WCS Podcast 12 - Selling in a Challenging Environment
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[00:00:04] Grace: Hi, this is Grace, your podcast host. Welcome to a brand new episode of the World Class Selling podcast series. Today kicks off our brand-new subseries, “What Makes a Great Salesperson?”
[00:00:15] Grace: In this episode, titled “Selling in a Challenging Environment,” Jason and Marissa unpack what it really takes to succeed in today’s tougher, faster-changing sales world. If you’ve ever felt like the rules of selling have changed on you—this episode is for you. Take it away, Marissa and Jason.
[00:00:36] Jason: Today we're digging back into Roy Chitwood's World Class Selling. Specifically, we're tackling "Selling in a Challenging Environment."
[00:00:44] Marissa: Mm-hmm.
[00:00:44] Jason: Because let's face it, the market feels different now, doesn't it? The old strategies...
[00:00:48] Marissa: Yeah.
[00:00:49] Jason: Well, they might not be enough.
[00:00:50] Marissa: They really might not.
[00:00:51] Jason: So our mission today is pretty clear. Give you the essential takeaways from Chitwood to really succeed, not just scrape by in this tougher sales climate.
[00:01:00] Marissa: Yeah. And it's a serious situation. There's a great quote from Dr. Michael Hammer. He was a big name in business process reengineering. Okay. He warned quite bluntly that, "too many sales teams are still basically making it up as they go along."
[00:01:14] Jason: Wow. Making it up. Yeah.
[00:01:15] Marissa: And he called it a recipe for disaster. Honestly, looking at things now, he wasn't wrong.
[00:01:20] Jason: That sounds pretty bad.
[00:01:21] Marissa: It is. Because when you look at the economy, you know the ups and downs, one thing is really clear. A company's future depends so much more now on its sales and marketing strength, more than almost anything else.
[00:01:34] Jason: Really. More than the product sometimes!
[00:01:36] Marissa: In many ways, yes. If you can't sell effectively, if you can't market what you have. Well, surviving today is just incredibly difficult.
[00:01:44] Jason: Okay. That phrase, making it up as you go along. Mm-hmm. It sounds chaotic, maybe a bit risky. Definitely risky. But couldn't you argue there's some flexibility in that? You know, being able to adapt quickly when things are so unpredictable. Why is this structured process so vital right now?
[00:02:00] Marissa: That's a fair question. Agility is important. Absolutely. But agility without, um, a solid foundation, that's just chaos. Oh. It says, "When selling becomes a procedure, it ceases to be a problem. If it's not a procedure, it will always be a problem."
[00:02:15] Jason: Mm. Ceases to be a problem. Mm, powerful!
[00:02:17] Marissa: Isn't it? Think about it, a company's processes. They define who the company is, maybe even more than its products do. These processes shape opportunities. They determine growth, profitability. Without that clear sales procedure, you're basically flying blind, just reacting all the time.
[00:02:35] Jason: Instead of proactively steering the ship.
[00:02:37] Marissa: Exactly. And there's a pretty stark warning tied to this as well. Mm-hmm. The message,. "Look, by the end of this decade, companies that don't have a solid sales process figured out, those not using it properly, they'll be out of the race and left in the proverbial dust."
[00:02:53] Jason: Left in the dust. Ouch.
[00:02:55] Marissa: Yeah, because that sales process, it isn't just paperwork, it's the engine driving the ultimate goal, profits. To really thrive, that engine needs to be finely tuned. Maybe more than anything else in the business.
[00:03:07] Jason: That image, out of the race, yeah, really makes you think, how many companies truly have that intense focus on sales?
[00:03:14] Marissa: It's a good question to ask.
[00:03:15] Jason: Because you know, you see so many businesses that pride themselves on, say, their manufacturing or they're tech, or they're financial savvy.
[00:03:22] Marissa: Right? Those are often the focus areas.
[00:03:23] Jason: So for you listening, maybe pause and ask, what's your company's real orientation? Is it genuinely sales driven? Because that old idea, you know, build it and they will come.
[00:03:35] Marissa: Yeah, that doesn't work anymore.
[00:03:36] Jason: Especially not now, with the internet. People might not even know you exist without a really proactive sales effort.
[00:03:42] Marissa: That's such a critical point. We actually saw a pretty tragic example of this. A consulting firm, 30 years old, in manufacturing sciences.
[00:03:50] Jason: Okay. Established firm.
[00:03:51] Marissa: Very established, but their founder was this classic rainmaker. He brought in something like 80% of all their business, single-handedly.
[00:04:00] Jason: Whoa. 80% fell out riding on one person.
[00:04:03] Marissa: Exactly. The board got nervous, quite rightly, so they did something smart. They train 32 of their technical consultants using the Track Selling System workshop.
[00:04:12] Jason: Training technical folks to sell.
[00:04:13] Marissa: Yeah. And it often works really well. Technical people bring instant credibility, you know, expertise. Sometimes they make the best salespeople.
[00:04:22] Jason: Interesting. So what happened?
[00:04:24] Marissa: Well, a few months later, the founder left, new president comes in, and when they talked about follow up training for these consultants, the new president said something, shocking. He said, and I quote, "The last thing we need right now is more sales. In fact, what I need right now is at least six to eight more consultants to take care of the business we now have."
[00:04:46] Jason: You're kidding. Don't need more sales.
[00:04:48] Marissa: Can you believe it? That mindset, the firm went outta business within a year?
[00:04:52] Jason: No. After 30 years!
[00:04:53] Marissa: Gone. All it took was losing two major clients. They just stopped looking for new business, thought they were comfortable. Wow. It's a harsh lesson, isn't it? It doesn't matter what you sell, your future depends entirely on how well you sell it. Sales and marketing have to be priorities. Non-negotiable!
[00:05:09] Jason: That's sobering. A company killed by complacency, essentially.
[00:05:12] Marissa: Pretty much.
[00:05:13] Jason: But let's flip the coin. There's a great success story too, right?
[00:05:16] Marissa: Yeah.
[00:05:17] Jason: That highlights the opposite, the power of being sales driven.
[00:05:20] Marissa: Yes, absolutely. A major distributor, this one in the retail automotive aftermarket. Now these guys got hit hard by market changes, lost seven of their top 10 customers. Yeah. In one year.
[00:05:33] Jason: Seven outta ten? That sounds like game over for most companies.
[00:05:36] Marissa: You'd think so, wouldn't you?
[00:05:38] Jason: Yeah.
[00:05:38] Marissa: But here's the kicker. Because they were so fundamentally sales oriented, they didn't just survive that.
[00:05:44] Jason: They didn't?
[00:05:45] Marissa: Nope. They managed to replace that lost business and actually posted a 13% increase in total sales that year,
[00:05:52] Jason: A 13% increase after losing seven top clients. That's incredible.
[00:05:57] Marissa: It really is, and it perfectly illustrates the difference, you know, the consulting firm was operations driven, the distributor sales driven!
[00:06:05] Jason: And that difference.
[00:06:05] Marissa: That is often the difference between winning and losing, especially in today's market. World-class sales organizations, they put the customer at the center of everything. It's about doing the right thing for the customer, always. Not just chasing quarterly numbers or you know, having panic sales.
[00:06:19] Jason: Right. It's a long-term view. Now, speaking of strategy, let's talk tech for a second. Mm-hmm. Things like CRM, customer relationship management, and SFA, salesforce automation. They're everywhere now. Helpful. Definitely. They streamline things, but Roy makes a key point. They're only one part of the whole sales process. Exactly. They just facilitate the implementation. They are not the sales process itself.
[00:06:42] Marissa: Precisely, and that's crucial. You know, a recent survey looked at sales effectiveness, customer retention. Even with all this CRM and SFA tech rolled out, lots of companies still miss their sales targets.
[00:06:53] Jason: Why is that? If the tools are there.
[00:06:56] Marissa: Well, the survey pointed to things like lack of training, fractured process management, and lack of an overall company sales strategy.
[00:07:03] Jason: So the tech doesn't fix a bad strategy or no strategy at all.
[00:07:06] Marissa: It can't. Technology enables, but it doesn't replace the human strategy, the process, the training. It's not a magic wand.
[00:07:13] Jason: Which brings us nicely to the individual salesperson, the human element. Mr. Chitwood highlights what he calls the single greatest weakness of salespeople today.
[00:07:22] Marissa: Yeah, this one's important.
[00:07:23] Jason: Being too product centered instead of people oriented.
[00:07:25] Marissa: That really hits the nail on the head and there's a core truth here. Maybe the most important one. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.
[00:07:35] Jason: Hmm. Say that again.
[00:07:36] Marissa: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Unless you genuinely show prospects, clients that you care about them and their needs. Why should they care about your product or service?
[00:07:48] Jason: Makes sense.
[00:07:49] Marissa: As a salesperson, you're really in the people business. Your people skills, that people intelligence. That's what makes all your product knowledge actually count for something.
[00:07:59] Jason: Okay, so this people intelligence, it sounds vital. How do you, the listener, actually develop that? Is this something you're just born with?
[00:08:06] Marissa: Not at all. These are absolutely skills you can learn and practice. In his book, Roy gives some really practical advice. First, just smile. Simple, right? But it's universal. Friendship. Disarming.
[00:08:19] Jason: Doesn't cost anything either.
[00:08:21] Marissa: Exactly. Second, be genuinely interested in other people and show it. Look at them when they talk. Use your face, nod, react. Let them see you're engaged.
[00:08:31] Jason: So basic human connection stuff, really.
[00:08:33] Marissa: Pretty much. Then third, talk about what's important to them. People love talking about themselves, their interests, their problems. That's your starting point.
[00:08:42] Jason: Find their favorite subject, themselves.
[00:08:44] Marissa: You got it. The more you listen, the more you learn what they actually need and who doesn't enjoy being listened to. True? Mm.
[00:08:51] Jason: Okay. So smile. Be interested. Talk about them.
[00:08:54] Marissa: Yeah.
[00:08:55] Jason: What else?
[00:08:55] Marissa: Fourth, use their name. It sounds small, but hearing your own name, it's powerful. Makes people feel seen, important. It's the sweetest sound right?
[00:09:04] Jason: Yeah, I've heard that.
[00:09:05] Marissa: Fifth, give sincere compliments. Not fake flattery, but honest appreciation. Try giving three genuine compliments every day. See what happens.
[00:09:14] Jason: Practice makes perfect.
[00:09:15] Marissa: No, as Roy says elsewhere in the book, perfect practice makes perfect.
[00:09:21] Marissa: And maybe the biggest compliment of all, sixth, truly listen. Actively listen. Often, people just wanna be heard. They don't need your opinion or solution right away. Let them talk. It shows you care.
[00:09:33] Jason: Let them talk. That takes discipline, sometimes.
[00:09:36] Marissa: It does. And finally, just make your prospects feel important. Treat everyone with courtesy, respect. It says a lot about you. Ultimately, remember this key idea. People will buy from you, not so much because they understand your product or service, but because they feel you understand them.
[00:09:54] Jason: Because they feel you understand them. That's a huge shift in perspective. Yeah. Okay. Let's say you've nailed that. You've got the people skills, you made the sale. Great, but here's where it gets tricky.
[00:10:04] Marissa: Uhhuh the follow through. Yeah.
[00:10:06] Jason: Roy says winning a customer is actually easier than keeping one. Which leads to the question for you, are you maybe accidentally unselling your company after the deal is done?
[00:10:17] Marissa: It happens all the time. It's a really common and dangerous mistake. Salespeople think, okay, done that, hard part over. They take the customer for granted and then, and then you haven't reinforced why they should stick with you. All those reasons they chose you in the first place. You need to keep reminding them, keep providing value. If you don't, well, some other company, maybe hungrier, more attentive, can just swoop in.
[00:10:39] Jason: Okay, so how does this unselling happen? What are the traps?
[00:10:43] Marissa: Right? Let's call them the unselling traps. First big one. The price trap. Competing only on price.
[00:10:49] Jason: Always risky.
[00:10:50] Marissa: Very! Because research shows price usually isn't in their top three reasons for buying. Value, service, communication, options. Those rank higher. Price becomes the focus when the salesperson hasn't built enough value.
[00:11:03] Jason: So if they don't see the value, they just see the cost.
[00:11:06] Marissa: Exactly. Remember, people buy emotionally, then justify logically. You have to connect on value first.
[00:11:12] Jason: Got it. What's trap number two?
[00:11:14] Marissa: Solution overload. Jumping in with features and benefits way too soon. Before you even know why the prospect might need your solution, you have to listen first. Understand their need.
[00:11:24] Jason: Patience is key there.
[00:11:25] Marissa: Absolutely. Third trip. The referral gap. Mm-hmm. Just not having a system for asking for referrals. Referrals are like gold dust. You ask when you've clearly delivered value, but you need a process for it. Otherwise, it just gets forgotten.
[00:11:39] Jason: Leaving money on the table.
[00:11:40] Marissa: Definitely. Fourth, the follow up fail. There's just absolutely no excuse for bad follow up. None. Be professional. Always tell the customer when and how you'll contact them next and then do it.
[00:11:53] Jason: Basic professionalism, really.
[00:11:54] Marissa: It should be. And the last big one, the Buy Now blender. Only offering Buy Now as the option. Pressuring someone who isn't ready. It just creates anxiety.
[00:12:04] Jason: Pushes them away.
[00:12:05] Marissa: Totally. It shifts focus back to price. Makes them uncomfortable and can kill any chance of future business. Often this comes from short-sightedness, you know, salespeople desperate to hit a monthly quota.
[00:12:16] Jason: Short-term gain, long-term pain.
[00:12:18] Marissa: Exactly. It's self-serving, shortsighted behavior. Yeah. Burns through customers, burns through territories. Catastrophe waiting to happen. Right? The real goal should always be cultivating that long-term relationship.
[00:12:30] Jason: Wow. Okay. So we've covered a lot. The absolute need for a structured sales process, not just winging it.
[00:12:35] Marissa: Right? Becoming truly sales driven as an organization.
[00:12:39] Jason: We saw those two company stories, one cautionary, one inspiring.
[00:12:42] Marissa: Big difference between them.
[00:12:43] Jason: Then the power of people intelligence, understanding that people buy from people who understand them. And we got some great practical tips there.
[00:12:51] Marissa: Crucial skills to develop.
[00:12:52] Jason: And finally, this whole idea of not unselling your company after the fact. Avoiding those common traps like focusing only on price or having terrible follow up.
[00:13:02] Marissa: It's about maintaining that relationship and reinforcing value.
[00:13:06] Jason: Which leaves us with a pretty powerful thought to chew on, doesn't it?
[00:13:09] Marissa: I think so. In this world, you know, constant change, tons of competition. It boils down to this. It's not just what you sell, it's how deeply you really understand and serve the people you sell to.
[00:13:21] Jason: And how well you keep that connection going, long after that first sale.
[00:13:25] Marissa: Exactly. So the question for you is, how are you going to use these ideas? How will you build stronger, more profitable, more lasting relationships in your own sales journey?
[00:13:36] Jason: A great question to end on.
[00:13:38] Jason: Thank you for joining us for this in-depth exploration of selling in a challenging environment. We really hope these insights help you elevate your game to world class levels.
[00:13:46] Marissa: Keep learning, keep adapting.
[00:13:48] Jason: Absolutely. Keep learning, keep growing and we'll catch you on the next episode.
[00:13:56] Grace: Thanks for listening to this episode of World Class Selling. That wraps up part one of our “What Makes a Great Salesperson?” series.
[00:14:04] Grace: Today, Jason and Marissa helped us understand why structure, empathy, and consistent follow-up matter more than ever when the sales environment gets tough.
[00:14:13] Grace: Next time, we’ll dig into a bold idea—“There’s Nothing Wrong with Selling”—and why embracing the role of salesperson is actually something to be proud of. You won’t want to miss it.
[00:14:23] Grace: Good luck and good selling!
