Hey sales land, ever have one of those days where anything and everything that can go wrong with all the good stuff in your pipeline really does?
And I’m not talking slightly wrong, I’m talking end of days apocalypse it’s raining fire and brimstone type stuff. Email after email slamming the inbox starting with the nemesis words we in sales land so dread: “Really sorry about this, but...”
I can remember one such day, not so many years ago. And it was a true pearler.
It started with me and my happy pipeline sipping coffee and enjoying the early morning sun. Our mood was fine as the birds sang outside the window. And then it started. An email that went bang: going with a competitor. A second email, bang: shift in priorities. Then another... and another...
Fast forward a few short hours and every one of those innocent opportunities was dead. And not just a little sort of dead, I’m talking guillotine dead. Dead as in don’t bother with the defib paddles, just grab a shovel type dead. When it was all done I remember calling my technical partner and just laughing like a maniacal clown. I mean, what else can you do?
Days like that hurt. And they happen to all of us in sales land.
My advice when your next Black Monday pounces like Cato on Clouseau is simple. Close up shop, grab your coat and get straight in the pub. Don’t worry about calling management, that bad news isn’t going anywhere. Time to take care of the warrior. The death of a pipeline is infinitely painful, but there’s no problem so big that a beer won’t help.
And while you nurse that cold pint of sorry and regret, look for the lessons. Self honesty and hard reflection with that packet of cheese and onion please. Some of it wasn’t your fault, but some of it was. The lens of brutal honesty during these times will teach you things that will serve you well as you continue the journey.
In the greatest of failures are the truly great born.
Oh, and the same applies for every great sales call or meeting, too. Pat yourself on the back for the good stuff but pay particular attention to the parts you didn’t smash clean out of the park. There is always something you can improve for next time, and every little helps in the mad game that is sales.
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