If you ask any sales professional, from any industry, the following question – the answer will be the same 99% of the time. “WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?”
The answer will sound something like this: “Follow through.” Maybe “follow up.” This has everything to do with not having enough time. (Although you happen to have all the time there is. All of it.)
Everybody seems to know the importance of following through, but it just isn’t done on a regular basis.
I remind seminar participants of this all the time. “After all is said and done, more is said than done.” In other words, “talk is cheap.” The key is following through. Everyone says they know this, but very few people manage to do it.
Talk is cheap, so after all is said and done, more is said than done.
Here is another way to look at this from a slightly different angle. Do what you say you will do.
Sales people, regardless of their gender, have “earned” a reputation of saying what the prospect wants to hear. (Politicians have been known for the same misleading tactic.)
Here is my sage advice in this regard. “If you are not planning to do what you say you will do, DON’T SAY IT.”
Say it. Do it. Make a promise. Fulfill it.
If you want to distance yourself from the competition, in addition to doing what you say you’re going to do, do these three things:
- Show up, if you say you will
- Show up on time, if you say you will
- Show up on time looking good, if you say you will.
Now, while it is on top of your mind, give some thought to what you still need to do to make you the exception when it comes to following through.
Mike Marchev is recognized for his down-to-earth, street-savvy and honest delivery of useful sales and marketing advice, suggestions, tactics and strategies. For a complimentary copy of his Special Report titled: 11 Sales Mistakes You Must Avoid send Mike an email with the word TRO-11 in the Subject Box. mike@mikemarchev.com