When selling to a friend goes wrong

Published: Wed, 09/27/23

September 27, 2023

TOGETHER WITH

We appreciate you taking the time away from being growled at by management, ignored by prospects, and tormented by your body’s fight-or-flight response to read this week’s newsletter, where we’ll interview an SVP of Sales, share a Sales Fail about selling to a friend, and give some advice to a sales rep who struggles with focus. Let’s dive in.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

82% of clients want a response to their inquiry within ten minutes.

Source: ServiceBell

SALES ROUNDUP

Here’s what’s happening in the sales world this week:

Salesforce is attempting to lure back former executives as they ramp up hiring after their massive layoffs earlier this year. And they’re doing it in a very… interesting way: giving former execs stuffed animals in yellow shirts with boomerangs on them. The message is (sort of) clear: it’s okay to boomerang back, and it comes straight from the top, from CEO Marc Benioff. You can read more about their efforts here.
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca’s rare disease division, Alexion, just reached a settlement with its investors in a lawsuit alleging illegal and unethical sales practices. The practices involved placing orders for its leading drug, Soliris, in an earlier fiscal quarter than when needed by customers. This artificially increased that quarter’s sales at the cost of a reduction in revenue in the subsequent quarter. You can read the full report here.

FEATURE

An interview with Tony Ausick, an SVP of Sales at a courtroom visual animation company

Tony Ausick is an SVP of Sales at Courtroom Animation, a company that creates demonstrative exhibits for legal proceedings. We interviewed Tony about what it’s like to sell such a niche product, his background running golf tournaments, and what he’s learned after nearly ten years in sales.

You’ve been selling for nearly a decade. How did you get your start in sales? When did you know it would be your career?

Growing up and all during college I never seriously considered pursuing a career in sales. However, things took an interesting turn when I assumed the role of Marketing and Field Representative for a shoe company that was making inroads in the golf market. My supervisor at the time was aware of my previous experience within the golf industry, which led to his invitation for me to attend the PGA Show (the largest premier annual event in the golfing world).

During the PGA Show, I engaged in numerous conversations, eavesdropped on countless pitches for various shoe products, and learned how the sales reps adeptly highlighted that year's shoe line. In fact, the VP of Sales requested that I entertain a client during a particularly busy period. To my surprise, he expressed an interest in placing an order right then and there. It was at that very moment that I had my epiphany, realizing that my calling lay in the dynamic world of sales.

You used to run golf tournaments and sell golf products (you must have a pretty nice handicap). Many business deals are closed on the golf course. As a salesperson who has worked in the golf industry, what are some of the faux pas that salespeople should avoid when golfing on business?

I was introduced to golf at a very young age. My dad introduced me to the game when I was just three years old, and I've been an avid player ever since. I cannot emphasize enough how vital golf is at all levels of sales. Establishing a connection with a fellow golfer, let alone having the opportunity to play with a valued or potential client, can provide a significant advantage over competitors. To fully leverage this advantage, it's important to avoid certain faux pas that could jeopardize these opportunities:

1) Over-Competitiveness or Taking the Game Too Seriously: While healthy competition can enhance the experience, excessive competitiveness can create an uncomfortable atmosphere. It's crucial to remember that the primary objective is relationship-building, not winning a bet or showcasing one's golf skills.

2) Disregarding Golf Etiquette and Failing to Display Courtesy: A solid grasp of basic golf etiquette is important. Ensuring that divots are repaired, ball marks on greens are promptly addressed, and bunkers are raked demonstrates respect for the course and fellow players. Clients often notice these things and will draw conclusions about one's character.

3) Neglecting Business Discussions: While golf is a social game, it's important to keep in mind that the primary purpose of the outing is to discuss business or to close a deal. Avoid the mistake of completely sidelining business discussions in favor of casual conversation or an intense focus on the game itself.

4) Excessive Indulgence: It's well-known that golf and alcohol often go hand in hand. But overindulgence can potentially harm a business relationship. It's important to strike a balance and maintain a level of professionalism throughout the round. Remember, at the end of the day you’re representing more than just yourself.

You now sell something we didn’t even know existed - courtroom animation software. Tell us a little about what exactly you sell and what the sales process is like.

Courtroom Animation (my company) operates as a specialized forensic animation studio, collaborating closely with attorneys and forensic experts to craft compelling exhibits that visualize their clients' arguments through demonstrative exhibits. Our mission is to convey complex arguments in an understandable format for juries or mediators to see.

What does a typical work day look like for you? Walk us through it.

Typically, my mornings are busy with catching up on emails and preparing for any client meetings scheduled for the day. Since our team is spread across the country, we have the flexibility to coordinate schedules as needed with different teams. In between, there are often team meetings with our Sales staff or the Executive Team. Early afternoons are usually dedicated to following up on ongoing deals with clients. As we move into the mid to late afternoon, things tend to quiet down a bit. This is when I can focus on Executive initiatives or delve into the Development side of the business, exploring potential new verticals for the sales team to explore. If I have a chance I may sneak out for evening 9 or go hit the range.

What are your long term career goals? Early retirement (on a golf course) or future CRO?

While thinking about retirement is awesome, it's a bit ahead of the game for me right now. My immediate career goal is to climb the corporate ladder and hit that executive level someday. I want to be part of the team that steers the ship, you know?

Now, apart from the corporate world, I've always been interested in running my own company. I'm all about seizing opportunities, so who knows, I might just venture into entrepreneurship down the line.

Regardless, no matter where my career takes me, golf will always be in the picture!

What is your favorite sales movie?

How can you not go with Wolf of Wall Street?

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MEME OF THE WEEK

Source: Instagram -- Sales Humor

LOOKING FOR A NEW GIG?

Looking for a new gig? Maybe some better work-life balance? Our friends at Cox Business are hiring for sales roles across the U.S., from entry-level to leadership positions, to everything in between. They offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits (plus extra perks like free home internet & cable 👀). Are you ready to take the next step in your career? Check out open roles here!

View job openings!

QUIZ

Which product did Howard Schultz sell before buying into the Starbucks Coffee Company?

A. Milkshake mixers
B. Coffee machines
C. Medical supplies
D. Animal tranquilizers

SALES FAILS

Each week, we bring you the most cringe-worthy sales moments from across the web. To submit your sales fail story for consideration, click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

I used to work in the mortgage industry, after the financial crisis but before the rates got really insane. The company I worked for gave us leads but paid us on a tier system. Basically, we wouldn’t get a flat rate, we would get a commission payout based on our monthly revenue target, so hitting a higher tier would pay us more for all the deals we closed.

A friend of mine wanted to refinance his house. He wasn’t a close friend but he was somebody that I knew fairly well. We went through all the paperwork and got the process started, ordered an appraisal, etc. His deal would be the deal that would put me in the highest payout tier, so I was pumped. After all, you’re unlikely to lose a deal from somebody you know, right?

Wrong! A few weeks into the process, he texted me and told me his wife had found a better offer somewhere else. He asked if we could beat it. Not just match it, but beat it. We couldn’t do either, otherwise we would literally be losing money on the loan, and my managers weren’t going to go for that. I couldn’t believe it.

Needless to say, he ended up canceling with me despite me begging him to keep the loan with us and even offering to pay him under the table (from my higher commissions) if he closed. But he wouldn’t go for it. After he canceled the deal, things got weird between us. I think he was somehow convinced that I had been trying to screw him over, when I was honestly giving him the best pricing our company had available. But hey, what can you do!?

Anonymous Location Withheld

GRAPH OF THE WEEK

Source: LinkedIn Poll -- September 2023

WORTH A PEEK

Are you an introvert who works in sales? We apologize for interrupting your morning isolation chamber session, but Sales Insights Lab has a good article on 9 sales tips for introverts, though it might require you to actually speak to someone (sorry again). Check it out here.

ASK THE QUOTA

Want to submit a question and be featured in our advice column? Click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

Dear Quota Team

I’ve been in sales for a few years, and I think I’m pretty good at it. I’m solid at building rapport, I can articulate the product’s value proposition, and once I get a prospect qualified and into a meeting, my closing percentage is pretty high.

The problem is my focus and my consistency, which go hand in hand. When I am able to focus, I get good results. But I have a really hard time being able to focus day in, day out. A lot of times, I will spend my mornings online or playing with my phone, rather than doing anything productive. And usually, when this happens, I’ll spend the afternoons avoiding doing anything except feeling awful about myself. Once I get into the procrastination “mindset,” it feels like it’s almost impossible to get out.

I fully understand that if I don’t figure out how to break this habit, I’ll never achieve anything worthwhile. With my natural ability, I can close enough deals not to get fired, but I’ll never really make the type of income I want. Is there anything I can do to be more consistent and to make myself focus, or is this just something I need to deal with? Would love some suggestions.

Unfocused in the Northeast

Dear Unfocused,

As a group of oftentimes-unfocused people, we feel your pain. The good news is that your problem is entirely solvable, as long as you’re willing to put in a little bit of effort.

Developing focus and consistency is like anything else: it takes practice. You learn to do a little more every day, until one day, you’ll wake up and realize that you’re no longer a full-time procrastinator, just an occasional one (which is perfectly fine).

A few tips:

Practice getting started. Getting started is the hardest part, so put your focus there. It will take many tries, but throw yourself into the work that needs to be done right away. After a while, starting will become easier, and you’ll be able to get rolling right away.
Read this article on procrastination. It’s long, but it’s easy-to-understand, and (in our opinion) completely accurate.
You mentioned that when you spend too much time procrastinating, you find it almost impossible to stop. Compare this to dropping your phone and getting a little scratch on the case. You wouldn’t throw your phone away over a little nick, so why throw your afternoon away over a little morning setback. Put another way: just because you wasted the morning, doesn't mean you have to waste the afternoon.

The bottom line is that you already have what it takes to overcome your problem, you just need to teach yourself a few new skills. This is good news, and if you put in some effort, you’ll get where you want to be in no time. Just learn how to get started. Good luck!

Quiz Answer: B — coffee machines (you can read the source article here)

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How did you like today's story?

Today's email was written by Ken Kupchik, Erica Furgiuele, Steve Rado, and Emily Hill.

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