When preparation is not everything
I had my first ever sales brief today.
Apart from the odd half an hour I had yesterday yesterday preparing the brief, I had little time to think of stuff to say during the brief. Even my now-famous slide presentation was compiled 5 minutes before briefing time.
Usually I won’t be unnerved with such situation. I have done it before, I can do it again – and it helps that the conference that I am pitching on is something that I truly love and believe in.
But when you walked into a room of 6 people, your heart will beat a tad faster. Top that up that the managing director and the sales director were among the six, you will get really nervous.
I was thinking, “What the hell are they doing here?”
No one warned me that they will be there, not even my team leader. I had a feeling I got ambushed.
I got really nervous, and when I started the introduction to the conference topic, I hear myself speeding up, and Sandra the sales director has to slow me down.
Nodding, I took a deep breath, and started again.
2 hours later (which was exceedingly long for a sales brief), I walked away from the room relieved and satisfied that the session went well.
Little did I know that words were going around that the pitch was the best in IQPC history, ever.
Of course I am flattered. Maybe my informant may over estimating it. But flattered I am.
As I thought back to the mad scramble 5-minutes before the brief, I couldn’t help but think that preparation, (un)fortunately, is not everything.
