What if your competitor releases a Sales Cowboy
You have been selling several years; you know your business and your competitors. Your world is steady and controlled as every party knew the other. You all trusted and respected each other. The business is under control.
The change of the controlled world
One day one of your competitors replaces the sales rep. with a rather young sales guy.
Although he is inexperienced in the business, he manages to set-up meetings with most of your customers in a very short amount of time and seems to move ahead with negotiations at a speed you are not used to.
Nothing wrong you think until you start finding out he is making propositions you cannot compete with – propositions and offers he cannot realize without making a loss:
- Breakneck prices
- Full services at entry level pricing
- Incredible or not feasible promises
Then it comes clear to you: you are facing a “Sales Cowboy”.
This type of salesmen will do whatever it takes to win a customer. Their goal is to win any customer and gain market share and even try to face you out.
Disaster has struck for you!
Competing with the Sales Cowboy
Now you have to overcome the objections and the pricing the Sales Cowboy has communicated with your customers.
Counter the inexperienced Sales Cowboy
As the Sales Cowboy is new to the business he will not know the business of the customers. You will have to build trust using your knowledge and experience of the business. Provide your knowledge and assets to the customer for free.
Counter with facts and benefits
Previously your products or solutions had good facts and benefits that sold. As the market and business hasn’t changed overnight you should use these facts and benefits over and over gain.
The price war
Don’t compete on the price war.
You need to survive.
The Sales Cowboy is aiming to eliminate you in order to control the market afterwards. Let him do so as he will have to report to his VP Sales and explain.
The unfeasible promises
You know the Sales Cowboy cannot realize the promises he has made.
Let him fail.
The customers will return to you.
The growth problem
As the Sales Cowboy has made many promises and can have acquired many customers he and his company need to deliver what has been promised.
All companies come under stress, strain and run into operational problems when the sales increase significantly over a short period of time.
This will happen and cause problems with the customers.
Soon these customers will come back to you and never return.
Internal envy and competition
As the Sales Cowboy is successful as a newbie in the company, he will not be loved and liked by all of his colleagues.
They will take care of him too or avoid supporting him.
Sales cowboys don’t last long, but in the meantime they will hurt the business.
When and where did you encounter your Sales Cowboy?
Or are you a Sales Cowboy ?
