Yes, you are right ! We are going to talk about tracking performance, about sales reports,and all aspects of measuring what you do everyday. Why ? Two reasons. One is that most of us struggle with this challenge more than we admit. And two - many of us fail to realize the obvious influence it has on our success.
What happens with most of us ( yes, I struggle with this also ) is that we want to set down once a week ( at best ) and share with someone ( likely the person responsible for making sure you are successful - could even be the one signing your check ) what we have accomplished for the last 5 to 7 days. The proverbial "Weekly Sales Report" is still the vehicle that many sales professional salespeople utilize and obviously it's still acceptable in many organizations.
Most of the tenured sales pros I encounter view the weekly sales report as a pain and a waste of time. They want to be measured on one thing only - sales revenue. And let me do my own thing otherwise !
This is especially true with straight commission salespeople. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that doesn't work very well when it comes to utilizing the potential of an existing sales pro.
What you will find in the most progressive and professional sales organizations is daily documentation of exactly what you did yesterday, what you are doing today, and what you intend to do tomorrow. And I know I just lost most of you who are not in those organizations ! Why ? Because no one wants to be measured that closely. And believe me I understand that uncomfortability - seriously I do. But here's what you are missing when you get all up tight with that perspective. You are missing the fact that requirement will influence what you do and greatly influence your success. In the sales teams where this is currently happening you will find ( more than likely ) one of the more sophisticated CRM online programs that facilitate the recording of all daily activities - yesterday, today, and tomorrow. In those team environments you will have a designated person ( likely the person responsible for your success ) who reviews every morning what you have done and what you intend to do, etc.
Here's the issue for you to consider. You probably are not in one of those organizations - I'm sure you are happy about that ! But could you improve and benefit from challenging yourself in that direction ?
Basically, be your own sales manager and measure what you are doing every day ( with documentation ). You will see improvements and you will influence your success. Without measurements you have a lot more voids and wasted time. Think about it ?
Have a GREAT SALES WEEK !
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
SELF PROMOTION - "AGAIN"
I've had all kinds of calls and emails about missing a week. I know ! I sincerely apologize to any and all regular followers of this weekly diatribe ! I have been busy and traveling so lame I am ! Onward !
Several of the emails and calls received in the last week were about "differentiating" yourself in the marketplace - which was the last perspective's topic. So, why am I following up with Self Promotion ? Because your ability and motivation to promote yourself is a major contributor to promoting yourself ( and what you sell ). Why do I say "Again" ? Because I've spoken to this topic more than any others on my Weekly Perspective and Blog.
It's not just "what you know" or "who you know" but "WHO KNOWS YOU" ! The more potential buyers of your product and/or service who know you or have heard about you can contribute significantly to your increased success ($$$$$) ! Right ? FOR SURE !
So, a large part of differentiation for an individual professional salesperson is how you promote yourself. Networking, securing referrals, cold calls, email campaigns, mail campaigns, public speaking, and many other forms of self promotion stretch the comfort level of most of us. How much are you willing to step outside your "comfort" zone to promote yourself ? What many of us call our "style" can be a cover for our fears of self promotion. I have suggested to various clients and groups over the years many different ways to promote yourself. And been told that's not my style ! Or I'm not comfortable going in that direction ! That's your choice and I respect that. But please recognize that your are choosing to inhibit your earning power when you are not willing to look at what you might do differently.
With the numerous technological innovations surrounding us today plus the sheer number of successful salespeople and sales coaches who are willing to share their methods and approaches, here's the issue for most of the reluctant. CHANGE ! Are you willing to change what you do now ? Are you willing to try different approaches ? Are you willing to challenge yourself to grow ? Are you willing to admit and work to overcome your "style" inhibitions ? Do you really want to be more successful than your current level of success ?
Salespeople that are relatively new to the profession are generally speaking more comfortable with this direction and the "tenured" sales professionals are in a comfort zone / level of income that reinforces their current mode of operation. The recent economic situation has sent me more of the experienced
sales pros than usual but a lot of them have real "reluctance" to grasp new directions and utilize the newest innovations. And when challenged to recognize what they might do differently it is obvious that whatever sales training / management they have been exposed to has not given them the desire to be on the top of the profession.
Where are you at in this realm ? Call me if I can help !
Have a GREAT SALES WEEK !
Several of the emails and calls received in the last week were about "differentiating" yourself in the marketplace - which was the last perspective's topic. So, why am I following up with Self Promotion ? Because your ability and motivation to promote yourself is a major contributor to promoting yourself ( and what you sell ). Why do I say "Again" ? Because I've spoken to this topic more than any others on my Weekly Perspective and Blog.
It's not just "what you know" or "who you know" but "WHO KNOWS YOU" ! The more potential buyers of your product and/or service who know you or have heard about you can contribute significantly to your increased success ($$$$$) ! Right ? FOR SURE !
So, a large part of differentiation for an individual professional salesperson is how you promote yourself. Networking, securing referrals, cold calls, email campaigns, mail campaigns, public speaking, and many other forms of self promotion stretch the comfort level of most of us. How much are you willing to step outside your "comfort" zone to promote yourself ? What many of us call our "style" can be a cover for our fears of self promotion. I have suggested to various clients and groups over the years many different ways to promote yourself. And been told that's not my style ! Or I'm not comfortable going in that direction ! That's your choice and I respect that. But please recognize that your are choosing to inhibit your earning power when you are not willing to look at what you might do differently.
With the numerous technological innovations surrounding us today plus the sheer number of successful salespeople and sales coaches who are willing to share their methods and approaches, here's the issue for most of the reluctant. CHANGE ! Are you willing to change what you do now ? Are you willing to try different approaches ? Are you willing to challenge yourself to grow ? Are you willing to admit and work to overcome your "style" inhibitions ? Do you really want to be more successful than your current level of success ?
Salespeople that are relatively new to the profession are generally speaking more comfortable with this direction and the "tenured" sales professionals are in a comfort zone / level of income that reinforces their current mode of operation. The recent economic situation has sent me more of the experienced
sales pros than usual but a lot of them have real "reluctance" to grasp new directions and utilize the newest innovations. And when challenged to recognize what they might do differently it is obvious that whatever sales training / management they have been exposed to has not given them the desire to be on the top of the profession.
Where are you at in this realm ? Call me if I can help !
Have a GREAT SALES WEEK !
Monday, August 16, 2010
ARE YOU A DIFFERENTIATER ?
Don't laugh ! What the H*** is a DIFFERENTIATER ? That is someone who is very good at separating themselves from everyone else they compete against ! Do you want customers and potential customers to view you as the typical salesperson ? You basically do the same thing as all of your competitors do. So what happens ? Price becomes the major consideration and / or they see no reason to change their buying direction.
Please keep in mind that the ability to differentiate yourself is available in multiple directions. And you may have more influence in one direction than the other. What do I mean ? Well, take a look at your product - you know what you sell that the customers utilizes - it could be a service - a product - or both. Differentiating your product or service may involve many more people and obstacles then you could ever imagine but you could be the stimulus for that effort and thereby make yourself more sales revenue, etc.
The second area of differentiation allows you a lot more control and input - even though there may be some approvals required. It is basically built around how you sell and market yourself along with your product / service. In otherwords, how do you make connections and endear yourself to customers and potential customers. Believe it or not - here is an area where most sales professional fall short. My standard line has always been "it so easy to soar like an eagle because you are surrounded by a bunch of turkeys" ! Heaven forbid that I would demean the competition - never to the customer !
What we are alluding to is how you market yourself. How do you engage contacts ? How do you make and build relationships. What is unique about how you do what you need to do ? As a potential customer - how would I learn about you and what you sell ? Where would I meet you ? What kind of an approach would you take to peek my interest ? And on ! And on !
Differentiation is a vast area of awareness and I have seen up to three day seminars about the subject. Why ? Because it requires a great deal of effort and research to learn what you could do differently. It requires intensive analysis of your marketplace, your competitors, and the needs of potential customers. It also requires a professional salesperson who is innovative, intense ( competitively speaking ), and someone willing to try being different in their approach and their relationship building skills.
What can you do ? Call me - let's discuss it ( free ).
Please keep in mind that the ability to differentiate yourself is available in multiple directions. And you may have more influence in one direction than the other. What do I mean ? Well, take a look at your product - you know what you sell that the customers utilizes - it could be a service - a product - or both. Differentiating your product or service may involve many more people and obstacles then you could ever imagine but you could be the stimulus for that effort and thereby make yourself more sales revenue, etc.
The second area of differentiation allows you a lot more control and input - even though there may be some approvals required. It is basically built around how you sell and market yourself along with your product / service. In otherwords, how do you make connections and endear yourself to customers and potential customers. Believe it or not - here is an area where most sales professional fall short. My standard line has always been "it so easy to soar like an eagle because you are surrounded by a bunch of turkeys" ! Heaven forbid that I would demean the competition - never to the customer !
What we are alluding to is how you market yourself. How do you engage contacts ? How do you make and build relationships. What is unique about how you do what you need to do ? As a potential customer - how would I learn about you and what you sell ? Where would I meet you ? What kind of an approach would you take to peek my interest ? And on ! And on !
Differentiation is a vast area of awareness and I have seen up to three day seminars about the subject. Why ? Because it requires a great deal of effort and research to learn what you could do differently. It requires intensive analysis of your marketplace, your competitors, and the needs of potential customers. It also requires a professional salesperson who is innovative, intense ( competitively speaking ), and someone willing to try being different in their approach and their relationship building skills.
What can you do ? Call me - let's discuss it ( free ).
Sunday, August 8, 2010
PERSONAL TIME MANAGEMENT - HOW ARE YOU DOING ?
Are you a good time manager ? It's obviously one of the key issues within a professional salesperson's career. And most of us struggle with it on a daily basis; if not minute by minute. As you well know there are a million resources to educate you and make you aware of some possible directions for improvement; and some of them are very good. I encourage you to periodically visit some form of time management influence and recognize that there may be some things for you to differently that could affect your productivity and thereby your success.
Here's my tip and what I try to do to influence my own issues with time management. ( it's not original with me or is it earth shaking but it works )
DEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES AND FOCUS ON THEM ! Let your priorities drive your direction and focus. What are your priorities ? List all of the things that you do, all of the things you should do, and all of the things that are required for you to do. Once you have compiled that list; then go through the list and put them in order of how essential they are to your success. A simple example would be that your manager requires your sales report on his/her desk by 10 AM Monday. How important is that to you ? To your Manager ? To your continued employment ? I'm assuming it's pretty important and so it better get a pretty high mark on the priority list. That's easy.
What about calls to existing customers, new customers, follow up calls to last week's appointments, and on and on and on ! So, you should have a pretty lengthy list - right. Now out of all of those, which are the most likely to contribute to your future success ? Aye there's the rub ! The ones that are most likely to affect your future success are not necessarily the ones that receive the priority status and attention needed. We all manage our time and most of us don't screw around that much and so we see ourselves as pretty good time managers - we are always busy !
But are we focusing on the items / tasks / challenges that should be the "focus" of our time management. Or are we deferring to other tasks that we enjoy doing more, find less uncomfortable, and give us a better feeling of accomplishment ? That's for you to decide. Unless I am your sales coach and I will assist in pointing out where the "FOCUS" of your time management needs to be discussed and contemplated !
Think about your PRIORITIES and your FOCUS !
Here's my tip and what I try to do to influence my own issues with time management. ( it's not original with me or is it earth shaking but it works )
DEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES AND FOCUS ON THEM ! Let your priorities drive your direction and focus. What are your priorities ? List all of the things that you do, all of the things you should do, and all of the things that are required for you to do. Once you have compiled that list; then go through the list and put them in order of how essential they are to your success. A simple example would be that your manager requires your sales report on his/her desk by 10 AM Monday. How important is that to you ? To your Manager ? To your continued employment ? I'm assuming it's pretty important and so it better get a pretty high mark on the priority list. That's easy.
What about calls to existing customers, new customers, follow up calls to last week's appointments, and on and on and on ! So, you should have a pretty lengthy list - right. Now out of all of those, which are the most likely to contribute to your future success ? Aye there's the rub ! The ones that are most likely to affect your future success are not necessarily the ones that receive the priority status and attention needed. We all manage our time and most of us don't screw around that much and so we see ourselves as pretty good time managers - we are always busy !
But are we focusing on the items / tasks / challenges that should be the "focus" of our time management. Or are we deferring to other tasks that we enjoy doing more, find less uncomfortable, and give us a better feeling of accomplishment ? That's for you to decide. Unless I am your sales coach and I will assist in pointing out where the "FOCUS" of your time management needs to be discussed and contemplated !
Think about your PRIORITIES and your FOCUS !
Monday, July 26, 2010
HOW'S YOUR YEAR TO DATE MARKETING STRATEGY ?
Year to date Marketing Strategy ? Here's the questions - you provide the answers. It is a provocative exercise - for your benefit !
1. Did you have a written marketing strategy when the year started ? If so, How have you done ?
2. In person networking efforts - how many have you done ? How often ? Results ? Changes ?
3. Online ( web 2.0 & web 3.0 ) efforts - Facebook ? Linked-In ? Others ? Results ? Changes
4. Cold calls - phone or in person ? How many ? How often ? Changes ?
5. Campaign steps - emails ? emails w/ attachments ? Mailers of any type ? New ideas ?
6. Luncheon appointments with existing customers ? How many ? How often ?
7. Thank you notes ( just mentioned last week by me ) ! How many ? To whom ? Changes ?
8. Speaking engagements at associations, meetings, etc. ( self-promotion ) ?
9. Drop by visits to existing customers - maybe with treats - doughnuts in the AM ? Along with thank you note !
10. Resourcing yourself - learning new directions - new techniques - YES that's all a part of marketing yourself and what you can do for your customers !
11. Benchmarking competitors or similar organizations to see what they may do that you don't ?
12. Finding a successful salesperson who calls on the same customers you do (but sells something different than you do) and exchanging leads/ contacts with them ?
Now whatever parts of these suggestions / questions that you haven't done at all or as well as you would like; then let's get definite about what's going to be done for the next 5 1/2 months to get MORE SALES !
LAST, but not least go to my HOME page - I'm offering a special pricing DEAL for the first six months of this year to all new clients. (NOW EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST)
Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling
1. Did you have a written marketing strategy when the year started ? If so, How have you done ?
2. In person networking efforts - how many have you done ? How often ? Results ? Changes ?
3. Online ( web 2.0 & web 3.0 ) efforts - Facebook ? Linked-In ? Others ? Results ? Changes
4. Cold calls - phone or in person ? How many ? How often ? Changes ?
5. Campaign steps - emails ? emails w/ attachments ? Mailers of any type ? New ideas ?
6. Luncheon appointments with existing customers ? How many ? How often ?
7. Thank you notes ( just mentioned last week by me ) ! How many ? To whom ? Changes ?
8. Speaking engagements at associations, meetings, etc. ( self-promotion ) ?
9. Drop by visits to existing customers - maybe with treats - doughnuts in the AM ? Along with thank you note !
10. Resourcing yourself - learning new directions - new techniques - YES that's all a part of marketing yourself and what you can do for your customers !
11. Benchmarking competitors or similar organizations to see what they may do that you don't ?
12. Finding a successful salesperson who calls on the same customers you do (but sells something different than you do) and exchanging leads/ contacts with them ?
Now whatever parts of these suggestions / questions that you haven't done at all or as well as you would like; then let's get definite about what's going to be done for the next 5 1/2 months to get MORE SALES !
LAST, but not least go to my HOME page - I'm offering a special pricing DEAL for the first six months of this year to all new clients. (NOW EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST)
Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling
Monday, July 19, 2010
HAND WRITTEN THANK YOU NOTES AND THEIR VALUE !
Obviously I'm repeating here one of my standard beliefs about how to show others respect. Hand written "Thank You" notes are awesome reflections of you as an individual and always well received by the intended ( even if they don't feel comfortable admitting it ).
Thank you notes to buyers, customers, support Staff, Operations Staff, Field Supervisors, and anyone else who contributes ( or can contribute ) to your success are indicators ( my humble opinion ) of a CLASS ACT. Needless to say, pick your time, place, situation, and nifty card to express your true appreciation. People love to know that they are appreciated and gain respect for you for recognizing their value to the sales process. Your appreciation of their time, efforts, patience, etc. goes a long way towards a future relationship that will benefit you many times over.
I know from real world experience that my past sales success was built on the efforts and contributions of many people. One of my greatest attributes was recognizing and encouraging everyone I came in contact with during my sales efforts. Thanking customers and asking for referrals was a great source of new business for me.
TRY IT - YOU WILL LIKE IT - IT WORKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LAST, but not least go to my HOME page - I'm offering a special pricing DEAL for the first six months of this year to all new clients. (NOW EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST)
Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling
Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to be more accountable to yourself and the people who rely on you to make it happen. There isn't one of us who could not be more productive, more focused, more goal oriented, and more open to change - doing things different than what we have ever done before.
Look around for success stories - they are all over the place. Get inspired ! Kick yourself in the butt !
NOW GO SELL SOMETHING - YOUR BABY NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES !
REMEMBER every salesperson is a part of the economic recovery we are all looking for ! Don't believe me - go to the Sunday classifieds and see where the most job opportunities are. Yes, it is the sales jobs which far outnumber any other professional group that are looking for producers ( well, maybe the need for nurses outnumber us in certain areas ). There is only one direction that is going to solve any of our problems - "MORE SALES".
HAVE A GREAT WEEK ! CALL IF I CAN HELP YOU OR YOUR TEAM !!
Always remember - "people still buy people" and that's why we have sales professionals !
"The Biggest Obstacle to Sales Success is the Resistance to Change How You Sold Yesterday in Order to Be More Successful Today "
Thank you notes to buyers, customers, support Staff, Operations Staff, Field Supervisors, and anyone else who contributes ( or can contribute ) to your success are indicators ( my humble opinion ) of a CLASS ACT. Needless to say, pick your time, place, situation, and nifty card to express your true appreciation. People love to know that they are appreciated and gain respect for you for recognizing their value to the sales process. Your appreciation of their time, efforts, patience, etc. goes a long way towards a future relationship that will benefit you many times over.
I know from real world experience that my past sales success was built on the efforts and contributions of many people. One of my greatest attributes was recognizing and encouraging everyone I came in contact with during my sales efforts. Thanking customers and asking for referrals was a great source of new business for me.
TRY IT - YOU WILL LIKE IT - IT WORKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LAST, but not least go to my HOME page - I'm offering a special pricing DEAL for the first six months of this year to all new clients. (NOW EXTENDED THROUGH AUGUST)
Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling
Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to be more accountable to yourself and the people who rely on you to make it happen. There isn't one of us who could not be more productive, more focused, more goal oriented, and more open to change - doing things different than what we have ever done before.
Look around for success stories - they are all over the place. Get inspired ! Kick yourself in the butt !
NOW GO SELL SOMETHING - YOUR BABY NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES !
REMEMBER every salesperson is a part of the economic recovery we are all looking for ! Don't believe me - go to the Sunday classifieds and see where the most job opportunities are. Yes, it is the sales jobs which far outnumber any other professional group that are looking for producers ( well, maybe the need for nurses outnumber us in certain areas ). There is only one direction that is going to solve any of our problems - "MORE SALES".
HAVE A GREAT WEEK ! CALL IF I CAN HELP YOU OR YOUR TEAM !!
Always remember - "people still buy people" and that's why we have sales professionals !
"The Biggest Obstacle to Sales Success is the Resistance to Change How You Sold Yesterday in Order to Be More Successful Today "
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
WHAT KIND OF AN IMPRESSION DO YOU MAKE ON BUYERS ?
Be serious and introspective for few moments. When is the last time you set down with a few minutes and an open mind to evaluate how you are perceived by existing and potential customers ? Or push the envelope and assess how you are viewed by peers and support team members ? What words would be utilized by any other person(s) to describe you ? This can be a very rewarding exercise in many different ways.
But let's stay with the direction of what words would be expressed by others to define how you come across to THEM - whatever their station in your business life. Think about it ! Would you hear words like gracious, kind, attentive, industrious, disciplined, generous, understanding, well-mannered, neat, organized, respectful, professional, responsive, very aware, knowledgeable and other complimentary perspectives ?
Or, would you hear words like selfish, egotistical, arrogant, stuffy, full of themselves, unprofessional, disorganized, not well prepared (gunslinger), disrespectful, lazy, poor listener, sloppy, rude, habitually late, poor communicator, procrastinator and possibly other undesirable words ?
You may be chuckling to yourself but this can be very helpful to your future success ! It is extremely difficult to see yourself as others see you. But nothing could be more important than to take a hard look at how you are viewed by others along your career path. Assuming you want to surpass any previous levels of success and assuming that you are openminded enough to look at changing some personal habits, quirks or whatever can be contributing to any unflattering words used by others to describe you; then you can improve your success greatly ! AND THERE IS NOT A ONE OF US IN THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL SALES THAT COULD SAY WITH UTTER CONFIDENCE THAT NO UNFLATTERING TERMS WOULD BE USED BY ANYONE TO DESCRIBE ME !
But let's stay with the direction of what words would be expressed by others to define how you come across to THEM - whatever their station in your business life. Think about it ! Would you hear words like gracious, kind, attentive, industrious, disciplined, generous, understanding, well-mannered, neat, organized, respectful, professional, responsive, very aware, knowledgeable and other complimentary perspectives ?
Or, would you hear words like selfish, egotistical, arrogant, stuffy, full of themselves, unprofessional, disorganized, not well prepared (gunslinger), disrespectful, lazy, poor listener, sloppy, rude, habitually late, poor communicator, procrastinator and possibly other undesirable words ?
You may be chuckling to yourself but this can be very helpful to your future success ! It is extremely difficult to see yourself as others see you. But nothing could be more important than to take a hard look at how you are viewed by others along your career path. Assuming you want to surpass any previous levels of success and assuming that you are openminded enough to look at changing some personal habits, quirks or whatever can be contributing to any unflattering words used by others to describe you; then you can improve your success greatly ! AND THERE IS NOT A ONE OF US IN THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL SALES THAT COULD SAY WITH UTTER CONFIDENCE THAT NO UNFLATTERING TERMS WOULD BE USED BY ANYONE TO DESCRIBE ME !
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