I ran a sales organization once that grew from 50 people to 650 people and from 50mm to 1 Billion. We grew organically, period. We acquired one company, ANS, I believe was it’s name and messed it up so badly that all the sales people went elsewhere as did the revenue. I’m sure we made plenty of other mistakes. Here’s what we did do VERY well.
Do NOT miss this one. This one is HUGE.
We BUILT customer loyalty. Sounds so simple doesn’t it. It is NOT. First you must recruit, attract, and retain great talent and great character. Second, you must fire all your top producers that have great talent and zero character. Few leaders have a strong enough CORE for one and two much less for number three. Most leaders break out in hives when they hear about three…it sounds too much like FREE!
Here’s three and it is free. Do NOT miss this. This one is really small and makes no sense. Here it is.
Develop the habit of putting out GREAT work and not making your customers pay for mistakes. Notice that I did not say your mistakes or their mistakes. Think ANDING here with few exceptions. But that’s not fair. Shouldn’t they pay for their mistakes? Shouldn’t we simply hide ours? Isn’t this just how BUSINESS is done? The smart ones get ahead the weak ones get exploited?
I drove our CEO’s crazy, back in the day, because I gave out CREDITS like they were candy. I made sure our sales teams told our customers WHY we were doing it. Here’s what happened.
They told their friends about this cool company that does business in ways that make NO SENSE. They’re friends called us.
Make sure that you are producing great work. Take on projects that are beyond your teams strength. Do not make your early adopters PAY. Make your pricing straight forward and unmistakable. Make it stupid simple. Tell your customers when they are making mistakes and even more importantly when you and your team are. Do not make them pay.
Or, you can keep doing what you’re doing. Continue to follow your transactional model. Some company will keep buying your good work. You won’t go out of business. Some company will write you a check. Some company will transact with you and with some other few. Some company will turn the corner. Today they will think about doing transactions with some company besides you. Tomorrow, they won’t remember…
Stop your automated systems approach.
Remember your customers are HUMAN.
Stop avoiding CONFLICT.
Stop hiding the facts.
Stop hoping they won’t notice.
Stop making SENSE…and maybe they’ll REMEMBER
YOU.
BUILT TO LEAD 