Don prides himself on being a professional. But he'd like his sales production to be a little higher. He's tired of watching new producers outperform him. It's obvious they aren't as knowledgeable about their products. Don sees himself as consistently prepared for his fact-finding interviews and knows exactly what to say.
The problem is, he doesn't say it often enough. He'd rather spend time analyzing than acting.
Bob considers himself successful. He is conscious of how he looks and knows how to act. After all, customers like to deal with professionals who possess style and class.
Bob believes he has to be the best producer around or he is nothing at all. His self-image is woven into his level of success. But he doesn't prospect much because he feels it is beneath him.
To avoid the risk of humiliation for low sales and preserve his self-perceived status, he dedicates much of his time to industry organizations and professional groups. He rationalizes networking is better than prospecting. He would rather let others refer prospects to him through word of mouth.
Unfortunately, this technique has rarely paid off. But at least it is better than hitting up potential clients who might think less of him for making an unsolicited phone call.
