The Focused Goal

The popular best seller Think and Grow Rich has spread a message of achievement and accomplishment for many years. One of the strongest messages that I got from reading this book was the concept of a “definiteness of purpose.” There is no doubt that this message can be applied to magnify purpose, efforts and, therefore, results in life in general, but it can also be applied to improve performance in sales. The ability to focus your purpose, your efforts and your results on one singular goal is a powerful tool in your efforts to persuade others. When you approach a selling situation be sure to clearly define your goal to yourself, it may not always be to sell.

I recently received marketing materials in the mail from a local contractor wanting to offer me services related to my home. The leaflet rambled on about the nature of his company, a family business, the years he had spent working in the area, over twenty, and the reputation his company had in his community, apparently excellent. He never touched on one subject I actually cared about. Like many people in sales, this professional entered a selling situation without a clear goal. This lack of focus resulted in leaflets that lacked a specific purpose and were unlikely to inspire action. As obvious as it may seem, before you enter any presentation you must ask yourself what it is you hope to accomplish.

Take the following example: as a new entrepreneur in need of publicity Monica approaches a local editor in hopes that she can get a story printed about her local business. She has all kinds of angles that she thinks he may be interested in and spends the few minutes she gets on her cold call offering them all.

When trying to sell someone on your ideas, your company or yourself, it is natural to want to give them as many options as possible. This is why new entrepreneurs often fail to find a targeted niche market, because they are convinced that the bigger their market, the better their chances of getting sales. This philosophy is wrong. When Monica approaches her editor with a grab bag full of ideas, she garners no interest. When he tells her that he cannot see a fit with his publication, Monica is left wondering why her approach never seems to work.

Monica’s efforts will be greatly improved with more focus. If she decides, before even picking up the phone what kind of publicity she requires, which aspect of her company she want to promote and what story she is hoping the editor will tell, Monica’s pitch to the editor will seem less scattered and unfocused. In fact, rather than calling the editor, with a clear subject in mind, Monica may even be able to contact a reporter who deals directly in the area she has chosen to go after, giving examples, making relevant connections and generally showing why her story is a good fit for that particular subject. If her approach is met with a refusal, she can begin the process again with a view towards promoting a different aspect of her company.

When you approach a prospect with the wrong objective you hurt your chances of getting the sale. Break your sales process down into essential steps that move you closer and closer to the sale each time. Even a small ticket item that can lead to an instant sale can be presented in a series of steps each with their own objective. You will become more effective in your sales efforts when you know how to tailor your pitch, your language and your presentation around a single powerful goal.

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