I recently read the article, “If it’s not a hit, switch” by Derek Sivers. He wrote about spending 12 years pitching, promoting and pushing various projects. He kept trying to get past obstacles, objections and barriers. It was a constant uphill battle.
Then he launched CD Baby. Suddenly people were saying to him “Wow! I need this! I’d be happy to pay you to do this!”
Suddenly, instead of constantly pushing a rock uphill trying to create demand, he only had to fulfill and manage demand.*
Derek said he learned,
“Success comes from persistently improving and inventing [and discarding], not from persistently doing what’s not working.”
So why do most companies try to improve sales by persistently doing more of what’s not working?
When I am hired to help improve sales, I see 3 common scenarios:
- Bad sales team – with the wrong reps or managers
- Bad sales process – no process, broken process or the wrong process
- Bad product – too buggy, too niche or too little demand
Most companies think their problem is #1. So they keep churning through sales reps and managers, mistakenly believing that if they hire the right people, sales will happen. Most often this results in a mediocre sales team that produces few repeatable successes. Any good reps will jump ship at the first opportunity.
Almost no companies will admit #3. They’ll do anything to avoid the cold, hard truth that their product in a nice-to-have, doesn’t work or doesn’t have a market. But your sales team knows. So does your management team. They are all just too afraid to say it. It’s a case of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”.
Fortunately, if you start by addressing #2, you can fix your sales problem. Sales isn’t magic. Nor is your company that unique. Instead of using no process (or worse, a complex process), you should follow a simple, methodical, process instead. Track a few key metrics that are important to sales and manage the sales team using the techniques discussed throughout this site.
If processes are your problem, you’ll see your pipeline quickly increase and more deals closing.
If it’s a bad team, the processes will help you figure out who needs to be replaced. (See my articles under the category “Hiring & Firing” for specific details.)
If your product is bad, then you may need to convince executive management to make a change. Be prepared that the change they may make is firing you. But rest assured, you’ll lose your job eventually if the product issues aren’t addressed (been there, done that).
Life is too short to spend time doing what’s not working in the hope that more effort will result in more success.
If what you’re doing is not working despite sufficient effort & time, make a switch.
Who knows, the result could become your next hit.
Good luck and good selling,
Steve
*If you’ve never had a “hit” in sales then keep looking. Fulfilling and keeping up with demand is an experience every sales pro should have at least once in his career.