THE SALES WAR

THERE IS A SCENE IN THE MOVIE “PATTON” WHERE GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON IS RACING ACROSS ITALY IN AN ATTEMPT TO BEAT GENERAL BERNARD MONTGOMERY TO MESSINA. HIS SOLDIERS ARE TRYING TO CROSS A BRIDGE AND THERE IS A DONKEY AND CART BLOCKING THE

BRIDGE. THE DONKEY, PROVING ITS REPUTATION FOR STUBBORNNESS, REFUSES TO MOVE.

PATTON, ANXIOUS TO MOVE FORWARD AND TAKE MESSINA BEFORE MONTGOMERY, GETS OUT OF HIS JEEP AND WALKS UP TO SEE WHAT’S PREVENTING HIM AND HIS MEN FROM REACHING THEIR OBJECTIVE. UPON DISCOVERING THAT THE OBSTACLE IS A STUBBORN DONKEY,

PATTON PULLS OUT HIS PISTOL AND SHOOTS THE DONKEY. HIS MEN PUSH THE DONKEY AND THE CART OVER THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE

AND THEY PROCEED, BEATING MONTGOMERY TO MESSINA.

THE BATTLE

THE PROBLEM

THERE ARE OBSTRUCTIONS THAT PREVENT OUR SALES TEAM FROM REACHING OUR OBJECTIVES. SOME OF THESE

OBSTRUCTIONS MAY BE EVERY BIT AS STUBBORN AS A DONKEY. THEY MAY BE OBSTACLES THAT A CLIENT HAS

PLACED ON OUR BRIDGE, LIKE PRICING DEMANDS OR SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS, OR IMPOSSIBLE OBJECTIONS TO OVERCOME. OR THEY MIGHT BE OBSTACLES THAT OUR OWN COMPANY HAS PLACED ON THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE

SALESPERSON AND THE DEAL, LIKE CONTRACT ISSUES, PEOPLE ISSUES, OR OTHER CHALLENGES THAT PREVENT YOU FROM WINNING OR EXECUTING AND HITTING GOAL.

OBJECTIVE

SHOOT STUBBORN DONKEYS AND CLEAR THE OBSTRUCTIONS THAT STAND BETWEEN OUR TEAM AND

THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT AWAIT US!

IDENTIFYING THE DONKEY

A GOOD SALES REP CAN DISCOVER THE OBSTACLE STANDING ON THEIR BRIDGE AND FOCUS ON

CLEARING THE PATH TO SUCCESS.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OBSTACLES THAT STAND IN OUR WAY?

YOU MIGHT BE THE DONKEY

SOMETIMES, THE OBSTACLE BETWEEN WHERE WE ARE AND THE SUCCESS WE DESIRE IS OUR OWN

PERSONAL, PRIVATE DONKEY AND CART.

THE OBSTACLES THAT PREVENT US FROM SUCCEEDING ARE OFTEN OUR OWN BELIEFS, BEHAVIORS, AND THE ACTIONS WE TAKE (OR

FAIL TO TAKE).

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND ALL THAT YOU ARE. KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING INSIDE OF YOU THAT IS GREATER THAN ANY OBSTACLE THAT COULD POSSIBLY STAND IN YOUR WAY.

YOU ARE THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS OR FAILURE.

IF WE DID ALL THE THINGS WE ARE CAPABLE OF DOING, WE WOULD LITERALLY ASTONISH

OURSELVES.

THOMAS EDISON

EVERY ACCOMPLISHMENT STARTS WITH THE DECISION TO TRY.

THIS WEEK WE ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE COMMIT TO DO.