Years ago, I had a sales manager that would unapologetically remind us: “sales is the most measurable profession.” Measurable as in your successes and failures, your actions, and impacts, can, and will be, measured along the way. This stuck with me and helped me remember that measuring a deal as “closed won” or “closed lost” is hardly the first or last thing that is measured.
This manager had three result statuses for deals not won. One was “outsold”, the other “low/no executive sponsorship”, the other “poor discovery”. Of course “outsold” no one ever wanted to admit to, but the other two weren’t very good either. Outsold meant you lost, and you could have won. You lost because something you did or didn’t do in the sales process, was done by your competitor. Ouch. It hurts to have to admit that.
Admitting any of this helped us as a team identify gaps in our actions and/or deliverables. The candid vulnerability and measurement helped us address what sales tools and actions were not as effective so we could improve. Uncovering and addressing the gaps built up comradery among the team – and in a sales situation it built a spirit competency and qualification. When we knew what pieces of the sales process we improved we didn’t let it get us again. That was the key. Learn from the experience and do not allow it to happen again. Sales of course is the most measurable profession. When salespeople can share their with teammates their failures as candidly as their success you can create something special.
