Your reputation either precedes you or it exceeds you.
There’s simply no other way to say it.
While I’m driving down the road today, thru another rep’s territory, on my way home, I see a potential sale and called him on the phone.
“I called that guy the last time you saw something he was into. I guess he doesn’t want to buy from me, ’cause he won’t return my call.”
This rep’s reputation precedes him. Some time in the past he either:
- Didn’t return a call
- Took advantage of the guy
- Screwed him royally
- All of the above
I can recall this same rep bragging many, many times over the last 5 years about how he “… knocked his (insert body part of your choice) in the dirt.”
Today that’s come back to knock his own (insert body part of choice) into the dirt.
I prefer to have my reputation as a salesman “exceed” me.
I can’t be nearly as good as many of my accounts think I am, but that doesn’t stop them from thinking that way.
I couldn’t possibly explain all the little things you have to do to get to this status in the sales arena, but I will tell you this – in 2009 and into 2010, when we’re in a bit of a slowdown and people are not as busy as in the past, they’ll have more time to evaluate those that sell to them.
If your reputation precedes you, you’ll struggle to stay afloat.
If your reputation exceeds you, you’ll be fine and may even exceed what the market has to bear.
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
There’s one trait that I like to call the “basic black” of sales – the one thing in your arsenal that’s essential to success. On my blog, I talk about it in terms of professional services, but it applies to any industry.
That’s RESPECT.
If you respect your clients and potential clients, you’ll listen well and deliver what they need, on time, because you care about them. If you respect your colleagues and competitors, you’ll behave in a way that may not earn their love, but at least won’t get you a kick in the teeth.
Somehow, the guy you’re writing about missed the respect memo. And so he pays. Dearly.
For an “exceeds” reputation, start with respect and build on that with consistency and attention. Keep those three things going and you’ll build trust – and business – and sail straight through whatever the economy might throw at you.
Great post as always, Mike. Thanks for making us think.
Debra
Thanks for adding your thoughts Debra….your ‘adjectives’ made my ‘sentence’ better!
I recommend for anybody who reads this to click thru to Debra’s blog about marketing and leadership in professional services to get more of your thoughts.
I did!
Debra/Mike,
I have been struggling to explain to my non-sales personnel how “quality” does not just cover the shop floor. That when I talk about quality , I speak of every step from customer experience to quality production to timely delivery. In trying to simplify it, i have been looking for a simple description for people who do not generally interact with the clients.
“Respect…Consistency…..Attention. ”
In all arenas.That is IT.
thanks Guys.
Glad we could help Jamie.
I thoroughly agree with you both, Mike and Debra. Let us involved in sales not underestimate the thinking capabilities of our customers. We have to really show that underneath everything we tell them, we really mean value. If it’s really there, you will “exceed”. If it isn’t, the fishy smell of it will precede you.
Thanks for the insightful post!
I understand where you’re coming from, but I disagree with the nomenclature.
If your reputation ‘exceeds’ you — won’t you always fall behind expectations? Which could lead to over-exaggeration and/or false pretenses in a potential client. Besides, why must a “preceding” reputation be negative? Referrals may be positive or negative, but the reasons behind why a prospect won’t respond is not necessarily limited to negative possibilities.
I would prefer to have my reputation as a salesman strengthen me.
Thanks for dropping by and leaving your opinion Krista.
I’m not one to argue semantics, so I don’t bother calculating every word or phrase to the nth degree.
Exceeds works for me and I’d much rather have my reputation be that I’m bigger than life and too good to be true.
The whol;e point of life is for it to work for you, so you are just as right as I am, if that’s what you need.
It’s a win-win thang.
This is why my favorite saying is, “Everything you do comes back to you.”
As usual Glenn, you’re right on target
It really does, that’s why in everything you do, you should always keep in mind to act your best. Be as it may, you’ll never know if you’ll ever encounter them again.