Back in 2013 I had a really big problem. I was getting traffic, I was getting leads, but I wasn’t getting many sales at all. In short order I became very well versed in the sales process and funnels.
Much of what I learned I shared in yesterday’s article “About that hole in your sales funnel…”
But that wasn’t the first advice I was given.
Like many people, when I realized I had a problem I turned to my mentor, and I think it’s a conversation you should hear, or part of it, because it introduces a concept about sales that most people don’t realize.
So for this conversation we have to go back to August of 2003.
Dexter Nelson:
“Chris, will you help me with something? I’m learning the different concepts in marketing and so far everything is a “farming” concept, or putting people into the funnel, nurturing the leads and reaping sales later and that is working.
What I need help with is getting sales now because, for lack of a better terminology, while the grass is growing, the horse is starving and I just can’t seem to bridge the gap between content and immediate sales, and this is something I really need to figure out.
I need to learn how to hunt and eat today you know what I mean?”
And in his very direct manner, he gave me this advice.
Chris Record:
“Search “Grant Cardone” on youtube, and start playing his videos in the background. That should solve the problem.”
Note: Over the last several years of knowing Chris, he’s always been very straight forward with me. Unless he’s specifically training he never really answers your question directly, but is very deliberate in pointing you in the right direction.
Our history of conversation in the way of mentor to student is like that too. My favorite memory was when he told me that the only thing holding me back was the 7 inches between my ears.
That’s when I really started working on my inner game and my mindset. Anyway, back to sales and closing sales.
I followed my mentor’s advice and started looking up Grant Cardone videos, and I’ll admit. I couldn’t let it play in the background. In fact I found myself with a notepad taking a lot of notes.
I saw several interviews and came across on video in particular that kind spelled it out for me. It’s just shy of an hour long, but it’s well worth it, but first!
What did I mean by farming and hunting?
Hunting vs Farming Sales Strategy
This is an idea that I learned back in 2012 from one of the leaders in the Empower Network. Tracey Walker was telling the story of her real estate days and the struggles she went through, and presented this idea.
When it comes to sale, especially in traditional network marketing most people are taught to farm; and if you think about the farming process it makes sense.
First you till the soil and prepare the land for planting, you put down the seeds and water them, all the while protecting them from insects and so on. Then after a while they begin to sprout and you have to continue to cultivate them, enrich the soil where needed and so on.
Eventually, you have a crop that you can harvest. It’s the same thing with traditional marketing strategies. We’re taught to build slowly with the long term plan that takes at least 6 months, sometimes to a couple of years to see the results you want.
I call it the “eventually” plan.
The problem is that when someone is looking for an opportunity, or they just join one, it’s because they need money right now. They’re on the “I’m hungry and I need to eat” plan.
That’s where you have to learn to hunt. Thinking about a hunter, he grabs his bait, grabs his gun, goes out into the woods, stalks his prey, kills it, and he comes home and eats tonight.
So in any business, while you’re waiting on the harvest down the road, you need to eat between the preparation and the harvest – you need to learn how to hunt, and that means being able to sell and close sales.
Tomorrow I’ll get into some of the specific strategies, but for right now, start with the best sales training video I’ve seen to this day.
Stop Selling, Start Closing
Grant Cardone speaks about the importance of dominating a market and the problems with obscurity; the importance of creating time, not managing it; using free tools like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn to communicate with your market. Save your money and control the space.
I hope you had a chance to watch the whole video and that you had a chance to learn and put some of these things into practice as I have. I’d definitely purchase the books he mentioned, especially Sell to Survive and The 10X Rule.
I can almost guarantee they will both make the “book of the month” list, which reminds me, we are still in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell, another great read!
Please like, share and leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic as well and get a chance to answer any questions you may have.
And finally, If you haven’t yet started blogging as a means to grow your business, I’m inviting you to the 21 day blogging challenge. It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, or even if you have one.
Blogging has always been one of the most reliable methods to grow your traffic, rankings and more. And with the launch of our new platform, KALATU, I know you’ll be impressed with what we bring to the table.
Go ahead and get started right now for just $25.00 and let us show you the power of KALATU!
