I was recently faced with two similar
scenarios. The first was with a prospect that I had been meeting with for a few
weeks. After each meeting I would evaluate the discussion, review potential red
flags in moving forward, outline reasons to continue or not continue the
discussions, and then plan accordingly. The second was a sales opportunity with
an existing client. We have been discussing, in both face-to-face meetings and
conference calls, how to expand and enhance their marketing presence. I
followed a similar path as with the prospect and outlined the ups and downs for
the potential project and what steps, if any, need to take place to move
forward.
In both cases, with the prospect and
the existing client, I chose to walk away from the opportunities. Yep, that’s
right, I walked away. And in both cases the person I had been dealing with
accused me of being a poor sales person. They felt I was not looking out for “THEIR”
interests. They wanted me to do what they wanted because I was a “vendor”. Well
guess what folks, sales is not one sided.
By now there have been enough articles
written about the “customer is NOT always right”. This is true, but how you
handle each of these cases can either be a benefit or a detriment to your
company and your sales performance. First and foremost, if the customer is
always right, then you and your company are always wrong. Second, being treated
as a “vendor” often times means that you are bidding on a piece of business
based on nothing at all but price. Forget your knowledge and experience. Forget
that you want to put the client’s interests first. If you are not ready to
always say yes, do as they ask, and for a certain price, then you will be
replaced.
I believe in both scenarios referenced
above, I would lose the respect of my colleagues, and I would lose a bit of
self-respect too, if I continued with the sales calls. In both cases there was enough
reason to know that we were not a good fit. In both cases the prospect and the
client may not get our very best work because they were not going to allow our
team to flex their creative and technological muscles. In both cases the attitudes
of the prospect and client were that they knew more than my team and we were
just going to be hired hands to do as we’re told.
Simply put, we were going to be hired
into an unhealthy business relationship, and that does not work for us. So, I
did my job, and I excused myself and my firm from consideration. I can handle
their criticism of my sales approach, no problem. I wouldn’t be able to handle
the disappointment of my team afterward. Sales is not one sided. Remember, you
have your company’s and your own interests to keep in mind too when selling.
When the prospect’s or client’s needs, approach and beliefs match yours, you
have found a good sale.