After 3 years of test driving, researching, reading and learning I finally pulled the trigger and purchased a 1966 Volvo P1800S. Many people have asked me why, and I can speak to this for hours, but the short version is: I have wanted one since I was a child. I thought they were cool then and I’ve grown to know that they are still cool now...
As you might imagine, when I purchased this car it was in nowhere near mint condition. Of course I have been ecstatic since I was finally able to put my hands on a dream of mine, and as such I have shared the experience with friends and clients alike. In doing so I was inspired by the similarities I often find in my client work, and my time “under the hood” these last few weeks trying to get my baby operational. I have been most stricken with what I see as the similarities between getting this car working, and the struggles I often tackle with our clients around their sales teams. Here are three specific lessons I’ve learned along the way:
1. Get back to basics – My new car has no power locks or power windows, no Bluetooth, hell it has no RADIO! It is nothing more than 2 seats, 3 pedals, 4 cylinders and elicits a ton of smiles. To build your sales teams you don’t need to have all the bells and whistles; it’s more important to start the build by asking what really matters. In this case, the answer is that the car runs well, and looks sharp. For your sales team you should consider: What are their real needs? How can you really help? Ford, Edison, Carnegie all build empires when the only CRM in use was a pad and pencil!
2. Test Drive – Sales teams need one key element to really be considered a “team,” that is people. New people, current people, different people but people none the less. Before I bought my P1800S I have test drove ‘65 to ‘13 911’s. I have driven Fiats, Ferraris, Datsun’s and Opels. Through those test drives I not only learned about what made a good classic car but what exactly I was looking for. The question here then becomes not just “what gets me from point A to point B, but what do I really need in that solution? They all have four wheels and “go,” but each is appointed a bit differently.
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3. No B.S. – To be truthful, the p1800S smells a bit like gas (I love it), it is hard to start when cold, doesn’t get the best gas mileage and to be really honest it is damn hard to drive (no power steering or brakes) but it is SO worth it.
To be honest I could probably have picked an easier car to drive, maintain and enjoy. You will often feel this way with your sales team – I need the latest tech, the best new people and a brand new approach. I say differently. I say you get in touch with what makes the machine tick, what fires you up and keeps you excited each day and then find what does the same for your team. Learn to LOVE THE PROCESS, as hard as it may be, and you will find great results you will be proud of.
Keep this in mind as you build and formulate your sales team. Remember the basics—sales is about your clients’ needs. Take your team for a test drive—figure out what works, and what doesn’t; adjust accordingly. And finally, realize that sales isn’t a drive in the park, it is both challenging and competitive. Here is to peeling off the line and making 2014 a remarkable year!
