For some people, taking a sales meeting is on par with going to the dentist — they’ll avoid it at all costs. Avoiding the dentist due to an unreasonable fear will eventually come back to haunt you, just like skipping an informative sales call could mean missing out on the latest industry technology — ultimately impacting your business.
I’ve been in sales a long time, which means that throughout the years, I have had numerous breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and cocktails with many different people. Whether each conversation leads me closer to a sale or not, I try and learn something from every interaction, and make sure, that for the time they’ve invested, the person across from me takes away something valuable.
In the world of financial services, especially on the technology side, working in sales can certainly be challenging. The level of competition between major players in the financial markets is intense, and everyone is understandably wary of vendors who will seemingly solve all of their problems if they just implement product suite XYZ.
Even if you’re not currently in the market for whatever the salesperson is pitching, it can pay to be informed of technologies shaping the industry. With that, here are three great reasons to accept that next sales call.
1. Gain a fresh perspective
The best sales reps are informed storytellers. Through stories, they can bring unique insights to the table. Whether it’s sharing relevant anecdotes from the competition or offering their view on the latest industry trend based on their experience in the field, salespeople can often challenge your perspective. More often than not, these stories might sound familiar, relatable and reassuring.
Everyone is looking for an edge in financial services, that’s how value is created. Are there industry trends/concerns/objectives you’ve yet to consider? As I tell all of my clients, “You don’t know what you don’t know.”
Sometimes gaining a fresh perspective is about simply stepping away from the daily chaos of your office. Personally, I love meetings outside of a client’s office. Everyone knows conference rooms are boring, so let’s talk shop away from the cubicle farm over a drink or lunch.
2. Grow your network
While you might have a deep network of industry peers, friends and coworkers, there are always going to be people you either don’t know or would like to know. Being a sales rep, it is our job to get to know as many people in the industry as possible and develop lasting connections. I often find myself sharing how client XYZ is experiencing the same circumstances you are. Oh, you don’t know them?
The most successful sales reps bring unique insights to the table. Are you prepared to step out of your comfort zone and have someone (who isn’t a coworker) ask thoughtful questions and challenge you? Through thoughtful discussion and a thorough evaluation of options, opinions, and alternative methodologies, this particular client made a change resulting in more streamlined processes, decreased risk exposure and increased operational efficiencies.
3. Expect the unexpected
It happens more often than not – meetings that result in exposing a tangential opportunity. It’s true that not all sales meetings result in immediate synergies, however, often the subject du jour might be applicable to another department within your firm or maybe an industry associate outside of your company. Who doesn’t want to be a team player?
It’s rarely disputed that Delta Data is the leading provider of back-end software solutions powering the mutual fund industry. However, we are most proud of the caliber of people we employee and the overall experience in what it means to work with Delta Data. We recruit, hire and retain top talent. Our clients will validate both these claims.
The question remains, will you take that sales meeting? We will make it worth your time.