I was fortunate to hear Todd Cohen, the author of “Everyone’s in Sales” speak at the Premier CIO Forums this past week in Orlando. The forums were put on by the Society of Information Management. Todd left me with some things to consider which feel life changing and empowering in my professional life.
He asked us to consider two things.
1. Explain what you do in six words or less, without using your title.
2. How is what you do help the customer say “yes”?
If your answer is no conclusive in terms of providing value to provide value to the customer, then you are overhead.
As Todd stated, “No one gets up in the morning and is content with being ‘overhead'”. For many years, I have been guilty of floating along in my company just doing what was asked of me from day to day, I was indeed overhead.
Everyone is in sales, even in the IT world. Not too much happens within companies these days without IT being involved in some form. Todd outlines five steps to an IT profit center.
1. Create a sales culture that is transparent to the entire company.
2. Know how you impact the customer.
3. Know how you help the customer say yes.
4. Show others how they impact the customer.
5. Monetizing on the “I do not know, what I do not know.” – Involve other team members to help support your efforts.
When you win at selling and bringing revenue in the door, it helps everyone. The whole business continually benefits with ongoing job security when there is a commitment to sell to the customer. Everyone is in sales.
Image Credit: Leonardo Rizzi