OUTDATED THINKING… there is a great story from the military about an Army barracks that had a concrete slab out in front of the entrance. This lab was 20 feet square and was guarded night and day by rotating shifts of four soldiers for years. Eventually a new Commanding Officer arrived. While reviewing the operational procedures of his new assignment, he asked, "Why are we guarding that slab?".
No one seemed to know the answer. That guarding activity had been part of local procedure for literally decades. Upon investigation it was shown that over the years in excess of 6 CO's had signed off on perpetuating this guard duty. The new CO decided to check it out. What he learned was that some 80 years ago a new concrete slab had been poured. In an effort to make sure no wild animals walked across the wet concrete, the guard duty for the 4 soldiers was created. It was supposed to be temporary. The problem was that shortly after this activity began, a new CO was assigned and he told everyone to keep everything status quo. The rest is history…for 80 years the soldiers had been guarding a concrete slab that did not need guarding! Why?… Because "this is the way we've always done it!"
A humorous story and easy to see how it could have happened. When you look at your Sales Business, what things are you doing now just because "that's the way I've always done it"?
Here is your ACTION STEP… what procedures are you engaged in in your Sales Business that should be reviewed? What BELIEFS are you maintaining that are quite possibly outdated? Here's some suggestions on where to start…
OUTDATED PROCEDURES AND BELIEFS
1. My existing Sales Presentation style is still excellent.
2. My visual image/my wardrobe/my grooming are still okay.
3. My method of prequalifying new Prospects is effective.
4. My current daily schedule gets the job done (example: the time I get up every day).
5. My Mindset/Attitude serves me well.
6. My ability to "Say NO" to the time wasters is strong enough.
7. I don't need any outside help… "I know what to do, I just need to do it".
Funny how we can look at others "guarding their concrete slab" and see the folly in their approach… but we can't see it in ourselves. The worst example of being "stuck in a rut" shows up in the A&E television program "Hoarders". We look at those people in dismay and wonder "How can they live like that?". Take a look at where you can make some changes. Getting rid of old baggage is amazingly liberating! Don't look at it as a fear of loss… look at what you will be gaining by becoming more than you are today. This is the essence of growing your Sales Business. Relieve yourself from some of that "guard duty" that you have been hanging onto. NO Excuses.