All forward progress begins with a sale 

It always amazes me how such a simple word like “sales” can instantly manifest a myriad of emotional responses. For some, selling is a totally
gut-wrenching task that they do whatever they can to avoid at all costs.

Imagine actually having to approach or telephone strangers, invade their privacy, and “sell” them something. What if they say no? What if they hang up? What if they’re annoyed that I intruded into their personal space? For some reason, fear and anxiety block the most important question of all: What if they buy what I’m selling?

In contrast to the “I hate to sell” contingent are those who simply
love — even live — to sell. For these naturally motivated super-sales people, selling is viewed as everything from a competitive game to discovering and filling the needs of others. Selling is in their blood, and they couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Fact: All forward progress begins with a sale. Want to start a business? You’ll need to sell your business plan to the bank or investors. Have a great idea that will save or make tons of money for the company you work for? You’ll have to sell your idea. Participating in a planning meeting? You’ll have to sell others on your opinion, sales plan, budget, project or point of view. Want to run for public office? You’ll have to sell not only your platform and agenda, you’ll have to sell people on you as a person with values and integrity. As kids we sold our parents on getting us that new bike or letting us do our first solo with the family car.

Let’s face it, everyone possesses the selling gene. And with the desire to learn, understand and refine one’s selling abilities, extraordinary results can be achieved. For example, more innovative ideas, concepts, plans and solutions could become reality with the added benefit of selling skills. Change initiatives that live or die based on employee buy-in will directly benefit if those communicating the initiatives hone their selling skills. Think of all the great ideas, services, products and procedures that never saw the light of day or went down in flames simply because you or someone in your company couldn’t “sell” others on them.

Everyone sells
Now we get to the real selling issues that make or break companies. I have a rather straightforward philosophy on selling responsibilities: Everyone plays a sales role. No compromise.

Companies and organizations have a natural tendency to become highly compartmentalized. Those in administration, finance, personnel, marketing, customer service, production and shipping can unknowingly become afflicted with tunnel vision and leave the selling to the sales team. But teamwork and company growth mean that everyone is moving the company toward its goals and growth objectives.

Selling is the process of communication, discovery, listening and, finally, filling needs. Whether a sale is closed or not, every point of contact with your company is a selling opportunity. An error on an invoice, indifferent customer service or shipping the wrong product can send a valued customer running to your competitors. Everyone sells.

Celebrate the selling process through your company as a reminder that without selling, there can be no progress.

Never be held hostage by those who produce sales. It doesn’t matter if you’re a service business, retailer or manufacturer, you need people who can sell. But what happens when your super-sellers get out of control and hold your business hostage?

Business is all about building relationships with customers. Every salesperson worth his or her salt knows this. And when the bond with the customer is so closely tied to the salesperson, the business is setting itself up to be held hostage. Does this situation sound familiar? Leaders experience a real wake-up call when a top seller says, “I want more commission, or I’m leaving.” They know all too well how easily this person can take “their” customers to the competition.

Notice that I said “their” customers. Since when does a company hand over ownership of a customer simply because a company representative took care of him or her? Well, it happens every day.

If building relationships is the key to business, then a company must design its business around creating customer relationships with the company — not just the individual who services them. The company should be keeping the database of customer preferences, not the salesperson.

This is one of the reasons I have never been a proponent of sales commissions. By design, it’s an “I/me” pay system that encourages the “It’s my customer” mentality. And that mentality will always do damage to an otherwise fine business culture. There are many ways to motivate people to sell without commission. Examine your pay system for sales. Design it to reward team performance for creating growth. It works.

Finally, how about suggesting that salespeople give a round of applause to those “non-selling” people who, by their attention to detail, make the sales staff look great.

About Strategies
This article first appeared in Strategies, the premier publication for business growth. Since 1994, Strategies has been the leading provider of salon/spa business solutions through educational seminars, consulting services and online training. For more information on how Strategies can help your salon or spa achieve results beyond your wildest dreams, visit www.strategies.com or call 800.417.4848.