Keep swinging the bat: Lessons learned by salespeople from "the one that got away"

As professional salespeople, we've all had our ups and downs. We know that sales is a numbers game—reaching out to lots of prospects to identify a chosen (hopefully, qualified) few. But a dedication to achieving our goals, and, of course, persistency, eventually leads to success. Yet there's always a lot to learn when we don't win. And it's why we should always dissect the one that got away. Here's how: 1. Reflect on your performance. Sometimes you're so close to the forest, you can't see the trees. So start with the basics. Step away from the day-to-day. Find a place you can sit and relax for a couple of hours and think about what happened. No cell phones please. First and foremost, don't blame the prospect. It's the easy way out, and you could get into a bad habit of doing it every time you don't close a sale. Instead, evaluate your process and consider where you might have been ineffective. Did you listen enough? Did you truly hear what the client wanted? And, did you give the client the opportunity to express their specific desires and concerns—and then provide a solution that filled that need? If you can still give yourself high marks, ask yourself if you know precisely why the client chose not to go with you. Unfortunately, few clients will share their true reasons with you. So consider what parts of your presentation and strategies the client did agree with or was inspired by, and make some assumptions about what wasn't as well received. 2. Evaluate your current client base. Take the time to review your top clients. What do they have in common—and what is it that makes them an absolute fit for your service? Maybe it's your industry expertise and experience, and your track record in helping clients meet their goals. Perhaps you're a good fit because your client doesn't already employ a full-time staffer that does your job. Or maybe there's a mutual likability factor that can withstand the pressures of a working relationship. Whatever the reasons, most often you'll find that there's a commonality that connects the clients you have. 3. If you were speaking to the wrong person, pinpoint why. All too often, we're pitching the wrong people. And I don't just mean the wrong decision maker. We may even been talking to the wrong company. So take a careful look at the client you probably never should have spoken with. Because even if your presentation went perfect, the problem was your prospect didn't bite. And you may have invested a lot of time speaking to someone who was never going to say "yes." Maybe they didn't have the budget—or they weren't in charge of it. Or they were in their busy season and couldn't make a decision. Or your services don't solve their challenges. Bottom line? The next time you plan to pitch to a new client, ask yourself "does this client have potential?" Better still, when you're prospecting, make sure you're prospecting to the right person. 4. Re-visit. Sometimes the truth is nothing went wrong and the one that got away was really worth it. As to this, don't give up. I always keep a list of the clients I didn't get—that I should have. Some of the most successful salespeople have revisited accounts that they didn't get many years later and picked up the account. Maybe it was timing, maybe it was a new decision-maker, maybe they finally have a budget. Or maybe the pain of switching to a new vendor was too much back then. Whatever the reason, make sure you keep a list of the clients you wished you got—and be sure to re-visit them. Believe it or not, in today's digital age, a handwritten note from time to time makes a memorable impression. Vince Lombardi remarked, "If you can't accept losing, you can't win." Good salespeople never like to lose, but accept it as part of the job. And they use what they've learned to get even better on the next call. That's because success is not just about not striking out; oftentimes it's making sure you get another chance at bat. So keep on swinging. That's Q from the street. Anthony Quaranta is the president of Q Group, Hauppauge, N.Y.