A Lost Sale is an Every Day Thing

OK – so most of us don’t lose a sale every single day – but it certainly is mundane…..     a boring event.

Seriously, the only lost deal is one that you can’t find one thing from the experience that moved you forward:

• improving your skill level
• with the customer
•  in your career

Now I’m not saying that it is easy to lose, rather that having a significant emotional investment in the outcome of a business decision by a prospect or customer makes sales a scary career.

Recently I challenged a group of salespeople to track “what in this conversation moved me forward” for every business conversation they had in a 2 week period (regardless of the judgment they assigned – amazing, good, neutral, bad, or horrific – to the conversation).

I’m not going to give you all of their specifics – here are some of the revelations:

• It makes me ask more questions while I’m in the conversation to find something that moved me forward by the end.
• I dig deeper.
• I find myself reading between the lines.
• I think “who can I get involved”

Plus at the end of each day:

• I leave with a clear conscious.
• I’m sleeping better.
• Ready to start again when I wake up the next day.
• Feel that I’m investing in accomplishment.

Next time you lose a deal, play this game and see what you discover. Then come back; scroll down, register, log in, and share your experience.