Lisa Earle McLeod explains:
What I call a noble sales purpose spells the difference between a sales force that’s merely effective and one that is truly outstanding.
To understand why purpose-driven sales people outperform their quota-driven counterparts, compare these two scenarios:
Salesperson A works for a quota-driven company. When he goes to the national sales meeting, senior leadership discusses products, promotions, and sales goals. The vice president of sales says, “Our goal is to sell a million units.” When Salesperson A meets with his manager, their conversation centers on sales targets. As a result, Salesperson A’s primary internal talk track is about making his quota.
Salesperson B works for a noble-purpose-driven organization. When she goes to her sales conference, instead of simply showcasing products the leadership team talks about the effects the products have on customers. Instead of saying, “We want to sell a million units,” the v.p. of sales says, “Our purpose is to help a million customers.” When Salesperson B meets with her manager, they talk about sales targets, but her manager also asks, “How will closing this sale improve the customer’s business?” Salesperson B’s internal talk track isn’t about her quota; it’s about her customers.
