4 Ways To Provide Customer Service That Outshines Your Competitors
Part 1: Bring Them Back with Shiny Customer Service
By Susan Ward, About.com Guide
There’s no real secret to getting your customers to come back. All you need to do is provide customer service that exceeds your customers' expectations and outshines your competitors' customer service.
Acumen Research Group surveyed more than 1,000 Canadian retail, banking and telco customers to determine what made them behave loyally and what made them leave long-term relationships; 43 percent of respondents abandoned a provider to which they declared themselves loyal because of a negative experience with a staff person, and 30 percent of respondents reported that having the feeling they are not treated as valued customers by the staff has been the main reason for taking their business elsewhere. (“Keep Them Coming Back” by Joan A. Pajunen in Canadian Retailer).
Shiny customer Service is service with a capital “S”, Service that makes your customer feel special, Service that makes him or her want to come back and do more business with your company, and recommend your business to his or her friends.
So how can you provide customer Service that shines? Follow this plan to ensure customer service that will dazzle customers and competitors alike:
1) Determine what makes what you offer special.
Study the competition. Think about their customer service and the customer service you provide. What can you offer your customers that is “better” than the competition? There are sure to be aspects of your customer Service that you can promote as “Special”.
Make a list of all these ideas for providing customer service. If you sell a product, and your competitor doesn’t offer it already, perhaps you can offer free local delivery. If you sell a service, such as bookkeeping or accounting, perhaps you can focus on turnaround times that are faster than your competitors’- providing the good customer service that will give your business the edge.
Sometimes providing customer Service that shines will involve expanding your operations. For instance, you may need to offer to provide your services in customer’s homes to outdo the services the competition provides.
Sometimes providing customer Service that shines will involve revamping what you’ve always done. If you provide a service that involves giving estimates of the job to be done beforehand, and you’ve previously just given estimates to prospective customers orally, you could stress that you provide an estimate in writing and stick to your written estimate. Remember, we’re talking about customer Service here. Lower prices are not service; they’re just lower prices.
Continue on to the next page to read more ideas for providing customer service that will help you outshine the customer service your competitors provide.
Now that you have a list of customer service ideas that you might use to provide customer service that outshines the customer service your competitors provide, it's time to look at implementing shiny customer service.
2) Study the customer service ideas on your list and examine their feasibility.
Can you really guarantee that you will always stick to your written estimate or provide a faster turnaround time than your competitors? If you aren’t sure, or can’t do it, cross it off your customer service ideas list. Sleep Country Canada's delivery people always wear their booties; Sears always honours their guarantee. Customer service that shines carries that same kind of guarantee; it’s not a “sometimes” proposition. So only choose what you can definitely do one hundred percent of the time.
3) Choose one or two of your shiny customer service ideas and implement them.
When I say implement your customer service ideas, I don’t just mean do it; you also need to let people know that you’re doing it. Feature this aspect of your customer service in whatever ads you run, including your yellow pages listing. Put it on your business cards and in your email signature. Make it part of your greeting spiel when you answer the phone.
What’s on the front of every Sears catalog besides a picture, their logo, and their phone number? “We’re always open! Prices guaranteed until…” Sears emphasizes its customer service on every catalogue cover. You need to make your customer service a prominent feature of every ad too, so people automatically associate it with your business. (Remember when you’re redesigning or creating ads never to describe your customer service as “new and improved”; this implies there was something wrong with your “old” customer service.)
While one of the big payoffs of your shiny customer service will be the great word-of-mouth advertising it generates, this takes time, and you need to help it along by getting the word out. Don’t be shy! Solicit customer service testimonials from satisfied customers, that you can use in print ads, such as in newspapers, ezines, and on your website, if you have one, or can at least use as references for new potential customers.
4) Stay proactive and keep gathering customer service ideas.
Neither Sears nor Sleep Country Canada have achieved their success by doing the same thing for the last thirty years, or by simply reacting to customer complaints. Listen to your customers and find out what kind of special customer service they want. You can do this formally, by creating a customer satisfaction feedback form that you enclose with every sale or post on your website, or informally, by asking them for their customer service ideas when they're in your store or office. Shiny customer service is service that’s responsive to customers' needs.
Customers are tired of dealing with retailers that ignore customer service or only pretend to have it, and as always, they’re voting with their dollars. Shiny customer Service will draw customers to your product or service, rather than a competitors', and bring them back in droves.
http://sbinfocanada.about.com/cs/marketing/a/shinycustserv.htm
Thursday, December 16, 2010
8 Rules For Good Customer Service
8 Rules For Good Customer Service
Good Customer Service Made Simple
By Susan Ward, About.com Guid
Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won't be profitable for long.
Good customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy - happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.
If you're a good salesperson, you can sell anything to anyone once. But it will be your approach to customer service that determines whether or not you’ll ever be able to sell that person anything else. The essence of good customer service is forming a relationship with customers – a relationship that that individual customer feels that he would like to pursue.
How do you go about forming such a relationship? By remembering the one true secret of good customer service and acting accordingly; "You will be judged by what you do, not what you say."
I know this verges on the kind of statement that's often seen on a sampler, but providing good customer service IS a simple thing. If you truly want to have good customer service, all you have to do is ensure that your business consistently does these things:
1) Answer your phone.
Get call forwarding. Or an answering service. Hire staff if you need to. But make sure that someone is picking up the phone when someone calls your business. (Notice I say "someone". People who call want to talk to a live person, not a fake "recorded robot".) For more on answering the phone, see Phone Answering Tips to Win Business.
2) Don't make promises unless you will keep them.
Not plan to keep them. Will keep them. Reliability is one of the keys to any good relationship, and good customer service is no exception. If you say, “Your new bedroom furniture will be delivered on Tuesday”, make sure it is delivered on Tuesday. Otherwise, don't say it. The same rule applies to client appointments, deadlines, etc.. Think before you give any promise - because nothing annoys customers more than a broken one.
3) Listen to your customers.
Is there anything more exasperating than telling someone what you want or what your problem is and then discovering that that person hasn't been paying attention and needs to have it explained again? From a customer's point of view, I doubt it. Can the sales pitches and the product babble. Let your customer talk and show him that you are listening by making the appropriate responses, such as suggesting how to solve the problem.
4) Deal with complaints.
No one likes hearing complaints, and many of us have developed a reflex shrug, saying, "You can't please all the people all the time". Maybe not, but if you give the complaint your attention, you may be able to please this one person this one time - and position your business to reap the benefits of good customer service.
5) Be helpful - even if there's no immediate profit in it.
The other day I popped into a local watch shop because I had lost the small piece that clips the pieces of my watch band together. When I explained the problem, the proprietor said that he thought he might have one lying around. He found it, attached it to my watch band – and charged me nothing! Where do you think I'll go when I need a new watch band or even a new watch? And how many people do you think I've told this story to?
6) Train your staff (if you have any) to be always helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable.
Do it yourself or hire someone to train them. Talk to them about good customer service and what it is (and isn't) regularly. Most importantly, give every member of your staff enough information and power to make those small customer-pleasing decisions, so he never has to say, "I don't know, but so-and-so will be back at..."
7) Take the extra step.
For instance, if someone walks into your store and asks you to help them find something, don't just say, "It's in Aisle 3". Lead the customer to the item. Better yet, wait and see if he has questions about it, or further needs. Whatever the extra step may be, if you want to provide good customer service, take it. They may not say so to you, but people notice when people make an extra effort and will tell other people.
8) Throw in something extra.
Whether it's a coupon for a future discount, additional information on how to use the product, or a genuine smile, people love to get more than they thought they were getting. And don’t think that a gesture has to be large to be effective. The local art framer that we use attaches a package of picture hangers to every picture he frames. A small thing, but so appreciated.
If you apply these eight simple rules consistently, your business will become known for its good customer service. And the best part? The irony of good customer service is that over time it will bring in more new customers than promotions and price slashing ever did!
http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/customerservice/a/custservrules.htm
Good Customer Service Made Simple
By Susan Ward, About.com Guid
Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won't be profitable for long.
Good customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy - happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.
If you're a good salesperson, you can sell anything to anyone once. But it will be your approach to customer service that determines whether or not you’ll ever be able to sell that person anything else. The essence of good customer service is forming a relationship with customers – a relationship that that individual customer feels that he would like to pursue.
How do you go about forming such a relationship? By remembering the one true secret of good customer service and acting accordingly; "You will be judged by what you do, not what you say."
I know this verges on the kind of statement that's often seen on a sampler, but providing good customer service IS a simple thing. If you truly want to have good customer service, all you have to do is ensure that your business consistently does these things:
1) Answer your phone.
Get call forwarding. Or an answering service. Hire staff if you need to. But make sure that someone is picking up the phone when someone calls your business. (Notice I say "someone". People who call want to talk to a live person, not a fake "recorded robot".) For more on answering the phone, see Phone Answering Tips to Win Business.
2) Don't make promises unless you will keep them.
Not plan to keep them. Will keep them. Reliability is one of the keys to any good relationship, and good customer service is no exception. If you say, “Your new bedroom furniture will be delivered on Tuesday”, make sure it is delivered on Tuesday. Otherwise, don't say it. The same rule applies to client appointments, deadlines, etc.. Think before you give any promise - because nothing annoys customers more than a broken one.
3) Listen to your customers.
Is there anything more exasperating than telling someone what you want or what your problem is and then discovering that that person hasn't been paying attention and needs to have it explained again? From a customer's point of view, I doubt it. Can the sales pitches and the product babble. Let your customer talk and show him that you are listening by making the appropriate responses, such as suggesting how to solve the problem.
4) Deal with complaints.
No one likes hearing complaints, and many of us have developed a reflex shrug, saying, "You can't please all the people all the time". Maybe not, but if you give the complaint your attention, you may be able to please this one person this one time - and position your business to reap the benefits of good customer service.
5) Be helpful - even if there's no immediate profit in it.
The other day I popped into a local watch shop because I had lost the small piece that clips the pieces of my watch band together. When I explained the problem, the proprietor said that he thought he might have one lying around. He found it, attached it to my watch band – and charged me nothing! Where do you think I'll go when I need a new watch band or even a new watch? And how many people do you think I've told this story to?
6) Train your staff (if you have any) to be always helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable.
Do it yourself or hire someone to train them. Talk to them about good customer service and what it is (and isn't) regularly. Most importantly, give every member of your staff enough information and power to make those small customer-pleasing decisions, so he never has to say, "I don't know, but so-and-so will be back at..."
7) Take the extra step.
For instance, if someone walks into your store and asks you to help them find something, don't just say, "It's in Aisle 3". Lead the customer to the item. Better yet, wait and see if he has questions about it, or further needs. Whatever the extra step may be, if you want to provide good customer service, take it. They may not say so to you, but people notice when people make an extra effort and will tell other people.
8) Throw in something extra.
Whether it's a coupon for a future discount, additional information on how to use the product, or a genuine smile, people love to get more than they thought they were getting. And don’t think that a gesture has to be large to be effective. The local art framer that we use attaches a package of picture hangers to every picture he frames. A small thing, but so appreciated.
If you apply these eight simple rules consistently, your business will become known for its good customer service. And the best part? The irony of good customer service is that over time it will bring in more new customers than promotions and price slashing ever did!
http://sbinfocanada.about.com/od/customerservice/a/custservrules.htm
Back to the Basics...How Do You Define Success?
Back to the Basics...How Do You Define Success?
Valorie Burton
In my previous columns, we've discussed getting "back to basics." If you have been following along, you have upgraded your thoughts, cleared your clutter, gotten organized, and decided what you want and why. In this last column in the Back to Basics series, I want to challenge you to get clear about what success looks like for your life. Write down your answer to this question: How do you define success?
Society, in general, tends to equate success with material wealth and possessions. And while those things can be an outward sign of your own career or business success - or that of your family - it reflects only a small piece of the bigger picture that is your life.
A successful life should encompass far more than your work or finances, although they are a part of the big picture. A fulfilling life in all areas is a successful life. Come up with your own specific categories and milestones that indicate your personal success level so that you can evaluate success on your own terms. As you ponder your success definition, ask yourself some key questions:
1. DO I ENJOY MY LIFE? Our journey through life may not always be just what we want it to be, but we can still choose to experience contentment and joy on a daily basis. Identify the things that bring you joy in your life, and be sure to incorporate them into your everyday life.
2. AM I MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS? Life becomes meaningful when your actions impact more than just you. Your mission in life is using your gifts and talents to make a positive difference in others' lives. Whether the gift you give is a listening ear, a skill you teach or an encouraging word, make a difference to at least one person every single day.
3. DO I PERSEVERE IN THE MIDST OF CHALLENGES? Life is a learning journey. If you focus only on your challenges or problems without asking, "What am I to learn from this?," then you will continually feel frustrated and sorry for yourself. Those who persevere, grow. And as you grow, you increase your capacity to handle more and have more good opportunities come into your life.
4. DO I HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS I NEED TO LIVE COMFORTABLY? The term "comfortable" means different things to different people. Make it a goal in your life to not aim for "enough," but to have "more than enough" of what you need - whether it's time, money, love, space or other precious resources. When you live in abundance, you can focus more clearly on what you want. It empowers you to share yourself, your time, talent, and love more generously.
5. AM I SUCCESSFUL IN GOD'S EYES? A test that can help you focus on what's most important in your life is to consider it from a spiritual perspective. Jesus said that everything God asks can be summed up in two commandments: Love God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind; and secondly, to love your neighbor as yourself. When you are curious about how truly successful you are, ask yourself if you are doing these two things.
Rather than allowing others to define success for you, take time today to create your own definition. Make a list of what success looks like to you, and have the courage to measure your success by standards that are meaningful for your life.
http://www.successmagazine.com/Back-to-the-BasicsHow-Do-You-Define-Success/PARAMS/article/368/channel/223
Valorie Burton
In my previous columns, we've discussed getting "back to basics." If you have been following along, you have upgraded your thoughts, cleared your clutter, gotten organized, and decided what you want and why. In this last column in the Back to Basics series, I want to challenge you to get clear about what success looks like for your life. Write down your answer to this question: How do you define success?
Society, in general, tends to equate success with material wealth and possessions. And while those things can be an outward sign of your own career or business success - or that of your family - it reflects only a small piece of the bigger picture that is your life.
A successful life should encompass far more than your work or finances, although they are a part of the big picture. A fulfilling life in all areas is a successful life. Come up with your own specific categories and milestones that indicate your personal success level so that you can evaluate success on your own terms. As you ponder your success definition, ask yourself some key questions:
1. DO I ENJOY MY LIFE? Our journey through life may not always be just what we want it to be, but we can still choose to experience contentment and joy on a daily basis. Identify the things that bring you joy in your life, and be sure to incorporate them into your everyday life.
2. AM I MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS? Life becomes meaningful when your actions impact more than just you. Your mission in life is using your gifts and talents to make a positive difference in others' lives. Whether the gift you give is a listening ear, a skill you teach or an encouraging word, make a difference to at least one person every single day.
3. DO I PERSEVERE IN THE MIDST OF CHALLENGES? Life is a learning journey. If you focus only on your challenges or problems without asking, "What am I to learn from this?," then you will continually feel frustrated and sorry for yourself. Those who persevere, grow. And as you grow, you increase your capacity to handle more and have more good opportunities come into your life.
4. DO I HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF THE THINGS I NEED TO LIVE COMFORTABLY? The term "comfortable" means different things to different people. Make it a goal in your life to not aim for "enough," but to have "more than enough" of what you need - whether it's time, money, love, space or other precious resources. When you live in abundance, you can focus more clearly on what you want. It empowers you to share yourself, your time, talent, and love more generously.
5. AM I SUCCESSFUL IN GOD'S EYES? A test that can help you focus on what's most important in your life is to consider it from a spiritual perspective. Jesus said that everything God asks can be summed up in two commandments: Love God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind; and secondly, to love your neighbor as yourself. When you are curious about how truly successful you are, ask yourself if you are doing these two things.
Rather than allowing others to define success for you, take time today to create your own definition. Make a list of what success looks like to you, and have the courage to measure your success by standards that are meaningful for your life.
http://www.successmagazine.com/Back-to-the-BasicsHow-Do-You-Define-Success/PARAMS/article/368/channel/223
The 10 Steps
The 10 Steps
This book has 10 steps (chapters) organized into 3 sections
SECTION 1: THE STEPS TO SALES EFFECTIVENESS
Step 1: Embrace a Sales Mindset
Selling is not simply about encouraging a customer to buy a product or service. It is also about listening, analyzing, problem solving, and persuading. Selling is conversation and communication in order to become a trusted advisor. This chapter focuses on accountability, objectively determining your strengths and weaknesses, understanding your personal selling style, how actions relate to personal outputs, and the Continuous Selling Improvement Cycle, as well as highlights the importance of understanding your role in relation to the buyer and how to become a more competent sales professional by optimizing your strengths.
Step 2: Know Your Job and Your Role
When starting any new job, it is important to understand exactly what is expected so that you can meet or exceed the expectations. Oftentimes, these expectations are not explicit and are nearly impossible to achieve because measures and benchmarks are vague or nonexistent. This chapter focuses on the four key benefits of the sales profession, how organizations define sales strategies and market segmentation, and the seven functions of any sales job.
Step 3: Develop Winning Habits
Every successful sales professional has mastered habits—most of which were learned on the job. Small and consistent changes in your activities can have a significant impact on productivity. This chapter focuses on examining the activities that add value and increase productivity so you can determine how to appropriately allocate your time. In particular, this chapter delves into defining your quota, building a pipeline, determining your priorities, and executing your plan of action.
SECTION 2: THE STEPS TO SALES EFFICIENCY
Step 4: Understand the Buying Process
Understanding how clients buy services or products can make or break your sales pipeline. It isn’t enough to know how to market and sell; you have to understand how your clients buy. This chapter reviews the buying process, how customers define value, who influences the buying decisions in an organization, and negotiating strategies for closing the deal.
Step 5: Leverage the Sales Process
Understanding the buying process is only half of the equation; understanding the selling process is equally important because enables you to customize it in order to meet your own personal needs. This chapter details a seven-part sales process, describes the outputs, and provides strategies to help you master each part of the process.
Step 6: Create Your Own Personal Selling System
To maximize efficiency and make your own success, you need to use your knowledge to customize the buying and selling processes to create your own personal sales selling system. This step is important in becoming a successful sales professional because it focuses your attention on the buyer’s particular situation and enables you to ask the right questions, offer the right solution, and manage the complexity of the buyer–seller relationship.
SECTION 3: THE STEPS TO BECOMING A TRUSTED ADVISOR
Step 7: Accelerate Revenue
Becoming a trusted advisor involves a team all rowing in the same direction. Without organizational support, your own company can become the biggest barrier in your selling success. This chapter discusses the many roles involved in a sales professional’s job, as well as how to effectively manage expectations both internally with your manager and externally with your clients.
Step 8: Communicate Effectively
Salespeople spend most of their time communicating, and often the content of their communication is highly repetitive. This repetition can lead to communicating without really thinking about the quality of the communication. Understanding all facets of communication can propel average salespeople to the top of the sales rankings—and this chapter focuses on the key concepts and tips to help get you there, including minimizing noise, polishing your questioning techniques, and mastering verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
Step 9: Manage Your Sales Organization
Sales professionals have accountability and responsibility for driving revenue, and must excel at the many roles they must play within the buyer–seller relationship. In this step, sales professionals need to maximize their time investment, effectively run productive meetings, and skillfully maneuver within the sales culture of their organizations.
Step 10: Develop World-Class Sales Competence
The most successful sales professionals are passionate about lifelong learning and never rest of their current laurels or skills—instead, they continually focus on improving themselves and developing competencies. This chapter defines sales competencies and discusses strategies for closing sales and protecting your accounts.
BONUS CHAPTERS!
Appendix 1: Introduction to the World of Selling
Sales professionals play one of the most mission-critical roles in an organization—driving revenue. This chapter discusses what all business owners want out of salespeople, provides a brief history of the sales profession, defines key terms and the basic principles of selling, and provides insight and a process to define what success means to you.
Appendix 2: Top 10 Myths of Selling in Today’s Business World
Many stereotypes taint the sales profession. Dispelling these myths and setting the record straight is the first step to understanding what selling and becoming a successful sales professional is all about. This chapter demystifies the top 10 most pervasive myths on what the most successful sales professionals do.
Review these 10 steps as often as needed to help you transition from salesperson to sales professional and attain trusted advisor status with your clients
http://www.10stepstosales.com/
This book has 10 steps (chapters) organized into 3 sections
SECTION 1: THE STEPS TO SALES EFFECTIVENESS
Step 1: Embrace a Sales Mindset
Selling is not simply about encouraging a customer to buy a product or service. It is also about listening, analyzing, problem solving, and persuading. Selling is conversation and communication in order to become a trusted advisor. This chapter focuses on accountability, objectively determining your strengths and weaknesses, understanding your personal selling style, how actions relate to personal outputs, and the Continuous Selling Improvement Cycle, as well as highlights the importance of understanding your role in relation to the buyer and how to become a more competent sales professional by optimizing your strengths.
Step 2: Know Your Job and Your Role
When starting any new job, it is important to understand exactly what is expected so that you can meet or exceed the expectations. Oftentimes, these expectations are not explicit and are nearly impossible to achieve because measures and benchmarks are vague or nonexistent. This chapter focuses on the four key benefits of the sales profession, how organizations define sales strategies and market segmentation, and the seven functions of any sales job.
Step 3: Develop Winning Habits
Every successful sales professional has mastered habits—most of which were learned on the job. Small and consistent changes in your activities can have a significant impact on productivity. This chapter focuses on examining the activities that add value and increase productivity so you can determine how to appropriately allocate your time. In particular, this chapter delves into defining your quota, building a pipeline, determining your priorities, and executing your plan of action.
SECTION 2: THE STEPS TO SALES EFFICIENCY
Step 4: Understand the Buying Process
Understanding how clients buy services or products can make or break your sales pipeline. It isn’t enough to know how to market and sell; you have to understand how your clients buy. This chapter reviews the buying process, how customers define value, who influences the buying decisions in an organization, and negotiating strategies for closing the deal.
Step 5: Leverage the Sales Process
Understanding the buying process is only half of the equation; understanding the selling process is equally important because enables you to customize it in order to meet your own personal needs. This chapter details a seven-part sales process, describes the outputs, and provides strategies to help you master each part of the process.
Step 6: Create Your Own Personal Selling System
To maximize efficiency and make your own success, you need to use your knowledge to customize the buying and selling processes to create your own personal sales selling system. This step is important in becoming a successful sales professional because it focuses your attention on the buyer’s particular situation and enables you to ask the right questions, offer the right solution, and manage the complexity of the buyer–seller relationship.
SECTION 3: THE STEPS TO BECOMING A TRUSTED ADVISOR
Step 7: Accelerate Revenue
Becoming a trusted advisor involves a team all rowing in the same direction. Without organizational support, your own company can become the biggest barrier in your selling success. This chapter discusses the many roles involved in a sales professional’s job, as well as how to effectively manage expectations both internally with your manager and externally with your clients.
Step 8: Communicate Effectively
Salespeople spend most of their time communicating, and often the content of their communication is highly repetitive. This repetition can lead to communicating without really thinking about the quality of the communication. Understanding all facets of communication can propel average salespeople to the top of the sales rankings—and this chapter focuses on the key concepts and tips to help get you there, including minimizing noise, polishing your questioning techniques, and mastering verbal and nonverbal communication skills.
Step 9: Manage Your Sales Organization
Sales professionals have accountability and responsibility for driving revenue, and must excel at the many roles they must play within the buyer–seller relationship. In this step, sales professionals need to maximize their time investment, effectively run productive meetings, and skillfully maneuver within the sales culture of their organizations.
Step 10: Develop World-Class Sales Competence
The most successful sales professionals are passionate about lifelong learning and never rest of their current laurels or skills—instead, they continually focus on improving themselves and developing competencies. This chapter defines sales competencies and discusses strategies for closing sales and protecting your accounts.
BONUS CHAPTERS!
Appendix 1: Introduction to the World of Selling
Sales professionals play one of the most mission-critical roles in an organization—driving revenue. This chapter discusses what all business owners want out of salespeople, provides a brief history of the sales profession, defines key terms and the basic principles of selling, and provides insight and a process to define what success means to you.
Appendix 2: Top 10 Myths of Selling in Today’s Business World
Many stereotypes taint the sales profession. Dispelling these myths and setting the record straight is the first step to understanding what selling and becoming a successful sales professional is all about. This chapter demystifies the top 10 most pervasive myths on what the most successful sales professionals do.
Review these 10 steps as often as needed to help you transition from salesperson to sales professional and attain trusted advisor status with your clients
http://www.10stepstosales.com/
Be the Hero: Changing Behaviors to Strengthen the Workplace Culture
Be the Hero: Changing Behaviors to Strengthen the Workplace Culture
Date: Wednesday, December 15
Time: 2:00pm EST
Noah Blumenthal, author of Be the Hero
In this session, Noah will address the times we all feel stressed out, frustrated or out of control and will help you think about what you would do if you could be at your best when these types of challenges are on the rise. Noah introduces you to the way of the "Everyday Hero” and shows how to turn self-defeating thoughts and behaviors into heroic actions. The trick is in the stories we tell ourselves. All day long, without even realizing it we tell ourselves dozens of stories - about other people, our situations, and ourselves - stories that shape our emotions and behavior. These stories are so powerful they make us think and act like either a hero or a victim. Be the Hero shows you how to choose the hero's stories that lead to personal and professional success.
Date: Wednesday, December 15
Time: 2:00pm EST
Noah Blumenthal, author of Be the Hero
In this session, Noah will address the times we all feel stressed out, frustrated or out of control and will help you think about what you would do if you could be at your best when these types of challenges are on the rise. Noah introduces you to the way of the "Everyday Hero” and shows how to turn self-defeating thoughts and behaviors into heroic actions. The trick is in the stories we tell ourselves. All day long, without even realizing it we tell ourselves dozens of stories - about other people, our situations, and ourselves - stories that shape our emotions and behavior. These stories are so powerful they make us think and act like either a hero or a victim. Be the Hero shows you how to choose the hero's stories that lead to personal and professional success.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"Mastering and Managing the 6 Pillars of Productivity"
The 6 Pillars of Productivity are the fundamental set of guiding ideologies around which Sales Managers should center their time and energy. The 6 Pillars of Productivity are:
The 6 Pillars of Productivity ™:
Talent Identification and Acquisition- properly identifying and hiring the right sales talent to meet and exceed the objectives of all positions within a sales department. Learn more...
Sales Methodology and Skills Development- developing a measurable sales process that meets the needs of a company’s products, culture, and market, and then training to maximize a sales team’s ability to execute the methodology. Learn more...
Professional Development- identifying and coaching toward sales career goals and objectives for each member of the sales team, in order to increase their sales productivity, loyalty, and overall contribution to the sales department. Learn more...
Sales Analytics and Performance Tracking- defining which key performance indicators track productivity and effectiveness, then learning how to utilize these to direct education, training, and planning. Learn more...
Compensation/Recognition/Rewards- understanding and designing sales compensation plans and recognition programs that not only drive and incent the proper behaviors, but also meet the evolving demographic and psychographic needs of your sales department. Learn more...
Planning- establishing structured sales plans for sales departments, divisions, regions, and individual sales territories. Providing a systematic methodology for touching prospects and clients, leading to attainment of departmental objectives and increased revenue. This Pillar also includes developing the most effective meeting formats and agendas to address the needs of sales management and producers. Learn more...
PLUS
Sales Leadership and Coaching - Sales Leadership and Coaching are the foundation upon which the 6 Pillars of Productivity are built. Learn more..
The objective of this day is to provide Front-Line Sales Managers with the necessary mangement training, tools, and knowledge to drive more performance from each sales representative, and to help you define where to spend your time and energy each day/week/month.
When completed, you should have the following:
A clear understanding of what the 6 Pillars are, why they are important, and how to maximize each Pillar
A common vernacular as to the drivers of sales team performance
A series of sales industry best practices that are proven to get business results
A set of state-of-the-art systems, processes, and technology solutions associated with each Pillar
A foundation from which you can continue to develop your management skills relative to sales representative performance
An action plan for leading and coaching the functional activities associated with the 6 Pillars
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/fall-summit-2010-home/6-pillar-workshop/
==============================================================================
TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND AQUISITION PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the proper identification and hiring of the right talent to meet and exceed the objectives of all positions within a sales department.
Talent is very different from skills. Skills can be taught. Talents are the natural predispositions and attributes observed in recurring patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior. Hiring for talent is one of the most critical factors that impact productivity.
In a study conducted by the EcSELL Institute, 98% of Sales Managers believe that, of all the Pillars, Talent Identification and Acquisition has the most profound affect on productivity, yet only 43% give their sales management teams the same score. (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form on the right.)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE:
Request a complimentary download from the EcSELL Institute Resource Library titled "Personality of a Top Salesperson" by EcSELL Institute Partner Herbert Greenburg, PhD. CLICK HERE
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/talent-identification---acquisition-pillar/
=========================================================================
SALES METHODOLOGY & SALES SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the development of a measurable sales process that meets the needs of a company's products, culture, and market, and the training required to maximize a sales team's ability to effectively execute the sales methodology.
According to CSO Insight's 2007 research, the number of organizations using measurable sales methods has doubled; 84% claim to have information to measure whereas, in 2004, only 42% could make this claim.
EcSELL Institute's research shows that 63% of VP Sales and Sales Managers state that their own sales management teams have "neutral" to "very weak" skills related to this Pillar. (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form at the right.)
Think about it! The numbers show organizations are increasingly adopting a process that is proven to drive greater productivity, yet the skills to drive this Pillar are weak.
Take the lead in your department by learning about EcSELL Institute's professional development strategy directed at Sales Methodology & Sales Skills Development.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/sales-methodology---sales-skills-development-pillar/
================================================================================
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SALES PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the educational and developmental strategies necessary to meet the individual needs of those in the sales department. It is the act of identifying and coaching toward sales career goals and objectives for each member of the sales team, in order to increase their sales productivity, loyalty, and overall contribution to the sales department.
Research conducted by the EcSELL Institute showed that 89% of the respondents believe that the Professional Development Pillar has a profound effect on productivity, yet only 39% rate their sales management teams' skills as "strong" or "very strong". (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form at the right.)
In order to be effective (effective defined as achieving and exceeding sales numbers), Sales Managers must understand what is and what is not within their control and further narrow that perspective to what, within their control, drives production. Becoming well-versed and skilled in the 6 Pillars of Productivity, while at the same time developing sales leadership and sale management acumen, will not only enhance your skills but those of your team as well.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/professional-development-pillar/Default.aspx?RewriteStatus=1
====================================================================================
SALES ANALYTICS & SALES PERFORMANCE TRACKING PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the analysis of key performance indicators for tracking sales productivity and sales effectiveness. This Pillar involves using these sales performance indicators to direct education, sales training, and sales planning.
EcSELL Institute conducted a study that showed 87% of Sales Managers believe that Sales Analytics and Sales Performance Tracking has a profound effect on productivity, yet only 56% rate their sales management teams as "strong" or "very strong" in this area. (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form at the right.)
There are a wide variety of tools available to track your sales reps' performance, but it is most critical to understand the correlation between key performance indicators and productivity. This is where a membership with the EcSELL Institute becomes essential! We eliminate the guesswork and the time required to making connections such as these. More importantly, we offer the wisdom of many possible solutions, not just a single suggestion, so you can control the direction of your department.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/sales-analytics---performance-tracking-pillar/
===============================================================================
SALES COMPENSATION, RECOGNITION, REWARDS PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the design of incentive programs that drive and incent desired behaviors. It is important to evolve your sales incentive programs to meet the changing demographics and psychographic needs of your sales department.
EcSELL Institute conducted a study that showed 91% of Sales Managers believe that Sales Compensation, Recognition, and Rewards has a profound impact on productivity. Yet only 49% rate their sales management teams as "strong" or "very strong" in this area. Request a copy of the entire "Sales Management Study Qrt1 2009". Fill out the form on the right side of this page.
Download a complimentary copy of "2009 Compensation Trends" survey results. Fill out the form on the lower, left side of this page.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/compensation-recognition-rewards-pillar/
===========================================================================
SALES PLANNING PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the establishment of structured territory plans for individuals, regions, and divisions that are fair and understandable. Sales planning also includes a systematic methodology for interacting with prospects and clients that leads to increased sales. Finally, the Planning Pillar includes developing effective meeting agendas and formats.
A study conducted by the EcSELL Institute showed that 88% of Sales Managers believe that Planning has a profound impact on productivity, yet only 48% rate their sales management teams as "strong" or "very strong" in this area. (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form at the right.)
You can also download a complimentary copy of the EcSELL Institute Resource Library research document titled "Building Peak Performance Teams". Scroll down and request it in the lower left hand side of this page.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/sales-planning-pillar/
===========================================================================
SALES LEADERSHIP AND SALES COACHING - the foundation to all of the 6 PILLARS OF PRODUCTIVITY
Sales Leadership and Sales Coaching are the foundation upon which the 6 Pillars of Productivity are built. It is a Sales Manager's ability to lead and coach a sales team that has the most significant impact on productivity, and the EcSELL Institute believes strongly in always developing those critical skills for our members. Research proves that strongly led and coached teams are more engaged, developed, loyal, and motivated - all directed toward greater revenue.
Leading and Coaching a sales team is uniquely different from coaching any other department. A Sales Manager, while ultimately responsible for the same results as his sales team, understands that his/her job is to achieve those results through other people. A Sales Manager must build people who will, in turn, build the business.
Sales Leadership and Sales Coaching requires a complex set of capabilities that must be continuously improved. Technology has provided new tools, research is uncovering new information on what motivates and inspires, generational differences require new approaches, and the list goes on. Excellent Sales Managers are like athletes; they must continually work on their game.
EcSELL Institutes puts forth information in the form of webinars, EAlerts, newsletter articles, and posts to our Resource Library, that will allow for opportunities to grow your sales leadership and sales coaching skills.
Twice a year we hold our Sales Leadership and Coaching Strategies Summit.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/sales-leadership-management-and-coaching/
The 6 Pillars of Productivity ™:
Talent Identification and Acquisition- properly identifying and hiring the right sales talent to meet and exceed the objectives of all positions within a sales department. Learn more...
Sales Methodology and Skills Development- developing a measurable sales process that meets the needs of a company’s products, culture, and market, and then training to maximize a sales team’s ability to execute the methodology. Learn more...
Professional Development- identifying and coaching toward sales career goals and objectives for each member of the sales team, in order to increase their sales productivity, loyalty, and overall contribution to the sales department. Learn more...
Sales Analytics and Performance Tracking- defining which key performance indicators track productivity and effectiveness, then learning how to utilize these to direct education, training, and planning. Learn more...
Compensation/Recognition/Rewards- understanding and designing sales compensation plans and recognition programs that not only drive and incent the proper behaviors, but also meet the evolving demographic and psychographic needs of your sales department. Learn more...
Planning- establishing structured sales plans for sales departments, divisions, regions, and individual sales territories. Providing a systematic methodology for touching prospects and clients, leading to attainment of departmental objectives and increased revenue. This Pillar also includes developing the most effective meeting formats and agendas to address the needs of sales management and producers. Learn more...
PLUS
Sales Leadership and Coaching - Sales Leadership and Coaching are the foundation upon which the 6 Pillars of Productivity are built. Learn more..
The objective of this day is to provide Front-Line Sales Managers with the necessary mangement training, tools, and knowledge to drive more performance from each sales representative, and to help you define where to spend your time and energy each day/week/month.
When completed, you should have the following:
A clear understanding of what the 6 Pillars are, why they are important, and how to maximize each Pillar
A common vernacular as to the drivers of sales team performance
A series of sales industry best practices that are proven to get business results
A set of state-of-the-art systems, processes, and technology solutions associated with each Pillar
A foundation from which you can continue to develop your management skills relative to sales representative performance
An action plan for leading and coaching the functional activities associated with the 6 Pillars
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/fall-summit-2010-home/6-pillar-workshop/
==============================================================================
TALENT IDENTIFICATION AND AQUISITION PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the proper identification and hiring of the right talent to meet and exceed the objectives of all positions within a sales department.
Talent is very different from skills. Skills can be taught. Talents are the natural predispositions and attributes observed in recurring patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior. Hiring for talent is one of the most critical factors that impact productivity.
In a study conducted by the EcSELL Institute, 98% of Sales Managers believe that, of all the Pillars, Talent Identification and Acquisition has the most profound affect on productivity, yet only 43% give their sales management teams the same score. (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form on the right.)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE:
Request a complimentary download from the EcSELL Institute Resource Library titled "Personality of a Top Salesperson" by EcSELL Institute Partner Herbert Greenburg, PhD. CLICK HERE
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/talent-identification---acquisition-pillar/
=========================================================================
SALES METHODOLOGY & SALES SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the development of a measurable sales process that meets the needs of a company's products, culture, and market, and the training required to maximize a sales team's ability to effectively execute the sales methodology.
According to CSO Insight's 2007 research, the number of organizations using measurable sales methods has doubled; 84% claim to have information to measure whereas, in 2004, only 42% could make this claim.
EcSELL Institute's research shows that 63% of VP Sales and Sales Managers state that their own sales management teams have "neutral" to "very weak" skills related to this Pillar. (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form at the right.)
Think about it! The numbers show organizations are increasingly adopting a process that is proven to drive greater productivity, yet the skills to drive this Pillar are weak.
Take the lead in your department by learning about EcSELL Institute's professional development strategy directed at Sales Methodology & Sales Skills Development.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/sales-methodology---sales-skills-development-pillar/
================================================================================
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SALES PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the educational and developmental strategies necessary to meet the individual needs of those in the sales department. It is the act of identifying and coaching toward sales career goals and objectives for each member of the sales team, in order to increase their sales productivity, loyalty, and overall contribution to the sales department.
Research conducted by the EcSELL Institute showed that 89% of the respondents believe that the Professional Development Pillar has a profound effect on productivity, yet only 39% rate their sales management teams' skills as "strong" or "very strong". (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form at the right.)
In order to be effective (effective defined as achieving and exceeding sales numbers), Sales Managers must understand what is and what is not within their control and further narrow that perspective to what, within their control, drives production. Becoming well-versed and skilled in the 6 Pillars of Productivity, while at the same time developing sales leadership and sale management acumen, will not only enhance your skills but those of your team as well.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/professional-development-pillar/Default.aspx?RewriteStatus=1
====================================================================================
SALES ANALYTICS & SALES PERFORMANCE TRACKING PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the analysis of key performance indicators for tracking sales productivity and sales effectiveness. This Pillar involves using these sales performance indicators to direct education, sales training, and sales planning.
EcSELL Institute conducted a study that showed 87% of Sales Managers believe that Sales Analytics and Sales Performance Tracking has a profound effect on productivity, yet only 56% rate their sales management teams as "strong" or "very strong" in this area. (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form at the right.)
There are a wide variety of tools available to track your sales reps' performance, but it is most critical to understand the correlation between key performance indicators and productivity. This is where a membership with the EcSELL Institute becomes essential! We eliminate the guesswork and the time required to making connections such as these. More importantly, we offer the wisdom of many possible solutions, not just a single suggestion, so you can control the direction of your department.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/sales-analytics---performance-tracking-pillar/
===============================================================================
SALES COMPENSATION, RECOGNITION, REWARDS PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the design of incentive programs that drive and incent desired behaviors. It is important to evolve your sales incentive programs to meet the changing demographics and psychographic needs of your sales department.
EcSELL Institute conducted a study that showed 91% of Sales Managers believe that Sales Compensation, Recognition, and Rewards has a profound impact on productivity. Yet only 49% rate their sales management teams as "strong" or "very strong" in this area. Request a copy of the entire "Sales Management Study Qrt1 2009". Fill out the form on the right side of this page.
Download a complimentary copy of "2009 Compensation Trends" survey results. Fill out the form on the lower, left side of this page.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/compensation-recognition-rewards-pillar/
===========================================================================
SALES PLANNING PILLAR
EcSELL Institute defines this Pillar as the establishment of structured territory plans for individuals, regions, and divisions that are fair and understandable. Sales planning also includes a systematic methodology for interacting with prospects and clients that leads to increased sales. Finally, the Planning Pillar includes developing effective meeting agendas and formats.
A study conducted by the EcSELL Institute showed that 88% of Sales Managers believe that Planning has a profound impact on productivity, yet only 48% rate their sales management teams as "strong" or "very strong" in this area. (Request a copy of the full report by completing the form at the right.)
You can also download a complimentary copy of the EcSELL Institute Resource Library research document titled "Building Peak Performance Teams". Scroll down and request it in the lower left hand side of this page.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/sales-planning-pillar/
===========================================================================
SALES LEADERSHIP AND SALES COACHING - the foundation to all of the 6 PILLARS OF PRODUCTIVITY
Sales Leadership and Sales Coaching are the foundation upon which the 6 Pillars of Productivity are built. It is a Sales Manager's ability to lead and coach a sales team that has the most significant impact on productivity, and the EcSELL Institute believes strongly in always developing those critical skills for our members. Research proves that strongly led and coached teams are more engaged, developed, loyal, and motivated - all directed toward greater revenue.
Leading and Coaching a sales team is uniquely different from coaching any other department. A Sales Manager, while ultimately responsible for the same results as his sales team, understands that his/her job is to achieve those results through other people. A Sales Manager must build people who will, in turn, build the business.
Sales Leadership and Sales Coaching requires a complex set of capabilities that must be continuously improved. Technology has provided new tools, research is uncovering new information on what motivates and inspires, generational differences require new approaches, and the list goes on. Excellent Sales Managers are like athletes; they must continually work on their game.
EcSELL Institutes puts forth information in the form of webinars, EAlerts, newsletter articles, and posts to our Resource Library, that will allow for opportunities to grow your sales leadership and sales coaching skills.
Twice a year we hold our Sales Leadership and Coaching Strategies Summit.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/6-pillars/sales-leadership-management-and-coaching/
Sunday, December 12, 2010
2010 Sales Leadership and Coaching Strategies Summit
Our Fall 2010 Sales Leadership and Coaching Strategies Summit was deemed a success by the attendees. Over 90% said "they would definitely recommend the Summit to a colleague".
There was a powerful exchange of ideas and best practices between this group of executive sales managers. Here are a few more ideas that were shared!
Coach coaches privately, not in front of his/her reps.
When you are going to coach one of your Sales Managers during a sales call wth a rep, remember, you can't provide feedback if your were active during the call. Stay quite.
Be sure to organize a collaborative sales call ahead of time. Determine roles before going into the call.
Be careful not to devalue a sales rep with your presence during a call. Keep the focus on them and position them as the expert.
Ask your sales reps to coach themselves after a call versus telling them what they did right/wrong. They will learn on a much deeper level if they take ownership of the evaluation process.
Remember that you are one of the most important people in your sales reps' lives. You impact how they feel about themselves.
Coach by example. Have your Sales Manager watch how you coach a sales rep. IMPORTANT Make sure you let the rep know who is giving them feedback and why so they don't feel worried.
When coaching to change a behavior, do that exact behavior to your Sales Manager and then ask him/her what it feels like to be talked to that way. They will get the point!
Make sure your Sales Managers understand the difference between "coaching" and "telling".
To help your sales reps become a better closer, spend time training them on the opening. The most important step in the sales process is the needs analysis stage.
To help your sales reps do a better job solution selling, spend time on helping them understand what the customer's challenges are.
Read more "Ah Ha" moments and sales management best practice tips from the Fall 2010 Summit.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/blog/?Tag=sales+leadership+best+practices
====================================================================================
AhHa Moments from the Summit....
Posted on Fri, Oct 15, 2010
Here are some valuable learnings from the EcSELL Institute Sales Leadership and Coaching Strategies Summit.
1. Sales Managers should spend their coaching time/effort at the front-end part of the sales cycle - the needs analysis stage - versus the end of the sales cycle - the closing call.
2. If you think your pipeline is leaking all over your bottomline, you need to call the sales management plumber - Take the Leaky Bucket Survey and find our how and where to plug the leaks!
3. Ask your Sales Reps "What are you being measured on?" and then ask your Sales Managers the same question. You might be surprised that the answers are different.
4. Ask yourself this question. "Are you teaching or are you coaching?" Do you understand the difference? Coach don't tell!
5. Sales people thrive when they are invited to collaborate on reviewing performance. Bring the team together and look at that month's sales results on a global level. Ask the team, "Where are the bottle necks? Who has success here? Ask them to share what is working for them with the group." You will be pleasantly surprised on how engaged your sales team will be!
6. Remember everyone is loyal to their best interests. When communicating objectives, comp plans, documenting requirements, etc. Be sure to frame it from their perspective and show them how it will help them!
7. You take the time to understand the unique characteristics of your children - do the same with your sales reps.
8. Don't forget to coach and lead your sales managers.
9. Watch what your sales reps do with their discretionary time. This often signals great performers versus good performers.
10. Make sure you consider personal goals, not just professional goals when putting together development plans.
11. Include an innovation component in your sales plans. This fosters creativity.
12. I can improve on my weaknesses, but it is a lot smarter to focus on my strengths.
13. You can't coach a sales call that you made.
15. In long sales cycles focus on the "little c's". A "big C" is the CLOSED SALE. The little c's are things like scheduling the next meeting with an agreed upon agenda, getting to the next level of decision maker etc.
16. To help your sales reps be better closers, spend more time training them on the opening.
17. Structure frees people up to say important things. Give them a safe platform to share their thoughts and ideas with you.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/summit-blog/bid/53301/AhHa-Moments-from-the-Summit
There was a powerful exchange of ideas and best practices between this group of executive sales managers. Here are a few more ideas that were shared!
Coach coaches privately, not in front of his/her reps.
When you are going to coach one of your Sales Managers during a sales call wth a rep, remember, you can't provide feedback if your were active during the call. Stay quite.
Be sure to organize a collaborative sales call ahead of time. Determine roles before going into the call.
Be careful not to devalue a sales rep with your presence during a call. Keep the focus on them and position them as the expert.
Ask your sales reps to coach themselves after a call versus telling them what they did right/wrong. They will learn on a much deeper level if they take ownership of the evaluation process.
Remember that you are one of the most important people in your sales reps' lives. You impact how they feel about themselves.
Coach by example. Have your Sales Manager watch how you coach a sales rep. IMPORTANT Make sure you let the rep know who is giving them feedback and why so they don't feel worried.
When coaching to change a behavior, do that exact behavior to your Sales Manager and then ask him/her what it feels like to be talked to that way. They will get the point!
Make sure your Sales Managers understand the difference between "coaching" and "telling".
To help your sales reps become a better closer, spend time training them on the opening. The most important step in the sales process is the needs analysis stage.
To help your sales reps do a better job solution selling, spend time on helping them understand what the customer's challenges are.
Read more "Ah Ha" moments and sales management best practice tips from the Fall 2010 Summit.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/blog/?Tag=sales+leadership+best+practices
====================================================================================
AhHa Moments from the Summit....
Posted on Fri, Oct 15, 2010
Here are some valuable learnings from the EcSELL Institute Sales Leadership and Coaching Strategies Summit.
1. Sales Managers should spend their coaching time/effort at the front-end part of the sales cycle - the needs analysis stage - versus the end of the sales cycle - the closing call.
2. If you think your pipeline is leaking all over your bottomline, you need to call the sales management plumber - Take the Leaky Bucket Survey and find our how and where to plug the leaks!
3. Ask your Sales Reps "What are you being measured on?" and then ask your Sales Managers the same question. You might be surprised that the answers are different.
4. Ask yourself this question. "Are you teaching or are you coaching?" Do you understand the difference? Coach don't tell!
5. Sales people thrive when they are invited to collaborate on reviewing performance. Bring the team together and look at that month's sales results on a global level. Ask the team, "Where are the bottle necks? Who has success here? Ask them to share what is working for them with the group." You will be pleasantly surprised on how engaged your sales team will be!
6. Remember everyone is loyal to their best interests. When communicating objectives, comp plans, documenting requirements, etc. Be sure to frame it from their perspective and show them how it will help them!
7. You take the time to understand the unique characteristics of your children - do the same with your sales reps.
8. Don't forget to coach and lead your sales managers.
9. Watch what your sales reps do with their discretionary time. This often signals great performers versus good performers.
10. Make sure you consider personal goals, not just professional goals when putting together development plans.
11. Include an innovation component in your sales plans. This fosters creativity.
12. I can improve on my weaknesses, but it is a lot smarter to focus on my strengths.
13. You can't coach a sales call that you made.
15. In long sales cycles focus on the "little c's". A "big C" is the CLOSED SALE. The little c's are things like scheduling the next meeting with an agreed upon agenda, getting to the next level of decision maker etc.
16. To help your sales reps be better closers, spend more time training them on the opening.
17. Structure frees people up to say important things. Give them a safe platform to share their thoughts and ideas with you.
http://www.ecsellinstitute.com/summit-blog/bid/53301/AhHa-Moments-from-the-Summit
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