The Direct Route in Sales

DIRECT OR CIRCUITOUS?… in Selling there are two ways to make a sale. You can take the direct route…you identify your goal and move in a straight line towards it.  Or you can take the circuitous route… identify your goal and move in a time-consuming multidirectional approach.  The most successful Salespeople take the direct approach. There is no benefit to “dragging things out”. In the movie “Miller’s Crossing” there is a great line offered by actress Marcia Gay Harden. She admonishes one of the characters by pointing out his lack of progress. Marcia says, “You always take the long way around to get what you want, don’t you Tom?” To be highly productive in Sales, you can’t afford to “take the long way around”. Efficiency with your time is critical if you want to be highly productive.

Here is your ACTION STEP…let’s look at both sides of this issue…

Examples of the Circuitous Route:

1. Not prequalifying your Prospects thoroughly… “They seem motivated”

2. Having unclear personal and business goals…”I know what they are, I don’t need to write them down, they are in my head”

3. Inconsistency in your routine…”I have a lot of stuff on the go you know!”

Examples of the Direct Route:

1. You start work at the same time every day

2.  You practice your sales presentation so it is both compelling and succinct (not wordy)

3. You work all the time that you work & you schedule time off…have a plan

4. You put the task of “finding new leads” at the top of your list everyday

5. You are very clear on (a) your sales target for the month & (b) your results so far (make it visible!)

The shortest distance between two points is definitely a straight line. It’s easy to get off track. Just make sure you are continually adjusting  the path you are traveling on every day. Stay away from those distractions and perceived shortcuts. They are the “potholes” that will get in the way of you successfully following the Direct Route. Remember that the goal is to help your Prospects get what they want so that you can get what you want. The “scenic route” is never profitable. NO Excuses.