Category Archives: Sales Management

Daily behaviors for sales success need to be taught and coached!

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Last week I discussed the simplicity of the daily selling “Grind”!  Many salespeople will not do daily behaviors. Doing and tracking is hard. A lot of salespeople get little or no training in selling behaviors. I have met, hired, and fired salespeople who are afraid of the accountability a system creates. 

The best most productive and highest paid salespeople are lifelong learners.  They embrace continuous sales training and get onboard with daily behaviors; they understand the power of doing the numbers every day.  A day missed is potential lost sales.

I believe many people think sales requires an inordinate amount of time.  Daily phone cold-calling, fitting as many appointments in as possible, working 12, 15, 18 hours per day.

Depending on your goals and the goals of your organization you can set up a daily set of behaviors that produce desired results and work 8 hours or less and be very productive. 

Do daily numbers go home every night and know sales and goals will happen.  Work a little harder the week before a vacation and go away knowing everything is still happening and sales will continue.

However, from experience I have seen many salespeople who just cannot get into the daily habits and they fail to make their goals and sales happen.

I tell every new salesperson what to expect and that there will be great sales training, continuous sales training, and a minimum set of daily behaviors.  The daily behaviors are recorded tracked and accountable, for continued employment.

I usually get feedback and sometimes push back on this.

What are your thoughts?

Doing business with the government?

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Does your company do business with the government? 

I did with my last company and have started doing government contracting with the current company I work with. 

There is a very large “RIVER” of bids coming out daily. Once you figure out what you can sell to the government learn the process and get going.

Many people talk with me about how hard or how easy it is to begin selling to the government. I have helped several companies get started. The process is not complicated. However, it does take consistent effort, daily oversight and certainly work.

Now is the time to find new markets to help bolster your year!

If interested — Contact me, let’s talk.

Good Selling or Bad Selling?

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Many years ago, I had one of the best Receptionist/Gatekeeper in business, she understood and could stop non-essential salespeople from getting through.  One day she brought me a package.  It had been hand delivered.

In the package was a T Shirt from my alma mater — Indiana Institute of Technology. There was a note from the salesman requesting an appointment, and comment that he hoped I appreciated his effort to get my school T shirt.  He said he would call in a few days.

I graduated from IIT in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. The idea that this salesman had gone to the trouble to get me the shirt was unique and I liked his style. 

I instructed our receptionist/gatekeeper that I was impressed by this salesperson and that when he calls I will take the call.  After a little research on his company, I was pretty sure I would not need his services.  However, I would listen to him and then if possible direct him to a referral.

He never called!

How many times have you had seemingly good salespeople just not follow through?

Good selling or bad selling?

According to Jim Rohn, philosopher, Life is a collection of …..!

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Life is a collection of experiences, people met, and books
read – according to – Jim Rohn. Have you heard of and followed a
great life and business philosopher – Jim Rohn? 

I have read his books, articles, listened to tapes and
attended his seminars. 

One article captured my attention and prompted a change in my
behavior many years ago.  Jim Rohn talked about the habit of keeping a
daily journal.  However, he didn’t portray it a standard sit down
once a day and write in your journal. He described his previous habit of
writing things down continuously all day long, so he wouldn’t forget the
thought of the moment. He wrote on scraps of paper, napkins, post notes
anything he could find. Then he had a drawer or desk top of papers he couldn't
or didn't get organized.

We all want to remember and save ideas of the moment. Get a
great idea in your head and decide to write it down later. Many of us
either forget all together or don’t feel it important later on, or like Jim
Rohn we have a great collection of paper scraps with notes.  That was me.

Jim Rohn thought it best to journal, in a sense, all day
long. I didn’t ever see an explanation or example of his journal style,
but I did see another person that kept a notebook at his side all the time to
just jot down notes of the moment.

Many years ago, I decided this was something worthwhile and
started carrying a spiral notebook with a daily date for the two open pages and
began writing whatever thoughts I had that seemed important to keep. Some days
hardly anything some days filled both pages. 

My books are messy and not organized. I do manage to get
on paper thoughts that I don’t want to lose. Then periodically I review
the books to see if there is still something I want to pursue.

I sometimes listen to people who want to start journaling but
don’t really know how. 

Let me say that because of Jim Rohn I now have books of my
life experiences and I attest to – Life according to Jim Rohn is the sum of
experiences you have, people you meet, and books you read.

Start keeping a running daily book of life and you will be
astonished at how you and your life can be changed and influenced.

Make 2019 your best year yet!

A sales tracking system completed daily = Sales Success!

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Do you have a sales process and daily system for generating business?  I do!  I have developed and use a sales process involving daily point accumulation.  Diligently follow a selling process and create sales.

Daily point accumulation allows for measurement and tracking of the sales process.  Daily work on this process coupled with good sales training creates a dynamite selling opportunity — almost guaranteed (Some sales people just don’t get it!)

Do you have a process and training to keep your sales group on Track?

Make 2019 your best year yet!

4 Characteristics of Sales Reps who meet and exceed their goals:

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  1. They set activity-based goals –

Setting results-based goals can be dangerous.  You can’t directly control the outcome of your work.  If you want 6 face-to-face meetings per week you may not make it.  People may be out of office or too busy and you miss your goal.  Instead, look at your historical data and decide how many calls you need make to book 6 meetings.  If it usually takes 35 emails and 20 telephone calls to make 6 appointments try increasing or doubling that.  Keep doing activities that work.

  • They share their goals with others –

Reps who make their goals, share their goals.  By telling and sharing with others there is an accountability factor created.  Your peers will know what your plans are and will be curious if you pulled through.  Also, writing goals and posting them for yourself and others to see helps drive vision and completion.

  • They choose small, specific, short term goals –

The larger the goal, which may seem insurmountable, the more likely reps will fall off and not achieve.  Pick goals that are small, specific and short term.  You feel energized as you meet and complete goals.  Then start setting harder ones.

  • They walk away from dead deals early –

Walking away from dead deals early is hard and requires discipline.  I have found that few reps have the strength to do it.  However, by walking away you have more time and a better chance of working on deals more likely to close.  Many times we make an emotional connection with a deal and that can become dangerous, and not allow the rep to walk away.  The longer a bad deal is worked, the harder it is to walk away.

Good selling!

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Good Selling / Bad Selling?

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Great Books, Goal Setting, Continuous Learning, Public Speaking

Some years ago, I had possibly the best Receptionist/Gatekeeper in business, she understood and could stop none essential sales people from getting through.  One day our Receptionist/Gatekeeper brought me a package.  It had been hand delivered.

In the package was a T Shirt from my alma mater — Indiana Institute of Technology, and a note from the salesman requesting an appointment, and comment that he hoped I appreciated his effort to get my school T shirt.  He said he would call in a few days.

I graduated from IIT in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, the idea that this salesman had gone to the trouble to get me the shirt was unique and I liked his style. 

At that time I instructed our receptionist/gatekeeper that I was impressed by this salesperson and that when he calls I will take the call.  After a little research on his company, I was pretty sure I would not need his services.  However, I would listen to him and then if possible direct him to a referral.

He never called!

How many times have you had seemingly good salespeople just not follow through?

Good selling or bad selling?

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Daily sales behaviors?

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Daily behaviors completed and measured get results. 

I utilize and require sales people working with me to use a tracking system consisting of 7,500 points per year. I know that if a sales person does the behaviors consistent with Prospecting, Telephone, Email, and Face-to-Face customer contact at a rate of about 33 points on average for 230 working days per year, can bring in $3,000,000+ in sales bookings for the company. It is a proven process. It works.

Many sales people won't do daily behaviors. Doing and tracking is hard. 

A lot of sales people get little or no training in selling behaviors. I’ve met, hired and fired sales people who are afraid of the accountability a system creates. 

Couple a good behavioral system with consistent on-going training and sales happen. 

The system can actually be set up for the entire year. Think about that. Set up your sales schedule for the next twelve months, do the daily behaviors and watch your income go to where you want it to go and no excuses.

POWERFUL STUFF!

Contact me for more point system information. I'll also direct you to some good sales training to go with it.

Make 2019 your best year yet!

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

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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!