Dave’s Blog
The Taming Of The Shoe
I’m sure you’ve all got examples of unsavory experiences with prospects. Examples where you’ve left a meeting feeling deflated. Where your confidence has taken a blow. Maybe you’ve even left shaking your head thinking “what the hell was that all about?”
I remember one such time. It was the first meeting with a prospect who we considered to be a potential partner – There was an opportunity to do a lot of business together.
Put Down The Damn Phone!
So I’m out for lunch with a guy I’m trying to help. He’s looking for a new job and I’m the guy with the jobs.
We sit down at our table.
“Heads up or heads down?” he says.
“Sorry I don’t understand”.
“Heads up or heads down..? Shall we leave our phones face up or face down?”
Is this what it has come too?
Here’s a novel idea.
Pick up the damn phone!
So I’m shown the team’s sales results – it’s mixed. Some high performers, some in the middle, and a couple of cellar dwellers. It looks like a row of broken teeth.
“What’s wrong with him?” I ask. “He’s lazy and disengaged – I’m managing him out.”
“What about her?” “If she closes the big deal she’s working on – she’ll smash her annual target.”
What if she doesn’t? She’s mad – and probably lazy.
Being Too Nice Is Bullsh!t
The company was very successful and had been growing revenue year-on-year. Until recently. Their brand was strong and their service delivery model sound. Culturally they prided themselves on being a little quirky and fun. Slowly though, sales had started to dry up and currently the pipeline was looking a little empty. Growing pains within their sales strategy were starting to appear. My client, whom I’ll call Dan, had just started working for the company.
The Day I Lost My Biggest Client
It’s just over a year since I lost my biggest customer – I’d definitely had fun building the relationship. I’d spoken to the Head of Sales every Wednesday morning at 7.30am for a year before I had the opportunity to realise the investment of my time. During that time I’d spent hours and hours learning about their business, but it had all been worth it. I gained real knowledge and insight into their strategies and inner workings.
Daddy Bring Home the Bacon
I remember the day like the back of my hand. It was May 2009, the start of winter and with that came darkness and rain. In the morning I awoke earlier than normal. I set off to see a client to seal the deal on a placement which I needed to pay this month’s rent.
This was important as business had been lean of late, really lean. The global financial crisis had hit hard and I’d had no business for months. I had $8 in the bank and bills to pay.
The Day I Resigned and Got a Bag of Dog Biscuits
I looked out a across the ocean and a gloriously sunny spring morning. My wife was four months pregnant and my two older kids were playing contently in the water. Then it came to me – the decision had been made. I turned to my wife Mary, and said “I’m going to resign”.
I’d been with my employer for a number of years, and in multiple locations throughout the world. To be fair I’d done well. The top Sales person in the UK, I’d been on a good wicket.