When Selling Becomes Mission-Critical |
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Why a career in sales can bring responsibility, purpose, and rewards far beyond the commission. |
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By Phil Whitebloom, Founder of BeenThere Consulting Service |
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About a 3-minute read |
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Become the Sales Team Customers Count On If you want customers to see your sales team as the people they can count on when it matters, I will help you strengthen the relationships, responsiveness, and accountability that make that happen. Contact me at Phil@BeenThereCS.com or schedule a conversation with me. Sometimes, a career in sales can take you places you never expected. In my case, one of those places was the White House. |
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A Different Kind of Sales Responsibility When Sony moved me to the Washington, D.C. area, one of the accounts I became responsible for was the White House. Ronald Reagan was the president. In early 2004, the Iraq War was underway, Saddam Hussein had been removed from power, and George W. Bush was president. My role had also changed considerably. I was no longer the salesperson directly responsible for the White House. I was the sales manager leading the Sony team responsible for the entire federal government. Some of the people I first worked with in the late 1980s were still there in 2004, now serving in positions with much greater responsibility. Over those years, the working relationships had grown stronger as responsibilities changed and careers advanced. The White House Communications Agency depended on me, and later, on my team, to help them obtain what they needed, get it there when they needed it, and recommend solutions when they faced a problem. The video and communications technologies we supported served critical purposes, including documentation, mission planning, historical recordkeeping, and classified and unclassified communications. For this customer, the work was always mission critical. During a war, the urgency and consequences were even more apparent. |
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Relationships Built Through Execution During this period, my primary contact traveled to Iraq many times. There were occasions when he communicated with me by satellite phone, seven days a week. That demonstrated the strength of the relationship and the level of trust that had been built over many years. They knew who to call. They knew I understood the importance of what they needed, and they knew my team and I would do everything possible to get it done in the time required. Every customer deserves to know that their needs matter. At the same time, the reality of business is that priorities sometimes have to be established. Not every request can be the highest operational priority at the same moment. In this case, there was no ambiguity. When the White House Communications Agency had a critical requirement, it was an A priority. My responsibility was not only to understand that urgency, but also to make sure the people throughout Sony involved in supply chain, logistics, and fulfillment understood it. They were always there to support the customer and understood what was required. The customer was counting on us. We had to deliver. |
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“Phil, Where’s My Equipment?” One day, I was walking into the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House, when one of the Assistant Secretaries of Defense was standing outside the entrance. He saw me and said, “Hey, Phil. Where’s my equipment?” I called him by name and responded, “Where’s my purchase order?” He was serious. He wanted his equipment and did not know that we had not yet received the purchase order. Once that became clear, things moved very quickly. What stayed with me was that someone at that level knew who I was, even though I never worked with him directly and, to the best of my recollection, had met him only once in person. He knew me because of the relationships my team and I had built with the people supporting him. They knew that when they needed something from Sony, we understood the urgency and would work to get the job done. That is what a strong customer relationship can create. Your reputation travels far beyond the people you speak with every day. |
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There Is More to Sales Than the Commission There was another side to this experience that should not be overlooked. It was incredibly cool. Being able to walk into the White House when work needed to be done, support people carrying out important missions, solve difficult problems, and know that what my team and I were doing mattered was exciting. Even during stressful periods, the work could be enjoyable. More importantly, it was fulfilling. Sales gave me opportunities to participate in situations I never could have imagined when I began my career. The financial rewards mattered, but some of the greatest rewards had nothing to do with a commission check. They came from knowing people depended on us, solving problems, and helping customers accomplish something important. Selling carries responsibility because customers are counting on you. The stakes will be different from one customer to another, but the principle does not change. When you understand what matters to the customer, take ownership of your role, and help them succeed, selling becomes about much more than making the sale. It becomes meaningful work. |
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💡BeenThere Sales Tip of the Week |
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Look beyond the commission. Find the purpose and fulfillment in helping customers succeed, and the commission will follow. |
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Take What You Already Do Well to the Next Level Most businesses care deeply about their customers and work hard to support them. I help salespeople, sales leaders, and business owners take what they are already doing well and make it stronger, more consistent, and more visible in the customer experience. When customers know they can count on you when it matters, relationships become stronger. Stronger relationships lead to loyalty, repeat business, referrals, and customers who stay with you for years. If you want to take those customer relationships to the next level, contact me at Phil@BeenThereCS.com or schedule a conversation with me. |
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Good Selling! 🏢Founder, BeenThere Consulting Services Contact Information: 📅 Schedule a conversation: https://forms.gle/346ZXKYfYqdbzqu19 📞 240-305-7149 📅 Schedule your Discovery Call here or scan the QR code below to schedule a conversation and explore what intentional coaching and disciplined preparation could look like for you and your team. |
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🤝Join us for at an Early Adopter Rate by clicking here, or scan the QR code below: |
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Have a topic you want me to cover next? Email me at phil@beentherecs.com. I read every note. |
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