Your New Job Description: I Create Value

In Bob Burg and John David Mann’s latest book “Go-Givers Sell More,” there is an interesting twist on the job description for someone in sales.  

“Your job is not to make a sale (importantly noted earlier – impossible to do) but to create something else: value. In fact, as a salesperson you can define your job description in three words: I create value.”

I have to admit, the first time I read this, I altered it in my mind to read, “I present value” meaning, my job is to show the value others will receive by hiring our company.  However, that is NOT the case – my job, your job…everyone’s job, whether in sales or not, is “To Create Value.”  This is one of those processes versus product concepts.  Too often, we focus on the value that a client experiences as a result of the product they are purchasing, instead of the value we create through servicing them.  Let me illustrate for you.  

Recently, I stayed in two different hotels on the same business trip. They were each quality hotels, a Marriott property and a Crowne Plaza.  I paid almost the exact same price for the rooms, but had very different experiences.  At the first property, I arrived around 1:00 pm to find that they had no rooms clean for me.  Adding to the struggle, I had accidentally booked at a location that was out of the way from my very tight travel schedule, so I had little room for inconvenience. At the next location, I arrived, was checked in to my room, no hassles, no struggles, great location…etc.  However, which location provided the best value to me – not what you might think, it was the first property.  You see, it wasn’t the difficulty that defined my stay, it was the service.  

Shortly after the front desk worker had told me it might be an hour, he set a bell on the counter and disappeared (to which I mistakenly thought, “great, now he’s going to lunch”).  He returned 10 minutes later to check me in.  I had indicated how tight my schedule was and my mistake in selection of hotel.  He had gone to assist the cleaning staff to get a room ready for me!!!  Are you kidding me, that was a first.  Then, he asked where I was traveling, and after sharing where I was headed, he realized that there was much road construction and that the normal google map route would most likely take me through it and make me late. He didn’t tell me this, because he understood I needed to get into the room, shave, shower, iron, etc.  Not five minutes after I left him at the desk, the employee slid a piece of paper under the door – you guessed it, an alternate route for me, and a hand written note indicating that I could take the bottles of water with me at no charge, so I wouldn’t have to stop to get anything along the way (it was in Arizona and the temperature was 110).  I stay in hotels often, but this was the first time that an employee had ever gone through this kind of effort to serve me, and I quickly went from thinking “what a stupid mistake I had made selecting this hotel” to saying “anytime I am in the Phoenix area, I’m staying here!”

This employee “created value.” He didn’t rely on the nice new pillows or cushy king size bed to make me feel better, he made sure I would.  That is what we are to do, create value!  As the title of this blog indicates, if you focus on “winning for them” that will be a natural occurring result.  Remember, value starts with hello!

Hope is a Terrible Strategy

Today the President spoke of more "hope" and the title of this blog entry was evidenced once again.  Now, don't get me wrong, it is important to have hope, but to base decisions on "hope" isn't an effective strategy.

I would suggest instead, to hope in strategy!  In business, there will always be a risk-reward equation, and most of that comes from this concept of "hope".  However, if you find yourself constantly forecasting by saying, "I hope..." (fill in the words), then you are most likely creating chaos in your company, home, or wherever.  Let me suggest a few simple strategies to step through when hoping for a better future, or outcome.

1. What are the known variables?  As you look into the future, how much of your new idea or "hope" is based on things that you can identify? Once you know what they are, attached a tangible measurement to them, and MEASURE them.  When speculating about what might happen, measuring assumptions of what you do know, is a key to knowing how far to push the envelope as you move forward into the unknown areas.
2. What can you risk?  It is important to identify a limit to risk.  When you combine this with step 1, you can keep a constant risk assessment equation.  Also, if you are finding that things are going better than "hoped for", you can potentially increase the goal, because the risk is diminished by the success.
3. Be prepared to fail!  I remember seeing this quote sometime ago on a blog, and I wrote it down, "Life's real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up."  Too often, fear will cause a person, company, etc to quit just a little too soon, so they won't have to "have failed." If it is worth doing, it is worth failing at, don't forget that.

This is a somewhat simplistic and generic look at a way to have hope, without having hope as a strategy.  I "hope" it helps you be able to WIN FOR THEM!

Steve Boyett

How Being You is What They Need

Greetings:
I can't tell you how many times I have read, listened to, or been "coached" that to be successful in sales a person must be "this way or that way".  Often, the teaching will include phrases like, "get out of your comfort zone", "great is the pain and great is the reward", etc (insert your favorite, "be like me" platitude".  THIS IS JUST NOT THE CASE!

See, the most important thing any sales person can do, is be themselves.  If you are selling something that requires you to be something other than authentic, THEN QUIT....NOW.  The key to success in sales is to know that you are adding value to someone, and you are able to do it, without having to be someone else.  However,  I am not saying that a salesperson shouldn't seek to improve their ability to communicate the value, and/or the solutions that they have for the person/company they are wanting to partner with.  As a matter of fact, if you don't care about what you are doing enough to spend time dedicated to improvement, you might not care enough to be someone who is committed to adding value. 
Here are three keys to consider about a sales position:

1. What is the mission of the company you are representing?  I love what I do!  Part of the reason I can say that, is the mission that our company has.  "Empowering worthwhile organizations to impact more lives through effective fundraising."  That just overflows with "them".  
2. What is the vision of the company you are representing?  Even when a mission is inspiring, the vision could move in a direction that is different than what you think it should be.  This can be easy to adapt to, or a change in this could literally change everything.
3. Is the company really providing solutions? When I say "solutions" I mean, what is sold is solving the problem - period!  

If you examine this criteria and find that you are inspired by each, then you are in a great situation! Of course, there are many other facets of working for a company that can affect your experience, but that is for another post.  As long as these three criteria are met, then you just need to be "authentic".  On a side note here - if you have not read "Go-Givers Sell More" by Bob Burg and John David Mann yet, that really needs to be "step 1". Being authentic is the most important attribute of any truly successful salesperson - not rich sales person.  I define successful sales as "Providing measurable value through real solutions while building great relationships!"  When you do this, every time you make a sale...You are 'Winning For Them."

Tomorrow Will Be Just Like Everyday

When you hear the word "tomorrow" what comes to mind.  Tomorrow can be full of hope, full of anxiety, the needed word of the day, and the list goes on and on and on!  However, tomorrow is...a day, just like everyday. Not to be given too much undeserved credit, or too much fear.  However, if you are not thinking about tomorrow, then today has already caused you trouble to deal with....you guessed it - tomorrow.

I was recently in a conversation with a friend who was trying to offer suggestions to a friend of his who was out of work.  However, my friend's good intentions were not received as such, and this friend of his, did not want assistance with his "tomorrow."  While discussing the frustration that came as a result, my friend said "it is just so hard to help someone who doesn't seem to have a plan for tomorrow (quoted, but somewhat paraphrased)."  The more I thought about that statement, the more I related to his frustration.

I often tell consultants in our company, "tomorrow's success or failure will be determined more by what you do today, then what you do tomorrow," and that is what I want to tell this friend of a friend.  You may have to adjust the plan you make, but I can assure you, if you start a day without one, what you do will not be "planned" or proactive, but instead reactive. 

Proactively planned days help to avoid the tyranny of the urgent, and reactive days tend to be either, all urgent, or very little gets done at all.  Bottom line, if you want to increase the likelihood of having a successful day, don't ever wait until tomorrow to get the next day started!!

Now, go out and win for them.

Why Do You Do What You Do?

It seems I am in a questioning mood tonight, so, I thought I would post a short update, with a few questions.  No answer - just questions.

1. Why do you do what you do?
2. What would you do if you never needed to earn another penny?
3. Are your priorities in order? Do others think your priorities are in order?
4. When was the last time you spent meaningful time with someone?
5. When was the last time you worked a 20 hour day because you love what you do?
6. When was the last time you worked a 4 hour day because you love someone else?
7. What is the most important accomplishment in your life?
8. Success or significance?
9. When is the last time you did something for someone and nobody knows about it?
10. When will be the next time you accomplish an answer you wanted to give to one of these questions?

Hopefully - soon!

But I Want It Now!

With all the "immediate gratification" in today's world, getting what we want now is often just what is expected. The impact of this type of impatience is often just accepted as risk or a worthwhile consequence.  From buying too big a house or too fast a car to conclusions without all the information....and the list goes on and on.  However, at the root of this has nothing to do with the actions, but instead everything to do with an internal issue - selfishness.  That's right, I said it, no apology for it, but that is what causes so many of us to be impatient and want what we want, NOW.

This selfishness has caused us to act irresponsibly with regard to our jobs, finances, relationships, etc and we are raising a generation of kids who have watched us do it, and now will stretch their expectations for the NOW to even higher levels.  I am amazed at how often I hear teenagers say they "would never work there" (insert where you worked for your first job) and how does anyone live on only "that much money"?  However the result of this, doesn't just effect others who might not fit into the solution of the immediate, but it will in most cases hurt the one who is impatient.

As we get older, the concept of winning for others shows itself as a positive in many ways, but mostly, it helps us in whatever we do.  I believe we have been created to serve - not receive.  Now, don't get me wrong, most of us (certainly include me) like to be pampered and relax, but the two things are not mutually exclusive. I love a nice vacation, and look forward to my next one about the time the last one ends, as many of us do - but how relaxed could you be in a beautiful tropical setting a day after a tsunami hit, even if it didn't cause any problems for your resort, but the rest of town was wiped out and people are struggling to survive...oh waiter..could you bring me a menu? I think not.  Most of us, would be far more comfortable putting aside our long awaited itinerary of frozen drinks and amazing food to help our brothers and sisters who have experienced the harshness of the storm.

Finally, putting others first will help a person achieve the long-term satisfying success that has lasting value.  There are many stories of the narcissistic person who knocks down people so he can use them to climb his way to the top - but usually, that person either gets to the top and finds out he is there by himself, or he doesn't stay there long enough to realize he is all alone.  If getting to the top is so important you are willing to climb over others to achieve it - than I would suggest that you are actually "climbing toward the bottom", and you won't realize how directionally challenged you are until it is to late.

If you want to be valued, value others and become a "valueizer".