When I first started at Tapp Network in December of 2018, I was doing work that I was quite comfortable with – project management, account management, content creation, etc. I was working on client accounts from multiple business sectors. That was fine, but I wasn’t passionate about all of them. My passion is health care and my work experience primarily fell within that sector. Not long after hiring me, the Co-Founders recognized this. Totally on their own. Or maybe my RBF (look it up) was an indicator.
Either way, they soon restructured the company into different business units, asking me to be the Director of the Tapp Health business unit. I was thrilled! What I was NOT thrilled with was the realization that I now had to start DEVELOPING the business unit. Development = sales. I hate sales. It’s totally uncomfortable. I’ll network my butt off all day but ask me to pitch someone on what we do and why they should give me all their money? Not for me… or so I thought.
Enter the HubSpot Agency Partner Pipeline Generation Boot Camp 2019, an eight-week HubSpot certification with instructor Dan Tyre. Despite Dan’s exuberant personality, I was still not thrilled. I mean, come on. That name is a mouthful and the workload was way more intense than I expected. Always the skeptic, it took a few weeks for me to start to see (and feel) the value.
So, what did I learn over those eight weeks? So glad you asked!
I didn’t like sales when I started but realized in order to move up in the world, it’s something I would need to do. If you’re not being stretched in a new position, what’s the point really?
The very first homework assignment was a vision board (see below). Regardless of how much I loved my job, there were days when I’d rather be on the beach. (Which I could do since I live in a beach town - Lewes, Delaware - you should visit!) It’s important to remind yourself of your passions. Why do you do what you do? Why do you work so hard? My answers to that included my husband, my baby girl on the way, places I wanted to visit (that costs money), and my belief that we should be the change we want to see in the world.
After answering the question for yourself, you should ask the same questions on behalf of your organization. What do you do? Who do you do it for? Why do you do it? How do you do it? Not only will this give your drive direction, it’ll help delineate why potential clients should go with your organization.
Nobody wants to be pitched to, but most people want help. In order to be helped, they need to be heard. Gone are the days of cold calling. You need to engage in active listening. Hear what your potential client has to say. What are their pain points? Ask them to tell you more. They will feel heard, you will be able to help, and may just get a new client from it.
This one is an oldy but a goody. If you don’t have a sales plan, you have a plan to not sell. I am the queen of planning so this one came easily to me and was actually kind of fun. I love a good list to cross off. You need to determine your priorities, audience, specific goals, approach to completing them, milestones, quick wins and an action plan. Look at if often. Place deadlines in your calendar. Cross them off when you complete them. Celebrate the big wins, revel in the little victories, and learn how to avoid the potholes.
Vision board: