By Gregory Ferrett

I had just finished my degree and been hired by Honeywell as a trainee sales rep. I arrived late to a sales meeting and felt thedaggers from my sales manager as I walked into the room. He stood up and said “Ferrett, I want you to convince everyone in the room you are valuable enough to be on the team.” I looked at the assembly of faces and thought ‘what is it that makes me valuable?’

 I survived that day. However, this experience taught me a valuable lesson very early in my sales career. Every day I ask myself "What is the value I bring to the people around me?"

• Do people talk about me and my work in a positive way?
• Do people want me as a part of their team?
• Are people concerned at the thought of losing me to a competitor?
• Are my customers excited about referring me to their colleagues?

I want my actions to scream ‘valuable’ without me needing to say it. As a salesperson or business owner this is where you want to be. Who do you deal with every day that helps build your business?

• Your suppliers
• Customers
• Colleagues
• Business partners
• Others in your industry

The one thing that creates true economic and job security is the value you create for others.

The Fundamentals of Sales Value

When pressed most sales people and business owners I coach will say the most valuable thing they do is close sales. While I cannot disagree closing sales is a vital part of the job, a sale will only close when the person you are selling to can see the value of what you are selling is greater than the price you are asking them to pay. As a salesperson or business owner there are many things which contribute to your professional value. The fundamentals for salespeople begin with the following:

Customers, Suppliers and Business Partners

• How well do you and your product / service help them meet their perceived need?
• Are you helping them maintain a competitive advantage?
• Do they enjoy working with you?
• Do they call to discuss business ideas with you? Do you call them to provide ideas?

Internally

• Are you meeting and exceeding sales and activity goals
• Are you a positive and inspiring member of the team?
• Do others like to work with you?
• Are you an expert in your product or service and industry?

Are you valuable? You most certainly are. With a little effort you can begin to understand the value and continue to hone the value into a powerful resource for yourself, your team and your business.

Today’s question and action

What is your value?

This week set aside 30 minutes to have a coffee with yourself and ask these four questions

• What can I do to add value to my customers?
• Why is it people want me to be on their team?
• How can I become a more valuable resource in my industry?
• Who do I need to maintain a connection with to build strong teams?

Review your answers and create an action plan to improve in each area where you feel you should. Then ask When do I need to do this? I hope your answer is NOW!

Have a great week!

Reprint permission

Permission is granted to reprint this article with the condition it is republished unedited and in full with full attribution to the author and the authors bio. Please provide a link to the reprint to the following email; greg.ferrett@exceptionalsales.com.au

Author Bio

Greg Ferrett

Melbourne, Australia

Business and sales leader, as well as author and blogger, who brings to life the science of human behaviour and motivation. Greg is a graduate from Newcastle University and a lifelong student of the sciences unlocking the complexities of human behaviour. With 30 years operational sales and management experience he brings resources and a wealth of practical ideas when influencing others decisions and their behaviour is critical to success.