Kent Taylor, the late founder of Texas Roadhouse, embodied the persistence needed to successfully launch a concept. In his wonderful book written right before his death, Made from Scratch, Kent explains in detail the challenges and pain he experienced to get his concept off the ground.
Persistence is written about often in selling, especially in the context of overcoming rejection, ghosting prospects, or internal problems at your company.
However, it’s also worth remembering as a salesperson that your prospects are dealing with or have dealt with extreme challenges. Their decision to go with your company or a competitor doesn’t exist within a vacuum.
Much like Kent Taylor, many of these companies (especially when they’re still being run by the founding family), will have a deep history of struggle. Choosing the right vendor for them can be the difference between success and failure. Keeping this in mind while you sell can help you formulate the right discovery questions, and also make sure that you are attuned to the type of prospect you’re trying to sell.
