Happy Sunday Everyone:
I just had 6 great coaching students in town for a site visit. As most of you know it gives everyone an opportunity to see how we all operate, team meetings, sales presentations, operations, deal flow etc….but one thing I did differently this time is making cold calls on speaker phone. We’ve been focused on it all semester, the need to get new business. I was thinking yesterday, and almost started laughing out loud on how many people say “I’m referral only”. It’s an insecurity to say “I’m referral only”, as if you’ve made it to the top, only referrals, only incoming calls dying to do business with me….Its total B.S. We are in sales, sales requires prospecting, sales requires getting out of our comfort zones and creating new relationships, sales requires rejection, sales requires being bold, impactful, moving the needle…it is not for everyone, but for most of us on this chain, it’s what we signed up for, so let’s accept it. Let’s not be embarrassed that “I made cold calls yesterday”. I scheduled two appointments on Friday w/ complete strangers, on speaker phone, in front of 6 others watching me….awkward, YES, but do I feel like a million bucks now, YES. Would you rather make a million bucks a year and say you cold call, prospect, deal w/ rejection, and pound forward, or make 100K and deal with “referrals only”???? I’ll take door number 1 please. I’ve heard, and agree in some ways, with the statement of “what got you hear today is not going to get you to where you want to go”, but I also believe we need to reflect on the positive things that got us to where we are today, and then question if we’re still doing them, or if our larger egos have gotten in the way. “I’m too big to cold call”, “I do too much business to prospect”, “I’ve paid my dues, I don’t need to prospect anymore”. I’ve said that 100 times, but I’m over it, and have been for a few months, and what happens, new relationships, new business, new success, feeling like I’m authentic in my coaching, I’m leading by example….it feels great, and I’m starting to see the results. A great quote “success is never owned, it is only rented, and the rent is due everyday”….When you’re in sales, like it or not, what is due every day is prospecting. The sooner we accept that very simple fact, the better for all of us. We signed up for sales, be proud to prospect. I will forever laugh at anyone that tells me “I’m referral only”.