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FOLLOWING THE RECIPE
My son-in-law Bryce is the executive chef at a local restaurant. Watching him work is magical. He has no books, no charts, seemingly no organization as he flies around the kitchen whipping up amazing meals. I’ve never known Bryce to use a recipe. He’s that good.
Those who have participated in RAB's Radio Sales Essentials training know that we share the four levels of learning any new skill:
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Unconscious Incompetence – you don’t know what you don’t know
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Conscious Incompetence – you know what you don’t know
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Conscious Competence – you know it, and you’re doing it
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Unconscious Competence – you’ve forgotten what you know and you’re just working on instinct
Bryce works on instinct. He doesn’t need a recipe. But for those of us just learning to cook, sell, or any new skill for that matter, we need some guidance. At the RAB we teach that sales is a repeatable process – the 7 Steps To Selling Success. Those who are new to the business can dramatically cut down the learning curve of making mistakes by following the 7 Steps. Those who are more experienced and who may be in the ”forgotten what they know” phase always benefit from the back-to-basics approach.
There are no shortcuts in sales. It takes time, persistence, professionalism, and a lot of other traits. The good news is you don’t have to go it alone. There is someone in your company, on your team, that is willing to help you. Certainly, your manager, but even sellers with more experience love to share their knowledge and experience.
Here’s a little secret, you asking for help from an experienced seller not only helps you, but it helps them. They are in unconscious competence, so they’ve forgotten what they know, and they are just acting on instinct. By you asking for help, you’re actually helping them to remember the things they did that made them successful. So you both benefit.
Pacing is a mixed bag right now. Some are having record gains, others flat, and others are in decline. Your local economy, job market, and a myriad of other factors can contribute to your success.
If you’re new to the career of media sales – Welcome to the greatest career you’ll ever have. Don’t be shy about asking for help and guidance. We all need it. Not only do you benefit, but so does your guide.
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