doing business as usual. This time at home has allowed me to start doing some prospecting for new customers as well.
• I don’t know how this is going to work. So many people are telling me to use LinkedIn or whatever to find new customers, but that just doesn’t work for me. I’ve checked with some of the other people I work with, and they say it is a complete waste of time. And don’t even get me started on “twittering,” which is just plain stupid. I guess we’ll just have to wait it out until I can get out there and take people to lunch as I did before COVID-19 hit.
• I can’t believe how many people I’ve connected with on LinkedIn. It’s such an amazing tool. After spending some time on it, I am able to do a deep search and find good prospects to connect with, and then it’s just a matter of reaching out to them. With so many people working from home, I am getting good results with connecting with people. In a way, I’m grateful for being at home and having the time to learn how to use LinkedIn. I can already see how it’s going to help me with sales today and in the future when things get back to normal.
• Those darn millennials; they just don’t get the way they are supposed to do business. They won’t answer the phone or talk to anyone, you can’t take them out to lunch for a round of golf, and they are not at all interested in the right way to do business.
• This time working from home has really helped me to understand the people I am dealing with, especially the younger people. They are so starved for knowledge about our industry that when some of them asked me how they could learn more about our technology, I offered to set up a webinar on the basics of our industry and 500 people registered to attend the event. Those are 500 qualified prospects as far as I’m concerned. These are good times to be living and working.
• Between China, our domestic competitors, COVID-19, and the recession, there is no way I am going to make my numbers this year. It’s already June, and I am nowhere near making my forecast. This year is just shot, and none of it is my fault.
• I read somewhere the other day that it’s a shame to waste a good crisis, and I could not agree more. As sad as it is, and I feel a bit guilty for saying this, being able to work from home has completely changed my approach to the way I sell. My numbers are up, my pipeline is filled with good qualified leads, and I have found a number of good ways to generate more leads consistently. I can’t wait for the day when I can get out there and visit customers, but this time in my home office has been the most productive time I have spent in years. It’s been like being on a paid sabbatical.

It’s pretty obvious who the great salespeople are. But honestly, I have heard all of these comments and more during the past three months, and I have found it to be extremely revealing when it comes to which people are truly productive salespeople and which are not. Which are you? Think about it.

It’s only common sense.

Dan Beaulieu is president of D.B. Management Group.