No Pain - No Sale!

While on a Sales Call this week, I was reminded of THE Rule of Sales:  NO PAIN - NO SALE!

This particular prospect had plenty of "Pain Indicators" - signs and signals that there are things happening in the prospects' business that could be done better.  BUT, the prospect was not able to correlate those Pain Indicators to some significant impact on the business.  Said a different way, there was no compelling reason for the prospect to invest capital to address something that's not broken.

"Pain" has a negative connotation, but "Pain" can be:

• An Opportunity to increase business volume
• A Customer Service Committment
• A Positive or Negative Financial impact on the business
• A Law, Regulation or an Outside Influence
• Increased Operating Cost
• Quality Issue

People or Companies buy for 3 reasons:

1. Eliminate or Avoid Pain
2. Capture a Business Opportunity
3. Meet and Emotional Need

Rarely does #3 translate to an actual sale!

So, back to this particular sales call, there were many opportunities to do things better than they were currently being done, but nothing was so bad that it was having a significant impact on the business.

• Production Lines were not being shut down
• There were no safety events or issues
• Labor costs were not out of control
• The current conditions were not preventing the business from growing or doing more

When pressing the prospect for a compelling reason to invest significant capital to do the things he "would like to do", he could not give one.  "If you were to do this, how would it improve your business?",  "Impact Your customers?", "Help the business meet its Stragegic Goals?".  We were certainly capable of doing the things he was asking for. The prospect could not share a compelling reason why the business would invest six-figures to implement a solution that would be difficult, if at all possible, to justify.

An amature sales person would have walked away from that meeting quoting 2 - 3 projects that have little, if any, chance of moving forward.  As a Sales Professional, our Sales Engineer agreed with the prospect that further investigation needed to be done with other members of the prospect's team.  Members who might know more about the impact, if any, the "Pain Indicators" are having on the business.

Until then:  NO PAIN - NO SALE!

Embrace Millennials

At some point in the past 5 years or so, it became vogue to target a labeled generation - the Millennials.  Most of what I've read, heard, been told, about Millennials is not flattering.  Last spring, while attending the MHEDA (Material Handling Equipment Distributor's Association) Convention, one of the speakers - Scott Stratten - said something that has stuck with me.  I paraphrase, "We don't like Millennials because they're younger than us".  I don't know why, but that really stuck with me.  

My thoughts expanded to the multiple articles I've read and speakers I've heard talk about the "Multi Generational Workplace".  When wasn't it?  When was it that we only allowed one generation in the workplace?  Which generation was it?  NEVER!  When did a 25 year old act, talk, think, and dress like a 50 year old?  (There are plenty of 50 year olds who try to dress, act and live like a 25 year old!)  We've always had workers in the workplace ranging from 16 - 70+ years old.  You could argue that in early American History we had an even younger workforce!  But I digress.

Back to Millennials - I embrace them.  I must admit, I got onboard slowly, but I have come to discover that we need this generation and they are good.  They know things that we don't know or we are afraid to learn.  They know how to use technology - hell, they're inventing and developing it!  They can multi-task, which I wish I could!  Work Ethic - we complain about them wanting to work their own hours, so what!  They work.  They don't punch out at 5 or disappear on Saturday or Sunday.  Try getting in touch with a Boomer after 5 or on the weekend.  I would put my children's and their friend's work ethic up against anyone's.  They're just doing what 20 and 30 year old's have always done.  Enjoy Life!

Yes, they may have different interests, dress different, listen to different music, do things differently than we do, have fun, care-free . . . sounds a lot like my friends and me when we were younger.  Remember the first time you showed your Dad the brand new "bag phone" you bought and what he said?  Mine was something like "What the hell do you need that for".  Now, there's a good chance that you're reading this on your smartphone that is permanently stuck to your palm!  

We've had "Greaser's", "Hippies", "Metal Heads", "Punkers", "Yuppies", "DINK's" . . . so easy!  The generation born from 1980 - 2000 is growing, developing, nurturing and becoming successful in the environment that was given to them, using the technology, culture and social acceptance available to them.  The generation born in the 80's and 90's is not going to ruin the world. They are making it better, faster, smaller and more accessible.  Ask them, they may even show you how.

And by the way, they did not ask for participation trophies - we handed them out!