Bleeding Blue

Selling's easy when you believe deeply in your company and product. In fact, you should never try to sell anything you don't think is the best—the best product of its kind or the best fit for your customer.

by Jason Zigmont HowToSell.net [June 11, 1999]

There's an expression that I use around the office, which is quickly being picked up by others; it is "bleeding blue." No, I'm not talking about being a blue blood, or trying to kill anyone. It's about whether Critical Path, where I work, flows through your veins. (Our corporate color is blue.)

It may sound corny, but it's a question worth asking. By "Do you bleed blue" I mean, Do you truly believe in the Critical Path story? Do you truly believe that we're providing the best outsourced e-mail service available? Do you believe that our product is worth MORE to the prospect than his money is? Is your heart in everything you do with Critical Path?

These questions (insert your company's name, of course) are questions you should ask yourself and your employees on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis. The reason is simple. As one of my mentors, Zig Ziglar says, "Selling is nothing but a transference of feeling."

Would your spouse buy it?
His point is a simple one, but on the money: If you don't believe in your product, why should anyone else? When I speak with ISPs, I often ask, Are all of your family and friends your customers? Quite often the answer is no, and it is always because of the same underlying principle, which is that the person does not believe in his or her ISP.

I understand the adage about not mixing business with pleasure, but that's in case something goes wrong. If you have the best product, at a reasonable price, then I believe you are hurting your friends and family by NOT making them your customers.

If you don't feel strongly enough about your product, and don't think it is the best money can buy in your segment, then you need to do something about it. Maybe your product is in the wrong segment. You will only hurt yourself if you try to market your 'b' level product against 'a' level products. Your product may need to be changed, or revamped. Whatever the solution, you need to be able to believe in your product.

Tough choices
If you can't truly believe in your product, and there's no way to fix it, then maybe it's the wrong product for you. Twice in my career, I have left companies because I didn't believe in the product. Sometimes making a bad sale can hurt your career more then it can help your product.

As a company, and as employees of a company, your reputation is your most prized possession. Selling bad product, especially when it is 'sold' as good product will hurt you over and over. It may also be that your product may not be the right fit for that particular customer. Time and time again I have backed out of deals because they were not win-win situations. While as a salesperson, I could have made the sale, and therefore a commission, I usually end up making more by not making the sale.

It may sound weird, but customers who I have told that we were not the right fit for usually either referred customers to me, or became customers when it was the right fit.

I believe in my product—and my prospects can see that I believe in it. They know that I will only 'do the deal' if it is the right fit. I truly believe that this, above any other reason, is why I am successful.

So what color is your blood? What about your employees? Ask yourself. Ask them. The answer might surprise you.

—End

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