This week I have been continuing my journey into the world of outside sales. I felt as if it was a good time to go back to a book that has helped me in the past, The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey. Since the majority of the meetings I am going on are not only about introducing myself to these perspective customers, but potentially re-introducing them to The Hope Group and Parker, I wanted to think about how I could uphold and convey the integrity of both companies.
Covey’s opening chapter is titled “Nothing is as Fast as the Speed of Trust”. For every sales call I make there is a moment of truth - a split second - when whomever I am speaking with decides if I am a person worth trusting, worth having confidence in. That moment will define how our relationship will work moving forward. The hard part is figuring out how as a salesperson to help control that moment.
As I prepare myself to move forward here are the things I can add to my personal agenda in order to help take some control of that moment of truth. Am I making sure that I understand what a “winning” partnership between our two companies looks like, not just a win for one? In business the same as life relationships foster when both parties feel like they are benefiting. If I meet with a potential customer and discover that only one side is going to walk away feeling like they have won then the best solution hasn’t been found yet, there is more work to be done. If I say I am going to do it, I need to do it. That is a sales 101 lesson I have learned.
These two seemingly simple goals go hand in hand as I work to increase “The Speed of Trust” in my ever increasing number of business relationships.
Lori Wessels
Lori WesselsParker Hannifin
Product Support Specialist
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Product Support Specialist
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