O2 Business

John was new to sales.

Since leaving college he had worked successfully in a number of technical support roles.

The time had come, he felt, to make the leap and take up a full time sales role.

John relished this opportunity to put his extensive product knowledge to the test and show his new sales colleagues how it should be done.

Within weeks of commencing his new role, a request for a proposal (RFP) landed on his desk.

This RFP was from a company that John’s company had done business with in the past.

John took on this challenge with gusto.

Over a six month period he gave presentations and demonstrations to all the key players in the account he wished to win.

He took them to dinner, he took them to sporting events, he played golf with them.

In that same six month period, John spent many man-days, even weeks, often working late into the evening, on the most comprehensive proposal response imaginable.

Every “i” was dotted, every “t” was crossed. His hunger to win this business was palpable.

Finally decision day arrived. John arrived at his office late. The sleepless nights had begun to take their toll.

The office was unusually quite. John was summoned to his bosses office where he received the devastating news.

He hadn’t won the tender.

His main competitor was getting the business.

In complete disgust at the unfairness of it all, John threw his hands up in the air and barked,

“I don’t get it, I did everything, our product is clearly the best on the market”.

His outburst was soon followed by a long sigh, “it just goes to prove”, he said,

“you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink”

John’s boss, looking out over the glasses on the end of his nose, tilted his head forward and offered John a valuable lesson he has never forgotten, “Sonny”, he said,

“your job is not to bring the horse to water, your job is to make him thirsty”

Paul Lanigan, Sandler Sales Institute
www.paullanigan.com

Tags: attitude, sales management, selling