Everybody Plays the Fool
WMMM #089 - This week I pull back the curtain.
Jeff Keplar Newsletter February 8, 2025 3 min read
The Rules
Writing a newsletter about selling has its challenges.
Your content has to be interesting to the reader.
You must publish regularly.
Readers like seeing something from you at the same time every week.
If published on LinkedIn, the content must be able to be consumed in less than 10 minutes.
If you check all these boxes, the number of readers grows.
You're Already Naked
Avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.
Creating content that's interesting to more than just your family and friends isn't easy.
I began telling stories of sales cycles from my past.
People began subscribing to Win More, Make More.
When you've told 20 of your stories, you wonder how many you have left.
You also wonder how much value the reader receives.
LinkedIn is a tough place to get feedback.
People will "Like" your article, but few leave a "Comment."
Did the 20th story sound like the 15th? 10th?
I try not to rinse and repeat.
But who knows for sure?
I changed it up a little by adding a series called Mastering Useless Information.
Be interested and interesting.
Sometimes, I just give tips on best practices in sales that I've picked up.
I Ain't Lyin'
Last week was WMMM #088.
It was the Verizon sales story from over a decade ago.
I did my research.
I hosted a call with my Oracle teammates.
We walked down memory lane.
I took notes.
I enjoyed writing this story more than many of the others.
It's a favorite of mine.
So many lessons to be learned.
There's No Exception to the Rule
But I broke a rule.
The story was too long.
It took 20-21 minutes to read.
On LinkedIn, that's an eternity.
I knew better, but pushed forward anyway.
I've had a few people tell me how much they enjoyed it.
But it got zero "Comments" on LinkedIn.
It has yet to receive a single "Like."
The number of Impressions it received is lower than any of the prior 87 editions.
They Never Tell You So in School
You can't live and die by the reviews of your readers.
You are supposed to write your piece, hit publish, and not look back.
I couldn't help it.
I'm active on the platform, responding to "Comments" on editions posted weeks ago.
Some readers are just now viewing the older edition.
So, I could see how poorly WMMM #088 was being received.
It was a flop.
Everybody plays the fool sometimes.
Much like selling technology to enterprises, writing a newsletter about sales isn't easy.
You are bound to fail.
It's how you respond that defines you as a professional.
It can feel like "Rejection" is your middle name.
You have to pick yourself up off the mat.
Get back in the game.
Put yourself out there.
Don't be afraid to try new things.
Chase that dream.
It May Be Factual, May Be Cruel
Getting a total stranger to answer the phone or respond to an email is a difficult task.
It requires learning a specific set of skills.
It takes practice.
Lots of repetitions.
Gladwell's book Outliers tells us it takes 10,000 repetitions to master a skill.
80% don't answer their phone - at all.
Email isn't much better.
It takes an average of 7 touches to get a response.
Plan on "touching" your Prospect 14 times.
To get a response.
Which you may not like.
Only 10% of buyers in your TAM are open to exploring.
Less than 3% are ready to buy.
10% will never speak to you.
10% will buy from you no matter what you say or how you do.
The 80% in the middle receives your focus.
A successful outcome is a single good meeting for every 100 outreach actions taken.
Listen Baby!
The key obstacles to winning business are not:
How well you know your product
How much you educate your buyer about your product
The price of your product
The global economy
In which Gartner quadrant your product resides.
The key obstacles are overcoming:
No trust
No need
No desire
No money
No hurry.
Keep the faith.
Persevere.
Don't be afraid to try new things.
Practice, Practice, Practice.
Know that you will fail - you will Play the Fool.
Well, before you do anything rash
Dig this
Everybody plays the fool
Sometime
There's no exception to the rule
Listen baby
It may be factual, may be cruel
They never tell you so in school
I ain't lyin'
Lessons Learned
1) We are bound to fail. Embrace it and learn from it.
2) We can't live and die with others' opinions.
3) Learn to do what is necessary by practicing. Put yourself out there.
4) Focus on overcoming the Five Nos.
Thank you for reading,
Jeff
When you think “sales leader,” I hope you think of me.
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I offer my help to investors, founders, sales leaders, and their teams.
I possess the skills identified in this article and share them as part of my service.
In my weekly newsletter, Win More, Make More, I provide tips, techniques, best practices, and real-life stories to help you improve your craft.
