- Are You An Effective Communicator
I don't care what else you accomplish this year. If you can effectively address these three issues, you will be amazed at how much more profitable and competitive you can be in the market place. - Are You Giving Customer Focused Sales Presentations?
In a recent sales survey, it was discovered that most salespeople cover 5-7 features during their presentation. When asked what the prospect remembered 24 hours later, they mentioned only one of the features. Guess which one? Not the first one, or the last one, but the one that related to their need, want, problem, desire or concern. - As A Manager Are You Consistent In Your Treatment Of Your Employees?
One of the key ingredients of good managers is the ability to maintain consistency in all of their roles and activities. Some of these include how they: - Assuming Anything In Sales Is To Invite Failure
One of the biggest mistakes many salespeople make is to assume. To believe that something is true without any verification, validation or evidence. In the area of the spiritual this is accepted practice and can be a healthy way to go through your life. In your sales career it can be the kiss of death. Assumptions are lethal. They give you confidence without any proof. They can set you up for disappointment, failure and at the worst breakdowns in communication. - Do You Have An Effective Follow-up Strategy?
Why don't salespeople follow-up? And, what are the benefits of an effective follow-up strategy? Two critical issues that will determine the success of salespeople today. Why don't salespeople follow up? - Do You Listen With An Open Mind
Here are a few ideas to help you succeed in listening to "the bad news" or whatever doesn't match your own thinking or expectations: - Do You Talk Too Much?
One of the biggest mistakes poor salespeople make is THEY TALK TOO MUCH. The second is: THEY GIVE INFORMATION BEFORE THEY GET IT. - Do Your Salespeople Have Walk-Away Power?
Sooner or later, you will have to walk away from a prospect or a client relationship that is no longer worth your time, energy, corporate resources or willingness to continue. What are the characteristics that could contribute to this decision? Here are a few to think about - Don't Get The Holiday Blues
Many salespeople believe that between Thanksgiving and January 2nd people stop buying and become preoccupied with celebrating and eating. Quite the contrary! - Effective Teritory Management Is Not Rocket Science
Many salespeople today will waste a great deal of time calling on poor prospects - trying to turn poor prospects into customers, or trying to close prospects that do not want or need what they are selling. - How Can You Know The Prospect's Real Intent?
Intent and intention seems to be a hot topic these days. Why is this such an important topic today? Is it more important than it was twenty years ago? Let's take a brief look at this critical area with a focus on the real intentions of your customers. - How Can You Make Yourself Indespensable?
Look at the more common picture. Managers who feel they are indispensable often behave in ways that are contrary to their organization's success. Their goals, decisions, actions, and personality styles seem to communicate that no one can manage the roles and responsibilities of their department better then they can. They feel that without them, their organization or department would fail miserably. This is often the height of an out-of-control ego, arrogance, ignorance, and/or any combination of these factors. It can also be caused by poor self-image or insecurity. - How To Keep Your Best Employees
Have you lost any good employee talent recently? Was it necessary to lose them? Why did they leave, was it for a better opportunity or because your organization needs a serious look at the way it treats is most valuable asset, it's people. - If You Want Your Employees To Improve, You Need To Keep Improving
It should be clear by now that if you think you are as good as you need to be, you need to think again. Let’s start with three quick questions:1. Are you spending time consistently improving your management and people skills? 2. What have you invested so far this year in your own personal and career development? 3. What is your working philosophy of routinely investing time and resources in your personal and career development? - If Your Sales Strategy Is Not Clear Sales Will Suffer
Ask any of your sales managers to define sales strategy and you might get a myriad of responses. Some right, some wrong and many just vague. Ask them to define operational effectiveness and you will tend to get more accurate answers depending on the level of the manager. - In A Slump?
Sooner or later, every salesperson experiences a down period of sales results. These periods, where your continued activity seems to yield less than satisfactory results, are normal and to be expected. None of us can keep up a pace of 200 miles per hour day after day, month after month, year after year. The key is to keep your attitude positive, your focus on what is working, and your activity levels high regardless of the results. - In Management, Your Ego Is The Performance Killer
One of the biggest contributors to poor management performance, bad decisions, hiring mistakes, and a whole host of other problems is ego. - It's Not Too Early To Start Thinking About 2007
Getting a fast start out of the box in January is one of the best ways to ensure a successful sales year. Many salespeople get lulled into the holiday spirit (and there is nothing wrong with that), but tend to get a slow beginning after January 1st. - It's Time For The Fourth Quarter Push
The pressure is on and management is breathing down it’s employees necks to finish the year hitting or beating their sales numbers for the year. - Motivating Employees Is Not Rocket Science
I constantly hear from managers - how do I keep my employees motivated? - Non-Verbal Messsages Are More Important Than What The Prospect Says
If there is an inconsistency between the verbal message and the non-verbal message you are getting from a prospect, I would advise paying more attention to the non-verbal. The non-verbal message will always be more a more accurate representation of the person’s feelings, attitudes or beliefs. - Successful Managers
Why not evaluate yourself on each to determine where improvement might have a positive impact on your management style, as well as the performance and productivity of your employees. The list is in no particular order of importance. - What's The Role Of The Sales Manager?
To manage means to manage. To do means to do. Be careful you don't confuse these. - Why Not Take The Sales Quiz To see How You Are Doing?
Why not give the following sales quiz to your sales staff. It will give you an idea of their understanding and application of some of the critical issues, concepts and techniques that have an impact on their sales performance and results. If you feel your team could benefit from an in-depth Custom in-house sales training program, please give me a call. I will be happy to discuss a custom curriculum for your staff with you. Please give me a call if you would like the answers to this quiz. - You Are Responsible To Employees, Not For Them
Do you treat all employees the same yet differently?This concept, at first glance, might seem to contradict the previous one we just discussed. But if you will carefully observe, you will see some very subtle differences.
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