I sat down with Brock from Vendasta Voices to talk about something I see local businesses struggling with every single day: e-commerce, building sales teams, and what it means to stay relevant in a world that changes faster than most people can keep up with.
This conversation was direct and practical. No fluff. Here are the biggest takeaways from our discussion.
E-Commerce Is More Than a Shopping Cart
When Brock asked me to describe the ideal e-commerce business, my answer surprised him a little. I think most people hear “e-commerce” and picture a shopping cart on a website. That is only one piece of it.
A true e-commerce business is one where a customer can conduct commerce without ever walking through a physical doorway. That includes booking appointments online, browsing goods and services, experiencing a demo of a product before purchase, and then completing the transaction however works best, whether that is delivery, pickup, or showing up in person for a service.
The buying decision and the transaction begin online. How it gets fulfilled is secondary. That shift in thinking is what separates businesses that are thriving from those that are getting left behind.
The Real Roadblock: It Is a Lot of Work
I remember talking to my local clothier after COVID about setting up an e-commerce store. I had been trying to buy a pair of shoes from him online, but he did not have that capability. When I brought it up, I saw the frustration wash over his face.
He knew his inventory was not in a digital system. He would need to connect a new point-of-sale system to an e-commerce platform. He would need someone he trusted to build the store. He would need a logistics operation to handle shipping. That is a lot for a small business owner who is already running at full capacity.
The way I advise businesses to approach this: break it down into small pieces. Figure out the right model for your specific type of business. A barber shop model looks different from a clothier model, which looks different from a snow removal company model.
For salespeople, this means you need to build those models in your head for every business type. Have a checklist of questions you are going to address with the prospect, and know going in that this is complex work. That is precisely why they are coming to you. If it were easy, everyone would have done it already.
The Fundamentals of Great Selling
Brock asked me a simple question: what are the fundamentals of great selling? My answer has not changed in 30 years:
- Be a good listener. This is first and foremost. Most salespeople talk too much and listen too little.
- Have integrity. If there is a problem or you do not know the answer to a question, go get the right answer rather than making something up.
- Deliver on your promises. Or better yet, over-deliver.
- Be the trusted expert. Bring value to the prospect through data, models, or case studies that give them the answers they need.
- Be a true business partner. Understand that the relationship has to be a win-win.
These fundamentals apply whether you are building a massive channel sales operation or selling one-on-one to a local business owner. The tactics change. The fundamentals do not.
What Makes a Great Sales Team
Building a great sales team follows the same principles as building any great team in sports. You need a well-rounded set of talent, both on the field and on the bench. You need solid infrastructure so that talent is supported with training, practice, and fundamental processes that challenge them to get better.
You also need to figure out who the real leaders are. Some leaders have titles. Some are just born leaders. Use those leaders to show the rest of the team what is possible.
Then you need alignment on the mission and clear measurements. I told Brock: “Imagine playing basketball with no nets and no scoreboard. It is just not going to work. You have got a bunch of people running around with balls.” You need processes, you need measurements, and you need regular timeouts, halftimes, and pregame sessions where you talk about how to achieve your common goal.
Continual Learning Is Non-Negotiable
I started in the radio business, and for decades the product barely changed. You could buy a 30-second commercial, a 60-second commercial, a spot next to a newscast, or a live broadcast. Four products. Now we live in a world where things change every single day.
Constant learning needs to be part of your day-to-day routine, or at the very least something you dedicate time to every week. If you are a sales professional in the digital space and you are not actively investing time in learning, you are falling behind. Your customers are expecting you to be on the cutting edge.
Why Digital Marketing Agencies Have a Massive Opportunity Right Now
There has never been a better time to be a digital marketing agency. There has also never been more confusion in the market. Business owners need a trusted expert they can rely on, and that creates enormous opportunity.
But here is where I see agencies stumble: they try to do too much. The really successful organizations have a clearly defined group of customers, a clearly defined group of solutions, and they stick with what works based on data. Keep it simple. Define your customers. Define your solutions. Trust the data.
The Bottom Line
Whether you are building an e-commerce operation for a local clothier, training a new sales team, or running a digital marketing agency, the principles stay the same. Listen more than you talk. Do the hard work that nobody else wants to do. Keep learning every single day. And above all, be the trusted expert that your customers need you to be.
Watch the full Vendasta Voices conversation above for more on what drives great sales organizations.