Greg's Right FIT #564–This week:

Quick notes to help you find new business in less time with less effort. . . sometime next week.

In this issue: 

• Thoughts about Sales Momentum Killers
• Being Human
• Random Stuff
• Back In The Day

Thoughts about Sales Momentum Killers

• The most common sales momentum killers are behind our eyes and between our ears. Preparation, planning, personal development, product knowledge, and professional development are just a few of the ones that begin with P. Before pointing the finger, use the thumb.
• Our companies can kill sales momentum too. Inadequate training, unrealistic quotas, frequent strategy shifts, not committing resources, and lack of support staff are just some of the ways it happens.
• Sometimes sales momentum is killed by the prospect. Communication challenges, delaying decisions, second-guessing expertise, delaying payments, and not engaging make it hard for sales people to succeed.
• As if our attitude, our company's actions, and our prospect's actions aren't enough, there's family and friends to deal with too. Emotional sabotage, time demands, misunderstanding the profession, financial stress, and lifestyle differences can knock momentum for a loop.
• It's a wonder anything gets sold at all! I've thought a lot about this. Get a copy of my booklet, "Sales Momentum 101" which lists 240+ momentum killers, and 75+ ways to overcome them. Hand it to a sales manager you know.

Being Human – Fear of risk

I don't want to make a mistake

In sales and marketing strategy we focus on three areas: setting strategy, making decisions aligned with that strategy, and executing on our decisions. If you had to guess, where do you think we're most likely to get bogged down? 

Yes. You know this. It's the making decisions part.

There's a few reasons for it, but in general, the fear of taking a risk and exposing ourselves to harm or loss keeps us from executing. It's natural. Very human. 

How do we work with it? How do we help our people overcome it and trust their decision making out in the field?

First, spend some time talking about it. If we're clear on where we want to go it's easier to discuss the many, many ways to get there. Some decisions will be riskier than others.

Second, give our team a tool for how you want them quantifying risk. Just like Disney figured out that a quantified wait time in line was easier for customers to deal with than an undefined wait time, we can spell out acceptable risk. A bank has a different risk profile than a software start-up. 

Third, revisit it. Use a version of name it, claim it, tame it. Tell stories about the decisions our people are making in the heat of battle. Talk about what worked, what didn't, what fits the risk profile, and what doesn't. This helps everyone understand what's expected. They'll take more chances and get results faster.

Random Stuff

Whether by divine providence or societal gender roles or simply because one of us is more industrious than the other, my lovely bride does all the baking. She considers herself more of a cook than a baker, but makes a mean banana bread.

One evening, as she was busy teaching the youth of America, I poked around and sorted mail. In the mailbox was a catalog from King Arthur baking company. I know of them because of articles written about the founder and their status as an early B corporation, but this day I am transfixed by the cover shot. An olive oil cake. I'm looking at it thinking, my woman needs to make this. "B—! Make me olive oil cake," runs through my brain and makes me laugh. (and makes me concerned about when I get senile because who knows what nonsense will fly out of my mouth. . .I'll just say 'I'm sorry' right now)

I look at the recipe to see if we have all the ingredients because that's my normal contribution. Errand boy. We have it all, so I start reading the instructions. I can do this, I think.

That night we enjoyed Greg's first cake. It had a lot of trouble coming out of the pan, but it was delicious.

Since then, I've made cookies, cakes, and last weekend, apple cider doughnuts. Some of them even look like what they're supposed to!

The problem is, I shouldn't be eating extra cakes and cookies. I can't leave them alone. 16 of the 18 doughnuts from last weekend didn't make it to Monday. I need to stick to salads.

This week, I started on Robert Caro's second book about Lyndon Johnson, "Means of Ascent." The man is a genius. But look at what he wrote in the introduction:

Hey! I'm six foot three and weigh about 230 pounds.

Massive bulk?

That hurts, man. That hurts.

No cake for Caro.

Back in the Day

What I was thinking about last year, five years ago, and ten years ago.

• Last Year: Right FIT #512 – Someone on social media said you need that one friend that sends you disturbing things. The person who says, "I saw this, it's in my brain, and now it needs to be in yours, good luck." Last year's Random Stuff fits that bill. Sorry to be that guy.
• Five Years Ago: Right FIT #303 – Looking at the Being Human section reminds me that I don't get as many "I have a question," calls anymore. Related, this summer I noticed my website traffic (and a few clients) dropped off a cliff in July. Also related, I saw a client getting a lot of weirdly detailed questions from buyers before they signed contracts. It all feels very AI chatbotty. Is this anecdotal evidence people are turning to Claude for answers they used to get from knuckleheads like me? Tal vez.
• Ten Years Ago: Right FIT #41 – Gift giving. My lovely bride is an expert gift giver. This is my warning signal that she's going to be ramping up her efforts in the next month. And that I need to up my game. It's intoxicating when you get one right.