oh MAN!

I had worked as a Sales Executive in a company called Indian communication Network Limited. Indian communication Network Limited was a market leader in the field of electronic typewriters. Network as it was called was a very sales driven organizations and the entire sales team was full of beans and vigor. In the evening as the sales team was returning from the field they would have to face this quip from our Regional Sales manager “Have you met the MAN today?” Let me clarify. MAN is not gender specific. Our RSM is refering to Money, Authority and Need. It is quite impossible to find a single person who has all the three qualities to be termed as a MAN. It is very rare and almost miraculous to find a single individual who can play all the three roles seamlessly.

The sales executives at Network would target the typists (NEED) in the organization. The sales person would convince the typist that procuring the electronic typewriter would make his/her life easier. Once the typist is convinced the sales executive would zero in on the typist’s boss (AUTHORITY). The boss would be told about the obvious advantages of the electronic typewriter and how it would enhance the office productivity. Once the boss gives an affirmative, the purchase order is procured from the commercial department (MONEY). The entire sequence of activities is a proof to show that sales as a profession is a series of planned activities that have to be executed with meticulous planning.

It is often seen that many sales executives make lots of sales calls but the end result is a big zero. They are effective communicators, possess adequate product knowledge and are good at product demonstration. Sales call analysis show that the concerned sales people are not making effective sales calls. It is a catch 22 situation. They are calling on people in the organization who are easily approachable and accessible. In 99 out 100 cases the most easily accessible people in the organization are the least powerful as far as decision making is concerned. In most cases the most accessible person is probably the gate keeper. He is put in that position to act as a filter. The gate keeper restricts the flow of sales people to the decision maker or the MAN.

The challenge that is faced by the sales person: how to approach and convince the person who is the most inaccessible. This is where a smart sales person comes in. He needs to have all his wits and resources in seeing that he breaks the defense of the MAN and see that his case is at least heard. I know of many sales people who have waited at the car parking area and got the break through when the decision maker was getting out of the car. I also know the case of a persistent sales person who almost way laid the decision maker when he was relieving himself in the rest room to fix up an appointment!