More Harm Than Good
WMMM #077 - This week’s tip caused me to pull what I planned to share.
Jeff Keplar Newsletter September 14, 2024 2 min read
I had what I thought was an excellent anecdote highlighting a common myth about sales.
Composed my newsletter using the same process that I always do
I felt good about the content.
Too good.
Flaw Exposed
So I slept on it.
Still felt good about it, but began to have some reservations.
That's the thing about using real-life stories.
The characters in these stories are real people.
How would they feel if they read this story and recognized it was about them?
The anecdote exposed a common myth about sales.
There had to be a victim.
At least one person had to initially believe in the myth for me to have a story to tell.
When one is in business to help others feeling PAIN in the pursuit of B2B sales, it doesn't feel right to rub their noses in it in a newsletter.
Misunderstood
Selling is a challenging profession.
A "Profession" is a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification.
There is no formal qualification for selling.
There are no degrees in selling that one can earn from a college or university.
Yet everyone is exposed to "sales" nearly every day.
This helps explain why so many people think they know what selling is.
They think they know how to sell and what makes a great salesperson.
Hence, the common myths about sales.
But make no mistake.
Successful selling involves prolonged training, lots of practice, and a lifetime of continuing education.
Like professional sports, analytics and process are being applied to the "science" of sales.
Those who become successful are in a position to help those struggling.
Dispelling a myth is a good teaching tool.
But not if it causes more harm than good.
All is not lost.
Today's tip prevented me from potentially causing harm.
It is a variation of one I learned early in my career.
Gary, my sales manager at the time, helped me understand the danger of writing a response when you are in an emotionally charged state of mind and the wisdom that if you do, to refrain from sending it and place it in the top drawer of your desk for review the following day.
I was reminded of this tip while listening to Episode 53, Words Matter - Mark Sadler, of the Coach2Scale podcast, hosted by Matt Benelli.
"If it feels too good to send the email, you probably shouldn't."
So, I pulled this week's story.
I will explore ways I can share it without causing anyone harm.
Lessons Learned
1) Telling real-life stories comes with responsibilities.
2) There is much more (science) to selling than most people realize.
3) If writing it feels too good, we should not send it.
4) Listening to other sales coaches' podcasts is part of our lifelong continuing education in sales.
Thank you for reading.
Jeff
When you think “sales leader,” I hope you think of me.
If you like what you read, please share this with a friend.
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.
