Be The BEST Number TWO !

An Important Lesson from Harvey McKay

This title surely sounds strange. Everybody aims to be number one. Yet I seem to be suggesting that you should aim to be number two ! Really unconventional. What do I mean ? This idea is first suggested by Harvey MacKay, author of the best-selling “How To Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive”.

Honestly, the full sentence should be

If you can’t be number one, then make sure that you are the best number two.

Sometimes no matter how hard he tries, a sales person is unable to get the customer / purchaser to buy his product / service. This could happen for several reasons :

• The customer already has a supplier
• The customer is happy with the existing supplier’s product
• The customer is happy with the existing supplier’s level of service
• The Purchaser has a very close relationship with the supplier / sales person from the supplier
• The supplier / sales person from the supplier and the manager / director are related (family members)

Under such circumstances, there seems to be no way in; the situation looks hopeless and depressing. You are clearly not the customer’s choice number one choice. What to do ?

Remember one thing : Nothing stays the same forever.

There are 3 things that you must realize :

• Nothing lasts forever. The situation could and would definitely change in future
• Realise that besides you, there are many other sales people from different companies who are also trying to get this customer to buy from them. In a scenario like this, the “number one” position has been taken up, and all the rest of the other companies (including your company) are queuing up as number twos.

• If you can’t be number one for the time being, aim to be the BEST number two amongst your competitors so that, if for some reasons, the customer decides to replace his current number one, then YOU are the BEST number two and will immediately replace the current number one. This is what Harvey MacKay means when he says “If you can’t be number one, then make sure that you are the best number two.”

In what ways can things change and cause the customer to want to replace his existing supplier?

• The quality of the current supplier’s PRODUCTS could deteriorate and the customer begins to get unhappy and may decide to replace the current supplier. If you are the BEST number two, then you will be the most candidate to replace the current supplier.
• The quality of the current supplier’s SERVICES could deteriorate and the customer begins to get unhappy. This could be because :
• The supplier does not keep their promise
• The supplier’s sales person makes the customer angry / disappointed
• The supplier’s employees makes the customer angry

• The supplier’s stock is not consistent therefore causing problems for the customer
• The supplier is consistently late in delivery
• The Purchaser (who has a very close relationship with the supplier) from the customer may leave. The new Purchaser is more objective and may decide to find a new supplier. If you are the BEST number two, then you will be the next one to get the order.

• The Manager/Director from the customer may leave. The new Purchaser is more objective and may decide to find a new supplier. If you are the BEST number two, then you will be the next one to get the order.
• The customer may open a new office/branch/factory in a new location. The current supplier is unable to serve in that new location (because too far, etc). On the other hand, you company has a branch office in that location. Under such circumstances, you are the BEST number two and will IMMEDIATELY got the order.

So you see, nothing stays the same forever. Things DO change. Just make sure that when things DO change, you are the next BEST choice !

What can you do so that you are constantly in the race and becomes a STRONG number two ? Many things :

• Continue to maintain communication with the prospective customer. Phone or visit the prospective customer once every two weeks / once a month.
• Consistently send information to your prospective customer about your company developments in your company such as :
• Your company has just opened a new branch

• Your company has just been awarded ISO certification
• Your company has just won some award
• There has been a magazine / newspaper write-up about your company
• You have been given some prestigious awarded (Best Salesman, Salesman of the Month/Year, etc)
• There has been a magazine / newspaper write-up about you
• Your company had just launched a new product

• Continue to send greeting cards to the prospective customer : New Year card, Christmas card, Kartu Lebaran, Chinese New Year card, Birthday card, Happy Wedding Anniversary card, etc.
• Monitor and developments in the company such as :
• The prospective customer has just opened a new branch/ When this happens, you can send a Congratulatory note, phone to say congratulations. Who knows, you may be invited to come to the opening ceremony and may then have new opportunities to interact with the customer and discuss opportunities to serve this new branch.
• The prospective customer has been given a special award (Best Company, Best Employee, etc). They are in a happy mood. Send a Congratulatory note, or phone to say congratulations. Who knows, they might appreciate (even be impressed!) by your positive gesture and immediately rank you as the BEST number two. Better still, if they are already unhappy with their current supplier, they may consider you to replace their current supplier!

• Change in management. When you know that this happens, you could send a Congratulatory note to the newly appointed manager. This is a great opportunity for you to introduce yourself to a new decision-maker
• Customer beginning to feel unhappy about current supplier. When you know that this is happening, you could phone / visit the prospective customer. Who knows, they might decide to buy from you because you are the BEST number two.

• The Purchaser wife has just given birth and he is now a proud father. Send him a Congratulatory note and send a simple gift for the wife / baby. That will make you a GOOD number two.
• The Purchaser has just experienced a sad event in the family. Phone in to show concern and offer your help. Your kind and sincere gesture in their time of need will most surely rank you to be the BEST number two
• You become award that the Purchaser is looking for some information (his plans to send his daughter to study overseas and is looking for relevant information about this.) You gather information/brochures and send it to him. Even better, you refer to him an expert who can help him for free ! That will most certainly make you a STRONG number two!

In conclusion, I hope it is now clear to you why it is so important to keep fighting and continue to take action even though your customer is currently buying from someone else. Once again, nothing stays the same forever. Situations change, people change, needs change, preferences change… and when they do change, you want to make sure that you are the VERY NEXT CHOICE… that you are the BEST number two.

Therefore once again,

If you can’t be number one, then make sure that you are the best number two.


Until then, Happy Selling !!