It was the big meeting, the one we were waiting for. We were prepared for anything, until we came face to face with the man himself, Ross Perot.
He seemed much bigger than his physical stature and it was as if he owned the room, which of course he did, but it was more than that. It was like we were there for him, not the reverse. Ross took command immediately and came right to the point.
The owner of our company was a fast thinker and came up with the winning comeback. “Ross, she said, I’m going to make you a very rich man!” . . . uncomfortable silence . . . then Ross laughed out loud. The ice was broken. “Okay, he said with a smile, lets see what you’ve got.” We were just audacious enough to get his attention and now he was ready to listen, at least for now.
I learned a lot from him in that one meeting. He was one of the most successful salesmen in history – and now I see why. It can be described in one word: FOCUS.
It was definitely one of the keys to his success. He never let his attention be distracted onto anything that wasn’t going to forward his purpose. Like the professional buyer, they aren’t influenced by emotional hot buttons that sway most consumers.
His attention was under his control and focused only on the objective he wanted to obtain. Here’s is what was on his mind, “What have you got to offer that I don’t already have? Why should I do business with you over anyone else? Who else have you worked with that can vouch for you? How much do you charge? Can you do what you say you can? When can you start?”
If you could answer all these questions and more to his satisfaction, you had a chance. You could hold his attention as long as you were clear, concise, and focused. Either you had it or you didn’t. There was no middle ground. He was both a professional salesman and a professional buyer. He could see right through the fluff and expose your weaknesses instantly but he also could recognize strength and competence when he saw it. He liked you or he didn’t. There was no social veneer. He was there for business.
In these circumstances, you had better be prepared to step up to the plate and take your best swing with confidence because you’re not going to get a second chance. Don’t waste his time or our own.
Confidence, competence, know-how and practiced expertise combined with the ability to get people to like you and trust you are things you’d better have down cold. Then you can keep your attention focused on what you really want.
And you just may get it!
daniel w. jacobs
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sales master class series
