It was one of the worst moments in my professional life.
My company sold equipment through a distributor network. Price wars shook the market. Discounts, discounts, discounts – this was the only word sales reps chanted like a mantra, the sole weapon in the competitive battle.
Tired of paper-thin margins, I decided to flip our approach to sales. Our new program for distributors called ‘Value For Money’ was meant to be a game-changer.
Our rationale was quite straightforward. We charged clients and partners more for more value.
One September morning, I was presenting the program to a significant distributor’s CEO.
I put my heart and soul into the presentation.
I showed the client the dizzying prospects. I emphasized how much his company would benefit from it.
I peppered my speech with numbers and facts to infect him with my enthusiasm.
When I finished, he kept silent for a minute and asked: “So, can I get a discount?”
The weapon of mass distraction
In this ala…