How the Pandemic Has Shifted My View of Sales

Most would say I’ve never known a stranger. I love people, I appreciate personal connection, and I have a strong desire to learn about others. I’m also driven and can be quite competitive. In my past life as a Division One athlete for a top-ranked university, I quickly learned the importance of discipline, a strong work ethic, and the stick-to-itiveness one must have to survive and compete successfully.

My parents once referred to me as a Weeble—the Playskool toy with the catchphrase “Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down.” I remember thinking, “What a strange thing to compare me to.” But as the years go on, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of resilience—and the value of knowing who you are and sticking to what you know. 

Not Naturally Salesy

The skills and qualities above have set me up for success in my current position as director of sales and marketing here at Well Done. That being said, I’ve always felt there might be a disconnect between who I am and what I originally thought it took to be truly successful in sales. 

Unfortunately, I’ve sometimes viewed sales through a lens of negativity, based on past experiences with people I found to be disingenuous in their approach. I’m not pushy, I don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable, and quite frankly, I want people to like me. However, these past few months have given me a new perspective on “selling” and the overall importance of this role for Well Done Marketing and the clients we serve. 

Presenting a Choice

Quarantine has allowed me to see our team and the work we do with new eyes. In this time of crisis, I’ve witnessed how crucial our services have been to clients in various businesses and industries and learned more about the relationships my teammates have with them. We’re not selling anything to anyone. It’s a true partnership of listening, identifying needs, recommending a course of action, and executing with care and intention. 

There’s a line on our “About” page (actually our “Who” page, as in, “Who the heck are you?”) that sums it up. The line is: Who We Are = What We Choose. In other words, we’re not just telling you something you want to hear or selling you something you already know. We’re offering you a deeply thought-out approach and a clearly articulated set of values and means in achieving it. If your organization is simpatico, then we’ll be able to do great work together. 

What do we choose? We choose to work with clients who want to be great and who want to make the world a better place; to do bold, risk-taking work that makes us proud; to be honest, even when it hurts; to be kind; and to never sacrifice any of this for a few extra dollars. Ever. 

So I’m not not exactly selling, and I’m definitely not pushing. I’m simply trying to present you with a choice—and what you get if you make that choice—as clearly as possible.

Getting Up and Staying Up 

Let’s admit it: COVID-19 has us all, as individuals and as organizations, feeling a bit wobbly. But the team of people that I work with—and the clients that we all work with—aren’t falling down, not by a long shot. They’re up and swinging, finding new ways to work, new ways to serve, and new ways to provide people with what they need. 

That’s who our clients are, and it’s who we are too—especially as we emerge in a post-COVID-19 world: finding a new way forward—with the values that still matter most. If that resonates with you, we should talk.

You already know my sales pitch, which is not a sales pitch. So let’s just talk about you.