Love the One You're With

Today and tomorrow we'll be finishing up a short series on SADD in America. Sales Attention Deficit Disorder (SADD) is a growing concern, according to sales trainer Colleen Stanley. Last week we identified one way to prevent it - turning off your Blackberry. A scary thought, right? Try this new idea out today, and you'll be helping to lower the frequency of SADD in corporate America.

2. Love the one you're with.

The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. This selling scenario often occurs at networking events and looks something like this: You are talking to an individual and throughout the conversation he/she keeps looking around the room to see if there is someone else more important they should be meeting. Actions speak louder than words and the message is clear...you are important; however, the grass may be greener on the other side of the room.

Some salespeople still practice the crazy networking principle of speed networking. This salesperson's main goal is to meet as many people as possible in an evening. Quantity is the goal, not quality. They carry an invisible time clock that rings after two minutes (hey, they have a room to work). They politely excuse themselves and move onto "greener pastures," (at which point their cell phone rings and they answer).

Speed networking or "working the room" is working yourself right out of a potential relationship. Savvy business people spot phonies and phony intentions. People that are serious about building business relationships take the necessary time to build that relationship. They know processes are efficient and people are not.

Colleen Stanley is president of SalesLeadership Inc., a business development consulting firm specializing in sales and sales management training. The company provides programs in prospecting, referral strategies, consultative sales training, sales management training, and hiring/selection. Learn more at www.salesleadershipdevelopment.com.