Will you be an economic HERO?
Jerry L. Kennedy | TLT Selling Points August 2009
Salespeople must lead the battle to convince others that it’s OK to start buying again.
Together, we salespeople can save the world.
Lately there has been a lot of talk about the global economic crisis. In fact, it seems to be all anyone is talking about. I hope you are ready to do something about it, because this article and the five to follow are a call to action for all sales professionals, regardless of industry.
It’s my firm belief that the salespeople of the world (that’s
you) hold the solution to the current economic situation in their hands. I believe this because, more than anything, what the economy needs right now is for people to feel comfortable buying again. At the moment most buyers are reluctant to part with any of their money out of fear for the day when they won’t have any more to spend.
What happens if this trend continues? More shrinkage, more cutbacks and even more bad news. What the world needs now is consumers, and it’s up to the salespeople of the world to gently coax them out of their shells.
Does this mean that I think salespeople should be trying to convince buyers to buy things they don’t need or can’t afford? No. All we have to do is look around to see where that kind of behavior leads. What I
do mean is that we, the salespeople of the world, have to make it OK for people and businesses to buy the things they do want, need and can afford. And we need to do it now!
You have an opportunity right now to be a HERO of the world’s economy. The question is, are you willing to step up to the plate?
What does it mean to be a HERO? Simply stated, being a HERO requires you, the salesperson, to be Humble, Ethical, Responsible and Optimistic.
I know that’s not the way most of us are used to thinking of salespeople, but my mission is to make believers out of the skeptics. You see, the reason most people don’t think HERO is an accurate description of a salesperson is that precious few salespeople actually behave that way on a consistent basis. But here’s a secret:
The best ones do!
In fact, you’ve probably encountered many of these HEROes and weren’t even aware that you were being sold to. Truth be told, you weren’t actually being sold to, at least not in the sense that the word has come to mean (i.e., being coerced to buy something against your will). The HERO wasn’t
selling so much as he or she was making it comfortable for you to buy. And that, my friends, is the key to being a HERO.
So are you ready to embark on your HEROic mission? Great! I’m glad to have you along. The next four articles in this series will analyze each characteristic of the HERO salesperson. The fifth and final will bring the message home and discuss how you can become a HERO each and every day of your career. But don’t wait for all five articles to put the information to work: As you read each article, think about how the principle discussed can be applied in your business, starting right away!
Here’s the bottom line:
You are the best, last hope of the world’s economy. No stimulus plan or government bailout is going to have lasting effect without sustained consumption to back it up. That sustained consumption will return when people feel comfortable buying again. And people will feel comfortable buying again when salespeople step up and become HEROes. It’s that simple.
Please share this message with as many of your fellow sales professionals as you can. Together, we salespeople can save the world. Heroes unite!
Jerry Kennedy, CLS, is owner of Inside Out Business Solutions, a sales and customer service training organization. You can reach him at jkennedy@inside-out-solutions.com.