Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
We’ve all heard it before.
"Sales is a numbers game!"
But this popular sales phrase has become a misleading rant these days. First, I can’t think of anyone who'd want to be treated like a number. One in a long list of potential customers. That mindset brings with it a disregard for the consumer.
Secondly. That’s not how the expression came about. That phrase never meant “on to the next one.” No, a "numbers game" meant the following:
You have to knock on 100 doors to present to one client. So to get to that one client, you had to work hard and continue with forward progress to create the opportunity for the results. It didn’t mean that you had to speak to 100 clients to get one sale and if you stumbled over several sales opportunities and failed, you just kept on stumbling! Think about that for a second, you just continue to fail and people tell you to keep going, you’re bound to get a sale. As if it’s chance or luck. That's not very encouraging, is it?
Even today, in the “cold calling sucks” era where prospects go on the internet and show interest, you still have to know what to say and how to say it.
We’ve all seen this proven time and again. If you don’t have enough skill in engaging the client who showed interest, it doesn’t matter how much money you throw into filling your pipeline, does it?
Finally, here’s another way that the numbers game catch phrase is misused.
For a boss or colleague to empathetically say “shake it off, keep on calling and try to get the next one.” Realistically they should be instructing and correcting you so that you will get the next one.
Consider this: How often have you heard successful salespeople being told the following? “Don’t worry, it’s a number game!”
The most successful salespeople don’t need that misguided enthusiam because they work the numbers, the numbers don’t work them.
------------------------------------ "Without agents, you have no agency!"
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
Originally Posted by robliano
Even today, in the “cold calling sucks” era where prospects go on the internet and show interest, you still have to know what to say and how to say it.
Consider this: How often have you heard successful salespeople being told the following? “Don’t worry, it’s a number game!”
The most successful salespeople don’t need that misguided enthusiam because they work the numbers, the numbers don’t work them.
I hear this over and over from every guy who "has a system." But there IS no magic bullet. If there was, the guy with "the system" would be making a killing using the system.
The reason the "numbers game" adage is mentioned so often... is because it is true. There is no system in the world, no internet site on the planet, no magic formula that anyone knows of that will substitute for one simple word: ACTIVITY.
There is good activity and dumb activity (handing out cards to homeless people from an annuity salesperson.) But no matter what else you do, you need ACTIVITY to get the numbers to get the sales.
Sales trainers come and sales trainers go. Most of what they have to offer is blue smoke and mirrors. Not all... but most.
Make the calls, knock on the doors and you will make sales... even if you are the world's worst salesperson. And even if you are the best, nothing is going to substitute for ACTIVITY.
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
The reason the "numbers game" adage is mentioned so often... is because it is true. There is no system in the world, no internet site on the planet, no magic formula that anyone knows of that will substitute for one simple word: ACTIVITY.
Correct. It is a numbers game. It is also a skills game, but without the numbers the skills are irrelevant.
The amount of agents on our lead system that are on vacation pause right now is staggering. I am not saying you should never take a vacation - but when you are struggling to pay your light bill, you might want to hold off on Disney World.
This proves the point. Those who want to work hard and consistent will have the rewards. There is no free lunch.
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
Originally Posted by al3
I hear this over and over from every guy who "has a system." But there IS no magic bullet. If there was, the guy with "the system" would be making a killing using the system.
Sales trainers come and sales trainers go. Most of what they have to offer is blue smoke and mirrors. Not all... but most.
Make the calls, knock on the doors and you will make sales... even if you are the world's worst salesperson. And even if you are the best, nothing is going to substitute for ACTIVITY.
It seems by your response that you feel that I'm one of the "smoke and mirror" type of trainers and I'm sorry you feel that way.
Nowhere did I say that it didn't take hard work. And I think it's very discouraging to recommend that a new agent make 100 calls and even if they're bad, they'll still sell. To me and many others, that's not a formula for success.
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
Originally Posted by TXINSURANCE
Correct. It is a numbers game. It is also a skills game, but without the numbers the skills are irrelevant.
The amount of agents on our lead system that are on vacation pause right now is staggering. I am not saying you should never take a vacation - but when you are struggling to pay your light bill, you might want to hold off on Disney World.
This proves the point. Those who want to work hard and consistent will have the rewards. There is no free lunch.
Wow - I just agreed with The Jackass :-)
I'm going to Disneyland!! On my credit card, lol.
You didn't actually agree with him, you made a counterpoint. he said good or bad, you'll sell if you work hard, which we all know is untrue.
You said skill is involved, which was a point covered in my post.
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
An interesting little riff from Frank Rumbauskas, Jr.'s latest newsletter:
"Feel good??? This is sales, not some overly new-age cult about finding our inner child or whatever. This is business. Business can be nasty at times. Don't get me wrong - I sincerely believe that a positive attitude is necessary for success, and the best way to do well at your job is to make it fun. But there comes a point where one can become overly positive and lose sight of reality. Feeling good is wonderful but it doesn't pay the bills. A positive attitude is only one part of the big picture, and I've seen so many people focus on only one thing and lose sight of the big picture. Don't fall into that trap. It's like my argument against attempting to correct a slump by "increasing your activity."
By increasing your activity, you're only throwing fuel on the fire instead of correcting the core problems, such as an inability to close or to properly qualify prospects at the start. A positive attitude is a must but will work only if it's backed up by intelligent planning and action.
It must also be backed up by new, forward-thinking ideas and strategies. Ideas and strategies that WORK.
The problem with most of the ideas still in use is that they are no longer effective. They are all the old, right answers that today are the wrong answers.
Too many salespeople are locked into habits based upon old, right ideas that have stopped working in today's economy. They either haven't realized, or refuse to accept, the fact that times have changed and so have the answers."
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
Back in the day I was a manager for a company called WWI - we sold all kinds of stuff BtoB (a run job - did it for years.)
I ended up as a manager in the Brea office in LA and one day the regional VP - Danny Rowe (infamous motivationalo guy) came to the office.
At the end of the day we had a meeting and a newbie, Scott, piped up that he didn't make a dime that day and was out for 8 full hours.
He had every excuse in the book - wrong product, area already worked too hard, etc..
Danny made him an offer - if Scott was willing to go back out for 30 more minutes and sold a single piece of merchandise he would have him $1,000 bonus.....then took out a grand in cash and laid it on the table.
Of course, in front of more than 100 people in the office everyone was going nuts - one rule; Danny had to go with the guy to make sure it would be on the up and up.
Of course, they came back and he sold 3 pieces. Danny have him the $1,000 then fired him.
If Steve would have sold 3 pieces per 30 minutes for close to 50 for the day he would have made just over $150 in cash that day.
So what changed? Danny made sure his presentation didn't change from the script.
------------------------------------ Health Insurance Agents: Training, Support, Discounts, E&O for $440 www.ihiaa.com
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
Granted you need the proper skill to get the client. And many of us may need a refresher from time-to-time. But most sales people fail because they don't put forth the necessary effort.
When folks talk about smoke and mirrors, they are typically referring to motivational speakers whose effect wears off over time.
When I was a political organizer, I ran a crew of 30. We would run weekly trainings focusing on a different aspect of our sale. Each day I would ride with a different person. Some of them needed help with their rap - a little tweaking here and there. Others needed motivation to work instead of sneaking back to their room for a nap.
The best motivator we had was accountability. At the end of the day, each person would have to detail their whole day to a team leader. -- ok, where did you go first? Who did you see? Tell me the conversation. What's your plan of action? You need to do x, y and z. Then who did you see? .....
------------------------------------
Hey Frank, Your goat's are inspirational!
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
Take it out of the insurance realm.
You're job is selling a $500,000 computer system to huge companies.
Will you have to know what you're doing?
Can you just make call after call until eventually you get a sale?
Would you have even gotten the job if you had no successful track record of sales (references)?
Would they keep you on if you said you didn't need their training?
Would you have to follow their system of selling that they know works? (which usually costs thousands to create)
Several factors that seem to work the best for the most successful people include:
You have to work hard and smart, have/fine tune/acquire the skills, accept responsibility, apply what you have learned and adjust accordingly if necessary.
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
Originally Posted by healthagent
Inner drive is the ultimate key to success. You either have it or don't. It cannot be taught.
Without inner drive you can indeed be taught to make a living in sales - albeit a modest living.
Good point, I never understood why people lack motivation, there's enough bills, cars, houses, gadgets and stuff like that to motivate you on to success!!
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas
I wouldn't take it personally, this guy has an uncanny knack for finding the cloud in every silver lining...
Perhaps that is because so many guys (some of them in this venue... not naming any names) have a knack for selling to us agents (especially new ones) essentially a dark cloud (or a lot of blue smoke) embedded in the silver lining. "It's THE SYSTEM and it will make your rich!"
When it comes to sales training all you need is AIDA coupled with ABC.
No "system" here. No need to spend $500 to $5000 on a course or a consultant. It's all right here.
Everyone is hoping there is something they can learn or be taught that will send the clients to their door with their wallets open.
Well there isn't. But there is a method to use when you do get a "live one"... and it takes about as long to learn it as it does to read it.
There is nothing wrong with "systems" and sales courses and coaches and anything else. But basically it all comes down to one thing... you gotta want it, and you gotta do it. It's all below.
Glengarry Glen Ross
Written by David Mamet
Blake: Let me have your attention for a moment! So you're talking about what? You're talking about...(puts out his cigarette)...bitching about that sale you shot, some son of a bitch that doesn't want to buy, somebody that doesn't want what you're selling, some broad you're trying to screw and so forth. Let's talk about something important. Are they all here?
Williamson: All but one.
Blake: Well, I'm going anyway. Let's talk about something important! (to Levene) Put that coffee down!! Coffee's for closers only. (Levene scoffs) Do you think I'm f---king with you? I am not f----ing with you. I'm here from downtown. I'm here from Mitch and Murray. And I'm here on a mission of mercy. Your name's Levene?
Levene: Yeah.
Blake: You call yourself a salesman, you son of a bitch?
Moss: I don't have to listen to this ****.
Blake: You certainly don't pal. 'Cause the good news is -- you're fired. The bad news is you've got, all you got, just one week to regain your jobs, starting tonight. Starting with tonights sit. Oh, have I got your attention now? Good. 'Cause we're adding a little something to this months sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anyone want to see second prize? Second prize's a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired. You get the picture? You're laughing now? You got leads. Mitch and Murray paid good money. Get their names to sell them! You can't close the leads you're given, you can't close ****, you ARE ****, hit the bricks pal and beat it 'cause you are going out!!!
Levene: The leads are weak.
Blake: 'The leads are weak.' F---ing leads are weak? You're weak. I've been in this business fifteen years.
Moss: What's your name?
Blake: **** YOU, that's my name!! You know why, Mister? 'Cause you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove a eighty thousand dollar BMW. That's my name!! (to Levene) And your name is "you're wanting." And you can't play in a man's game. You can't close them. (at a near whisper) And you go home and tell your wife your troubles. (to everyone again) Because only one thing counts in this life! Get them to sign on the line which is dotted! You hear me, you f---ing faggots?
(Blake flips over a blackboard which has two sets of letters on it: ABC, and AIDA.)
Blake: A-B-C. A-always, B-be, C-closing. Always be closing! Always be closing!! A-I-D-A. Attention, interest, decision, action. Attention -- do I have your attention? Interest -- are you interested? I know you are because it's **** or walk. You close or you hit the bricks! Decision -- have you made your decision for Christ?!! And action. A-I-D-A; get out there!! You got the prospects comin' in; you think they came in to get out of the rain? Guy doesn't walk on the lot unless he wants to buy. Sitting out there waiting to give you their money! Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it? (to Moss) What's the problem pal? You. Moss.
Moss: You're such a hero, you're so rich. Why you coming down here and waste your time on a bunch of bums?
(Blake sits and takes off his gold watch)
Blake: You see this watch? You see this watch?
Moss: Yeah.
Blake: That watch cost more than your car. I made $970,000 last year. How much you make? You see, pal, that's who I am. And you're nothing. Nice guy? I don't give a ****. Good father? **** you -- go home and play with your kids!! (to everyone) You wanna work here? Close!! (to Aaronow) You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse, you cocksucker? You can't take this -- how can you take the abuse you get on a sit?! You don't like it -- leave. I can go out there tonight with the materials you got, make myself fifteen thousand dollars! Tonight! In two hours! Can you? Can you? Go and do likewise! A-I-D-A!! Get mad! You sons of bitches! Get mad!! You know what it takes to sell real estate?
(He pulls something out of his briefcase)
Blake: It takes brass balls to sell real estate.
(He's holding two brass balls on string, over the appropriate "area"--he puts them away after a pause)
Blake: Go and do likewise, gents. The money's out there, you pick it up, it's yours. You don't--I have no sympathy for you. You wanna go out on those sits tonight and close, close, it's yours. If not you're going to be shining my shoes. Bunch of losers sitting around in a bar. (in a mocking weak voice) "Oh yeah, I used to be a salesman, it's a tough racket." (he takes out large stack of red index cards tied together with string from his briefcase) These are the new leads. These are the Glengarry leads. And to you, they're gold. And you don't get them. Because to give them to you is just throwing them away. (he hands the stack to Williamson) They're for closers.
I'd wish you good luck but you wouldn't know what to do with it if you got it. (to Moss as he puts on his watch again) And to answer your question, pal: why am I here? I came here because Mitch and Murray asked me to, they asked me for a favor. I said, the real favor, follow my advice and fire your f---ing ass because a loser is a loser.
(He stares at Moss for a sec, and then picking up his briefcase, goes into inner office with Williamson)
For the hell of it on your next "sit" after the small talk, write on a yellow pad, vertically:
A
I
D
A
"Mr. and Mrs Prospect here is how our meeting will go. I will first attempt to get your attention [write in "ttention" next to "A"] by telling a short story. Then I'm going to be quiet and have you tell me your story and what your financial INTERESTs are [write on pad]. Next we will talk back and forth about possible DECISIONS [write] you can make and finally we will agree on a course of ACTION to implement the decision you do make. You can stop me at any point and I'll leave. Are you ready to start? OK, here is why I'm in this business and why I've been successful in it...... [tailor to your own style/interest]"
There you go. A compete sales course right there. If you want to send me $500 or maybe $5000 dollars, knock yourself out... but if you CAN sit by yourself in a quiet room and rehearse, rehearse and rehearse again and again your sales presentation based on AIDA, no matter how terrible a sales person you are you will make sales. Why? Because you will come across as organized and competent and caring. That's what sales is mostly all about.
If you can't come up with YOUR OWN sales presentation based on AIDA than you need to be in a different business. No one can teach you how to sell. They can motivate you and they can "structure" you, but you have to take the tools and build your own house. No one will do it for you... because no one CAN do it for you.
Why is this business so great? Simple. It's because you get to do it YOUR WAY... and in my experience YOUR WAY will be the BEST WAY for YOU.
What works for you is probably not going to work for the other guy. So why in hell do you think that what works for the other guy is going to work for you?
Sure, see what works for others. Take what you think will work for you. But it won't be EVERYTHING. Yeah, I know you want it to be (especially if you shelled out a ton of $$$) but it won't. It has to be yours. It has to come from you.
Every job or profession requires some minimal "entry skill level." If you CAN'T write (develop) a sales presentation (I don't care what the product or service is) around AIDA, go get a job with the government or become a skilled craftsman... plumbing, carpentry, computers, electrician, auto mechanics, etc. You don't belong in this business and you won't do well if you remain in it.
Well, that was fun. How many of you did I piss off this time? I do that on most Sundays don't I? Why?
Like Blake (above), Mitch and Murray sent me, and I'm here on a mission of mercy.
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
I hope you're feeling better now.
The best part of that post was the following:
"but you have to take the tools and build your own house. No one will do it for you... "
You are correct, but where do you find those tools?
In the insightful tirade you just posted you say they ought to find out for themselves and then you offer AIDA and ABC and hint it's the key to success.
Maybe some people don't want to struggle, they want to hit the ground running, and that's why they hire trainers. That's why companies have managers, leaders and trainers, to instruct you to do what is required of you.
And you're right. I actually posted on a thread about needing a degree or certain skills in order to get a job other than entry level but in sales, you only need to be breathing. So how do you get a degree in sales?
I still study and learn, I read the books, listen to CD's and go to seminars because I feel I can always be learning and improving.
PS: I'm not sure that you pissed off anyone but yourself.
Re: Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!Go to Top
I highly recommend Glenngary Glennross - picked up the two DVD set on Ebay for $4 + $4 shipping. Great movie. Al Paccino was great as was Jack Lemon (R.I.P.).
The video clip of what The Jackass posted is on You Tube if you search for Glenngary Gelennross.
Good stuff.
P.s. There is a sign above my coffee maker that says COFFEE IS FOR CLOSERS. I recommend everyone have one.
Last edited by TXINSURANCE : 07-20-2008 at 06:39 PM.
Reason: coffee
Sales is not a numbers game, it's a game of skill!
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