Who Do You Work For?

Credit: Bill Gillespie

A few years back I had the opportunity to teach at Clemson University. A friend and peer was retiring. We met at a recruiting event on campus and he asked if I might be willing to take over his sales class. I agreed and a great personal chapter was put in motion.

Not every student had their mind made up to sell. Some needed hours and the slot worked. A few had successful parents in sales. Others suspected sales skills could come in handy regardless of the career they chose. They were as diverse as the typical sales team.

On the first day of class, I assigned each student a printing company. They were an "employee" of that company as far as class was concerned. It was their responsibility to research their employer, learn what they could and approach every assignment through the eyes of the assigned company.

Let me share that this, alone, pointed out leaders. Every student hit the web. They all knew how to launch Google and read what was shared. More than a few described their printer with cut and paste language.

But some did more. One lady called her assigned company and asked for a sales rep. When the rep answered she shared who she was and why she was calling. Another asked for and was granted a tour.

The printers were happy to help. One rep explained what working for a printing company was like. She described a day in sales. She provided insight on what she liked and didn't like about selling. The students were encouraged to call back anytime they had more questions.

Who do you think learned the most about selling? Was it the Google cut and paste students or the lady that dialed the phone? What about the one that earned a tour? Which students put relationships in motion? Who likely intrigued a printer about the program at Clemson?

The students that did the most got the most out of the exercise. They didn't just earn good scores. They had a better sense of what might matter to their assigned "employer." They asked better questions in class.

Knowing what mattered influenced how they addressed class exercises. Students were asked to justify equipment purchases, employee additions and additional services. The more they knew, the more they learned and their suggestions were more informed. The leaders stood out.

Guess what. This works in your company environment too. The reps that dial the phone know more about their prospects than the Google and web surfers do. They're closer to a relationship too. That simple step puts distance between them and the rest.

I've written it before...recently. Google, AI and web surfing are easy. If you can type you can do that stuff. You won't stand out.

Dialing the phone stands out. Sending a packet stands out. Asking "what would you like to see improved" stands out.

What have you got to lose? If they're a prospect, you already don't have their business. You can only improve your situation.

I was impressed with these Clemson students. I hired more than a few of them. They're doing great!

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.