Leader's Tips
The Sales Leader's Challenge
During uncertainty, the sales leader's challenge is to find new ways of helping old customers, to maintain service levels when it would be easier not to, to inspire the sales organization to move ahead despite unforeseen changes and to engage the sales team to uncover new opportunities to apply their expertise for the benefit of their customers and their company.
©2001-2004 James A. DeSena Performance Achievement Systems, Inc.
salesleaders.com(SM) 1- 800-4321-WIN
The Invisible Line
Make Different Choices
Look at the Big Picture
Five-Way Foundation for Sales Success
The 4th Quarter
The Big Picture
Never a Negative
Think Success. If you find yourself disagreeing with something your boss or a customer wants because you don't believe it will work, but he or she has already decided to do it, do this.
Imagine there's an invisible line in front of you. When you step over that line, you change your thinking from "it won't work" to "let me find a way to make it work." It's remarkable what new perspectives and solutions will open up when you look for them. When you step over that invisible line, make a commitment to work 100% for finding a solution. You'd expect the same from someone working for you. Don't do less yourself.
A 99% commitment isn't good enough. There can't be any lingering doubt in your mind about what you're doing. You'll only do your personal best when you are 100% committed.
If what you're doing isn't getting you the results you want, why not make different choices? You may have been given a set of circumstances, but it's up to you to choose how you respond to those circumstances. If you're disappointed about losing a sale, be disappointed for the moment, then let go of that disappointment, learn from it, and move onto the next customer. If you're annoyed at someone in customer service because that person didn't do something he or she promised, offer constructive help to prevent the problem from happening again. If you're dissatisfied with your ability to understand customer problems and present solutions that close the sale, identify three things you can do in the next three months to improve. Instead of lamenting about how bad things are, make a choice to make them better. Instead of placing blame when things aren't the way you want, take responsibility for changing what you control: your thoughts, your plans and your actions. Make different choices. Be your own person.
When you are working with a customer or attempting to win the business of a new customer, be informed as much as possible about the customer's business situation and financial condition. First visit their website. Do a search on recent articles. If the company is publicly traded, look at their SEC filing (online), look at analyst recommendations and look at their annual report. At the very least what you see will help you understand their business situation. More likely, it will help you better understand their business issues. With some understanding of their situation and issues, you will be better prepared when you meet with or speak to the customer and when you focus your questions on areas where your products or services can help them achieve their business strategies. You may also decide not to invest a lot of time in going after a customer if their profit picture isn't good, unless you have a solution that can help them improve it.
©2003 James A. DeSena, Performance Achievement Systems, Inc. salesleaders.com 1- 800-4321-WINFive-Way Foundation for
Sales Success1. The longer that customers rely on a salesperson for advice, the more likely it is that the salesperson has developed relationship skills built on trust and integrity.
2. The more highly paid the salesperson, the more likely it is that that person is selling a product or service that requires a higher degree of knowledge about the product or technology.
3. Sales skills, the ability to identify customer problems and propose solutions to those problems, bridge the gap between technical knowledge and people skills.
4. Becoming an authority keeps you from becoming a commodity.
5. An optimistic outlook and a commitment to persevering allow you to overcome setbacks.
Develop your strength in each of these five components of success, technical/product knowledge, people skills, sales skills, expertise, and perseverance, and you will have a winning combination.
©2002 James A. DeSena, Performance Achievement Systems, Inc. salesleaders.com 1- 800-4321-WINIs the 4th quarter the only one that counts? Whether it's basketball, football or sales, the 4th quarter usually creates a lot of excitement, right down to the last minute. Sometimes the activity and excitement in the final quarter more than makes up for the other three. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that what contributes to your total success is the foundation you have in the other three quarters. The difficulty with counting on just the last quarter is that it can throw you into crisis mode, and cause you to do things that are ineffective or disadvantageous. It's exciting, but it comes with an inherent risk. Make each quarter stand on its own.
©2002 James A. DeSena, Performance Achievement Systems, Inc. salesleaders.com 1- 800-4321-WIN
The Big PictureIf you're in sales for the long term, always look for the big picture. If you don't get a sale with a particular customer, leave off on a positive note. Create good will with customers and non-customers alike, because you don't know when one of your customers may talk to someone who isn't a customer. Don't disparage the competition. Show the best that your company offers. Do small favors without expecting something in return, and someday, that person may return the favor. Try to understand the other person's point of view, in addition to your own.
©2002 James A. DeSena, Performance Achievement Systems, Inc. salesleaders.com 1- 800-4321-WINIn your dealings with customers and colleagues, opt for using positive language and positive viewpoints rather than negative ones. Find a way to agree, rather than disagree. People prefer not to be told they're wrong. Most people prefer to be around someone who is upbeat rather than dour. Create the kind of environment where people feel comfortable.
©2002 James A. DeSena, Performance Achievement Systems, Inc. salesleaders.com 1- 800-4321-WIN
Top of Leader's Tips PageJames A. DeSena, Certified Speaking Profressional, salesleaders.com
©1998-2003 Performance Achievement Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Jim DeSena works with leadership teams creating organizations where customers are eager to buy and employees love to work. His speeches, workshops, retreats and coaching are informative and engaging. Call 1-800-4321-WIN for a free consultation. Make your meeting event memorable and productive. For information on we can customize a special program for your participants, call us at 1-800-4321-WIN.