Fuel For Success
One thing the great ones have in common is a passion for selling. Passion for selling provides extra energy, focus, durability and the will to win.
We all have extra interest in the things we really care about. That includes the people we love, the fun things we do and, hopefully, how we spend our time earning a living. That extra interest fuels our passion for the things that makes us happy. It generates the drive and the focus we need to chase our dreams, accomplish our goals and live happy lives.
In sales, there are a few elements that generate the passion required to win.
We Like It
First of all we must like being in sales. We are problem solvers who like to engage, learn, understand and deliver solutions to our prospects and customers. While doing so, we have to fight off our competitors. We struggle to outwit, outplay and outlast our rivals. If this is fun you, you’ve got some passion.
We Believe
Next, we can build and maintain passion for selling if we sell a product or service that we believe in for a company that we are proud to represent. It’s difficult to be selective these days, but picking the right environment matters. If you are in a bad place with a bad product and a company that you don’t believe in it is difficult to keep the passion for selling meter in the right place.
Our Rewards
Finally, the rewards for success in sales are worth the effort and can generate and maintain a passion for selling. In sales, when you do well you are highly compensated, awarded and admired by many. There is nothing that will fuel passion for selling more than getting results and making money.
The Lesson
If you have passion for selling you are or will soon become a force to be reckoned with.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Careers in Sales - You Can Sell
Selling is Essential
Our economy is and has forever been driven by sales. All commerce involves sales transactions being made. If sales were suspended the day-to-day business world as we know it would grind to a halt. All employment, in any category, is created and supported by sales revenue. No sales = no jobs for anyone. That makes salespeople pretty important and absolutely necessary to business and industry.
Workers in the blue and white collar workforce deliver the products and services sold to end users by salespeople. These people work for companies and fill positions for the purpose of fulfilling sales contracts. All workers are trained either formally or on the job to do their part to get the job done.
There is Another World Out There
Many workers are unaware of the parallel universe, an army of others, who sell what they produce or sell products or services to them in support of their jobs. Accountants buy accounting software, computer hardware, business forms, and books, attend classes, and require support services for their systems. There are dozens of different jobs that support accounting and accountants. On the other hand, public accountants sell their services to other businesses. Likewise, there are many similar opportunities in health care, engineering, government, manufacturing, distribution and in all other categories of business and industry. There is no end to opportunities for employment in sales.
It's a Very Big Space
For example, there are a large number of sales transactions that are made, in the manufacture of an automobile…before cars leave the showroom. The actual sale of an automobile is the climax of a string of sales that can be traced back to the real estate salesperson who sold the land to the mine that dug up the iron ore that eventually became steel for the car’s frame. Think it over. Every raw material, transportation, tool, process, facility, every sales transaction that happened in the process of manufacturing an automobile could number many hundreds. There are probably more sales made than can be documented. The great news is that as part of every sale a salesperson was involved and compensated.
Just Talk the Talk
So, there are hundreds of thousands of sales jobs that sell to people like you, companies like yours. Who fills those jobs? People like you, with the knowledge and skill set like yours, sell to people like you. If you are a medical laboratory technologist, there are dozens of people who sell to you. Salespeople in this space know their customer’s job…they can talk the talk. They can easily discuss reagents, photometers, culture media, and the hundreds of other categories of supplies and equipment that support a medical laboratory. Guess what? Every product or service has multiple vendors for each and they all employ dedicated salespeople.
Sales Jobs Go Begging
You can sell. Sales jobs are out there looking for people. Companies are hiring ambitious people who understand their products or services and are willing and able to learn their sales processes. There are many different types of sales jobs and different ways to conduct day-to-day business, but in every case the high level goal is to call on customers and prospective customers, uncover their needs, fill their needs, and while doing so, make sales transactions.
Top Earnings Potential
Successful salespeople are highly compensated. Because selling is a career that offers no practical limits salespeople can advance to “professional” status by learning how to behave and by working hard. Think about people you know who are in sales. The good ones do pretty well financially. The great ones earn great money and live like other professionals…doctors, lawyers and business owners and executives.
Not Too Hard...In Theory
Selling is not too complicated. In a very basic way sales jobs require you to meet new friends and get to know them and their needs. Salespeople fill the needs of their customers. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said: “Find a need and fill it.” That is simple enough. Another great definition of the sales process came from Mark Thelen. Mark noted that “Selling is activity based on a fair exchange of value. After the transaction, both parties are better off.” What could be a better way to spend a career than fairly exchanging value with nice people who need your products or services?
Consider A Sales Career
Anyone who is out of work, displaced and searching for a new career should consider a career is sales. There are many types of sales positions in various categories, but they all offer opportunities for unemployed or under employed to get a fresh start and earn a good to great living.
Our economy is and has forever been driven by sales. All commerce involves sales transactions being made. If sales were suspended the day-to-day business world as we know it would grind to a halt. All employment, in any category, is created and supported by sales revenue. No sales = no jobs for anyone. That makes salespeople pretty important and absolutely necessary to business and industry.
Workers in the blue and white collar workforce deliver the products and services sold to end users by salespeople. These people work for companies and fill positions for the purpose of fulfilling sales contracts. All workers are trained either formally or on the job to do their part to get the job done.
There is Another World Out There
Many workers are unaware of the parallel universe, an army of others, who sell what they produce or sell products or services to them in support of their jobs. Accountants buy accounting software, computer hardware, business forms, and books, attend classes, and require support services for their systems. There are dozens of different jobs that support accounting and accountants. On the other hand, public accountants sell their services to other businesses. Likewise, there are many similar opportunities in health care, engineering, government, manufacturing, distribution and in all other categories of business and industry. There is no end to opportunities for employment in sales.
It's a Very Big Space
For example, there are a large number of sales transactions that are made, in the manufacture of an automobile…before cars leave the showroom. The actual sale of an automobile is the climax of a string of sales that can be traced back to the real estate salesperson who sold the land to the mine that dug up the iron ore that eventually became steel for the car’s frame. Think it over. Every raw material, transportation, tool, process, facility, every sales transaction that happened in the process of manufacturing an automobile could number many hundreds. There are probably more sales made than can be documented. The great news is that as part of every sale a salesperson was involved and compensated.
Just Talk the Talk
So, there are hundreds of thousands of sales jobs that sell to people like you, companies like yours. Who fills those jobs? People like you, with the knowledge and skill set like yours, sell to people like you. If you are a medical laboratory technologist, there are dozens of people who sell to you. Salespeople in this space know their customer’s job…they can talk the talk. They can easily discuss reagents, photometers, culture media, and the hundreds of other categories of supplies and equipment that support a medical laboratory. Guess what? Every product or service has multiple vendors for each and they all employ dedicated salespeople.
Sales Jobs Go Begging
You can sell. Sales jobs are out there looking for people. Companies are hiring ambitious people who understand their products or services and are willing and able to learn their sales processes. There are many different types of sales jobs and different ways to conduct day-to-day business, but in every case the high level goal is to call on customers and prospective customers, uncover their needs, fill their needs, and while doing so, make sales transactions.
Top Earnings Potential
Successful salespeople are highly compensated. Because selling is a career that offers no practical limits salespeople can advance to “professional” status by learning how to behave and by working hard. Think about people you know who are in sales. The good ones do pretty well financially. The great ones earn great money and live like other professionals…doctors, lawyers and business owners and executives.
Not Too Hard...In Theory
Selling is not too complicated. In a very basic way sales jobs require you to meet new friends and get to know them and their needs. Salespeople fill the needs of their customers. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said: “Find a need and fill it.” That is simple enough. Another great definition of the sales process came from Mark Thelen. Mark noted that “Selling is activity based on a fair exchange of value. After the transaction, both parties are better off.” What could be a better way to spend a career than fairly exchanging value with nice people who need your products or services?
Consider A Sales Career
Anyone who is out of work, displaced and searching for a new career should consider a career is sales. There are many types of sales positions in various categories, but they all offer opportunities for unemployed or under employed to get a fresh start and earn a good to great living.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Salespeople Need Courage
Long ago I learned that courage is a key element of a successful sales career.
What is there to be afraid of in sales?
Other than the potential for an angry prospect or customer to give you a tough time, there doesn’t seem to be much to be afraid of. Then why is courage an attribute of success? Salespeople need courage to address and overcome more subtle challenges that we all face on a continuing basis.
Rejection
Rejection was my biggest personal hurdle. I was afraid of failure for the first few years of my career. I was afraid to be turned down by prospects or customers. Rejection was embarrassing and humiliating. It became such a problem for me that I stopped calling on busy customers so that if I was turned away or told no that others would not witness the humiliation. Once I recognized that my career would be over if I couldn’t overcome fear, I became determined to suck it up and make those calls anyway, under any circumstances. I was still nervous, but I did what I had to do anyway. Having courage to fight through my fear saved my sales career.
Competition
If something is worthwhile, a good product or service to sell, a money maker, you can be sure that there will be serious competition. Competition used to make me nervous. It was hard to sit in a waiting room staring down the guy or girl who wanted to beat me. At some point I decided that I was going to stand up to competition and fight to win every time, always. I studied my competition. I learned about them, their strengths and weaknesses. I worked at being better than the competition. My funniest incident happened one day when a strong competitor drove in the customer’s parking lot behind me. No kidding, I actually ran from the car to the door and was seen first. First come first served. I got over worrying about competitors and decided to win baby win.
Change
Just about the time you get control of your career and get in a groove, things seem to change. No, things always change. Change can be our friend if we understand and adapt to it. We need courage to step into unknown territory, away from the security of what we know, our comfort zones. Winners don’t worry about change and winners don’t procrastinate when change arrives. They continue to learn about, adapt to and master changes that others withdraw from or ignore. The reality is that those who aren’t courageous enough to change will fail.
Security
Have you ever worried about your job, your security? Sure you have. We all have. With house payments, car payments, kids to raise and a lifestyle to maintain I used to worry about my future constantly. What if my industry changed? (It did), what if my employer faltered? (It did) What if? What if? What if? If you can’t live in the insecure world of sales, you won’t make it. When I began to realize that my career security was based on the skills and work habits I developed, I stopped worrying. I started to believe in myself. Our reality is that as producing sales professional we are totally employable. All companies need sales and that requires talented salespeople. Need a job? Get the word out and the phone will ring. The good news is that you provide your own career security and are immune from outside factors. Stop worrying.
The Lesson
Over time, I have conditioned myself to overcome my fears to deal with rejection, competition and change. “No” became “Non-Yes”. Competitors were left behind in the dust and change became my friend…a welcome opportunity to establish a competitive advantage. I stopped worrying about career security. It stopped being a problem.
Practical Application
A few weeks ago I was kicked out of a building by a big guy who decided he didn’t want to talk to me after all and wanted me out of his office immediately. He was a former Marine Staff Sergeant (evidenced by lots of stuff on his office walls), so I willingly left right away. Once in the parking lot I checked and did not have any visible bumps or bruises. My feelings were not even hurt. As a forty year veteran salesperson in the field, and at sixty-two years of age, I had again been severely rejected by a prospective customer. My attitude was “So what, next?”
In Hindsight
I should have qualified that guy a little better.
What is there to be afraid of in sales?
Other than the potential for an angry prospect or customer to give you a tough time, there doesn’t seem to be much to be afraid of. Then why is courage an attribute of success? Salespeople need courage to address and overcome more subtle challenges that we all face on a continuing basis.
Rejection
Rejection was my biggest personal hurdle. I was afraid of failure for the first few years of my career. I was afraid to be turned down by prospects or customers. Rejection was embarrassing and humiliating. It became such a problem for me that I stopped calling on busy customers so that if I was turned away or told no that others would not witness the humiliation. Once I recognized that my career would be over if I couldn’t overcome fear, I became determined to suck it up and make those calls anyway, under any circumstances. I was still nervous, but I did what I had to do anyway. Having courage to fight through my fear saved my sales career.
Competition
If something is worthwhile, a good product or service to sell, a money maker, you can be sure that there will be serious competition. Competition used to make me nervous. It was hard to sit in a waiting room staring down the guy or girl who wanted to beat me. At some point I decided that I was going to stand up to competition and fight to win every time, always. I studied my competition. I learned about them, their strengths and weaknesses. I worked at being better than the competition. My funniest incident happened one day when a strong competitor drove in the customer’s parking lot behind me. No kidding, I actually ran from the car to the door and was seen first. First come first served. I got over worrying about competitors and decided to win baby win.
Change
Just about the time you get control of your career and get in a groove, things seem to change. No, things always change. Change can be our friend if we understand and adapt to it. We need courage to step into unknown territory, away from the security of what we know, our comfort zones. Winners don’t worry about change and winners don’t procrastinate when change arrives. They continue to learn about, adapt to and master changes that others withdraw from or ignore. The reality is that those who aren’t courageous enough to change will fail.
Security
Have you ever worried about your job, your security? Sure you have. We all have. With house payments, car payments, kids to raise and a lifestyle to maintain I used to worry about my future constantly. What if my industry changed? (It did), what if my employer faltered? (It did) What if? What if? What if? If you can’t live in the insecure world of sales, you won’t make it. When I began to realize that my career security was based on the skills and work habits I developed, I stopped worrying. I started to believe in myself. Our reality is that as producing sales professional we are totally employable. All companies need sales and that requires talented salespeople. Need a job? Get the word out and the phone will ring. The good news is that you provide your own career security and are immune from outside factors. Stop worrying.
The Lesson
Over time, I have conditioned myself to overcome my fears to deal with rejection, competition and change. “No” became “Non-Yes”. Competitors were left behind in the dust and change became my friend…a welcome opportunity to establish a competitive advantage. I stopped worrying about career security. It stopped being a problem.
Practical Application
A few weeks ago I was kicked out of a building by a big guy who decided he didn’t want to talk to me after all and wanted me out of his office immediately. He was a former Marine Staff Sergeant (evidenced by lots of stuff on his office walls), so I willingly left right away. Once in the parking lot I checked and did not have any visible bumps or bruises. My feelings were not even hurt. As a forty year veteran salesperson in the field, and at sixty-two years of age, I had again been severely rejected by a prospective customer. My attitude was “So what, next?”
In Hindsight
I should have qualified that guy a little better.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Mind Over Matter
A Favorite Song of Mine
“Mind over Matter” was one of my favorite songs when I was a teenager. Nolan Strong and the Diablos made it a hit. It was an early Motown sound. The song wasn’t about selling, but the message is still relevant.
Looking for Answers
I continue to interview business owners, sales managers and salespeople who are looking for answers. Our economy has collapsed, particularly in Michigan. The sales pie is smaller and selling has never been more competitive.
The Dots Don’t Connect
One thing that many of my clients and prospective clients have in common is that they don’t have much structure in their professional lives. By structure, I mean there are few or no formal sales processes or procedures in place. A lot of people out there are winging it. This is a bad economy to be “winging it” in.
Structure Rules
I teach sales strategies, tools and tactics. There is a lot of best practices information available for salespeople and managers these days. Books, magazines, tapes, DVD’s, seminars, webinars, and private consultations tell the story of what to do and how to do it. If you don’t have a budget for training materials, go to the library. The library is free. Getting things right and keeping them that way is a real case of “Mind over Matter”.
Will You or Won’t You?
Will you? Will you seek out answers to gain a competitive advantage by bringing structure to your careers? And, once enlightened, will you do it? Will you consistently work on maintaining structure in your day-to-day sales world? Can you maintain the level of self discipline required to tighten up and focus on getting the most out of your time and effort? Maybe you can and maybe you can’t.
Is The Answer...Hypnotism?
OK, keep reading. Don’t leave me quite yet.
A year or so ago I attended a networking luncheon. It is a regular event that I enjoy. The luncheon features good food, good fellowship and interesting speakers (for the most part). The speaker that day was a Hypnotist. After lunch and during her lecture, she proceeded to hypnotize most of the people in the room. I cheated and watched everyone else in the room from a slightly opened eye. The imaginary balloon on their right hand lifted most right hands in the room. The imaginary heavy rock in their left hand had many breathing hard and struggling to keep their hand level. It caused me to ask a few questions.
I asked the Hypnotist if her services would be useful to sales organizations. Could she condition salespeople to do the right things and avoid doing the wrong things? She said it was possible. Hmmmmm! That would also be an example of “Mind over Matter”.
No Brain Games
The concept fascinates me. It is out of the box. It makes me chuckle. Will I recommend it? No…I don’t thing so.
“Mind over Matter” was one of my favorite songs when I was a teenager. Nolan Strong and the Diablos made it a hit. It was an early Motown sound. The song wasn’t about selling, but the message is still relevant.
Looking for Answers
I continue to interview business owners, sales managers and salespeople who are looking for answers. Our economy has collapsed, particularly in Michigan. The sales pie is smaller and selling has never been more competitive.
The Dots Don’t Connect
One thing that many of my clients and prospective clients have in common is that they don’t have much structure in their professional lives. By structure, I mean there are few or no formal sales processes or procedures in place. A lot of people out there are winging it. This is a bad economy to be “winging it” in.
Structure Rules
I teach sales strategies, tools and tactics. There is a lot of best practices information available for salespeople and managers these days. Books, magazines, tapes, DVD’s, seminars, webinars, and private consultations tell the story of what to do and how to do it. If you don’t have a budget for training materials, go to the library. The library is free. Getting things right and keeping them that way is a real case of “Mind over Matter”.
Will You or Won’t You?
Will you? Will you seek out answers to gain a competitive advantage by bringing structure to your careers? And, once enlightened, will you do it? Will you consistently work on maintaining structure in your day-to-day sales world? Can you maintain the level of self discipline required to tighten up and focus on getting the most out of your time and effort? Maybe you can and maybe you can’t.
Is The Answer...Hypnotism?
OK, keep reading. Don’t leave me quite yet.
A year or so ago I attended a networking luncheon. It is a regular event that I enjoy. The luncheon features good food, good fellowship and interesting speakers (for the most part). The speaker that day was a Hypnotist. After lunch and during her lecture, she proceeded to hypnotize most of the people in the room. I cheated and watched everyone else in the room from a slightly opened eye. The imaginary balloon on their right hand lifted most right hands in the room. The imaginary heavy rock in their left hand had many breathing hard and struggling to keep their hand level. It caused me to ask a few questions.
I asked the Hypnotist if her services would be useful to sales organizations. Could she condition salespeople to do the right things and avoid doing the wrong things? She said it was possible. Hmmmmm! That would also be an example of “Mind over Matter”.
No Brain Games
The concept fascinates me. It is out of the box. It makes me chuckle. Will I recommend it? No…I don’t thing so.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Your Second Most Valuable Career Asset
Time...Your Most Valuable Asset
If you optimize your time you will increase your productivity and make more sales and more money. If you don’t respect your time it will work against you. Other than your time, there are a couple of other important assets that salespeople need to manage.
Your Database
Your second most important asset is your database. A clean, updated database of your customers, prospects, vendors and colleagues is a most valuable tool of the sales professional.
In the “old days” we maintained and accessed our database by using business card holders in loose leaf binders, Rolodex or 3 x 5 card boxes with tabs for dates, month, the alphabet, or address books. These systems worked reasonably well but did leave a lot to be desired. The data could not interact, it was not relational and could not produce reports of any kind.
Computer software has replaced these manual systems.
Database Management Software
The current acronym for database management software is CRM. CRM stands for Client Relationship Management. CRM not only hosts your database but manages database activities. Letters, labels, e-mails, calendars, meetings, phone calls, tasks and many other functions are organized and streamlined by CRM. CRM is a one-stop productivity tool that puts your database to work for you.
Here’s the Rub
You have to use the software and keep your database current to get the most value out of this important asset. Salespeople are notorious for not keeping their database management systems and data fresh. A well maintained database housed in a powerful CRM software system is a big advantage when used correctly and faithfully.
The Irony
The irony is that a database management system is the best tool to optimize your time. Go figure.
If you optimize your time you will increase your productivity and make more sales and more money. If you don’t respect your time it will work against you. Other than your time, there are a couple of other important assets that salespeople need to manage.
Your Database
Your second most important asset is your database. A clean, updated database of your customers, prospects, vendors and colleagues is a most valuable tool of the sales professional.
In the “old days” we maintained and accessed our database by using business card holders in loose leaf binders, Rolodex or 3 x 5 card boxes with tabs for dates, month, the alphabet, or address books. These systems worked reasonably well but did leave a lot to be desired. The data could not interact, it was not relational and could not produce reports of any kind.
Computer software has replaced these manual systems.
Database Management Software
The current acronym for database management software is CRM. CRM stands for Client Relationship Management. CRM not only hosts your database but manages database activities. Letters, labels, e-mails, calendars, meetings, phone calls, tasks and many other functions are organized and streamlined by CRM. CRM is a one-stop productivity tool that puts your database to work for you.
Here’s the Rub
You have to use the software and keep your database current to get the most value out of this important asset. Salespeople are notorious for not keeping their database management systems and data fresh. A well maintained database housed in a powerful CRM software system is a big advantage when used correctly and faithfully.
The Irony
The irony is that a database management system is the best tool to optimize your time. Go figure.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Time is Your Most Valuable Asset
A lot of elements factor into a successful sales career. In my opinion, the most important factor, by far, is management of your time.
Time Never Stops
The clock is constantly running and can’t be turned back. Time spent is gone forever. Time wasted is opportunity lost. In sales, time optimization is a skill understood and employed by top producers.
Manage Your Time
Here are a few tips to get control of your time and set the stage for increase sales, income, and status and career success.
Document
Keep a diary of your time. It doesn’t matter what you use to document how you spend your time. It is most important to get as detailed as possible. The more you document over the longest period, the better you will be able to get an accurate picture of how you spend your time. If you are like most salespeople, you will be taken back by all of the wasted time. Wasted time is opportunity lost.
Categorize
After you complete your diary, one or more days of activities, the first thing you should do is to categorize the things you did. Make a list. Put things in categories, by type. Prioritize each category and sort them in order from most important to least important. Hint: My most important activity is receiving deposits for signed sales orders. If you can do it in an Excel spreadsheet it will be easier to manipulate the list.
Prioritize
Begin to schedule your time according to you priority list. As a sales professional, any opportunity you have to be in front of a qualified prospect making a sale takes priority over everything else in your day. As a rule of thumb, if you can choose between checking your e-mail and making a sales call, in person, you know what to do. More often than not, the e-mail will not produce revenue, the sales presentation can.
Prime Selling Hours
Prime selling hours are the hours your prospective customer is available to meet with you and buy your products or services. Honor prime selling hours by doing non-selling tasks during non-prime selling time. When I called on hospital purchasing departments, prime selling hours were 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Hospital purchasing agents and buyers were available to meet and buy things during those hours. At 3:31 PM they went home. So, prime selling hours were easy to understand and honor. What amazed me was the number of empty seats in the purchasing waiting room in the early morning. What are prime selling hours in your business?
Geography
Long drives, between sales calls, used to be completely dead time. When cassette tape players became available we gained the option of listening to training or motivational tapes. It let us learn something while driving. When cell phones were introduced, the car became an extension of the office. I make most of my business calls in the car, on my cell phone, while driving from call to call, meeting to meeting. If I could keep only one tool of the trade it would be my cell phone. Still, in spite of the improvements in the tools of the trade, it is imperative to schedule your appointments with drive times in mind. Sometimes it isn’t possible to do, but I recommend that your make an effort to clump your calls together for drive time efficiency. Since you are the one asking for the appointments, ask for a day and time that is most convenient for you. More often than not, your prospect or customer will accommodate you.
Take Charge
Conquer and control your time and optimize this essential tool of success. As a professional salesperson, effective time management is your most valuable personal asset.
Next Time:
Another high value professional asset…
Time Never Stops
The clock is constantly running and can’t be turned back. Time spent is gone forever. Time wasted is opportunity lost. In sales, time optimization is a skill understood and employed by top producers.
Manage Your Time
Here are a few tips to get control of your time and set the stage for increase sales, income, and status and career success.
Document
Keep a diary of your time. It doesn’t matter what you use to document how you spend your time. It is most important to get as detailed as possible. The more you document over the longest period, the better you will be able to get an accurate picture of how you spend your time. If you are like most salespeople, you will be taken back by all of the wasted time. Wasted time is opportunity lost.
Categorize
After you complete your diary, one or more days of activities, the first thing you should do is to categorize the things you did. Make a list. Put things in categories, by type. Prioritize each category and sort them in order from most important to least important. Hint: My most important activity is receiving deposits for signed sales orders. If you can do it in an Excel spreadsheet it will be easier to manipulate the list.
Prioritize
Begin to schedule your time according to you priority list. As a sales professional, any opportunity you have to be in front of a qualified prospect making a sale takes priority over everything else in your day. As a rule of thumb, if you can choose between checking your e-mail and making a sales call, in person, you know what to do. More often than not, the e-mail will not produce revenue, the sales presentation can.
Prime Selling Hours
Prime selling hours are the hours your prospective customer is available to meet with you and buy your products or services. Honor prime selling hours by doing non-selling tasks during non-prime selling time. When I called on hospital purchasing departments, prime selling hours were 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Hospital purchasing agents and buyers were available to meet and buy things during those hours. At 3:31 PM they went home. So, prime selling hours were easy to understand and honor. What amazed me was the number of empty seats in the purchasing waiting room in the early morning. What are prime selling hours in your business?
Geography
Long drives, between sales calls, used to be completely dead time. When cassette tape players became available we gained the option of listening to training or motivational tapes. It let us learn something while driving. When cell phones were introduced, the car became an extension of the office. I make most of my business calls in the car, on my cell phone, while driving from call to call, meeting to meeting. If I could keep only one tool of the trade it would be my cell phone. Still, in spite of the improvements in the tools of the trade, it is imperative to schedule your appointments with drive times in mind. Sometimes it isn’t possible to do, but I recommend that your make an effort to clump your calls together for drive time efficiency. Since you are the one asking for the appointments, ask for a day and time that is most convenient for you. More often than not, your prospect or customer will accommodate you.
Take Charge
Conquer and control your time and optimize this essential tool of success. As a professional salesperson, effective time management is your most valuable personal asset.
Next Time:
Another high value professional asset…
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
America is Still Standing Tough and Proud
Anyone who doesn’t acknowledge that we are having difficult times is out of touch or in denial. Or, they could be tough, experienced sales bangers who don’t give up and continue to compete in spite of the conditions around them and the barriers that they face.
Bull Dogs
Hard working, hard charging, relentless sales professionals are slow to give in to prevailing conditions. Some of my most revered sales brothers and sisters are like punch drunk fighters who continue to throw punches and land blows while enduring furious punishment and setbacks.
We Can Handle It
Rejection, failure and setbacks are part and parcel of the day-to-day world of selling. We get it, we deal with it. Sometimes I think we (the career sales guys and girls) have some wires crossed. Someone once said that “What doesn’t kill you will make you strong”. I tend to agree.
Am I Wrong?
Am I wrong to think that there has never been a better opportunity for salespeople to take the economy on and beat it back into shape? Am I wrong? I believe we can do it. This is personal for me.
Do Good, Feel Good
I have dedicated a big portion of my life training, coaching and mentoring salespeople. I am helping them get back on track. It seems like its happening one person at a time. That’s OK. At the end of the day, if one person is better equipped to earn a living and “make it”, I am deeply satisfied.
Self Promotion
Calling myself “The Sales Mechanic” seems to be self-promoting. Sales Mechanics is a term I use. My material, my training, is based on what I refer to as the “Nuts and Bolts of Selling”…“What to do and how to do it”. The reality of being “The Sales Mechanic”, when the dust clears, is the incredible rush I get from giving others ideas and tips that help them make sales and secure their lives. In reality, helping people is a very humbling experience. A mission?
Competitive Feedback
I get a lot of negative energy from competitive sales training and sales support organizations. One well known player in the field refered to me and my material as junk. My partner, Judd Seida, loves it. He sees the backlash from competitors as the highest level of endorsement and validation. I never thought that I needed validation, but I see his point. I try to never talk bad about competitors…or anyone, for that matter.
It’s My Book
I walk the walk. Unlike most of my peers in the sales training, coaching and mentoring space, my material is my material. I lived the life. The strategies, tools and tactics I teach are a result of my life’s experiences. I’m not reading someone else’s book.
Say What You Do, Do As You Say
I contacted over 500 new friends today…organizations, both public and private. I offered my programs and services to help them, their members and clients. Since there is only one me, and one Judd, I’m confident that I (we) will fill our docket and will help people survive and thrive, one person at a time. That is good. Life is good.
Bull Dogs
Hard working, hard charging, relentless sales professionals are slow to give in to prevailing conditions. Some of my most revered sales brothers and sisters are like punch drunk fighters who continue to throw punches and land blows while enduring furious punishment and setbacks.
We Can Handle It
Rejection, failure and setbacks are part and parcel of the day-to-day world of selling. We get it, we deal with it. Sometimes I think we (the career sales guys and girls) have some wires crossed. Someone once said that “What doesn’t kill you will make you strong”. I tend to agree.
Am I Wrong?
Am I wrong to think that there has never been a better opportunity for salespeople to take the economy on and beat it back into shape? Am I wrong? I believe we can do it. This is personal for me.
Do Good, Feel Good
I have dedicated a big portion of my life training, coaching and mentoring salespeople. I am helping them get back on track. It seems like its happening one person at a time. That’s OK. At the end of the day, if one person is better equipped to earn a living and “make it”, I am deeply satisfied.
Self Promotion
Calling myself “The Sales Mechanic” seems to be self-promoting. Sales Mechanics is a term I use. My material, my training, is based on what I refer to as the “Nuts and Bolts of Selling”…“What to do and how to do it”. The reality of being “The Sales Mechanic”, when the dust clears, is the incredible rush I get from giving others ideas and tips that help them make sales and secure their lives. In reality, helping people is a very humbling experience. A mission?
Competitive Feedback
I get a lot of negative energy from competitive sales training and sales support organizations. One well known player in the field refered to me and my material as junk. My partner, Judd Seida, loves it. He sees the backlash from competitors as the highest level of endorsement and validation. I never thought that I needed validation, but I see his point. I try to never talk bad about competitors…or anyone, for that matter.
It’s My Book
I walk the walk. Unlike most of my peers in the sales training, coaching and mentoring space, my material is my material. I lived the life. The strategies, tools and tactics I teach are a result of my life’s experiences. I’m not reading someone else’s book.
Say What You Do, Do As You Say
I contacted over 500 new friends today…organizations, both public and private. I offered my programs and services to help them, their members and clients. Since there is only one me, and one Judd, I’m confident that I (we) will fill our docket and will help people survive and thrive, one person at a time. That is good. Life is good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
