Category Archives: selling

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!

Are you doing business with the government?

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Great Books

Does your company do business with the government?  I did with my last company and have just started with my current company. 

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.

If you are interested — Contact me.

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!

2019 Goals, Planning & Resolutions! Make 2019 the best year yet!

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Yesterday on the news there was an article about Saturday the 12th being “Quit Day!”.  I couldn’t believe it, being a news article. 

The discussion revolved around the idea that the 12th is unofficial day that many people “Quit” working on and abandon their New Year goals and resolutions.  — WOW!

I write about the importance of goal setting and maintenance for the entire year.

Don’t give up:

Here are 5 tips to keep your goals moving for 2019:

  1. Make sure you have goals written down and easy to find.
  2. Look at your goals daily, create the habit – Look at them daily.
  3. Make time to work on your goals daily, even if you spend a few minutes. Just spending time to review them keeps you aware.
  4. If a goal seems too hard, revise it.  Look at smaller parts of each goal to work on, keep forward progress.
  5. Never give up — Find a way to stay accountable and you will see and feel results.

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!

“WITH” — Why is this here?

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I don't have the name of the originator of this acronym. Why Is This Here? – “WITH”

As we continue the 5s + 1 journey, we find that it is not as easy as it sounds. Touring the manufacturing facility we continuously see items not in place, and in many cases not in place where they should be.

To get a feel for the process, start with your current area and surroundings. In my home office I notice piles of “Gonna-Do” projects forming. Seems like they start and stall. Look at the papers, folders, files, boxes or whatever and say: Why Is This Here? – “WITH”.

Look at just one item/project for a few minutes. Review what is in the pile, folder or box and throw away the truly non-essential items. Decide if it is really a goal contributing project, a nice to have project, or maybe a wishful non-critical project.

You will be amazed just sitting at your own desk, home or office and look what is out and waiting, or not needed. I know this thinking is not for everyone, but you will find out of place clutter in the oddest areas.

Walking around with this attitude helps keep momentum going especially if you are trying to 5s + 1 a manufacturing facility.  Getting started, doing and sustaining the 5s + 1 attitude is a difficult process.

  1. Sort 2. Straighten 3. Sweep/Shine 4. Standardize 5. Sustain +1 – Safety.

Remember:  Why Is This Here? – “WITH”

Good Luck on your Lean Journey — Once started you will find applications at work and at home.

Make 2018 your best year yet!

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!

Proven – Sales/Selling system!

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I like the phrase “IF I can do it, anyone can do it.”

Many of us learn there are many things in life that are proven. It's proven that many of us can learn to ride a bike. It's proven that many of us can learn to speak in-front of others. It's proven that most of us learn to talk. It's proven …(for many, many things we can think of!). We all know that most proven things in life are taken for granted.

Why is it so hard for sales and non-sales people to believe there are proven sales systems that work.

Many people sales and non-sales people, think, act and talk about the mystique of selling. This often misconstrued belief of sales and selling leads to belief that sales is magic, a given to a few gifted people. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I've talked and written many times about the two proven items of sales and selling.

  1. Good sales training and continued coaching can produce quality sales people.
  2. A selling system or cookbook, followed daily can and will produce results.

Get the books, get the training, build a cookbook and see tremendous results.

Make 2018 your best year yet.

Want more information on cookbooks for selling let me know. Want more information on great sales training and system look up Sandler Selling.

 

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!