09 November 2010
I’ve never seen a full episode of the TV show “House”. But, as you probably know, it is about a brilliant, well educated doctor who has a terrible bedside manner and just “tells it like it is”. Now consider “The Office” – a very funny sitcom. The Office scenario is just the opposite from “House”. Instead of showcasing competent, hard-working professionals intensely working to solve life threatening problems, The Office depicts sales people who are basically inept, lazy, and non-functional in their roles.
Doctors receive an enormous amount of schooling, work incredibly long hours, and have jobs that require them to quickly and effectively find answers to life and death situations with very little room for error. A good doctor is worth every penny they charge. On the other hand, sales professionals are often chosen because of their personality. Education and experience often have little to do with the selection process. Interestingly, top sales professionals quite often earn a higher income than top physicians and this year alone, more people will graduate from college and have a career in sales than all of the people who will enter the medical field.
Successful sales professionals understand rejection, they know that professionalism is a must, and they understand that their “bedside manner” will either earn them the sale or not. They have confidence – but not arrogance. They know their product. They know their competition. And, like good doctors, they ask a lot of “where does it hurt” questions.
Sales professionals work hard to help their clients find the right solution to their problem – not memorize the names of every body part, disease and new drug. The cure we provide as franchise sales professionals is, without a doubt, as honorable and important as any doctor - particularly when we (franchise sales professionals) are helping to find a cure for “corporate deadenditis”, or “entrepreneurial itch”. The cure I am speaking of is helping our clients/patients start their own franchise!
-Ron Saffell
VP of Sales for Franchise Foundry