Last month we asked the question, "What do we have to lose?" This is a good question and an important one for sales professionals to ask. Here's another one:

"What do we have to gain?"

This is the type of question that's often asked by people who are motivated by potential gain vs. avoiding pain. This question challenges us to think about why we are pursuing an opportunity or responding to an RFP.

If the answer is, "little or nothing", it helps us qualify and minimize our efforts. If there's not much to be gained then why put in much effort? This logic can help us as we're considering whether we should respond to a particular RFP where we just don't see a lot of opportunity. Sometimes people run after RFPs just because their pipeline is weak. Maybe our time would be better spent creating demand for our services by proactively developing an opportunity with a desirable prospect.

What if the potential gain is compelling: revenue, commission, an attractive reference account, a growth opportunity...? An answer like this helps motivate us to take action and act courageously.

Thinking through the answer to this question is valuable. The answer can help us qualify opportunities, justify our efforts, make the best use of our time and get the resources we need to be successful.

As sales and account management professionals, time is one of our most important assets, and taking a few minutes to think through the answers to this question can make and save us time!