Don’t Get Trapped

The prospecting goal for the optimal salesperson is to develop a business relationship with the key decision maker in the organization.  Such an individual is often a senior manager or officer.  For many sales people, calling on such a person can be intimidating.  Therefore, they take the easier approach – make connections with people in the lower ranks of the company.  A salesperson can feel they are doing a good job making such new connections.  They can report back to their sales manager that they have a “lead” with John Doe at XYZ Corporation.  However, John Doe has little clout in the organization.  He himself has a tough time getting an audience with officers.

What has the sales person really gained?  Nothing.  If anything, he has empowered John Doe to demonstrate authority he wouldn’t normally enjoy.  John might make it all the more difficult for you to make higher connections in the organization.  Even if he doesn’t take such a step, the salesperson now has an awkward situation – how do you go beyond John to reach the higher ranks of the organization without offending John, making him feel inferior?  There is a simple solution.  Call on the top people in the organization.  If they are too busy, they will defer you to a lower level individual, giving the salesperson a valued endorsement and authority.  Optimal Salespeople, go for the top and then work your way down in the organization.