You Don't Need the Business

November 24th, 2009

Have you ever been in front of a salesperson who appeared to be desperate for the sale? Desperate salespeople and desperate companies tend to make unnecessary concessions, cave in on price too easily, and cater to unreasonable demands from customers. Keeping a mindset of being financially independent is the first step to ensuring that you never appear desperate in front of a prospect.

The obvious problem with NEEDING the sale in order to pay your mortgage, buy groceries or make a car payment, is that a prospect can smell that need, just as a shark smells blood. Many people tell me that they only shop for a car on the last day of the month because they believe that dealerships are feverishly trying to meet their monthly quotas and will accept smaller profits. Real estate agents say that empty houses command smaller asking prices for the obvious reason that the buyer knows the seller is desperate.

Selling is a tough business, especially in the early years when you are trying to establish a client base. Those who have the guts to work on commission alone and forego the short-term security of a salary will likely face some lean months. Combine that with the emotional roller coaster of a big sale followed by a dry spell; another sale and another dry spell and the stress of wondering if they will be able to pay their bills that month, its no wonder that salespeople might appear desperate for the sale.

Nonetheless, remember this Sandler concept: Regardless of the size of your bank account, your attitude in front of a prospect is this, I’m financially independent and I don’t NEED the business. Another way to put it is, Mr. Prospect, I believe I can help you out and I hope we end up doing business together; but if you decide against that, I’ll be fine (and either way, I’m eating steak tonight).” Of course you would not say that to a prospect. It is just your attitude in front of a prospect.

The best way to avoid sales desperation is to keep your own financial house in order. If your commissions are particularly good one month, don’t spend the extra money; take a steady draw each month at a level you can sustain year-round, no matter how small your monthly check is. Beyond that very necessary fiscal discipline, the most important thing is to create the belief and persona that you want the sale, but you don’t need it.

The best movie I’ve seen on sales success is Tommy Boy. That’s right Tommy Boy with Chris Farley. The salvation of his family’s auto parts company rests on Tommy’s shoulders and his very unorthodox and rudimentary selling skills. Tommy’s early sales attempts meet with dismal results. His partner, Richard, calls one effort, a huge embarrassing failure. On the road, Tommy and Richard reach a point of despair as they are sitting in a country diner. Tommy orders chicken wings but the waitress tells him that the fryers are shut down and they can have only cold items. Launching into one of his antics, Tommy convinces the waitress to start up the stove and bring him some wings. Richard, looking dumbfounded, asks Tommy, Why can’t you sell like that in front of a customer? He replies, What are you talking about? I was just playing around. If I don’t get the wings, so what, I’ve still got that meat-lovers pizza in the trunk.

Did you catch that? In sales parlance, Tommy was saying, I hope you decide to do business with me, but if you tell me no, I’ll be OK; after all, I’m financially independent and I don’t need the business. Once Tommy did not need the sale, he was a lot more relaxed and did not appear desperate; he could just play off the prospects responses and not worry about what was going to happen next. Not needing the sale enabled him to get the sale. The lesson he learned in that interaction enabled him to change his whole sales persona from desperation to confidence; he shifted from huge embarrassing failures to huge sales.

A sales call should be an adult-to-adult interaction where everybody comes out a winner. Groveling, begging or otherwise appearing desperate does not lead to a win-win situation. If you find yourself wanting or needing the sale more than your prospect, you’re probably not going to come out a winner. Before every sales call, remind yourself, I’m financially independent, I’d love to get this sale, but if I don’t, I’ll be OK; I’ve got a pizza in the trunk.

© Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.

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