When it comes to developing business there are only two types of professionals:
Clerks and Consultants
When there is an abundance of demand in the marketplace, both appear to have the same level of success; They’ll put up good numbers, their customers will be reasonably happy, and everyone will make money.
But when the winds of the marketplace shift from a tailwind to headwind, you’ll quickly see which is which:
Clerks:
- Answer questions
- Respond to opportunities
- Give the customer what they asked for
Consultants:
- Ask questions
- Uncover opportunities
- Guide the customer to what they need
My team is lucky to work with some incredible business leaders. Collectively, we will help them generate over $500 million in sales this year. In their respective industries, they are the best of the best and they do not miss their goals.
But I’ve taken no less than 50 phone calls from them in the last month with each one singing the same song:
“My sales team can’t convert the leads like they have been.”
My response is the same every time:
You’re finding out who’s a clerk, and who’s a consultant.
I estimate that 1 out of 6 professionals is a true consultant.
The other 5 ride the waves of circumstance, always victims to the economy and competition.
You will not hear consultants whining right now about “low-quality leads,” “high-interest rates,” or “lower in-store traffic.”
Why?
Because to them, their job has been the same all along:
- Ask questions
- Uncover opportunities
- Guide the customer to what they need
If you wish to continue growing, you only have two options for the season ahead:
- Train more consultants
- Hire more consultants
Trust me when I say that this is actually good news because once you have the consultant force alive in your business, you will be unstoppable and the big bad wolves of politics and the economy will no longer get you down.
Drop me a line if you need help with either 😃.
👊👊
BW
