The Sales Archaeologist

Driving home last night I noticed that a pretty well established restaurant in my neighborhood - the Naked Fish - had closed. I was a little surprised at first but then as I started thinking about it I realized a few things. My wife and I had not eaten there in a while. I remembered driving by and my wife saying that the place was looking run down and they needed to spend some money on landscaping and paint. We used to enjoy their food but the last few times it had not been that great and we were told the chef had left and they had a new "guy". Their bar was one of their strengths, excellent mixed drinks, but the last few times we sat at the bar we felt like the glasses were smaller and the drinks were not top shelf as before. The martinis went from super to blah.

I guess the writing had been on the wall all along. It usually is.

I realize that there was a lot of new competition in the area and there is definitely a connection between that competition and the changes I described. When competitors move in what is the right course of action. Apparently the management of this restaraunt asked their accountant and I am sure he was confident that "cutting costs" was the way to go. Accountants - no offense - don't really know or understand what it means to grow a business.

The solution for business or for individual sales people is this - be better! That is what you need to do in the face of competition. When we try and compete by lowering our standards we lose their interest. How effective are you as a salesperson at overcoming competetive issues? Do you have the wrong perception as to what your prospects and clients expect? Is the writing on the wall?