When taking pictures, you know that what you focus on will be clear and the rest of the image blurry. Likewise, what we focus on in sales appears the same way.
But in most organizations, there are millions of things employees are told to focus on, which means nothing is clear.
In that case, inside salespeople have to figure out their own point of focus. What they choose, may not be what is most important to your organization.
I know there is more than one initiative going on at a time. Yes, you probably have more than ONE thing to sell.
Yet success comes when you;
Pick ONE focus instead.
Would you stop rolling your eyes and consider this differently if “focus” changed to “theme” instead?
Merriam Webster’s 2nd definition of theme is: a specific and distinctive quality, characteristic, or concern.
Focus Theme Exercise
- Write down everything your company sells: product, service, whatever.
… have 10,000 things you sell? Writing down every category vs. each sku. - Now tie the result a client gets from buying from you, for everything you wrote down.
My experience is: those results tie to multiple products once you have the lists.
Pick ONE Result Theme.
Now instead of throwing initiatives, ideas, and action areas at your sales team. Choose ONE Result Theme for the quarter AND use it as a way to tie everything together.
The organization’s varied initiatives all become to be a means to get to the result. Help your team understand WHY it’s important by sharing HOW it will get them there.
Be specific.
Give them a touchstone.
Be focused.
Gauging my own focus,
Lynn
ps: as I was writing this I realized picking ONE focus is true for customer conversations as well… more on that next week.