Showing Up

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Woody Allen once said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up,” and he was right. He is especially right when it comes to salespeople. Showing up is the easiest way to beat out your competition because most salespeople (most people for that matter) don’t bother.

If you don’t believe that showing is so important, have you ever tried to get a contractor, electrician, plumber or roofer to come to your house to do a job? What amazes you more: when they do show up or don’t show up? Obviously when they do: when they don’t show up, most people say “That figures.” When they do show up, most people are amazed; especially if they’re on time.

But in today’s competitive business environment, if you really want to become indispensable to your clients, you’ll go beyond just “showing up,” and when you do show up, remember to do the following:

1. Have more than just “great conversations.” Always show up with a purpose: whether it be to do more business; obtain referrals; solve a problem that cannot be delegated; or to make a presentation that will lead to another appointment where you’ll close the sale. You are not there to socialize. That is a waste of your time, and, more importantly, a waste of your client’s time.
2. Make sure the client knows about everything you have; even if they don’t need it now. Don’t you just hate it when someone tells you, “Gee, I just bought it from someone else. If I would have known you carry that product, I definitely would have bought it from you.” But whose fault is that? Is it really the client’s responsibility to keep up with what your company is doing, or is it yours?
3. Don’t just show up at the same places. It’s very comfortable seeing the same people all the time. But no matter how great your business is, you should always be looking for new clients. Most companies lose 10% of their client base every year; very often for reasons beyond their control. Most salespeople don’t like prospecting for new clients. It’s scary. But it’s even scarier if you lose too many of your old clients.
4. You don’t have to break out of your comfort zone, just expand it. Here’s a challenge for you: see one more new person a week than you’re currently seeing. Do that every week and you’ve seen 50 new prospects in a year. Now that’s a great, yet non-threatening way to increase your business.