Free Advice

Even though military action has started in Iraq, the process leading up to it contains some excellent lessons for owners of small businesses.

matter what your feelings or the outcome of the Iraq war, there are three important lessons from the situation that any business owner or executive can learn from.

Believe in yourself 

President Bush is steadfast in his belief that Saddam Hussein is evil and must be removed. He believes the world will be a better and safer place if Hussein is gone and Iraq has the opportunity for freedom.

Do you feel the same about your product, service and business? If not, why not? Your chances of success increase dramatically when you believe that your customer is better off with you or your product than they are without you or your product.

You must have the confidence that what you are doing is right, is beneficial and provides value.

Avoid the gatekeeper 

One of the first lessons in sales is talk to the economic buyer. That means the person who can say yes without going to their boss, a committee or anyone else. Avoid the gatekeepers. This could be the secretary, committee or lower level employee protecting their "turf."

The Bush Administration got caught going through the United Nations, which turned out to be the ultimate gatekeeper with numerous countries getting the opportunity to flex their muscles and protect their turf.

While I’m not advocating this strategy for dealing with the U.N., when the gatekeeper gets in your way you need to take evasive action. Either make an end run or crash through. Face it, if someone with ulterior motives is protecting the buyer, what do you have to lose? You’re not going to get to the customer anyway.

Keep your options open 

Business owners need to be flexible. Bush got painted in a corner with the willingness to hinge U.N. and other approval on a smoking gun of large stashes of forbidden chemicals. Imagine doing that in business.

Would you only sell red cars, call on customers within five miles of your office or not adapt your product for special circumstances? Would you only tell your customers of one benefit your product offers, when in fact it offers five or more?

Of course not.

A key to making sales is to ask questions and find the problem. Then you can offer the appropriate solution. And since you believe 100 percent in your product and are talking to the economic buyer, you have a better chance of closing the deal and growing your business.

© Copyright John Martinka 2003. All rights reserved.