We all remember Moby Dick. The story of Ahab and his obsession with the ginormous white whale. In the end, his obsession to capturing Moby Dick, ended his life.
While not nearly as perilous, sales people have the tendency to get caught up chasing the big deals. It becomes their obsession. It becomes the key to hitting forecast, getting that big commission, or establishing credibility for their next promotion. In reality, it becomes the account that sucks up your time and limits your success–unless you land the deal. It is analogous to building your whole day around going to your “lucky store” and buying your lottery ticket, waiting for the big prize to find you and doing little else to earn a buck.
The big wins are fun. They are attractive. They make superstars out of average sales people. They are also the accounts that EVERYONE else is chasing. Do yourself a favor and find a niche where you can close multiple accounts in a very effective and efficient way. If you find a whale, treat it like you do all your other accounts. The only difference between your whale and your dolphins is its size. You still have to build relationships, qualify effectively, and add value the same way for your whale as you do your dolphin. The minute you treat your whale differently, you interrupt your effective sales process and you start to look at and treat your dolphins in a different manner. Both behaviors will have a negative effect on your selling results.
Just like his obsession with Moby Dick destroyed Captain Ahab, so to will whale hunting kill your sales rhythm if you lose your perspective. Remember, a whale is just a big dolphin. Always focus on your normal, effective sales behaviors and processes and the rest will take care of itself. In the meantime, make sure you close some good business, no matter how big or small it is.