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 !
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
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 "
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 "
Monday, March 9, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, March 2, 2009
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 "
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 "
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