Sales Prospecting Perspectives

I consider my job as CEO to also include the role of CSO, or Chief Sales Officer.

I work very closely with our sales team and our VP of Marketing to ensure we are an ever improving, world class, Sales & Marketing organization.

A theme I have been focused on lately has been accountability.  Accountability is critical for the entire organization, especially sales.  As a career sales guy I have heard ALL the excuses (and humbly admit I've used a few before), for not reaching a goal: 

• "My quota is unrealistic!"
• "My territory is sub par!"
• "I am not getting enough leads from marketing!"
• "The leads I'm getting are no good!""

The list goes on and on, right?

The bottom line is accountability.  All successful salespeople hold themselves accountable.  They don't put their success in someone else's hands.  They don't wait for something to happen.  They make it happen.

In my most recent weekly sales meeting I challenged my team to think of their sales career as their own business.  Focusing on doing the things they need to do to get to their number on their own.  Make the time to network, to work proactively with marketing, and to work closely with your assigned CDR (Corporate Development Rep).  Even if you fall short of reaching 100% of goal on your own, commitment to these behaviors will ensure you reach and exceed your goal when combined with the support provided by your company.

When you are self employed you can not rely on anyone.  Successful salespeople don't rely on anyone to close business for them.  They may anticipate marketing and a lead gen team to supply them with marketing qualified and sales qualified leads, but they are on their own beyond that.  They run their own business, hold themselves accountable, and enjoy the flexibility and high earning potential a sales career can bring.

Sales is critical to every organization - it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out.  If you are a superstar salesperson you can name your price, enjoy great respect and flexibility and be key in growing your company, large or small.  But it's not easy.  If it were, everyone could do it.

Okay, there's the rest of today left to Q1 of 2010.  What are you going to sell today?