THREE TRAITS THAT TREND TO THE TOP

“There is no short cut to achievement.  Life requires thorough preparation…”

George Washington Carver

 

There are a lot of training programs out there that fill gaps in training techniques. However, I would say that the most successful sales professionals have inbred characteristics and habits that consistently get results from forming successful behaviours.  The following three are recommended to create maximum results:

 

1)  START AT THE TOP: Top achievers want to know who the decision maker is and start from there. Far too many reps have a comfort zone on hanging out with admin or middle managers – the folks that ask so many questions, stray reps think they are getting somewhere, when all they are doing is answering questions, researching to answer those questions, asking their boss how to find the answer. In other words, wasting everyone's time.  Speaking of wasting time, those that venture to the top typically have a compelling business issue they see that needs solving or a trend that would impact that prospect’s bottom line, attract investors, create matters outside their control.  One of the best question tip I was given was to ask “what keeps you awake at night?” to this VIP (very important person).  You should have lots of credible testimonials and examples of how you have solved similar problems with other clients (without divulging who or confidential specifics) by percentages or dollars on how it helped them that will trigger attention by the top decision maker.  After all, he or she is too busy to give you the time of day because they are swamped with these matters … alas, comes along someone who has ideas that may work to solve it!

                    “NEVER mistake activity for achievement"

                                                                                                        John Wooden

2)  ASK GREAT QUESTIONS:  Easier said than done.  The most competent sales professionals have developed the skill to ask great questions.  Guidance from responses from business issues surfacing uncovers real needs or opportunities. Great questions even helps those stuck in the middle to have themselves elevated to a higher decision maker if crafted artfully.   You may just want to know when a decision is being made, how it is being made, and by whom. At the very least, good questioning skills allows the rep permission to accept the fact that they may be spinning wheels and move on to greener pastures (more opportunities).  They can help create red flags that point to avoiding this prospect for now or forever.  They also notify when the occasion may be better in the future and provide a roadmap on how best to keep in touch for when that happens (articles, etc.)

3)  FINISH HOMEWORK: Research, research, research. These savvy pros know how to uncover information from Press Releases, Annual Reports, Business Periodicals and newspapers that allows them to have “business to business” discussions. If you want to look, think and act like you are more about solving needs or problems based on expertise, there are no short cuts. Here are some areas you can look at that should help understand a prospect betther:

         i.    Industry trends

         ii.   Governing regulations

         iii.  Who their customers are

         iv.  What the media is saying

         v.   Financial picture

Bare minimum, before a rep approaches a prospect, whether it be the decision maker or administrator (by phone, scheduled meeting), they should have a strong understanding of the company, its competitors, customers, industry, governing regulations before taking that first step.

 “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning.”

Benjamin Franklin

 

 

The Say it, Share it, Do it BUSINESS PLAN

I was recently asked what CRM system I would recommend for motivating and holding sales accountable.  My answer is simple.  Sometimes you have to revert to tried and true methodologies that have worked for years and there is nothing slick about it.   It is called a Business Plan.

1.  I recommend a business plan tailored to what you are asking for. There are zillions of BP templates out there...... however, give your team breadth to be innovative.

Sales-tude is Servitude

People who throw kisses are mighty hopelessly lazy. 

                           ~Bob Hope

I ran across a great article on PeopleFirst.com and agreed with the advice offered in "Is Humility a Liability in Sales?"

Unfortunately, it was right on:   Many sales managers and executives DO fall into the trap of thinking that they want the macho, superior, confident sales applicant.  From my own personal experience they rarely equal the loyal, detail oriented, employee.  The article took a bite from one of my most popular posts I wrote a while ago called "Hunter or Farmer" where I attempt to lay out what you may end up with.

It is proven  time and time again as a sales pro myself and a hiring manager:  HIRE "humility" over and over and OVER again! 

         Sales is servitude cloaked in disguise.       ~Jeannette Marshall

Why?  Sales is servitude cloaked in disguise.  If you are willing to "serve" your customer, truly understand them, that means putting "them" in front of "you".

Where ART thou? .... on Pinterest!

 “Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is specifically your own.”
~Bruce Lee

Enter the magical world of  Pinterest -- What is it?

"Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.

 Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting. We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people. With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests.” www.pinterest.com

However humble and simple that sounds, one cannot avoid the millions of followers who think it is a big enough deal to sign up within mere months after launching.  Most credible marketers are paying attention now:

 “Pinterest stands out in crowded social media field” An article from USAToday  stated “Some people in Silicon Valley believe Silbermann — who played cello for the Des Moines youth symphony; whose parents, Jane Wang and Neil Silbermann, are opthalmologists with a family practice in Urbandale; and who competed on the debate team at Roosevelt High School— may have founded the next giant social media website.  The soft-spoken 29-year-old believes Pinterest fills a need on the Internet for people to express themselves. You don't have to be witty, or a good photographer, or a good writer to use Pinterest, he says, you just have to pin your  interests to an online pinboard.”

Don’t be misled into believing it is only for crafters (that would probably nix serious professional social media marketers).  Delve further and deeper, you will see so much more!  Even the heartiest of Social Media Divas and Dons are scrambling to climb aboard.  Not even Klout or Empire Avenue, have  caught up … that is how fresh and unique Pinterest is.  Like many social media networks before it, Pinterest would never have predicted, I’m guessing, the ample opportunity in so many other ways.

The Godfather of Social Media: Josepf Haslam

Some folk still are of the opinion that Social Media is a time waster, for the lonely hearts, social animals or narcissists, while others are knowledge junkies who embrace it as a vehicle to subscribe to information at a speed they control how much they want to absorb.  Then there are the exceptions.  Those that are in “the know” or the ones who “get it”:  a world in which information, networking and socializing that break down barriers such as location, intelligence, color, religion, corporate, private, interactive, passive or active participation.  No matter where you sit, most everyone agrees today it a force with which resistance will leave you in its dust.

Once you break down your personal barriers or bias, you discover that there are some people that appear at every turn in the social media phenomena.  One such person is Josepf Haslam.  I coined him the “Godfather of Social Media” simply because he is an expert, personable and willing to lend an opinion, always.  Josepf Haslam is at the heart of Social Media.  Luckily, I was able to squeeze in time with Josepf while he “ went from Montreal to Kingston NY to Philly, last to see my girls 13/15 and then back to Kingston on Monday and Montreal Monday night”.  Whew. 

1.      How did you get into Social Media, why, and when?

 I have been involved with Social Media since 1979, we just didn’t call it that then!   As an early advocate of Social Media,  I helped implement a global infrastructure at DuPont along the way.  To me the reasons are obvious, collaboration, connections, relationships, and speed.

What’s in, what’s out? 2012 Predictions

What the heck, everyone is throwing their hats into the ring by forecasting predictions for 2012, I may as well.    My predictions do have a fine line between prediction and a wish list with a twist of sarcasm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Visibility on Google products (Blogger, G+) will influence search results on its search engine.  That being said, Blogpost will nudge out WordPress popularity.
• Mini skirts will be consider superfluous and replaced by ultraconservative maxi length while Jennifer Aniston tresses will be replaced by pixie cuts.
• Klout rhymes with “out” as more savvy, user-sensitive influence measurement tools emerge learning from mistakes on ways to find more unique ways to attract revenue.

Advertising Boxes Out Social Media

According to an article on Media Post:  "Social networking now accounts for one of every five minutes spent online, making it the most popular online activity worldwide, according to a comprehensive new report from comScore. What’s more, it leads all content categories in the number of display ads delivered, accounting for more than 1 in 4 U.S. display ad impressions (28%). " 

My Commentary:

After spending over 10 years working with magazines, including launching a national inflight magazine for a major airline, my take why social media is a distant cousin in advertising spend is because the actual people who allocate advertising budgets are simply not involved in Social Media themselves.  

Social Media is relatively new, limited by few metrics, sceptics abound  and partial resources to quantify ROI.  From my days in magazines, justifying budget expenditures were and still are compared by readership, reach, audience, demographics and so on.  It tended to lean still towards coupons or call to action ads.   It is far easier to rationalize after someone walks in or inquires after newspaper or radios generate the response.  Marketers have had years to validate traditional advertising.

10 Reasons why Santa is a Great Leader

1)   Making a list checking it twice.

Organized, makes plans. 

2)   Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!

Knows the team and recognizes them by name.

3)   Rudoph with your nose so bright won’t you guide my sleigh tonight.

Delegates and allow others to lead based on their expertise.

If you slow down, how do you end up selling faster?

"Slow Down, Sell Faster" Author Kevin Davis Interview

“Prospects take their time and they aren’t going to speed up their process just because you are in a hurry.   With all the talk about relationship-oriented selling, there have been very few books that spell out the “how to” of creating lasting relationships with customers.”

Gerhard Gschwandtner

Founder and Publisher, Selling Power

While with a Fortune 500 corporation, I was one of the Guinea Pigs sent down to Houston to test the course as a senior member of their sales force.  That was my first introduction, if you want to call it that, to Kevin Davis.  Although, I was doing fairly well, this process transformed my relationships with buyers.  I was no long “selling”.  I became invested in customers’ success, instead looking upon business relationships as a way to understand where the customer was at.  Instead of slowing me down, it catapulted me higher.   

 Years later, while doing sales training of my own, I was tracking down copies and wrote Kevin to find out where I could find copies.  He was helpful, we got to corresponding and talking.  The next thing I knew, this mentor was asking me my opinions, how the methodology was being applied … and there I was “Jeannette Jones” in “Slow Down, Sell Faster” …. replaying obstacles, reliving sales scenarios, trying more new things!  

LEADER OR DICTATOR? Positive or Negative Signs That Indicate Who You Are

“More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has been taken from the earth.”

 ~Napoleon Hill

POSITIVE SIGNS you are a LEADER:

1. PRESENT:  You are always available. You are attentive, listen, clarify, and offer feedback.  Observant.
2. PURPOSE:  You are self-aware, understand who or what you are responsible for.  You have goals and monitor them. Motivated.
3. COMMUNICATE:  You tell people they matter, you’re in it together, together anything is possible by creating dialogue that is collaborative.  Connect.