Jeffrey Gitomer June 27, 2013

With all the dumb laws on the books these days, you’d think they’d have one smart one for taking responsibility.

Wouldn’t it be cool if every politicians weren’t allowed to blame anybody else,and had to take full responsibility for their own actions and results?

Well, the same is true in sales.

I’m pretty sick of salespeople still telling me, “the guy said he wasn’tinterested” and “the guy is happy with his present supplier” and “theguy won’t set an appointment with me” and, my all-time favorite, “theguy wouldn’t return my call.”

As you read those excuses, theyseem kind of lame don’t they? Wait! Are they lame? Or are they patheticexcuses for poor salesmanship, poor preparation, lack of ability totransfer a passionate message, lack of belief in your own product orcompany, lack of perceived value, inability to differentiate yourselffrom your competitor, and most important, lack of proof?

Whetheryou’re in politics or sales, the burden is the same: take responsibility for all that happens. And if it’s not happening in the best waypossible, take responsibility to make it happen in a better way.

It’s funny how you can picture responsibility and blame in terms of a politician. I mean, come on! Can you imagine a politician saying, “The bill didn’t pass and it wasall my fault.” Could you ever imagine that in your lifetime?

That’s why I want taking responsibility to be a law. If it was a law, everyone would be forced to tell the truth, admit their shortcomings, and goback into the battleground and return with a winning result. Politicians included.

Aren’t you sick of blaming? Aren’t you sick ofpoliticians blaming each other ad nauseam for what the other guy didn’tdo? Isn’t there a biblical phrase that begins, “Let he who was withoutsin cast the first stone”? I think if it were law, there would be a lotless stone casting, and a lot more people taking responsibility to makesomething happen.

Let’s get back to the objection of not gettingyour call returned. When I hear a salesperson say, “The guy wouldn’treturn my call,” I really want to punch somebody in the face (gently, of course).

Let’s take a look at the real reasons someone won’treturn your call to help you understand the difference between blamingand taking responsibility:

1. The message you left had no value.

2. The customer has no intention of buying from you and just doesn’t want to tell you.

3. The customer is not ready to buy yet and was too busy with their stuff to deal with you and your stuff.

4. The customer does not consider you a value provider, and is out there looking for one.

5. The customer does not perceive you as being genuine.

6. You are unaware of the customer’s motive to buy, and as a result have a hard time perceiving what their urgency is. Better stated: you don’tknow why or when they intend to purchase.

7. The customer is still shopping.

8. You failed to connect emotionally or intellectually with the customer, and they would rather not do business with you.

9. You failed to offer enough proof to eliminate risk and create peace of mind.

9.5 The customer has decided to buy from someone else and feels no sense of obligation to inform you of their decision.

Those are accurate descriptions of some of the real reasons why. “The guywould not return my call” is not a problem. It’s a symptom. “Why” theguy would not return my call is the issue. If I can find out why, andcorrect it, then more if not all of my calls will begin to be returned.

Wow! What a concept.

Here are three new ways of thinking:

• I’m going to uncover my customer’s intentions and motives for purchase.
• I’m going to share with him or her how they produce more and profit more after purchase.
• I’m going to bring in several of our existing customers who will do video testimonials to corroborate my claims.

A “taking responsibility” law could revolutionize this country. Can youimagine a politician actually having to tell the truth instead ofblaming something or someone else?

For the past 100 years, it’sbeen the same sales. Salespeople and sales trainers conveniently calledreasons for not buying, or not communicating, “objections,” therebyshifting the blame to the customer.

HERE’S THE REALITY: There are no objections.

There are barriers. There are symptoms. There are circumstances. But thereare no objections. And all of those barriers, symptoms, andcircumstances would disappear if the salesperson takes responsibility,studies the outcome, and implements a better way.

Or you can just blame and whine.

Like a politician.

 

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The SalesBible and The Little Red Book of Selling. His forthcoming book, 21.5Unbreakable Laws of Selling, will be available September 3rd, and willfeature a national public seminar tour.  Get the details atwww.gitomer.com. It will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

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