Article 101

The Root Cause of Too Few Appointments

Wouldn't you love to be able to zero right in on the common root cause of too few appointments with great selling opportunities?

How would you like to be able to say "THAT is the key!" and "I can change that right away!"

The result of that would be more great selling opportunities - and it would happen rather quickly.

The answer to those questions ... and very commonly THE KEY CAUSE of too few great sales opportunities, is illustrated by this real life exchange that occurred last week.

A subscriber to my E-mail tutorial sent this message to me.

"I've invested so much money on programs that promise results and do this and do that - and still I'm at the very bottom with pennies in my pocketbook and nothing else.

I can't imagine anything more frustrating than the promises made to make lot's of money. The only people making money are the one's selling all of these programs."

That's the whole message. Exactly as I received it.

Hmmm? Was I being lumped in with these empty promise makers or was she asking me for something? My reply asked that exact question and invited her to call me. She did and I asked her to pitch me on the phone as if I was a decision-maker she was targeting.

Bottom line? After a couple minutes of listening to words, I didn't understand her offering.

Scratching my head I asked her about all the programs that she purchased that didn't change her sales results. I was familiar with most of them and know them to be full of many good ideas and strategies.

Now this woman is very intelligent. Very personable.. a pleasure to talk to. Has a great phone presence and has worked and is willing to continue to work like a dog to get where she wants to go.

So I asked this question... fully expecting to get my head ripped off.

D_____, you wrote to me and I was clueless as to what you wanted. Your phone pitch left me confused as to what you might do for me. Those materials you invested in contain many many strategies... that even if a few were applied haphazardly.... would be certain to generate something other than the big doughnut you have now.

Have you stopped to consider that the problem might be you?

Silence.

I continued... even though you are obviously intelligent, personable and hard working... you are not close to clicking with your audience.

At some point we have to accept responsibility for our lack of results. Either we are not capable, lack the knowledge we need or aren't applying what we know correctly.

We are the root cause of the problem. We are not doing what others who have blazed paths of success have done. We don't have clarity about what successful actions really look like. We don't reach out to those who are willing to tell us the truth... to jolt us out of our comfort zones.

We may be very capable, but we deny ourselves the knowledge and clarity necessary to achieve our sales goals.

If you are smart and hard working, determined and capable... yet stuck, challenge yourself.

Challenge your thinking. Challenge your actions. Challenge everything you assume to be reasonable and correct.

To continuously wallow in mediocrity when you are capable of much greater is a real tragedy. A few changes in actions, a little more clarity, a bit more organization and focus, a few simple strategies, a gentle push... can put you over the top.

A 3 percent difference in just a few areas often makes the difference between mediocrity and obscurity... and top achievement and recognition.

Accept responsibility for where you are. Challenge yourself constructively. Get exposed to alternative actions and strategies. Get help if necessary to break out of your patterns and reach your full potential faster.

That woman who wrote me...her response was positive and with just a few conversations she has made changes that will get her where she wants to go.

She was willing to step up to the plate and recognize that she was the root cause of her situation. She was willing to acknowledge that and start doing the things that had made many others successful in sales.

What do you need to do?

Best wishes for sales success,
Scott Channell

copyright 2006-2009 scott channell

Article 84	Root Cause of Too Few Appointments
	by Scott Channell