Processes
The (not so) Dark Side of Sales
I hate telling people that I work in sales. You can see the judgment in their eyes as they register my occupation. Instantly my integrity is questioned; I might as well have said that my job is to scam people for all they’re worth. I typically avoid using the word sales — saying instead that I work in business development. Not a lie, but not quite the truth.
But I am no seller of snake oil, no conjurer of cheap tricks. I am a problem solver, a matchmaker, and a really good listener. I spend my days listening to people tell me their greatest aspirations and the challenges they face every day within their businesses.
It’s my job to step in and see how we can aid potential clients in not only achieving, but surpassing their goals. At Focus Lab we believe in bringing tremendous value to the organizations we partner with and are committed to working with great people. There is a reason my title is Partner Specialist — I specialize in putting these ideal partnerships together. See, told you I was a matchmaker. At Focus Lab we believe it’s not about chasing the largest dollar figure, it’s about striking the right balance between bringing tremendous value, partnering with great people, and making a profit.
At Focus Lab we believe it’s not about chasing the largest dollar figure, it’s about striking the right balance between bringing tremendous value, partnering with great people, and making a profit.
So what does our sales process look like? Well, it begins with an email. This is typically a casual conversation where I get a basic feel for the project scope, timeline, and budget. If things sound good for both myself and the potential client, we move onto the next step: scheduling a video call.
This step is key. It's incredibly important that I meet potential clients via video. You can learn so much about a person from their body language, and we like to make sure this partnership is going to be a good fit, for both sides, from the beginning. During this call I get a high-level look at what the client’s goals and challenges are and learn more about their organization as a whole, while also going into greater detail about who we are and how we work here at Focus Lab. It’s about getting to know one another, which is the basis for any good relationship.
Following the call I send over a detailed project planning questionnaire; this allows us to really explore the ins and outs of their project. Our team reviews the questionnaire, and a recommended scope and timeline officially starts to take shape. At this point I put together a proposal to present to the potential client based on our recommendations.
Is our sales process the fastest? Nope. Is it incredibly effective? You bet it is. We’re honest and transparent from the beginning, because we have nothing to hide. Our work, process, and values speak for themselves and the team we have assembled here is pretty freaking amazing.
Am I romanticising my job? Maybe, but I absolutely love what I do.
