Client is Always Right

Sales is hard work. Most professionals would rather not be "in sales." Which is cool with me, b/c I enjoy it, and I like to think I'm good at it. Having a great motivator like this guy really helps me keep it in perspective, and I love writing proposals for clients.



Part of sales is understanding that every time you present, every time you answer a question is a little test- a hurdle (or, old school "objection") to be overcome. You're always putting yourself out there, you have to be liked and interesting to get through...

I have lost many deals in my career, certainly more than I have won. Losing deals, especially big deals, is crushing. Lost a couple recently that had a lot of myself invested, and here's the thing: I can't get anything more than a "thanks, but no thanks" e-mail from the client- and that's disrespectful. Unprofessional. Damaging.

If you've *asked* me to put together a proposal, the least you can do is tell me what you think if I don't win the business. A lot is invested in pitching these deals. By the time we're a finalist, I think it's fair to expect a client to provide feedback on why we didn't win, and what we could have done better. Specific feedback.

For a small business to be able to invest in ideas on your behalf- which ultimately delivers your best ideas- We must be able to get better at what we do from the experience. Ultimately, only the people we pitch to can tell us the truth about the way we're pitching them.