Sales professionals that represent integration companies have an enormous opportunity right smack in front of them. Yet, most don’t see it. Is it cyber? What about hosted and managed services? No, it’s gotta be big data and analytics, right? No, no, and no. In fact, this opportunity is so large that it transcends technological advances. What is it? Discover the largest opportunity an integration sales person has today.
What’s the enormous opportunity?
Winning new accounts.
Before you close this post, read the remaining 45 seconds. I promise it will resonate with you.
Since about 2006, our relationships with new prospective customers – and our long-term customers, to a lesser degree – has evolved. This evolution can be summarized below:
2006 Prospective Customer: “Ok, I’ll give you a shot. Come tell me about your solution.”
Today’s Prospective Customer: “I’ve got the Internet to figure out everything. If I need you, I’ll call you.”
As a sales professional with limited time, what can you do? Just like the defenses for professional football teams evolve to meet the changes the offenses bring from season to season, we’ve evolved as sales people, too. Our evolution can be summarized like this:
2006 Sales Professional: “I’m going to get my foot in the door so I can compete for their business when an opportunity arises.”
Today’s Sales Professional: “I don’t have time to make a gazillion touches. I’m going to take care of my clients, and respond as quickly as possible when a new prospect calls.”
And here we are, an industry full of excellent account managers. Guess what? It’s not the sales person’s fault. They’re just reacting to the changed attitude of the market place. Why spend hours every week trying to see new prospective customers when they never accept an appointment with you? Do you see the opportunity yet? If not, read on…
If you’re a sales professional in an industry full of account managers, think about the opportunity to win new accounts. You’ll be the only one driving campaigns of certain technology; the only one trying to get your feet in the door to targeted accounts; the only one developing a presence on social media to position yourself as the subject matter expert; and the only one trying to take market share in a proactive and strategic manner. In 2006, everyone was trying to take market share. Today, you’ll be the only one. (Unless you’re in the same market as one of my clients, but then you’ll only have one competitor.)
I didn’t answer “how”, but I hope the “what” has inspired you to figure out the “how”, and start winning new accounts. BTW, the “how” is much different than it was in 2006, but it’s not brain surgery … you can figure it out.
