12/21/09 - ON VACATION UNTIL NEW YEAR - 1/4/10

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON ! HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES !!

WHAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IN 2010 ?

TO ALL MY CLIENTS AND FOLLOWERS - I SINCERELY WISH FOR YOU AND YOURS A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON - THANKS FOR YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR INTEREST, AND I WANT 2010 TO BE THE BEST YEAR YOU HAVE EVER HAD IN PROFESSIONAL SALES !

The issue on the table is 2010 and what if any thing are you going to do differently. Presuming you want better results and you remember the well-worn definition of insanity (doing the same thing and expecting different results); what changes are you planning to do ?

Here's a suggestion for you. I know this is not a rocket science suggestion but instead of shining yourself on - try it. Find some time ( at least an hour maybe two ) and evaluate your performance for 2009. Leave out the excuses, the economy, & the rest of the baloney. Just assume that you were your sales manager / coach. How would you HONESTLY rate yourself ( from 1 to 10 - 10 being the best ) in each of these categories:

a. Lead Development
b. Networking
c. Cold Calling
d. Discipline
e. Paperwork
f. Time Management
g. Persistence (professionally)
h. Campaign Development
i. Follow - Through
j. Innovations ( which separates you from the competition )
k. Database / CRM Management
l. Utilization of your POTENTIAL

That's enough ( there are more categories for sure ) to give you a lot of ideas for developing new directions for 2010. Please do this exercise and provide some real intense leadership for yourself in the new year ! Call me if I can help !

Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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.

BEST RESULTS FOR SELF-PROMOTION = P.S.

Regardless what anyone tells you ( or you tell yourself ) - SALES is still about relationships - people buy people. Has the economy and technology influenced / changed ways of initiating and building relationships ? For sure ! I don't deny that methods for all aspects of professional sales has changed and continues to change but you still can influence your success by increasing the number of relationships. Whether you talk about cold leads, networking groups, internal customers, external customers ( past,present, & future ), social groups, web contacts ( 2.0 / 3.0 ), and millions of people who don't know who you are or what you sell - the more people who know you and who have heard good things about you will be the biggest single factor in your success. So, self-promotion - done with style and class is what we are referencing here. I'll assume that you agree or at least your open to wondering where I'm going with all of this verbiage.

The P.S. I've alluded to is PUBLIC SPEAKING. There is no better way to promote yourself than to get up in front of a group of people and share your insights about a topic that you happen to know a great deal about. Some of my clients look at me and just can't believe that I'm advocating that they get up in front of a group of people and sell their product and themselves. Please understand that I'm not suggesting that at all. What I'm suggesting is the exact opposite. Short of the program or the MC suggesting your background -you should never mention your company or your product - the audience can figure all that out for themselves. What you want to is to take particulars and concepts that evolve around your industry and speak to your awareness / opinions / resources about those particular items.
Suppose I sold jet engines and was a salesperson for GE ( I think they have jet engines ), I would speak about the future in the airline industry or innovations being discussed about propulsion methods in general. I would do my homework and bring a well researched professional presentation to whatever group who might be interested in your topic. I'm not in that industry but as a local member of my Chamber of Commerce and a frequent flier ( plus a brother who is a pilot ) I would like to hear about the future or whatever you are sharing.

Not comfortable with public speaking ? You are not alone. Get some training and get better at it. Consider joining your local Toastmaster's Chapter (International Organization with Chapters everywhere). Maybe take a public speaking class at a local college ? Everyone can do it - it's just overcoming your fears.

Start by volunteering to present programs at your local Jaycees, Rotary, Kiwanis or other groups. Who knows you might grow to like it ! And become a successful public speaker for $$$$ ?

TIME MGMT. - HOW TO BE A BETTER MANAGER

Sales Professionals ! Let's talk about your favorite subject - TIME MANAGEMENT ! This subject has more directions than a litter of kittens with their eyes open ! And it is a perfect example of that ole axiom of continuing to do the same as you have always done and expect different results - that's INSANITY !

With the challenges that a normal new year bring plus the "recovering" economy, your time management skills could possibly need some attention / redefinition / correction. There are a multitude of resources and materials to head in that direction. So please do yourself a favor and invest some time and effort in improving an aspect of your career that could increase your income. To assist; here are some suggestions ( in no particular order and ones you might have heard before ) :

A. Don't answer your cell phone or desk phone every time it rings - utilize voice mail - explain to customers and potential customers that you check messages every hour and will reply asap. Phone call interruptions interfere with concentration and momentum and get you easily (even though justified)distracted ( never returning to what you were doing or if so you may have lost some profound thoughts ).

B. Utilize some type of TO DO list to which you add and cross out items as they appear and get accomplished in your task load. Some type of prioritization is essential. Some of my clients utilize color coded TO DO lists. At least two of my long term clients utilize color coded index cards - the small ones.

C. If your manager or coach does not require a weekly plan and / or a weekly accomplishment list; then do one yourself. You remember "Plan Your Work & Work Your Plan" ! Start out every Monday AM with a PLAN in hand ( not just appointments but what else you intend to accomplish for the week ). A lot of Salespeople are "gunslingers" beyond belief and get ego gratification by being perceived successful without a PLAN. If they just realized how much more successful they could be with more focus and time management.

D. It is a fact that most of us "sales professionals" really enjoy the flexibility that a sales career can allow you to enjoy ( especially, if you are successful ) being in charge of your own schedule ( with a few exceptions - like managers and customers ). However, that lack of discipline and supervision can greatly affect your success. Working longer hours and working smarter can greatly affect your success. When I'm trying to contact customers ( new, continuing, prospects, leads, etc.); I can find more of them in the office ( answering their own phone ) before 8 AM and after 5 PM.

E. Utilization of a database (inhouse or yours) is essential and will contribute to your success. You call it goldmine, your CRM, or whatever; if you are not on top of utilizing it by putting in details daily and utilizing any "bells or whistles" to remind you of follow up actions - then you are missing the boat !
It is time consuming to input details and it is easy to procrastinate - but you go to do it !


Onward Sales Professionals !

ATTITUDE - ATTITUDE - ATTITUDE - HOW'S YOURS ?

I'm sure you all have heard the well-worn cliche "attitude is everything" ! Well, it may not be everything but it's pretty high up on the ladder of items that can greatly affect your success. And closely related to your attitude is your energy level. Given that correlation; let's talk about things that drain your energy and how recognition of that fact could have an effect on your attitude.

The amount of energy that you bring to your daily life depends on a huge amount of variables - everything from what you eat, how much sound sleep you get, your lifestyle, etc. But the cold fact is that you have a portion of that energy to give to your career. How much you have to give and how much you give is in your hands. In addition, your internal dialogue ( that conversation you have with yourself all the time at warp speed ) can have a profound effect on your energy level. Here what I want you to think about - what you say to yourself, what you think about situations, people, objectives, frustrations, challenges, etc. and what you feel about all of these things greatly affect your attitude and thereby your performance. A really simple example of what I'm trying to convey is another old axiom about worry ! The phrasing varies but the gist is that most of what humans worry about never happens. So, how much energy was lost to worry and fret that could have been put to better use making a cold call or completing another sales campaign step.

I realize I'm jumping around with some heavy thoughts but I'm trying to stimulate your awareness to recognize the relationship between your energy level and your attitude. Your attitude is what you and everyone else sees (internal customers and external customers) that affects their judgements of you.
You must have a consistently high energy level to have a great and positive attitude. And a great attitude will enhance your success. It will diminish stress and open doors to make you a happier person - let alone a more successful salesperson. People want to deal with people who are UP, POSITIVE and see something good about almost everything ( before they recognize the bad).

Believe me ! It is not easy to be UP & POSITIVE everyday but it starts with avoiding thoughts, situations, etc that drain your energy and serve no purpose in the long run. Do all that you can to become a high energy - positive professional salesperson !!!!


Onward Sales Professionals !
.
Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

POST MORTEMS - DO YOU DO THEM ?

Sales Professionals here me loud and clear - do you do post mortems on almost every call - especially face to face calls but even on phone calls or voice mails ? If you don't - you should. Post mortems can have a profound effect on your success. They are probably the best way to measure your improvement and instill the need for constant improvement / continuing education.

I do post mortems for several of my clients and they are always amazed at what they learn and what they hadn't thought of before.

Here's what to do ! Find some time as soon as possible after the interaction you want to analyze and write down exactly what was said by everyone involved (including you). As the customer or potential customer said something / replied to a question / asked a question - what did you say ? What questions did you ask ? Did you give them time to answer ? What could you have said differently ?
Did you offer all your features and benefits - did you get acknowledgement on each benefit ? Did you talk more than the customer ? Define your trial closes - more than one ? When you left the appointment / conversation - do you know exactly where you stand and the next move ? Do you have the ORDER ?

It is your responsibility as a sales professional to accomplish all of that listed above and more. But, none of us are perfect - nor do we remember to do everything correct each time we are in a position to affect a sale. How do you get better ? By critiquing everything you do and challenge yourself to grow and learn from each occasion. An even better consideration is to find another sales profession who likes you and is willing to offer their expertise and run the whole scenario by them. Ask them what they would have done / said / replied had they been in your shoes. It can be very helpful to make this effort often.

Will your ego allow you to be critiqued by yourself ? By others ? This is a great way to learn more about what you can do differently than what you do now. You know what they say about people who do the same thing and expect different results ( as we are reviewing this year's results and next year's goals) !

Onward Sales Professionals !
.
Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !



Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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 !

WHO WILL YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO LEARN FROM ?

This is an old but worthwhile topic. Most of my clients and many followers have discussed it with me before. Here's the essence of my perspective. For anybody - but especially sales professionals - it's not what you know but what you have yet to learn !

It's pretty much a given for a successful salesperson that you need a strong ego and a firm believe that what you are doing ( your way ) is contributing significantly to your success. I respect your skills and your experience but no one knows everything there is to know about professional sales. So please challenge yourself to grow by resourcing yourself. Whether you read, listen to tapes, go to classes, or just network with sales professionals from other industries and organizations; challenge yourself to get outside the box. Try different ways of marketing yourself and your products / services. There are 80 gazillion sources and coaches to aid your success. Step up to the plate and admit that you might not know everything there is to know. Be open to change !

Be willing to listen to other ideas. Try listing your strengths and shortcomings - maybe even get someone else's ( OR A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ) opinion about those items and look at yourself through another's eyes. Set goals that exceed your comfort level and entice you to look at your strategies to get there. Don't accept the same techniques that got you to your current level. Growing and learning is exciting and fun let alone what it might do for your income and success level.

Onward Sales Professionals !
.
Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS - SUGGESTIONS ?

Relationships ? How do you start them, keep them, build them, and generally benefit from them ? Any seasoned salesperson will tell you that relationships greatly influence buying decisions - even in trying economic times like we have now.

Here's some hard and cold facts about relationships and how to assist them for your benefit -

A. Relationships are built on what you know about each other - think about your personal relationships - they are built on your history and what you know about each other. Business relationships are very similar but maybe not as intense.

B. Consider doing a personal profile which is built on one page with three paragraphs - (1) your history-where you were born, educated, family, etc., (2) your career path - what you have done professionally to get where you are today and (3) your desire to be everything your customers want you to be and more ! Your sharing of this information will jump start the potential relationship. You can share your profile on every call and / or put it in every presentation packet.

C. Become a better listener in face to face or phone meetings. Learn to ask more questions that get the customer or potential customer to share more of their feelings and insights (not necessarily personal stuff) but their job duties, company directions, and any opinions that they are willing to share. Getting them to share information they normally don't share or get asked will go towards creating a bond that could ultimately justify their buying decisions in your favor.

Try it - you may like it !

YOU AND YOUR DATABASE

Lots of comments from last week's WHAT IF perspective and possibly some new clients ! Pressing on !

So, what about you and your database ? What are you utilizing to track your efforts and relationships with clients and potential customers ? I have one client who still utilizes different colored index cards in a file box with dividers for days of the month and multiple month dividers as well. He has tried some of the newest software / CRM systems and still believes his old way of staying on top of all of his efforts is easier and more timely. He carries it with him and maintains it as he goes along throughout the day. If he goes in the office, the file box goes with him. His manager dislikes it for sure but admits to me that no one on their sales team is more on top of his efforts than my client. How did I happen to talk to the manager ? Well, he wanted to blame me for the "box' method of his best salesperson. That's not the case. Did I contribute to it - possibly ? The fact remains that he is doing a great job of being on top of all of his efforts. His campaign for new leads and existing customers is awesome and he would be the first to admit that his campaign efforts contribute greatly to his success.

Based upon my experience with many salespeople, their database is not maintained on a timely basis and it contributes to their less than possible success level. Sales coaches and managers want each salesperson to be on top of all their efforts for a multitude of reasons. You need to know where you stand constantly with existing customers, leads, prospects, networking efforts, cold calls, face to face appointments, mailings, phone conversations, etc. It is a monumental task for everyone and most do not do daily postings, do not use time flags as reminders, and sometimes fail to see the value of every other nuance of the sophisticated CRM systems now available.

If this is you to any degree; please recognize the value of being on top of your efforts and how it can enable your success beyond anything you have achieved so far in your career. Take the time to get your database caught up and keep it maintained on a daily basis. Utilize all of the features of any software available to remind you of everything you should be doing or promised you would do. It's important. You will impress your existing clients and earn opportunities with potential clients.

If you understand the value of a sales campaign; then you have to utilize some form of tracking what you have done, what you need to do next, when you need to do it, and the results of your efforts. Professional salespeople know the value of a well maintained database. Make sure you are among the best. Get with it !!!!

Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

WHAT IF ?

With the challenges you face as a sales professional in today's marketplace, WHAT IF:

a. You had an experienced personal sales coach who only cared about your personal growth ?
b. You made more cold calls, did more networking, intensified your campaign steps, etc. ?
c. You had someone to assist with establishing priorities and basic time management skills ?
d. You had someone to roleplay each situation you encounter or may encounter - precall planning ?
e. You had someone to brainstorm with as to ways of separating yourself from the competition ?
f. You had someone to be an awesome resource to discuss any and all frustrations / challenges ?
g. You had someone with the sole responsibility of contributing to your success ?
h. You had someone with ideas of self promotion that you never considered ?
i. You could see yourself growing in your relationship building skills ?
j. You had a coach who could help you deal with any and all fears that my inhibit your success ?

That's enough to give you some insights as to what I do for my clients. Who are my clients ? I prefer to work with individual sales professionals. I still do work with teams, make presentations to associations and groups, do occasional seminars, and I enjoy those opportunities. However, most salespeople have a real tough time changing what they currently do and listening to a speaker usually doesn't influence them for very long. They could have been impressed with certain aspects of what was shared but most are not likely to do anything different in the long run. That's where a sales coach can be very helpful.

Why do I prefer to work with individuals ? Because that is where I can have a real influence. And I only work with individuals who are paying my charges themselves. Why ? Obviously if it's your money, you are likely to make the changes or end the relationship. I have no contracts. If you are not satisfied with my value then the relationship ends or gets put on hold. I get paid by the hour and most coaching is done on the phone. I call you at the time you have previously arranged. What is the hourly charge ( in 2009 my rates were lowered to $50. to $100. per hour) ? It depends upon the frequency of calls. Weekly calls are going to be cheaper than biweekly or monthly calls. Here is how I establish my relationships. If you are interested you fill out my questionnaire. Upon the submission of the questionnaire I will give you the first hour of my time free and together we will decide if we are going to proceed. I have a decsion to make also in this possible relationship. Are you coachable ? Do you really want to be the best ? Are you willing to make as much money as is possible and still have a personal life ? Are you open to change, doing things you have never done before, or didn't do them enough ? The questionnaire tells me a lot about you ?

Give it some thought ?

LET'S HAVE A BRAINSTORMING SESSION !

WHY would we have a brainstorming session ? Are you satisfied with current results ? For yourself ? For the Company ? Here's some reasons for you:

a. How can we bring better / more value to our current and potential customers ?
b. What could you possibly do different than what you have been doing to get more business ?
c. How can your TEAM contribute more to the succcess of individual salespeople ?
d. What criteria are your buyers utilizing that are different than what you think you know ?
e. What can you change in your daily or weekly routine that would affect your success ?
f. What could you read, listen to, or involve yourself in that would contribute to your future success ?
g. What percentage of your potential is being utilized ? How can you utilize more ?
h. If you were the professional buyer of your product / service, what would impress you (other than what you do now) ?
i. Are you the number 1 salesperson on your team ? Amongst the competition ? If not ? Why not ? What would it take for you to be # 1 ?

That's just some suggested directions. There are many others. Please take this seriously and set down with fellow team members, management, or just by yourself and strain your brain to recognize there are lot's of things you could do differently to raise your sales revenues. This can be a very rewarding exercise - especially if you can be serious about it and draw out your skills to analyze and improve.


Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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 "

THE VALUE OF ENTHUSIASM

Just in case you are a regular follower and / or a client, I have had some problems posting to this website. Long story short: my host decided to place my website on another server with a new address and other upgrades. I found all of this out after about 10 days of not being able to post. Part of delay was my being out on the road. It's been corrected and I am almost positive that I will be on track from this point forward.

The TOPIC: enthusiasm is a very important part of your professional sales career. In your phone conversations, face to face presentations, letters, emails, voice mails, networking activities and virtually any activity that allows customers or potential customers to make an impression of you - you need to get excited ! I'm speaking of being enthused about what you do, what you sell, and what the benefits mean to your clients. If your not excited; how do you expect your customers's to get excited ?

We are not speaking of any type of bizarre behaviors. We are suggesting that your attitude and your demeanor suggest someone who enjoys what they do, believes strongly in the value of what they sell, and knows for sure that the TEAM behind them will make everything right. It's a combination of self-confidence, experience, recognizing what affects or justifies the buyers decision, and your desire to win the sales process.

If you have any competitive experiences in your past or current life, think about the value of being competitive. Did you play sports of any type ? Were you on the debate team ? Chess Player ?

Being excited is a significant part of the competitive virtue. Do you like to win ? If you were ever a part of a competitive situation; then you know the value of being excited ! The same ability to get excited, to be determined to win, and the desire to send the other players home with defeat hanging around their neck works in selling situations also.

Get EXCITED about what you do. Get your desire to win / to excel turned ON. Buyers are impressed with professional salespeople who are excited. They meet so many ding-dongs that it's refreshing to meet someone who has what they need and is excited about it. It is an essential part of "earning their business" ! Try it - you'll like it. And it will make a difference in your closing ratio.

Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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 !

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU ?

First of all, I know I'm in big trouble with all of you ! There was no Weekly Perspective last week. I'm sorry. I don't have a good excuse and I don't accept excuses. For those of you who called or emailed as to my whereabouts; I appreciate everyone's desire to keep me on track !

To the TOPIC: What motivates you ? Think about it. Take some notes. Is it money ? Is it position ?
Is it providing for your family ? Very likely it's several things.

Next question. What would motivate you more, assuming there is room to grow, and succeed to a higher level ? Are you a goal setter ? Not that quota baloney that you or someone else sets in November / December for next year and then gets virtually ignored for the rest of the new year.

What if you really set down and gave a lot of thought about your potential for next year. What if you thought about what you could do differently to affect your success. What if you came up with some thing you want or would like to do for yourself and/or your family ? Would that inspire you to grow, work harder and smarter ? Would that inspire you to look at different ways of doing what you do ?
Would you dwell on what you don't know about professional sales as opposed to what you think you do know ?

And would you accept these goals seriously ? Serious enough to develop specific & documented strategies to achieve them ? And would you set down every 60 days to see how you are doing ? Are the strategic steps being done ? Are they working ? If they aren't working would you be willing to change or modify what you have done or haven't done ?

Please don't take all these questions lightly. It's your career. It's your future we are speaking about. It's the future of your loved ones as well as your self-satisfaction from watching yourself achieve beyond your comfort level. Please give all of these questions and statements some thought. There isn't a one of us who can't do more and become better at what we do !

SELF PROMOTION - DO YOU GET IT ?

For the last two weeks I've spoken a lot about cold calling and almost everyone doing sales for a living wants to talk about doing something besides doing cold calling. Cold calling can be one of the most fruitful ways to promote yourself and increase your sales. A lot of salespeople have a million excuses about why it doesn't work, etc., etc. The debate is over as far as I'm concerned. I will continue to coach the individuals who hire me and they will excel at cold calling. What are the rest of you going to do to promote yourselves ? Yes you ! People buy people first and then they buy your product or service.

So, how are promoting yourself ? Many,many people I talk to believe strongly that Web. 2.0 is the answer to everyone's sales challenges. Just get on Linkedin, twitter, facebook, and 18 others and you will own the world. Web.2.0 can be a good thing I agree. It's another step in a strategy to make people aware of who you are and what you sell. But, it's only one step. What else are you going to do in your campaign to make potential customers aware of you ?

"It's not who you know but who knows you" Those of you who have worked with me, been in my seminars, and enlisted my coaching services know that I beat that axiom to death. But, it's true !

Your awesome challenge as a sales professional who wants to make more sales is to develop a campaign that includes specific steps that promote you and what you do for a living to potential customers ( and existing customers as well - just because they bought once or twice doesn't mean they will buy again ). You should be doing something different every two or three weeks to keep your name and your product / service in front of every lead, target, opportunity in your data base without fail.

Do you really want to make a lot more money ??? That's a question I ask every coaching client I have on a regular basis. If you do, you will do the things that are required to achieve that goal and stop whining about it. Here's the gist of a conversation I have everyday ( at least once ) with somebody. If you were a professional athlete ( quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys ) and I was your Coach. My salary and continued career is based upon bringing the owners a winning season and beyond every year. How much patience do you think I will have with your lack of coachability and follow through when we are paying you $20M a year ? And this is when a few say, but I don't make $20M per year.
What's the money got to do with you being a professional ? Are you one or not ?


Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

MORE ABOUT COLD CALLING & ITS VALUE

Did I get some responses from last week's perspectives ? Yes, I did ! More than I expected for sure.

What kind of responses ? Most positive but several people were convinced that it had no value and just irritated customers. I didn't debate with them - some people just won't change - no matter what. Especially those who have been doing it for a long time and satisfied with their income level and / or can blame their spiraling sales revenue on other causes.

Obviously, you can think and do whatever you want. But cold calling is still the backbone of selling success in the commercial marketplace and the really successful salespeople do their share of it !

Do they enjoy it ? Probably not, but they enjoy success and recognize the value of initiating new relationships. Cold calling is hard work and can be very draining of your energies if you aren't good at it. But those of us who are good at it are less troubled by the effort. Do we do enough of it ? Could we do more ? Would we rather do other tasks ? The answer to those questions will vary with each individual but I have to admit I would rather right orders, prepare presentations, and go to the beach.

Cold calling works and will get you face to face with more potential customers than anything else you can do. Networking, emarketing, trade shows, Web 2.0, and all the other ways of getting out amongst them will work but the shortest route is cold calling. But you gotta be good at it. What does that mean ? I'm going to give you some tips; before I do please do not lose sight of what I'm saying, Most Sales Pros who don't want to cold call are not good at it - keep that in mind as I share some tips:
1. Develop a script - get comfortable saying what you are going to say on a voice mail or in person - not something that's different every time.
2. Role play every possible thing they may say when they answer to get comfortable and ready to deal with whatever they say. There really isn't that many things they can say or do.
3. Don't try to sell over the phone - you want a face to face appointment - people buy people. Explain to the person that most people in their position are more comfortable buying from someone that they have met and so I want to meet with you. It isn't fair to me or you as a potential customer to try to measure the value of what I offer over the phone. If not this week what about next week ?
4. Do your homework. Know whom you are calling, what they do, why they need your product or service, who they are currently buying from, how many locations, how many employees, etc., etc.

That's a start. I have about 25 more tips for you. It works people - try it - you'll love it !

Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

EVERYONE'S FAVORITE THING - COLD CALLING

Most of us ( who earn a living as a professional salesperson ) know and respect the value of cold calling. Yes, there are sales gurus who tell you that it doesn't work well and you don't need to do it anymore. They have alternatives for you and I respect some of those alternatives as long as they are a part of your bundle of methods for getting new business. Cold calling does work ! Is it harder now than ever for various reasons like voice mail, etc.? Yes, it is ! But, as you have heard from others as well as myself, PEOPLE still buy PEOPLE ! And part of my judgement ( as a buyer ) of you as a professional salesperson ( right or wrong ) is hearing your voice and your ability to articulate your desire to have me as a customer plus your ability to detail what you want from me - I'm busy !

Many believe that those of us who have convinced ourselves to do cold calling and be good at it are to be questioned about our mental status. I respectfully disagree. Cold calling is very similar to other selling skills. It requires practice and the more you do the better you get. Here's a perfect place to do role playing ( everyone's favorite thing ). When my clients ask - How did you learn to say that, ask that question, or make that comment ? Experience and role playing - not because I'm smarter than anyone else ( for sure ).

In addition to what you say and do when doing cold calling; there are other crucial issues. One of the most important is calling the right person. That requires a lot of other calls and research,etc. Another very significant factor in cold calling ( assuming you are good at it ) is the time you call. Most buyers will tell you that they don't answer the phone after 8 AM, before 11:30 AM, after 1:30 PM or before 4 PM. WHY ? Because salespeople don't make calls ( phone or in person ) before 8 AM ( not early go-getters ), from 11:30 AM till 1:30 PM ( salesperson's long lunch period ), or after 4 PM ( end of their day ). YOU LAUGH ! It's true. I've made ( and convinced certain clients ) some of my most successful selling relationships by calling @ 7 AM or before, at lunchtime, and after 5 PM. WHY ? Because the person I needed to speak answered the phone. A couple have even made comments about how shocked they were that a salesperson called at that time. This was also true when I left voice mails at the off hours ( so to speak ).

How's your cold calling expertise ?


Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

COMPETITION - PRICING ISSUES - HEARD IT B4 !

How goes the battle ? You know, the battle for more sales !

Well, it can't be easy. I know because I hear about it everyday from multiple clients. The price mongers rule the world ! And I'm sure that is reality. I know it is ( there's only four million sales coaches like me now - two million came onboard within the last week LOL ) and you can't ignore the situation. But griping about it and lamenting it isn't the answer either.

There's an old sales cliche "price is what you pay; value is what you get". What does that mean to you ? It means that you and your TEAM have to find ways to bring greater value to the Customer's benefit. I don't mean sales puffery. I mean measurable value. Brainstorm, analyze, debate, reevaluate as an individual sales pro and as a sales organization. What can you do differently than has ever been done before to increase the value for your potential or existing customer. What can you add, take away, change or understand better what the customer needs. Challenge yourself ( I know I use that word a lot ) to find a way to kick the competition's behind without trying to win the price game.

This can work; it isn't easy. You have to want to win and succeed to a higher level than the "others"

It's pretty hard to find any product or service that isn't dealing with a very competitive ( pricewise ) market. Then, why do some succeed where others fail ? Think about it ! Look around you , almost every major marketplace has businesses going under while competitors of theirs are doing OK or better. Why ! Each situation and the answer would have a different set of facts. But, there are usually multiple reasons for why one organization is succeeding where others are failing.

While trying to assist clients with this direction, it becomes very obvious that many are not very analytical nor willing to change the sales process as they have known it; let alone figuring out how to bring increased value to the customer. And it's not because their without the mental capability. It's because some of us are better at this than others. Some of us have very limited vision; especially some of us older ones ( LOL ). But, a lot of us don't see the value nor believe that you really can bring increased value to the customer. Well, you can and I have never seen a selling situation, product and/or service, that I couldn't bring increased measurable value to the customer. Does the salesperson or the organization want to support it once determined ? That can be an issue for sure. Think about it !

Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

GETTING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF BENEFITS

I sincerely hope you are seeing signs of improvement in your selling success ! I hear from a few clients that there is increased activity. Hopefully, it's headed your way as well.

I haven't spoke to this topic in a while so let's go for it ! First and foremost, the traditional well-worn question. Are you selling features or benefits or both ? You need to sell both with emphasis on the benefit value ! So many of us get caught up in the features of our particular product or service that we lose sight of the benefit value and making sure the Customer fully understands all of the benefits. I hear so many sales pros say " Oh Yeah, I'm selling both". Excuuuuse me, let's look at your materials / presentation and listen to your verbiage. You are not selling the benefits as much as you think you are. You assume that the client understands the value and you don't want to insult their intelligence. Then ask questions to make sure they understand the value.

Let's take this selling situation one step further; are you getting acknowledgement of your features and benefits ? Look my fellow sales professionals; YOU HAVEN'T SOLD THE CUSTOMER ANYTHING IF YOU DON'T GET ACKNOWLEDGEMENT !!!. What do I mean ? If I'm the Customer and I just listen to your presentation, have you sold me anything ? NO ! And a nod of the head is not the big A. You must have at least 10 quick questions ( as a part of your standard patter ) which support the decision in your favor ( the big A ). Examples: (1) Do you see how that would benefit your challenge ?, (2) How do you feel about that benefit ?, (3) Does that make sense to you ?, (4) Do you agree with me on that point ?. When you ask these big A questions, then you have to shut up and let them answer ( don't answer for them - most of us can't stand the silence and insert another comment ).

The major fear that inhibits our ability to get the big A: What happens if they won't acknowledge ? Then you probe to find out why they are likely to shine you on and not give you the sale. What's the worst that's going to happen by being so professionally assertive ? Do you have the sale now ?

Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

CAN YOU EVER ASK ENOUGH QUESTIONS ?

August ? Unbelievable ?

Here's the essence of my topic. In a selling situation (especially face to face) can you ever ask enough questions ? Some sales professionals seem to have a problem with asking questions. Their tendency is to focus on the "telling side" and not on the "listening side". And don't tell me this is the first time you heard such an observation. In focus groups of buyers we hear all the time that many salespeople do a poor job of listening. The direct correlation to poor listening skills is the fact that many of us have not done the pre-call planning and detailed exactly what questions we could ask to learn more about the opportunity, enhance the relationship ( buyers feel a need to let you know their reality ), create credibility, and score points by being unique.

The "GUNSLINGER" in all of us can be a deficit in the selling / buying process. Do yourself a favor and do some pre-call planning. Even write down your questions and take them with you ( it's not a sign of weakness ) !

Here's what I do with many of my clients. They have an appointment with either an existing customer or a potential customer; they call me a few days before and I play the client - we roleplay the situation over the phone. It's dynamite. It works. Each and every time they are impressed with how much better they felt going into the appointment and then how much better it went. Big difference in the results.

Phone sales and cold calling can suffer from the same lack of preparation defined above. Just because you may work off of a telemarketing script; that doesn't mean that you asked enough questions or the right questions - when you actually get to a customer.

So, what's the answer to my original question ? Sure, you could ask to many questions. The issue is not the quantity but the quality of the questions and their value to the selling process. But, let's start with the cold, hard facts - most sales professionals don't ask enough questions.

Think about it - where are you in this perspective ?Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective.

Good Luck and Good Selling !

Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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 !

HOW COACHABLE ARE YOU ?

My Perspective this week is very fitting and biased to say the least. But hear me out please.

Professional sales requires a strong ego and an awful lot of self confidence for sure. What I see sometimes in certain individuals is a serious uncomfortability admitting what they don't know. In otherwords, the strong ego and self confidence will not allow them to admit to any shortcomings ( at least not to anyone else and probably deny most of it themselves ).

Professional sales is a huge continuum of knowledge and different insights to what works and what doesn't. And especially now with this economy and the innovative approaches to networking and a myriad of other changes taking place; how can you not be open to learning, change, innovation, and the experience that another sales professional may offer you ?

I know this sounds like a commercial for my services; that's not the case. It doesn't mean I would turn down an opportunity to coach you. It means that I'm speaking in general terms about your willingness to change and admit that you don't know it all ( nor do I ). Coaching is a good thing and being open to being coached is what every TEAM ( professional sports being the best example ) wants their players to relish and enjoy.

Coaching ( and being coached ) is very different from management. Coach's accept responsibility for your growing success. That is their challenge and their responsibility.

Manager's critique, criticize, and mandate policies / paperwork to hold you accountable. Most do not accept responsibility for your growing success ( always anxious to take credit for it ).

Needless to say, there are many experienced sales professionals who have chosen to coach other aspiring sales professionals. There are numerous ones on the internet. Almost always, it doesn't cost anything to discuss what they have to offer. If you consider ( at some point ) a sales coach - make sure you ask a lot of questions and utilize your best judgement before engaging their services. Most want a time commitment and a definite dollar figure. Make sure you know all of those details before signing on the dotted line.

All that aside, spend some time asking and answering my original question at the start.

If you were on my Team ( and I owned or managed the business you sell for ) I would want you to be coachable. I would want you to want to be more successful and contribute to my success. And I would expect you to do whatever it takes to be more successful !

Thanks for taking the time to read this week's Perspective. Good Luck and Good Selling !

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THIS WEEK ABOUT SALES

Well ! I stirred up a few people last week. A couple of people did not see the value of a personal website in conjunction with their desire for more customers and sales ? And quite a surprising number wanted to know what classes I had taken on internet marketing. And even more wanted to get my opinions of how to better utilize Web 2.0 to benefit their business. That was all good. At least some of us are still trying to gain an advantage on the competition !

My "perspective" this week is simply what it says. What have you learned about professional sales this week that you didn't know last week ? You are your greatest resource and most of you have positions that increase your income related to your increased sales success. Is that not true ?

Let me share one of my war stories for you ( you know us older folks have them there war stories ). While working for a longterm ( six years ) very successful ( 80 million dollar company ) client, I interviewed over 100 people for sales jobs - probably ended up hiring less than 5. And one of my standard questions to sales professionals ( they were prequalified with experience, etc. ) was what they had read, listened to, or studied in the last six months about professional sales and their career development. Less than 5 % had anything specific to share. That's really sad. It doesn't mean you can't be successful; but it sure limits your growth and increased success. And that has never been more true than it is today.

You need to accept responsibility and awareness that professional sales is an immense world of insights and perspectives that no one person can know all of it. You couple that fact with what's happening around us economically and in our marketplace with all the technological advances.
So many people are asleep at the switch !

So, where are you in all this ? Get off your duff and get with the program. Send me an email and tell what you are doing about it !

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 "

WEB 2.0

Can you believe it ? We will soon be into the second week of the seventh month of this year ! Where has time gone ? I hope it's not been as bad for you as others but there are so many people suffering from the mistakes of others and / or bad decisions they have made. Everyone has their own story and struggles - including your's truly. But, I don't know anyway out of it but to plod forward and try to make the most of each moment we are given.

INTERNET MARKETING has went way beyond where some of us believed it would ever go. To say the least, it's a force to be reckoned with and you need to get up to speed on all of your options - whether you go there or not is entirely up to you and possibly your organization's policies.

As you have heard me say many times ( it's not original with me ) "it's not who you know but who knows you". This is the underlining premise of self promotion. If you sell a valuable service / product ( especially one that's complicated ) that is best sold via a living, breathing & enthused professional salesperson; then get off your duff and find out the how the Web 2.0 works and how it may benefit you.

Please don't be offended if you think you already know what to do and how it's going to work for you; when I tell you I hear that opinion multiple times everyday and basically every one who says that has a lot they don't know yet.

And even beyond that, it's changing so fast, you can't keep up. Web based marketing and self-promotion are being driven by many forces. Some are driven by the lousy economy and others are driven by the sheer number of people who have become self-employed (for various reasons) and the entrepreneurial spirit is a major force ( plus the need to survive / augment income ).

Challenge yourself to learn more, to read, get on the internet ( I have just taken my second class ). Hire or get access to someone who knows more than you. Don't let the world pass you by. Your competitors are doing it and the competition is motivated to take your business and your opportunities.

Enough said, let's go get them ! Good Luck and Godspeed !

Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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 "

Where Do You See Yourself A Year From Now ?

Belated Happy Fourth of July to you all ! I sincerely hope you had a GREAT weekend and my greetings find you and your loved ones all well and getting along with this screwed up economy as best you can.

I had some good discussions with several people on the phone and through emails about your productivity and time management as a result of last week's blog. Almost all were good comments - a couple didn't appreciate my implications. You can't win them all !

This week's topic speaks to the whole goal - setting awareness and how easily it is set aside when times are unusually tough. Realistically, many salespeople are not very good at goal orientation. You couple that with the extreme pressures surrounding all of us now - you can be adding to your challenges instead of overcoming them.

Why do I say a year from now ? Because, it's hard to predict what you are going to be dealing with next week - let alone what we will be facing two or three years from now. So start with a strategy / plan that supports you on what you know now about the obstacles to overcome in getting more sales.

You can't just limp along and blame everything on the economy.

Define and describe accurately what you intend achieve by 1/1/10 and / or 7/1/10. That could be new clients, dollar amounts, significant relationships, etc. Whatever you define, then develop your strategy to make it happen. You know, specifically what are you going to do better, differently, and be willing to hold yourself to these specifics. Involve other people and / or your family. Put some real pressure upon yourself to go beyond where you have ever been before. Tie your success to things you want for yourself or others. If you don't succeed then it doesn't happen.

Most of you know how to do this - get with it. We can't blame everything on the economy. It's here. It's lousy. And likely to get worse before it gets better !

Yes, it's tough and it's easy for me to cheer you on as opposed to doing it. For what it's worth Ladies & Gentleman, this is not the best time for being a Sales Coach either. It isn't like individuals and organizations have a lot of money to throw around for training. There isn't a day goes by when I don't get a full set of negatives shoved my way about training and the cost thereof - this is after lowering my rates substantially.

Enough said, let's go get them ! Good Luck and GodSpeed !

WHAT IS YOUR WORKDAY TRULY LIKE ?

I'm late this week - I apologize - took a long weekend !

WHAT IS YOUR WORDAY TRULY LIKE ? How many hours ? How prepared are you ? Is there a schedule to meet (your design) ? How do you deal with interruptions ? How do you spend down time ? (like between appts. / calls ) ?

Most professional salespeople are attracted to a sales career for two reasons; potential income and flexibility. I fully realize these not only vary with the individual but the latitude afforded by your organization. But generally speaking, salespeople are afforded awesome latitude ( until results falter ). The desire to be your own boss and experience flexibility can be and has been the downfall of many sales careers. You couple that issue with this economy and you will not be headed in the right direction.

Discipline is a personal attribute that needs to be cultivated and nourished - especially now !

Getting up early, reviewing your schedule and TO DO LIST, along with getting a nourishing meal are requirements. What is early ? That's up to you but many of the powerhouse salespeople I know and coach are up at 5 AM and in bed by 9 PM almost every day. On the road by 7 AM and home by 7 PM is the norm not the exception for at least four days of the week.

Setting down Sunday evening and reviewing your upcoming week, looking at & updating the TO DO LIST, and discerning what you can do in between appts. / calls that my be proximate to where you already are is wise efforts.

Learning to utilize voice mail and making sure you check it every 90 minutes instead of answering every call will add to your productivity. Answering calls immediately can be very disruptive and change your whole plan for the day - especially when you are already focused on something important. Just learn to check voice mails every 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Needless to say, there are many other ways of managing your time and efforts. You need to put a lot of effort in that direction. There are numerous resources for improving time management and your effectiveness. The old cliche' TIME IS MONEY could not be more true for every salesperson.

Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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 !

ROLE PLAYING & THE VALUE THEREOF

As a Sales Professional, are you an advocate of role playing ? Do you see the value of doing it on a regular basis ? Most do not enjoy it and most prefer to avoid it - no matter the value. Yet these are the same pros I hear say in discussions " I should have said that or I should have asked that " as they drive to the next appointment.

Role playing is an integral part of pre-call planning. Get someone to play the customer ( or customers ) and create every possible attitude or objection that you might deal with during the call. Practice, practice and more practice.

The value of having your lines, key phrases, discovery questions, getting acknowledgment, etc. will allow you to be more relaxed and a much better listener. Customers recognize these qualities in people with whom they want to transact business.

In addition, you can take time during the role playing situation to put yourself in the role of the customer while someone else plays you. While doing so, stop and seriously contemplate what you think their concerns may be. What would you like to know if you were in their shoes with their responsibilities ? What would impress you and get your attention ?
Every client that I put through this exercise before their next face to face call never fails to let me know how much better prepared and comfortable they were with the call. It works - TRY IT !

Never, ever go on another call ( phone or in person ) without setting realistic objectives for yourself. What do you want to achieve ? What is the least ? What is the most ? What would be acceptable ?

Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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.

"EARNING THEIR BUSINESS"

WELCOME

To all my clients and regular follower's of this site and my blog ( http://my-salescoach.blogspot.com ) !

I sincerely hope you took the time to read / order "7 Powers Of Questions" by Ms. Dorothy Leeds. It is truly one of the best resources for any of us that want to grow and achieve higher levels of success.

This week - Earning Their Business ! Over the years this theme has been dealt with on this venture many times - so here it is again. Professional buyers often remark, when questioned in focus groups, that certain salespeople earn their business or earn the opportunity to be among the final candidates.

What does that mean ? Obviously there is no simple answer but there are particular comments made which could affect your perception of "earning" and what it means. Allow me to share some of the axioms and observations that support their feelings:

1. Knowing how to be "professionally assertive" with style. Being persistent while still showing respect for their time and workload. Timely contacts and innovative ways of keeping your name in front of them.
2. Learning to sell yourself before selling your product or service. And most especially learning how to assure them of their ability to trust you and what you say. This entails having a very strong integrity ethic and being comfortable selling it.
3. Learning how to ask questions in the Discovery process and shut up, listen, take notes.
4. Learning how to convey the utmost respect for everyone on their team from the receptionist, operator, secretary, and especially the buyer. I always utilize Yes Sir, etc along with Mr. or Ms. as opposed to the first name until encouraged to do differently.
5. Learning how to respectfully gain commitments for growing the relationship. Look for innovative ways to compliment their value and significance.
6. Being thorough and patient with every opportunity but never giving up or showing signs of exasperation. Understand that being persistent is the name of the game. Never assume that your barking up the wrong tree. Do you have the business now ?

I realize that these generalities are just that - but they can be the difference in your success - give them lot's of thought.

Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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.

READ "The 7 Powers of Questions !

HOLY TOLEDO ! As Gomer would say GOLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE ! Did I get some feedback from last week's comments ? The most comments I've ever gotten since starting my website several years ago. Most were favorable and a few didn't want to hear the truth about what they aren't doing ! But to all, I appreciate immensely your efforts to reply and the time you take to read my comments. ONWARD !

This week I am encouraging you to read this book or get the cd/dvd/etc. Ms Leeds has an awesome perspective to share with us all. This was one of the most enlightening books I've ever read to assist me in my growing awareness of what it takes to provide insights and leadership to others and yourself. I read this book for the first time about four years ago and it opened my eyes to so many perspectives that I never realized. I continue to reread it every so often to refresh my awareness of the power of questions. ( I don't know Ms Leeds - nor do I get a commission )

There is only one specific chapter totally dedicated to the sales profession but the other chapters will influence your ability to affect the success of everyone in your life. The provocative effect of asking questions and being willing to listen will bring insights and results you will find hard to believe.

Most sales professionals are inclined to talk more than they listen and this lady's suggestions will offer you more from every communication effort in your personal and business life. Not a reader ? Then go to her website, www.dorothyleeds.com and purchase a cd or dvd. This is good stuff and you will be amazed at how this affects your success !

And leftover form last week - Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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 "

ACOUNTABILITY - WHERE DO YOU STAND ?

To all my clients and regular follower's of this site and my blog ( http://my-salescoach.blogspot.com ), I apologize for missing last week's Perspective ! I've been involved in a couple of projects with new clients and just didn't get to this effort.

And isn't it sad that by missing my deadline last week, I'm part and parcel of what we are about to discuss. ACCOUNTABILITY ! Most of my clients and many sales professionals are more accountable to themselves on an everyday basis than they are to a manager, coach, or supervisor. In fact, what draws a lot of people to become professional salespeople is the latitude they are given to manage their own time and efforts ( at least on a daily basis ). Oh sure, over a larger time period and with an obvious lack of results - there will be intervention to varying degrees.

Rare is the organization that has a full time manager/coach/supervisor who knows where each salesperson is every minute of everyday and see their results or lack thereof by the next working day. However, herein lies the problem ( most especially in this economy ). What are you doing ? What aren't you doing ? How accountable are you for every working minute, hour, day ? And to whom ?

What I see from all of my discussions ( with a few exceptions ) is that many sales professionals have put a saddle on this economy and are riding that excuse to death. I didn't say it isn't a major factor; but get over it and make stuff happen !

I"m a broken record and yes, I need to practice what I preach !

Challenge yourself to grow ! Challenge yourself to 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 !

YOUR PROBLEM IS ? TIME TO CHANGE !

a BIG HOWDY to you all !

I would hope that my business is so good that I don't have any time to keep up with my postings to this website and my blog ( http://my-salescoach.blogspot.com ). Well, that's partially true ! But, I never have enough business ! I have been traveling though and anxious to share some thoughts with each one of you.

CHANGE ! It's not easy to deal with and your ability to handle the changing marketplace plus your own need to change is very difficult for many of us.

As I talk with my clients and potential clients, I see that the majority are aware of the changing marketplace and they are struggling to maintain. Many need to become more aware of what's happening specifically and what they need to do differently to cope.

As we all know, if you are going to be super successful in sales - you need to have a strong dose of self confidence and many other attributes. But sometimes, that strong ego and belief in ones self can stand in the way of two very important aspects of growth and ability to deal with change. One is being willing to learn what you might do differently than you have ever done before. And second, doing it with gusto and relentless passion ! ( that means working harder and longer hours with a desire to zealously embrace methods and approaches that you would have never done before )

I know this resembles the baloney you've heard before from me and others. That's what a coach brings to the table time and time again. You need to recognize what you could be doing differently and if you don't know or see anything that you could do different; then you need to find insights and leadership that you have never had before. Try reading, listening, asking questions, and step outside your industry and your level of awareness to find super successful salespeople in other industries.

Believe it or not, I have clients whose sales $$$$ are way ahead of last years at the same time - and they were not rookies last year.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN A "SALES CAMPAIGN" ?

I still find sales professional's who are bold enough to say / ask for assistance and definition for a sales campaign. You can't believe the number who say they have one really don't have any definite direction or steps defined. A sales campaign is a detailed and documented plan to develop your leads into prospects and then into customers. It should have at least 10 steps that you are going to do over the next four to six months that will keep your name, your company's name, and your product and / or service in front of the potential customer on a regular defined amount of time. The possible steps are all over the board and are relative to your style, your innovations, your ways of getting their attention. In fact, some of the new technology / internet stuff can be a real asset in your campaign.

Campaign steps are part and parcel of your EARNING the business. How you present yourself and how you present what you sell is totally up to you. The more unique you are, the more consistent you are, and the more professional you are, will open doors and increase your customer count.

Bottom line, what you want as a result of your campaign steps for new business - face to face meetings. Most people ( in fields where we still have salespeople ) who are in a position to buy what you sell or influence the decision; normally don't do business with someone they haven't met !

You can also develop campaign steps for current and past customers. In fact, that's a great effort to embrace !

Learn to create standards for yourself. What do I mean by that ? Here's an example for you - define a "qualified prospect". Here's how I define one. A qualified prospect is someone who I have had at least one face to face meeting with and we would recognize each other at the mall some evening. He or she has an established need for what you sell and they are either the person or connected to a group of people authorized to buy what you sell. I encourage the pros that I coach to utilize that definition ( or a variation thereof ) to measure their potential for success. Go to your database and see how many potential customers meet that definition. When you get over fifty people who meet that definition you won't believe your sales ####'s.

Go sell !

DIFFERENTIATION / VALUE JUSTIFICATION ?

GOLLY ! Late again. You would presume that business is so good that I don't have any time to keep up with my postings to this website and my blog ( http://my-salescoach.blogspot.com/ ). Well, that's partially true ! But, I never have enough business !

Our topic this week is as you can see, "diversification / value justification". What does that mean. It means that price becomes the only factor that matters when you do not create sufficient justification for spending more. You allow the customer to make you a commodity. Quality of your product or service and what you bring to the sale evidently has no value. So, it becomes a real simple issue for the customer (s). Just go to Wal-Mart - they sell everything cheaper ! I being mean - I love and respect Wal-Mart very much.

To avoid being caught in that situation a lot; you have to find ways to bring measurable value to the sales arena. How do you do that ? By differentiating yourself from the competition. Either real or perceived you must create extra value ! You can do that a number of ways but here is where a lot of sales professionals get lost. And what happens, most of the competition waits until they find out what you are doing differently and they steal your rhetoric, your value, and enhance the whole deal with their puffery ( that's the legal term for BS ).

This is not for the weak or lazy ( most of your competition ). It takes a lot of ONGOING EFFORT to continue to distinguish yourself from the competition. Why ? Because whatever you do different, they will eventually steal or mimic. So, the most successful salespeople and organizations are constantly BRAINSTORMING what they can do, offer, detail, and bring to the sale that's different and / or has added value.

I can tell you with a lot of experience that when coaching individuals and or sales teams; this challenge is overwhelming. Part of it is a lack of vision ( seeing what to do ), part of it is no experience, part of it is not wanting to change, part of it is not recognizing what the customer needs to justify paying more to themselves or to management, and part of it is expecting someone else to provide all of this awareness and progressive thinking.

I don't care who you are or what you sell; there a million things that you can do to differentiate yourself from the competition ! And most of them cost very little ! Try setting down and accepting this challenge ! ( as an individual or a team )

Or you could get a sales coach !!!!

I didn't mention the economy today - I'm tired of talking about it. We need to find buyers !

NOW GO SELL SOMETHING - YOUR BABY NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES !

BEING MORE COMPETITIVE - DETERMINATION

First, I apologize for being late with this weeks offering. Today is my birthday and I took a few days off to go up to the foothills with my Mrs. and our two cats in the motorhome. Great time ! Great weather !

Second, I got as much feedback, questions, comments, etc about last week's perspective as I ever gotten from previous ones. So, as you can see, I've decided to elaborate a little more about this quality that a few people have, but others can acquire. Call it what you will, but it's determination, it's a competitive nature, it's motivation to analyze what you can do differently to find buyers, to close deals, and to build long term relationships.

Very few people who do sales for a living really get it. When I'm in a session with a group or with individuals and ask them to brainstorm / analyze what they could do differently to add to their success. The suggestions or ideas usually don't come fast and furiously, if at all. It's not stupidity and it's usually not laziness ( sometimes, maybe ). It's generally a combination of not seeing the value of putting forth the effort and needing some form of leadership or direction to understand what might possibly be done to add value to their existing product or service.

I don't care what you sell, there are numerous ways to compliment your efforts with new and different directions. There are different ways of presenting what you sell. There are different ways to add more value to what you sell ( and many don't cost much at all ). There are different ways of finding buyers - marketing yourself and your products. And there are unique ways that you haven't even considered for enhancing existing relationships plus finding / building new ones.

What holds certain salespeople back ? Fears. All kinds of fear. Fear of being wrong ! Fears of failing ! Fear of self -promotion - don't want to be perceived as being a pushy salesperson. Fear of public speaking ! Fear of doing something different ! And numerous other fears. And my standard comment to all of those fears - "DO YOU HAVE THE BUSINESS NOW " ? What's the worst that's going to happen ?

My last comment about this topic ( for this week ) ! How many of you know or remember the term "benchmarking" ? Tom Peters and many other guru's were preaching this method of improvement way back in the 80's & 90's. It means you find some one or some organization that has a level of successway beyond wherever you are now and ask them to share how they got to where they are. In the case of an aspiring salesperson, find a super successful salesperson in another market than yours and ask them to share what they do that might possibly affect your success ! For me, it was a commercial real estate broker who in 1985 was making close to a million dollars a year. He blew me away with his skills, organization, database, etc. and greatly affected my success.

Or you could get a sales coach !!!!

I didn't mention the economy today - I'm tired of talking about it. We need to find buyers !

ARE YOU COMPETITIVE ? ENOUGH ?

Here's another question that I get asked a lot from recruiters, owners, other coaches, and business owners. What's the # 1 trait or characteristic to look for when recruiting, hiring, or coaching professional salespeople. As you can probably guess from your own experiences, it's difficult to have just one answer to that question.

But, one of the top two answers I would have would be a very competitive nature. I mean that the individual is determined to be super successful no matter what it takes. Their efforts must be ethical and in line with their organization's policies, but motivated to win every opportunity that comes their way as well as to be the number ONE salesperson in their field.

I'm not speaking of prices here. That's a factor which affects their competitive nature for sure. But assuming their organization allows them to offer competitive prices ( that's a whole different discussion ); not the lowest but competitive ( within 20% ), then we are speaking of people who will go to the end of the energy spectrum to excel. They are constantly analyzing what they need to do to get every sale that they go after ( which is another whole discussion LOL ). By that last comment I mean that some salespeople try to go after everything and maybe some of that needs to be discussed.

Being super successful at sales is not an easy challenge for sure. But being extremely motivated to excel and to go the extra mile to differentiate yourself from competitors is what we want in a professional. Their ability and motivation is usually obvious by their nature of activities or past experiences. Asking to see documentation of short range and long range goals can be good indicators of potential. I don't care if they are an extrovert or introvert. All I want see is that they are willing to do whatever it takes to excel. Willingness to work long hours, set, document, and achieve goals are some of the things that indicate people with a competitive nature.

Change is the other major indicator; willingness to change their paradigm ( to learn to do things in a different manner ) is another good indicator of a competitive nature. Given the right direction with the right attitude and the determination to win every time anyone can become super successful at sales.

What sacrifices are they willing to make to become super successful ?

I could go on forever about this topic. It's one of my favorites. And it's the spirit I bring to my clients. Part of my initial evaluation and discussion (before the relationship is initiated ) is an exam which gives me great insight into this competitive nature.

Professional Sales - Artistry or Science ?

Believe it or not this topic is a request from a sales manager that remembers me discussing it at a presentation some time ago. It's not new or revolutionary but hopefully provocative.

Professional sales is both an artistry and a science but many salespeople are not convinced of that. So, let's discuss it briefly.

It's an artistry because the salesperson is the artist and each one of us has our own style of presenting ourselves and what we sell. Our style comes from our learning, our background, our experiences, our upbringing, our beliefs, our values, and much more. Some of us are convinced that our style is the only way and not open to change. Some of us are constantly looking for ways to differentiate ourselves. Some of us are on this form of compensation and some of us are on another form. Some of us are satisfied with our level of success ( probably not now ) and some of us are never satisfied. Some of us work for large companies and some of us work for small companies. Some of us have managers / coaches and some of us don't. I could on and on but bottomline there is no one way to do professional sales. Especially now with the technological changes and this screwed up economy. The most important thing to recognize about the previous sentence ? Just because there is no one way to do it doesn't mean that anyone knows it all. Your artistry can be improved / enhanced by your desire to do so.

It's a science because the buyer or buyers have to possess or be convinced that they need your particular product or service more than they need what they got or don't have. It's the salesperson's responsibility to move them across an imaginary line from need ( or perceived need ) to justifying spending their dollars with you. The key word here is "justify". How do you enable them to justify making a decision on your behalf. How you recognize and influence their justification process is the science side of sales and how you do that is the artistry. When you are in the middle of a sales process are you getting acknowledgement of the points which justify in the buyer's mind(s) a decision in your favor ? You can actually watch a buyer(s) sell themselves by the justification points you utilizeif you are really good at closing sales. If you don't see it happening then there is a problem, possibly a misunderstanding, an objection, or other hangups / stalls.

Do you have the skills to handle their meandering's ?

There is a lot to learn about your artistic abilities and the science of the sales process !

EARNING THEIR BUSINESS

Customers love to be sold ! That statement may or may not be acceptable to you but whatever you think isn't important. It's what the customer thinks that is important.

Keep in mind that we are speaking of professional buyers; people who have the responsibility of purchasing for their organization products or services that become the basis of what they offer or need to support what they offer. We are speaking of professional buyers who have been trained and seen literally thousands of salespeople over the length of their career in procurement.

These professional buyers are for the most part very able to recognize the varying degrees of competency in professional salespeople. They are very familiar with being solicited, cold called, voice mails, emails, mailings, etc. along with follow up and / or follow through. They respect what the salesperson has learned about their organization, their needs, and their need to justify whatever they decide to purchase to their chain of command ( change or new directions must be justified with cold hard facts ).

They can tell by the types of questions asked, the ability to listen, and the level of professional persistence utilized whether they want to find a way to buy from this particular salesperson.

They easily recognize whether they really want a relationship with this individual. They recognize communication skills, thoroughness, level of preparedness, and innovative ways of getting their attention. And most important they gain immense respect and admiration for professional salespeople. They want to give their business to someone whom they feel has "EARNED" the opportunity to sell them.

It is very likely that your company or your industry has done focus groups where we get a group of your potential and / or existing customers together and ask for their opinions and feedback about their needs, wants, and insights. Their comments about salespeople are always very inciteful. I could go on and on about their specific comments but I'll just mention for now the two most prominent. 1. Salespeople are usually very poor listeners. 2. Salespeople really don't understand what we are all about, what we do , and what we need - in other words - they come to a presentation or meeting less prepared than needed from a buyer's perspective ( their discovery process stinks ).

Where do you stand in this perspective ?

I didn't mention the economy today - I'm tired of talking about it. We need to find buyers !

NOW GO SELL SOMETHING - YOUR BABY NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES !

ABILITY TO ANALYZE = SALES SUCCESS

I'm occasionally asked by various clients to define what virtues or strengths really relate to super successful salespeople ?

In my mind there are several. One of the most significant is our ability to analyze our situation - no matter the situation or challenge. It could be a particular incident or it could be a succession of events. It could be anything. The issue is the individual's ability to analyze possible directions, alternatives, innovations, etc. And the respect and patience to understand the probable value of analyzing the situation. Plus, having the courage to utilize the analysis.

While getting a liberal arts education, I distinctly remember the challenge and requirement to partake in science courses like physics and chemistry. I grumbled and complained all the way through it. But now, I wouldn't exchange that education for large sums of money ( when I utilize it ). Learning to analyze a particular challenge by defining the facts, your opinions ( fiction - possibly imbedded in your paradigm ), defining factors likely to vary, brainstorming possible solutions, etc. can be extremely beneficial and rewarding.

Specific salespeople I know or have known possess this ability and it allows them to be way ahead in the competitive marketplace. An interesting sidelight is their talents and efforts being recognized by customers and potential customers and influencing their success even more. ( No Kidding ) LOL

As an example of all this perspective, when I challenge individual sales clients ( teams or individuals ) as to how they might differentiate themselves - they are stumped - just at a loss for what could we possibly do different ( that doesn't require vast amounts of money or changes ) to enhance our potential for increased sales. So, let's analyze your current situation and by leading them through this exercise - all of the sudden the lights come on !

Look ! Here's the facts. Professional sales is not easy but there are ways ( even in this horrible marketplace ) to improve what you do, how you do it, when you do it, and why you do it. Challenge your brainpower to analyze what you do now and what you could do differently.

"This ain't rocket science " but don't underestimate what you could learn !

NOW GO SELL SOMETHING - BABY NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES !

I'm Frustrated ! What Can I Do Differently ?

I hear something similar to this from a lot of my clients and it's not getting any better ! So, let's explore some ideas / thoughts that might help you get more sales.

Please read the entire list before you pooh - pooh any of it ! It is very likely that you are doing some of these things already but are their others that might help. I can tell you that in my discussions with existing and potential clients some of these directions have helped. For your consideration:

1. Are your sales campaign steps for new & existing customers identified for the next three months ?
2. Are your efforts up to date in your database which reflects and reminds you of what has been done and what needs to be done ?
3. Are you doing the pre-call planning necessary before every face to face appointment to get maximum value out of the face time ? How about post call analysis ?
4. Have you or someone on your Team sat down and spent some time brainstorming directions that you haven't taken ? If you were the person paying you to get more sales would you be satisfied with your efforts ?
5. How many cold calls are you doing every week ? What time of day ?
6. How many hours each week are you spending on networking activities ? Tracking it ?
7. What rating from one to ten would you give yourself as far as your goal orientation ? Be honest !
8. How visible are your goals ? Visible where ? Are there daily, weekly, & monthly goals ?
9. When is the last time you handwrote a Thank You note to an internal or external customer ?
10. Do you say Please and Thank You enough to customers and potential customers ?
11. Do you really know what your competitors are doing ? Or are you dealing with perception or rumor ? Are they really offering a better deal ? Or a different deal ?
12. When is the last time you asked a customer for a referral ? Have you asked them for their opinions about what they see their competitors doing to deal with economy ? Might be some insights for you.
13. How can you assist your company control costs - more telephone and internet activities ?
14. Any thoughts about how your customers could control their costs ? - great way to endear yourself.
15. Ignore the negatives as much as possible - no matter where they come form - act like this is going to end soon !

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 "

CHANGE - Necessity Is Often the Mother Thereof !

OK, so I've altered the old cliche - you know - "necessity is the mother of invention" a little bit.

I'm going to talk about salespeople ( you are probably the exception ) in general. They don't like change and most especially when they are not driving the changes. Anyone who has been doing sales for a period of time, has their own style, their assertiveness comfort zone, their perception of what works and with whom it works, etc. Frankly stated, they see no reason to change what they have always done nor increase their awareness of what they might do differently.

I know, been there, done that ! I can remember how distinctly uncomfortable I became when I was exposed to Zig Ziglar and his instructions to what I needed to do to increase my sales success. I still don't agree with him about certain aspects but have lot more respect for him today than ever before and have probably learned more than I realize from him and many, many others ( for sure ).
As a sales coach today, I encounter mental and physical blocks to change all the time from my clients and attendees at sessions or on calls. And to be honest with you I support individual style and recognize that we are all different. BUT, if you were ever going to evaluate what you might do differently and actually make changes, you know try something different, learn more about all aspects of professional sales - NOW IS THE TIME.

This is the umpteenth time I have said this and it's not original with me but our only way out of this economic disaster has to be on the back of SALES and SALES PROFESSIONALS. And given the situation - a crappy marketplace for almost every product or service - only the best, hardest working, most innovative, and most inspired salespeople are going to be here making it happen.

You need to look at every aspect of what you are expected to do every day from prospecting and lead development to customer retention. Start reading and listening to anybody who might know or understand something you don't about how to get more sales. Resource yourself - accept responsibility for your professional development. There are millions of good books, CD's, DVD's, and gurus / coaches who may be able to help you - if you let them - and you are willing to CHANGE !

Please keep in mind the cold, hard fact about professional sales knowledge and insights - NO ONE KNOWS IT ALL. Not you and not me. Most especially in our current marketplace with all the innovations from a technological aspect. How we do what we should do is changing rapidly. GET WITH IT and the BEST TO YOU !

Feel free to share any comments, feedback, or insights about this direction.

It's Not Who You Know But Who Knows You

Always heard the old cliche - It's not what you know but who you know - well ! Here's another perspective for you -

You want potential customers (buyers) to know who you are and what you sell. And in today's world any salesperson worth their income is ( or should be ) networking the heck out of one or more of the internet "association" websites. I'm speaking of websites like: Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Linkedin, Myspace, Ryze, and many others. They can be a real pain to maintain, to work them, and to get real benefits for all the time it takes.

What I'm finding is that a lot of us ( yes, myself included ) are not getting maximum benefit because we have so much to learn about them and how they work. Another issue is the willingness to share your personal information. And finding the one or two sites that will give you the best return on your efforts is another challenge.

Let's start with the first obstacle - learning how to get more benefits out out of them. You have to convince yourself or allow someone to convince you that there are benefits. Second, you have to have the patience and motivation to either learn by doing or find someone with more knowledge and experience. I'm not an authority but I have learned a lot from many people and other online forums which show you step by step how to get more bang for your buck. Most sites are free with definite limitations and then it becomes a decision for you to decide if more access would be worth it.

I have several clients who are really into one or more of the sites and claim to have benefited greatly. For me, the jury is still out, but I'm excited because next to public speaking at large groups of your potential customers; this appears to be the way to get your name and what you sell out on the street.

I'm not suggesting any site is better than others because I'm not qualified to say. But if you are not involved or taking note of what's happening around you and getting more involved you are missing the boat. I believe this is the future and we are just beginning to see where it might go. The ability for more people to have access to you and your product / service has got to be a good thing.

Let's see where this all goes. It's way beyond the first few steps but I believe we are just starting to see innovative ways of promoting yourself and that's what sales is all about.

IF CUSTOMERS / BUYERS DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT YOU SELL THAN YOUR CHANCES FOR A SALE ARE HAMPERED FOR SURE !

Feel free to share any comments, feedback, or insights about this direction.

Last but not least, 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 "