Are You an Order Taker or an Order Getter? How to Shift Your Sales Approach for Success

Having a sales job doesn‘t make you an effective salesperson—it‘s how you do the job that matters. And one of the key differentiators between average sellers and sales superstars is whether they operate as an order taker or an order getter.

As an online sales and marketing expert who‘s coached hundreds of reps over the years, I‘ve seen firsthand how making the shift from order taker to order getter can transform sales performance. In this post, I‘ll break down the key differences between these two approaches, show you why being an order getter is essential for success, and give you practical strategies to make the leap.

The Order Taker Approach

An order taker is a salesperson who passively waits for customers to approach them with a purchase-ready request. They view their role purely as a facilitator in the buying process. The customer drives the interaction from start to finish, and the order taker simply reacts and responds.

Order takers tend to:

Wait for inbound leads to come to them
Let the buyer set the tone and pace
React to customer requests rather than proactively shaping the sale
Focus on one-time transactions vs long-term relationships
Avoid "rocking the boat" by pushing back or challenging the buyer

In essence, order takers take a backseat approach to selling. They may move some deals to closed-won, but it‘s often based on luck more than skill.

When Order Taking Works (And When it Doesn‘t)

To be fair, there are some scenarios where an order taker approach is viable, such as:

Retail settings where the focus is on providing a great experience to browsers
Commoditized products where the buyer likely knows what they want
High-demand offerings that "sell themselves"

However, these are the exceptions, not the rule. The vast majority of B2B and considered-purchase B2C sales require a more proactive approach. Gartner research shows that in a typical buying group, 6-10 decision makers are involved, each armed with 4-5 pieces of information they‘ve gathered independently.

What‘s more, the same research reveals that customers only spend 17% of the buying process meeting with potential suppliers. With so little direct interaction, if you‘re not actively working to influence the buyer‘s journey, you‘re leaving the field wide open for competitors to swoop in.

The Risks of Being an Order Taker in Sales

Embracing an order taker mentality is dangerous for sales professionals. Here are a few of the biggest risks:

Inconsistent results: When you rely on customers to come to you, your pipeline is based more on chance than on your own effort. One month you may exceed quota, only to come up dry the next.
Lack of control: As an order taker, you cede all control over the sale to the buyer. You‘re not able to proactively steer the conversation, handle objections, or create urgency to close.
Missed quotas: Order takers close fewer deals than proactive sellers. CSO Insights found that only 53% of order takers achieve quota, compared to 66% of order getters.
Stunted career growth: Top sales organizations want closers who can proactively generate business. If you‘re content playing a purely reactive role, you‘ll likely get passed over for promotions and prime territories.

The takeaway? In today‘s sales environment, being an order taker is a recipe for lackluster performance and limited professional success. To thrive, you need to adopt an order getter approach.

The Order Getter Approach

Order getters are the polar opposite of order takers. These proactive sellers take control of their pipeline by seeking out potential customers and engaging them early and often throughout the buying process. They strategically target high-value accounts, shape the buyer‘s decision criteria, and deftly navigate obstacles to bring the sale to a successful close.

The defining characteristics of an order getter include:

Consistently prospecting and initiating contact with leads
Developing account plans to grow pipeline in target segments
Leveraging trigger events to engage buyers at the right time
Leading with insights to shape the buyer‘s vision of success
Closely tracking opportunities and intervening when momentum slows
Tapping into sphere of influence to generate quality referrals

Put simply, order getters are go-getters. They don‘t wait for opportunities to come knocking—they kick down doors and create their own opportunities.

The Business Case for Becoming an Order Getter

Adopting an order getter mentality isn‘t just good for your paycheck (although a fatter commission check is certainly a nice perk). It‘s also essential for aligning with the way modern buyers want to buy. Consider these compelling statistics:

Buyers prefer proactive sellers: One Salesforce survey found that 79% of business buyers want sales reps to be trusted advisors who add value, not just order takers.
Order getters close more deals: According to a study by the Rain Group, proactive sellers generate 69% more sales opportunities and have 15% higher close rates than reactive order takers.
Buyers buy more from order getters: Order getters‘ focus on providing value pays off in bigger deals. Research by ValueSelling Associates found that order getters‘ average deal size is 26% larger than order takers‘.

The data is clear—embracing an order getter approach leads to better sales outcomes across the board. You‘ll fill your pipeline faster, boost your win rates, and grow your average deal size. What‘s not to love?

Order Takers vs Order Getters: Real-World Examples

To further illustrate the differences between order takers and order getters, let‘s look at a couple examples from my own experience coaching sales teams.

The Tale of Two Account Managers

In one organization I worked with, there were two account managers with similar patches and tenure—we‘ll call them Jim and Pam. Jim was the quintessential order taker. He‘d happily field requests from current customers, but rarely tried to expand his footprint within key accounts. Pam, on the other hand, was always looking for opportunities to provide more value to her customers.

One day, a major account of Jim‘s called him up to place an order for a new batch of widgets. Jim quickly processed the order and patted himself on the back for an easy sale. But he failed to ask any probing questions about why they needed more widgets or what other challenges they were facing.

Meanwhile, Pam was regularly meeting with decision makers at her accounts to better understand their business needs and goals. In one of these conversations, a customer mentioned they were struggling with a spike in product defects. Pam realized that in addition to ordering more widgets, they likely needed help with quality control.

She came prepared to their next meeting with a pitch for how her company‘s consulting services could help them get the defect rate under control. Not only did she close the initial widget order, but she attached a sizable service contract to the deal and became an invaluable partner to that customer.

The difference between Jim and Pam‘s approaches was striking. Where Jim was content to be an order taker and missed an opportunity to deliver more value, Pam proactively positioned herself as a trusted advisor and grew her deal size as a result.

Prospecting for Pipeline

In another organization, I saw a similar contrast play out on the business development side of the house. One rep, we‘ll call him Michael, consistently struggled to build pipeline. He‘d make a few half-hearted prospecting calls when pressed by his manager, but mostly waited for marketing to send him leads. His pipeline was anemic and his win rates were abysmal.

On the other side of the floor sat Dwight, the team‘s top prospector. Dwight made prospecting a priority, blocking off two hours every morning to research his target accounts, find potential customers on LinkedIn, and craft compelling outreach emails. He supplemented these efforts by consistently asking for referrals from his satisfied clients.

As a result, Dwight‘s pipeline was always overflowing with well-qualified leads. He could afford to be choosy about which deals he worked, focusing his efforts on those most likely to close. And even if a particularly hot prospect didn‘t pan out, he always had three more to take its place.

Over time, the difference in Michael and Dwight‘s performances became starkly apparent. Where Michael struggled to consistently hit quota, Dwight was regularly in the running for top rep. The reason? Dwight took an order getter approach to pipeline generation while Michael waited for deals to fall into his lap.

How to Shift from Order Taker to Order Getter

Convinced that being an order getter is the way to go, but not sure how to make the switch? Here are some practical strategies to get you started:

Embrace a proactive prospecting mindset

The first step in becoming an order getter is to take control of your pipeline. Make prospecting a daily habit, not something you do only when your lead well runs dry. Set aside dedicated time for researching your target market, identifying potential customers, and engaging them with insights.

Remember, the goal is to proactively shape the buyer‘s journey, not just react to their requests. Reach out early and often to build the relationship and establish yourself as a trusted resource.

Master the art of relationship selling

Order getters know that people buy from people they like and trust. They focus on building authentic relationships with buyers and providing value at every interaction.

To hone your relationship selling skills, work on developing your empathy and active listening. Seek to understand the buyer‘s unique needs and challenges before positioning your solution. When you do make a recommendation, back it up with concrete examples of how you‘ve helped similar customers succeed.

Over time, as you deepen your relationships and prove your worth, buyers will increasingly look to you for guidance. You‘ll become a trusted advisor who can influence their decision-making and steer the sale to a win.

Maximize value from current customers

Winning net-new business is important, but the fastest path to quota attainment is often through expanding current customer relationships. After all, you‘ve already laid the groundwork of trust with these buyers, and they have first-hand experience with your solution‘s value.

Make account growth a priority by proactively looking for opportunities to deliver more value to your install base. Stay in regular contact with key stakeholders, looking for signs that they‘re ready for an upgrade, add-on, or cross-sell. And don‘t forget to tap your best customers for referrals to other decision makers in their network.

Key Takeaways

As you think about how to up your sales game, remember:

Order takers wait for customers to come to them, while order getters proactively shape demand and drive deals forward.
Being an order getter leads to fuller pipelines, higher close rates, and larger deal sizes.
Embracing an order getter mindset requires a combination of proactive prospecting, relationship selling, and account growth.
The path from order taker to order getter starts with small habit changes that compound into big results over time.

Ready to ditch your order taker ways and become the proactive closer you were meant to be? Start by putting one of the strategies above into practice today. Your future quota-crushing self will thank you.

And if you‘re looking for more ways to boost your sales chops, be sure to check out my free e-book on 10 essential skills for modern sellers. It‘s packed with expert tips and real-world examples to help you take your performance to the next level.