Remember the good old days when “sales” for your company was handled by a smiling guy with a hat, a briefcase, and a warm handshake, who spent his days traveling door to door and shop to shop, bringing in all of the revenue your organization needed to stay afloat?
No?
Me neither.
But that’s the world some folks might think we live in. This is an era of a specialization, so if you’re business card says “Sales,” that means that everyone can step back and let you take care of things, right?
Um….wrong.
Oh, there may be an individual or team assigned to take the lead on drumming up new sales and keeping in touch with loyal clients, stirring the drink and “making things happen.”
But EVERYONE plays a role in the success of the sales function, whether they’re support staff, I.T., facilities, or – and especially – front-liners. And they all work together to set the stage for that success to keep repeating, again and again and again.
One way I like to define sales is this: if you can make a customer’s day….if you can tick off a customer…or if you can influence someone to think positively or poorly about your company….you, my friend, are in sales.
So—think about that. Still think you’re not in sales?
Everyone in your office should be fully understand, and be able to verbalize, the role they play in maximizing your organizational sales effort.
Because when they start taking things for granted, letting the little things slide, and losing sight of the big picture, all the warm handshakes in the world won’t be enough to keep your sales efforts afloat.
Keep ALL of the members of your team engaged, involved, informed, and aware. Make sure they know the organizational goals and targets–and individual ones, too….and how close you are to reaching them.
And when you get there, include EVERYONE in the celebration. Because it’s a team victory.
Yes, regardless of what your business card says, EVERYBODY’S in sales.
And organizations that know it, teach it, and live it are the ones at the front of the pack.
GROW BIG OR GO HOME!