The Consultative Sell is so "50s." OK..maybe 60s. Picture Travolta sitting across the desk from his customer; Hair all Brylcreamed into a "DA," black T, jeans and boots with a clipboard on his lap and notes to himself reading: "target customer(?), sales cycle(?), budget(?), competition(?)," etc.
"You're the one that I want, one that I want, hoo hoo hoo hoo," playing softly in the background.
If you've been trained at all to sell, chances are that a six inch black plastic comb was, or could have been, your training graduation gift.
And by the way, here's how Travolta got the appointment: "Mr. Jones, I'd like to visit with you. Not to sell you anything, I promise, but to learn about your business." It probably took him 99 "no thank yous" to get this appointment even though the approach was sincere and novel :). In truth, four out of every three calls this subject got since the day he opened his doors, began that way.
My first problem with the consultative sales process (B to B selling), is that it is based on a series of lies. Anyone taught to get appointments this way is being taught to SELL not consult. ("Not that there's anything wrong with that."). However we need to be honest if we want to develop trust. And we need to develop trust, and the reputation for being trustworthy, if we want to build a sustainable career and consistently meet personal and corporate objectives. If we can accomplish that, it will be because we became uncommon and remarkable sales executives.
Real and valuable consultants do much more than gather the information from the customer about his business and what the subject knows about its growth, stumbling blocks and potential. The real articles in the consulting business look and behave much more like Monk, Kojak and Colombo than they do, Fred Sanford. They partner with the customer to learn what he doesn't know. Guess what, if he knew, he'd be there, wherever "there" is to him. It takes courage to behave like a consultant when you are being paid to sell, . That's because inherent in the relationship between consultant and customer is the right to politely insult the hell out of the check signer. In effect the consultant is there because the O level folk with whom he's consulting are stuck. Their needs range from discovery to affirmation. But they are at the "ignorant" or "fork in the road" rest stop on their trip. And they know that and so aren't offended when the consultant reminds them of what they don't know. The work is for the two of them to "what if" everything under the sun.
But picture this: you SELL widgets. You are on your first visit with your prospect and you say, "Look dummy. You don't have a clue how to move your business forward. You are blessed that I am here. Let's get to work!"
You probably need a more elegant intro, but if you are to be a problem solver, a forthright (and fearless) communicator, a trustworthy partner and resource and therefore a remarkable seller, (with eternity spent sitting comfy on a white cloud), that's where it all starts. Takes a little courage, no?
Many years ago I was the VP/GM of a CBS owned radio station in Philadelphia. My initial task was to change the format from Talk to All-News. Within three weeks of beginning the new assignment, I had replaced all department heads, fired most of the DJs and coverted the survivors to "journalists," hired an ad agency, "suggested" the creative approach, bought a heavy television schedule--all in time to coincide with the beginning of a rating period. The ratings came out and we were the number one station in the market. The day of the release of the audience research data, I got a call from the CEO of the largest local advertising agency. He welcomed me to the market, congratulated me on the ratings, and then told me I was screwed and wondered aloud how I would dig myself out of the hole I'd just put myself in? Excuse me?
"Well," he continued. "You have masterfully called to the attention of a vast number of Philadelphia listeners a perfectly dreadful product. You'll be able to fix the product, but how will you ever get back the listeners who recorded truthfully their responsiveness to your advertising but made notes to themselves to never listen again?" I had no idea, but he had a new account.
Hoo hoo hoo hoo.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Have a Good Day, Honey..I'm off to Help
My wife collects Heinz Silver, Pez and hand carved bunnies. I collect "Thank-Yous." She's a collector, because I am.
The most important question in business is, "Have I helped you?" The most rewarding answer is "Yes, thank you." My wife's ability to indulge in her hobbies is an incidental, yet automatic by-product of my devotion to my collection.
It really doesn't matter what business you are in, or what product or service you represent. Someone thought of, or replicated that product or service because he or she believed it would help someone get something they wanted or needed. It would make the target constituent's life, business, day, minute better in some way. It has value because it enhances an experience of some kind for the customer. How you think about that which you represent, and what its intended purpose is, will be a most important determinant of your degree of success. It's more important than your territory, commission rate, competition or anything else you can think of, except your determination to help others benefit by making use of it. The uncommon achiever leaves his office well prepared and enthused not because it's another day to make sales, but rather because the new day brings fresh opportunities to help other people be more successful in their lives. Helping someone else to the top of the hill, gets you that much closer to it as well.
Human behavior and time have created an apathy, if not hostile barrier, between Buyer and Seller. Long before there were pockets, buyers were keeping their hands over where their pockets would have been to protect their purses (a gender-neutral term in years gone by). Except for remarkable and uncommon sales people, the guy with the sample bag coming through the door is "out to sell something," and everyone on the other side of the door knows it and counts the minutes until the seller leaves.
But there are rare performers as well. They walk through the door with a different purpose and they get different results. If one of these special performers has a product for a retailer to resell, he is attuned to the retailer's need to provide for his family, send his kids to college, and put something aside for retirement. The retailer toils to fulfill his dreams and the uncommon achiever is in the dreams-fulfillment business. "Mr. Jones, I can and want to help you build your business. My challenge is to get you to let me help you do that." Pretty corny, huh? Sure, so don't say it to the retailer but say it over and over to yourself until it becomes muscle memory and you behave accordingly. It's not how many people I can sell today, it's how many people can I help today?
"Emily, what does your daddy do?"
"He helps people make smart decisions about personal transportation."
"Oh, he sells cars?"
"Yep."
What do you collect?
The most important question in business is, "Have I helped you?" The most rewarding answer is "Yes, thank you." My wife's ability to indulge in her hobbies is an incidental, yet automatic by-product of my devotion to my collection.
It really doesn't matter what business you are in, or what product or service you represent. Someone thought of, or replicated that product or service because he or she believed it would help someone get something they wanted or needed. It would make the target constituent's life, business, day, minute better in some way. It has value because it enhances an experience of some kind for the customer. How you think about that which you represent, and what its intended purpose is, will be a most important determinant of your degree of success. It's more important than your territory, commission rate, competition or anything else you can think of, except your determination to help others benefit by making use of it. The uncommon achiever leaves his office well prepared and enthused not because it's another day to make sales, but rather because the new day brings fresh opportunities to help other people be more successful in their lives. Helping someone else to the top of the hill, gets you that much closer to it as well.
Human behavior and time have created an apathy, if not hostile barrier, between Buyer and Seller. Long before there were pockets, buyers were keeping their hands over where their pockets would have been to protect their purses (a gender-neutral term in years gone by). Except for remarkable and uncommon sales people, the guy with the sample bag coming through the door is "out to sell something," and everyone on the other side of the door knows it and counts the minutes until the seller leaves.
But there are rare performers as well. They walk through the door with a different purpose and they get different results. If one of these special performers has a product for a retailer to resell, he is attuned to the retailer's need to provide for his family, send his kids to college, and put something aside for retirement. The retailer toils to fulfill his dreams and the uncommon achiever is in the dreams-fulfillment business. "Mr. Jones, I can and want to help you build your business. My challenge is to get you to let me help you do that." Pretty corny, huh? Sure, so don't say it to the retailer but say it over and over to yourself until it becomes muscle memory and you behave accordingly. It's not how many people I can sell today, it's how many people can I help today?
"Emily, what does your daddy do?"
"He helps people make smart decisions about personal transportation."
"Oh, he sells cars?"
"Yep."
What do you collect?
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Oh Shut Up and Listen, For God's Sake!
Man's most recent evolutionary leap is his remarkable ability to appear to be listening to others while he's pretty much tuned out. Think about the people you love, and who love you; The most important people in your life. How often have you said to yourself about each of them, "He didn't hear a word I just said?" For any number of reasons, most of us are pretty self-absorbed. The I-Man (radio personality Don Imus) interrupts his interviewees all the time with, "I'm sorry. My mind strayed after I asked you the last question and I have no idea what you answered and uh, actually what I even asked you; Uh what's your name, again?" I'm not so sure he's always kidding when he does that. Perhaps the survival instinct is so a part of our DNA that we are, at the end of the day, a pretty selfish group. We spend so much of our lives in self-interested thought and action, and expecting little different from others, that we are in awe of truly altruistic behavior. When on those rare occasions we exhibit other-directed behavior ourselves, the reaction can run the gamut from pride and self-respect to, "What was I thinking?"
I believe the people we admire most are the few we are blessed to meet who really care about what others are saying and feeling. That's because most of us have learned to nod intermittently and at appropriate times while others "have the floor, " so as to appear to be focused on them and their needs. All the while our thoughts are running to, "How shall I respond?" or worse, "When will this ever end?"
And so, are you aghast to learn that Buyers believe that you have no real interest in them other, of course, than to sell them something? And honestly, unless you are an uncommon seller, they are probably right. The barrier between you and your prospect was erected long before you got into the game, but it is tall and wide, and grows taller and wider and stronger all the time. In fact, while both buyer and seller revel in the new technologies that allow them to transact electronically (from RFPs to executed contracts), and credit their enthusiasm to the efficiency of it all, the more plausible rationale is the consequence that they don't have to spend any more face time with each other pretending to be listening. It's exhausting.
Friends, Buyers have no expectation that you care one whit about them or what your product or service might do for them. That is why they are wary, non-communicative and non-committal. Most of we sellers go on prattling nonetheless about how our product/service is going to change their lives and, at a fifty per cent discount, if they buy today. The more we prattle, the less we listen. The less we listen the more we meet the Buyers' expectations and the less interested the Buyer is in the discussion.
My first advertising sales job was for a terrific trade publishing company. The newspaper I represented was so much better than me. I was the archetypal hot shot, aggressive New York salesman. I could rattle off the pitch in my sleep and had an answer for any possible objection. My first out-of-town sales trip was to see Bill Stanback, CEO of a powder headache remedy whose brand bore his name. The Stanback Company was in Salisbury, North Carolina. I'd targeted a six issue double truck ad campaign and I was ready. Bill welcomed me into his cavernous office and nearly crushed my hand with his. (Gee, he was really happy to see me, make it 12 issue double truck ads.). I got started. Once the first sentence of my canned pitch escaped my lips there was no stopping me. There could have been a gas leak explosion and I wouldn't have yelled "fire" until I'd finished with "sign here, Bill.").
When I finally came up for air, a giant smile crossed Bill's face as he rose to presumably finish off my last few unbroken metatarsels. "Well, well," he said. "That was terrific. Next time your down this way, make sure that you stop in again, you hear?" He walked me to the door. What a gentleman.
It wasn't until the cab left Stanback's building for the ride to the airport that it crossed my mind that I had sold zero, zilch, nada. How could I have? Our meeting had nothing to do with Stanback. No one in the world could have made that more clear than I. Hell, he might as well have not been in the room. In this case a failure to listen wasn't my flaw. There was nothing to listen to--I never shut up. (Who cared what he had to say? I had a nifty pitch).
Have you ever heard someone comment about another, "He has the gift of gab. He ought to be in sales?" I would argue that if he has the gift of gab, he ought to be in gabbing--not sales!
Do you hear me?
Great Selling!
I believe the people we admire most are the few we are blessed to meet who really care about what others are saying and feeling. That's because most of us have learned to nod intermittently and at appropriate times while others "have the floor, " so as to appear to be focused on them and their needs. All the while our thoughts are running to, "How shall I respond?" or worse, "When will this ever end?"
And so, are you aghast to learn that Buyers believe that you have no real interest in them other, of course, than to sell them something? And honestly, unless you are an uncommon seller, they are probably right. The barrier between you and your prospect was erected long before you got into the game, but it is tall and wide, and grows taller and wider and stronger all the time. In fact, while both buyer and seller revel in the new technologies that allow them to transact electronically (from RFPs to executed contracts), and credit their enthusiasm to the efficiency of it all, the more plausible rationale is the consequence that they don't have to spend any more face time with each other pretending to be listening. It's exhausting.
Friends, Buyers have no expectation that you care one whit about them or what your product or service might do for them. That is why they are wary, non-communicative and non-committal. Most of we sellers go on prattling nonetheless about how our product/service is going to change their lives and, at a fifty per cent discount, if they buy today. The more we prattle, the less we listen. The less we listen the more we meet the Buyers' expectations and the less interested the Buyer is in the discussion.
My first advertising sales job was for a terrific trade publishing company. The newspaper I represented was so much better than me. I was the archetypal hot shot, aggressive New York salesman. I could rattle off the pitch in my sleep and had an answer for any possible objection. My first out-of-town sales trip was to see Bill Stanback, CEO of a powder headache remedy whose brand bore his name. The Stanback Company was in Salisbury, North Carolina. I'd targeted a six issue double truck ad campaign and I was ready. Bill welcomed me into his cavernous office and nearly crushed my hand with his. (Gee, he was really happy to see me, make it 12 issue double truck ads.). I got started. Once the first sentence of my canned pitch escaped my lips there was no stopping me. There could have been a gas leak explosion and I wouldn't have yelled "fire" until I'd finished with "sign here, Bill.").
When I finally came up for air, a giant smile crossed Bill's face as he rose to presumably finish off my last few unbroken metatarsels. "Well, well," he said. "That was terrific. Next time your down this way, make sure that you stop in again, you hear?" He walked me to the door. What a gentleman.
It wasn't until the cab left Stanback's building for the ride to the airport that it crossed my mind that I had sold zero, zilch, nada. How could I have? Our meeting had nothing to do with Stanback. No one in the world could have made that more clear than I. Hell, he might as well have not been in the room. In this case a failure to listen wasn't my flaw. There was nothing to listen to--I never shut up. (Who cared what he had to say? I had a nifty pitch).
Have you ever heard someone comment about another, "He has the gift of gab. He ought to be in sales?" I would argue that if he has the gift of gab, he ought to be in gabbing--not sales!
Do you hear me?
Great Selling!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Make a Cheat Sheet and I'll Tell You a Story
For you newbies to this blog, and non-note taking returnees, here in one place are the Five Core Values that any of us can adopt to guide our relationships and achieve uncommon, remarkable results. These are the values that have kept me on track and laid the foundation for a personally rewarding career. I've seen them do the same for others, and they will for you. I'm numbering and listing them below to make it easy for you to cut, paste, print and laminate them in two sizes (4x6 for your desk top, framed and business card size for your wallet:).
1. Selling is about service to others; everyone in your business life.
2. Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
3. Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
4. Collapse Time
5. Be a Great Team mate
(Each of these "values" is treated in an earlier blog).
Okay, here's the story: For a very long time my business cards have listed these core values under my contact information. They follow my signature in all emails that I send. It is one way I tell people who I am, or at least who I try to be. At AOL Advertising Sales, these values became the cornerstone for the organization's culture. I never dictated that, it happened organically. I inherited a sales organization that had become dispirited as a result of the Internet implosion after years of historic sales growth when AOL led the charge in the Internet space. But now it seemed overnight the Internet was out of favor and the resulting advertising decline was dramatic. Moreover the ad agency community had a real bone to pick with the AOL ad sales department.
During the period of intense Internet excitement, marketers were speculating, with enthusiastic encouragement from Internet entrepreneurs, that all of commerce was going to move from "bricks and mortars" to the Internet. From a pair of shoes to home mortgages, the world was going to take its business online. Suffice to say, AOL "played" this speculation spectacularly well. But in so doing invested in a lot of face-to-face client time, every once in a great while to the discomfort of the ad agencies. When the Internet (temporarily as it turned out) went out of favor, the downturn in ad sales was precipitous and profound. AOL and its Net competitors went kicking and scratching for advertising dollars. They visited the agencies with hat in hand. But "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." If that woman is a "media queen" the fury is taken to a whole new level.
So I found a bunch of "beaten" folk at AOL. They had been to the mountain top but the winds up there turned unkind. They were now so low they could no longer imagine, much less see the top. They needed to learn how to again believe in AOL, and more importantly in themselves. The core values that I proselytized played a real part in quickly turning around the sales slide. Having something new to believe in, and a guide for behavior what would earn them trust from all with whom they dealt, gave these very bright, talented men and women a new road map to uncommon performance and many of them took the trip. Our first quarter at AOL was the first in many to show growth.
When a sales executive loves his work, there is a transfer of that affection to those for whom he works, to those that work for him and to those for whom he would like to work; The customer.
I am a pretty direct communicator and so if I respect and "love" my co-workers, I tell them. If they know I care about them because they are so important a part of what makes my work pleasurable, they feel safe when I point out opportunities for improvement in their performance.
And I remind them, and now point out to you, that if they (you) really believe the mission is to serve the client, first, last and always, they (you) will earn the liberty to teach, advise, provoke and brainstorm with the client because everything about the interactions say to the client, "I'm safe here. This person can and wants to help me invest wisely in advertising." When that moment arrives you are very special indeed. Your services are a most important asset to the client. You have no competitor. Your product or service is not a commodity. Nature will take its course and you will be incidentally but inevitably rewarded. Get it?
Great Selling!
2. Love Your Work and Work Tirelessly
3. Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
4. Collapse Time
5. Be a Great Team mate
(Each of these "values" is treated in an earlier blog).
Okay, here's the story: For a very long time my business cards have listed these core values under my contact information. They follow my signature in all emails that I send. It is one way I tell people who I am, or at least who I try to be. At AOL Advertising Sales, these values became the cornerstone for the organization's culture. I never dictated that, it happened organically. I inherited a sales organization that had become dispirited as a result of the Internet implosion after years of historic sales growth when AOL led the charge in the Internet space. But now it seemed overnight the Internet was out of favor and the resulting advertising decline was dramatic. Moreover the ad agency community had a real bone to pick with the AOL ad sales department.
During the period of intense Internet excitement, marketers were speculating, with enthusiastic encouragement from Internet entrepreneurs, that all of commerce was going to move from "bricks and mortars" to the Internet. From a pair of shoes to home mortgages, the world was going to take its business online. Suffice to say, AOL "played" this speculation spectacularly well. But in so doing invested in a lot of face-to-face client time, every once in a great while to the discomfort of the ad agencies. When the Internet (temporarily as it turned out) went out of favor, the downturn in ad sales was precipitous and profound. AOL and its Net competitors went kicking and scratching for advertising dollars. They visited the agencies with hat in hand. But "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." If that woman is a "media queen" the fury is taken to a whole new level.
So I found a bunch of "beaten" folk at AOL. They had been to the mountain top but the winds up there turned unkind. They were now so low they could no longer imagine, much less see the top. They needed to learn how to again believe in AOL, and more importantly in themselves. The core values that I proselytized played a real part in quickly turning around the sales slide. Having something new to believe in, and a guide for behavior what would earn them trust from all with whom they dealt, gave these very bright, talented men and women a new road map to uncommon performance and many of them took the trip. Our first quarter at AOL was the first in many to show growth.
When a sales executive loves his work, there is a transfer of that affection to those for whom he works, to those that work for him and to those for whom he would like to work; The customer.
I am a pretty direct communicator and so if I respect and "love" my co-workers, I tell them. If they know I care about them because they are so important a part of what makes my work pleasurable, they feel safe when I point out opportunities for improvement in their performance.
And I remind them, and now point out to you, that if they (you) really believe the mission is to serve the client, first, last and always, they (you) will earn the liberty to teach, advise, provoke and brainstorm with the client because everything about the interactions say to the client, "I'm safe here. This person can and wants to help me invest wisely in advertising." When that moment arrives you are very special indeed. Your services are a most important asset to the client. You have no competitor. Your product or service is not a commodity. Nature will take its course and you will be incidentally but inevitably rewarded. Get it?
Great Selling!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
CORE VALUE: TEAMWORK
Among the attributes of Great Sellers is their ability to achieve consistently uncommon and remarkable performance. "Hot Shot" sellers have terrific wins, but also fallow periods, because their success usually depends upon taking advantage of the "greater fool" theory. Their BIG sales are personal victories, with an emphasis on "personal." And while the reservoir is well stocked with "fools," there are many other hot shots out fishing with alluring bait.
Great Sellers forge large teams to go about the business of effectively serving their consituencies which includes everyone with whom they deal; Customers, colleagues, bosses and employees. They seek the greatest good for the greatest number without regard for themselves because they know that their success is incidental but automatic as a result of helping others be successful. Their victories are anything but personal; They are team victories.
Great Sellers create great teams. They do what they can to elevate others to a standard of excellence with a view toward continuing to increase the team's "wins."
You've worked with loners. Sometimes people behave as loners because they think they have the secret sauce. They don't want to share it because they think that will level the playing field with their co-workers as they each compete for more responsibility. If these type of sellers work in companies where promotion is truly worthwhile, they are playing their hands poorly. Let's see. I'm the CEO of a company that needs to fill an important VP/Sales job. Should I pick Manny who does everything he can to help everyone beneath, alongside, and on top of him perform more successfully, or Moe who is only happy when he brings in a dollar more than every other salesman in the organization, and pretends to have a hearing problem when asked for help by another salesman? And then, what about the inevitable moment when Mr. Hot Shot is stumped for an idea and wanders down the hall for some input? Chances are it becomes coffee break time for his colleagues. Hmmmm.
Great Sellers forge large teams to go about the business of effectively serving their consituencies which includes everyone with whom they deal; Customers, colleagues, bosses and employees. They seek the greatest good for the greatest number without regard for themselves because they know that their success is incidental but automatic as a result of helping others be successful. Their victories are anything but personal; They are team victories.
Great Sellers create great teams. They do what they can to elevate others to a standard of excellence with a view toward continuing to increase the team's "wins."
You've worked with loners. Sometimes people behave as loners because they think they have the secret sauce. They don't want to share it because they think that will level the playing field with their co-workers as they each compete for more responsibility. If these type of sellers work in companies where promotion is truly worthwhile, they are playing their hands poorly. Let's see. I'm the CEO of a company that needs to fill an important VP/Sales job. Should I pick Manny who does everything he can to help everyone beneath, alongside, and on top of him perform more successfully, or Moe who is only happy when he brings in a dollar more than every other salesman in the organization, and pretends to have a hearing problem when asked for help by another salesman? And then, what about the inevitable moment when Mr. Hot Shot is stumped for an idea and wanders down the hall for some input? Chances are it becomes coffee break time for his colleagues. Hmmmm.
Monday, September 28, 2009
CORE VALUE: Communicate Honestly and Fearlessly
Great sellers always communicate honestly and fearlessly. These uncommon performers don't tell their bosses, employees, co-workers or customers what they think they want to hear. They tell them the truth, as they see it, all the time, every time. They believe that "truth" will earn them trust; And they are right!
That's not to say that fearless communication might not cost the GS ("great seller" :) a customer or even a job one day. But if so, neither was worth keeping. Being known as a scrupulously honest person, will go a long way toward earning you the trust you will need in order to to establish productive relationships so as to be able to perform remarkably.
Many salespeople (and character rather than inexperience is controlling) forecast either aggressively or too conservatively. "Hey Joe," the manager begins. It's the twelfth of the month and you've got a humongous budget and haven't booked one shilling. Have we a problem?" Joe replies, "A problem? Surely you jest. I will hit 120% of my budget this month. Take it to the bank!"
The boss issues a huge sigh of relief and signs $120,000 worth of purchase orders because Joe's a veritable cash cow. When the boss' checks bounce and his superior begins to wonder about his judgement, it becomes clear that Joe's fear about reporting the truth has cost the company, and his boss, dearly. First because they spent money they didn't have and second, because Joe didn't give his management the opportunity to see if they could intervene and help him bolster sales. Joe's insecurity, leading to dishonesty, may have bought him a little time, but probably very little.
Or, Joe replies to the same question this way, "A problem? I'll say we have a problem. Next month will be okay, but I'll be lucky to keep what I have on the books now much less add a dime this month. That'll put me about at roughly 9.76% of budget. Now Joe, who was determined to be a hero this month, knew he would, and evenutally did, come in over budget. He was sandbagging. But instead of breaking open the bubbly at the end of the month when Joe came crashing through his budget, the trained manager says, "Joe, your inability, or unwillingness to forecast accurately, and/or truthfully, has wreaked havoc with my planning and perhaps the growth of the company. More accurate forecasting is a skill you need to develop; Oh yes, and quickly!"
Expect to be questioned about bad news you deliver, and respond truthfully again. Be prepared for the conversation. Communicate it with neither exaggeration nor minimalization. Be prepared with possible solutions and be open to the boss' ideas. The sun doesn't shine all day every day. Things don't go as planned all the time, no matter how well planned, or executed. If you are nimble, are seen as a problem solver and honest, you are a valuable employee--and a valuable seller--an uncommon seller--a remarkable seller--a great seller!
Tell the truth always; Especially to yourself!
Great Selling!
That's not to say that fearless communication might not cost the GS ("great seller" :) a customer or even a job one day. But if so, neither was worth keeping. Being known as a scrupulously honest person, will go a long way toward earning you the trust you will need in order to to establish productive relationships so as to be able to perform remarkably.
Many salespeople (and character rather than inexperience is controlling) forecast either aggressively or too conservatively. "Hey Joe," the manager begins. It's the twelfth of the month and you've got a humongous budget and haven't booked one shilling. Have we a problem?" Joe replies, "A problem? Surely you jest. I will hit 120% of my budget this month. Take it to the bank!"
The boss issues a huge sigh of relief and signs $120,000 worth of purchase orders because Joe's a veritable cash cow. When the boss' checks bounce and his superior begins to wonder about his judgement, it becomes clear that Joe's fear about reporting the truth has cost the company, and his boss, dearly. First because they spent money they didn't have and second, because Joe didn't give his management the opportunity to see if they could intervene and help him bolster sales. Joe's insecurity, leading to dishonesty, may have bought him a little time, but probably very little.
Or, Joe replies to the same question this way, "A problem? I'll say we have a problem. Next month will be okay, but I'll be lucky to keep what I have on the books now much less add a dime this month. That'll put me about at roughly 9.76% of budget. Now Joe, who was determined to be a hero this month, knew he would, and evenutally did, come in over budget. He was sandbagging. But instead of breaking open the bubbly at the end of the month when Joe came crashing through his budget, the trained manager says, "Joe, your inability, or unwillingness to forecast accurately, and/or truthfully, has wreaked havoc with my planning and perhaps the growth of the company. More accurate forecasting is a skill you need to develop; Oh yes, and quickly!"
Expect to be questioned about bad news you deliver, and respond truthfully again. Be prepared for the conversation. Communicate it with neither exaggeration nor minimalization. Be prepared with possible solutions and be open to the boss' ideas. The sun doesn't shine all day every day. Things don't go as planned all the time, no matter how well planned, or executed. If you are nimble, are seen as a problem solver and honest, you are a valuable employee--and a valuable seller--an uncommon seller--a remarkable seller--a great seller!
Tell the truth always; Especially to yourself!
Great Selling!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
CORE VALUE: Collapse Time.
A quick refresher. I'm convinced that remarkable and uncommon performers tenaciously adhere to a set of behaviors, moment after moment, day after day that separates them from the vast majority of sales "executives" and earns for them the respect and trust of their customers and prospective customers. In prior postings we talked about the notion of "Service to All Others, Before Self," as a Core Value that can inevitably help make one's performance remarkable, and lead to uncommon rewards (see prior post; "Mother Nature Has Your Back."). We also posited that "Loving Your Work and Working Tirelessly," is another Core Value predisposing one to notable achievement.
A third and important Core Value that portends outstanding results is the ability to Collapse Time. There are some among us who seem to be able to accomplish things in time frames that mere mortals could never match. These extraordinary sales folk don't agonize; They recognize early on when further analysis will reveal little more, and they don't procrastinate. They have a bias for action. Simply put, they get more done! My partners and I have investments in a number of portfolio companies. Almost every week, at least one of those companys' top executives spends a half day with us in whiteboard sessions. We circulate an agenda before the meeting so that all come prepared with thoughts on the issues to be discussed, and then our founding partner facilitates a roundtable brainstorm. My partners and I have been approaching sales, branding, marketing and operational issues in this fashion for over twenty-five years. We are led by the hardest working, fastest thinking discussion facilitator I have ever seen. And we consistently get more work done in these half day sessions than many executive teams could get done in a week of off sites. We are not cowboys but we do understand decision making.
One of our partners is a very well known and skilled researcher. Before we address decisions on the agenda, he's done the research that we need to guide us. But we also understand that a decision is an action you have to take in the absence of clear research leading the way. If the research tells you what to do, there's no decision to make. Follow the research. In the absence of hard data to tell you left from right, pick one. (As Yogi Berra says, "when you get to the fork in the road, take it."). Make a decision. DON'T AGONIZE, which is really an excuse for PROCRASTINATION, which in turn, is a behavior (or non-behavior) in response to FEAR OF FAILURE. "Should I call this prospect or that for a sales appointment? This or that? Or perhaps him, or her? Oh wait a minute. Mom asked me to call today. I'll get back to prospecting later."
Get it?
One of the rules we work under at our firm us "the 24 hour rule." From the point of decision-making, almost everything gets done in 24 hours. Let's not quibble about logical exceptions to the rule. I don't have the time.
Don't "agonize." Don't be afraid to fail. If this guy won't see you, that one will. Make the calls. Many calls. Many more than anyone else can possibly make. The number of people you can help is unending. You are on the way to being uncommon, yes, remarkable, and in a collapsed time frame.
A third and important Core Value that portends outstanding results is the ability to Collapse Time. There are some among us who seem to be able to accomplish things in time frames that mere mortals could never match. These extraordinary sales folk don't agonize; They recognize early on when further analysis will reveal little more, and they don't procrastinate. They have a bias for action. Simply put, they get more done! My partners and I have investments in a number of portfolio companies. Almost every week, at least one of those companys' top executives spends a half day with us in whiteboard sessions. We circulate an agenda before the meeting so that all come prepared with thoughts on the issues to be discussed, and then our founding partner facilitates a roundtable brainstorm. My partners and I have been approaching sales, branding, marketing and operational issues in this fashion for over twenty-five years. We are led by the hardest working, fastest thinking discussion facilitator I have ever seen. And we consistently get more work done in these half day sessions than many executive teams could get done in a week of off sites. We are not cowboys but we do understand decision making.
One of our partners is a very well known and skilled researcher. Before we address decisions on the agenda, he's done the research that we need to guide us. But we also understand that a decision is an action you have to take in the absence of clear research leading the way. If the research tells you what to do, there's no decision to make. Follow the research. In the absence of hard data to tell you left from right, pick one. (As Yogi Berra says, "when you get to the fork in the road, take it."). Make a decision. DON'T AGONIZE, which is really an excuse for PROCRASTINATION, which in turn, is a behavior (or non-behavior) in response to FEAR OF FAILURE. "Should I call this prospect or that for a sales appointment? This or that? Or perhaps him, or her? Oh wait a minute. Mom asked me to call today. I'll get back to prospecting later."
Get it?
One of the rules we work under at our firm us "the 24 hour rule." From the point of decision-making, almost everything gets done in 24 hours. Let's not quibble about logical exceptions to the rule. I don't have the time.
Don't "agonize." Don't be afraid to fail. If this guy won't see you, that one will. Make the calls. Many calls. Many more than anyone else can possibly make. The number of people you can help is unending. You are on the way to being uncommon, yes, remarkable, and in a collapsed time frame.
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