If your business cards have “sales” on them, burn them.
Let’s make this simple: if any business has a “sales” department, “salespeople,” a “Sales” Manager, or a VP “Sales,” they’re stuck in the last century.
For starters, the titles have to change.
I know, I know. I’m accusing 2/3 of America’s enterprises of being stupidly backwards, and/or I’m defying “the way we’ve always blah blah blah.”
But look at the real world. Nobody wants to be sold to. We’ve evolved the SAT (Sales Avoidance Technologies) that allow us to happily deflect emails, cold calling, radio, tv, direct mail – 95% of all outbound messaging.
Buyers today feel they have access to enough information to make prudent decisions, and are happy to ignore “sales” pitches. They are sometimes correct in this belief.
So. Why on earth would you shoot yourself in the foot by announcing yourself as such an unwanted intrusion? Make a bonfire of your business cards. Some companies have wisely chosen new titles, sending Customer Satisfaction Engineers (or some such) out into the world. Good first step.
The mentality and methodology have to change, too, not just the words on the O-chart. You want to be on the same side of the table as your prospects, don’t you?
Can anybody justify the continued use of this antique?
5 Comments
James Burk
August 13, 2012To quote Shakespeare or some Looney Tunes cartoon I used to watch, “No, no, no, a thousand times no!”
Be what you are and say what you do. Selling is a proud profession and we only have one reason to talk to a client: to get them to buy something.
What you suggest is a slippery slope that began with janitors being “sanitary engineers” and has devolved to purchasing people (lurking in the workout room after reaching an agreement with the brand) into “Supply Chain Commercialization Managers.”
Straight talk, Mr. K, straight talk!
Speaking of which, I would be happy to tell you all about our graphic services…
Regards,
Jim Burk
Director SALES North America
Sun Branding Solutions
Eugene Borisenko
August 13, 2012Agree completely. The world of chest beating alpha male sales rep is not the way business gets done in today’s economy. And that’s the image the word brings to mind.
Reno Lovison
August 16, 2012I am really struggling with this. I agree with your point but I also agree with Jim. I hate renaming stuff in order to give it a new face without making a substantive change behind it. A rose by any other name is still a rose and a salesman by any other name is still a salesman. I prefer to see the profession evolve, otherwise many companies feel that by renaming their same old guys (and gals) using the same old tactics that they have made an improvement.
Truth be told the act of customer acquisition in most cases is not performed as it was 20 years ago. As a customer there’s nothing wrong with consulting with a sales facilitator. Yikes!!!
Joeeph B Fischer
November 14, 2012Sign on a Purchasing Manager’s door: “We shoot every other salesman, and the last salesman just left!”
Cherie Cavazos
November 14, 2012In the grand scheme of sales, I agree that silly ridiculous titles for roles the general population depends on is a waste of time. So much depends on the impression a sales person makes rather than his/her title, once they’ve established value with their prospective customer. As a consumer, I’m much more aggravated by a bait and switch approach than someone just letting me know they have something I may want to buy. In my days as a Business Developer, aka salesperson, my goal was to conduct myself as a valuable and reliable resource to a pain free existence for my prospects. I slept soundly every night knowing my behaviour was not slimey and I closed business. Appreciating everyone’s input here!