From the past and present to the future

Jeffrey Gitomer provides a tantalizing primer on effective sales call preparation in Predicting the outcome of a sale is easy. Sort of. I think what he suggests works best if you add an extra item (you can see the other points by reading the original story).

.5: Put your sales machine aside and understand -- really understand -- your clients' industry, and your own business.

I see far too many salespeople thinking purely in terms of the sales process, and not the environment in which that process operates. They tactically manage -- manipulate -- the situation, often so effectively they get the sale, once, twice or even more often -- but ultimately damage their business and its reputation.

The wiser approach, I believe, is to see selling in context of the entire business relationship we have with our clients and potential clients. This larger, more challenging, cultural approach may create an environment of receptiveness and repeat business where it seems that the salespeople are mere 'order takers' but, done right, they are much more than that. For want of a better phrase, they are brand ambassadors, communicating and respecting their business's relationship with current and future clients, and the community at large.