There is no doubt about it: I am old school when it comes to sales. I do not apologize for it, because I know that successful salespeople use the same old-fashioned, tried-and-true tactics to win business. When somebody tells me they have a sophisticated new approach to selling, I say that after half a century in the business, I am interested in what they have to say but highly skeptical.
Recently I spoke to a gathering of a company’s salespeople in Phoenix. There were about 60 people in the audience, and the split was about even between men and women. I had arrived at the meeting earlier in the day and had sat in on some of the sessions on markets, product improvements and a host of other matters that would affect sales this year. I kept noticing a distinct absence of enthusiasm and intensity, which should be hallmarks of any gathering of the gregarious types who naturally go into sales. There was little joking around; in fact, everyone looked either serious or bored. People were staring down at their smartphones and tablets, and I could tell from the body language that they were sitting with people they knew rather than meeting new colleagues.
I had met with this company’s senior leaders earlier, and I knew they were excited about all the new products they had introduced to the sales force. That enthusiasm had clearly not permeated the company.
Seeing all this, I was a little worried about the talk I was about to give. It was basically a high-level overview of the health policy world and a discussion of the future of the healthcare market. I did give this talk, which led to a conclusion that there was plenty of opportunity in the future for a company like theirs. It all seemed to go well, and everyone seemed to pay attention to my slides and what I had to say, but I could tell there was something missing. This group wasn’t connecting emotionally to my message.
As I was nearing the end of my talk I threw out a simple question to my audience: “Why did you get into the selling profession?” And for some reason that seemed spur their attentiveness. I told them that if they got into sales just to make money it wasn't enough and that eventually they would end up finding another profession. I said that there had been a number of studies done on salespeople’s attitudes and how they saw themselves as professionals.
I then posed more questions:
•“Do you realize that the company’s products you represent, and are in the field selling every day, actually improve the lives of people? Do you feel that way when you get up in the morning?”
•“Is there a more honorable way to make a living than representing a company that helps people enjoy fuller lives?” I said I couldn’t think of one.
I went on to tell them that if that attitude was upheld daily as they set forth to meet clients and prospects, they could not help but be successful; they would be making a difference in the world. I then rephrased my first question, this time more provocatively:
“Are you of the belief that you are contributing to your fellow man, or are you simply out to make a buck and don't give a darn about the contribution you are making?”
I said that anyone’s attitude could set his altitude in life! With the right attitude, nobody could stand in the way of your success.
Part of their attitude shift, I said, is to learn how to communicate with people on a personal level – in other words, differently that what I had witnessed that morning. Realize that sending someone an e-mail is OK and can be important in a sales cycle, but that the real essence of selling has to do with face-to-face relationships, as recently stated in a Harvard Business Review article. I told them that if they wanted to be truly successful they had to be willing to pay the price of outworking their competitors.
There are no secrets to success! You need to know that when you leave a client oftentimes a competitor walks in to see the same person a few minutes later. So following up and staying in touch are paramount to selling success.
I wrapped my remarks up with this thought: “You work for a great company that makes the best products available in the field, and those products improve the lives of your fellow citizens. Think about that. And remember that you live in the United States, where opportunity exists everywhere. Get on with it, ladies and gentlemen, and have fun doing it by giving every day all that you have to give.”
At the end I was given a standing ovation, and I won’t forget the look in people’s eyes. This message seemed to resonate. I think everyone needs to be reminded of the need for meaning in life. There is purpose in being a salesperson in healthcare: making people’s lives better. Sometimes we forget that just making a sale is simply not enough; we have to believe in a greater good.
Chuck Lauer ( ) was publisher of Modern Healthcare for 33 years. He is now an author, public speaker and career coach who is in demand for his motivational messages to top companies nationwide.