| My friend Bill Tucker, President of the Florida | | | | for the foreseeable future. Sales professionals |
| Building Material Association, recently wrote in his | | | | need to sharpen their old skills and yes, learn a |
| associations publication (e-BLUEPRINT): | | | | few new ones to sharpen their aim to stay at |
| "The members of one of our business round | | | | the top of their profession. For some, as you see |
| tables were discussing how to increase sales, | | | | them falling by the wayside, it is already too late. |
| when one of them commented on the need for | | | | For most it is not. |
| training. Without thinking, I quickly reminded him | | | | It is not too late if they make the commitment |
| that during the construction boom, few members | | | | to rededicate themselves, and rededicate their |
| attended the numerous sales courses offered by | | | | business to the art of selling and marketing. Start |
| FBMA. That's the way it is; when shooting fish in a | | | | refreshing, learning / re-learning selling and |
| barrel, you don't need to learn how to aim." | | | | marketing skills and techniques and you will |
| "How many salespeople are sitting around waiting | | | | become the sales professional and business that is |
| for someone to call? How many are still hawking | | | | able to 'ACT' not 'react' to the changes in your |
| the same old products with the same old lines? | | | | market. |
| How many are looking to the same, rather than | | | | I once heard that the great football coach Paul |
| developing new customers? How many believe | | | | "Bear" Bryant when asked how he turned a losing |
| they don't need sales training?" | | | | football team into a winner replied, "I thought to |
| Whenever I am asked, "When do sales | | | | myself, someone has got to do something about |
| professionals no longer need sales training?" I | | | | our poor performance. Then I remembered - I |
| reply, "When they quit breathing!" | | | | was someone." |
| Because no matter how good you were at selling | | | | If you are 'the someone' in your organization, the |
| and marketing yesterday or how good your are | | | | someone who needs to and can do something |
| today, there will always be competitors and | | | | about it, it is time to: |
| economic changes that come along that you must | | | | Become more aggressive in marketing and |
| 'react to' to stay where you are in your success. | | | | sellinga. Create and use a sales marketing planb. |
| Those who are prepared do not 'react to' | | | | Determine who your best prospects arec. Learn |
| changing times and conditions, they 'ACT' before | | | | and use selling skills and techniques that attract |
| the changes adversely affect them. | | | | customers to you |
| It is human nature, and sales professionals are no | | | | Dare to be different than the competition |
| different, to take the easy way out. To become | | | | The business that gets noticed and is |
| lackadaisical. When times are good we do not | | | | remembered will be the successful seller |
| have to have as sharp an aim when shooting fish | | | | Dare to market and sell differently than you |
| in a barrel. | | | | did when you could shoot fish in a barrel |
| We do not have to be sharp when the | | | | It is time to learn (re-learn) the selling and |
| customers are calling and all we have to do is fill | | | | marketing skills and techniques it takes to gain and |
| out the order forms. | | | | retain your most profitable customers. We are no |
| But for many industries that time is over, at least | | | | longer shooting fish in a barrel. |