justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

“You gotta know the territory…”

The musical, The Music Man, by Meredith Willson, includes a song with lyrics that capture perfectly the critically important aspect of the sales process: knowing your customer and his/her interests, needs, and desires.

The verse, “…but you gotta know the territory”, comes in the opening scene of the movie and featured in the song Rock Island, presented by a group of salesmen travelling from town to town.

To refresh your memory, the movie’s lead, “Professor” Harold Hill, a well-known con man, comes into town on a train, planning to sell musical instruments, music lessons, and all the trappings to the children of an Iowa town. He’d planned on skipping town after the initial sales, as he had no musical background, but, instead, fell in love with the town librarian, helped her son overcome his lisp - and ended up staying.

In all my years of sales training, THE one theme that resonates and endures is that of “knowing the territory” – learning as much about the customer as you build a relationship, learning more and more about the needs and wants of that customer, where, and how you can better meet those needs and wants.

On a similar note, I enjoy watching the TV show, Shark Tank, where a diverse group of successful business people considers investment proposals from entrepreneurs. In nearly every show, I’m amazed that the majority of presenters have not done research on each member of the show’s panel of wealthy investors; a failure to “know the territory” so the entrepreneur can perfect the pitch, refining features and benefits to match a panel member’s interests, likes, dislikes, and so on. With so much at stake, I’d think the presenters would memorize, then incorporate that easy-to-find information into a polished, professional proposal, delivered with a laser-like, personalized approach. (I’m tempted to write an eBook on the topic: “Perfecting your Shark Tank Presentation”. Maybe in my next life, eh?)

Here’s to your better “knowing the territory” of your next endeavor, either in business or in your personal life.