In the beginning you thought there was only one. But there were two.
At first, you thought you were smarter than both. But you were wrong.
They were simple animals, no scheme, no plans. Again, you were wrong.
Then you called down "The Devil" - he helped get one. But was consumed by the other.
Tonight, the blood soaked field is afire.
Tonight, you're alone. Tonight, you're "going to sort it out."
Two sales analogies I really dislike are, "Sales people are coin operated" and "We need both Hunters and Farmers in MpS (solution, software, complex, strategic, or whatever) ".
Really, do YOU want to be considered on the same level as a vending machine? Doesn't your heart of hearts say you're more than a Farmer?
Good Selling Professionals create something from nothing. We innovate. Adapt. We try new approaches. Fail. And try again - Strategic, holistic. We engage, we attract, we partner.
Farmers dig in the dirt, drop seeds, look to the sky, pray and wait. They telemarket. They Hope.
And hope is what one does when there is nothing left to do - After giving up.
We live in a world of expectations, labels, and assumptions. Each holds us to another's will. I know your manager wants you to be a 'hunter' and get somebody else to farm your accounts after you bring home the 'kill'. I know. That's the way your manager wants it. That's the way the marketing person sees it.
How about you 'hunt' inside one of your accounts, just don't tell anybody. Try something new. A piece of software or a BPO workflow analysis. Your company doesn't sell software? Find somebody who does. Get them into your account and learn from them - earn a lunch.
Your dealership can't seem to spell "BPO"? Find somebody who can. Sub them out to do a study. Work with them, partner with your customer - earn a lunch.
Pretend to fall into that category of 'coin operated'; drone on about how simple the commission plan is to explain to your significant other. Get on board the "every No gets you closer to a Yes" bus and track that dial-contact-appointment ratio. Smile into your desk mirror.
When you get into the field, out of that damned cube. Away from the stupid orafice, explore. Push to the Edge.
The keynote speaker at this years Global MPS Conference went on about how things have changed. How the assumptions we have can hold us back. How yesterday's rivals can be tomorrow's partners. Not a bad observation.
Either way, keep your wits about you. The one's above you temporarily don't know what they are doing. Its a special time.
Watch them. Expand your view. Get better.
One day, you might get the chance to design the compensation and devise a marketing plan. Or blow that whole "Hunter/Farmer" bullshit out of the vernacular once and for all.
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