Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Is President Obama a Great Salesman or What?

I'd argue "no." But before I make the case, permit me to point out that this is in no way meant to be a political piece--rather a convenient way to support a few selling principles.

Okay--so we can agree that our president was the beneficiary of eight tough political years experienced by his predecessor, a disenchanted electorate and a remarkable personal ability to inspire people to believe that upon his election, "change" would be not only possible but imminent, and "hope" would be warranted and timely redeemed for better days. It was a spectacular sale! He got elected because virtually every liberal, every voting ethnic, the preponderance of independents and some conservatives, threw Obama's lack of track record and experience to the wind--He said he would change things for the better--and do it now! And America endowed him with its trust.

His "pitch" was about "us," not him or his desire to be president. He wanted to "help" us and our children. He wanted to enfranchise the disenfranchised, and engage antagonists in a spirit of diplomacy. I don't argue that he was, and probably still is, sincere in his attempts to accomplish all of that, and that he is truly other directed...so why has he "lost" so many of us? Perhaps there are less, rather than more folk who now give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he's no different than the rest. Would all of his buyers renew if the schedule ended this month?

My view is that among his deficiencies in the core values that separate the everyday from the great sellers, is his ability to collapse time. Now, he's been adversely judged by others by taking on too much and promising, but not delivering ,the goods in time frames of his own declarations. That certainly has been the case with health reform. But today, a major, liberal New York newspaper, in a page 3. editorial, excoriated the president for giving his security people five days to analyze and report back of the "systemic" security failure after the attempted plane bombing in New York last week.

With nothing but business at stake, much less a military threat to U.S. citizens, our group members in a crisis wouldn't even have to be told by our top partner, "Answers in 24 hours, please." If a salesman is to be great, he must collapse time. The more he does in the shortest amount of time, the more he gets to do. The more he gets to do, the more value he is to others. The more value he is to others the more others rely upon his ability to help them. The more the rely upon him, the more they buy.

Great sellers communicate honestly and fearlessly. They don't say they will. They do. "His handshake is his bond." So old. Such a valuable perception. No Spin. No, "What I really meant was..." Just the truth as you see it. Always. We don't forgive politicians who B.S. us. But it is our expectation that they will. That's why, "they're all the same." Obama got elected, because he wasn't going to be the same. He was going to be uncommon, extraordinary. But today, more than 50% of the population isn't so sure that's true. Today, he looks more like a very, very sharp guy who made one or two great sales. Kind of like the guy in the McMansion down the block. Not like the guy you'd bet will exceed his budget next year and the year after that.

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Speaking
rsherman@pilotgroup.biz
212-486-4446

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Lost and Found

I haven't "lost" a sale in twenty-five years, but there are sales, too many to count, that I haven't "found." Okay, semantics play a part in this, but attitude an even bigger part. Great sellers know that sales is not about winning and losing. It's about bringing abundant expertise, ingenuity, honesty, altruism and hard work to all the "across the desk partners" they can find.

I know that many executives responsible for the hiring of sales representatives, have "competitiveness" up near the top of their check list of desirable, maybe necessary, attributes. That's because they believe that an intolerance for coming in second, or "losing," helps one be a "strong" salesman. "Competitive," "strong," "killer instincts," "winners"are all words and phrases that are commonly used by the average executive to admirably describe sellers. I suppose that's why women, not all that long ago, had a tough time breaking into the sales game (except of course, for telephone sales--back when it was thought that "sweet" personalities were the tickets to success over the wires). It's interesting that today, these same executives, if probed, will at some point express the value of the "nourishing" qualities of women in selling. To them, I think the perfect seller, expressed in animal world imagery, might be a breast feeding lioness shortly after a kill.

When I think about and metric closing ratios, I look for commonalities in the meetings that didn't result in new partnerships. What were we trying to get out of the meeting in the first place? What did we know about the customer's business and marketing landscape before we visited? What questions arose from this research? Did we spend our precious meeting time talking about our features and benefits or rather about what the customer knew, and more important, didn't know, about his problems and opportunities? Did we and the customer ultimately agree that whatever the future brought him, would depend in a material way upon doing some things differently than he is now. Remember,if he is maximizing his every opportunity now, and staying the course, for every minute he does so, 11,943 envious competitors are studying his playbook and devising plays to turn the game around.

In each "sale" that didn't happen, it isn't so much that something was lost. Rather one of two things kept one from being found. The first, and this is always the challenge, the seller never "found" the prospect and so never talked with him. Directories, phone books, newspapers, referrals, eyes and ears, etc. will all present more opportunities to find a sale that we can ever take advantage of. How we spend our time and energy locating these prospects will greatly determine how many we find, and therefore how many we help and how profound is our contribution to them, our companies and ourselves.

The second is, once the prospect was identified did we "find," through frank, provocative and honest hard work together, clues to sensible and actionable plans to grow his business? Not your business, his. The growth of your business is a by-product, not a goal of the newly "found" sale.

Great Selling, and a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve. Don't Sell
Collapse Time
Teamwork


Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation and Training
rsherman@pilotgroup.biz
212-486-4446

Friday, December 18, 2009

Check Your Watch. What Time is it?

If it is any time between let's say, 8 A.M. and, oh, 6 P.M. you are, and this doesn't make you a bad person, a typical seller (executive). Hey, please believe me. I write these blogs solely to give you some things to think about with the hope that they will inform and inspire you so that you can rise above the pack, not to insult you.


I'll bet that long restaurant lunches and movie matinee revenues have steadily declined over the past decade and a half, commensurate with the growth of time spent with emailing (outgoing or incoming). I'm not a shrink but have always been interested in, and an observer of, the qualities that separate the average from the uncommon and remarkable performers, whether they be account executives or CEO's.


Clearly, a key discerning factor is the use of time, a commodity in very short supply.


Have you ever heard anyone comment that what they like about selling is that they are not bound to a desk? I'm pretty sure that for most sellers not being bound to a desk means that they are free to roam about, most of the time surely, to generate sales, but also with the ancillary benefit of their activity not being scrutinized by management in real time. "Hey Charlie, free for lunch today? Let's grab a martini at P.J.'s." Or a quick walk with looks over the shoulder to the noon showing of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Back row, corner seat, of course. Ah, the good old days.


Today, reading and writing emails eliminates the queasy after effects of bygone long liquid lunches and the sheepish feeling associated with movie adventures. Today, you sit at your desk, look, and in fact are, busy. The only issue is whether all of the busy computer work is doing anything more than self medicating a lack of direction, work ethic or motivation? Every email you open during the day that is not URGENT, I mean really URGENT, results in under utilization of your most precious commodity...TIME! What about researching customer issues, you ask? What about customer communications? The test is easy. Can these activities be done at night? After dinner? After helping with homework? After the "How was your day" and "What's on your platter for tomorrow dear?" conversations.


You have eight to ten hours a day to initiate contact with people who can benefit from your services. The more you connect with, the more businesses grow, including yours. Most people would agree that the computer has made life much easier to organize and work much more efficient. It can, and will. But it can also be a substitute for a Manhattan or a flick.


And...it's of no consequence to me whether you read Greatsellersgotoheaven at 10 A.M. or 11 P.M. So don't worry about my feelings.


Great Selling!


Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
COLLAPSE TIME
Teamwork



Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Speaking
Rsherman@pilotgroup.biz
212-486-4446

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Ann Arbor, MI. No Daily Newspaper. Openings for Great Sellers

After 174 years, The AnnArbor News announced its shutdown today. A skeletal staff will migrate to AnnArbor.com and attempt to migrate the paper's advertisers as well. Early on in my career, I suppose I thought of myself as a broadcast seller. And I think that if a newspaper in my market went out of business back then, it would have fired my adrenalin furnace and sent me into a victory dance. I was about as competitive as it got. It was all about winning and losing.

I hadn't learned yet what remarkable performers always know--it's actually about winning and winning! To be clear, by winning and winning I don't mean "share and share alike" with other selling competitors (in my case other media outlets). No winning and winning is about me and the client I am serving. I work hard to bring to the relationship as much experience, knowledge, creativity, courage and good will as I can muster so that I can be a meaningful factor in the client's growth and success. I've found that with that as my mission, my rewards are incidental but automatic...and it always feels like a win! And if his business does grow, he is the big winner!

So while my concerns are about the client, other media in my platform, or another, are frequently the beneficiaries of my efforts. Huh? It's real simple, if I'm representing a local cable system and I think the client will benefit from a supplemental radio schedule, I recommend it...Heck, I've suggested, when managing one radio station,that a client also use others at the same time to attain the goal we were shooting for. You see, when I sit with a client I presumptively take on the role of his marketing doctor. I'm going to see that his dreams for his business are fulfilled. AND to do that for a local merchant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as of today, one potential arrow in my quiver is missing. No dance is called for.

Now what about those missing sellers? Okay, I confess that I learned about the AnnArbor News on NPR today. (Look, it's Thursday as I write this. So that's four days this week already, listening to Obama-bashing from Mark, Rush, Joe and Dr. Savage. A few minutes of civility in the car is no sin). A voice cut from a retailer in Ann Arbor caught my attention. He was bemoaning the folding of the newspaper and "didn't know what he was going to do to keep his customers aware of his sales." He wasn't ready to risk DOT COM advertising.

Listen folk, Ann Arbor will offer a very satisfying career to a seller who sits across from a retailer and explains how google, twitter, facebook, the local online newspaper or community events organ, local cable systems, radio stations and diner placemats can help that business grow--and depending upon what stage of development the business is in, any or all of those platforms might make sense. Our extraordinary and uncommon seller and his lust to learn client will figure it out.

How do I know the account will be an avid listener with a lust to learn? Because we've sent an eager to help, honest, well schooled, client focused seller to the meeting.

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessy
Serve, Don't sell
Collapse Time
Teamwork


Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Speaking
rsherman@pilotgroup.biz
212-486-4446

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Who's Got it Better than You?

If anyone, it could be my friend Jackie. I met her in 2003 when I was appointed president of AOL Worldwide Advertising Sales, and she was number two, as I recall, in the promotion department. I've probably been in her company a couple of hundred times since then and I must admit, I did see her without a smile...once. She was actually crying on that occasion. A senior manager publicly berated her, for no sensible reason, and it so took Jackie by surprise that the tears flowed. I think Jackie presumed everyone was at least as nice as she is, so how could that have happened?

My friend is a VP at an important digital agency today, and probably has more "friends" on Facebook than Steve Case, and they are really are, her friends that is. I got a new form email from her last week under the headline, "Jackie's Job Referrals." She had three opportunities listed. I called and asked her what her arrangements were with the headhunters or companies she was recruiting for. "No arrangement, Bob. A lot of folk are out of work and need help, and many are my friends. So I try to put them together with people with job listings."

If Jackie wanted to sell, I could place her in about 11 seconds, probably at one of our companies. It's impossible not to like, and impossible not to trust her. She's very smart, creative, and absolutely selfless.

This executive loves promotion and she comes up with terrific ideas all the time. Her agency clients, her colleagues at the agency and the army of sellers, her army really, love their interaction with her, seek ideas from, and bring ideas to her. Everybody wins when Jackie's involved. She loves, I mean loves her work. And so she's always working. Keeping up with her is no small trick. When on those rare occasions she calls for help (perhaps a charitable interest for which she needs some support) you wind up grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate your appreciation for her.

I'm sure that Jackie makes a good living and before she is done will have made an extraordinary living. And that will happen naturally as a result of her commitment to the success of others. She loves her work because she loves helping people and has several constituencies she can practice that love on in her line of work.

If you are where you are today, because you've sacrificed satisfaction, and measure your degree of success solely by your paycheck, regardless of its size, Jackie has it better than you, and consequently does her job, better than you do yours.

It's not too late. Take a deep breath and go find something you can love!

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Speaking
rsherman@pilotgroup.biz
212-486-4446

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Giants vs. Tall Midgets

2010 will separate real giants from tall midgets. Sellers and their managers quietly engaged in conspiracies of "relative performance" during 2009 (a strategy honed to perfection by fund PR agents). "Sure we were off 16% from 2008 but, my gosh, the industry was off 27%. Comparatively speaking, our performance was pretty good." That was a reasonably useful internal positioning tactic for a year that saw very few companies and their revenue producers declare or receive outsize dividends and bonuses (Wall St., of course, the exception). And more often than any time in memory, have phrases such as "that's a little like being the tallest midget in the circus" followed such self-aggrandizing comparative analyzes. The year was shocking enough to warrant a half of a high five to the favorable "comp" argument, but even in those cases distance from budgets were wide enough to issue a gentle reminder that "it's still a hit the numbers game."

2010 say most prognosticators will be a relatively flat growth year. In the broadcast world, for example, the bandied about numbers range from -2% to plus 3% revenue growth. Nothing terribly exciting on the plus or minus side, and even the most pessimistic of forecasters have trouble identifying potential events, cataclysmic enough, to bring about a repeat of 2009. There will likely be a lot fewer conversations about comparing "actuals" to 2009 comparable periods. The emphasis will more likely be on comparisons to budget.

For those exceptional performers who adapted early and strategically in viewing 2009 as a year of opportunity while their peers and "competitors" were performing arias of "woe is me," 2010 will be a year of compounded dividends. Their partnerships with their customers will have attained new levels, having actually steered these ship-mates through rough seas at the expense of their competitors and grown their brand positions so that the customers' shares of better times is all but assured. And these uncommon performers will consequently be asked to stand alongside at the helm.

Managers worthy of the responsibility will be looking for signs that last year's troubles educated their sellers in many ways; that they learned how to best serve their constituents and to serve more of them. 2010 will be a year where real growth ought to be expected. The days of fingers in the dikes are swiftly drawing to a close, and recapturing and expanding valuations will be the order of the day. The survivors survived. In 2010 more will be looked for than survival.

This is a good time to sit quietly and ask--"How far have I come? How much do I give...To and for whom?...How deeply am I committed to the success of all the people who count on me? What don't I know? Who can I call upon to teach me? I want to stand out, be different, be a giant in 2010. How?

The answers are there for those that ask.

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Collapse Time
Teamwork


Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Speaking
Rsherman@pilotGroup.biz.
212-486-4446

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Note to Self...Let's Catch Up...after work!

Show me a man who complains, "I'm so busy I don't have a moment for myself," and I'll show you a man who meets a major criteria for an outstanding career in sales. I wouldn't leap to that conclusion if the quote was, "I'm so busy I don't have a moment to spare." The distinction between the two statements is more than semantics. We all know people whose every waking moment is consumed with self-centered interests. They are as busy as anyone. These people, if they are engaged in sales, have only two potential futures; the first is riches resulting from one or a few huge sales where they just plain outfoxed the buyers. The second, best case, is an average career.

Consistently remarkable and truly uncommon sellers spend all of their business time consumed with helping everyone with whom they connect be richer for the experience. They spend their brain power, time and energy in service to others. They don't sell. They serve and are consequently bought. The irrefutable truth is that service to others is the surest route to personal reward (however you prefer to measure reward--from good feelings to economic riches).

I love meeting with, training, sharing experiences and lessons learned with other executives, from sales folk to top managers. Our company has major investments in, and oversight of, a number of portfolio companies. I almost never visit one of these companies without scheduling some time with their sales organizations facilitating conversations about sales philosophies and sales strategies. There has likely never been one of these sessions when I didn't introduce one of my core values; service versus selling; helping prospects or customers figure out how to more profoundly and more quickly grow their businesses. I spend none to very little time talking about how to get to "yes." I know, I mean I know, that "yes" takes care of itself if the seller really understands his role. Often I will ask the group that I am spending time with what they believe my motivation is when I visit with them and join in these "teaching" meetings. Inevitably someone will reply, "to help us become better sellers, so that our company becomes more profitable which is good for you and your partners, right?" As rain!

And here's the best part. I promise it never crosses my mind that I am visiting with them so they can make me and our investors more money. I truly do meet with them to see if I can help. The economic value proposition just seems to take care of itself as an incidental yet automatic by-product of the fact of helping.

Have I helped you?

I'm going to have a beer at the local tavern tonight and tell me all about my day :)

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training, Speaking
rsherman@pilotgroup.biz
212-486-4446

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Competition and...or...and/or Teamwork

Clearly our whole economic system is based upon competition. The foundation of a free and open marketplace is based upon the proposition that, subject to appropriate behavior (defined by laws and regulations,) may the best product, company or man win. It's not just the business world that emphasizes competition. Many of our leisure time commitments, whether they be participatory or passive, are based upon our preoccupations with the competitive world of sports, amateur or professional. We are a society that venerates (albeit sometimes are jealous of) winners and, depending upon our upbringing, disdains or commiserates with losers.

I've worked with, and for, extraordinary leaders who pay more than a little attention to how they can best use the inclination of employees to view the business world and their place in it as a giant arena---sometimes a sporting arena and sometimes a more coliseum type (live or die competition); a zero sum game. If he wins, I lose. If he gets a raise or promotion, I don't.

Our firm's leader is a remarkable top executive and I have watched him more that once deliberately set two executives up for each to see their success as dependent upon being "the competitor" that winds up bringing the most to the table. But this chief chef also makes it clear that the entree, if you will, while the cornerstone of the meal, is only a component of all that contributes to the degree of success of the meal. The appetizer, sides, drink, salads, desserts, etc. all contribute to the diner's take-a-way: Hopefully, "Wow, that was great! Let's make sure that we come back here again."

Well now, how does the core value of "teamwork" fit in with all of this?

For this meal to win that accolade, everyone from dishwasher on up will have to perform well and with each other. And the great chief chefs, did much more than get superb educations at culinary institutes. They learned more than to memorize recipes and create new ones. They learned how to get the most out of, by giving the most to, the teams that will have to work together to create a great dining experience.

So, extraordinary executives evaluate individual sales executives based first and foremost upon their individual contributions (is he building my business by bring in new customers who retain us again and again because he effectively partners with them to grow their, and consequently, my business?). And then, in assessing how to maximize the potential contribution from the individual seller, he measures his contribution to the team, his co-workers, employees, and bosses. Does this person work and play well with others so that the sum is truly greater than all the parts because he is one of the parts?

If so, let's keep an eye on him and help get him ready for the next step. If not, let's give him everything he needs to bring the most in himself, and box him in enough so that there's no harm to the team?

Are you fighting side-by-side or to the death with your colleagues?

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Speaking.
Rsherman1776@pilotgroup.biz
212-486-4446


Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Say it Over and Over Again...It's Not About Me!

George gets it. He probably gets it better than any one else I know. The other day George was telling me how he works to earn the trust of his accounts, and by doing so becomes more than a vendor, much more. George sees himself as a partner and a key adviser to his clients. The first step he takes is to become expert in the client's business. He told me that in the new "search world'" that goal's attainment isn't much further away than his laptop where he can learn all about his clients' industries; the market sizes, consumer demographics, competition, etc. Part of his learning regimen is to subscribe to his clients' trade organs and to receive RSS feeds and alerts. George jumps all over the alerts and communicates their contents to his clients before they've stirred the sugar in their morning coffee.

But here's what really caught my attention. George is very deliberative about who he calls with the information. He used a car dealership client to illustrate the point. He knows both the owner and the general manager of this dealership well and has entree to each. But George delivers the new information to the general manager so that the GM can look good to his boss. George understands that the measure of his success in business will be how meaningfully and fully he serves everyone with whom he interacts. It's not about him looking good, in this case, it's about helping his client look good. Who thinks like that? Remarkable. Uncommon. Way above average. George has forged a wonderfully satisfying career with service to others as the cornerstone of his credo.

Sellers whose M.O.s are service to others before self, quickly become key assets of their clients and enjoy significant benefits in trade for the trust they engender. Their calls are taken. Their ideas are heard with open minds, momentarily emptied of the cache of cynicism normally stored within as a defense against, ugh, salesmen. Their suggestions are evaluated solely on the basis of the merits of the argument. And why not? They can be trusted.

Chances are pretty good that when GM puts out a new incentive plan George's dealer/client hears about it first from George, along with a suggestion coincidentally about how the program can be successfully advertised and a commitment to have the commercial production ready to go within hours of the "okay."

George and I "one-on-one" every Monday. I'm never surprised when George beats me to "How was your weekend?"

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for corporate and individual consultation, training and speaking
Rsherman@PilotGroup.biz
212-486-4446

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Do Something! or Lessons from a Beet Salad

"Collapse Time" is one of my personal core values which every day for the past several decades continues to be more deeply a part of who I am, or at least who I keep trying to become. There are several reasons why I believe through experience, reflection and observation, that this is one of the attributes that separates uncommon and remarkable performers from the pack.

First, among the more poignant discoveries of the human maturation cycle is the realization that time is finite. The world's richest folk, even the world's most worthy folk (usually very different concepts) can't buy or bargain for more. (60/24/7/52/365, hopefully to three score and and ten and maybe some more...that's all there is...best case). Applying this fact to our business endeavors, every moment we use, or don't, during our business day is gone...finito...sayonara! So the quicker we accomplish the task of the moment and move immediately on to the next, the more we get done. If we collapse time well and get substantially more done than the average seller, we tend to be uncommon performers.

Hmmm. The quicker we work, the more we get done; Not particularly profound but very elusive for most people. Why would that be? Some are lazy but we'll move right past them because they are small in number and we can't unlazy them in any event. But some who may seem lazy are not, but are actually at a loss as to how to move forward and are therefore experiencing anxiety. These folk get paralyzed by their fears and insecurities.

Many years ago on a beautiful Fall Saturday, very shortly after I awakened, I became "sure" that I had fallen victim to a serious medical problem. I called a specialist who said he'd be delighted to see me on Monday next and suggested that I relax until then. That was about like telling a mosquito not to bite. So for the next couple of hours I mentally went over my will and more or less whined like a baby to my wife. When her attempts to calm me with rational discussion about the myriad possibilities, other than terminal illness accounting for the symptoms at hand were exhausted, she marched me out to the yard, stuck a rake in my hand and said, "DO SOMETHING! RAKE UP THE LEAVES!" I did and within minutes the anxiety and the dead leaves were gone. I did something...anxiety fled...something was accomplished.

Another paralysis generator is fear of failure. "Seven calls in a row with not one, 'Sure, I'd be glad to see you'. I can't go go through that again. Perhaps I'll just sit here and stare at the phone until 5:00 PM." The solution to this "failure is guaranteed course of non-action" is no different than in the prior case. DO SOMETHING! Re-think your phone approach, call a current client with an industry up-date that you came across last night. Go to your new prospect resource(s) and add twenty-eight new names to replace the seven who said, "No thanks." Call back one of the seven and ask for reconsideration because you are "so sure you can be of help to him." Pick one of these or 38,712 other possibilities without a moment's hesitation and get started. Why? Because time is finite. You can't bank it. When the moment is gone, it's gone forever, and because you are determined to fill your moments productively, because you COLLAPSE TIME, and do more and are uncommon and are on the way to becoming a remarkable sales executive.

Great Selling!

P.S. It was the beet salad at dinner the night before.

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Collapse Time
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Speaking
rsherman@PilotGroup.Biz
212-486-4446

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Straight Commission or Decaf?

Don't ever take a job selling a product or service that you don't believe in. It's improbable that you can be more than an average performer in sales unless you are dedicated to helping folk find solutions to their problems and maximizing their opportunities. Helping others by representing products that you don't believe in are incompatible notions, of course. But assuming that you
have found a worthy enterprise and have been invited to join, it's now time to settle your compensation program. So, what do you want? 1) A significant straight salary deal? 2) A salary that covers your bills and a moderate commission override? 3) A high, really high, commission only deal?

If you choose number one, I wish you well, working for someone other than me. If you choose number two, I have a few more questions, and then I'll get back to you. And if you choose number three and have no felony convictions, welcome aboard!

Sellers who truly believe they've a valuable product that could help a number of people, and, who know that they are blessed with a sincere desire to help others, and core values that keep them customer focused, honest and efficient, know that the only limitations to their economic rewards are the hours in the day and a cap on their earnings.

That's why great sellers don't negotiate salaries; They negotiate commission rates.

P.S. Great sellers drink "regular".

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork


Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Motivational Speaking RSherman@PilotGroup.biz
212-486-4446

Monday, November 23, 2009

It's Not WHAT, it's WHO that Makes the Difference

When I fall, I fall hard. Mrs. Shellings (my third grade teacher), Mandy (guess who) and my first media sales job, are apt examples. That first job was at WINS, a few years after it changed format to all news (prior format, anyone?). At the time it was far and away the number one ranked radio station in New York. It was always underpriced back then as evidenced by the fact that it was always sold out. It was no different the week I started. No inventory was available; before midnight that is. By the end of my second week overnights were sold out as well and a love affair that has only grown over time was begun.

Partnering with a marketing savvy owner of a small ad agency, headquartered in Flushing, New York, above JC's pool hall, we strategized a plan for an association of retailers he represented. We rotated three of their dozen or so member chains three or four times an hour, six hours a day, seven days a week. The association was a household name in short order and the campaign ran for years. I imagine that it worked for the member chains, whose businesses it must have been growing. The feeling of potency that success bred was palpable. My first client was better off for having met me and was vocal in his gratitude. My sales manager was delighted, as was my landlord, and I faced each new day enthralled with the prospects that it held.

Before very long I was approached by the 20th or so ranked station asking me if I'd be interested in talking about a change. My interest was sparked when he answered the question about their account executive commission plan. It was high. I was in. (We'll talk about the concept of loyalty between employers and employees another time).

I have to admit I did that one more time after a brief stint at my second station when I was offered a still higher commission plan. This time I would be joining one of the absolutely lowest ranked stations in New York radio. Here's why I made the move. THE PRODUCT, RADIO, WORKED. It ALWAYS WORKED if it is bought, sold and is used correctly.

So any station can grow businesses if the account executive understands his product and cares enough about his client to struggle to identify the opportunity for the client and a creative approach for solving it.

I decided then and believe with even more conviction today, that it is how much responsibility the salesman is willing to take for identifying prospects that can be helped by his product, and how passionate he is to do all the work that will position him to help, that will determine his degree of success. Neither the ranking of his station (in the case of broadcast) nor the reviews of JD Powers in other sectors, is at play. It's only all about you!

Isn't that wonderful news?

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Speaking
RSherman@PilotGroup.Biz
212-486-4446

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Never Waste Anything! Especially Failure!

I've always believed that, and a true soul mate and four great additional kids were my reward for acting on that belief.

There are any number of reasons for failure and, sadly, average performers repeat their particular failure "drivers" over and over throughout the course of their careers. This behavior pattern exists for any number of reasons as well: Get right back on the horse, pick youself up, dust yourself off and start all over again, are just two of the reasons. These are nice platitudes and history teaches that they can be crafted into nice ditties, but if you get right back on the horse without giving any thought to why you fell off, uh. you might fall off again?

I mean maybe you should have mounted from the other side, for instance.

"Good morning Mr. Jones, I'm Herman Timmer and I represent Nelson's Winter Wear. I'll be in your area next Monday and would like to visit with you. Is morning ok? Oh, you're booked between now an 2016? Bye"

--right back on!

So- "Good morning Mr. Smith, I'm Herman Timmer and I represent Nelson's Winter Wear. I'll be in your area next Monday and would like to visit with you. Is morning ok? Oh, OK. Thanks anyway. Yes, I'll try next year."

--pick your self up, dust yourself off...

"He's a born salesman" is a meritless cliche. I feel a little less strongly about "he's a born average, salesman," but no one says or implies that they mean that. One is no more a born uncommon and remarkable salesman than he is a born bull rider, nuclear physicist, or ballet dancer. Passion, learning and hard work are the only routes that make it happen, and what better way to learn than while sitting flat on your butt, with the wind kicked out of you and covered in dust from head to toe, wondering how that happened? And it's important also that you don't first get up, shower and change and then go to your study with a cup of cocoa. a legal pad and pens to think through what happened; rested, calm, cool and collected. No, sit there dirty and beaten and figure it out. Learn from the failure!

"Why did I call Smith and Jones?"
"Were they prospects that could really benefit from 'Nelson's' ?"
"Did I give them any reason to commit their time to me?"
"Did I give them enough of a reason?"
"Was I confident in my call, over-confident? Friendly, too friendly?"
" What should I do differently on the next call?
"Hey, I have an idea. What if I called Mr. Smith back and 'fess up that I'm disappointed with myself for the last call. That I called him because I really believe my line will be very productive for him and I want to help. Would he please reconsider giving me a few mintues. What if I did that?"

Who knows? We could try it though and perhaps learn something from the first failed call.

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly,
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for corporate and individual consultation, training and speaking.
rsherman@pilotgroup.biz

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Maximize the Downtime; the Client's Downtime!

"Look, there's no point in coming to see me," he says, "I'm not doing any advertising. I'm surviving, until things get better." Of those salesmen who have the courage to try to continue the conversation, 90% of them, either as the result of "training" or their own "creativity," will respond along the lines of, "Well Mr. Jones, we should talk about how we can accelerate things getting better with some smart advertising." Or, "Mr. Jones, this is a great time for you to be advertising because most of your competitors aren't, and you can increase your Brand position." Or, etc. etc. These perfectly predictable "overcoming objection" responses will, if pushed hard enough, get the appointment that will never happen because of its cancellation between the hang-up and appointment date.


Let's face it, all the salesman really said was, "Who cares what you think or how you feel Bozo? I can answer any objection you throw my way." The client's reaction: "I get it, young man. No matter what I say, you will have an answer. So I'll just say 'yes', get you off the phone, and you'll get a call from Shirley tomorrow, cancelling."


The uncommon and remarkable 10% might instead reply to the "no interest now" comment this way. "Then this is a perfect time for us to meet, Mr. Jones. We can use this downtime, in a relaxed frame of mind to think through how I can help you grow your business when conditions warrant you getting back in the game." The resulting appointment, and one likely will be made, can be the first of a long or short series of meetings that earns the seller the respect and trust of this client through the expert and caring partnering he (this can be you) demonstrates in helping to forge strategies and plans that bode well for the account. And this client will let you know, sooner than either of you would have guessed, when the implementation of the resulting plans should begin.


The difference between most sellers and the remarkable achievers are no more dramatic that the difference between up and down, night and day or good and evil. The average seller is usually a well-intentioned, hard working, warrior; trained by less than perfectly-trained trainers. He is out to win! Out to successfully answer objections! Out to demonstrate the superiority and benefits of his product or service! Out to SELL!


"What do you think of this sales guy?" one exec asks. "He's a KILLER," the other responds.


The uncommon, remarkable salesman begins his day prepared to help any number of customers, old and new, grow their businesses. He tenaciously adheres to personal core values which include service to others, honesty, and teamwork, among others. He can be short or tall, fat or skinny, get soup on his shirt at lunch and never play a round of golf. But all with whom he comes in contact know that he is knowledgeable, indefatigable and very well intentioned. He let's his client win, and basks in their victory! He is a superstar!



Great Selling!


Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork


Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation, Training and Motivational Speaking
RSherman@Pilotgroup.biz

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Little Ideas Don't Solve Big Problems

I've been immersed in media for close to forty years and I am astounded at how profoundly sellers of traditional media have transformed their ways of doing business over those years. NOT! These advertiser supported sectors have not only allowed the commoditization of their products, but allowed the training of every generation of sellers, once the memorization of features and benefits of a program or format have been mastered, to master the computing of CPPs and CPMs. Because that is all these industries ask of the representatives, that's about all the professionalism they get with the great majority of their AEs. Now the good news, from a career point of view, is that most folk have little trouble meeting those limited expectations.

Many years ago, I began my broadcast sales career with WINS, all-news radio in New York. "WINS" had a remarkable and uncommon senior AE at the time named Jack McGann. While Jack made sure that he covered all the bases, and made media buyers' hearts flutter over lunch at the Four Seasons and Downing Square, he also had a roll-a-dex which included the 411 on probably one-third of the CMOs of the top Fortune 500 companies. I don't know if Jack played golf, with those CMOs, and I don't know if he took them to fancy lunches, but I do know that he behaved as if he were the right hand man, or partner, or, depending upon the matter at hand, the boss or mentor to each of them.

To Jack, it was all about the business he was trying to help...with his mastery of his medium, with a self-trained marketing mind and with an unquenchable thirst for ferreting out the issues his client was experiencing as obstacles to growth. Jack could CPM with the best of them...but most of his business was done with pricing as a formality that had to be dealt with, rather than the determinant of success or failure. The most interesting message I ever got from Jack was over a martini lunch during the first week of my new career. (We did that then, drank at lunch, that is). He said, "Congratulations on getting the job, Bob. If you show up five days a week, you'll have met all the criteria necessary to make a good living in a fun, and for some, prestigious industry, for the rest of your working life. It's like a union card." My observation over the years is that Jack was right on the money.

Traditional media has a real problem on its' hands now. With the proliferation of new platforms that technology has created to reach consumers, radio and television's share of the total advertising buy is unstable, at best. The sellers of new media have the advantages of both a new story to tell as well as ad agency and marketers insecurities about missing the boat by letting competitors gain a foothold with the new consumer channels. The still unmatchable roles both radio and television play in the marketing of goods and services is now often getting lost in the excitement over the "new." And these traditional industries, whose sellers had already settled for commoditized rather than value based rewards for its work, and goals of in-sector market share improvement over growing the market to be shared, find themselves in a tough place. Needless to say, the extraordinary economic position all industries find themselves in now, greatly exacerbates the problem.

So what are the new solutions being entertained by radio and television sales teams to meet these challenges head-on? What are the cultural changes these industries are adopting that will break through the traditional ties that bind? What are the transformative undertakings that will spotlight the remarkable ability of television and radio to build and enhance brands and encourage on the spot transactions? And thus greatly and appropriately, for the good of the advertiser, increase spending.

Let's start with what won't do it:
Health fares won't do it.
Two for ones won't do it.
Remotes won't do it.
Discounts for long term commitments won't do it.
Anybody have a good promotion for an insurance agency won't do it.

These are little--and very, very old ideas. They are though, the calling cards of most (and therefore average) sales organizations.

What will move the needle, at first slowly but surely, but then profoundly and quickly, is a shift in culture, strategy and planning that focuses on sales teams that work together to build customers businesses. Focus on that, not the competitor, not the CPP, not the share of business.
All of that takes care of itself when you are the sales executive (part of a sales organization) that works in partnership with the clients to help them grow their businesses. When you become the de facto CMOs, ad agencies and partners, working hard to identify opportunities and effectuate routes for their maximization on behalf of the client: When that becomes the reality of the team's work life, it will crack the code and solve its own problems.

Great Selling!

Love Your Work And Work Tirelessy
Serve, Don't Sell
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessy
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation and Training, as well as Motivational Speaking,
RSherman@PilotGroup.biz

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

"Shine-Em-Up...For Free"

That was the sign in the American Terminal at LAX a few weeks ago. So I did. It cost me $7.00 and I'm pretty sure that's at or near the top that I've ever paid for a shine. I looked up from the paper I was reading while he was slapping on the polish at one point and asked, why he didn't post a price for the shine? "Well first of all," he began, "the free offer attracts attention, don't you think?" It certainly had gotten mine, I had to admit. "Second, most folks do what you just did, and ask why I say the shine is for free. And I tell 'em what I'll tell you now. If you think I've done a good job when I finish, pay me what it's worth to you."

I then asked this artiste (it was starting to look like this was going to be a killer shine) if he'd ever been stiffed? "Nah, not yet." When he finished he looked up and smiled as I went to the wallet and pulled out all the bills I had smaller than a twenty. That happened to come to $7.00. If I'd had another two singles I probably would have forked that over, as well. How great a businessman/seller is this guy? First he's a magical marketer. He's decided that his USP is free shoe shines. Hmmm. Talk about separating yourself from the competition. He's also figured out that "advertising that USP" would would "stop traffic," literally.

And how about his pricing strategy? The man's a genius! If he tried to lure customers in with under market pricing (a different USP), let's say $3.00, he'd get good traffic, and likely as not, a fair measure of $2.00 tips. Total $5.oo per shine. If he put a $5.00 price out there, it'd be about market for a major city air terminal so he would be undistinguished from his competition. No big deal unless he gets pretty busy in which case arriving passengers might continue walking toward "baggage" while looking for a less crowded shine parlor. Moreover, with a $5.00 cellar price he's probably psychologically capped his "tip" opportunity at $2.00, and more often than not, I suspect, the tip would be a buck.

His zero based pricing leaves the decision entirely in the hands of the customer. And I suspect the decisions made on payment include elements not even in the game in a normal shine transaction. For example, "This guy took a risk but worked hard to give me a great shine, and he did. He should be rewarded for that and even if I pay more than I normally would. What the heck, it's not going to change my retirement date." Or how about the "fun" or the "that was interesting" factors. That's worth a buck or two extra right there. "

So let's take a look at his selling business plan.
1. I will develop a unique selling proposition for my service: free shines
2. I will advertise my services
3. I will give great service and
4. Trust that I will be appropriately rewarded for my customer focus.

Where would you bet he ranked in gross income of his peers at LAX? Me too.

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Serve, Don't Sell
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation and Training
RSherman@PilotGroup.biz
212-486-4446

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Learning From Aretha

"...Find out what it means to me." R-E-S-P-E-C-T. If you are ever to be a rare and remarkable seller, one of your calling cards will be a sincere and obvious respect for the customer you do, or would, serve. A clear communication of respect from seller to buyer goes a long way toward lowering the well-built barrier between buyers and sellers. It says, "I know you have concerns and I am here to help you sort them out and find solutions." It says, "You are a person of value and I am sincerely appreciative of the time you are spending with me and will do everything I can to reward you with valuable service." It says, "My work life is about doing everything I can to make yours even more rewarding."

Think for a moment about the all the obsequious, or disinterested, or arrogant (or pick any other number of distasteful adjectives) sales people you've come across recently. Was there anything in your contact with them that made you feel appreciated; respected; cared about? Of course not. And consequently, were you even interested in their expressions of enthusiasm about their product or service? I'd bet not. If there was any conversation at all with these average and all too typical sellers, it was about price. In fact, buyers are so used to being treated as personified wallets, most of the time they make "price" part of the introduction..."Nice to meet you Bob, how much?" or "What do you have for me today?"

When I meet a new prospect for the first time, I'm often greeted that way and my response is always along the following lines: "Ah, you want to discuss a special. I'll have someone get back to you very quickly on that. I thought you wanted to discuss how I might be able to help you grow your business." It's an honest response. I'm just not an average seller. I really am interested in helping people do and get more. I'm devoted to it. Yes, I have needs; personal interests and a family, dog and cat to support. But I have found over the years that taking care of, and respecting the needs of others will result the Shermans, and their pets, doing OK.

I never think of myself as smarter, more successful, more worthy or more anything than the people with whom I deal. The shop owner who spends ten hours a day, six days a week behind a counter to take care of his family is a worthy person, deserving of my attention and respect. And he gets it, naturally. And I'd like to think that because I communicate that respect with my words and body language, he little by little comes to trust me, and little by little the buyer-seller barrier is lowered. And if our work together results in a strategy and plan that includes my services, I am as devoted to him and the successful implementation of the plan as Charlie is to me. Sorry--Charlie is the dog.

A man that says, "Yes, let's do it. When can we start?" is owed every bit of my thinking and energy and attention. I owe him all of my R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Respectfully submitted.

Great Selling!

Serve Not Sell
Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation and Training
RSherman@PilotGroup.biz

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Hurricanes...What are They Good For?

In revolutionary times colonist-landowners with expanding families prayed for severe storms. That's because it was only when hurricane size winds toppled trees on their property, that the wood was theirs to use for home additions such as new nurseries. With the exception of these acts of nature the wood belonged to the King across the Atlantic. Thus the landowners waited with bated breath for the "windfall." The time honored tradition of waiting for the windfall continues to this very day.

Remarkable sales performers are hardly traditionalists. In some ways they exhibit all but revolutionary behavior and it is likely that it was their very ancestors who got fed up with weather watching and initiated the break with the Mother Country.

Exceptional sellers don't count on or worry about windfalls. They know that their success is a natural by-product of day after day service to others. Their contributions and the riches that come their way as a result of those contributions are not random acts of nature but rather the result of hard but fulfilling work.They love their work and work tirelessly at it. That starts with an appreciation for the product or service they represent, and a canvassing by way of disciplined and methodical prospecting of people or businesses whose growth can be facilitated in partnership with their product or service. They then combine their good will and honest communications with the learned and practiced art of salesmanship to motivate the customer to welcome help.

And then begins the process of struggling together, buyer and seller to find answers to the most important question: "How do we grow this business, together."

So how will you spend your day? With a barometer or the Yellow Pages?

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Serve Don't Sell
Collapse Time
Teamwork


Available for Corporate and Individual Consultation and Training
RSherman@PilotGroup.biz

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

What's So Special About You?

The headline above may be the most important professional question that you ask of yourself and your customers (present and prospective). Now you may be better off asking it (at least with your clients) in a more polite way, such as "What's the unique selling proposition your product or service offers?" Or, "What's the pain point that you address?" Or, "Why do people shop here?" Or, "Why don't people shop here?" Or, "Why do people come into your place to transact but often leave without doing so?" Or, "With whom do you compete and why do you win when you do, or lose when you do?" Or, "Where do your customers come from?" Or, "What is their expectation when they call or visit you?" Or, "Which of your products or services are the most sought?" Or, "Which of your line(s) moves the quickest?" Or, "Which has the highest margin?"

Or... If you're really exceptional at what you do, you'll think of many, many more before you get into the "How do you know that?" follow-up question to each of their responses. (At our company, we don't dress in the morning before calling our research partner to find out the weather). By the way, there isn't a business, in business, that wouldn't benefit from you provoking some brainstorming around some of the queries above, and trust me, I've just scratched the surface. And there are any number of businesses in both great and tough economic times that stop being in business because neither their executives nor their "vendors" force them to think about these issues.

I would submit that your customers would be a lot better off and you'd be a lot more successful if you walked into the meeting(s) with a host of provocative questions, rather than your sample bag.

Now here's the truth. Your customer likely doesn't know why he's not doing better because if he did, he would be. The exceptional, uncommon and remarkable salesman comes prepared to encourage a meaningful conversation that delves into all the imaginable elements that, if prioritized and shaped into a mosaic of "to do's" reasonably portend growth.

One new-to- market web site that I am pleased to advise, has a brilliant visionary as it's founding CEO. Yesterday, she and another adviser and I had one of our periodic calls during which she both updated us on her progress and tabled the three issues which she believed were impeding progress. In the course of the twenty minute conversation the three of us asked each other enough questions and follow-up questions to have found a fourth element that we all agreed superceded her other three and most needed to be solved for growth. That kind of focus on the needs of others (in this case how do we best help her?) offers the best shot at growth. In the case of the salesman it offers the answer to the question, "What's so special about you?" And if answered satisfactorily, earns the salesman the trust of the customer and the right to help/sell!

So...what is so special about you?


Great Selling!
Serve Don't Sell
Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly

Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for corporate and individual consultancy and training
RSherman1776@PilotGroup.biz

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Business Plan for Street Beggars

I think street beggars would maximize their daily "takes" if they displayed a suggested donation schedule. It might read something like this:


SUGGESTED DONATIONS


When contributing to my bowl if you say the following while making eye contact: $.25 per drop

1. "Have a nice day" or,
2. "I hope this helps" or,
3. anything along the lines of 1. or 2.

Saying 1., 2., or 3, without eye contact: $.50 per drop

Saying nothing with no eye contact while passing by at a leisurely pace: $1.00 per drop

Saying nothing, no eye contact and racing by: $5.00 per drop

I believe that making a personal contribution, rather than a "fly by," indicates a genuine concern for the other person. The not so down on his luck passer-by in this case, cares enough about helping the less fortunate, that he looks for signs that he has helped (like looking the beggar in the eye, for example), as well as recognizing the humanity of the "struggler" by communicating his good wishes. His contribution in this case helps feed the spirit as well as the belly, and so he is entitled to a deep discount. There's less of a discount when the motivations of the giver are a little more cloudy and by the time you get down to the "fly-by" it's clear Mr. Charity is doing this 100% for himself. It makes him feel better. Well, if the beggar has provided the value, it should cost the "giver" more for services received rather than rendered. Get it?

Here's the thing. I will bet you anything that less than one out of ten contributors will make the eye contact and verbally express good thoughts at a leisurely pace, because over 90 per cent of us donate in order to feel better about ourselves (especially in public); so that in that case, we are in our own service.
As for those who only have to fork over $.25, if they are in sales, they are off to heaven.


Great Selling!...and Serve Others!
Serve Don't Sell
Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
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Teamwork

Available for corporate and individual consultancy and training
















Sunday, November 1, 2009

Time...Friend or Foe?

"Ti-i-i ime is on my si-ide, yes it is..." a favorite of legions of average performers. The flip side of that classic, as a few of you know, is the yet to be written, "I Have no Enemy as Dangerous as Time," inspired by the realities of the life experiences of remarkable achievers. Here I am, says the average guy, the super proud representative of a wonderful product or service that can turn this troubled economic environment into the land of milk and honey for a multitude of prospective customers and...

"Tomorrow, I will make a list of them."

There are few things more gratifying that a "yes, I would be glad to meet with you," response from a prospective customer one thinks he can help...and almost a full day before the appointed meeting the average performer promises himself that..

"Tomorrow I'm going to do some research on that guy's industry."

Most sales folk believe in the concept of providing good customer service and most sales people promise that...

"Tomorrow I'm going to call Sherman's Auto Dealership and see how the campaign is working."

I have a friend in a B to B business in Atlanta who has enjoyed, and suffered, through both good and bad years. He's never had a worse year than this, though, and as the only rainmaker for his business, it's been particularly discouraging. He did have a great moment yesterday and he called me within minutes of his exciting event. It seems he'd been researching his lineage via the net for weeks and at 2:30 P.M. yesterday he made the discovery of the date and time his grandfather arrived in this country. He was as high as a kite, and right after he called me with the news he made some new business calls.

I have another friend in Atlanta who is truly an extraordinary salesman and am looking forward to catching up with him next Sunday.

Life's funny--love each of those guys alot but they have very little in common.

Great Selling!...and Collapse Time!
Serve Don't Sell
Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Available for Corporate and individual consultation and coaching; guest speaking
Contact: RSherman@PilotGroup.biz

Thursday, October 29, 2009

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Together

What's the difference between finger pointing and finger painting? While they each are childish activities, finger painting is not destructive. We all hear and read that one of the understandable reactions to this "temporary" economic reversal is a great deal of angst among those not already "downsized." The "am I next?" syndrome. How executives react to this angst is an excellent metric of their skill and value, and perhaps a pretty good indicator of whether or not the organization will "make it.".

A survival of the fittest (the sharp elbows and finger pointing) culture does much more than make life miserable for everyone (even for the perpetrator, unless he's been waiting in great anticipation for this inning of the game--because he's either nuts or a bad guy). This culture also greatly weakens the company's chances for survival, much less success, during and following the down cycle. If a pretty good I.Q. is, let's say 125, and you have six influential executives, you can have each of them firing away at the others, (in which case they all run a pretty good chance of incurring mortal wounds) or 750 I.Q. points in the aggregate trying to turn problems into opportunities for all.

A partner and I met with an institutional banker yesterday. He manages his firm's media portfolio and you can guess the kind of a year this has been for him. He actually was visiting with us to see if there was opportunity to grow with us. At one point I expressed if not sympathy, a sensitivity to how stressful his work must have been since this time last year.

"Actually," Tim said, "this has been a great year. Our boss preaches that it doesn't matter how we got here, we need to put our heads together to forge where we're going. Our teams have been strategizing and planning; everyone is wearing elbow pads, so no one has to wear body armor, and as a result we have a very sensible path to success."

How'd you like to work for his boss?

Look, it's okay to be concerned. But be concerned about the right stuff. You have clients and prospects who need your help more than ever. Whether it be to get through this period or make hay during this period, they need help. And if you are the one dedicated to providing it, you will, and an automatic by-product of that behavior will be that you have nothing to worry about.

Great Selling!
Serve Don't Sell
Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly

Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
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Teamwork

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I'll Take the Wheat...And Hold the Chaff Please

You always knew why you were asking someone "out," or why you accepted an invitation, when you were a kid. The reasons changed over the years but without fail, it always had something to do with wanting to spend at least an hour or two with the other person, for one reason or another. Not so in business.

Business lunches are a real gamble. The inviter has a reason to ask for the date. That reason involves an opportunity for him, in a "captive" environment, to push his agenda. In the best scenario for the invitee, the agenda involves helping the guest to more than a good meal and a few hours "away from the office." In that case the "host" (let's call him a "Seller") believes the social setting will allow him the time to make the "guest" (let's call him a "Buyer") comfortable with the notion that he is genuinely interested in helping him further his interests with the product or service that the Seller represents.

An hour or more at a restaurant provides all the time in the world for the Buyer to determine if he's ordered the "Wheat" by accepting the invitation, or gotten the Chaff. It's only Tuesday and I'm one for two.

The differences between the two engagements were somewhat predictable. The tasty lunch was with a professional acquaintance I've known for quite some time, done some business with over the years, and never had the occasion to look back after a transaction and question his intelligence, veracity, motives or ethics. I trust him; if not with my children, certainly with my parakeet. We spent the time at lunch with him posing questions and me responding; about my needs, about my business, about my conclusions about my business, in answer to his "yes, but what about?" challenges to my conclusions. In short, the meeting was about me. The conversation was provocative and helpful.

It was a delicious meal. I'm looking forward to the next. No---my host never got around to his agenda unless it was to use this date to mine for information to form one for a later meeting. I'll hear from him again, if that's the case, but chances are that I will call him before he gets back to me. He can be helpful.

The other host was also very smart and gregarious. I learned alot about his life and career path, he learned little about me and I didn't need the service he offered, nonetheless.

Wanna have lunch?

Great Selling!
Serve Don't Sell
Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Friday, October 23, 2009

No, It's Not Your Client, It's Ours!

Most sales guys, not you of course, experience a good deal of anxiety every time their manager says, "Take it to the Client, you'll never get anywhere with the Buyer." That's because one of the unspoken learnings of advertising sales is that a "good relationship" with ad agency buyers, all but assures one of a more than decent living and a nice work environment that includes lunches and golf outings, all "on the company." Not that there's anything wrong with that. And that is, by and large, the career life of the average sales executive; Good relationships borne of a memory for wedding anniversary dates and childrens' birth dates, twice a season golf days and quarterly if not monthly lunches. So when the manager says, "forget the Buyer" (substitute your own familiar directive), the average sales guy says "Great idea Boss" and immediately heads for his desk drawer with the Maalox.

The more subtle cause of the angst is that the visit to a client will be like taking a knife to a gunfight, in the fantasy world of the average seller. ("I know all about CPP's, Ratings and can hold my own with respect to the strengths and weaknesses of competition within and without my media sector, but that client guy is going to want to talk about marketing and stuff, Jeez").

But again, the top of consciousness concern of the Seller is , "this will really piss my Buyer off, and destroy all the hard work I've done to develop a good relationship which mostly gets me my fair share of all his/her buys."

Hey, relax, remember, we're not talking about you. We're talking about the common, average seller.

Now the concern regarding the Buyer's feelings are well placed. After all, this is the Agency's Client, isn't it? Uh, Not Really. Not in my world anyway. Both you and your Buyer are in the business of helping the Client further his business interests. In fact, if the truth be known, the Client has no shot at building his business without you and your other media channel "friends," but if he had to, he could "stumble" along without an agency. However, because the transaction world's practice is for you to bill and and collect from the agency, you understandably mistake it, the Agency, for your client. In truth the Clients' best interests are met if you and the Agency partner are treating them as your mutual beneficiaries, your shared Clients, whose interests you work together toward meeting.


So, if you effectively and honestly communicate to the Buyer, that your only interest is to serve both him and your mutual Client and to help each of them be more successful, and that you would love to have him join you in a brainstorming session with the Client, or in the alternative, if he's unavailable, will make sure to keep him in the loop on all Client interactions--he'd have to be a real (insert your pejorative here) to object.

No?

Great Selling!


Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Great Buyers Go Too!

Great Sellers go to heaven because they spend their careers focused on, and therefore helping, everyone with whom they come in contact. They are other-directed and understand that by expending their energy and activity in the service of others, good things will come their way as incidental, but inevitable results of that behavior.

Yesterday, I spent several hours with a top advertising agency executive..a very influential digital media expert. I visited with him because I wanted him to meet some people who represented outstanding advertising supported media vehicles, and knew from prior experience, that this exec would appreciate learning in the one case about a new product, and learning more about the other with which he already had substantial familiarity.

In the ninety minutes consumed by the two meetings, between Seller(s) and Buyer, dozens of questions, answers and goals flew back and forth. Many of the questions came from Sean (the executive/Buyer). When he found something particulary interesting he made a note of which of his clients, or subordinates would benefit from hearing about it. And he collaborated with the two Sellers about how they could be of service to his agency colleagues and clients. The meetings ended when Sean was sure he learned everything new to him about each product, and he orchestrated the next steps, which in this case included making sure that his co-workers and these sellers benefitted, as he did, from learning more about each other. Oh yes, nary a mention of CPPs, or CPAs. It was all about servicing Sean's accounts by learning more, and looking for partnership opportunities. So what did we have here? We had Sellers and a "Buyer" each intensely interested in the other guy and his products and goals. Good things will get done. Everyone will benefit, most especially Sean's clients.

And who would you rather bring a great idea to than this "Buyer?"...who coincidentally is off to you know where. (The only difference "there" is that the Buyers pick up the lunch checks for eternity). Hey, everything always balances out over time.

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

"When Can We Start?"... Who said that?

If it was me, then the client and I hadn't come up with a solution to his problem that involved me and my product or service. In other words, I hadn't sold anything yet. I had failed, so far anyway, to establish my worth.

RatherI was using a shopworn sales technique (trial close) just like any average sales guy, because I hadn't yet successfully sold. So I asked the question and waited for the inevitable "objection" so I could return to objection-answering. This sounds kind of familiar, yes?

Over the years, thankfully, "when can we start?" has much more often been ask of, rather than by me.

An Uncommon Seller skillfully lowers the inherent barrier between himself and the Buyer, so that the Buyer permits him to attempt to help. That's why the Seller made the appointment, prepared for it and showed up. To Help! To Serve! He lowers the barrier by communicating honestly and motivating the Buyer to struggle with him, as true partners, all four sleeves rolled up, empty coffee cups everywhere (25 years ago, filled ashtrays as well) to identify the hurdles to the client's growth, and to innovate solutions. (Get the picture?). That's where the art of selling comes in..to lower the barrier..to get him to let you help. Once that barrier is lowered, "selling" takes a rest and helping and serving take over. That's the remarkable salesman's only goal, to help the client be richer for the experience of the two of them working together. And then the moment comes when this uncommon Seller and his Buyer look up from their legal pads and the Buyer asks..."When can we start?"

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Great Negotiators Give the Other Guy What He Needs...and NOTHING MORE

The conventional wisdom of Win-Win as the desired result of a negotiation, doesn't mean both parties "share and share alike." Each party to a negotiation has a threshold that needs to be met for there to be any point in doing the deal. If that threshold gets met (that bare minimum) it's a "win." More than that, is a "wow."

Well then, you want to be the party who provides the "win" and gets the "wow."

The uncommonly successful negotiator spends little to no time trying to make a case for the value of his contribution to the deal. He assumes with confidence that the guy across the table appreciates his value, or there would have been no meeting to begin with. Our guy expends his energy probing for his counterpart's threshold.

"What are you trying to accomplish, Mr. Jones and why do you think Sherman Enterprises can help you?"

"What will you need from me, if any thing, after we shake hands, to make this work for you?"

"How and when will you be able to assess the results of our transaction?"

"Where does this deal sit on the priority ladder of your company's issues at this time."

The effort here is to get your potential "partner" to talk, and think, about himself rather than the "price" of the deal. The very process of focusing him on his "need" will reinforce for him why he is in this conversation in the first place and direct his thinking toward a successful conclusion--filling his basic need basket! The overflow becomes yours. He gets what he needed, you get what you needed, AND, the overflow---wow!

Many years ago the executive vice president of a media division of a major communication company called me to "talk about" a high profile management position he needed to fill. "Would I like to talk about it?" "Sure." We met. During the "interview" I spent a lot of time listening to his recitation of his career path and accomplishments. He may not have asked me one question. I was intrigued by his need to impress me. After all, he held the keys to the front door of a pretty high profile position. Mt first thought was, "this guy is letting me know that if we get together on this, he's going to be the boss. Why?"


At some point I asked what he thought the major challenge would be for his new hire. He told me, and off-handedly remarked that Fred (his boss) suggested he reach out to me as a potential "fixer." Translation: Fred "suggested" he check me out. If I wasn't at the command post tent when Fred next visited, this EVP would have failed. His "win" was to have me at the desk. My win was to get the job--but trust me--by learning what his"need" or "win" was, I got the "wow."
It was a nice package.

Great Selling!

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Collapse Time
Teamwork

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Open Wide! Here Comes the Choo Choo!...or the Art Of Selling and Moms

You don't know a better seller than your mom. First, her major concern has always been for your welfare. She always wanted what's best for you. She's always wanted to help you and until you were a teenager, she was always right as well. Then overnight, she became always wrong. Unfortunately many of the things mom needed to do to help you, met with resistance. You erected a "buyer/seller" wall between you and mom. No baby, or toddler for that matter, likes the taste of mashed green peas. But moms know they are good for you--protein, I think. So she wanted to help you eat healthfully by feeding you green peas and she said--"Open wide, here comes the choo choo." When you did, she shoved the awful stuff down your throat.

Mom skillfully employed the art of selling to help you get the food you need to be healthy. Nurse Ratchit, using the same words would have met with your clenched teeth. Why?
Mom genuinely wanted to help you; you saw that in her smile, you felt it in her warmth. She helped you set aside your distaste for the peas by distracting you with a choo choo game long enough to feed you. You trusted her to care for you because she focused on you and your needs and not on herself. Yes, she used a mild form of trickery. She had to; She had to get you to let her help you. "Help me...help you. H-E-L-P M-E... H-E-L-P YOU!" (Tom Cruise to Cuba Gooding--Jerry McGuire). OPEN WIDE!

Last night I had a Diet Coke with my friend Tom. He just took on a marketing assignment for a new break-through product to identify a heretofore difficult to diagnose disease--Sepsis. Tom was really excited. The job doesn't pay very well (a non-profit foundation is his sponsor) and it will be very challenging to get the word out, he says. But Tom is very excited to have the opportunity to help a lot of people get early treatment which in the case of this medical problem is essential. I know, even if Tom doesn't, that if he is really good at getting the word out (and I'm sure that he will be), everything will take care of itself--economically as well. Someday ask Imus how quickly I tore up his contract after his first "through the roof " rating book.

The more you learn about the art of selling, to help you, help them, the more effective you will be, the more you will lower the buyer/seller barrier, the more people you will help, the better your chances of going...you know where.

Great Selling

Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
Communicate Honestly and Fearlessy
Collapse Time
Team Work
Service to Others

Monday, October 12, 2009

Provocateur or bust! Be one or be one.

Well you may not be a bust but you might raise your family in Ozone Park, Queens. Hey, I love Queens. I grew up there. I'm just making a point, OK? Management has been sending salesmen out to sell with a Customer Needs Analysis sheet since I was "parking" a Spaldeen with my fist in the P.S. 205 playground. In other words, it's out of date. On a food shelf it might read "expired."

Here's how the CNA goes:

The appointment: "Mr. Jones, I'm Strom Lamone and I'd like to visit with you for a half hour to learn about your business. I AM NOT COMING TO SELL YOU ANYTHING."

The visit: After 100 such approaches, some one says 'yes' and there you are; Across the counter, doing your CNA with somewhere between 3 and 17 interruptions for your prospect's customers.

The Questions (right off the CNA sheet):
1. Is there a predictable selling cycle in your business?
2. What is the demographic of your primary target?
3. How about your secondary target?
4. What is your marketing area?
5. Who are your top competitors?
6. Do you advertise?
7. What media do you use?
8. What is your annual budget for advertising?
9.What do you try to accomplish with your advertising?
10. Gulp..How is it working?

11. If you could name your biggest success hurdle, what would it be?

The 1st Visit Close: Not to "sell" anything as promised, but rather to get a second visit (at which time you will sell your buns off).

"Well Mr. Jones, if I understand you correctly, your biggest probem is blah, blah, blah. I'd like to go back to the office and share your information with our in-house marketing genius, my sales manager, my general manager and Dr. Phil. If we come up with something that could fix your problem, you'd want to hear about it, right? OK then, let's pencil in next Tuesday or Wednesday, morning or afternoon, which is better for you (nice "choice close").

So--Does any of this ring a bell?

Can anyone explain to me the rationale for calling this a consultative sales process? This is an idiotic sales process, immediately setting up the only question this line of questioning evokes from a customer, if he asks one at all--"Very interesting Mr. Lamone. What's the deal of the day?"

Let me suggest a more productive line of questioning;

1. When did you open for business?
2. Has the competitive landscape changed over that period of time?
3. Which of those that compete with you has the strongest brand image?
4. How does the business look side by side with your original business plan?
5. Has the consumer need or want for the type of product or service you offered grown or decreased?
6. How do you know?
7. Is your sales volume growing at an acceptable pace?
8. Why? Why not?
9. What's your brand perception?
10. How do you know?
11. What's the public view of your customer service?
12. How do you know?
13. What is your strongest calling card for your target consumer?
14. How do you know?

I could go on and on with this list...and so can you. And so you should, and do I. The only thing I care about when visiting with prospects is making it clear that I can help them. And I do that by showing a sincere and intense interest in them; their successes and failures. And I don't run out of questions until they start developing their own list. That's because until they start questioning everything about their challenges, they will never meet them. And my job is to provoke them to think, and worry and wonder. And I make it clear that I will be right at their side as they go through that uncomfortable, painful but ultimately rewarding process.

And they will insist that I share the fruits of our labor.

Provocateur: A person who provokes problems; causes dissention and...exceeds their revenue goals month after month and year after year.