I was talking with one of my coaching clients about a large order she closed in January (one deal that was more than 1/2 her sales production for the month!). She called it a bluebird; acting like her time, energy, and effort were in no way related to winning the customer’s trust and business.
I asked why she was discounting her own part in winning. Which sparked a discussion on where the idea of bluebirds even came from… so of course we looked it up!
bluebird n. in business, an unexpected, very profitable, or easily made sale. etymological note: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “bluebird” connoting “happiness” dates to at least as early as 1909.
The issue I have is that when ever a salesperson says their deal was a bluebird – they discount all the time, energy, and effort they’ve put into building the customer relationship!
Unexpected: by doing all of the right things – all of the time, when something comes up for one of your prospects or customers they THINK OF YOU and CALL YOU. Perhaps you didn’t know about that particular requirement (in my experience, sometimes they didn’t know about it the day before either), this doesn’t make doing business together unexpected!
In fact I’d challenge that all the effort you put in makes them thinking of you when a requirement arises completely expected.
Very Profitable: isn’t this what we, as salespeople, are working for? Understanding that some sales are more profitable than others, doing a fantastic job qualifying what your prospect needs is what leads to ‘very profitable’. When what you can do is an exact match for what they need – there isn’t any reason to discount your price.
Being fantastic at what you do allows you to match up prospect requirements to your (and your company’s) capabilities. Sounds like effort and work to me.
Easily Made: If you combine all the efforts you’ve put into building trust and credibility… sprinkle on a dash of fantastic qualification and pinch of building a relationship so you’re the person they think of when something comes up. Yup, that sale was easy.
If you take responsibility for all the deals you lose, please start taking responsibility for all of the deals you win too!
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Lynn why do sales people discount their time, energy, and efforts made to close business? Bluebirds were the sales that came in out of the blue that were unexpected. I remember working for you and landing a few orders that came in after verbal quotes were done months before and was shocked to see the volumes on order from them. If orders come in and there is a lot of time, energy, and effort put in; it’s truly not a bluebird sale. That sale should be celebrated not taken lightly.
Ammiel, thanks for the insight! I’m not sure why salespeople discount their efforts – I’m working on making that NOT the case with as many people as I can. Regards, Lynn