Jill Konrath

Sales Safari Series

We didn't watch the sleeping rhinos for too long before we decided to move on. Little did we know what awaited us just around the bend.

Nothing can prepare you for being right in the midst of herd of giraffes. As these tall, gangly, beautiful animals nibbled the leaves off the top of the trees, we snapped photo after photo.

But the giraffes weren't alone. Over the course of our 3-day safari, we saw them with wildebeest, kudo, impala, tsessebe, zebra, springbok and more.

They stay together because, when you're hunted daily by the big cats, jackals and hyenas, there's security in numbers. Plus, each of the herd animals bring a special talent to the group.

Chuck Carey, CEO of Compendian, wrote this Salesperson's Credo. He keeps it on the wall by his desk to remind him of what's important. He sure has the right attitude. That's why I thought you might want a copy as well.

Moments after entering Pilanesburg National Park, we came to a screeching halt to watch a matriarchal herd of twenty-five elephants cross the road. In the group were toddlers who barely came up to their mommy's tummy, as well as teenagers who were being chastised for unruly behavior.

One-by-one, the elephants marched down to the lake where they drank their fill and played in the water. Next, they moved to the mud pits to wallow in the muck.

Finally, they wandered over to dry ground, where they used their trunks to coat themselves and their friends with sand. It was fun to watch!

So what can we learn about sales from the elephants?

"I really care about my customers," Terry told me as we were driving to an appointment. "I try to do the very best I can for them and make sure that their needs are met."

"Sounds good," I thought to myself. "But I wonder if it's true."

Most sellers I know go to great pains to point out to me just how customer-focused they are.They want to make sure I know that they're not pushy or manipulative or sleazy in any way. Yet when they get into meetings with prospective clients, they quickly switch into a seller-centric mode of operation before they even know what's happening.

That's exactly what occurred in my sales call with Terry. Before we went in, I asked her to tell me what she'd said to get the appointment.

Don't get me wrong! I love being a consultative seller. It's literally a part of my sales DNA. But a few years ago, I discovered that "being consultative" didn't convince decision makers that it was worth their valuable time to meet with me.

To show you what I mean, let me take you into their world and put you center stage as the designated future customer.

Killer Sales Disease Strikes!

You know what your prospects are thinking — all the time? Every time you interact with them, they're evaluating you and asking themselves: "Is this a person (company) I want to work with on a long-term basis?"

Selling in today's economy is tough.  And, it's likely going to get a lot tougher in the upcoming months. That's not news that we want to hear, but it is the reality we face so it makes sense to address it head on.

Recently I noticed that 465 fewer sellers get my newsletter today than 3 months ago, even though I've added tons of new subscribers. Why? Dead email addresses. I can only surmise that these sellers have lost their jobs. Ouch!

I admit it! I'm hopelessly addicted to this fluffy, feel-good show where famous men & women dare to learn something new with millions of people watching their every move.