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How To Get Lucky in Sales #451
How’s your luck been lately? Have the winds of fate been in your favor? Or is it the case that the only luck you have is bad luck? Well our Western culture poo poohs the notion of luck because luck has an element of randomness to it and Westerners don’t like that. They love to be in control. The self-improvement industry beats the drum that hardwork is the sure path to success. If you haven’t reached it by doing X amount of work, it advises that you need to 10X it. You need to go all in. In a
way the Tao agrees. Lao Tzu speaks of the power of water and although it’s soft but over time it can cut through the hardest of rock. That’s what happened to the Grand Canyon. But the Tao also speaks of the cyclic nature of life, the ongoing passing of the seasons. You won’t find success in the snow shoveling business in July. It’s not bad luck, it’s just not your time. There is something to this paradox of hard work vs opportunity. Let’s examine it. Luck, that’s the topic for today. .
Today’s Chapter: True Nature of Luck
Gamblers lose jobs
Disciplined professionals survive.
Though some risks are successful
This is not the case in the long run.
The Master Seller doesn’t exert
Yet expertly they overcome.
They hold their tongue
It’s by listening the deal is won.
They are unhurried
Yet excel in planning.
They believe in the sales process
and honor it
Today’s Story
Chris missed quota for the third month in a row. Pat could see why. Most of Chris’s prospects didn’t fit the ideal client profile. Pat asked “Why are you chasing the wrong prospects? You’ll never close these deals.” “Really” answered Chris. “I think they’ll buy.. Remember that huge deal I closed in the summer. These are just like them. I’m just having a run of bad luck”.
“Hmmm” said Pat “True you did get lucky that time. But you can’t rely on bluebirds in this business. It’s time to improve your odds”
“So what should I do?” asked Chris.
Pat answered “The way I see it” “You’re fishing for whales. But they’re aren’t a lot of whales. If you want to catch trout, you go to a trout stream. You don’t go to a river, or a lake nor even the ocean. You go where the fish swim and it’s there you cast your line”
Take Action Quote
According to the Roman philosopher Seneca: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”On one day If I make a couple cold calls and I don’t reach anybody, does that make me unlucky? But on another day if I make 20 calls and reach two people does that make me lucky? If you’ve done the preparation, if you know your ideal client, if you know their challenges and the benefits you can provide, well then it’s just a matter of wading into the stream, and fishing for qualified fish. Opportunity. You have no expectation this cast will be the one, you’re in wu-wei, no action. But eventually your time will come, when you least expect it and the line will grow taught. You’ve got a prospect!
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How to Connect with Pat Helmers at Sales Babble
Sales Babble shares selling secrets for non-sellers. Masterful selling is understanding what buyers want, discerning if you can help, showing what you have and helping them to make a decision that is good for their business and yours. See https://salesbabble.com
I’ve interviewed 100s of sales experts and discuss all things sales: prospecting, qualifying, value propositions, presentations, demos, closing, generating referrals, earning references, upselling, marketing, lead generation, copywriting, and most important the right selling mindset. Stop fearing sales and embrace it.
This is a production of Habanero Media https://habaneromedia.net
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