Tag Archives: goals

How many times do you call a prospect?

Posted on by

I read the following about sales people:

44% of sales people give up after one “call”, 22% give up after two “call's”, 14% give up after three “call's”, 12% give up after four “call's” — 92% give up after four “call's”!

Only 8% of sales people go in and ask for an order a fifth time, or more.

After 35+ years of selling, and owning my own business I can attest to these numbers from both sides as sales person and company owner/purchaser. 

As sales person I knew that there were customers needing my product. However, I quickly found that timing was crucial. After a year or so of walking out too soon, and not going back, I learned that timing was everything. 

Maybe the customer wasn't thinking of buying my products that day, maybe the budget wasn't set, maybe, maybe, maybe. I had to keep talking with them until I received an ultimate “NO NEED EVER – GET OUT AND STAY OUT!”, — or — an Order!

As owner of my own business for more than 15 years, I had countless sales people call only once and never come back. I believe from experience that the above statistic of quitting after the first call is not correct, the number is much higher than 44%. 

let's go with the above. If only 8% of sales people call more than 5 times on a prospect — it is no wonder why these 8% get 80% of the business.

If you are certain a customer needs your product — You need to be hovering and creating some form of non-confrontational awareness to that customer. I have had people wanting me to contact once per week, once per month, others, once per quarter, Etc. Always try and find an approach that keeps you in the “Awareness” zone.  Not pestering, no whining, not in the way. 

Learn this and your sales will soar. 

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Sales Tracking for 2019! A cookbook and system for the year!

Posted on by

Time to get ready for a really great sales year 2019!

Hopefully all are closing the year 2018 with goals met or exceeded.

I will be publishing a free, monthly sales tracker. If you want to review the sales tracker SIGNUP your email address.

Fist month January 2019 will be sent first week in December.

 Get ready to make 2019 even better!

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Signup for SalesTracker

2019 Sales behaviors — A Cookbook!

Posted on by

For years, I have been writing about the power of measurement for a sales person. Daily behaviors completed daily will produce results — For “SALES” and can be used for other measured items.

Good sales training is needed, to learn the skills of selling. However, a good mechanical “Nuts and Bolts” tracking system is needed to get-on and stay-on track.

My monthly sales tracker that provides for sales goals for the month and a tracker is available. I will send a copy to any sales person wanting to see and try it out. First Month January 2019 will be available and sent early December.

Go to the signup page and subscribe.

The excel spreadsheet will be provided free and will be available each month after for the year 2019. My request is that you look at it and decide if it is something that fits your sales life style. If not just send me an email.

Signup here!

Goals — Are yours written? Are you working them daily?

Posted on by

 

After much reading, discussing and watching I am convinced that over 95% of people going into a new year don't have written measurable goals for the year.  Many or probably most have heard this and know the importance of goal setting goals, still not written down.

If you are a sales person and say “Wow! I need more sales to make my year!” — You may be out of luck. If your sales cycle takes longer than 10 weeks from start to close to shipment, you are running out of time.

Now is the time to begin looking toward the New Year 2019. Begin by setting an appointment with yourself for 30 – 60 minutes. Get blank paper or a blank computer screen and begin writing your thoughts and ideas for accomplishment next year. This first cut at goal setting doesn't have to be neat — just take time to think about and write your ideas and thoughts down. My beginning session is usually quite messy and unorganized.

Put this information away in a place you absolutely won't forget where it is so that you can retrieve it, early December.  Then set an appointment with yourself for 30 – 60 minutes early December and get your list out.

In December you will be amazed at the progress you will have already made toward thinking about and planning your goals for next year. Your fist list may be messy, but you will be ready to define and refine the list. You will be subtracting, adding and modifying the original set of goals. Make the list a little neater and resolve to begin your goals and measure your goals.

Why do I believe in doing this? It's because I use this method every year and then I set a tracking system and measure progress. This works!

Try for yourself and get into the 5% group of people who actually write and strive to achieve their goals. Remember a lot of “Luck” goes along with a lot of preparation.  

While continuing to build my own goal system I have found and in process of reviewing a software program that looks very promising — Click and have a look 

I'll comment further as I look at this software — Let me know your thoughts.

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Sales planning — Visualization?

Posted on by

Sales planning — Visualization?

I am a salesperson. I have been associated with selling most of my life. My dad was a commission man. I was intrigued with what he did. I traveled with him and observed the ups and downs of selling.

When time to choose a career, I rejected sales. I decided to go to engineering school and get my BSME – Bachelor of science mechanical engineering. Then figuring I didn't have enough business education from engineering I went after and received an MBA.

I went through several engineering jobs and finally ended up in inside sales, quotations, warranty — sales support but not direct selling.

One day in the early 80's business was slowing down and my boss came in and said he wanted me to go on the road and sell and bring in business. I told him emphatically I did not want to be a direct salesperson. He told me to go home and tell my wife I no longer had a job. I decided right then and there that selling was exactly the career path I wanted to be in.

I asked for sales training and was told no. I bought and read every book and article on selling I could find. I was successful (The definition of success at that time was selling enough product to fill the plant and I was asked in September to stop until next year.)

So even though I have had many roles in business, I have stayed the course as sales and selling my real career path. I have hired and trained many sales people over the years. I subscribe to the “Sandler Selling System” and work with Acuity Systems Inc. here in Dallas.

I have a proven system for tracking behaviors and a cookbook for tracking. Over the years I have always wanted a good visual program to look at and review my sales year. I'm about to come out with an excel spreadsheet and white paper, that outlines an entire year. I will be able to plan each month, day and week for the year, look at and review it everyday.

The problem with this for typical sales people will be discipline of doing the daily behaviors and committing to the grind.

Thoughts and comments welcome.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

Sales planning — Visualization?

 

What role are you in?

Posted on by

As a sales person or actually anyone for that matter, do you know what role you are in?

Good sales training teaches that you are you first. There are many, many “roles” other than just sales, of who and what you are in your life.

As an example, I have many roles that I need participate in to be successful in my life. I am husband, father, grandfather, wanna-be-golfer, company owner, sales person, and on and on. There are many roles I am in my life. Not one role defines me, but they all collectively define who I am.

Too many times I see sales people not performing in the proper role. Selling is difficult! You need be in the proper role to make it work. Good sales training combined with on-going sales training helps to understand the process of roles in all aspects of life, especially in selling.

So. what does it mean to not be in proper role for sales — here are three there are many more:

  1. Sales people in sales role, must learn not to take rejection personally.
  2. Sales people in sales role, must stay motivated to do daily behaviors that bring success.
  3. Sales people in sales role, must create a self-worth high enough to achieve success they want.

Think about the roles in your life. Are you able to get into the role of the moment. It took many years of study and sales training for me to get the concept of being in the proper role as the moment requires.

Think about your roles and where you are or will be. Can you get into the role of the moment and be the best you can be in that role.

Heavy thoughts — but — with proper application you can create the success you want and deserve, in all areas of your life.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

Customer satisfaction!

Posted on by

Have you ever made one or more of your customers mad and didn’t even know it. Consider the following:

What is one of the worst things you can do to a customer — Cause opportunity for an RMA – Returned Material Authorization — something is wrong and the customer is not happy!

An RMA is the black mark of black marks.

I started my career of customer service in the world of RMA and Warranty.

It can be one of the most frustrating things you can do to a customer.

1.     The product was bought to use not send back.

2.     On-time, instant gratification, great product — gone.

3.     There is a tremendous need for a system, procedures, and people to handle the returns. 

4.     Both Sides are MAD – Customer returning product and the supplier trying to handle non-routine work.

From experience of owning a company I have witnessed the process of people in the organization knowingly shipping product, that was bad, to make the monthly numbers. 

When I discovered this several people were immediately removed from my organization. 

BUT

As I stopped and reflected on what happened, I decided I was probably part or all of the cause. 

I stopped cold — all managers were summoned and we decided this needed correction. Aanother moment of getting the Lean Journey started and not really being aware of it. The underlying cause was bad operating systems. We did not have good repeatable processes to ship material.

So began the journey. We did get better and improve. We began the real “Lean Journey”

I was amazed at the rate we lowered RMA’s at our company! — and — our growth took off.

 

Make 2018 your best year yet!

Comments welcome!

 

AS9100d – Aerospace Quality Management System / Lean Manufacturing!

Posted on by

Have you ever thought about the “Lean Journey” and the process of having AS9100d – Aerospace Quality Management System?

I believe that obtaining the certification of AS9100d is a tremendous accomplishment for a small company.  As the required standards are reviewed and met you can find many parallels within and complimentary to “Lean Manufacturing”.

The basis of AS9100 accommodates and describes less waste, improved efficiency, less rejects, improved on-time delivery and standard processes and procedures.

In my previous company I believed in, recommended and achieved AS9100 certification.  Then about 10 years ago I really began to think through and build our company around lean manufacturing techniques. 

We recognized tremendous improvements — in all areas of our company!

I believe this is the way to go in the Aerospace Supplier Environment.  Too many times I’ve heard company presidents and owners say they couldn’t or wouldn’t get the AS9100 certification.  Too hard, Too much paperwork, my systems won’t accommodate the certification — Blah, Blah, Blah.

I am now affiliated with an Aerospace Machining and Fabrication company.  We have achieved AS9100d certification — We are expanding and growing with more “Lean Manufacturing Principles”.