So, what evidence of your body of work do you have? If a business magazine wanted to do an article about you, what would your body of work actually sound like?
“I have a really strong product, and I’ve sold a bunch of stuff over the years. In fact, I’ve sold way more stuff than most the people I work with, and I get a lot of awards for that.”
--OR--
“I’ve been able to work with my clients over the years to help them clarify problems and solve them very profitably. For example, Bill Diaz from Quality Roofing did not have a customer problem; he had plenty of business. The problem Bill was having was finding qualified installation crew. We worked together to define that ideal worker profile for him and crafted a plan to reach those prospective workers a number of different ways. In fact, here is what Bill said about that, ‘John’s plan to recruit installation people worked very well. We were able to fill three new crews and take advantage of a strong marketplace.’
Is your story more like the first statement or the second one?
So, I ask you again. What evidence do you have to show and share about your body of work? If I was a landscape architect, you’d certainly ask me for a portfolio of my projects before seeing me. If I was a financial planner, you’d want to know who I was working with and how I helped them reach their financial goals. Why would it be different for you?
Sales professionals have a variety of tools to showcase their body of work:
You deserve to get a chunk of valuable time from a prospect. When prospecting for sales, ensure your body of work is documented to provide evidence of success and show how you can bring value.