Sales Leadership Behavior: Know your People

In addition to knowing your business, the authors of Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done  also suggest that the CEO, President and VP of Sales need to know their people. What are some practical ways that you can begin to really learn about your people?  

In my most recent tips booklet, Yes You Can: 67 Tips to Raise Sales Results in a Recession, I’ve included a couple of ideas to get leaders started: 

Tip 29: Identify Dreams.  Salespeople work primarily for themselves.  I know it’s disheartening for us to realize, but the company’s profits are not the prime motivator in their lives.  Their own dreams, goals, and aspirations are what inspire them to do the extra effort needed to exceed quotas.  So, what can you do?  Help them develop a game plan to achieve their goals and aspirations.  Link their personal goals to their professional goals.  Create alignment.  

Tip 41: Help your people overcome the high Need for Approval. In fact, help them identify their selling mindsets that support their sales effort.  Then, take the next step and help them identify those mindsets that are sabotaging their selling effectiveness.  Then, with both of you grounded with objective data, you can create an action plan to start Making It Happen!  In my 18 years of sales management leadership, I’ve found the data provided by Objective Management Group to be the most helpful in really knowing my people and knowing how I can help them. 

Tip 37: Understand your salespeople’s Workplace Motivators. Workplace Motivators help explain why your salespeople behave as they do. When you understand their Motivators, you can more easily come alongside them and help them execute at a higher, more intentional level.

I invite you download the entire complimentary tips booklet.  And, I’d love to hear your feedback on what other Know-Your-People tips that you’d recommend adding to future additions.  

So, what steps are you taking to really know your people? 

Need a Sales Turnaround?

Over the past 10 years, my business has grown because of positive word-of-mouth referrals from clients and business leaders who know of a friend or colleague who’s incredibly frustrated with their sales team’s revenue and margin production…and are fed up, ready for a Turnaround! Here’s what I often hear:

•We’re dependent on a few large clients; it’s too risky. We must diversify.”

•“90% of our sales come from current clients and their business is sliding. I need new clients.”

•“I have order takers; we need people who can generation new business.”

•“Our salespeople can’t hold margin. Help!”

•“Our website is generating leads; but no ones closing them.”

•“Our sales cycle is so long; however, I don’t think there’s anything we can do to shorten it. Or, is there?”

Are you experiencing any of these? If yes, it’s a good time to find help. One place to look is Yes You Can: 67 Tips to Raise Sales Results in a Recession.

I’m looking forward to hearing which tips are most helpful for you in your Sales Turnaround initiative.

Danita

Raise Sales Results in a Recession

If you haven’t had a chance to download my Complimentary eBooklet, I invite you to do so: Yes You Can: 67 Tips to Help You Raise Sales Results in a Recession.

Leadership that’s 100% Present

These turbulent times create an opportunity for leaders, regardless of their role, to set the pace and tone that delivers positive results. That pace and tone may be much different that the prevailing culture (or regular TV programming!), and therein lies our challenge!

As I was reflecting on the leaders in my life who inspired positive momentum, I thought of the first district manager I worked for at Xerox Corporation, Don. Don has a gift of inspiring you to be your best and do your best. How did he do it?

Focus. He focused on those who worked for him. And, I mean “focused.” When I talk with Don, I feel like I am the only important person in the entire world. When Don’s attention is focused, the rest of the world fades in importance. He’s 100% present in the conversation. Since I’m important, I prioritize my work for Don, giving my best.

It dawned in me while reading Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of all time, that people probably had that same experience when interacting with Jesus. He was so engaged with them, so focused on who they were as a person, that they felt inspired, changed. He was 100% present with them, not distracted by the clatter surrounding them.

Isn’t that our opportunity as leaders, to really SEE people? To really value them? To focus on who they really are as human beings, not human “doings”? To be 100% present with them

I’m accepting the challenge today. As I interact with people, my intent is to 100% present with them.

Will you accept the challenge also? It’s difficult to set the discouraging economic news aside. However, when we do, we’ll inspire our staff to give at least 100% to their leader.

67 Sales Tips to Sell in a Recession

This is is a thanks to Jake Atwood, President of Ovation Sales and Buzz Builder, for co-presenting a webinar this week, 67 Sales Tips to Sell in a Recession. Jake is an incredible host and gave incredible practical, actionable advice that keeps the sales process moving forward. In addition, I’ve started using Jake’s software, Buzz Builder to create eMail campaigns. Again, Jake has been incredible to work with. Kudo’s to Jake! I invite you to check out his websites.

67 Tips to Raise Your Sales Results in a Recession

I’m very excited to be producing my first publication, an eBook entitled, “Yes You Can! 67 Tips to Raise Sales Results in a Recession.” For all my blog visitors, you can download advanced copies complimentary.

I’ve been working on a book for a while; however, that won’t be out until this fall. And, I know that the ideas regarding recruiting, coaching, motivating and accountability discussed in the book are needed NOW to impact 2009 revenues. So, I have a copy reserved for you. I look forward to your feedback on what’s working for you.

Triumph through the Recession

Engage your Existing Clients to help you

Colleen Francis, Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions have some excellent advice for Sales leaders in an article she titled: “Keep Customers, Kill the Recession.” She talks about the additional challenges sales people face today in bringing new customers on board. Colleen believes there is an easier way. How?

Engage your existing clients to refer more business your way. How? Providing service excellence to your existing clients shouts “stick with us” louder than anything else. The benefits of retaining existing clients are numerous; just to mention one – the estimated landing of a new account costs 5 to 20 times more than selling into an existing relationship. This will vary according to industry.

When looking at best practice in client retention you find that top companies do a number of things:

• They measure the status of their client service regularly. You can do this by hiring a consulting firm to do this research for you.
• “Out-service” the competition. Find out what your competitors are doing well and outsmart them. Do you have a toll-free help line or a user-friendly web site?
• Your sales staff needs to know their clients and show their appreciation.

It is not a myth that service sell. Your Sales Manager should instill quality service in his sales force. If they consistently deliver this there is no reason why they cannot ask for referrals with the greatest of confidence.

As CEO and leader, how well do you know the CEO’s of the top clients of your company and how often do you network with them?

What’s within your control?

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies, is a leading contributor in the eBook, “Keep Your Sales Up in a Down Economy.” Jill, as well as the other contributors, offer some great advice for how to gain the competitive edge during these unusual economic and market times.

Jill suggests that we focus on what’s in our control and not be overwhelmed by the front page news, the 24 hr. streaming news station, or the doom-and-gloom reports from our peers.

Today, in talking with Brian, a VP of Sales of a growing technology company, who suggested to his CEO that he stop attending his monthly peer round table. Brian noticed that whenever he returned from these events, he carried dark “eeyore” clouds with him. These clouds permeated the building, depressing the staff.

As a leader, your nonverbal behavior speaks loudly. It quickly permeates every corner of your company.

So, what CAN you control in your company?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sales Management Implements a Measurable Selling System

“A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there.” – H. Stanley Judd

As you start the New Year, thought you’d be interested in this story.

Jon was shocked when he took over as the Director of Sales for a medical supply company. As might be expected, he found a significant difference in the close rate of his senior and junior salespeople. The seniors converted over 90% of their proposals to business, while the juniors did only 10%! After analyzing the differences, Jon found that the seniors had clear-cut, agreed upon ideas they used before proceeding to close. The Juniors went more on “gut feel.” After getting over the initial shock, Jon realized he had a golden opportunity to make a major impact on overall sales.

Jon simply implemented the same well defined, measurable selling system for the juniors as the one used by the seniors. This standardization of the selling system, based on Best Practices created by the senior sales group, made a dramatic improvement in the performance of the junior salespeople as well. As a matter of fact, it almost doubled the total sales for the company.

It sounds like a no-brainer that a well defined selling process should be applied across the spectrum of your sales effort. Unfortunately, many companies lack a coherent and formalized sales process system.

Don’t leave it up to the individual salesperson to develop his or her own system. Develop and use a Best Practices system.

Does your company use a uniform selling system? Has it been documented so that everyone on the sales team understands and adheres to it?

Tips for Profitably Restructuring-Sales Management Processes

The next place to look is at your Sales Management Processes.

Sales organizations that survive turbulent times will inevitably be the ones who have their sales management processes in place. People draw confidence from the structure created by solid and defined processes. Create your sales management processes around four key elements: accountability, motivation, recruiting, and coaching.

Accountability: Review your performance management system to ensure that goals and objectives are owned by each person on your sales team. Are your salespeople aligned with the company objectives and vision? Are there clear behavior and results metrics each sales person can quickly review to know if they are on track or not? What are the feedback loops? During these times, communication must be clear and constant.

Motivation: Motivation is actually a sales management process. This is a good time to re visit your compensation plans and to see if they are clearly aligned with your growth objectives. Discuss short-term and long-term career opportunities with each team member. Don’t forget to celebrate the individual successes of your people; by doing so you not only motivate your team, you also inspire them.

Recruiting: Use this time to upgrade your salespeople. Strengthen your force by employing the people you have questioned. Get rid of the dead wood. Be ready for the upturn and be first out of the blocks.

Coaching: If coaching is not a defined process in your business, you are losing significant revenues. Effective coaching can lift someone from mediocrity to superiority, enhancing strengths and overcoming weaknesses. Implement core coaching practices such as such as pre‐ching practices such as such as pre‐call planning, call debriefing, field coaching and deal coaching. In so doing, you’ll help ensure your team is maximizing every opportunity.

How strong are your sales management process? Are they strong enough to ensure that you’re recession proof?

Danita

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