I gained 58 pounds by the end of my pregnancy with these boys, who are now almost six weeks old. The first 30 were shed with no effort on my part whatsoever—they just melted right off, lulling me into a false sense of security that the rest would be a breeze.
And then nothing. And let me just tell you my ego is SHOT. And today, I finally had a talk with myself and said, “Lady. Cut yourself some slack. You just had babies six weeks ago; you are already back to work. And nobody cares if you lose this weight now or in six months. This is life. And it is not always about you or how you look. Remember your children, your friends, your family and your clients. There is a much bigger picture here.”
And so it is in sales. Many of the heavy hitters out there who have been earning big six-figure commissions for decades have some pretty big egos. And maybe in some part they have earned it, if in fact an ego can BE earned. At any rate, it is understandable that a person would think quite a lot of himself if he were so successful for such a long time.
But here’s what I know. Your clients don’t care how much money you make. And you should never let on to them how much money you make. They do NOT want to be seen as a means to the purchase of your new summer home or your hot new sports car. It is not about YOU.
Sales is about your customer. It is about solving problems, meeting needs, exceeding expectations and having an impact. Being of service. And if you have a huge ego, even the PHRASE “being of service” might be a tough one for you to swallow.
But you’d better. Today more than ever, those of us in sales need to focus on our customers’ needs, wants and problems. The rest will take care of itself.
As my old friend Bill Farquharson always says, in quoting Dale Carnegie, “I can get what I want if I figure out what the other guy wants, and help him to get it.”
Check your giant ego at the door, and watch what happens.
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Blogger, author, consultant, coach and all around evangelist for the graphic arts industry, Kelly sold digital printing for 15 years so she understands the challenges, frustrations and pitfalls of building a successful sales practice. Her mission is to help printers of all sizes sell more stuff. Kelly's areas of focus include sales and marketing coaching, enabling clients to find engagement strategies that work for them and mentoring the next generation of sales superstars.
Kelly graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Political Science and, among other notable accomplishments, co-founded the Windy City Rollers, a professional women's roller derby league. She is also the mother of two sets of twins under the age of ten, so she fears nothing.