Category Archives: Sales Management

Sales planning — Visualization?

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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?

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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!

Mentors!

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A mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor. Sometimes we have face-to-face mentors and mentoring. Sometimes we have indirect mentoring through reading books, watching videos, on-line, and possibly in passing with family and friends.

Not knowing it at the time, my dad was my first mentor in sales training. This is one of those things I realized later in life that the mentoring I received was tremendous. My sales career, once started, was greatly influenced by his methods and persistence in sales.

I read all kinds of books. Some novels for enjoyment. Self help books and many books related to sales, selling, running and operating a business.

However, I knew that there was a lot more to learn about sales and business operations. I studied and read many mentors. Zig Ziglar, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Jim Rohn, Earl Nightingale. Dr. Robert Schuller to name a just few. There are countless others in my library. I have had privilege to meet some of these people and have enjoyed reading and learning about their thoughts and ideas on life and business.

Do you have a mentoring program on-going for daily learning. There is so much material available today, it can be mind-boggling.

Start or really get going on a self-education program of your personal interests. I have created daily routines, daily rituals that ensure pathways for me to progress forward. I set goals and measure daily. You can too.  Find a mentor and never stop learning.

Let me know your thoughts.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

 

A good week!

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I have been learning the profession of selling for many years.  I have read and studied many books and articles, and attended quite a few courses and seminars on selling.  For many years, I had a company on retainer to provide continuous sales training for my sales staff.  I have continued using a sales “Cook Book” — a behavioral measurement system for staying in the selling game and meeting goals.

Last week was a good week, making sales goals for the company and continuing with behaviors to get future results.  

Earlier this month I was asked to form a weekly Accountability Group for several sales people.  We have had three sessions and already each of us, including myself, see better sales results.  Our objective is to make sure we are all following the behaviors needed for making sales goals weekly, monthly and for the year.  By leading the group I find myself becoming better focused on making my goals happen. I'll describe more about our group and results in the future.

Are you measuring your daily behaviors to get desired results?  

If you have thoughts on this — Let me know.  If you would like a sample of our measurement planning “Cook Book” — Let me know.

Make 2017 your best year yet!

Goals 2017 — Personal Lifestyle, Business Selling Goals!

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Here we are going into week 4 of the New Year 2017!

First week I was astonished and interested to see the parking lots full at every exercise / workout facility I passed. Now already the parking lots are beginning to not fill. I really hope that the people starting new exercise programs are falling into different time periods and/or finding a cadence that will work and keep them on track.

How many of us have goals, written down and are executing?

I have talked with people starting strong. I have talked with people already running hard toward their written goals. I have talked with people already slowing down on goals. Sadly, I have talked with people making excuses and stopping. Saddest of all, I have talked with people who never even started goals for this year. Soon we will be completing month 1, that's 1/12th of the time alloted for the year.

I believe no matter where you are in the process, now is the time to start, run hard and never stop!

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Excuses are abundant. Success will not listen to excuses — Success will ignore them and end-of-year will come again. What will you accomplish?

If you have started keep going — Never Stop!

It's not too late to begin now — Just start and never Stop!

Make this year 2017 your best year yet!

Sales, Selling — Follow-up?

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Ask a sales person –

“When is the best time to follow-up with XYZ customer?”

“When is the best time to follow-up on a recent quote?

“When is the best time to follow-up on “Blah, Blah, Blah?”

 All too often we hear, It’s too early, or I am not sure now is the right time, or I don’t want to bug the Buyer/Customer/Etc.

 Have you ever taken the time to think about “Follow-Up” in selling?

Some sales people follow-up too often and disturb/disrupt the potential customer.  It is estimated that you need 7 contacts with potential clients/customers before a transaction happens.

I am self-taught in selling and when I found a really good system I latched on to it.  I have been using the Sandler Selling system for over ten years. (I would be happy to provide my contacts to anyone interested.)

A great technique that I learned and use is the Sandler Technique of using an Up-Front Contract with potential customers.

 Simply ask the prospect/Client for the next time contact would be appropriate.  Set an exact date and time if possible or get at least a time frame for contact — Then do what was agreed upon!

Too many times I have had sales people working for me or trying to sell to me stop — after the very first call.

 Never get caught in this trap —

It’s too soon to call — Now it’s too late the order was let to someone else.

Make 2017 your best year yet!

Do customers come back?

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When I bought my first company in 1997, I had a 30+ year old going concern, manufacturing in the aerospace arena.  Sales were made in spite of themselves.  Sales were made if the phone rang and someone actually answered it.  In reality the customer had to convince them to take the order and deliver product somewhat close to their needs.

Sounds absurd and contrary to what we all think about today when talking about good and exceptional customer service.

Today I am involved with another business, working in the aerospace arena.  We manufacture needed precision and sheet metal parts, and can provide engineered fabrication and assembly.  The company has been around for over 25+ years.  I don’t see much difference than when I bought my first company.

Today management talks about exceptional customer service, but I find little evidence of actually doing customer service.  During my career I have had opportunity to view and review many companies from supply and supplier side of manufacturing and in many cases I have observed only rhetoric and published mission statements of concern for customers and many times have not seen “Customer Service” in practice.

Rules of engagement say we should have only the customer and customer’s satisfaction in mind.

Reading about and visiting companies I seldom find someone saying “Wow – I can’t wait to give this company my next order!”  Don’t get me wrong — there are companies out there that are concerned about customers and making the buying experience good and/or great!

So, think about your customers and how they view your company.  Here is the process I am undertaking to get more customers and create an atmosphere in the company to keep the customers coming back.

Ask the following and then act on what you find:

  1. Do customers believe it is easy to do business with us?
  2. Do we provide fast accurate quotes or response to pricing requests?
  3. Do we have reasonable delivery times?
  4. Do we work on reasons why if our pricing is out of line?
  5. Do we respond quickly to RMA’s/customer returns?
  6. Do we really care about customers and their experience doing business with us?

Certainly not an exhaustive list of questions.  However, if you are in business and sell to others these questions need be reviewed and acted upon.

I want customers to come back!

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Look at our Book review tab for some great reading.

Good Selling or Bad Selling?

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This week I had a scripted telephone sales call come through.  It was a service I am interested in and I listened.

The caller was a lady obviously not used to making telephone sales calls.  She was very nervous and would not deviate from her script.  This could have been mandated, but there was no friendliness or emotion — only monotone, nervous reading.  The script was written to have the caller periodically ask if there were any questions on the material just covered.  I could only imagine her relief when I answered “No questions at this time”.

After about 1-1/2 minutes she concluded with a final — Do you have any questions?  I had none.  However, had I not been taking notes as she quickly delivered the presentation I would not have had any data as to what she was telling and selling.  I may continue and purchase this service.  However, I will go on-line and do my research.

I listened to this particular presentation because I am interested in the service, and I am very interested in how people are taught and trained in selling.  This instance was not a good showing for the company trying to get me to buy.

I'll bet she was relived that I had no questions  and I also believe she will not be in the selling game long, or worse she will get fired.Many companies don't train or send sales people to sales training.  Most get the same training I had —  Here are your business cards, here are the brochures, there is the door — Go forth and sell!

When I was thrust into sales many years ago, I was so nervous I had to have my opening script with my name included so I would remember who I am.  I learned very quickly that a perfectly written presentation given in a monotone rote delivery was ineffective.

— But —

We all say “That is an absurd obvious statement!”.  We all know that you can't sell that way.  Listen next time a telephone sales person calls — The calls are the same and generally you can pick out the sales “Pitch” and decide to get off the call.

Is this how you sell?  Many good potential sales and/or referrals are lost, just because the basics are not provided and utilized for sales success.

Good Selling or Bad selling! — You decide.

___________________________________________________

Look at the BOOKS tab on this site — We are tied into a great book seller!

Sales, Selling — Follow-up?

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Ask a sales person –

“When is the best time to follow-up with XYZ customer?”

“When is the best time to follow-up on a recent quote?

“When is the best time to follow-up on “Blah, Blah, Blah?”

 

All too often we hear, It’s too early, or I am not sure now is the right time, or I don’t want to bug the Buyer/Customer/Etc.

 

Have you ever taken the time to think about “Follow-Up” in selling?

Some sales people follow-up too often and disturb/disrupt the potential customer.  It is estimated that you need 7 contacts with potential clients/customers before a transaction happens.

I am self-taught in selling and when I found a really good system I latched on to it.  I have been using the Sandler Selling system for over ten years. (I would be happy to provide my contacts to anyone interested.)

A great technique that I learned and use is the Sandler Technique of using an Up-Front Contract with potential customers.

 

Simply ask the prospect/Client for the next time contact would be appropriate.  Set an exact date and time if possible or get at least a time frame for contact — Then do what was agreed upon!

Too many times I have had sales people working for me or trying to sell to me stop — after the very first call.

 

Never get caught in this trap —

It’s too soon to call — Now it’s too late the order was let to someone else.

Good Selling / Bad Selling!

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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?