Is Your Sales Organization Thinking Like IKEA?

IKEA is coming to Denver and there is a lot of buzz about the famous retailer. People are getting ready to camp outside of their doors for the opening day, competitors are increasing their advertising so they don’t lose market share and law enforcement is trying to figure out how to control traffic. How did IKEA get to a place where they have this many raving fans? IKEA is coming to Denver and there is a lot of buzz about the famous retailer.  People are getting ready to camp outside of their doors for the opening day, competitors are increasing their advertising so they don’t lose market share and law enforcement is trying to figure out how to control traffic. How did IKEA get to a place where they have this many raving fans?  It might be as simple as knowing this:  They know what they are in business to do.  IKEA’s simple mission is to create a better everyday life for many people.   Every piece of furniture that IKEA designs needs to answer this criterion:

• Does it make everyday life better?
• Does it make it easier to have guests?
• Does it get dinner on the table more quickly?
• Does it make a home a little more beautiful?

Your sales organization doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel.  Just study the wheels that are doing well! What questions do you and your sales team need to ask and answer in order to create raving fans like IKEA?  Here are just a few I came up with for SalesLeadership after reading IKEA’s catalog insert on their purpose and mission.

• Are we delivering content that will produce game changing results for their sales organization?
• Are we delivering the content in a game changing way that motivates salespeople to learn and achieve mastery?
• Can the everyday salesperson and sales manager apply these game changing concepts to their business?

The power of the question is the power of the answer.  Have the IKEA discussion at your sales organization.

What questions should you be asking in order to have people camping outside of your office?

Good Selling! Colleen Stanley CSO