Keenan 411

Jim Keenan is a Senior Sales Executive, Enterprise 2.0/Web 2.0 Connector, an Entrepreneur still trying to get it right, and a PSIA Certified Ski Instructor for Vail Resorts. Husband to Big E and father to four great kids. In a nut shell, I'm a Sales Guy. Life is good!

Status Quo Is The Enemy

The arch-enemy of sales is the status quo. Selling something without changing the status quo is almost impossible. By definition, sales requires change, change effects the status quo.

We like the status quo. It’s familiar. It is comforting. It makes us feel good. We know what to do. We know what to expect. It’s this reason that makes the status quo such a respectable adversary

To slay the status quo takes information, information to relief the anxiety of change. It takes patience, forcing change only strengthens the roots of the status quo. It takes understanding, understanding of what keeps the status quo in place. It requires a comforting alternative, one which can make the status quo not feel so good.

The staus quo is the enemy of sales. It looks to destroy sales at every corner. It has staunch team of supporters, those who defend it to the death. It has deep roots, that take hold and make it difficult to be uprooted.

Selling requires change. That’s what sales does; it offers something new, it brings change to the status quo.

To be successful at sales, you have to slay the status quo and that is no small order.

What are your weapons?

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  • Jim, Status Quo == Risk Aversion (same thing) - all change decisions are based on triangle of Risk - Cost - Business Agility (AKA Cycle Time).

    To push out risk it is necessary to offer reduced cost or improved business agility or both.

    There is the science of it.

    Steve @stephenodonnell
  • tiborshanto
    Hi Jim,

    I think another way to look at it is that Status Quo is a creature of the dark, works in the dark, keeps prospects in the dark. Our role as sales professionals is to illuminate the situation for the buyer, enlighten, and empower them for the potential hidden by the dark of the Status Quo. Once they see the opportunity they will make changes.

    Tibor
  • great way of looking at it. Great perspective- I just tumbled it. jimkeenan.tumblr.com
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