Strategic Initiatives 2012
Strategic Sales Survey for 2012
Last December, I asked my readers to participate in a strategic sales survey. The response was impressive with over 250 business and sales leaders like you responding to that request. A year has past and it is time to gather benchmark data for 2012 strategic efforts. Please consider investing 3 to 5 minutes again this year to participate. Your insights are valuable.
What is in it for you? Like last year, participants receive a free summary of the data that you can use for your strategic sales initiatives. The report included last year’s sales results, next year’s growth projections and the strategic sales growth initiatives being planed.
Last years report was praised for the usable, real world, strategic benchmark data it provided (compared to the gloomy editorialized news we see daily).
Thanks in advance for your help.
PS: This is a confidential survey, your responses and participation will remain private.
PPS: Feel free to forward this link to business and sales leaders that would find it useful. http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/753646/Sales-Growth-Specialists-Strategic-Initiatives-Survey
© Copyright 2011, Danita Bye Sales Growth Specialists, All Rights Reserved.
Climbing the Value Ladder™ – Part 3
Don’t be disposable – become indispensable (Part 3)
To read this series from the start go to: Climbing the Value Ladder – Part 1
Statistics from AllBusiness.com indicate that eighty percent of new sales are made after the fifth contact, but the majority of sales people give up after the second call.
When your sales people make cold calls, the primary goal of the person on the other side is to get them off the phone as quickly as possible. One of the first thoughts going through a prospect’s mind when they pick up the phone and hear a salesperson on the other side, is: “How long is this going to take?” or “How can I get rid of this person as quickly as possible?
Help your sales team by teaching them how to deliver messages that will move them up the value ladder.
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Teach your sales team to find out as much as they possibly can about the company or individual going to cold call in advance. This gives them the advantage of being able to talk to the client about their business and their needs. Understanding the client’s key challenges, pains, and obstacles will help your team to formulate a message that has true value. |
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During sales meetings, most sales managers ask, What was your biggest success this week? I also encourage you to ask your sales team this question: What was your biggest failure this week? Then, creatively brainstorm how to turn the failure into success. Come up with creative solutions. That’s how they learn to make better sales calls. |
New technology is opening a multitude of creative avenues that can spark immediate interest with your prospects – webinars, text messaging, and personalized gifts. However, a well-directed, thoroughly researched cold call with valuable content will always be a key component of an excellent sales kit and help your sales team to become an indispensable part of your prospect’s business.
Sales Growth Question: How are you helping your team to broaden their vision and look at alternative ways to communicate a value message to your clients and prospects?
Sales Growth Lesson: Explore how to turn failures into successes through creative brainstorming.
© Copyright 2011, Danita Bye Sales Growth Specialists, All Rights Reserved.
Climbing the Value Ladder™ – Part 2
Don’t be disposable – become indispensable (Part 2)
In our previous posting, we established that it’s critical for your sales team to move from a disposable irritation to an indispensable part of your client’s value ladder. However, in order to become indispensable, your sales people may need your help.
No-one likes to fail. It feels good to succeed, but some sales people have perfected doing the wrong thing well. What do I mean?
Let’s say your sales team’s target is to make twenty cold calls in a specific time-frame. They make the calls. Do they get any appointments? No. Do they feel they have failed? No, because they reached their target of making twenty colds calls within the set time-limit. They feel successful because they’ve checked the 20 calls off their ToDo list. So, how can you help them turn this apparent failure into opportunity and success?
Your salesperson only has a few seconds to grab the prospect’s attention. Here are some steps you can share with your sales team to ensure they communicate a message to your prospects that delivers results.
Your sales person can create value by using a client-specific message that makes prospects feel they want to spend time with him. (They believe has a solution for their problem.)
Listen to your salesperson’s pitch. Does it sound as if he is reading from a brochure or has he researched carefully what he’s going to say to the clients/prospects, taking their unique situation into account?
If your team can’t get a strong message to your prospect, they will never get the first meeting. Conduct regular brainstorming sessions with your sales team to explore non-traditional ways of communicating your message.
In our next posting I will give you some more examples of how you can help your sales team to make the most of their sales message.
Sales Growth Question: What are you doing to ensure your sales team understands the importance of the message they deliver to their prospects?
Sales Growth Lesson: Client specific messages that are well researched add value to your sales strategy.
© Copyright 2011, Danita Bye Sales Growth Specialists, All Rights Reserved.
Climbing the Value Ladder™ – Part 1
Don’t be disposable – become indispensable (Part 1)
As a business leader, president or VP of Sales, do you often hear your salespeople say it seems everybody has what they’re trying to sell them? Well, it’s generally true that most people really don’t enjoy talking to a salesperson that’s focused on their own agenda. However, I also know that every person has problems that need fixing. So, your sales staff’s goal is to make sure they are adding value to their prospects and clients lives, becoming their indispensable problem solver.
It’s critical that we teach our sales teams to climb the Value Ladder™.
What does this value ladder look like?
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STEP ONE – Disposable The prospect/client literally throws in the trash – or sends to the recycle bin – what your salespeople are sending. Either it’s not what they want or need. Or, it’s outdated. |
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STEP TWO – Usable The prospect/client listens to what your salespeople have to say, and they are mildly interested. They even tell you, Well fine, send me a quote, I’ll take a look at it. |
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STEP THREE – Valuable Your sales person is doing something for the client that solves a problem very few people can. Your prospect/client isn’t wasting his time with your company’s proposal. In fact, the they believe that you will deliver on your promises. |
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STEP FOUR – Indispensable You’re salesperson and your company is the only one in the client’s life that can solve the problem. Your team is able to deliver on a consistent basis because of your support system. |
So, if the goal is to go from disposable to Indispensable, how do you lead your team in that process? One of the key components that I have found in my work with growth oriented companies, is that they have formulated a client-specific message prospects want to listen to.
In our next posting, l take a closer look at this message and how it can help you to make more sales.
Sales Growth Question: What can you do to inspire your team to think creatively about adding value to your clients’ sales experience?
Sales Growth Lesson: We need to learn how to become indispensable to our clients, so that we are the first person they call when they have a problem.
© Copyright 2011, Danita Bye Sales Growth Specialists, All Rights Reserved.
Avoid these 5 Common Mistakes when hiring a Sales Manager – Conclusion
To start reading this series from the beginning, please go here.
Hiring the right sales manager is a key growth strategy. However, the shocking fact is that according to research conducted by Objective Management Group, only
8% of Sales Managers are top performers. Statistics also show us that 18% of Sales Managers should never have ended up in that position.
According to Dr John Sullivan,(1) a well-known leader in HR, most informal assessments peg the cost of a bad hire to be 150-300% of their annual salary each year they remain employed. So, what can you do to ensure you hit a bull’s eye when you appoint your new Sales Manager?
In the previous postings, we’ve looked at five of the most common mistakes that companies make when they appoint a sales manager. We’ve also looked at some of the character traits, skills and values your sales manager should have.
• We understand what role our Sales Manager should play in our business strategy.
• We’ve ensured that he/she will be a perfect fit for our selling environment.
• We’ve identified a candidate who will be able to execute our sales strategy.
• We’ve used intensive interviewing techniques to ensure that there is no culture clash.
• We have pre-determined on-boarding metrics to let us know whether our Sales Manager is on track or off track.
I know it sounds like I’m stating the obvious, but just think about this for a minute: the sales activity of a company is the only activity that brings in revenue.
The job of the sales manager is the one position in a company where numbers speak for themselves. A Right Fit sales manager can grow sales by a minimum of 20-30%.
Do you have the right sales manager on your team?
Sales Growth Question: How is your Sales Manager contributing to the growth of your company?
Sales Growth Lesson: The right Sales Manager is the person who fits in perfectly with your unique selling environment, sales strategy and company culture.
NOTE:
1. Dr. John Sullivan is a well-known thought leader in HR. He is a frequent speaker and advisor to Fortune 500 and Silicon Valley firms. Formerly the chief talent officer for Agilent Technologies (the 43,000-employee HP spin-off), he is now a professor of management at San Francisco State University. He was called the “Michael Jordan of Hiring” by Fast Company magazine.
For the full webinar that I did for EcSell Institute, go to 5 Mistakes Webinar.
PPT Slides can be viewed at 5 Mistakes Presentation.
© Copyright 2011, Danita Bye Sales Growth Specialists, All Rights Reserved.
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