Be a Contributor, Not a Sales Rep

I really like this post from Derek over at Polyester Free.

He tells us that companies are looking for experts to solve problems, not sales reps that close deals.

He scales down the Jim Collins thinking behind his Fast Company article, Built to Flip, by saying:

The single most lethal flaw in selling as a professional happens when the salesperson focuses on themselves rather than their customer or prospect. 

I believe a true sales professional sees their role as a consultant and coordinator. She consults with a company to diagnose their problem(s); determines if she can truly solve them; presents options for solving them; then coordinates the implementation if her solutions are selected. And the difference for the professionals is…they check in regularly to ensure the implementation is getting the desired results.

Unfortunately most sales representatives don’t work this way. But in many cases it’s because that’s not the culture of the sales organization they work for. It’s a churn-and-burn selling culture. Sell a deal, move on to the next and leave the rest of the work up to the service team. Organizations like this encourage high turnover and high customer churn. That’s why in these industries you’ll see iron-clad contracts locking customers in. But I digress.

If you personally want stronger customer relationships and a higher rate of referrals (and thus, fewer cold calls), be a contributor, not a sales rep. Check back with your customers to see how what you sold is working.