It Isn’t What You’re Doing, It’s What You Need to STOP Doing [Academy]

Greetings Everyone,

Most seed sellers are always looking for ways to improve themselves so they can make their job easier and get more sales.

They attend training sessions which focus largely on how they could be doing, what they’re already doing. But too many of those reps make little or no progress even after training. And that’s because what they’re currently doing is getting in the way of what they should be doing and that is, to STOP doing what they’re currently doing.

The best advice I have for most seed sellers is that they first need to do is STOP doing things they should not be doing before looking for ways to do what they are currently doing, better.

So what kinds of things are most seed sellers doing that they need to stop doing? The first one that comes to mind is one of the biggest and most common and that is to stop making excuses. Salespeople, especially seed sellers are full of excuses for when they don’t reach their goals, get enough new customers or simply run out of time to do the most important tasks like visiting planters or riding combines. Be at customers’ planters in the spring and riding their harvesters in the fall are two of the most important customer contacts of the year because both involve getting in the customer’s head and making sure he is focused on making your products performance to their potential, yet few seed sellers make the time to do those things. So many don’t visit planters because they think the farmer doesn’t need any help. But it’s not just about helping the farmer get the seed planted properly, it’s about getting the farmer on your side, making sure he wants you to win. So most seed sellers give me a list of REASONS why they don’t visit planters and ride combines but none of those are reasons, they are just excuses. The first thing salespeople need to do is STOP MAKING EXCUSES before they can expect to improve on what they’re currently doing. 

Another thing salespeople need to stop doing to be successful is to stop looking for the easy way out. There is no easy button when it comes to selling seed. But so many seed sellers look for short cuts so they don’t have to do the work that is essential to success. For example, instead of creating a storybook, they stand in front of a prospect or customer and just talk. That means they have no idea when the listener tunes them out because you can’t tell. The prospect could be looking you right in the eye and be thinking about something else, but that never happens when they’re following a storybook. And instead of taking time to practice and role-play the sales presentation prior to every sales call, they just wing it which means the rep isn’t prepared for certain questions or objections, the farmer takes control of the conversation and the seller never gets what he or she really wanted, a profitable sale.  

When you stop making excuses and do the work to make sure everything is in place for success, you win every time. And those are just two of the many things salespeople need to stop doing if they intend to be successful selling seed. Remember, It Isn’t What You’re Doing, It’s What You Need to Stop Doing that’s going to make you successful.

Happy Selling,

Rod