Excuse making – we all do it. The temptation is just too overwhelming. Some of us do it more than others. It is a habit that leads to destruction and failure in business and in life. We have become a nation of habitual excuse-makers rationalizing poor performance and incompetence.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the sales arena. Sales organizations are full of nonproducers and sales managers who blame the economy, their competition’s lowball tactics, their company’s management practices, the cost of their product or service, the marketing department, AND…. THEIR CUSTOMERS for their poor performance.
Admittedly customers have too tiny of minds, too short of attention spans, and are overwhelmed and easily distracted to pay attention to anything that requires more than a nanosecond of serious thought. Certainly, customers’ tastes and preferences, and demands have changed, and not necessarily for the better. And the population as a whole isn’t getting smarter, more studious, and nobler. But whatever customers you have chosen they are what they are and blaming them will prove to be a waste of time.
Sales reps, sales managers, and business owners who blame their failure on their customer’s ignorance, short-sightedness, cheapskate mentality, and stupidity have two choices: replace these customers or fix yourself. You are not going to fix them. Fixing yourself requires that you get your head out of your ass and realize that you need to acquire new, more powerful sales skills by participating in intense sales training or sales management training. Failing to do this your future results will not improve.
If you or your team is underperforming it is either because you are not selling what your customers want or your selling skills are impotent and you are not persuasive. It is not their fault they don’t buy from you. Either way professional sales training or sales management training will help if you are willing to invest in yourself and grow. Failing to do this don’t expect any different results. As Pogo said, “we have met the enemy and it is I.” This self-admission is the starting point of all growth.