Traditional salespeople are often compared to hunters, as they stalk their prey (new leads) in the hope of a killing (closing the sale), so that they can return to the tribe with food (revenue). In contrast, farmers plant seeds and nurture crops that will eventually grow over time into food, in other words, farmers prefer to develop long-term relationships and customer loyalty.

Both hunters and farmers have the same objectives and their own set of challenges, I think the farmer has a major advantage over the hunter. While the hunters must go into new territories each day to stalk their prey, farmers stay in one place, planting new seeds and reaping the fruits of their efforts on the same ground they have toiled over already. In return, the land they till becomes infinitely more valuable because it can consistently reap a harvest without going through the hits and misses off hunting.

It’s no different in business, as all salespeople share the same ultimate goal: generating revenue. The big difference is in the tactics they use. Farmers take the time to lay the groundwork for sustained success, they educate themselves on the tactics and techniques of persuading their audience to act by building their own authority in their space. Granted, some hunters also do this too, and the smart ones also think like farmers.

During the current pandemic, I have had the opportunity to look closely at my competencies and roles that I have played throughout my career. I have been both a hunter and farmer, I think that creating contact, trust and credibility are the defining competencies in both roles as increasing revenue and penertrating deeper into the existing client base is fundamental in sales.