7 SEVEN
GROWTH: HOW DID SHE DO IT?
Difficult things are always simple!
How did she do it?
Padma managed to close all significant sales leads. How?
I was curious. There must be a reason why Padma alone is head and shoulders above the rest of the salespeople in the organization.
As an HR analyst and a psychologist-at-heart, I wanted to know.
So I did what a regular investigative journalist would do. Trawl all available data. Speak to all those around her. And then to her.
Data first. Padma was not a freak, neither by her looks nor by her behaviour Yet her sales numbers were freakish, in comparison.
The initial six months, from the confidential HR reports, I could see that it was an uphill struggle. She was labeled a slowcoach, a time-waster, someone with her head in the clouds. One manager even recommended remedial action. During the HR one-on-one and a skip level meeting, Padma shared her plan and what she was up to. Whatever she pitched seemed to work, as she was given independent charge and the ability to build her own team — and work with her own methods. Some selling skill this. From being about to be put in a performance improvement, she turned things around in that one meeting. Of course, the fact that the meeting was with the Sales head of the company helped. Still…. What happened there?
In the seventh month, she brought in her first deal for the company; A humongous deal, one of the largest. And she did it on her own, with support from her team and some superiors. All the naysayers were silenced. Swiftly. Some permanently. The old hands couldn’t believe it, and tongues started wagging. She must be up to some tricks!
Such talk continued until the second sale that happened three weeks later. A deal that was larger than the annual targets of the salespeople in the company. There was something about her.
With a performance like this, people are automatically attracted. They are in awe and, of course, want to associate themselves with this winning star. Padma had the attention of the CEO and the Board.
Since then, her team has moved, and the only direction was UP. I spoke with all those in the group, around the team, even stopping by the water cooler to listen to conversations. There was something about Padma.
It was time to talk to the diva herself. One call, and she immediately made time. She was still sitting in the small room that she started from — no major trappings of success. The humility shown was natural, not a put-on. I should know, having interacted with quite a few associates and stars.
I asked Padma: How?
Padma: Win over the decision-makers first. And all those around them.
Me: WHAT?
Padma: Salespeople start making random calls. The focus is on numbers that aren’t entirely relevant. It is not the number of phone calls you make or emails that you send out. It is what value you bring to the table, for the recipient, to make him or her a heroine in their company.
Me: WHAT? Could you give an example, please? This is a bit over my head.
Padma: What does a regular salesperson do?
Me: Make calls, reach out, connect.
Padma: Yes, but with whom?
Me: Whoever he can get in touch with. A future client.
Padma: Right. You have done your research. You know about my history with the company. You would have seen my performance report the first six months I was here.
Me: Yes, yes, I am pretty curious to know. And of course, what transpired between you and the Sales head then.
Padma: I was very clear. I studied the company, the operations, how each activity was conducted. I also researched the existing clients and the deal sizes. I figured out that the key decision-maker made the more significant deals on the prospect’s side. So, instead of reaching out at random, I spent the first 3 months researching. And the next 3 months connecting with all those around this decision-maker.
Me: So? Tell me about that meeting.
Padma: My superior at that time was a numbers guy. But the wrong-number guy. He wanted to know and was focused only on the number of calls I made and the emails I sent out. I tried convincing him about an account-based strategy where the deal size could be bigger. He would not listen. The fact that I was the only lady on that team did not help either. When I had that meeting with the sales head, I walked him through my strategy. I showed him the work I did. And I asked for two months, with total freedom. Two months, with a specific number target that I signed on for. A target that was more than my annual target at that time.
Seeing my courage of conviction and the plan, the sales head Govind immediately accepted.
Me: And you did it….
Padma: Yes. I had no doubt about the process, the research, and the need to showcase the value add to the key decision-maker. I had invested the last three months on two key accounts and built and presented the case consistently to the prospect’s decision-makers, users, and influencers.
Me: And then?
Padma: Then what? Success breeds success. Some aim for small wins — no issues with that. I had to prove myself to all the negativists around. So, I had to play for something big. So big that not only will I be noticed, my process will also score a major victory.
It is constantly adding value, building trust, and then closing the sale. Never the other way around.
You have been in the system for so many years. You have added value and built a name for yourself. This is why I cleared my calendar to meet you when you asked.
What is true in human relationships is true in marketing and sales. It is a human-to-human connection, always.
**
When you want to escape (from prison, camp, etc.), you need to neutralize the decision-makers.
When you want to win big, you need to identify the decision-makers, add value, build trust — and then ask.
**
All stories in this “52” series:
1. The Cycle Wheel
2. The strong polish their fangs and the weak….
3. Expectations
4. Connecting through
5. What happens to nice guys?
6. If you want something in life…..?
Pravin Shekar is an outlier marketer, parallel entrepreneur and a raconteur.
mic @ PravinShekar.com
For creative collusions, join: http://bit.ly/JoinMyOutlierTribe
Pravin is the author of eight books: http://tiny.cc/PravinShekarBooks
Devil Does Care, Marketing lessons from The Art of War, Marketing lessons from Mythology, Getting paid to speak, a Virtual Summit Playbook, Climb your way out of hell, a collection of travel pics/romantic poems, and stories from the heart!
#Marketing #Entrepreneur #Awareness #Strategy #Outlier #Outliermarketing #micromarketer #idea #tribe #Books #krux108 #PravinShekar #OutlierPravin
