An interesting idea proposed last month, Value is in the eye of the beholder, says S. Anthony Iannarino’s The Sales Blog.
Value is in the eye of the beholder. Mr. Iannarino made the point that a sales person cannot close a deal unless the stakeholders are convinced your product will add value. He says the stakes go up the higher up the executive ladder you go.
So true.
Your task in this job search is to build consensus around the value that you can bring to the new team. You are the product you are selling.
The stakeholders are the manager and team at the company where you want to work. If the stakeholders do not believe you will add value, you will not get the job.
So where should you put your job search energy?
- Identifying the stakeholders correctly to begin with.
- Judging what the stakeholders want to know and making sure they get what they need. What vibes are you picking up? What do they want to see more of or less of? What behavior to show more or less of? How to fit in, mirroring the energy you are receiving? Come across too strong or too weak and you put people off.
- Observing and listening to the stakeholders to decide if you want to work with these people. If not, then no amount of value to stakeholders will make this opportunity right for you.
I hear you saying, “It sounds like this is schmoozing to me.” Yes, this is schmoozing. Sometimes you need to talk in such a way in order to flatter and impress stakeholders. Tell people what you want them to hear in a way that you think they will hear it if it helps them see the value you bring to the table. Sometimes they won’t see it if you do not translate your value into something they understand.
If you are speaking French and they are speaking German, then they might not understand what you are saying. If you are offering bread and they want salami you might not have a match on your hands.
The stakeholders must want what you have to offer. You need to figure out how to get them to see your tremendous value. You must adjust and translate so they can see the value.
If they don’t want what you have to offer after you have given it a good try, then move on to the next opportunity. Juggle a dozen opportunities if you can. This is a game of numbers. There is someone out there who will see value in what you have to offer. You just have to keep looking till you find the match!!