Below, please find the final 4 areas in which the Top Sales Professionals spend time and focus that most sellers do not! Again, if you follow the belief that success leaves clues, these are 4 more clues to your continued sales success!
7-They Recognize Opportunity and Take ACTION Faster
Top Sales Professionals do not get more opportunities than all the rest. It just seems that way because they are always on “high receive” looking for it. They put themselves in situations where opportunity tends to be present. They understand that opportunity at first can look like problems, challenges, or adversity. The further understand that CHANGE is often at the base of opportunity. They realize that this is true from their perspective and from the customers-and thus, therein lies the opportunity. They don’t hesitate. They don’t sit around strategizing. They take action! When most people are wondering if it will work, the Top Sales Professionals are getting the awards for getting it done! Events get attended with different purposes. Articles get read with different eyes. Conversations get heard with different ears. The main ingredients are awareness and initiaitve!
8-They are a Resource
Top Producers are the go-to people for their customers. They have the answers to their customers’ questions and the solutions to their problems. They realize that world is full of “Takers” that will come in and “take” the customer’s time, “take” the customer’s order, and “take” the customer’s money, but rarely, if ever, add anything of value to the relationship. Top Producers realize that, in order to continually be valuable to the customer, they need to become more than a vendor. They need to know the customer’s world as well or better than they know theirs. The Best of the Best always “bring something to the table” that changes the outlook of the customer and makes them think or perform in different ways. The Top Pros are there for more than the order; they are there through thick and thin, providing the value of their expertise and knowledge to those whom he cares about the most-his/her customer.
9-They Take Time to Re-Charge
The Heavy Hitters do a lot of things that most salespeople will not do. This takes time, energy, passion, commitment, and focus. All of the results that they get come from hard-work and dedication to the job. The Best of the Best not only know when to do these things, they also know when to “shut it down” and re-fuel. Even the fastest cars (the ones that are winning) in Nascar races have to make their occasional pit-stop to re-fuel and get ready for the next leg of the race. They cannot continue to win the race unless they do. So it is with Top Salespeople. In order to keep winning the race of professional sales, they need to have a quality of life outside the selling marketplace. The Best of the Best know that the only reason to be in this game (sales) is to have a better life and more of it! We find that these cats take longer/better vacations, schedule more time with their families, dig deeper into “outside work” passions/hobbies, and overall get more out of life than those who “work the grind.” They realize that enjoyment and passion are synonymous with Success and if too much WORK goes into one area over another, the enjoyment and the passion start to fade.
10- They Take What They Do Very Seriously Without Taking Themselves Too Serious
The Best of the Best in sales realize that they are in a profession. Just like all professionals, there are expectations that customers hold them to. A doctor has expectations that not only will she have a good bedside manner, but that she will know her area of expertise to such a degree that human lives may be placed in her care. A lawyer has expectations to know not only the law (today’s law) but to also know everything else about his area of expertise such that success or failure at the hands of a jury is entrusted to him. And so it is with sales professionals:
The Top Pros know that The Profession of Sales is for Sales Professionals. As professionals, they know that the 9 areas that I have listed above require their constant attention. They realize that the solutions that they can and do provide for their customers can change lives and affect so many. And yet, with all of that in mind, they go into the battle each day with a light heart and a sound attitude knowing that they will hear no. They realize that having FUN is a vital part of the game and that most people would rather do business with a friend than with a salesperson. And so they strive to be light hearted and heavily focused to gain the trust of the people with whom they choose to engage.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
2nd of 3--Top 10 Things Top Sellers Do!
Below, you'll find some additional things (#4 thru #6)that Top Sales Pros engage in regularly that avaergae sellers do not. Again, just as with my last post, we need to understand that they are top sellers for a reason and that success leaves clues. These areas that I am addressing in the last post, this post, and my post next week are a solid "blueprint" for anyone to use in the construction of a stellar sales career.
4-Plan-Prepare-Practice
The Top Producers always seem to have a plan. It all starts with major clarity on their goals. They are very clear on the WHY so the WHAT and the HOW become their focus. The Heavy Hitters go into every call with a purpose and a higher level of preparation. They have run through all the “what-if” scenarios. They have thought through, written down, and practiced the questions that they will ask. They have mentally run through everything from the customer’s prospective. They are prepared to “open” the customer more effectively and practiced at transitioning to the “close” of the sale. They know the solid IMPACT statements and questions at the right time because they plan them, prepare them, and practice them ALL the time. BTW, they don't practice on the customer....they "inspect in private what they expect in public."
5-They Brand Themselves in Their Marketplace
The Cream of the Selling Crop make sure that they are “known-for” something in the marketplace. They create a buzz about who they are and what they know or do by becoming visible to those who may use their product or service. They realize that being a vendor is a tough gig because vendors are a dime a dozen, unless the customer only wants to pay a nickel. The Best of the Best want to be known as the EXPERT. They do the things necessary to position themselves in the marketplace as THE CHOICE rather than A CHOICE. They take the time to write articles and have them published in magazines and newsletters that their customers read. They get out of their comfort zones and look to speak at industry events that their customers attend. They constantly and consistently “touch” their prospects, customers, and clients in a variety of creative and value-add ways to ensure top of consciousness in the minds of the buyers. Top Pros always seek to create “Only Me” value to the sale. They realize that if they are not "visible" then they are "in-visible." They also undertand that if they are not known for somethingthen they are good for nothing!
6-They are Willing to Lose
All too often, most salespeople don’t take the risk of asking for the YES because they are afraid to hear the NO. The Top Sales Pros understand that they are in the NO taking business. They also understand that their success is highly dependant upon their willingness to “crash and burn” in failure. Jeffery Gitomer once sated that “Most people won’t risk asking because they fear the unknown. The real reason that they won’t risk is because they lack the preparation and education that breeds the self confidence (self-belief) to take a chance.” The great Wayne Gretzky once said that “You miss 100% of the shots that you never take.” And so it is with the best salespeople: They get out in front and risk it all for themselves, for the customer, and for their career because they know that most of their competition will STOP when the pressure of the potential loss gets too high. I try to teach the following to my kids, "The answer is always NO until you ask them to say YES!" The worst that can haappen is that "NO" is now clearer! ASK for it!
4-Plan-Prepare-Practice
The Top Producers always seem to have a plan. It all starts with major clarity on their goals. They are very clear on the WHY so the WHAT and the HOW become their focus. The Heavy Hitters go into every call with a purpose and a higher level of preparation. They have run through all the “what-if” scenarios. They have thought through, written down, and practiced the questions that they will ask. They have mentally run through everything from the customer’s prospective. They are prepared to “open” the customer more effectively and practiced at transitioning to the “close” of the sale. They know the solid IMPACT statements and questions at the right time because they plan them, prepare them, and practice them ALL the time. BTW, they don't practice on the customer....they "inspect in private what they expect in public."
5-They Brand Themselves in Their Marketplace
The Cream of the Selling Crop make sure that they are “known-for” something in the marketplace. They create a buzz about who they are and what they know or do by becoming visible to those who may use their product or service. They realize that being a vendor is a tough gig because vendors are a dime a dozen, unless the customer only wants to pay a nickel. The Best of the Best want to be known as the EXPERT. They do the things necessary to position themselves in the marketplace as THE CHOICE rather than A CHOICE. They take the time to write articles and have them published in magazines and newsletters that their customers read. They get out of their comfort zones and look to speak at industry events that their customers attend. They constantly and consistently “touch” their prospects, customers, and clients in a variety of creative and value-add ways to ensure top of consciousness in the minds of the buyers. Top Pros always seek to create “Only Me” value to the sale. They realize that if they are not "visible" then they are "in-visible." They also undertand that if they are not known for somethingthen they are good for nothing!
6-They are Willing to Lose
All too often, most salespeople don’t take the risk of asking for the YES because they are afraid to hear the NO. The Top Sales Pros understand that they are in the NO taking business. They also understand that their success is highly dependant upon their willingness to “crash and burn” in failure. Jeffery Gitomer once sated that “Most people won’t risk asking because they fear the unknown. The real reason that they won’t risk is because they lack the preparation and education that breeds the self confidence (self-belief) to take a chance.” The great Wayne Gretzky once said that “You miss 100% of the shots that you never take.” And so it is with the best salespeople: They get out in front and risk it all for themselves, for the customer, and for their career because they know that most of their competition will STOP when the pressure of the potential loss gets too high. I try to teach the following to my kids, "The answer is always NO until you ask them to say YES!" The worst that can haappen is that "NO" is now clearer! ASK for it!
Monday, January 11, 2010
1st of Three--Top 10 Things Top Sellers Do!
Every month, I run a Coach Call on two different topics. On this month’s second call, I listed the Top 10 things that the top sales pros do that most of the others do not. Since I recorded this call, I have had dozens of people respond that the call opened their eyes to the things that are necessary to stay on top. Furthermore, many of the respondents commented that the Coach call helped them get back on track to re-start doing the things that they used to do.
In either event, due to the overwhelming response to this call, I have decided to write a corresponding article for those of you who are not part of the Coach Call program.
The Top Sales Pros are a special breed of cat. They engage in decidedly different activities on a regular basis. Although they walk and talk the same at first glance, they do very unique things every day that, in and of themselves are not overly special. But combined, these things create a vortex of success that attracts the best customers, the most referrals, the strongest relationships and the highest commissions!
I have been fortunate to be a sales professional for many years that others have placed in the “Top Sales Pro” category. In addition, I have the pleasure of working with many top sales pros (and many more on the other end of the spectrum) every year in my business as a speaker and sales coach. In doing so, I have witnessed some of the best practices that are consistent among only the best. The 10 things that I have compiled in this article (First three listed below) are not the only things that these Heavy Hitters do, but they are, in my opinion, the most important:
1-They Take Full Responsibility
The Best of the Best never place blame on others for their failure or misfires. They realize that the only one responsible for their success or failure is the person that they stare in the mirror every morning. By accepting responsibility for everything, they NEVER become the victim of competition, market circumstances, pricing, or any other issues that are attacking their competition that whine, complain, and sit around waiting for the next big bad wolf.
2-They Guard Their Attitudes with Their Lives
The Top Producers understand that their Attitude is their most important asset to their success and they do everything they can to make sure they bolster it and protect it. They never hang around with those who choose to place blame, point fingers, complain, and bellyache. They go out of their way to associate with winners and successful people. Although they may get invitations to the pity parties, they never choose to attend. In addition, these cats NEVER feel that know it all. In fact, they always seek other’s opinions, knowledge, and experience. They believe anything is possible and you know what…most of the time, they are right!
3-They Feed Their Brains-Every Day
The Best of the Best got to that spot on purpose! They did not just wake up one day on the top of the heap. They actually worked hard to feed their brains the things that it needs to grow. They realize that the marketplace never stands still. They realize that customers needs will always change and they choose to stay ahead of the curve. Consequently, they read books, articles, and reports in the areas that demand their attention. They constantly “sharpen their axes” in the areas of salesmanship, customer service, empathy, and differentiation. They seek to become an expert in their field by increasing their knowledge every day on purpose.
In either event, due to the overwhelming response to this call, I have decided to write a corresponding article for those of you who are not part of the Coach Call program.
The Top Sales Pros are a special breed of cat. They engage in decidedly different activities on a regular basis. Although they walk and talk the same at first glance, they do very unique things every day that, in and of themselves are not overly special. But combined, these things create a vortex of success that attracts the best customers, the most referrals, the strongest relationships and the highest commissions!
I have been fortunate to be a sales professional for many years that others have placed in the “Top Sales Pro” category. In addition, I have the pleasure of working with many top sales pros (and many more on the other end of the spectrum) every year in my business as a speaker and sales coach. In doing so, I have witnessed some of the best practices that are consistent among only the best. The 10 things that I have compiled in this article (First three listed below) are not the only things that these Heavy Hitters do, but they are, in my opinion, the most important:
1-They Take Full Responsibility
The Best of the Best never place blame on others for their failure or misfires. They realize that the only one responsible for their success or failure is the person that they stare in the mirror every morning. By accepting responsibility for everything, they NEVER become the victim of competition, market circumstances, pricing, or any other issues that are attacking their competition that whine, complain, and sit around waiting for the next big bad wolf.
2-They Guard Their Attitudes with Their Lives
The Top Producers understand that their Attitude is their most important asset to their success and they do everything they can to make sure they bolster it and protect it. They never hang around with those who choose to place blame, point fingers, complain, and bellyache. They go out of their way to associate with winners and successful people. Although they may get invitations to the pity parties, they never choose to attend. In addition, these cats NEVER feel that know it all. In fact, they always seek other’s opinions, knowledge, and experience. They believe anything is possible and you know what…most of the time, they are right!
3-They Feed Their Brains-Every Day
The Best of the Best got to that spot on purpose! They did not just wake up one day on the top of the heap. They actually worked hard to feed their brains the things that it needs to grow. They realize that the marketplace never stands still. They realize that customers needs will always change and they choose to stay ahead of the curve. Consequently, they read books, articles, and reports in the areas that demand their attention. They constantly “sharpen their axes” in the areas of salesmanship, customer service, empathy, and differentiation. They seek to become an expert in their field by increasing their knowledge every day on purpose.
Friday, January 8, 2010
To hit Your Goal...Set a deadline!
One of the most overlooked areas in goal setting is attaching a time by which your goals go from paper to reality. By first writing down your goals and then by attaching a date by which they will be accomplished, you set a deadline for your success and thus necessitate that a plan of action be created in order for you to hit not only the goal, but also to hit the deadline! For all of you that have accomplished a goal outside of your scheduled timeframe, you know what I mean. It’s kind of like kissing your sister: It’s nice, but not thrilling!
Have you ever noticed how often it is that the majority of the sales that get done each quarter-get done in the last month of the quarter? Have you ever noticed that the end of the fiscal year finds amazingly high sales results when everyone is stretching to meet projections? Have you ever wanted to “bottle up” the enthusiasm and efforts that are put out by the entire team towards the end of any particular sales cycle when things like bonuses (or sometimes jobs) are on the line? You can!! And you don’t have to use a carrot OR a stick…you simply need to use a CALENDAR!
This year as you set you goals out for the year, do so by quarters or even by months. Start by figuring out what it is that you truly want to accomplish this year sales-wise, income-wise, relationship-wise, family-wise, and more. Tie your success to as many areas in your life as you can. What are your “quality of life” goals? Will you take a vacation this year? If so, where? With whom? How? And most importantly, WHEN?
Take out a calendar and get a big marking pen. Start writing in the deadlines for your accomplishments this year. WHEN will you have that new car? WHEN will you break the sales record for the company? WHEN will you land the “whale” account that you have been courting for two years? WHEN will you weigh your ideal weight? WHEN will you take your children to Disneyland?
If you truly want to make a difference this year in your career and/or or your personal life, attach dates to all of your desired accomplishments. Make sure that your goals are written down with a deadline and a game plan. Get “a win or two” every month instead of trying to accomplish them all by the end of 2010.
An amazing thing happens to you when you set a goal, plan your attack, attack your plan, and accomplish what it is that you wanted. It will change your life forever. In my opinion though, it all starts by giving yourself a deadline to your dreams.
Have you ever noticed how often it is that the majority of the sales that get done each quarter-get done in the last month of the quarter? Have you ever noticed that the end of the fiscal year finds amazingly high sales results when everyone is stretching to meet projections? Have you ever wanted to “bottle up” the enthusiasm and efforts that are put out by the entire team towards the end of any particular sales cycle when things like bonuses (or sometimes jobs) are on the line? You can!! And you don’t have to use a carrot OR a stick…you simply need to use a CALENDAR!
This year as you set you goals out for the year, do so by quarters or even by months. Start by figuring out what it is that you truly want to accomplish this year sales-wise, income-wise, relationship-wise, family-wise, and more. Tie your success to as many areas in your life as you can. What are your “quality of life” goals? Will you take a vacation this year? If so, where? With whom? How? And most importantly, WHEN?
Take out a calendar and get a big marking pen. Start writing in the deadlines for your accomplishments this year. WHEN will you have that new car? WHEN will you break the sales record for the company? WHEN will you land the “whale” account that you have been courting for two years? WHEN will you weigh your ideal weight? WHEN will you take your children to Disneyland?
If you truly want to make a difference this year in your career and/or or your personal life, attach dates to all of your desired accomplishments. Make sure that your goals are written down with a deadline and a game plan. Get “a win or two” every month instead of trying to accomplish them all by the end of 2010.
An amazing thing happens to you when you set a goal, plan your attack, attack your plan, and accomplish what it is that you wanted. It will change your life forever. In my opinion though, it all starts by giving yourself a deadline to your dreams.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Top Ten Sales Training Mistakes That Most Companies Make
The best laid intentions…..For most companies, sales training is a mysterious “black box.” They give training “a shot.” They have that special time of year when they do their training. They bring in the specialists from HR. They “role-play” for the video camera, etc., etc., etc.. In my experience in working with companies across the country on their sales and training, I have seen it all. So, to close out the year, (and in the spirit of The Dave Letterman Show) I offer to you the Top Ten Sales Training Mistakes That Most Companies Make:
1-No Support From the Top
How often is that I see upper management in many companies touting the importance of the growth of their salespeople! How often that I hear them extolling the virtues of the development techniques that their mid level managers and trainers offer to their sales staff! The truth in most organizations is that the leaders typically are more concerned about results than process; about the scorecard than the way the score was achieved. Sure, a leader must concern themselves with the results of the team…there is no doubt in that. But, for the most part what I see out there is little ACTION-and what I hear out there is merely lip service towards the training of most sales organizations. It is no wonder that there are many CEOs that are “throwing up their arms” in surrender to the lack of sales skill, proper attitude, and focused sales activity on their teams.
2-Little-To-No Interaction From The Sales Team
For those companies that are doing some training, I have found that the “chalk and talk” method is widely used in their training. That is, in their training, the trainer lectures the salespeople on “best practices” that need to be implemented or stats that need improvement. In these sessions, there is typically no input, no feedback, and little-to-no interaction from the sales team. It has been said that, in a training session the teacher typically learns more than the student. Locking salespeople in a lecture-style training session only serves to demean, demoralize, and de-motivate those in attendance. Thus, no buy-in-and no learning!
3-Sporadic and/or Inconsistent Training
It seems that there are more companies out there that offer training like the CIA or FBI offer information throughout the ranks…On a “Need To Know Basis!” What is that? The reactive nature of most companies turns their focus toward the training of their salespeople only when sales are down or during the “slower” months. I have had the good fortune to work with hundreds of salespeople who have been products of this dysfunctional system and the major consensus is that, because there is no flow to the training, there is no flow to the learning and thus, no flow to the implementation of new techniques. Also, there are many companies that have the “once a year” dose of training at their national meeting or industry convention. I have yet to ever meet a sales professional that blossoms and continually grows because of a 90 minute keynote address once a year.
4-“One Size Fits All” Sales Training
In any sales organization, there are varying skill sets, experiences, and attitudes. The differences can be vast or subtle throughout the members of the team but, nonetheless, they are there! Too often, a company will develop a curriculum and run their people through it like cattle with little-to-no adjustments for style, tenure, or level of salesperson. Any good salesperson will tell you that you must adjust your message to the customer in order to hope to make an IMPACT with more than one style. Wouldn’t this seem to make sense in the development of our teams? (**This does not infer that senior, experienced, or highly skilled salespeople do not get value from training and thus, need none…it is merely pointing out that there should be some customization to the audience or one on one interaction at differing levels.)
5-“Give the Pitch” Training Only
This is one of the most common mistakes that I have seen in sales training. In fact, I was guilty of this early on in my own sales management career. Many companies herd their salespeople in a training room and repeatedly go over “the pitch!” This training many times forces the salesperson to memorize the words, the steps, and the flow of the sales presentation as if there will never be any deviation from it. In these sessions, the salesperson will work primarily on WHAT to say, WHEN to say it, and sometimes even HOW to say it. Rarely is there a WHY we say it! Although we need our salespeople well prepared to give their “value proposition” and extol the many virtues of doing business with our companies, we find that this approach tends to lend itself to the creation of a “pitch” focused salesperson who prefers a monologue rather than a dialogue in his/her sales presentations! (BAD NEWS!!)
6-Less-Than-Stellar Trainers
Many times, companies tend to throw someone into the training role that is ill-prepared for the task. This is not to say that this person does not care about their content or delivery nor focus on their audience. What it does often mean is that those in attendance feel that the training is more professorial than it should be. In other words, if there is no “component of experience” in the training, the message often gets lost in the translation. In sales especially, the term “those who can’t---Teach!” seems to be very applicable. (**Please do not misconstrue this to mean that I feel the best salespeople make the best sales trainers or the best sales managers-it simply means that unless there has been a visible track record of success or a tangible/believable evidence of sales experience in a similar sales model, the dismissive attitude tends to be present.)
7-Just DWID Training
Although I extol the many virtues of field sales training by senior/experienced sales reps, I often see little translation from what is shown to how it applies to the trainee. The “Just Do What I Do” method of sales training often sees the newer salesperson out in the field riding shotgun with a seasoned salesperson. The senior sales rep (or sometimes the sales manager) will go into a selling situation and ask all the appropriate questions, give a smooth presentation based upon his discovery, relate applicable success stories, address concerns smoothly and effectively, and earn the business with what seems to be complete ease. Afterward, he turns to the new rep and says “There….that wasn’t too hard now was it? Simply do what I do and you’ll be successful!” What we don’t realize is that the sales manager’s confidence, credibility, and charisma with the client is based upon an extended amount of experience in the company which allows him to know what moves to make, what stories to tell, what to say, what NOT to say, what names to drop, and so on. The sales training program typically has none of this information captured on paper as a tool for the newer sales rep so what appeared natural to the senior guy is far from natural for the trainee. Thus, the training (if it stands alone) is ineffective and will lead to frustration on the part of the newer salesperson.
8-Non-Applicable/Usable/Implementable Sales Training
Often a trainer is put into place internally (or hired externally) based upon their “platform” skills. They are good presenters with a good menu of material for general sales information. Although this may be applicable as a way to “kick-off” training initiatives, please do not mistake it for sales training. Fundamental or foundational training is very important to keep salespeople continually focused on “what gets them to the dance.” However, there needs to be specific training in place that addresses current specific situations such as common objections or roadblocks to the sale and how to address them, appropriate ways to “open” the prospect or customer through questions in a discovery process, real-life success stories and enthusiastic endorsers, and many more topics that go deeper into the real day to day life of the salespeople. After every training session two questions need to be asked of the group that is being trained:
“So, what did this mean to you?” and
“What ACTION will you take to apply what you’ve learned?”
9-No Follow-Up and Measurement on New Initiatives
Even the best training will only be nominally effective if there is nobody “driving the process” when the training stops and application of the training begins. It has been said that you can expect what you inspect and the things that get measured get done. The path of least resistance that most people follow (human nature) will lead them back to what they are comfortable with. Implementation of new processes or initiatives is often uncomfortable (especially to more senior salespeople) and thus there is a tendency to “give it a try” and if it doesn’t feel right (which, the first time, it hardly ever does) then it is given up on. Many companies go through the motions of training and expect that all new “stuff” will get embraced and acted upon when indeed this is rarely the case without consistent follow-up and measurement.
10-No Sales Training-No Problem!!
Many companies offer the three-part training program 1)Here’s your cards… 2)There’s your territory…. 3)Now, Go Get ‘Em Baby! Although this may bring a chuckle to you, the fact is that many companies hire “experienced” salespeople from competitors or from similar industries and assume that, because they have worked as salesperson before, they will be able to “catch on” quickly and start selling their product or service effectively. No matter how many times that they have seen the opposite, this remains the standard M.O. for a vast majority of companies in the marketplace today. It is my belief that this comes from a laziness of purpose or a stubborn pig-headed-ness on the part of the company that has them believing that a salesperson SHOULD no how to build a book of business in their company. There are no “SHOULDs” in building and training a sales team. Often in this approach, the only training that the salesperson gets is on product knowledge and “How we pitch it!”
Now, I have a question for you: Does your “sales training program” in your company look similar to any of the scenarios above? Are you nervously chuckling right now or red-faced embarrassed? Are you putting a fancy gift-wrap on one of these 10 common mistakes or are you justifying one or more of them with things like “I don’t have the time” or “This doesn’t apply to my organization?” If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, don’t worry! (OK, worry, but ACT on it!) There is help available!!
1-No Support From the Top
How often is that I see upper management in many companies touting the importance of the growth of their salespeople! How often that I hear them extolling the virtues of the development techniques that their mid level managers and trainers offer to their sales staff! The truth in most organizations is that the leaders typically are more concerned about results than process; about the scorecard than the way the score was achieved. Sure, a leader must concern themselves with the results of the team…there is no doubt in that. But, for the most part what I see out there is little ACTION-and what I hear out there is merely lip service towards the training of most sales organizations. It is no wonder that there are many CEOs that are “throwing up their arms” in surrender to the lack of sales skill, proper attitude, and focused sales activity on their teams.
2-Little-To-No Interaction From The Sales Team
For those companies that are doing some training, I have found that the “chalk and talk” method is widely used in their training. That is, in their training, the trainer lectures the salespeople on “best practices” that need to be implemented or stats that need improvement. In these sessions, there is typically no input, no feedback, and little-to-no interaction from the sales team. It has been said that, in a training session the teacher typically learns more than the student. Locking salespeople in a lecture-style training session only serves to demean, demoralize, and de-motivate those in attendance. Thus, no buy-in-and no learning!
3-Sporadic and/or Inconsistent Training
It seems that there are more companies out there that offer training like the CIA or FBI offer information throughout the ranks…On a “Need To Know Basis!” What is that? The reactive nature of most companies turns their focus toward the training of their salespeople only when sales are down or during the “slower” months. I have had the good fortune to work with hundreds of salespeople who have been products of this dysfunctional system and the major consensus is that, because there is no flow to the training, there is no flow to the learning and thus, no flow to the implementation of new techniques. Also, there are many companies that have the “once a year” dose of training at their national meeting or industry convention. I have yet to ever meet a sales professional that blossoms and continually grows because of a 90 minute keynote address once a year.
4-“One Size Fits All” Sales Training
In any sales organization, there are varying skill sets, experiences, and attitudes. The differences can be vast or subtle throughout the members of the team but, nonetheless, they are there! Too often, a company will develop a curriculum and run their people through it like cattle with little-to-no adjustments for style, tenure, or level of salesperson. Any good salesperson will tell you that you must adjust your message to the customer in order to hope to make an IMPACT with more than one style. Wouldn’t this seem to make sense in the development of our teams? (**This does not infer that senior, experienced, or highly skilled salespeople do not get value from training and thus, need none…it is merely pointing out that there should be some customization to the audience or one on one interaction at differing levels.)
5-“Give the Pitch” Training Only
This is one of the most common mistakes that I have seen in sales training. In fact, I was guilty of this early on in my own sales management career. Many companies herd their salespeople in a training room and repeatedly go over “the pitch!” This training many times forces the salesperson to memorize the words, the steps, and the flow of the sales presentation as if there will never be any deviation from it. In these sessions, the salesperson will work primarily on WHAT to say, WHEN to say it, and sometimes even HOW to say it. Rarely is there a WHY we say it! Although we need our salespeople well prepared to give their “value proposition” and extol the many virtues of doing business with our companies, we find that this approach tends to lend itself to the creation of a “pitch” focused salesperson who prefers a monologue rather than a dialogue in his/her sales presentations! (BAD NEWS!!)
6-Less-Than-Stellar Trainers
Many times, companies tend to throw someone into the training role that is ill-prepared for the task. This is not to say that this person does not care about their content or delivery nor focus on their audience. What it does often mean is that those in attendance feel that the training is more professorial than it should be. In other words, if there is no “component of experience” in the training, the message often gets lost in the translation. In sales especially, the term “those who can’t---Teach!” seems to be very applicable. (**Please do not misconstrue this to mean that I feel the best salespeople make the best sales trainers or the best sales managers-it simply means that unless there has been a visible track record of success or a tangible/believable evidence of sales experience in a similar sales model, the dismissive attitude tends to be present.)
7-Just DWID Training
Although I extol the many virtues of field sales training by senior/experienced sales reps, I often see little translation from what is shown to how it applies to the trainee. The “Just Do What I Do” method of sales training often sees the newer salesperson out in the field riding shotgun with a seasoned salesperson. The senior sales rep (or sometimes the sales manager) will go into a selling situation and ask all the appropriate questions, give a smooth presentation based upon his discovery, relate applicable success stories, address concerns smoothly and effectively, and earn the business with what seems to be complete ease. Afterward, he turns to the new rep and says “There….that wasn’t too hard now was it? Simply do what I do and you’ll be successful!” What we don’t realize is that the sales manager’s confidence, credibility, and charisma with the client is based upon an extended amount of experience in the company which allows him to know what moves to make, what stories to tell, what to say, what NOT to say, what names to drop, and so on. The sales training program typically has none of this information captured on paper as a tool for the newer sales rep so what appeared natural to the senior guy is far from natural for the trainee. Thus, the training (if it stands alone) is ineffective and will lead to frustration on the part of the newer salesperson.
8-Non-Applicable/Usable/Implementable Sales Training
Often a trainer is put into place internally (or hired externally) based upon their “platform” skills. They are good presenters with a good menu of material for general sales information. Although this may be applicable as a way to “kick-off” training initiatives, please do not mistake it for sales training. Fundamental or foundational training is very important to keep salespeople continually focused on “what gets them to the dance.” However, there needs to be specific training in place that addresses current specific situations such as common objections or roadblocks to the sale and how to address them, appropriate ways to “open” the prospect or customer through questions in a discovery process, real-life success stories and enthusiastic endorsers, and many more topics that go deeper into the real day to day life of the salespeople. After every training session two questions need to be asked of the group that is being trained:
“So, what did this mean to you?” and
“What ACTION will you take to apply what you’ve learned?”
9-No Follow-Up and Measurement on New Initiatives
Even the best training will only be nominally effective if there is nobody “driving the process” when the training stops and application of the training begins. It has been said that you can expect what you inspect and the things that get measured get done. The path of least resistance that most people follow (human nature) will lead them back to what they are comfortable with. Implementation of new processes or initiatives is often uncomfortable (especially to more senior salespeople) and thus there is a tendency to “give it a try” and if it doesn’t feel right (which, the first time, it hardly ever does) then it is given up on. Many companies go through the motions of training and expect that all new “stuff” will get embraced and acted upon when indeed this is rarely the case without consistent follow-up and measurement.
10-No Sales Training-No Problem!!
Many companies offer the three-part training program 1)Here’s your cards… 2)There’s your territory…. 3)Now, Go Get ‘Em Baby! Although this may bring a chuckle to you, the fact is that many companies hire “experienced” salespeople from competitors or from similar industries and assume that, because they have worked as salesperson before, they will be able to “catch on” quickly and start selling their product or service effectively. No matter how many times that they have seen the opposite, this remains the standard M.O. for a vast majority of companies in the marketplace today. It is my belief that this comes from a laziness of purpose or a stubborn pig-headed-ness on the part of the company that has them believing that a salesperson SHOULD no how to build a book of business in their company. There are no “SHOULDs” in building and training a sales team. Often in this approach, the only training that the salesperson gets is on product knowledge and “How we pitch it!”
Now, I have a question for you: Does your “sales training program” in your company look similar to any of the scenarios above? Are you nervously chuckling right now or red-faced embarrassed? Are you putting a fancy gift-wrap on one of these 10 common mistakes or are you justifying one or more of them with things like “I don’t have the time” or “This doesn’t apply to my organization?” If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, don’t worry! (OK, worry, but ACT on it!) There is help available!!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Stop Selling Features!
Every time I run a training session, whether with sales managers and CEOs or with salespeople, I ask the question: What do people buy; benefits or features? Without exception, there is a pause and then the word benefits sneaks out. (As if they are not sure...) YES! Benefits are what people buy! I don’t want your product! I don’t care to own your service! I simply want the benefit of what owning it does for me!
An overused example: All of us who own a power drill do not care to own the drill. At one point in our past, we simply wanted a HOLE! The hole is the benefit that the drill provides.
And so it is with our products and services. The things that are important to you about your product or service are typically NOT what is important to your customers.
Do the following exercise: Grab a blank piece of paper and very quickly write down the three main BENEFITS of doing business with your company.
Did you do it? If you did (and you are like most of those who go through this exercise), you probably have some of the following words or phrases on the page in front of you:
Quality Service Reliability Trust Dedicated Staff
Technology Local People Knowledge Track Record
Me Relationships Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack
You see, EVERYONE says the same stuff all of the time! We go into the marketplace and passionately tout the benefits of quality, service, and reliability (the holy tri-fecta of sales). Guess what? Your competition is saying the same things! We all sound alike! We all sound like we attended the same school of sales. We are all putting ourselves into the same box.
STOP IT! Start helping the the customer understand how these words or phrases (FEATURES) translate into benefits for them! What does “service” translate into for them? What BENEFIT do I get because of your product's quality? (BTW, isn't quality a minimum expectation today?) The answers to these questions will bring the customer closer to the reason that they will but from you.
Pass the "SO WHAT!" test:
Here’s a quick tip to help: Follow up each of your feature statements with this sentence:
So……what that (the feature) means to YOU is this: ________________________.
There are only a handful of benefits that your customer seeks. What are the main benefits that your product or service provides for your customer? Is it Peace of Mind? Is it Greater Profitability? Is it Ease of Use? Is it Looking Good or Status? Is it to Dominate the Competition?
"What is it that owning your product allows me to have that I do not have currently?" If you can answer this and speak to this in your efforts to sell to me, I will not only go out of my way to own your product, I will pay a premium as well!
An overused example: All of us who own a power drill do not care to own the drill. At one point in our past, we simply wanted a HOLE! The hole is the benefit that the drill provides.
And so it is with our products and services. The things that are important to you about your product or service are typically NOT what is important to your customers.
Do the following exercise: Grab a blank piece of paper and very quickly write down the three main BENEFITS of doing business with your company.
Did you do it? If you did (and you are like most of those who go through this exercise), you probably have some of the following words or phrases on the page in front of you:
Quality Service Reliability Trust Dedicated Staff
Technology Local People Knowledge Track Record
Me Relationships Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack
You see, EVERYONE says the same stuff all of the time! We go into the marketplace and passionately tout the benefits of quality, service, and reliability (the holy tri-fecta of sales). Guess what? Your competition is saying the same things! We all sound alike! We all sound like we attended the same school of sales. We are all putting ourselves into the same box.
STOP IT! Start helping the the customer understand how these words or phrases (FEATURES) translate into benefits for them! What does “service” translate into for them? What BENEFIT do I get because of your product's quality? (BTW, isn't quality a minimum expectation today?) The answers to these questions will bring the customer closer to the reason that they will but from you.
Pass the "SO WHAT!" test:
Here’s a quick tip to help: Follow up each of your feature statements with this sentence:
So……what that (the feature) means to YOU is this: ________________________.
There are only a handful of benefits that your customer seeks. What are the main benefits that your product or service provides for your customer? Is it Peace of Mind? Is it Greater Profitability? Is it Ease of Use? Is it Looking Good or Status? Is it to Dominate the Competition?
"What is it that owning your product allows me to have that I do not have currently?" If you can answer this and speak to this in your efforts to sell to me, I will not only go out of my way to own your product, I will pay a premium as well!
Monday, November 2, 2009
The #1 Skill in Selling---LISTENING!
We all initially got into sales because we are good talkers, good negotiators, good persuaders, and because we are comfortable when doing all of these things with strangers. We take courses on, attend seminars regarding, and read books about how to be better at “Getting our Point Across,” “Giving Professional Presentations,” “Overcoming Objections,” and “Power Phrases that Sell.” We constantly work on better ways to say what we want to say. We tape ourselves on the phones talking and even video ourselves talking/pitching in role-play situations. Although all of this is important, what I notice getting lost on most salespeople of today is the tried and true art of listening.
I have yet to ever run into a truly top shelf successful salesperson that is not a great listener. Great salespeople realize that they MUST listen to the prospect/customer because:
*When they are listening, they are learning about the prospect/customer
*With more info on the customer needs, they have a better shot in recommending the proper solutions.
*When they are listening, they are building trust.
*When they are listening, the customer is buying into them.
*When they are listening, they are showing that they care.
*When they truly listen, the customer will tell them what to say (or ask) next.
I do a lot of training in the areas of effective question asking to “open” a customer. I work on the reasons why we ask the questions that we do and how to best structure and practice those questions beforehand so that they appear very “off the cuff” and centered on the prospect/customer’s specific situation. However, I do not spend enough time discussing the art of listening to the answers and response strategies. I can only picture a mindless set of drones out in the marketplace asking a question, checking it off the list, and moving on to the next. Say it isn’t so!!!!
Enthusiastic Listening
Let’s take a closer look at this term shall we? How does one enthusiastically listen? When you think about that term, what comes to mind for you? I get a picture in my mind of someone leaning in (edge of their chair), eyes locked on whomever is talking, eyebrows raised, nodding in understanding, hanging on every word, and responding with requests for more. I see in my minds eye a child listening to an exciting bedtime story for the first time and asking things like “What happened next?” “Who is that?” “Why did she do that, Mommy?” “What does he look like, Daddy?” and so on.
In the profession of sales, that same wide-eyed enthusiasm over the words of our prospects/customers may be quite appropriate to a certain degree. INTERESTED is the word that we are going for here. I feel that the best way for a prospect/customer to be INTERESTED in you is to be genuinely INTERESTED in them. The problem is that most of us feel that we have to be INTERESTING! We feel that we have to speak eloquently, have a solid canned “pitch” that is compelling, and through these tactics, we will win over the hearts and minds of our prospects/customers. C’Mon…..Get over yourself!! It’s not about you! It’s about them and their pains, their fears, their desires, their highest value needs.
By listening enthusiastically, you will show the prospect/customer the greatest respect that you can. You will show that you care about their needs-not yours. You will show that you are interested in how to best create a solution for them. You will show that you are different, that you stand out! Below are few tips to help you engage in the art of enthusiastic listening:
1.Look ‘em in the eye!
When a prospect/customer is speaking (answering your questions), do your best to look them directly in the eye as much as you can. It shows that you are focused on their response. A great tip to help you stay focused intently on them is to pick just one eye and look directly into that.
2.Use appropriate facial expressions and nods.
Use non-verbal feedback in the form of the occasional nod to show understanding and agreement, a head tilt with brow furrowing to show a lack of understanding (and thus a request for more info), a smile and nod to show clarity and agreement. Also use winces and other similar facial expressions to show that you feel their pain. Much can be said without saying a word. Learn to master this art through practice in front of a mirror.
3.Lean into the conversation.
There is nothing wrong with leaning into the conversation during particularly intense or emotional points in which pains and fears are being discovered and discussed. Get on the edge of your chair and show them that you care.
4.Take notes.
There is a term called “noteworthy” that seems to be appropriate for the purposes of a sales interaction. By writing down some of the main points of the conversation, you will not only show the prospect/customer that you are listening and that you care, you will also show that what she is saying is worthy of making note of it. Also, if you write down what they say word-for-word and how they say it (use quotes on these parts) then you will have a tool to use later in the sales process to assist in closing the sale.
5.Ask follow-up questions with active probing verbs.
Some examples of some solid follow up questions might be:
*“Why?”
*“Can you expand on that?”
*“Paint me a picture of that.”
*“Can you give me an example?”
*“How long has that been the case?”
*“Have you always felt that way?”
*“Why do you suppose that is?”
The art of the follow up question is imperative if we are to truly separate ourselves
from our competitors in the field of sales. The follow up answer tends to get to the
true MOTIVATORS that our prospects/customers have to potentially do business
with us.
So, in the future, think about that young child listening intently to his/her parent reading Peter Pan for the first time to them. See if you can see the look in their eyes, the curiosity in their entire demeanor. Create that same level of enthusiastic curiosity in yourself as you head into your next sales call. Listening is a skill and one that can be learned.
I have yet to ever run into a truly top shelf successful salesperson that is not a great listener. Great salespeople realize that they MUST listen to the prospect/customer because:
*When they are listening, they are learning about the prospect/customer
*With more info on the customer needs, they have a better shot in recommending the proper solutions.
*When they are listening, they are building trust.
*When they are listening, the customer is buying into them.
*When they are listening, they are showing that they care.
*When they truly listen, the customer will tell them what to say (or ask) next.
I do a lot of training in the areas of effective question asking to “open” a customer. I work on the reasons why we ask the questions that we do and how to best structure and practice those questions beforehand so that they appear very “off the cuff” and centered on the prospect/customer’s specific situation. However, I do not spend enough time discussing the art of listening to the answers and response strategies. I can only picture a mindless set of drones out in the marketplace asking a question, checking it off the list, and moving on to the next. Say it isn’t so!!!!
Enthusiastic Listening
Let’s take a closer look at this term shall we? How does one enthusiastically listen? When you think about that term, what comes to mind for you? I get a picture in my mind of someone leaning in (edge of their chair), eyes locked on whomever is talking, eyebrows raised, nodding in understanding, hanging on every word, and responding with requests for more. I see in my minds eye a child listening to an exciting bedtime story for the first time and asking things like “What happened next?” “Who is that?” “Why did she do that, Mommy?” “What does he look like, Daddy?” and so on.
In the profession of sales, that same wide-eyed enthusiasm over the words of our prospects/customers may be quite appropriate to a certain degree. INTERESTED is the word that we are going for here. I feel that the best way for a prospect/customer to be INTERESTED in you is to be genuinely INTERESTED in them. The problem is that most of us feel that we have to be INTERESTING! We feel that we have to speak eloquently, have a solid canned “pitch” that is compelling, and through these tactics, we will win over the hearts and minds of our prospects/customers. C’Mon…..Get over yourself!! It’s not about you! It’s about them and their pains, their fears, their desires, their highest value needs.
By listening enthusiastically, you will show the prospect/customer the greatest respect that you can. You will show that you care about their needs-not yours. You will show that you are interested in how to best create a solution for them. You will show that you are different, that you stand out! Below are few tips to help you engage in the art of enthusiastic listening:
1.Look ‘em in the eye!
When a prospect/customer is speaking (answering your questions), do your best to look them directly in the eye as much as you can. It shows that you are focused on their response. A great tip to help you stay focused intently on them is to pick just one eye and look directly into that.
2.Use appropriate facial expressions and nods.
Use non-verbal feedback in the form of the occasional nod to show understanding and agreement, a head tilt with brow furrowing to show a lack of understanding (and thus a request for more info), a smile and nod to show clarity and agreement. Also use winces and other similar facial expressions to show that you feel their pain. Much can be said without saying a word. Learn to master this art through practice in front of a mirror.
3.Lean into the conversation.
There is nothing wrong with leaning into the conversation during particularly intense or emotional points in which pains and fears are being discovered and discussed. Get on the edge of your chair and show them that you care.
4.Take notes.
There is a term called “noteworthy” that seems to be appropriate for the purposes of a sales interaction. By writing down some of the main points of the conversation, you will not only show the prospect/customer that you are listening and that you care, you will also show that what she is saying is worthy of making note of it. Also, if you write down what they say word-for-word and how they say it (use quotes on these parts) then you will have a tool to use later in the sales process to assist in closing the sale.
5.Ask follow-up questions with active probing verbs.
Some examples of some solid follow up questions might be:
*“Why?”
*“Can you expand on that?”
*“Paint me a picture of that.”
*“Can you give me an example?”
*“How long has that been the case?”
*“Have you always felt that way?”
*“Why do you suppose that is?”
The art of the follow up question is imperative if we are to truly separate ourselves
from our competitors in the field of sales. The follow up answer tends to get to the
true MOTIVATORS that our prospects/customers have to potentially do business
with us.
So, in the future, think about that young child listening intently to his/her parent reading Peter Pan for the first time to them. See if you can see the look in their eyes, the curiosity in their entire demeanor. Create that same level of enthusiastic curiosity in yourself as you head into your next sales call. Listening is a skill and one that can be learned.
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