Sandi Bowman
July 13, 2007, 07:47 PM
James, you've had some excellent advice but I see things a bit differently. Here's my take on it:
You seem to be trying to cover the entire field of sales and lack targeted audience focus. Until you know who you're after, you're just tossing balls in the air. Target a specific segment of your potential audience. You can always add others as your business grows.
You feel like you're not making any progress because you haven't set your course or direction specifically enough yet. Until you do that, you'll just wander here and there doing a bit of this and a bit of that and feel as though you're (and actually be) accomplishing very little.
Next you need to take a realistic look at your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to sales. If you say you don't have any of either, you're not being honest with yourself. Nobody, not even Zig Ziglar is 100% on target all the time. It's important that you acknowledge where you actually stand in relation to your skills because your next step is to tailor your choices of specific niches within the sales field and you want to choose from among your strongest skills, not your weakest.
Now, about your sales niche: DO choose a niche. Generalists have a tough time trying to impress others (Jack of all trades/niches master of none...remember?) Specialists get paid better, respected more, and don't have to sweat the small stuff as much ultimately.
Hope something here is helpful to you. Good luck!
Sandi Bowman
You seem to be trying to cover the entire field of sales and lack targeted audience focus. Until you know who you're after, you're just tossing balls in the air. Target a specific segment of your potential audience. You can always add others as your business grows.
You feel like you're not making any progress because you haven't set your course or direction specifically enough yet. Until you do that, you'll just wander here and there doing a bit of this and a bit of that and feel as though you're (and actually be) accomplishing very little.
Next you need to take a realistic look at your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to sales. If you say you don't have any of either, you're not being honest with yourself. Nobody, not even Zig Ziglar is 100% on target all the time. It's important that you acknowledge where you actually stand in relation to your skills because your next step is to tailor your choices of specific niches within the sales field and you want to choose from among your strongest skills, not your weakest.
Now, about your sales niche: DO choose a niche. Generalists have a tough time trying to impress others (Jack of all trades/niches master of none...remember?) Specialists get paid better, respected more, and don't have to sweat the small stuff as much ultimately.
Hope something here is helpful to you. Good luck!
Sandi Bowman
