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Salespeople Bill of Rights

What if I told you salespeople are free to chart their own course, to be the salesperson they want to be? There are 10 freedoms you need to be aware of in the Salespeople Bill of Rights. As a small business, how you handle sales drives whether you win or lose in business. If you’re a salesperson yourself or you have a sales team on staff, this Bill of Rights will help your sales team choose the pace and persona of your business and position your company for success.

Author: Bryan Lefelhoc

July 13, 2017

It’s Independence Day as I write this article, but what I’m talking about is timeless. It’s as relevant today as it was in 1776, and before that, as long as people have practiced the art of persuasion.

Salespeople are free to chart their own course, to be the salesperson they want to be.

You see, freedom is about choice. In fact, freedom is nothing without choice. In sales, there are always choices to make. And as with any “right,” such as the right to bear arms or freedom of speech…there isn’t always a clear path…no clear mandate or right/wrong answer. You are free to choose!

But choose wisely, because your choices will define you. 

There are ten freedoms you need to be aware of in the Salespeople Bill of Rights. As a small business, how you handle sales drives whether you win or lose in business. If you’re a salesperson yourself or you have a sales team on staff, this Bill of Rights will help your sales team choose the pace and persona of your business and position your company for success.

Today we’re talking about the first three freedoms in the Salespeople Bill of Rights, important crossroads you will come to when it comes to the art of selling.

1. You Have the Right to Set Expectations, High or Low:

It’s imperative not only that you set the bar, but that you are able to deliver. Setting the bar low is easier, is probably less expensive, and often delivers more traffic. McDonald’s sets the bar low and delivers to expectation every time…EVERY TIME! If you choose to set the bar high, it’s going to take more work, more follow-up, more attention to detail, more risk of failure. When you set the bar high, you’ll also charge more and typically be better compensated in the bargain. I find that setting the bar high is far more rewarding on every measure…but you and your company have got to be up to the challenge. Make promises and then keep them, no matter what the promise. 

2. You Have the Right to Deal with Problems, Now or Later: 

So, when meeting the bar, you’re going to have issues. It’s your job to deal with them, and you have a choice…now, or later. I know I prefer to deal with an issue now. But bringing up a potential problem that might not even surface later on is risky and kind of scary. You might choose instead to deal with a problem when it comes up, trusting that you’ll get past whatever it is when that time comes. Whichever you choose, just remember that you MUST deal with issues. You aren’t free to ignore a problem if you want to be in sales for long.

3. You Have the Right to Decline the Deal:

This is one of the most unenforced “rights” a salesperson has, yet one of the most crucial.  Quotas are high, and demands for new business never stop, so salespeople feel like they MUST close every sale. But some sales aren’t a Win/Win. Maybe margin is too low, or the customer isn’t a good fit, or the project isn’t perfectly aligned with the company’s vision or process… it could be any number of things. In fact, there are probably more reasons to not accept a deal than to accept one! You should feel free to look a customer in the eye and say, “Thank you, but we choose not to work with you on this project, and here is why.” If you don’t have the freedom to make this decision in your workplace, you may need to move.

You are free to be the kind of salesperson you want to be. The Salespeople Bill of Rights will help you do just that. Seven more to come!

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