Change and the Challenge to Change
In sales and in business in general, change is the factor that we all have to deal with proactively or we will be changed by the market.
Change is the biggest challenge we all face and fear. The thing is… if we do not work on our selves to change, by choice, typically we end up changing when other factors force a change.
A Sales Persons biggest challenge often is this; will their customers or prospects change what they are using for products or doing as a process so that you can become their supplier? Even if you are doing some business with a customer, often, customers will say things like … “Oh furniture, we have dealt with XYZ Company for XXXX number of years and we would never change.” I was with a sales person the other day and when it came to break room supplies the customer told us…”well you get what you get and the other company gets what they get and we like it that way.”
Change is the obstacle, not the company…or the sales person in this case….its the customer’s aversion to change. On the job, we resist change typically until someone else says “this has to change or else”.
At home, sometimes, the same thing happens….we change only if and when we have to.
How do we proactively change? Typically we first have to take a look at what is not working or what could work better? Is there something at work that frustrates you or someone?
Write down what could be better and first ask yourself “what can I do differently”, when we change things change, they have to. It’s the law of cause and effect. Instead of just complaining about something not working, a change might be that you approach your boss and say, “I have an idea about how to do task xxxxx differently… would you let me try it?”
In sales, for new prospects and even customers that you know have difficulty facing change or making changes, ask upfront…. “What about making changes here….how is it received when you change things? Are their things we could do as a company to help you make this change to this new equipment or process or product?” “What is the history here when changes are made?”
By addressing your concerns upfront you get the customer or prospect talking about change. You may still not get the sale and you could be saving yourself a lot of time that would be wasted with a company or person that was not going to change anyway. By dealing with the topic of change upfront if this is new for you….you have to have a new result. Many sales would be made by tackling the topic of change upfront.
We all have a choice in life, keep doing what we are doing and expecting a different result, (Einstein’s definition of insanity) or proactively change from time to time and enjoy the new result at least until the next change is required.
Do it and see what happens….happy changing…..Steve Lentini
