- January 20, 2015
- Posted by: Kurlan & Associates, Inc.
- Categories: Monthly Tips, Motivation
We attended an Eagles concert last Wednesday evening – the night before Thanksgiving – and it was awesome. The band was at its best and I forgot how many hits they had.
Get this – all of The Eagles came on stage wearing Business Suits! Can you picture Joe Walsh – the Rocker – in a business suit (with long bleached blonde hair)? It was a tough sell.
Which got me wondering – are you an Eagle or a Vulture. An Eagle is usually successful on its first attempt when diving for food. A Vulture always waits for another predator to make the kill and swoops in for scraps after the hard work has been done.
Eagle-like salespeople are prepared, thorough, effective and rarely fail when there is an opportunity to close. Vulture-like salespeople are content to be a second source, just get an order rather than an account, or swoop in after somebody else creates interest and simply undercut them to get the business. Vultures are not salespeople, they are opportunists. Eagles are the true professionals.
So what if you sell like an Eagle and you look like one too? Not feathers, suits!
I said it was a tough sell but, by the end of the 3 and 1/2 hour concert, they belonged in those suits. They had presented themselves professionally, expertly, and graciously, remaining on stage, shaking hands, accepting the love long after the final notes had been played. It would be hard to imagine a performance like that 30 years ago, but today it fit.
How effectively do you pull that off? Is your look consistent with the image you are attempting to present? Are you taking casual too far? Are you overdressing for your audience? Are you giving them exactly what they want from you?
Glenn Frey, the fearless leader of the Eagles, announced, “We’re the Eagles. Welcome to the Assisted Living Tour!” Do you get your prospects’ and customers’ attention in the first minute of your meeting? Are you swooping down and taking advantage of what’s there?
Are you an Eagle or a Vulture?