FOCUS Precedes Success--Where's Your's?

If your sales organization is trying to “right the ship” and get sales production back on track, here are FIVE key areas on which to turn your attention:

1-Attitude and Belief
“When fear and uncertainty are more commonplace in the customer’s mind, as they are in tougher economic times, it is imperative that the sales professional counters this with a strong level of confidence and credibility.”
Is it harder to sell today than it was two years ago? Most salespeople today would undoubtedly say yes! Prospects and customers are facing challenges that force their thinking to be more reserved and risk averse. There seems to less money available and more focus on pricing than in recent years. Salespeople are getting kicked in the teeth every day with pricing demands and perceived commoditization! There seems to be less buyers and more stress from management to get sales UP!! In fact, today it is very easy to become a VICTIM of the “perfect storm” many of us face.
The number one area of focus for salespeople (and thus, those who lead them) must be on ATTITUDE. In tougher economic times, the attitude and belief of our sales team needs to move up a notch to counter the negativity and challenges that they face. Attitude tends to drive the sales skills necessary for success. Attitude tends to define both quality and quantity of activity—both VERY important in slower times.
Here are a few ideas to give your people a “shot in the arm” and to drive that attitude and belief up:
**No VICTIMS!—Make it a policy to only speak solutions and NOT problems. Those who feel underwater (overwhelmed) typically are not far from drowning.
**READ—Your people need to feed their minds with the right stuff to counter all of the doomsday things that they hear and experience in the media and the marketplace every day. Start a sales book of the month club and stick to it.
**SHARE SUCCESSES—Don’t allow your team to get too mired down in the problems of the day. Talk about WINS twice as much as you discuss losses. Learn from all of them.
**TRAIN TO GAIN—Don’t fall into the trap of pulling back investment during slow times—that’s what their customers are doing. Get your people off-site and get their focus back on themes such as “WE CAN!” Consider retaining an outside speaker/trainer (I might know a good one) to facilitate and drive the message!

2-People and Performance
It is a reality that a more challenging selling environment tends to separate the winners from the losers. That may not be a politically correct statement but it is true! I find that when times get tougher, there are many (MANY) salespeople who roll up the proverbial sidewalks and hope to “ride out the storm.” There a few, however that take full advantage of this fact and use the tougher time to get closer their top customers AND their top prospects by working harder and adding significant VALUE! That is the type of ACTION that you need to have on your team now.
It is easy to hide when sales are going well. I am of the belief that many industries (real estate, mortgage, financial services) are coming off several years of irrational well-being which allowed for many salespeople to “pick the low hanging fruit” from the tree. If this recent shift in our markets finds your salespeople fruitless, you may need to take a good look at them. The fruit is still in the tree, we simply need to climb a little higher to get to it. Are your people willing to do so?
If things are not getting done today, there are only two reasons: Either they CAN’T do it or they WON’T do it! In either case, you need to address the issue:
CAN’T = Re-training opportunity. Define a clearer track for your people to run on today. Be clear with your expectations and performance standards. Define the “how to do” and “why to do” as much as you tell them “what to do!” Once the training is clear, it is up to the individual to perform. If they continue to be unable to accomplish minimums, you have a duty to do something about it. Tough times are no time to hold onto those who cannot!
WON’T = Attitude problem. These people (attitudes) need to be dealt with very decisively. Turning your head and hesitating to cut bad attitudes from the team in tough times is a kiss of death. Go back and re-read the above paragraphs on the importance of belief and attitude that increase in tighter economic times. Usher the bad attitudes and victims off your team ASAP!
Remember the old adage that states:
“If you can’t, I’ll TEACH ya—if you won’t, I’ll BEAT ya!”

3-Pricing Strategy vs. Value Strategy
Too often, I see many companies making concessions in their pricing models during tougher economic times. Due to the fact that our prospects and customers are more price sensitive, we often see price drops, term extensions and other similar negotiation dysfunctions. Although it is very natural for most people (ourselves and our customers) to believe that they do better by paying less, we KNOW that instead of offering lower prices, we should be doing MORE for our customers! (Value-Add)
If your customers are anything like mine, most of them didn’t wake up this morning excited to BUY or OWN your product or service. They do, however, have a desire to USE your product or service to accomplish something! What is THAT? More importantly, what is THAT today? Here are a couple of questions that you might ask yourself today?

**What do we do for our customers to help them succeed with our product or service?
**What do we do (or can we do) for our customers that our competition can’t or won’t?
**Are we adding value in the minds of the customer? Really?
**What is the experience that we deliver when a customer buys? How can we improve that in every area of the company?
**Where are the areas in our business that the customer is NOT getting taken care of or NOT feeling appreciated or important?
**If we lower price and cut margins today, how will ever get them back tomorrow?
**P.R.I.D.E. = Profit is Reflected in Daily Effort! Does our company (at every touch) exude that PRIDE that earns our margins?
**Do our customers feel more important when we drop price or when we help them succeed?

Don’t lower price---instead, sell better, add value, and build customer loyalty!

4-Communication andVisibilty

Many of the customers that we serve today are “battening down the hatches” and going into defense mode due to the economy. Many of our competitors are following suit; slowing things down, cutting back, visiting customers less, and trying to “watch the pennies” until these difficult times subside. It’s almost as if they are waiting for the next shoe to drop or counting the days until death. What an opportunity this affords us!
Now is the time to OVER-communicate in your company—to let everyone know that we have the competition “on the run” and that we need to be sharp, focus, and more customer focused than EVER!
In addition, now is the time to truly “move the dial” on your (value-add) interaction with your customers. Now is the time to be more visible, more consultative, more customer focused than you have been in the past. Many of your customers are second-guessing every relationship, every vendor, and every decision today. Here are a few good questions to within your team:
**How can we increase mind-share AND heart-share with our customers today?
**What do our customers VALUE most of all today? (Don’t say low price!)
**What do our customers want to avoid more than anything today?
**How can we assist in this area? (Even if it has nothing to do with our products?)
**How can we become a part of the customer’s culture this week?
**What indecision, doubts, and fears are my people experiencing today and how can we address & overcome them through communication?

When the going gets tough, the tough get going—and don’t go invisible!

5-Activity and ACTION

Just as mentioned above, uncertainty in the marketplace can often lead to a “freeze” mentality and a wait and see approach to decisions. Too often, in a sales environment, this can lead to Call Reluctance, hesitance, and indecision on the part of the salesperson. This often results in even lower sales due to less opportunity, due to less calls and prospect/customer interaction. Although this relates pretty heavy to the topic above, (communication and visibility) the willingness and ability to bust through your issues, your fears, and your indecision during tough times is absolutely imperative!
Many times, tough times bring about a SLUMP in sales. Just as with many things, I define a SLUMP in a classic acronym:
S---Saying Negative Things—This occurs when you or your people spend too much time focusing on what is NOT happening rather than the efforts necessary to change it is a ticket directly to LOSERVILLE!
L---Laziness of Purpose---This is a direct reflection on a loss of focus on “What you intend to be” that causes too much “what if” thinking and, thus no ACTION!
U---Undecided---Indecision is one of THE WORST things that results from a tougher economy (especially for a leader). There are three types of decisions: right decisions, wrong decisions, and NO decisions. Indecisions KILL a sales culture and a book of business. Make a decision and take ACTION---even if it is the wrong one, the decision to ACT identified the right one!
M---Misdirected---When we are negative, unsure, and undecided, we have a major tendency to work on the wrong things. Although we remain busy, the fact is that busy-ness doesn’t translate to business! Always stay focused on your highest and best use—especially during tougher times!
“Poor-Me” Attitude---Finally, the worst thing that a tough market can do to you is to get you or your people is get you in the role of a VICTIM! This place is a very difficult place to come home from so be steadfast in your focus to “catch yourself” and to “catch others” from going into the pity closet.

Pay attention to lack of activity, lack of focus, lack of attitude, and lack of belief within yourself and your team during these more challenging times. Each of these issues can (and often will) dig a deep hole from which it is tough to crawl. Don’t make issues worse by getting SOFT during this “recession.” Get clear, get focused, and get BUSY!

ASK for the Sale!

Here is an interesting question: Why is it that we, as salespeople spend so long, invest so much time, energy, preparation, and effort on the phone with the prospective and existing customer during the sales cycle only to let the sale fade away or go to the competition? Why is it that we place so much emphasis and commitment on the process of moving the ball down the field but yet design so very few plays to actually take the ball into the end zone?

We need to realize that whenever we do not actually attempt to create some closure--ask for the business--we literally destroy (or at least taint) all that we have worked for throughout the sales process. We give up the connection and trust that we have built, the relationships that we have developed, the enthusiasm we have created, and the momentum of the process. We simply let the sale wither away and die or get taken over by another more assertive, focused salesperson that was prepared (AND took the leap of faith) to ASK for the business!

Do you feel that you offer such irrefutable evidence of value throughout your sales presentations that the customer will simply give in? Do you feel that your features, advantages, and benefits (FAB points) are so compelling that prospects don’t need to be asked to buy them? Do you feel that you will offend your prospect or customer if you were to actually ask them to buy from you? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you need to GET OVER IT! (and possibly consider another career!) Here are a few very key RULES when it comes to closing the sale:
Rule #1—You MUST ask for the business!
Rule #2—You MUST earn the right to ask for the business!
Rule #3—The customer knows why you’re there!
Rule #4—Sometimes the answer is NO! Deal with it!
Rule #5—If you cannot, will not, or do not ask for the business, someone else will!
Ok, so why does it happen? Why do many salespeople have a hesitance to ask for the business?

It is my belief that most salespeople do not ask for the YES
because they are afraid to hear the NO!

Here are some other reasons:
*Little to no belief in their value proposition.
*A lack of confidence or self-worth.
*No connection with the customer, thus low trust.
*The customer is in control-asking all of the questions.
*The salesperson doesn’t feel like they have earned the right yet.
*The salesperson has not discovered any motivators to create urgency.
*No time-lines have been discussed throughout the process.
*There is no defined sales process that the salesperson can follow.

The good news is that ALL of these are within the control of the salesperson---the SMART salesperson.

FACT: It is not the responsibility of the customers to close themselves.
It is the job of the salesperson to get that done! You are not paid to be a professional educator, a professional presenter, a hesitant visitor, or a walking-talking brochure-website. You are paid to move the ball down the field and to score. That's it!!
The web site, the brochures, the advertising, and other marketing pieces often have very little to do with the Call to Action…but you do! Your territory, products, prices, and your competition are what they are and they do not control your success…you do! The prospective customer knows that you are there for a reason--don't forget this. Often, the only thing that stands in the way is you! Are you willing to make the changes necessary to stay in the game? If so, take a look at a few suggestions:

**Learn how to ask better (more focused) questions to pull out true motivations (Pains-Fears-Desires) from the prospect. Get to the WHY behind their answers! Ask questions to gauge the prospects level of interest, understanding, and continued engagement in the process such as “So far, so good?” “Up to this point, what questions do you have?” “Does that make sense?”

**Have a clear purpose for each and every call that you make on the prospect. If you don’t understand what needs to be discovered /uncovered and agreed upon in the sales process, how will the customer? Going on a call without a clearly defined purpose and a clearly prepared Call to Action wastes both your time and the prospect’s.

**Learn to “set the pace” of the sales cycle from the beginning. Be in control by constantly and relentlessly moving the deal forward by calling the shots. Get in the habit of thinking—and asking---“So what’s our next step?”

**Do you homework and be prepared to address any objection or concern that stands in your way when you attempt to close the sale. Write down the most common objections (there are fewer than you think) and practice the best way to clarify, validate, isolate, and address these with your customers. Your confidence in addressing these objections plays a MAJOR role in overcoming customer’s concerns and getting a sale to completion. That confidence is a direct result of your preparation and practice.

**Be prepared to hear NO. The best salespeople would rather hear a no today than hear a maybe forever. And remember, often time a no is only the beginning of the sale.

**Make sure you are dealing with the true decision makers. Never try to create closure with someone that cannot say yes! Anyone can say NO or derail your progress. Make sure you are dealing with “the Juice” before you begin ask for the business.

**Have a very, very strong conviction in yourself, your company, your product or service, and the benefits that they provide to your customers such that you feel that NOBODY who truly understands the value of ownership could ever say no! If you don’t have this conviction, get it or get out! Remember, they don’t buy because they are passionate about what you sell….they buy because YOU are passionate about what you sell!

**Fill your pipeline! If every sale lost or won dictates your success or failure for the week, the month, the quarter, or the year, you simply do not have enough action going on. It is amazing how readily you will ask for the business when you don’t live or die by the answer you get in return.

In today’s economy, there is a lot of uncertainty and fear. These two things cause hesitation and lack of action on the part of consumers. It is NOW that a true salesperson must emerge and help the customer make that purchase. Selling is tough if you are focused ONLY on your need to sell. Re-focus your efforts on your personal Attitudes, Skills, and Activities that must be sharpened to HELP THE CUSTOMER BUY! Now get out there and ask for the business!

SHAKE It Up This Year!

There comes a time in every sale professional’s life that they get into cruise control. They simply get into a mode of operation that finds them grinding through the same activities day in and day out. This may be something that they have gotten into consciously or on purpose but more often it is a state at which they have arrived quite by accident.

There are several reasons that one gets into this Comfort Zone. Maybe they are happy where they are. (Or at least that is what they say) Maybe they have too much going on to even think about trying something new. (Or at least that’s what they think--activity rarely is the same as productivity!) Maybe they are coming off a great sales month and have decided to “take a breather” to enjoy their success. (This is a killer! It's also fairly rare today due to the state of the economy.) Perhaps they have fallen into a routine of meeting management’s minimum activity requirements. (“Hey, it's a tough time....I made my calls and filed my reports!”) Perhaps they feel that trying something new will increase their chances of failure and will cause more work for them. Maybe they are too busy taking care of customers in a service role. Maybe they are simply tired, lazy, or misdirected. Maybe they just suck!

Whatever the reason, or excuse, the dreaded Comfort Zone is a dangerous place for a sales professional to be. It is a place where Maintenance is the goal and Growth is the stranger. It is the place where Goals have been forgotten and Dreams have been eroded. This is no place for a growth oriented sales professional to be!

Is a Comfort Zone a bad thing? I guess that depends upon who you are and what it is that you want out of your career and your life. Most people get into the profession of selling based upon entering a profession with an earning potential that is without limitations. The top performers among all sales professionals in the marketplace today are consistently looking for ways to improve and grow their results. And even they can sometimes find themselves in cruise control mode! No good!

What need to happen to SNAP out of this Comfort Zone?

You need to S.H.A.K.E. things up a bit!

Let's break it down:

S-Set or Revisit Your Goals for the Year
Each and every year it is imperative that salespeople take the time to set their goals for the upcoming year. Why? We are in a career that necessitates self discipline, prioritization, and committed action in many areas. Often, there is not a boss breathing down our neck or a time-clock to punch to ensure that we are “staying the course.” Therefore, we must decide what it is that we want to accomplish each year in our business and personal lives. Our goals must be clear and concise rather than wandering and vague. They must be written down and have deadlines (or lifelines-if you prefer) assigned to them.
If you find yourself working within your Comfort Zone, you need to re-visit these goals. You need to remind yourself what it is that you really want/need to accomplish. Often your sales efforts are the means by which you accomplish many of your finaincial goals. And often, accomplishing your financial goals allows you to attain many of your perosnal goals. (Although money doesn't necessarily buy happiness, it certainly helps you get and do things that can make you happy!) There is an ancient Eastern proverb that says something like, “When one is aware of the why, they can deal with almost any of the how.” So, refocus on what you set your sights on this year so that you can get back to the business of working towards the goal instead of just working.

H-Have a Solid Game Plan
Before you go rushing off towards a new (or re-committed to) goal, you must first have a clear plan of what to do—as well as what NOT to do. Think of all of the things that need to occur in order to accomplish the goal. What needs to happen? What needs to happen this month, next month, next quarter, etc. What needs to “go on the back-burner?
Organize your list into a plan by priority and sequence. Understand that there will be obstacles. (What could go wrong?) Understand that every plan will have potential unforeseen roadblocks that will come up. (What might come up?) Try your best to identify as many of them as you can beforehand (pre-call preparation) with a contingency plan to work your way through them or around them. No excuses, no blame! If there is a game plan (a track on which to run) than you have a much better shot at accomplishing what it is that you set out to do.

A-Arrive Earlier to the Game
In reading a recent article in INC. Magazine about success traits of some of the nation’s top executives, one of the common things that all of them shared was they got an early start every day. Most of them were up well before 5:00am and “in the chair” before most of their competition. In the game of life, you have very few opportunities to “gather an edge” over the competition. The competition that we are discussing in this article is the Comfort Zone—the competition for your success!So let's set a commitment right now to get your butt out of bed earlier than usual for the next 60 days! If you are normally just getting up at 7:00am, then immediately re-set your alarm clock to “join the 5 o’clock club!” The things that you can accomplish or the way that you can prepare in those “Golden 120” minutes between 5:00am and 7:00am will snap you out of your Comfort Zone and into your Action Zone! Think about all of the things you can accomplish. Sleeping in is for losers....and your competition!

K-Kick up Some New Activity
I am often reminded of an old commercial for Dunkin’ Donuts that highlighted the donut maker waking up every morning, day-in and day-out, with the same phrase, “Time to make the donuts…” Every day, he went about the exact same routine of waking up at the same time and mindlessly getting to work to crank out dozens and dozens of donuts. I witness way too many sales professionals falling into the same trap. They get up each day and mindlessly go through a set of prescribed motions designed to identify, capture and engage new customers while, at the same time taking care of existing customers. The find themselves often times in a rut. (Which has been described as a grave with the ends kicked out!)
It’s time to Kick up some new ACTIVITY. In order to get out of the Comfort Zone rut, we need to take a long hard look (hell, make it a short glance) at the myriad of things that we do each and every day and ask ourselves if each one produces the results desired. IT just takes some THOUGHT. (BTW, that's why so few people do it!) Next, we need to identify 5 NEW activities that we can begin right now that will re-ignite our creative flames, get us out into the limelight (in front of our customers), and shake things up! Ideas: Start and post onece per week to a blog. Send 10 handwritten notes per week. Invite 10 customers that have left back to you through a cool new invitiation. Attend some new networking events. Wite a speech for the local chamber and deliver it. Get creative--do something new. Be bold--get crazy. Why not?


E-Enjoy the Results of Your Work!
When all is said and done; when you have recommitted to your goals for the year, built and taken action on a solid plan to accomplish those goals, gotten into the habit of arriving earlier to the game, and kicked up some new focused activity, the results will be apparent! It is very important to celebrate your re-birth to the land of the committed. Enjoy the fruits of your re-found efforts! Hey, in the end, this is a game. This is a journey. As I said however, it is you who draws the map for the journey. If you know the destination and can lay out a route to get there, you will have a much better shot of changing course when you take the occasional exit off the Comfort Zone freeway.

Visit my website at www.GerryLayo.com for more information and articles on how to Shake It Up as a sales pro!

What if you CAN'T Blame Price?

Just recently, I was doing a presentation for a group of CEOs and key executives in the Northeast. During the period before I began my session, I as meeting a few of the attendees and, like I often do, got into a “confrontational coaching session.”

The attendee was a sales manager for a company that sells a commodity (home heating fuel-oil) to the residential homeowner. He and I were in a conversation which got into the importance of new sales due to the inevitable loss (attrition) of customers each year. He stated that his company brought in about four thousand new customers each year and HAD to because they LOST about four thousand customers each year! Whoa……..! Who can afford to lose four thousand customers a year?

“WHY?” I cried! What in the world could cause thousands of customers to leave every year? He stated that ALL of these customers left due to price. You see, they were the highest price in the market justified, no doubt, by high levels of service.

Each of us has a justification why we lose a customer whenever it happens. In fact, many times, we own or work for a company that chooses to be a higher priced company with a higher priced product in the marketplace. In doing so they/we have made a choice to bring MORE to the table than our competitors—to add more value! We cannot simply MAKE more money, we must do things to EARN that additional margin and thus EARN that raise! Too many times, as I suspect with this company, the additional “service” offered is simply lip-service!

Back to my story: I stopped this young man from going any further and asked him to re-answer my question (“WHY do they leave?”) with a new rule imposed (my favorite rule): He could not that say PRICE is why they left! Although he fought to continue to go back to the PRICING issue, I simply would not let him. I gave into the fact that a certain percentage (cross-industry standards of 3 years ago said 17%) of customers buy or leave based primarily upon price. I figured that left more than 3000 customers—homeowners who, at least once, had said “I trust you and your company and I am willing to take a chance on you” had left for something in addition or other than PRICE!

By then, several other attendees of the same session were settling in and starting to pay attention to our dialogue. Some of these attendees were also customers and past customers of this gentleman’s company. They also started challenging him on the “WHY ELSE do they leave?” line of questions. It started to get a little defensive, a little heated, and a LOT interesting! You see, he HAD to listen to some of these people. They were his current and past customers. They were telling him—yelling at him—that they did not choose to come to his company OR leave his company because of PRICE! They told him that they came because of SALES (and thus, due to the promises that were made by sales) and they left because of sales (and thus, due to the promises either made by another company’s sales rep or the promises NOT KEPT by the original company!) What an eye opener for ALL of us!

Let me get to the lesson here: We can look at many ways to improve the IMPACT of your sales approach out there. We can address all of the ATTITUDE, SKILL SETS, and ACTIVITIES of your salespeople. We can turn to prospecting, lead generation, lead pursuit, presentation, negotiation, objection management, closing and follow-up skills. BUT, we need to look at HOW we deliver on what it is that we promise as well. We need to look at HOW we truly differentiate our product and service in the minds of our customers. A personal inventory is the hardest one to take. But it must be done! Do you and your people, through all of your processes and policies, truly stand out and WALK THE TALK of the sales and marketing promise. If not, don’t blame price!

Where are the customer killers in your business? Remember that every time someone chooses to “do business” with you or your company, they receive an experience. Is it always as promised? Is it always as expected? Here are a few ways that your customers and mine try to “do business” with us:

-When they call BEFORE we are officially open….what does THAT sound like?
-When they call 10 minutes after we are officially closed…what does THAT sound like?
-When the phone is answered LIVE…what does THAT sound like?
-When they have a question…how easy is it to get an answer?
-When they have a return…how easy is it to process?
-When they have a problem or a complaint…how easy is it to get the right ears to listen?
-When they want to check on the status of an order…
-When they have a referral….
-When they want to re-order….
-When the driver delivers the order…
-When they want to ADD something to an existing order…..
-When they want to speak to their rep and the rep is not available….
-When they get put on hold……..

Listen to me: It’s is rarely ONLY a price issue. Often times, your service and deliverables are so much like the competitions (in the mind of the customer) that all the customers have to rely upon is what IS different…the competition’s price! If you don’t stand out in their minds, you have to stand out in their wallets.

So……..go back to the office today and ask your team (EVERYONE WHO TOUCHES THE CUSTOMER) the question. “When we lose, why do we lose?” And make sure that you impose the “you can’t say price rule.” Be brutally honest with yourself. By the way, if your digging doesn’t turn up some issues, ask the same question to one of your customers that left.

No More Low-Hanging Fruit...Now you Need to Climb!

"Look around the orchard of opportunity and tell me what you see."

Many of you see no fruit in the tree. Some of you see opportunity disguised as work. While it is true that opportunities are more challenging to identify today and even more challenging to get to, we need to realize two things:

1-The fruit is higher up in the tree--but it is still there!
2-We need to learn (or re-learn) how to climb!

On the ladder to today's sales opportunity, there are THREE rungs on which sales leaders need to place laser FOCUS:

ALL-IN
During a trying selling environment, many salespeople hold a “The grass is always greener” thought process. In other words, the thoughts of self-doubt, marketplace doubt, customer doubt, and “Am I in the right place?” doubt start kicking in and thus, they begin to begin to look around for new opportunity. You cannot blame them; their commissions are down, the customers are buying less, their prospects are in hiding, and very few risks are being taken by their customers. It’s gloomy---it’s dark---it is very challenging.
This type of situation is very dangerous for your company! With uncertainty in the minds of your sales force, nothing happens! It is time to circle the wagons and gain commitment from your team. It is time for a COACH (you) to gauge your team’s level of “buy-in.”
The sport (?) of Texas Hold-Em poker has become very popular today. Many times, tournaments are broadcast on television and online games are being held around the clock and across the globe. My favorite part is when a player is dealt a hand and, based upon his hand—or his strategy—pushes all of his chips (money) into the center of the table and declares that he is “All-In!” This means that he is betting every dollar on this one hand and that he is fully committed to winning it! The beauty of this in my mind is that it leaves no wiggle room—no back door! One hundred percent of his effort and focus is on the next few cards and he has no way out---no option but to see this hand through to the end.
Pull your sales team together NOW and figure out who is “All-In.” It is my belief that we, in the profession of sales, are either All-In or somewhat OUT. The latter of the two options can create major dysfunction in your sales organization and lost opportunity for your company. It is often the “glue” created by the leader giving solid guidance and coaching during this time that is needed most. Decide right now WHAT you need your people doing and HOW! Gain (or Re-Gain) their buy-in to the growth necessary to fight today’s battles. Those who are ALL-IN belong and those who are not………….?

ADD VALUE
What is it that your customers are going through today that is posing a challenge in their business? What is it that they value today? What is it that they want to accomplish more than anything in the upcoming 24 months?

Too often, there is a tendency to turn very transaction oriented in an economic downturn. We are too often more concerned with getting something (a deal/a sale) done that we lose focus on getting the right things done! We make concessions, lower prices and hope to hold on---in fact, only adding to our problems through margin erosion. We even train our customers to beat us up for lower prices and unhealthy terms. That is not adding value to your customers---that is only subtracting value for you!
It is now that you need to turn your focus on your customer’s needs. Most times, a customer does not really want to own your product or service. Instead, they want to experience a BENEFIT. So what does your product or service DO FOR your customer and how can you add to that in tough economic times? What is it that you can add to their business that your competition cannot or will not? Figure this out and turn your attention to this VALUE. Take action today!

TRAIN TO GAIN
Two of the things that get dropped from the focus (and budget) are training and marketing---two of the main things that drive new sales and account penetration! Sales Managers at this time typically focus on more activity; “Make more calls, see more people, get out there and fight!” The skill sets of our people need to be re-tooled constantly—especially in more challenging selling environments. Here is a very valuable exercise for you to go through with your team:
Identify the areas in which your salespeople need improvement. Not sure what areas these are? Then I suggest that you need to get out into the sales process with them! IN the meantime, here are a few ideas:
Prospecting/Visibility-If today’s clients are buying less and/or less often, it is imperative that we refocus the efforts of our sales team towards the identification and pursuit of new opportunity. Many of your salespeople have not been focused heavily enough on properly becoming visible. Now is the time to develop and track a New Business Development Plan with your team and schedule time every day to take action on it!
Questioning-The approach that your salespeople take every day with their prospects, customers and clients needs to be very focused. We need to communicate to the customer that we are focused on their issues and challenges---that we are different from our transactional competitors. This occurs with very focused, well prepared, customer focused questions. Think! Prepare! Ask!
Listening-What do you need your customer to admit to you, to share with you so that you might identify opportunity to serve them? What is it that you need to hear from them? Our sales training programs tend to be too focused on what to say and not enough on what we need to hear. Engage in an exercise to teach your salespeople to re-engage with their customers and to LISTEN with the intent to UNDERSTAND! If you are willing to listen to your customers, it can be amazing how clear they can be about how you need to run your business.
Networking-Now is an incredibly opportune time to work with your salespeople on how to effectively generate new leads for your organization through their visibility efforts in networking. I see to many salespeople mistaking the word not-working with networking. Develop a plan to sharpen your people’s networking skills today and begin scheduling specific opportunities to get out there and make the rain!
Referral Generation-The customers that buy from you today represent a substantial opportunity to help you grow your business. If you are turning (or returning) your team’s focus to adding VALUE to the customer as I mentioned above, you will earn the right to ask for VALUE in return. That should come in the form of referrals. Build a referral generation plan today and take immediate action on it!

By returning your focus to climbing the tree to get to the fruit you will re-establish control of your growth again. Take these three steps on the ladder to start your “climbing journey” today. The fruit is up there---you just have to go up and get it! By re-focusing with your salespeople on these three rungs on the ladder (All-In, Add Value, and Training/ReTraining) you can recapture the hearts and minds of your team and arm them with some forgotten weapons to differentiate themselves, and thus your company, in the marketplace.

For more articles and information on training your sales organization, please visit my website a www.GerryLayo.com or call us toll-free at 866-979-Layo(5296)

Three of Three--How Salespeople BLOW IT!

This is part three of three bolg posts on the top 10 ways that sales professionals blow it every day! Blow what? Opportunity, sales, margins, growth, sales, customer relationships, etc. Read this post along with the last few and decide if you are guilty and if you can afford to continue to be.

7. They are unaware of who (or what) they are up against.
The competition for a prospect or customer’s time, attention, and money is greater now than it ever has been. We not only are up against competing companies and vendors in the marketplace, we are also up against things like internal competition, the current vendor, internal pressure to fund something else (another project), and indifference (no action). When we are up against others, we need to be aware of who they are, how they sell, what they say, what they offer, and what it costs. We need to do SWOT analyses (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) of the products and services offered by our competition so that we can professionally create and discuss our differentiators. When faced with internal competition, we must understand what it is and do our best to navigate the political and economic environment with our customer to best help them understand the value of choosing our offering.
Getting blindsided by any competition is a direct result of lack of preparation (you need to know what your going to run into) and a failure to listen to the things both said and un-said by our prospects and customers.

8. They lead with price and cry when price resistance comes up.
This is a big one. I have hundreds of salespeople every year complain about customers getting more price sensitive and cheap. They say that every time, without fail, their customers try to beat them up on price. After many ride-alongs with salespeople this year, I have discovered that it is the salesperson, more often than not, that actually brings up price very early in the conversation. They say things like, “Mr. Customer, we want to make sure that we get you the very best price that we can” or “I promise that we will definitely figure out the best way to save you money on this purchase” or “We have the best price in the industry.” These are the same people who get mad when the prospect or customer brings up the fact that they need a lower price! Well who do you think planted that seed??
We must be prepared for price concerns, but we cannot lead with our wallets! Again, the customer gets something out of the ownership of your product or service. Speak to that! The less you focus on the cost or the price, the less they will. The more you focus on the benefits of ownership, the more they will. And the more they focus on that, the more they will be willing to pay.

9. They don’t have enough opportunity in the pipeline.
It has been said that the best sales strategy is a full pipeline of business. What does this mean? When salespeople have a lot of prospects that are in their pipeline of business, they intuitively make moves that position themselves and their companies in more of a positive, confident light. They do not waver or buckle to terms or pricing demands of customers. They have a greater tendency towards action. In contrast, a salesperson who has very little in his or her pipeline tends to come across desperate. We watch these salespeople bow to the pressure and buckle to the demands of prospective customers. Instead of working from a position of strength, these salespeople work from weakness and hope!

10. They are simply not the right person for the job!
The profession of selling is for sales professionals. Sales pros have certain characteristics and traits that are necessary for sustained sales success. Too often we have people in the position of salesperson by default! Not only do they not possess the things needed for the Smart Selling approach (empathy, listening ability, curiosity, persistence, tenacity, assertiveness, self-belief, a bias for growth, etc.), but they also have very little, if any, training.
The position of sales professional for any company must be one that is filled with great attention to detail. Too often we find companies hiring QUICKLY to fill a spot on their sales team roster. On top of that, the subsequent training that goes into that new hire is typically centered on product training and not enough around the customer and/or the sales process. The result: Too many BLOWN sales or lost opportunities.

Take a look at the performance of your sales team over the past year. How many of your salespeople are going to reach their goal this year? How many of them are heading out into this competitive market half-cocked? How many are “winging it” every day in hopes of divine intervention? How much value do they add? How well do they differentiate themselves and thus your company from the competition? How often do they run up against the “wall” of price resistance?

Do your best to identify and isolate these areas and move towards elimination of them. Don't SUCK!!

One of Three-How Salespeople BLOW it!

I often post articles on the things that we need to do to get stronger results in Sales and Leadership. Below, find the first of three articles on how salespeople today BLOW IT on a reguar basis. Why is this important? If we are not learning from our losses, we are doomed to repeat them!

How do salespeople BLOW sales and LOSE customers?

1.They’re focused on what they sell rather than what the customer needs.
The typical salesperson comes into almost every sales interaction with the same intent: To tell the prospect as much as they can about the product or service that they offer and then get them to buy it. It’s no wonder that customers hide behind voicemail and screen us out! Who wants to be put through that? Sales professionals need to understand that customers are only talking to you because they have a need that they wish to have met. Instead of throwing up on the customer, the salesperson needs to find out what those needs are, as well as how the customer wants them to be met. How can this be done? SHUT UP AND SELL! Ask questions and listen!

2.They have very little, if any, pre-call planning.
We wouldn’t expect our attorneys to go into court on trial day winging it, would we? We don’t expect our doctors to go into the operating room without a plan. We assume that the sports teams that we watch have a game plan that they execute for every opponent, don’t we? If we wouldn’t expect any of these professionals to “fly by the seat of their pants” when it comes time to earn their pay, why in the world do we allow our salespeople to do it?
The most valuable asset that our customers have today is their time. And salespeople are getting less of it! Especially ones who are coming into the interaction unprepared and without a clear strategy and plan to execute it. In what areas can your people be more prepared? Here’s a major one: What is the purpose of the call? Without a clear purpose for the sales call, the salesperson will invariably waste their time and the time of their prospect, customer, or client.

3.They act and sound just like everyone else.
I got a chance to sit through a day of sales presentations this year for a software development client company of mine. They were reviewing a few components that they were seeking to add to some of their products and had invited several companies to present their offerings on the same day-one after the other. What an eye opening experience! One after another, the salespeople and their engineers filed in and gave their presentations. One after another they set up their PowerPoint presentations and began the show and tell sessions. A bit of introductory mambo jumbo was typically followed up by a “Thank you for your time today and the opportunity to show you why we……blah, blah, blah, blah.
No matter what company they represented, their sales processes typically followed the same dance steps. The salesperson spent the opening portion speaking about their company, it’s history, it’s customers, it’s special qualifications, etc. Next, they started extolling the many features and virtues of their product or program. Not one of them asked the customer (my client) what it was that was most important to them. Not one of them asked what it was that my customer wanted as far as a result of ownership. I found myself “glazing over” when they spoke because I felt, as did my client (their prospect) a profound sense of non-involvement in the process. I felt as if I was watching a bad re-run over and over!
Let your approach be your main differentiator this year. Don’t dance the same dance and sing the same song as the rest.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks as I post the next 7 things to look out for in your sales team's performance. Pay attention to this stuff or pay in another way in the long run!

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!

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.

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.

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!

Differentiate, Stand Out and EARN a Higher Price--Part II

Below, please find part II of my last blog. We need to stand out and differentiate ourselves in order to EARN more time and attention from our prospects, customers, and clients and thus EARN more commissions! We started with 7 ideas in the last blog. Here are 8 more ways to get out of your routine and start to create your PPOD (Positive Perception of Difference).

8-Get a coach or a mentor.
This sales game can be tough. Having someone to bounce ideas off and to strategize with will give you a leg up on the competition. Think your good enough to fly solo? Think again! Even Tiger Woods has a coach or two on his team. In this challenging economy, you need someone to re-assess your approach and your skills. Check your ego at the door and get a fresh set of eyes helping you out.

9-Make the CLOSE the natural conclusion to your professional sales process.

Don’t let the “closing” part of your sales cycle be a surprise to your customer. Don’t shy away from it either. Your customer should know that you are there to do business. In order to earn their business, you will have to learn to ask in such a way that it is less painful for both you and the customer. Right now, sit down and write 5 closing questions that transition you from the presentation and negotiation to the action phase of the sales cycle. When you have them written, ask them each aloud 100 times until they become less mysterious and thus, natural. A solid group of rehearsals are necessary for a solid performance! Practice asking for the business and who knows??....perhaps you'll get a chance to perform it more often!

10-Talk Benefits rather than Features.

The customer does not buy quality, service, reliability, innovation, integration, knowledge, experience, teamwork, or the other features that you are tossing out there in an attempt to differentiate your company. They only buy what those things can do for them do what it is that want to accomplish. The sooner you start talking about what they GET rather than what it does, the sooner you begin to earn greater margin. Even better, shut up and listen to them...they'll tell you exactly what it is that they seek. Once they do, help them BUY IT from you!

11-Ask them what will happen if they don’t…..?

Attempt to attach a cost or a price to in-action. When you prospects and customers say they are “staying with the way they currently do things” you need to help them understand that continuing to do what they are currently doing will only get them more of what they are currently getting. If (and this is a big if) you have attached a PAIN to their current situation (from their point of view), then you can attach a FEAR of the future. Your product or service at that point becomes the cure to the PAIN and thus, a peace of mind to the FEAR. There needs to be a bigger perceived risk in NOT taking action than in taking the "leap of faith" with you and your offer. Again, this takes a solid discovery process and a big set of EARS! Listen...then respond.

12-Don’t lie—PERIOD!

The word character is not used enough in professional sales. It needs to be. The world of the Internet has "opened all of our kimonos" so that there are very few secrets anymore. Often your customer will ask a question that they know the answer to just to qualify your character. You must pass the 1st time because you won’t get a second shot. (Remember, they are more aware of their options today) Customers pay more for character and trust—count on it!

13-Quid-Pro-Quo

This Latin term that means “something for something” or “this for that” should be paid close attention to in your dealing with customers. It works both ways. If you are looking for forward movement in the sales cycle or an introduction to others to help you get it, practice quid pro quo from your end first. Give to get! Give a referral, get movement. Give an introduction to a lead; get an introduction further into the customer’s circle of influence. Add value first; get things you value in return. On the flip side we need to understand that when a customer asks us to jump through hoops for them (put together a demo, draw me up an analysis of the benefits, etc.) it is only fair that we now can ask for something in return from them. Example: “We will put together a demonstration of the software, customized to your needs as you requested. If the software performs and meets all of the specifications that we discussed, will you be prepared give us a commitment to move ahead with the purchase that day?”

14-Never make a call without a purpose!

In order to be the most productive with your time and the time of your prospects, customers and clients, have a clear purpose for each of your calls. Don’t visit the customer without the express purpose of bringing something of value to the table or moving the sales cycle forward. Don’t make a call to “just check in” some other nonsense. If you don’t take your call seriously, why should they? By being able to clearly state the purpose of your call and sticking to it, you will become a professional worthy of investing time and money with.

15-Look sharp!

If your product or service is pretty similar to that of your competitions, the little things will often be the deciding factors when deciding who to go with and how much to pay. Don’t underestimate the fact that people initially form a perception about you and your professionalism based upon appearance before you ever get a chance to open your mouth. You want a higher price? Look the part! (Use an iron…it’s becoming a lost art!)

These 15 points are a good start to get you heading towards higher margins and thus, better commissions. You can see that there are no tricks and no shortcuts--and really little rocket science to it. Simply applying more in the areas of focus, self discipline, commitment, and a customer focused approach will change the customer’s perception of value regarding you and thus, your company, product or service.

Of course, you don't have to do any of these things....you could always make a bunch more cold calls! That'll probably work....:)

Differentiate, Stand Out, and EARN Your Price!

What is it that you bring to the table that your competition cannot or will not? What is it that you offer that your prospects, customers, and clients would be willing to stand in line and/or pay a premium to have? What value do you bring to the equation that creates a greater perception of value for your product or service and thus commands a higher price?

Would you buy from you at premium prices? If the answer is yes….and I hope to high heavens that it is….Why?

We are selling in a marketplace today that demands more from sales professionals. Communication tools such as cell phones, email, texting, Tweeting and other forms of Social Media are creating a level of expectation and feedback from our customers that is getting harder and harder to meet. The internet is leveling the playing field as far as access to information. (Everyone can Google you and your competition before you walk in the door.) The result? Buyers that have a higher degree of sophistication (or at least a higher level of belief of their sophistication) than ever before. It used to be said that, “Where there is mystery there is margin!” Well now, the internet has removed much of the mystery about you, your company, your products & services, and your pricing.

If we keep selling into the marketplace the same way that we have in the past, we will get passed up by SMART competitors and passed over by SMART customers.

What can we do to keep up? What can we do to get ahead? What can we do to earn the top margins in our ever changing and competitive marketplace?

Below, please find a list of 7 things (8 more coming on the next blog) that you can start to do today to stand out from the crowd, differentiate yourself (and thus your product/service), and command the respect and attention of prospects, customers, and clients:

1. Start a strict regimen of pre-call preparation.

Do your homework before making that call on any executive or decision maker. Google them, research their industry, read their industry magazines, learn about them and their company. The things that you learn will help you build a platform from which relevant questions and conversation can begin. In order to have something relevant to offer, have something relevant to ask and something relevant to say!

2. Decision maker or decision influencer?

Being clear about with whom it is you are meeting/dealing with before you begin. This will help you build the appropriate value proposition. If you are developing a “champion” or a “flag-bearer” in an account, make sure that the value of your offer speaks to their needs. Typically, the decision maker is motivated by, and thus will act upon a much different set of criteria than those you met on the way in—sell accordingly. Never assume what their motivation is. Always dig, probe, & listen before you diagnose.

3. Make a few phone calls in advance.

I suggest calling anyone who may know anything about an account before actually attending a meeting to get a flavor for what you are about to face. Knowledge is power—power can be leverage. In addition, if there are to be several people in the session, I suggest calling as many of them as possible in advance to discover or uncover any issues or expectations.

4. Speak the customer’s language.

Too many salespeople have a tendency to present their offer in language that is filled with their industry words. The problem? The customer doesn’t know your industry like you do so a “disconnect” or confusion can occur. I suggest that you record your value propositions, presentations, conversations, and questions as often as possible. Get these recordings in the hands of non-industry people and get their opinion. You might be surprised that the reason you are not closing enough sales is that the door to understanding has never been opened due to a language barrier.

5. Read, learn, grow!

Commit to reading a book every month on how to become a better sales professional. You will be amazed at the new moves that you will adopt for your sales success. In addition, read at least 2-3 business or industry magazines every month. You will learn things that you did not know. This can add to your confidence and, if you figure out ways to use this knowledge to differentiate you from the crowd (adding value to your customers) it will add to your commission check!

6. Be the quarterback of your sales efforts.

Someone has to call the plays. Make sure that on every interaction with prospects, customers, and clients you clearly define the purpose of the call and stick to it. When the call purpose is met, clearly identify next steps with the customer in addition to who is responsible for what. You guide the timelines, you run the plays, and you call the shots. The result will be getting to yes faster. (as well as getting to NO faster…see next item.)

7. Ask for the yes once you’ve earned it-but don’t be afraid of the no.

Occasionally, you need to drive your pipeline business further along towards a yes knowing that the result will most likely be a few fresh nos. Is this a bad thing? Absolutely not! Stop wasting time on those who cannot or will not buy from you. A full pipeline of nos is worse than no pipeline at all. The time you invest qualifying OUT the non-buyers will be well spent once it’s re-invested in prospecting for those who can and will say YES!

Too Early to Start Setting 2010 Goals?

As I sit here on yet another plane ride on another Sunday night to yet another speaking engagement/training session on Monday, I find myself mapping out my 2010. The thoughts that I have been capturing on paper are based partially on long term goals that I have had for years, (that I remain committed to) combined with new goals that are a combination of things learned thus far this year with things I wish to engage in or complete in 2010.

In years past, I have waited until late December to address the upcoming year. Like many of you (I assume) as I get older, I find myself thinking more about the things that I want to get done each year. The years seem to be cruising along faster every year and as my children grow, there is even more pull on my time from the home front. Priorities adjust and success gets redefined with every year.

I want my business to grow and yet, I want to spend more time with my children. I want to expand into different areas of value for my clients, and yet I wish to keep my firm small. I want to get in 100 rounds of golf while lowering my handicap and yet wish to continue my quest for greater health through consistent exercise and better eating. I want to travel and vacation more with my family while they (we) are young and yet….well, see all of the above. I want to complete two books currently under way. I would like to see my staff earn considerably more income without putting in more hours-and without cutting too deep into company profits. I want…I want…I want. Thus, I begin the process of mapping it out.

Have you thought through and decided what you want to DO in 2010? I suggest that give it some thought. Why not now? Why wait? Get a first draft started and share it with your family and your team at work. Get input from others. Look at the calendar and start penciling the WHENs to the WHATs. Some things will get scheduled and others will have to wait for another time. When will you take the time to read, to take a class, to grow, to get stronger, to exercise, to live, to share, to love, and to “check out?” Oh yeah, through all of that, when will fit in the time to grow your business?

This month, schedule a few hours (you have to schedule them-you won’t find them) to give some thought to your upcoming year. Think on paper! Write down everything that you’d like to engage in or complete in the upcoming 12 months. Don’t put limitations on yourself-just write them down as if you could not fail. Attach real numbers and dates. Avoid “wandering generalities” and be as specific as you can. Once you have your list, stop and schedule a second time period to prioritize and plan these things.

Creating a road map for your personal and business success is serious business and requires thought---that’s why so few people do it—and why those that do, do it poorly.

Look Before You Leap---THINK Before You Speak!

I had the good fortune of taking the afternoon recently to play some golf with a few friends at my club. The game that I was invited to play in was supposedly a friendly match that included a substantial amount of financial windfall to the winner, typically funded by the losers. I love a good “money-game” on the golf course so this was a very welcome invitation.

The morning started at 5:30am at the gym. As I spent an hour on the elliptical machine, I caught my thoughts wandering toward the afternoon’s match. As I lifted some weights and stretched over the next 45 minutes, I found my actions focusing on how my swing would be later that day. On the way back to the office from the gym, I was mentally preparing the balance of my morning to best “stack the deck” for the competition to come. I thought about what to wear, what to eat, when to arrive, how to warm-up, and how to practice before starting. I thought about how I wanted to play each hole and where I would be aggressive. I thought about my previous few rounds and focused on what I had been doing great and not so great.

Although I did not plan the night before to spend the morning preparing for a golf match that could result in a few hundred bucks changing hands, the thoughts appeared nonetheless. It was during my review of these thoughts that I understood that I had developed a habit of thought when faced with an activity that required substantial results based upon my performance. Where did this habit develop? Through years of preparing for sales!

Every day, as a sales professional, each of us enters a competitive marketplace to face a variety of challenges to our success. These challenges come in many forms and the thoughts that go through our mind before we enter the marketplace DEFINE our actions and behaviors. Too often, salespeople enter the day’s activities in much the same way that many people enter the workforce; they just show up! The actions in which they involve themselves each day are not a direct result of conscious thought, but rather repetitious activity. They mindlessly go through the motions of making calls, leaving messages, visiting accounts, taking orders, and filling out reports. When the dust all settles from the day, the results are very similar to yesterday, the day before, and the day before that. As Earl Nightingale stated in his award winning audio, The Strangest Secret, “The opposite of courage is conformity.” In other words, we conform to the natural tendency to simply show up and do our jobs. The first thing it takes to get out of this RUT is to think!!

In a recent CEO workshop I held, one of the attendees asked me a question: “What is it, Gerry that you believe that you sell?” After pondering the question for a moment, I answered that when I am speaking from the stage, I am really selling new ways of looking at things or new ways of thinking! Before anyone can or will take different ACTION towards something, they must first think about it in a different way. Otherwise, there would be no motivation for the change in behavior or action! Think about it for a moment... every bit of information that enters your head comes with it the seeds of new thought and possibly newly directed behavior or action. When you are given new information, you think about that topic differently. When you view a documentary that provides a considerable amount of new information about a topic that interests you, your mind goes into a thought process that could potentially make you take action that you previously had not. Two years ago this month, ex-Vice President of the US, Al Gore received the Nobel Peace Prize for his documentary on global warming, “An Inconvenient Truth” which has led millions of people to think about their actions and thus behave differently based upon new thought!

So, as a sales professional, what is it that you think about each day? Pre-call preparation is an area that an overwhelming amount of salespeople could improve in. Do you want to know the easiest place to get started preparing better for every sales call? It’s in your thoughts. Those of you that have spent any time in my training know that ONE QUESTION can begin this process. That question? “What is the PURPOSE of this call?” By simply starting with that question, it will force you to think about what it is that you wish to accomplish on the sales call. Stephen Covey says that we need to “begin with the end in mind.”

Now, you need to go beyond the typical answer of the sales force: “We want to sell this guy something.” That is the reward for achieving the result that you seek. THINK! THINK! What is it that you need to accomplish? What is it that you need to get the customer thinking about? What is it that needs to occur for the circumstances (no decision to buy) to change in your favor (a decision to buy.) Below, I have listed a few thoughts that you may want to take into consideration before making your next round of sales calls. Turn off the TV (TIVO your favorites) for one week and spend your time with your thoughts. Instead of simply showing up for next week’s sales calls and “spraying and praying,” try giving some thought to the ideas below in advance so that when you open your mouth, every sound brings you closer to your desired outcome. Remember: Talking too much usually follows thinking too little.

Some thoughts to drive new actions, new behaviors, and hopefully new results:

“What is the purpose of this call?”
“What might this prospect/customer be thinking about me/my product today?”
“What are my prospect/customer’s highest value needs or most wanted outcomes?”
“What previous experience has this prospect/customer had with us in the past?”
“Where/who do they buy from now?”
“What is the benefit of ownership of my product that they desire most?”
“How much time does this person have to meet with me?”
“Who else is courting this prospect/customer today?”
“How long has it been since my last visit and what have I done since to add-value?”
“What did we talk about last visit and did I take appropriate action on it?”
“What can I bring to the table that the prospect/customer will value?”
“How can I position myself as a resource versus a vendor?”
“How can I communicate my expertise without bragging?”
“How can I get the customer to want to know more about my product/service?”
“How can I create a need where there may not be a perception of one?”
“What do I need to get this prospect/customer talking about?”
“What do I need to know that they haven’t shared with the competition?”
“How can I avoid talking about price until I establish value?”
“How can I position myself as an EXPERT?”
“What stories can I share to communicate value?”
“What names can I drop to add credibility?”
“What does the customer value more than price?”
“How does the competition approach the customer and how can I differ?”
“How can I OPEN the conversation in a more impactful way?”
“How am I prepared to address the most common of prospect/customer concerns?”
“What will I say if they DRAG me to price early?”
“What 10 questions do I seek answers to and how do I best ask those questions?”
“How can I ask for the business once I have earned the right to do so?”
“Have I practiced the time condensed visit just in case we run out of time?”
“What information do I need to get from the customer to build a better case of value?”
“What OPTIONS have I prepared so the customer will say yes?”
“Have I made it easy to do business with me?”
“Am I thinking from my point of view or the prospect/customer’s point of view?”

Can you imagine having the answers to at least half of these questions before you made each of your sales calls next week? Can you imagine the change in the level of confidence that you would bring to the market? Can you imagine the change in your level of credibility? Better yet, can you imagine how much stronger you will be and the better experience that your prospect/customer will have because of it? All this takes initially is thought! Turn off the TV and turn on your brain! Start developing a HABIT of running scenarios and thoughts through your head before showing up? Start THINKING like a customer and you will start increasing your effectiveness in your conversations with them. Dialogues will start becoming more meaningful and less about price. They will begin asking advice of you because they will start becoming more aware of the fact that they are in the presence of a professional.

Always remember that a man is not rewarded for having a brain, he is rewarded for USING it. Understand and remember that thoughts lead to action! Think better, act better, produce better, and earn better!

Or………you could make more cold calls!