Interpersonal Business

Dear Manager,
Many of us have gained a lot of experience as sales trainers. Out of curiosity, I sometimes ask new associates what type of training they received in their previous position. I am surprised that many have received very little sales training at all. More often than not, I hear stories of individuals who receive a few hours of introduction, some kind words, a pat on the back, and as many order forms as they can haul to their car.

As managers, the vast majority of our investment in our sales staff must come on the front end. Natural ability and prior experience should not be expected to replace solid training. With this issue I want to pass along some very basic training tips – the “need to know” lessons for establishing a new sales region. Even the veteran sales associate may want to take a look!

RELATIONSHIPS are your future. And, if you are a new sales associate, relationships are exactly what you don’t have with your customers. This is the single greatest loss in the transition of a sales region. Relationships can neither be formed overnight, nor formed over the phone. The first few weeks should be devoted to face to face meetings at the very fastest pace one can muster. You need to resolve the unknown in your customers’ minds. If there is any “damage control” needed in the region, this effort will stop it in its tracks. This aspect is clearly more important than initial sales success.

PRIORITIES are always a challenge for a new sales associate. Where do you begin your relationship building? Become relentless in your introductions to your key accounts. Your top twenty customers will often represent 50% or more of your total volume. These customers deserve your full and focused attention. In fact, these customers deserve much more. You should provide a level of service and attention over and above that provided to your other customers. As the “movers and shakers” in your region they hold the key to your success. Think in creative terms of how best to gain and sustain their attention.

ORGANIZATION should become the first feel-good aspect of a new sales position. There is so much to learn, so much you don’t know. Only when you feel organized can you even begin to make those first steps on your own. Being unknowing is certainly acceptable, being unprepared suggests you simply don’t care. Review all sales materials, prepare a mock presentation, organize your files and brief case … at the very least, look professional.

AVOID CONCLUSIONS. It is only human nature to try to form conclusions after one day, one week, one month. At this early stage you have no foundation or global understanding from which to form an analysis. Friends and relatives will ask for your conclusions. Don’t fall into this trap. Your future success is determined by your ability to put your best foot forward, each and every hour, five days a week. It is not determined by conclusions drawn after week one.

ACCEPTANCE and a quiet confidence are essential in the beginning. The words, “there is always more to the story,” should ring in your ears on a daily basis. Change allows partial truth to go unsubstantiated. Your lack of background will set you up as a foil on occasion – there is no getting around it. What seems to be a crisis may, in fact, be a test of your resolve. Accept that you will encounter problems … three tomorrow, and at least three next week. Don’t get thrown off balance, simply solve them one at a time as professionally as you can. The greatest advantage a veteran associate enjoys is a more balanced perspective on solving day-to-day issues. Keep in mind that yours is not the first problem your customer has endured. Remember, they are only asking for an acceptable conclusion.

DECISION making must become a way of life. A sales organization must give the tools and confidence to its associates to make strong business decisions. I have always rewarded initiative, regardless of the decision. No one intends to make poor decisions. When they occur, learn from them and move on quickly. Most decisions can be resolved with common sense. Sales associates need the power to proceed through their day.

NEW BUSINESS is your life line. With territory transition comes at least some ebb and flow in one’s established territory. Accept that your predecessor enjoyed a few relationships that you may not be able to maintain. In fact, they may have only purchased the products you now represent to support a dear friend or distant relative. There will also be customers who simply did not like working with the previous representative. Your goal is to minimize the former and maximize the latter! Approach all customers with a fresh outlook, regardless of their sales history. Commonly, there is much more to a sales history than what is printed on the page. You must read between the lines and assess your opportunities first hand.

Don’t wait for new business to fall in your lap. If you are not prepared to schedule specific time in your day for new account development, you might as well consider yourself a glorified service person! New business is the backbone of each and every sales territory, whether an individual is willing to respond to it or not.

LOOKING BEYOND THE SURFACE in all aspects of sales is essential. It is the creative and often the most fulfilling aspect of what we do. Looking “outside the box” is the difference between the average associate and the extraordinary. Rules were established to protect the whole from the lowest common denominator. I have consistently noticed that a “special few” receive advantages by simply asking the right questions. No manufacturer will walk away from a good business decision, but the question must be asked! Regardless of stated terms, the right approach and preparation will insure success a majority of the time. Thinking in “what if” terms will reward you beyond your wildest dreams. You must be prepared to accept “no” upon occasion, but at the very least you will have primed the pump for future considerations.

TIME MANAGEMENT is the single greatest challenge of any sales associate. Every decision we make pertaining to time is at the expense of a better decision that might have been made. Our productive and revenue producing hours should be considered golden. Distractions, idle conversations and paper work should be held to a minimum and or banished to a less critical time. Yes, each productive hour should be considered critical to our individual success. Just how much more productive can we become? It can become a game that’s a lot of fun to execute! As each step in our day is planned, needed adjustments are made, and each of these strategies will reward us daily.

PATIENCE breeds confidence. Each day will present you with a new hurdle, challenge, and personal victory. There will be days that seem to have been wasted, while others will effortlessly fall into place. Each case is simply a part of the process. Balancing out the highs and lows in your week and month demands a solid dose of patience. Don’t confuse satisfaction with patience. In twenty-five years I have never found complete satisfaction, be it in sales or in this management letter. I will not allow myself the feeling of “having arrived.” We can certainly feel fulfillment, pleasure and gratitude, but satisfaction can be saved for our retirement.

Beyond these basic training fundamentals, insure that the very best product knowledge is presented to your new associates. Insist that they work with your very best veteran associates to gain a proper foundation for growth. On many occasions I have hired current or former sales associates to assist on a consulting basis. As managers, our single greatest responsibility is to “create an environment for success.” Beyond that, it is simply up to the those with whom we are associated to perform.

Personal Regards,
Keenan

INTERPERSONAL© is published by INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM, Keenan Longcor, Editor, ©2008. Duplication of this publication is permitted for both personal and business use. Excerpts may only be quoted with acknowledgment of INTERPERSONAL and/or INTERPERSONALBIZ.ORG as the source. For re-publication rights, please contact the editor at KEENAN@INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM

Dear Manager,
When we started in sales, we probably had a manager who pounded in the virtues and importance of new client development. With any luck we were given a virgin territory that would depend solely on our ability to cultivate new relationships. It’s a very tough way to earn a living, and a very rewarding and successful approach to learning how to sell.

How many clients have you, as an organization, lost in the past year? Statistics suggest that a minimum of 20% of our customers are lost in a given year for a variety of reasons. Without a dedicated effort and strategy toward new account development, sales regions will languish and stagnate. In a strong marketplace, or with a very strong product presentation, new customers will come knocking on your door. In the long term, unfortunately, these market conditions will change. All too often, however, these same sales regions will continue to base the development of new customers on their ability to find us.

We have all known and worked with those who thrive in the hunt and development of new customers. Within this group, we have also known individuals who could only open new accounts (affectionately termed can openers); just don’t ask them to provide consistent service once they’ve achieved their initial conquest.

With time, sales professionals overcome most of the anxieties associated with calling on new customers. And yet, it is this very critical aspect of sales that is least likely to be given the priority it so desperately deserves. Why isn’t more emphasis given to new account development by our sales associates? The answer is simpler than you might think. The development of new customers takes us out of our comfort zones and interrupts our routine.

I would like to take you back to my early years in sales, when I would personally come up with any excuse in the world to avoid the dreaded cold call. At this time, I believed to succeed I needed to perform, and that failure to succeed was a direct reflection on me, personally. The pressure continued to grow, the rationalizations continued to instill guilt, and only on the rarest of occasions would I find the confidence to step up to the challenge.

There was a saving grace: I was still able to open new customers. I did so by following up customer leads and working every angle to develop personal introductions. I was <strong>killer and confident if I could simply arrange a purpose for my initial introduction. I got by the best I could for a period of time; there was no question I would need to overcome my phobic attitudes towards the dreaded cold call.

As I thought it through, it became clear my fears were centered around my concerns of rejection. No one enjoys rejection, and I seemed to enjoy it even less! The key for me was to develop a positive approach that would motivate me to consistently meet an objective. I realized I must first put the rejection issue aside. I could do so by simply setting my objective of making ten brief introductions of myself each week. You will note I called them brief introductions rather than the dreaded “you-know-what.”

My sole objective was to introduce myself and leave some of my wonderful product catalogs; there were no further expectations of these initial calls. In leaving I would express interest in following up after they had looked through the catalogs. As long as I was willing to make the ten introductions each week, I could no longer fail. No one could reject my efforts because my sole objective was to have made the introduction, not make the sale.

I realize to a degree these are mind games, but what is there about sales that is not controlled by our minds? I have shared this concept with others over the years, and I honestly believe it has been very useful. If you establish your objective for a given number of new introductions each week, meet this objective, and then do the proper follow up, you will open new accounts! On many occasions I was floored when a brief introduction would turn into a sale before I could get out the door!

There is no greater high than the development of a meaningful new customer. In a recent interview I was conducting, the applicant looked me straight in the eye and said, “Ya know, . . . . . .i it’s addicting.” It makes me wonder, could there be a support program for the dreaded cold call?! We have all walked out of an appointment with a new customer, feeling success beyond our expectations. We have also realized how close we came to not making that initial call. What if it had not been made? How many others have been lost?

The best approach I have found to this subject is an attitude that each rejection is simply an initial response to a positive outcome still under consideration. Those individuals who are most successful in this arena are tenacious as hell. They never accept an initial negative response. If they believe their products are a match for the customer, it becomes only a matter of time; it’s a matter of when, rather than if.

These individuals accept that it can take from six to ten calls to meet their objective. They understand that with each follow up call their chances for success will increase by at least 10%, and as much as 100%! They have also accepted the fact that it is a pure numbers game. With each rejection, you are much closer to meeting your objective! Ultimately, successful new account development comes down to an individual’s acceptance of the process. Now that we have developed a comfort zone for prospecting, the second aspect is to develop a routine.

Going back to our first sales position, or any sales position that required us to pioneer a new region, survival was terrific motivation for establishing a routine for new account development. The alternative was sitting on our hands and starving to death. Of course we made cold calls, and with fairly uncertain product or (as we know now), the pioneering would not have been required!

It was painful. With luck, we could schedule two solid days of appointments a week, with the balance of our time spent knocking on doors . . . . .. ugly. We accepted this as the package we agreed to, and that this was what the position required of us. With acceptance comes routine. You no longer look at something as a burden once it has been accepted as routine.

As territories and individuals mature, it becomes increasingly difficult to do the things that got us here. Working with existing clients feels good. There may be a sense of responsibility to not over saturate the market and, with our schedules so full, there simply isn’t the time we once had. There is merit in these concerns, yet more often than not they are a crutch. Certainly there are areas of any region that cannot currently handle additional development. From my experience, for every area such as this, there are five areas that are currently underdeveloped for the savvy sales professional. Even in those areas with strong market penetration, are there not other portions of your presentations that could be better represented?

There is good news in the equation that 20% of your account base is lost each year. We now have one full day each week (20% of our time) to re-establish our sales regions to their previous year’s position. It all comes down to do you have the time to handle one more major account in your territory? If so, do you have the time to find it?

As managers we must ask our sales associates to dedicate, without fail, a minimum of one day per week to new account development. This could be represented in two hours each day, two half days, or by simply blocking out a full day each week. There may be times of the year when two days are available, while at other times the pace simply allows no time. Consider not only monthly objectives, but also sales incentives for those associates who understand the value and priority in this program. We all need to be accountable. There may be lots of conversation, yet the only thing that counts is the answer to: are there any new accounts being opened? There are many ways to consistently meet this objective or, as managers, it is time to provide assistance to the regions that cannot.

I have often thought of the option of hiring a full time “can opener” to assist our various territories in new account development. Once the customer was established, they could then be turned over to the existing associate. It’s an interesting concept, and not without conflict. I would be interested in your thoughts, or in the results if you have tried it.

There is no greater impact on a sales region than a new account being opened. I would trade five reorders for one new account. If each customer were looked upon as an income stream, then with each new customer you have created a new income source that will compensate you for years to come. Remember that high when you opened your first new account? Begin to live for that high; if not addictive, it can become habit forming.

Most service and retail industries are in the process of dramatic change and evolution. What will the role of the salesman be in the next ten to twenty years? Will the service function of a salesperson’s job continue to exist with the technology on the horizon? I am not suggesting the world will ever be without salespeople in their purest form. I will suggest that these market conditions require us to return to the days when sales associates lived and breathed for the potential of opening new accounts. If the day ever comes when someone is going to turn out the light, my bet is on the sales associate who opens the last new account.

Personal Regards,
Keenan

INTERPERSONAL© is published by INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM, Keenan Longcor, Editor, ©2008. Duplication of this publication is permitted for both personal and business use. Excerpts may only be quoted with acknowledgment of INTERPERSONAL and/or INTERPERSONALBIZ.ORG as the source. For re-publication rights, please contact the editor at KEENAN@INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM

Dear Manager,
One of the single greatest factors in a salesperson’s ability to meet both personal and organizational objectives is the ability to consistently establish and maintain an effective schedule. There is truly an Art to scheduling. Management can often underestimate the need for training, individual analysis, and quantified performance in this area.

The highest impact on scheduling can be seen in weekly order production. How does one salesperson write only ten orders per week when another salesperson is never satisfied with less than twenty-five? Each may believe they have maximized their schedules, but have they? There are a series of practical concepts that, when embraced and developed, can bring substantial impact to sales.

NEVER LEAVE A MESSAGE
Have you ever had a discussion with a sales associate relating to a client’s potential and heard the associate say: “I’ve left three messages and they haven’t gotten back to me.” ? Of course they haven’t. Only on rare occasions is it as important to the potential (or current) customer to return the call, as it was to the salesperson to make the call. If your objective is to have a personal conversation with a client, you are least likely to succeed by leaving a message.

I guarantee that you will always be encouraged to leave a message. If you are persuaded to do so, your customer may or may not even get your message. If they do, they may or may not feel the need to respond. Chances are that even if they do respond you will be unavailable, or ill prepared, for the conversation you had envisioned. Compound these frustrations with the inner debate of how soon you should try again to leave a second or third message.

Begin by taking full responsibility for initiating your priority conversations. Since your intent is not to “hound” your customer, think twice before leaving your name and a message. Instead, you might say, “I’m going to be difficult to catch, what is Bob’s schedule?” or “When is the best time to catch him, I will try again.” This will serve your needs well. Should it take six more calls to reach the customer, you now have the option to do so. Without a name, your client cannot feel badgered by your calls, and you will be able to control your objective. As the old adage goes, “timing is everything in sales”, so make your own timing!

Of course, if you are returning a call from a client, you have been asked to call. If your customer is not available, you would be wise to leave your name. And, since they have asked you to call, you are free to try, try again!

THE BIG SIDE STEP
Now that you have achieved your initial objective of a personal conversation, you must deal with the excuses and delay tactics of your clients. I found early in my career that it seemed easier to schedule appointments on the road than those only a half mile from my office. My conclusion was that there was a sense of urgency to see me and fit into my schedule to avoid missing me all together. I began to reference to my local customers, “I’m scheduled to be in your area next week and don’t want to miss getting together with you.” This approach instills that sense of urgency, establishes the importance of your own schedule, and some uncertainty as to your ability to jump to their needs with little or no pre-planning.

For those customers who continue to stall your appointments, take every opportunity to use their statements and conversations to your current and future advantage. If they suggest, “Let’s get together next month”, immediately suggest, “That sounds great! My schedule for next month is filling up, so we should go ahead and schedule your appointment today.” Should you be asked to call back the following month, the best approach is, “In our last conversation you wished to get together this month. Will Wednesday work for you?” All too often, a salesperson’s conversation may be closer to, “I’m following up my last call. Did you still want to get together?”

Sales associates often feel obligated to meet only the needs of their customers’ schedules. This was also true for me for a number of years. I soon realized that if I was prepared for my conversations, I could convince my customers to fit into my schedule 75% of the time! By doing so, my personal productivity could be increased by nearly 30%. Instead of spending valuable hours in the car, I was now spending many more hours with my clients. Don’t be afraid to position and create an equal sense of value of your time in the eyes of your customers. If you have not done so, then why should they. . .

. . .TIGHTEN IT UP
There are salespeople who are very satisfied with a schedule that may include one or two appointments a day. Often, these are also the salespeople who can rationalize how incredibly busy their schedule has become. With limited preparation and planning, all of us can make one more call a day. Can you imagine the impact for an individual and an organization if this could be accomplished on a monthly basis? Sales objectives would no longer be required.

The first step in challenging this objective is developing a greater sense of urgency to the limited presentation hours in our day. If an appointment normally requires three hours, can it be accomplished effectively in two? While this may not always be the case, I would suggest that with purpose, more often than not it can be accomplished. Once this is accepted, it is now time to begin scheduling appointments based on this assumption. Generally, the salesperson comes better prepared to their appointments, knows the priorities of the meeting, and is much more focused on achieving these objectives in a timely manner. With this thought in mind, there are many instances where a two hour appointment with purpose can out perform a three hour appointment with limited direction.

Don’t be afraid to share with your 9:00 appointment that you also have an 11:00 appointment on that day. Once again, this instills a sense of importance and priority for your time and your schedule. Once this has been established, I have often been amazed by the sense of respect and the encouragement from my customers towards meeting my needs. It can be perceived that only the very best and “in demand” sales professional can be working on a tight schedule.

WE WILL NEED TO RESCHEDULE TODAY!
Creating the need to schedule your next appointment should be at the very top of a salesperson’s appointment objectives. This should be done with very subtle and direct references to product categories that will need to be reordered soon, upcoming promotions, or seasonal merchandise that needs to be ordered. These observations should be referenced throughout the agenda of your current appointment.

You may even wish to withhold presentation of a secondary product category in your current meeting in anticipation of a more focused objective and greater
reward for your next meeting. By the end of your appointment, it should be abundantly clear for the need to reschedule. NEVER leave an appointment prior to scheduling your next appointment. Now that I have suggested never, what if 70% of your schedule was finalized weeks and months in advance!

DIALING FOR DOLLARS!
As salespeople, we have all devoted days on the phone to filling our schedule. We’re trying to catch that elusive “fish” (I mean buyer) in the proper frame of mind, to schedule some time. In most cases, fishing is a hobby not a career. By incorporating some of these very practical skills into your own approach, the need for phone time can be realistically cut in half. And, truth be told, even the most seasoned, professional fisherman would rather catch than fish!

Personal Regards,
Keenan

INTERPERSONAL© is published by INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM, Keenan Longcor, Editor, ©2008. Duplication of this publication is permitted for both personal and business use. Excerpts may only be quoted with acknowledgment of INTERPERSONAL and/or INTERPERSONALBIZ.ORG as the source. For re-publication rights, please contact the editor at KEENAN@INTERPERSONALBIZ.COM