Teach a Man to Fish?
Give a man a fish feed him for a day … don’t give a man a fish and feed yourself. He is a grown man and fishing is not that hard. :0)
It’s the fisherman not the fish!
Why is it that people always say those fish are smart? It is not true. Fish are not smart, they are simply instinctual!! Have you ever been fishing with someone next to you who is catching fish after fish? You can even trade spots and they keep catching fish while you sit there waiting for success.
Salesman often watch a veteran sell and they say, “Well that was an easy one.” I have news for you, they are fishing in the same river!!
I am a fly fisherman. I have learned some incredibly important lessons that apply directly to the skill of selling. First of all I learned that fish are not smart they are instinctual. Some things are not food to a fish (unless its a carp). Some things are food at certain times of the year but not at other times. Some things may be food, however, if presented wrong or in the wrong color, fish won’t eat it. (Kind of like my 2 year old says about green eggs on St. Patricks Day, “Eeeww!”)
I often hear sales people talk about their area. They think that someone is in a better territory or that people have more money or that they are just nicer. It is more in the salespersons head than a reality. I always ask the question…”Are there people there? Then its a good area.” It is the same river!! People like fish are instinctual. They respond to similar messages and are drawn to purchasing products and services for similar reasons. People are also emotional. They buy because it ‘feels right.’
A salespersons job is to present their message at the right time in the right color so people will bite (buy). This means that the little things matter. When watching an expert sales person learn not only the wording but the nuance of what and how things are said and presented. Excellence is in the details.
This is not exactly brain surgery! http://youtu.be/THNPmhBl-8I Sales is the skill to reproduce what has already been proven to work. It does not need reinvention. A quote that has meant a lot to me over the years sums it up nicely. “Where can I learn sales 202 and 303? There is no 202 and 303, it is still just sales 101 and it works great!”
With a good product and some basic training, sales is a proven opportunity. You are no different than others who have gone before making great money and changing their life. You can create a great opportunity for yourself. Use these tips to land a big one!
Top 6 Fishing Tips
1- Keep your hook in the water – If you are not in front of people you won’t sell. Bottom line, if it doesn’t add to the bottom line, your hook is not in the water. I find there are three types of selling personalities that often cause problems.
Workers: These are the kind that fear wasting time so much that they don’t stop to think and study. They need, not only sharpen the saw, but also improve their skill set.
Pain relieving non productive workers: These are the kind that waste time on organizing and planning and studying at the wrong time. It relieves pain because they tell themselves they are working however it doesn’t bring in revenue. The wrong time is anytime prospects are available and especially the busy or prime times.
Delay Fish (Dory from Finding Nemo) These are the best at procrastination. They find any reason to avoid working (i.e. car maintenance, taxes, kids, etc.) Find a reason to work. Set an appointment early in the morning and then just keep working.
2- Make sure you have the right fly, match the hatch – if you aren’t following what you learned you have the wrong fly or color. Go to school…on your leaders and top reps. Watch the best and emulate.
3- The best time to catch a fish is right after you caught a fish. Get your hook back in the water. Don’t stop, selling is a momentum game. Once you have it don’t give it up.
4- Bad fishermen don’t have tenacity and patience! Stick with it till it works.
5- Most of the time fishing is spent not catching. Selling is mostly no’s. It is the few yeses that matter. If you can get 1 in 10 to say yes you will make a living. If you can get 3 in 10 to say yes you can be rich! Don’t give up cause the fish aren’t biting one day.
6- Make sure to check your line. A friend of mine fished for a half hour with moss on his line. If things start to go down hill, get back to the basics. Do what you were taught as a new sales person. Again there is no need for Selling 202!!
Do or Do not there is no try! I hear people say, “I tried selling and I am just not a sales person.” The truth of this statement is that perception is reality. I sat next to a lady on a plane one time and she said “I tried selling once, I just wasn’t good at it!”, and I asked her how long she sold for and she said 3 WEEKS! I am sorry but that is just not long enough to know if you can do something.
The fishing is great if you have the right tools and put in the work. Good luck out there.