Miller's Sales Blog Applying Character in Sales

Character and Selling?

The general idea behind this weblog is to start a discussion about being a sales person of character. Character and selling may seem like an oxymoron similar to military intelligence, but I believe every customer would like to know that the person they buy products and services from is a person of strong moral character. While that may be what customers desire, many customers justifiably have a perception that sales reps are basically coin operated. After all, compensation drives behavior... I don't know any sales professional that does not like, present company included, a big fat commission check. So, I think it is a legitimate topic for blogging.

Sales professionals continually operate in a paradox. We have competing "pulls" on us most days. We need to make our quarterly numbers (the short view) while at the same time doing what's best for the overall strategic relationship with the customer and our sales pipeline (the long view). We need to do what ever it takes to win the deal while at the same time we need to preserve margin. Customers want to do business with a successful and profitable company while they want the absolute best price (free would be nice...). Living in the paradox creates a testing ground that either developes strong character or leads to compromise. I read a verse this morning that reminded me of our situation: "When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation." (Proverbs 10:25) Many of my days feel like I'm living through the whirlwind.

Background for this weblog:

The name "Dokime" (pronounced dok-ee-may') is a transliteration of a New Testament Greek work meaning proven character. It is that type of character that has come through times and events of testing - character that is really there.

See:

I'm George Miller, a regional executive at Sun Microsystems, responsible for managing a sales region in the southeast. I served eleven years as an Air Force officer (so I can joke about military intelligence), worked two years for Computer Sciences Corporation, and joined Sun in 1996.

Posted at 12:59PM Jul 10, 2007 by George Miller in Personal  |  Comments[1]