Happy Spring to You:

It’s been a while since you’ve “heard” this, but I’m happily sitting in a bar.  It gets even better - in this past month I had the pleasure of launching a new client and actually conducting several 4-legged sales calls!

SEVERAL comments, then two no-surprise conclusions…

• There’s so much MORE opportunity to engage, learn, relate, advance a relationship, and, YES, sell something in a live call.  Just about all sales efforts might be better labeled as “solving a problem” or “providing a better solution”, but between you and me, “SELLING” and solving are interchangeable.
• Communication can and does take place in a virtual encounter, yet I know you’ll agree any silicon-based interaction will not and should not ever replace carbon-based efforts! 
• COVID necessitated virtual connections, yet I worry we’ve gotten (how do I say this gently?) “lazy”.  Distractions on the other end of a screen compromise, dilute and sanitize whatever message (s) we’re trying to communicate.  Such interactions are NOT as effective as a face-to-face visit.
• Drop in!  That’s the IDEAL way to begin a conversation.  Admittedly, this cannot work for all businesses, but in all markets, there are dozens of categories and innumerable prospects worth pursuing.

During these four-legged calls we met a small, very aggressive insurance agent, a well-regarded and successful chiropractor and a locally owned seed, farm, and implement retailer.  There are two unmistakable takeaways from these calls.  I cannot emphasize these enough:

1.  MOST sales organizations do not prospect enough.  This is absolutely true in newspaperland.  The “one-offs” and “...want the same ad in our home improvement tab?” efforts MUSTSTOP.  Sales leadership simply must require (yes, REQUIRE) a certain percentage of time be devoted to prospecting, or there is a without-fail minimum number of prospect CALLS every week/month.  Email does not equal a sales call!
2. As you are getting to know a prospect and finding out what’s worked, not worked, how they measure success, etc., be absolutely, positively sure to include questions about their digital history and appetite.  Your eventual proposal MUST include multiple digital solutions!  Your website does not count.  Unfortunately, W – A - Y too many organization offer their website and little more!  That’s a recipe for stagnation.

Said differently:

                                                             Your

Web

                    Site

                                                                                         Is

Not

                                                                                                Enough!

Good luck!