Salespeople lean toward being hunters or farmers. I'm a hunter. However my farmer side retained accounts for years that my dominant hunter side developed from scratch.
This post from Social Media Today concludes that hunters and farmers network differently. It's true that a balance must be struck between both sides. However it's critical to lean toward hunting.
The owner of a marketing agency asked me how to shift from farmer to hunter. 80% of her business came from 2 accounts. She needed to spend time in a methodical way working a rigorous networking process to connect to decision makers in prospective clients. I suggested that she attend Michigan Avenue Toastmasters to overcome fear and learn how to present with confidence. The 3 years that I spent with this tremendous group were well worth it.
There is more malpractice in sales than any other profession. Prospects want to run in the other direction. Farmers can learn how to manage this difficult dynamic by reading sales books that explain how to engage people around their concerns rather than push product.
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