Stop Swimming in Circles

Last week I was observing the geese in Alan Weiss’s pond. For the most part, the various adults and their goslings swam along in harmony, but, every once in a while an adult sensed a threat from one of their peers, and got mad. In an instant the angry goose changed his body position from neck elongated and regally upright to a pointed dagger. Low to the water, and neck dead straight, the threatened goose charged straight at the danger; which was usually another goose.

The attack was fast, and effective, straight to the point, and it all lasted about 30 seconds until the danger disappeared. After that, calm peaceful swimming reigned on the pond once again.

It struck me that most sellers don’t deal with threat head on. They skirt around the issue swimming in circles trying to keep their heads high. What if instead, you attacked it directly, and head on?  Here are some examples:

• A client wants to negotiate: instead of dancing around the issue just ask “how much do you want off and why should I give it to you? What will you give me in return?”
• A competitor is being considered and instead of pretending the threat doesn’t exist you ask “what did I miss that opened the door for you to consider others?”
• You lose a few deals in a row. Rather than making a bad deal on the next proposal why not bear down on the phones and fill the pipeline with a plethora of new leads.

My point is this. Stop swimming in circles hoping the threat will go away.  Talking around the problem and beating around the bush will not solve the problem. You are at your most profitable when you diagnose the situation quickly and address it directly.

Colleen