The story of Pierre

Pierre joined the company in mid-2017 fresh off selling for a company that got whacked by an economic downturn, ultimately ending up on the scrap heap. 

This is truly a story of a person to cheer for. Our paths crossed almost 18  months ago right after the demise of his former company and entrance to mine.  

Pierre came to us with good pedigree, 10 years financial services sales experience and great past  success before his company took a direct punch from the economy in North America. 

Soft spoken, very thoughtful, and bright. 3 words that describe him well. But in a word…his confidence was SHOT. 

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For 2 years Pierre fought a losing battle to sell when no one could (or would) buy.  His old company produced a product line that did not support the times.  

So, when we first met, I learned a few things about him.  

His confidence had been stolen and it made him do un-ordinary things. He became a chronic discounter and admitted that he often felt desperate to make sales. 

Basically, Pierre was making it up on the fly, adopting new approaches to sales to make up for lack of sales. 

Many of us in the sales biz have been there….and it feels horrible. 

The final nail was that because EVERYONE at his old firm was desperate, Pierre’s  leader paid him little mind – it was every person for themselves and he knew, he was  aboard a sinking ship 

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Then by chance, in October 2017, Pierre found us.  

My firm also struggled with the economy but managed to ride the storm out and  created quite a turnaround story. 

We are in the investment business and thankfully did work with High Net Worth clients, a great market that rarely gets put down.

Leading into 2017, we were in growth mode, and everything was roses.  

When Pierre arrived, his scars were fresh, and his stress was real.  Understandable. 

You could also see the promise, the remnants of skills and desire to flip the script. 

It just needed to be teased back. 

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So, what did we do? First thing, we made a pact. 

He wanted to succeed but was lost. 

I could see the promise, but he needed a rebuild. 

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Our deal was this: 

We agreed on an accountability contract that we both signed. 

Pierre agreed to draw on his experiences but COMMIT to our sales approach and NEVER change it up. 

We both signed on to work 1-1 at least 2x per week for the 3 months.

The purpose was to raise Pierre back up by focusing on 4 PILLARS: 

1) Prospecting 

2) Discovery 

3) Closing 

4) Mindset & Presence 

The first three pillars reflect the practical side of sales. #4, mindset and presence target the personal rebuild Pierre required. 

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For 3 months, Pierre was diligent, and I was insistent…a good combo! We never  missed a meeting, never skipped out early (in fact we worked some long hours  together). 

We talked, we roleplayed, we strategized, and no stone was left unturned.  

I held Pierre accountable to learn and practice. He held me responsible to teach,  engage, and mentor – the things I LOVE TO DO.  

It was a lot of work – and we were both committed. When two people work hard  together and commit to the process (and remain true to themselves), magic  happens.  

And it did here! 

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It took more than 3 months (really more like 6) but Pierre found his mojo again.  He began making his numbers and following our tried-and-true sales process.  

But more than that Pierre’s body language, his confidence, his earnest focused approach shone through beautifully. 

He was back and his sales reflected it. 

His hard work with some gentle direction and a LOT of practice did the trick.

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Today, Pierre is making WAY more $$ than when he started. Being the sweet soul he is, 10% of his earnings go to the community he lives in. 

As well, he’s paying it forward helping newbies we’ve hired. 

The promise he showed on the way in is paying dividends now 

And I could not be prouder to have been a part of it 

Way to go, Pierre. 

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