Banks have TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program). Insurance Companies are now going to receive TARP funds. The Automotive Industry has received $ 17.4 Billion in government loans to survive the economic downturn, and they are asking for another $ 22 Billion. As a sales person, do you have a troubled asset (pipeline)? If so, who is going to bail you out? The answer is, and should always be, nobody but you!
Are you sitting down? There will be no redeployed tax dollars coming your way! Every sales person has to see himself as his own Department of the Treasury. Somehow you will have to bail yourself out! TARP for you isn’t the Troubled Assets Relief Program. For you, TARP means… Taking Additional Responsibility (for your) Pipeline. It will take additional blood, sweat, and tears to get your greatest sales “asset”, your pipeline, back in shape. For you, your income statement and your balance sheet is based upon the quality of your pipeline,and when it suffers, your sales revenues suffer.
There are three attitudes that you should have, knowing that you are going to have to TARP - Take Additional Responsibility (for your) Pipeline. Here they are:
- Today you might be looking at a (TARP) Trashed And Reduced Pipeline. Don’t dwell on this problem. Acknowledge the problem and then get over it. You might consider sitting down with a notebook and writing down every reason that you are upset about your current situation. After having done that, then TARP - Turn And Retire (the) Page. Then, don’t look back.
- Build a plan, using TARP. Think about the new competitive landscape; Analyze what your new value proposition will look like, Redefine what your new ideal customer will look like, and Position your solutions competitively.
- Execute a TARP. Test your plan, Adjust when necessary, Refocus on new objectives based upon what you learn as you roll out your new strategies, and Propagate (get the message out).
Taking responsibility and following these rules will allow you to achieve the goals and success that you can.
