Finding the Perfect Fit and Saying No to Everything Else

It’s easy for salespeople to look at a potential customer and immediately see opportunity. They need what you sell, they filled out a form, they asked for a quote, or maybe they simply look like the kind of company you’d love to land. But none of those things necessarily mean they’re a good fit.In this episode of Purpose Under Pressure, host Bryan Lefelhoc, founder of Bryan Media Strategies, looks at why understanding your marketplace requires knowing your prospects, AND understanding your own business. Knowing what you do well, who you do it for, and which customers you’re actually equipped to serve will help you bring in projects with real potential to grow with you.Sometimes the disciplined sales decision is to disqualify an opportunity you probably could close because you recognize that the relationship won’t work in the long run. That can be uncomfortable, especially when everyone is chasing a number, but a bad-fit customer can ultimately leave both sides wishing the deal had never happened.Purpose Under Pressure is brought to you in partnership with Sandler by the Ruby Group, serving sales professionals and sales organizations nationwide from their locations in Akron and Columbus, Ohio, in Capital Region, New York, and in Jacksonville, FloridaKey Takeaways:— Not everyone is your customer. Needing what you sell doesn’t automatically make someone a good fit.— Know yourself first. Understand exactly what you do well, who you serve and where your limitations are.— Define the fit. A specific ideal customer profile gives your sales team something better than instinct to pursue.— Don’t confuse interest with compatibility. A quote request or good conversation is an opportunity to investigate, not proof of a fit.— Watch your happy ears. Wanting a sale can make warning signs surprisingly easy to ignore.— Disqualifying can be good selling. Walking away from the wrong customer protects both sides from a bad relationship.— Build around the good ones. Find the customers you can serve exceptionally well instead of trying to be everything to everyone.——————-Helpful Links:Sandler by the Ruby Group: https://go.sandler.com/therubygroup/Bryan Lefelhoc, Owner, Bryan Media Strategies: https://www.bryanmediastrategies.com/