Selling Drives Growth... Order Taking Does Not

Do you want to know why some sales reps struggle and others succeed? 

Let's break it down...

Imagine you're at a restaurant, and the server waits for you to tell them what you want. They don't ask you any questions or try to understand your needs. They just take your order and give you what you asked for. This is what we call an "order taker."

Now, let's think about a different scenario. Picture a salesperson who takes the time to talk to you, ask you questions, and understand what you're looking for. They listen carefully to your needs and then explain how their product or service can help you. They show you how it can solve your problems or make your life better. This is what we call "selling."

When I first broke into tech as a BDR I had an Account Executive that I fed leads to. I was paid based on the amount of “Accepted Leads” I created.

For me I was lucky… he accepted just about all of them. As long as they were the right type of companies, he would go work them.

Other Account Executives, rarely accepted the leads their BDRs were giving them.

What was it? Did I really produce better than everyone else?

Here is what I saw and the lesson I learned… some waited for those leads that fell in their lap and were ready to buy. Then there were Account Executives like the one I worked with who focused on the pain points and problems they had. He asked questions and engaged them. He closed more deals than any of those order takers. He had confidence in what we could do for them. Same company, same markets, same type of leads… one did sales, and others waited to be order takers. One succeeded and the other left for “greener grass”.

What does it mean to be more than just an order taker? It means helping people find what they truly want and need. It's about understanding their problems and showing them how your product or service can be the solution they're looking for.

To become a successful salesperson, you need to follow a process. Here are a few simple steps:

1. Listen and Understand: Take the time to listen to your buyers. Ask them questions to understand their needs and challenges. This isn’t about your list of qualifying questions… understand them.
2. Educate and Explain: Once you know what they need, explain how your product or service can help them. Use simple and clear language to make sure they understand. Connect the dots… their specific pains with how specifically you can solve them.
3. Build Trust: Show your customers that you genuinely care about helping them. Be genuine, honest, reliable, and always deliver on your promises.
4. Overcome Objections: There will be pushback… especially if it’s something new. Actively look and find their concerns or doubts. Help them see why your product or service is the right choice with the FOCUS on what they said they need and why they need it.

The biggest thing… sales is about solving problems and adding value. It's not just about making a sale. So, next time you think about sales, remember the difference between being an order taker and being a successful salesperson. 

You want to sell more… don’t be the order taker, be in sales.

PS... To succeed at this, you need to understand your buyer's pain points inside and out and how you solve these. The more focus on them and less on your product... the more you win.