Last Thursday evening a fire broke out in a house two doors down from mine; fortunately no one was hurt in the minor blaze. I stood on my front sidewalk watching in amazement as a dozen fire fighters, police officers, and paramedics worked to manage the situation.
The sales lessons were immediately evident.
First, everyone knew their role. While it obvious that the fire fighters took the lead, each person on the scene took on a specific responsibility. However, no one argued or complained about their individual role. The entire emergency crew worked together to achieve their goal; no one allowed their own ego to get in the way.
Sales tip: Does your team work together to achieve your company’s goals? Or, do egos work against each other?
They had a plan. The fire fighters quickly developed a plan when they arrived on the scene. They quickly cordoned off the street with the assistance of the police. They established how they would approach the house and determine the source of the fire. And they put their plan into action.
Sales tip: Do you have a plan of action established each day and week?
They worked with a sense of urgency. The crew was extremely efficient in the execution of their plan without appearing to hurry. They also responded to changes in the situation very quickly and modified their approach accordingly.
Sales tip: Do you treat every qualified sales lead with a sense of urgency? And do you modify your approach when necessary?
Lastly, communication was tight. Everyone was in constant communication with each other. This ensured that everyone knew what the other people were doing at all times without cross-over or duplication of work.
Sales tip: Do you and your coworkers communicate effectively in order to meet your customer’s expectations?
© 2009 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.
Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals close more deals so they can reach their sales quotas and targets. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter at http://www.fearless-selling.com/. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or email.
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