FundingStrat

 

One week before the first Macintosh computer was supposed to ship, Steve Jobs’ engineers told him they were running behind and could not make the deadline.  On a very uncomfortable conference call, the engineers explained that they would need an additional two weeks’ work before it was ready.

 

Jobs responded calmly, explaining to the engineers that if they could make it in two weeks, they could surely make it in one.  There was no real difference in the timeframe, and, more importantly, they’d come this far and done such good work, there was no way they would not ship January 16th, the original ship date.

 

Jobs’ expectations and insistence continually pushed his engineers past what they thought was possible.  The engineers rallied and made their deadline.

 

Early in life, Steve came to find that reality was a collection of falsely hemmed-in rules and compromises that people had been taught as children.  Through continued practice, Jobs came to develop a much more aggressive idea of what was or wasn’t possible.  To him, the combination of vision and work ethic could make much of life malleable.

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When to use it?

 

(Going into Spring 2021.).  When receiving an indecisive response to the Assumptive Utility Close where the merchant is trying to figure out what they’re going to say next:

 

“Uh, I don’t…know, um…”

 

What does it sound like?

 

“Well, once this funds, what are you planning for the fully reopened economy?”

 

How it works?

 

With vaccinations on the rise and case counts and deaths thankfully on the decline, the economy looks to be well on its way to fully reopening across all 50 states.

 

The bond market is pricing in more inflation and a red-hot economy that is driven by pent-up demand and stimulus.  We’ll see what the Q4’20 GDP print ends up being shortly, but it finally looks like the light at the end of the tunnel for many small businesses is within reach.

 

You’ve already qualified the merchant before you were able to get their file submitted and approved.  You know what project they’re looking to fund, what objective they’re trying to achieve with your help.  But maybe they haven’t shared with you what they’re envisioning after the economy fully reopens.

 

The truth is, they probably haven’t been able to give themselves the time to fully think it through themselves.

 

This question serves the merchant by getting them focused on possibility and opportunity.

 

When there is indecisiveness and hesitation that is is making the merchant linger on the phone for a few awkward seconds, cut in with a strategic question that can help reframe how they’re thinking about this decision.

 

Why it works?

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What does it sound like?

 

“I’m applying for PPP (EIDL).”

 

Where does it typically show up?

 

Prospecting Call: making contact with a lead for the first time.

 

What do we do with it?

 

Turn around.  Key Objective: to turn around the objection, engage the lead further, and continue to guide the lead through the sales process to ultimately close and fund!

 

How do we turn it around?

 

“Great, what are you planning on doing with the funding when it gets approved?”

 

Why do we say it?

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Ever have a bad day?

 

Ever lose a sale you thought you had?

 

Ever been in a slump?

 

…been rejected 10 straight times?

 

…have a merchant say yes to you and then three days later just evaporate and won’t call you back?

 

If the pandemic wasn’t enough…

 

How do you respond to these situations?

 

Some could get discouraged enough they start to watch more TV, stay up later, get up later, get online or show up to the office later and, well, check out.

 

What’s another way to respond?  What’s the surefire way to take these setbacks in stride, overcome them and achieve the financial success, fulfillment and personal gratification that comes with a well-built sales career?

 

Kick your own ass!

 

Like Jeffrey Gitomer says, “no one else will really do it for you, in any meaningful way.”

 

Life and business has thrown you and will continue to throw you obstacles and setbacks.  Many times the gut-reflex is to freeze.  But if you stay in this doe in the headlights stupor for too long, those headlights will get bigger and bigger until WHAM!  Roadkill.

 

Sometimes we need someone we respect to come along and give us a nice kick in ass so we can kick ourselves into gear, and at times those someones fatefully do show up and do us this favor.

 

But most of the time, even though you may have family, friends and colleagues that can be there for you to help you, inspire you and give you some tough love, a true Funding Pro must be self-motivated.

 

No matter what is going on out there, your quota should not be the only external target causing you to push yourself.  You have a responsibility to yourself to achieve a level of success you and you alone have set out for yourself.

 

We all have a responsibility to get better every day, learn from our mistakes or setbacks, adapt, overcome and take care of our families.

 

Like one of the quarterbacks playing in his tenth Super Bowl this Sunday, light the fire and stoke it every day.  The rewards start to pile up.