Closing big business deals over an incredible steak dinner is truly a cliché. Thick steaks in a great atmosphere suggests success and power. But, behind every great steak is a butchered cow. The steak symbolically represents business achievement. And, great achievement comes with sacrifice. Additionally, to enjoy transformative success, business must be executed in unprecedented ways. For massive sales success, the old ways of doing business have to die.

The Greater Purpose
Is the purpose in business to maintain the status quo, or is it to maximize value? Likewise, is the purpose of a steak to be honored, or to be consumed? When an enterprise seeks to create enduring value, perpetuating growth is the chief goal. Sacred cows are not valued. Maximizing growth is. Disrupting normal business practices by offering goods and services in innovative ways demand sacrificing sacred cows. Innovation is valued. Increasing utility is valued. The good old days… not so much. For business moving beyond “the ways things have always been”, sacrificing sacred cows results in new channels, applications and revenue streams. The slayed sacred cow not only becomes a great steak, but the result also includes beef ribs, brisket, and ground beef.

Slaughterhouse Marketing
To maximize new opportunities, every part of the cow is included in creating value. Slaughterhouse marketing refers to communicating the use of every available attribute of a product to increase value across customer segments. In a slaughterhouse every conceivable piece of the cow becomes eligible for use. Even the scraps are used for dog food. From a sales perspective every eligible benefit must be available to communicate value for customers. Every tool at the sales professional’s disposal comes into play. Niche-specific networking to leverage and maximize referrals is necessary to initiate sales processes. Launching inbound marketing processes raises awareness by communicating the seller’s value proposition. Researching prospects’ strategies and presenting individualized solutions by probing for the most painful problems is a subsequent step. Then, connecting personally with the ultimate decision maker to satisfy the most critical unmet needs maximizes the revenue opportunity. Slaughterhouse marketing means having assorted pieces of meat, also known as benefits and solutions, available to satisfy multiple customers’ wants.

For successful sales professionals, sacred cows do not exist. The singular objective is creating maximum value for the customer and then enjoying the rewards of generating revenue. Each sales process step requires intentionally communicating solutions, then progressing to consummate the transaction. The greater the stakes, the more clarity is necessary to create an environment resulting in closing. The fundamentals of creating like and trust, probing for needs, communicating value, and asking for the business are non-negotiable. Sacred cows, whether they are internal politics, unproductive strategies, or corporate egos, can be sacrificed. The successful sales professional uses every physical, emotional, and interpersonal attribute at his disposal to foster the environment where the prospect wants to buy. And once the transaction closes, then it is time for reservations at the favorite steakhouse!

By Glenn W Hunter
Principal of Hunter And Beyond