Part 1 of 2
I first met Pat Sluder about 20 years ago. At the time, he was a 60-year-old professional salesperson who had proven himself in the competitive banking industry as both a salesperson and a sales manager.
He found success by being what we might call “old school.” He was all about developing relationships by spending quality time face-to-face with customers and potential customers. People coveted his huge and extensive Rolodex.
Pat preached activity, activity and more activity! And he was equally comfortable working a trade show, conducting a demonstration or managing an entire team of salespeople. Pat was a hands-on kind of sales manager. If a salesperson came to him saying he was double booked for demos in two different cities on the same day, Pat would immediately answer: “I’ll go to one, and you go to the other. Let’s close both of them!”
I recently reconnected with this now 80-year-old local sales legend, and I was a little surprised to learn that he is still in the sales leadership game, still building successful sales teams.
Pat said that a few years ago, a company owner in the banking industry convinced him to come in and lead their sales and marketing efforts. The company had a track record of success but wanted to take it to the next level. I expected Pat to say he came in and shared his successful old-school methods. Since this company sells nationally and all the salespeople are in one location, I envisioned a team of road warriors who, under Pat’s leadership, were spending 40+ weeks on the road. What I heard was entirely different.
Using All the Right Tools
Pat said that when he came in, the company was spending half a million dollars on trade shows and travel. He got the costs down to under $200,000. He said the sales team now does all their selling via videoconferencing and rarely leaves the office! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
He talked about his and their total commitment to Salesforce and using a CRM for customers and potential new clients. Under his leadership, they had implemented all that and also had brought a digital marketing person onboard.
What I learned is this old-school sales leader had adopted and embraced many important current trends. He put them all to work. Whenever I ask sales professionals, most, probably 80%, say, “Yes, we have a CRM.” But there’s a big difference between having a CRM and actually using it.
Pat had called me because he wanted me to speak at their national sales summit. I thought he wanted me to talk about some aspect of the selling process, but he actually wanted me to speak about the importance of family and work-life balance. He wanted me to talk about our 7F’s of True Success model. He wants his salespeople to be successful at work, of course, but he also wants them to enjoy a happy, meaningful life with their families and friends.
As a coach, I’ve always said that, in any business, people have to change to stay competitive. They have to adapt and accept new ideas, new technologies and new ways of doing business.
It was exciting and affirming to see an 80-year-old sales leader who has made that concept a reality—not just using new tools and technology, but also embracing a new way of looking at work.
In my next blog post, I’ll share some of the lessons that have kept Pat successful and relevant in his business—even at age 80. Until then, follow Pat’s lead and use all the tools you have available and keep work in perspective. That’s how you do what you do better.