The key opportunity we sellers face is our customers posing a question to themselves, “Should we do things differently?” This is the critical question that initiates a change process, creating opportunities that we can pursue. Sometimes, there are things that provoke the customer to pose that question of themselves. Performance problems, missed goals, competitive challenges, new opportunities. The customer recognizes these, asking themselves, “Should we do things differently?”
Sometimes, customers may be oblivious to this. They are so busy doing their day jobs they don’t take time to look around. Often, the incitement to change comes from an external source, perhaps a consultant, colleagues they meet, or astute sellers. Often it’s these people posing “What if….” or “Have you considered…” questions. These get the customer thinking, “Should we do things differently?”
What would happen if they didn’t consider this question? Inevitably, their performance might suffer. Newer, different approaches could drive higher levels of performance. Often, they are passed by their competitors. Organizations who are doing things differently in ways that enable them to outperform others. And, ultimately, the failure to consider this question will lead to irrelevance, lack of competitiveness, and failure.
We know the old axiom, the only constant is change.
And if our customers don’t change, then they have no reason to buy. If they don’t change, we fail.
Which brings me to the core point of this article.
How often are we challenging ourselves in the same way we expect our customers challenge themselves?
As individuals, how often, are we asking ourselves, “Am I doing the best I can? What should I change to improve my performance, to more effectively achieve my goals?”
Organizationally, we have to challenge each other and ourselves in the same way, “What should we be doing differently?”
The only constant is change, yet why aren’t we constantly asking ourselves that question?
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