Carson V. Heady's Blog, page 72

Consult Carson 7/16: “How can I get in front of more customers?”

From today’s mailbag: “I’m at my wits’ end trying to get in front of more customers.  I get some leads from my company but for the rest, I’m on my own.  What are some good methods of lead generation?”

Carson: The best way to view the multiple ways of generating leads is that there are numerous oil wells for which you have established drilling mechanisms.  You do not want to discriminate against any of the possible fields and there is no telling which one will strike and how lucrative it will be.  This is why we have to continue to pursue success in each individual potential lead source.

(1) Consider your industry.  Who are your target customers?  Where are they located geographically?  What industries are they in?  What do your competitors do to market and who is currently picking them?  What can you do to metaphorically place a billboard between your potential customers and the competition?  This can help you start to formulate different potential leads and sources.

(2) Consider the mediums open to you.  Do you get leads from your company?  Have you worked with current and past customers to obtain referrals?  (Setting up a mutually beneficial referral program with them can be quite helpful.)  Are there industry specific or noteworthy networking events and Chambers and meet-up groups that you know of or have researched?  Are you engaged in social media?  Just on LinkedIn alone, you have the capability of geo-targeting customers in any industry you like, seeing their title and reaching out to them.  There are websites like Hoover’s which will allow you to find companies in the size and territory you sell into.  With the resources available to you, the networking groups and events, marketing methods and the ways you can conduct outreach (even picking up the phone and calling from an online search in a pinch), there is no shortage of ways to research and reach out.

(3) Lead with value. So many sellers fail to pinpoint exactly what they want to lead off with or promote.  Many of them try to cram way too much into a call or e-mail and it gets ignored.  When you sound like every other marketer out there, that’s when you are treated like every other one with the hang-up or delete bin.  What is in it for the customer to talk to you?  And what do you have to offer that actually provides them the most return on investment or value without too much risk?  If you are selling an appointment, focus on selling the appointment; don’t skip steps in the sales process.  You can’t try to sell the end result before you get the buy-in or appointment.

(4) Sell an appointment.  Whether you meet a potential lead at a grocery store or Chamber meeting or you get their number from an online search, your primary goal should be to set the face to face.  Social media and the multitude of outreach methods available to you are fantastic as connecting devices.  From there, you should use these awesome tools to set up the irreplaceable face-to-face meeting.  Nothing will ever trump the handshake and the physical meeting – putting faces with names and discussing your roles and how you can develop mutual synergies.  What doors can you open for them?  Continue to focus on the value you can bring – and you may not establish all of the ways you can partner up front.  In fact, sometimes these meetings will feel like duds.  Then, 6 months later, something pops up and one of you will be top of mind with the other because you…

(5) Follow up strategically.  Find ways to get multiple, quality touches of that account whether it is reaching out within a few days with the answers to questions you committed to obtain to adding them to your newsletter so they see your name often or sending them articles via social media that would be of interest.  Following up isn’t just about calling and leaving a voice mail or sending an e-mail asking if they are ready to buy yet.  It’s about staying top of mind by continuing to connect, attempting to add value or being a resource.

The sales circle of life will continue; as you build a book of business, as you continue to connect with others and obtain referrals from them, as you reach out with a newsletter or articles or other means of contact.  Start to prioritize your lead generation methods by what gleans results but do not neglect other methods that can yield; you never know when a well will run dry or another might start to gush.

Getting in front of customers is also about ensuring you are selling the next step – not two steps ahead.  Focus on the immediate attempt at an appointment, always lead with value and try to find ways to collaborate and partner that are mutually beneficial.  Finally, take great care of your customers, communicate effectively and diligently in a timely fashion when they ask anything of you, build your reputation and you will really start to grow your network based on a strong personal brand.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 7/15: “I have very demanding customers I cannot please. Help!”

From today’s mailbag: “I have some customers who are extremely demanding.  I do everything I can to stay on top of customer requests because I know how important communication is.  However, they don’t understand just how hard it is to meet every one of their requests and I’m overwhelmed.  They also complain any time I cannot meet their exact demands in their timeframe. I’m afraid of losing top customers because of poor process at work. Help!”

Carson: First off, breathe.

We’ve been groomed in environments where the philosophy “the customer is always right” has been bandied around.  The customer does come first – they are the center of our world.  And they do business with us for the fact that we are reachable – for the fact we are able to communicate with them quickly and efficiently and be the solution to all of their problems big and small.

That said, if you do a quality job of building a customer base, creating a pipeline and managing your accounts, you will very likely eventually reach a point where you have quite a bit of work on your hands.  While we strive to treat every single individual customer like they are our one and only, this can become exceptionally daunting when their demands reach a fever pitch even over the most basic of requests.

(1) Delegate where possible.  Hopefully, you have support and supportive folks who can assist you in some of the tasks.  Decide which ones it makes sense for you to get help on; typically, these would be administrative, non-customer facing items that may take up a chunk of time but take too much away from your other customers.  These also need to be items you can train someone else to do effectively.  They also need to be items that you know will be done right, so you’ve got to be selective.

(2) Level set expectations.  Strategically but empathetically share with your customer that their request is of the utmost importance to you and that it will be handled as quickly as possible.  It is OK to put an out of office on when you are extremely busy with other activities that are taking you away from immediate response.  It is OK to involve your support team and copy the customer in on some of those correspondences – often, a customer does not necessary expect an immediate resolution but they appreciate seeing that you are working on their request.  Staying in touch with and keeping tabs on their situation as often as possible even if it is not possible to deliver an immediate answer can go a long way and still maintain the relationship’s smooth nature.

(3) Apologize and be forthcoming.  Sometimes customers do not understand everything that goes on behind the scenes to facilitate their request.  Over-communication in these situations helps, but often an explanation and apology for the time or any gaps in process can help.  Ensure they know that you are providing their feedback up the chain to any applicable parties to improve process.  Ensure they know you are doing the best you can to manage under the existing circumstances.  Frankly, the best you can do is the best you can do.

(4) Provide feedback.  If the process is not working for the customer or you need additional support or resources to fulfill your customers’ needs, it is incumbent upon you to get that information into the people’s hands who can help.  Otherwise, you will never see positive change.

Again, the best you can do is the best you can do.  Prioritize the work; handle and manage the relationships you come to know need immediate responses first.  Delegate where you can, communicate as much as you can, and provide feedback on how the process works and does not work for your clients.  Be patient with your customers – remember, their business and the potential referrals they can bring in are always in the balance.  How you handle requests after they buy that are not even tied to money are often the basis on which you are judged.  Do the best you can to manage their expectations and deliver on your promises.

Sometimes, the process you are operating under will not satisfy every customer.  We live and learn, and a deal we may lose today can lead to process improvement down the road that will lead to much better customer relationships.  Don’t lose hope, look at the big picture, and work every day to impact change for the holy sales trinity: the customer, the company, and you.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 7/14: “My boss is out of touch. How should I tactfully communicate with them?”

From today’s mailbag: “My boss and company are behind the times and out of touch. How should I tactfully communicate with them?”

Carson: While many of us know that adaptability and response to changing times is key, these are not always common enough themes in business.  It’s the very reason many businesses either fail or mismanage and never reach their potential.

Any time you want to bridge a gap with your leadership, it is important to understand their priorities.  These can typically be gleaned via meetings and communication; any time you hear them speak or you read their e-mail correspondence, they are likely spelling out their priorities – effectively or not.  In short, you can figure out what makes them tick and what they value.  You are going to have to present value if you want to get their attention.

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for leadership to be comprised of people who have either never done the job they create policy for or have not taken the time to understand what really occurs on the front lines.  Furthermore, not all managers are effective; many of them rise through the ranks due to politics or simply being the last person standing; you can be up against a variety of factors when you have a manager who does not see the true issues you and your team are grappling with and – more importantly – does not remove the roadblocks to success.  That’s their job – to eliminate obstacles and support you in realizing your full value you can offer the company in your career.

That said, you likely do know what matters to your manager and leadership.  Find creative ways to contribute; offer to coach and counsel on areas where you have strength that align with your supervisors’ priorities.  Ask to meet with them to discuss suggestions you have to improve results in the areas they care about.  While you have them as captive audience, not only do you broach the topics they like to talk about so you can earn their respect and buy-in, but you introduce the concepts that you know will make a difference.  When they believe and trust you and know you are there to make them look good and improve results, they will be far more likely to listen when you express the issues that your group is struggling with and your proposed suggestions to fix them.

Many people are afraid of change, and managers are people.  Often, they find a way of doing things and it works acceptably enough in their eyes to keep doing things the same way.  If they do not spend time with their team or getting feedback on process, those processes will never be improved and optimal results will never be realized.

You can make a difference in this area by earning the respect of your leadership.  The way to do this is provide them value in any way you can – coaching others, being vocal in praising the things that are going right, and in championing the causes they care about.  Do those things, and you will earn your right at the table to present the things you care about.  Similar to forming a political platform with which to run for office on based on the hot button issues so you can also chase your passion policies while in office, this approach will prevent you from being branded as negative or a non-team player.

The most effective way to get people to care about your issues is to genuinely show concern and attention to theirs.  Doing it in a unique way will give you a better chance of standing out and getting your voice heard.

Changing managers and leadership stuck in their ways can be quite difficult, but if you do it respectfully and sequentially, you can very much make a difference!

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 7/13: “I’m tired of being passed over for promotions. What should I do?”

From today’s mailbag: “I’m tired of being passed over for promotions I’m more than qualified for.  Should I look elsewhere?  What should be my response?”

Carson: First off, don’t react.

I know your initial reaction is to be angry or upset, and sometimes rightfully so.  You may or may not even know the person you were “passed over” for and – in reality – your angst that is directed toward their general direction is really not about them.  It’s about the decision.

1. Re-focus on your priorities.  You asked about leaving your current role.  Well, do you have an opportunity to leave your role, not start all over, and go into a role like the one you are currently angling for?  You were considered for this promotion, right?  If so, wait until you have fully processed the change and reach out to the decision maker for feedback.  “Mr./Mrs. Hiring Manager, good morning!  It is my hope this note finds you well.  The intent of the correspondence is to reach out regarding the position we discussed of _______.  As you know, I am very interested in growing in my career, and would very much like to meet or chat so I may obtain additional feedback and guidance regarding my career path and steps I may take to continue toward my goals.  When would be a good time to schedule this follow-up?  Thank you, and looking forward to continuing the conversation.” If NOT, and you were not considered or interviewed, why?  It can still be a great move – if you haven’t already – to reach out or reach out again to the decision-maker to either get on their radar or find out specifically why you are not.  The response you get from the meeting request and from their feedback, the plan you agree to and your execution of said plan (along with results from your execution) determine if this is the company you will grow with or if it shall be another.

2. Perform an analysis of your strengths and areas of opportunity.  Clearly, you feel you possess a large number of the attributes required to move up the corporate ladder.  However, are you completely honest about any potential shortcomings you have?  Remember, that often a promotion goes to just 1 person.  For that role, it’s likely anywhere from 50 to 100 or 1,000 people applied to the role.  Fair or not, many of these hiring processes are set up as a process of elimination – to find candidates who do not possess one or more of the required elements and take them out of the running.  As much as the fact you did not get the promotion stings, be honest with yourself and look at the areas where you can continue to improve.  You can even highlight these along with your plan to address them while you are meeting with the hiring manager or anyone else who would be part of future decisions!

3. Be gracious.  All eyes will likely be on you at this point.  Your manager or the hiring manager may specifically be gauging how you react and respond to the move that was made to assess your business demeanor and how well you function as part of the team, division and company.  Congratulate the candidate who earned the role, offer to help in any way you can with anything within your span of control, and control what you can; positive feedback about you at this point can greatly assist you and any negative feedback concerning your handling of the situation can and will ensure you never get a promotion.  Negativity you create can and will be a reason you are eliminated from future promotion conversations before they even begin.

As painful as it feels right now, many great leaders have not been selected for a promotion while someone else was.  We use this as a learning experience.  We accept it as a challenge to analyze our process; we may be stronger in some areas than anyone else, however if we have a glaring area of opportunity, we must address it and become a more complete contributor.

Leaders are selected based on a variety of factors; do everything you can to determine what decision-makers are looking for, developing your process in every area that counts and constantly evolving to be a well-rounded team member.  Do this, be consistent (the value of consistency is so great!) and work hard.  Don’t drop out of the race, don’t let yourself fall back and don’t show immaturity.  Take it as a learning experience, ensure that you still have a viable path to your goals at your current company and move forward.  Your time will come.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 7/10: “Nobody is motivating me!”

From today’s mailbag: “I’m in a sales environment where no one is motivating me to do better or be more.  It’s really depressing.  Morale is low and I’m trying to tough it out, but I’m not sure what I should do.  Please help.”

Carson: While it is technically the responsibility of your leadership – all the way to the top – to find innovative ways to adapt and influence, to train and support you and to create an environment conducive to happy customers and employees, you will find if you have not already that offices, departments, companies – like relationships – are not perfect.

Sales managers often take a lot of blame for not motivating teams, but if no one is motivating them, training them and showing them how it’s done, who is really to blame?

You’re in an environment where no one is leading you or coaching you or developing you, and many of us have been there or are there; many people use this as the excuse to lay down, to be lazy, to underperform or to constantly job-hop.

However, as I pray I have illustrated in many of my writings to date, your goal should always be to stand out, not follow the herd and to challenge yourself to be great.  Not being motivated?  Motivate yourself!  Want things to change?  Be the positive, permanent change!  Morale is low?  Work with your peers to improve things!  Make proposals to leadership to form committees to improve morale – be the solution to every problem around.  It’s very likely your manager(s) know the problems exist and they are either so caught up in the daily minutiae to fix it or they don’t know how.  Don’t rebel against leadership – propose to help them, work with them and for them to improve the state of the union.

If you wait around for someone to motivate you, you may be gravely disappointed.  Not a lot of people know how to motivate others because no one has shown them how; they have not taken the time to get to know their teams to know what motivates them!  That said, what motivates you?  What are you trying to achieve?  What is your plan to get there?  What are you doing every day to head in the right direction?  What do you do when you have setbacks?   Even if you are a one person cheering squad, you’ve got to do it.  What gets your juices flowing?  What makes you feel you can move mountains?  Relish your routines and your motivating music and inspiring quotes and whatever you need to keep your mind focused on the prize and off of the dismal decay around you.

You cannot control those around you and you cannot force them to be happy or do their best or achieve.  You can contribute to it, but you cannot make them follow your lead.  Some will, some will merely bask in the excuse of low morale and use it as their crutch as they are mired in mediocrity and misery and ultimately lose their jobs.  You cannot control your supervisor and their supervisors; you can certainly communicate your needs and wants and gauge their level of interest in getting you where you need to be, the level of support they provide or fail to, and if they are accepting of your solutions.  You cannot control many of the factors and variables set forth by upper management.  But you can control your response, your reactions and your resolve to produce results.

Take every day at a time.  Master each call, each meeting, each day as best you can.  Don’t worry about motivating yourself for a long period of time – just maximize each portion of your role and your tasks as they come.  You can do this.  You hold a lot of power – more than most people give themselves credit for.  And no one controls your attitude and your motivation but you.  We allow outside stimulus to impact our inspiration and motivation, but we can also keep negative forces from impacting them if we try hard enough.

Stay focused on your prize, keep working on the steps you know will get you there, and do not let the obstacles and roadblocks keep you from continuing on the path to what you want, no matter how many steps it takes!

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 7/9: “What’s your greatest sales achievement?”

From today’s mailbag: “I was recently asked what my greatest sales accomplishment has been, and I had trouble answering.  There are a lot of cool things I’ve been privileged to be a part of, so pinpointing one is tough.  What would you say is yours?”

Carson: Wow!  What a thought-provoking question.  Thanks for asking it.

My greatest accomplishment in my sales/sales management career has been the people I’ve had the pleasure of working with.  Seriously – I’ve met so many amazing people I’ve had the pleasure of working with.  I’ve learned so much of what to do (and what not to do, sometimes) from the people I’ve met along this journey.  When I first started out in sales and in management, my goals were really just around being the best I could be.  As I have matured in life and my career, my goal has been around adding the most value possible – and I have to say, once that changed, the relationships got so much better.  When you are genuinely attempting to provide additional value to your teams, you make a difference in someone’s career by helping them put more food on the table or you find ways to share your talents and impact your organization, nothing compares.  People will gravitate toward you because they want to be associated with you… and it’s awesome.  I still have great relationships with so many people that I have met along my career journey for this very reason.

Sure, we may contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to the bottom lines of the companies we work for, we may land some deals that come along with a fun story that you could write a novel about ;-)    …. and we will undoubtedly have some achievements and awards and recognition and contributions we really hold dear, but – in the end – it’s all about the lives we’ve touched and that have touched us along the path.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 7/8: “I’m buried in my sales tasks. How do I manage my time?”

From today’s mailbag: “I’m literally buried in my various sales tasks. How do I effectively manage my time?”

Carson: Starting out in sales, this is basically our dream, right?  Seriously, it’s like we oversee many different oil rigs – none of which show immediate or quick results.  However, after nurturing each different pocket of our business, generating leads from various sources, developing pipeline, perfecting our pitch and growing relationships with prospects, one or multiple of these fields is going to strike oil.  And, from time to time, if we’re really skilled, they will gush and we face potentially drowning in the newfound success.

Time management is so important, no matter what phase of your sales process you are in.  Starting out, it’s all about differentiating your different prospecting methods, selectively choosing which networking methods you will employ and meeting with people in the right industries and geographies.  Frankly, it’s all about balance; some people just chase whales and never land anything.  Others catch too many minnows and starve.  There is a happy medium to each facet of managing your time.

On the other end of the spectrum, a seasoned seller has established a book of business, manages existing relationships to keep clients happy but also wants to ensure a steady stream of new business.  I’ve seen business models that depend on 20% of their customers to deliver 80% of their business and as soon as competition undercut them, they lost those large spenders and their business was cooked.  You will win with breadth of customers and well distributed influx of revenue.

So, utilize that concept and philosophy when divvying up your time.

(1) Prioritize.  Do you have an existing spender needing some TLC?  Do you have a current customer who has placed an order, has a problem you can provide a solution to, or can provide referrals by good word of mouth (a.k.a. the best marketing tactic)?  Prioritize by real customers and real revenue – they should always come first.

(2) Looking for new ways to expound upon existing client relationships.  Keep your customers happy by continuing to find new ways to provide return on investment.  Check in often.  Did a customer stop spending money with you?  Touch base and find out what happened; often, you can right the ship and re-earn their business if you find out where something went wrong.  They spent money before; they at least believed at some point, so you can rekindle the flame.

(3) Find ways to maximize quality and quantity of touches.  You’ll have many prospects that are just quick conversations at a networking event.  You’ll have some you don’t talk to very often, and you may have those whom you’ve pitched but haven’t heard from.  Find ways to stay top of mind; interact with their social media posts, send out a newsletter and invite them to things of interest or send them articles that may be of interest.  Marketing dictates that 5+ quality touches greatly enhance the chance of purchase – don’t just send them a crappy, impersonal note, but create things of relevance or drop them a focused line which adds value.  Doing this as often (without inundating) and as excellently as possible will be yet another item to increase probability of a lucrative relationship for both parties.

(4) Accept that you cannot get literally everything accomplished in a day that you want to.  Complete what you know you must.  Skim your e-mail and handle those of utmost importance first; then go back and continue doing the same until they are manageable.  Follow the same principle with reports or other tasks; you’ve got to start from somewhere and you have to check items off the proverbial (or real) list.

(5) Look for support.  You don’t have to be Superman/Supergirl.  Or Batgirl, or Iron Man, or whomever’s your preference.  Your supervisor, peers and subordinates – those who make up your team – can be your support structure.  Often, they are very much there specifically for those purposes.  If it truly becomes too much, reach out to a peer and find out how they are managing the work.  Steal best practices shamelessly.  Ask your supervisor for ideas, advice or the potential for having someone help out.  If you have a team who works for you, pick some worthy candidates who want to move up and develop some projects with the guidance of your boss.  No matter what, it’s very likely you’re not all alone and you can all be more productive and add more value if there is teamwork involved.

Time management really comes down to prioritization of work, customers and outreach.  Find ways to integrate all of your priorities into your plan.  Make a list of activities in a prioritized fashion and revisit it often!  Reminding yourself how you should view and tackle your tasks can go a long way to getting you closer and closer to time optimization.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 7/4: “I’m being pressured to write up and fire my team. What do I do?”

From today’s mailbag: “I’m getting pressure from senior leadership to write up and fire people on my team with whom I still believe in, want to work with and disagree that it’s the right course of action. How should I handle this?”

Carson: Like the mantra of city officials, you are paid to serve and protect your team.  When it all comes down to it, you should know what’s best for them – what course of action will result in their success, what they need to modify in their process to be more successful and ultimately if you have given them one chance too many.

Sometimes, that last one is a little tricky; sometimes, we give people too many chances.  However, we are working with people’s livelihoods.  I’ve heard it said that it’s business and not personal, but when you have control over someone’s quality of life, their ability to put food in their families’ mouths and their careers, there’s nothing more personal.

From time to time, senior leadership can lose touch with the front lines.  It is very important that you are at the pulse of your team.  It’s my philosophy that if someone earns the right to be in any position in an organization, they have the right to make many of their own choices in how they will carry out the necessary processes to fulfill their assigned tasks.  By this, I mean that until or unless you or your team is not getting the job done, there should be a degree of latitude they are allowed to do their job.  If they are failing, it is up to you to make a plan with them and ensure it is executed.  If they continue to choose to make the wrong decisions regarding those plans you have come up with, by all means, it is time to let them loose to be free to find their real destiny because this clearly isn’t it.

That said, because sometimes senior leadership can be out of touch, they can make blanket rules and regulations and guidelines to govern all.  While this may be necessary to help folks who need the guidance – the equivalent of the bumper lanes in bowling – some people do not.  You cannot make all rules to govern all.  It just doesn’t work.

And some people in senior leadership roles in organizations never did the jobs they govern or they have forgotten when they did.  We’ve got to have massive respect for those on the front lines, because they do the selling, the administrative work, the backbone of our business.  It’s why we must make decisions with their input in mind and we have to take into consideration how anything we do will impact them and our business.

If you are getting pressure to write up your team or fire your team members and you feel they are undeserving, you go to bat for them.  You ask clarifying questions about the process.  You make sure your team knows that you have their backs and that you are supporting them.

However, at the end of the day, the company also pays you to carry out their mission statement, their way of business and their process.  It’s important you don’t forget that.

You can certainly respectfully ask for clarification around the thought process of writing up your team or firing them; you can make a case for why someone should not warrant that type of treatment.  However, when you are instructed to do something, you are being paid to carry out those orders.  Don’t forget that.

We are all varying degrees of important cogs in the wheel of business; while we can certainly have a high level of impact, we must also choose our battles.  Everyone – people above and below us on the sales food chain – makes choices.  Your defense of your team may be aesthetically appreciated and it may boost morale.  But you cannot make a difference in the grand scheme if you don’t play the game and you are always butting heads with those ahead of you on the corporate ladder.

Receive the message, ask for clarification of process, make any kind of case you plan to make (the problem you see with the course of action followed by a solution that will provide necessary results along with your commitment to get the team member where they need to be on an agreed-upon timeline) and accept the judgment of your superior at that point.  You won’t win every battle, but you’ll gain the respect of your team for standing up for them and by being gracious and working with your manager and not against them, you will also likely gain their respect and trust when you successfully carry out your plan.

Sometimes, these gambles you make for your team will fail, and sometimes they will succeed.  It will be just as much of a learning experience in this experiment of human behavior in the laboratory of your business.

Win, lose or draw, you did what you felt was right by your team, you supported them, you followed the direction from your manager, and you did your job.  Stand proud.

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 7/3: “Do you still believe in cold calling?”

From today’s mailbag: “My leadership clings to cold calling as a large part of our outreach.  Many of us think this is a dead initiative.  What say you?”

Carson: I believe we should never discriminate against a potential revenue source.  However, it is incumbent upon us to prioritize our lead sources.  Are we cold calling when we could be pursuing other forms of outreach, marketing and targeted lead generation?

What are your absolute warmest leads?  Are they being prioritized in your current setup?

There is certainly room for cold calling provided you are managing your process toward the most lucrative leads and cold calling with the time remaining when other potential opportunities are exhausted.

Certainly, cold calling can come across as somewhat of an old school mentality.  Often, making hundreds of dials nets us a few decent decision maker conversations and even fewer sales.  It can be exhausting getting to the “yes” and our sales process suffers because our skills don’t stay sharp.

On the other hand, if we are mixing in pure cold calls – whether on the phone, in person, e-mail, etc. – in with the management of our warmest leads and cultivation of seeds with a higher propensity to grow that we can build upon, it can certainly be a complement to our approach.

Does your division and leadership have a policy by which you can present your feedback and the feedback of your team regarding the calling protocols?  Hopefully, you are able to present any potential problems along with proposed solutions to your management.  I feel any time you are able to concede to their points (i.e. that cold calling can be a worthy use of time, citing examples) all while pointing out shortcomings in the current process (citing examples) and presenting a solution that satisfies their desire for cold calling along with your mutual desire of making more money and nurturing potentially more fruitful leads, you can reach a compromise.

So, yes, I believe in cold calling in certain situations as a complement to your current lead sources.  Explore with leadership where additional lead sources could lie!  Explore with leadership different ways to make more revenue from the existing cold calling regimen!  Respectfully state your case along with a well-substantiated look at what current cold dialing is yielding and present a plan that can enhance results, morale and profitability.

If you show you are after the same end results as your manager, and they are an outside the box big thinker, you have a chance to make a real difference.  Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t, but you don’t want to just be along for the ride, do you?

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF

Consult Carson 7/2: “I’m stuck in a sales slump. Help!”

From today’s mailbag: “Lately, I’ve been in a sales slump. Nothing’s working. I can’t seem to get customers to say yes to my full pitch and I can’t even sell the cheap plans. What do I do?”

Carson: Ahhhh, the sales slump.  At times, everyone goes through some semblance of this.  Little shifts in our mechanics, a variety of intangibles like changes in the marketplace or competitor offerings and our growing desperation knock the planets out of alignment.  There is a cure, and it’s process.  It’s back to basics.  And it’s patience.

Something I’ve certainly noticed over the years of sales coaching is that no matter how rock solid the plan in the huddle, it has to be executed and has to be executed consistently for success.  What I mean by this is we may devise a strategy to fix anything ailing the sales process, and a sales rep may go out and try the strategy.  But if it feels a little foreign or uncomfortable, which may be common, they shy off after a few stumbles out of the gates and go back to these comfortable ways of mediocrity or failing.

In a sales slump, something has changed.  It could be so slight that we ourselves don’t even see it or recognize it just yet.

1. Analyze where in the sales process you are losing.  Are you getting up to the presentation plate and going down swinging because you don’t have the proper information typically obtained in fact finding?  If you are skimping on your needs analysis questions, you’ll be swinging at nothing but air when it comes to making a value presentation that fits your customers’ needs and will have nothing left to overcome any objections with.  Sales is a process and every step must be there.

2. Don’t get desperate.  Often, we will try to sell that cheaper package just to get on the sales board.  However, how many of these minnows add up to the marlins or whales you could be scoring?  Even if you get the puny score, is it worth it to your longterm goals to sacrifice and become a singles hitter instead of a home run hitter?  Think about baseball – when in a slump, it’s vital to revisit the swing mechanics that led to you hitting the ball all over and out of the park, not changing your stance or swing or approach.  You’ve had success, so work to replicate it.

3. Be patient.  Take your time.  Obsess over process, not the numbers.  I’m well aware this is the most difficult part.  We want a sale, and we want it now!  We likely have a boss who is wondering what the heck has gotten into us – hopefully, they are supportive, but sometimes they are not.  In sales, you and I both know we are only as good as our last sale and last performance.  Yesterday is history, and we have to capitalize today and every day.  Trust in the process and be patient that it will pay off.  Don’t let your frustration be reflected in any part or step of the process, because that’s when you start skipping vital steps.

4. Get back to basics.  Do you need to devise a script for yourself?  Do you need a scratch pad to write down key things in the conversation or to remind yourself to ask certain things?  There’s no shame in making a strong effort in getting back to fundamentals.  That’s what is going to get you back in the game.

A sales slump can be caused by a variety of factors, some of which are under your control.  Others can be overcome with adaptability.  You must constantly reinvent yourself as a noble knight of the sales trade: if the competition’s offerings have changed or the industry has changed or the economic climate has changed, you have to change with it.  Modify the questions you ask and how you present your solution in the wake of how these changes impact your customer, but in the end, your steps of process will never waver.

Trust in your sales process, control what you are able to control, figure out where you are currently losing your customer and build back up that part of the chain.  We’ll never win every single sale, but with our best possible foot forward in every phase of the selling process, we give ourselves the best probability at success.  Baseball players get hits anywhere from 20%-to-35% of the time, which is a pretty big “swing” – pardon the pun.  Depending on your close rate, you are even less likely to see the immediate, drastic results you want.  But if you are able to double or triple your close rate by making better moves in the process, your slump will be replaced with a surplus.

Good luck!

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Carson V. Heady posts for “Consult Carson” serving as the “Dear Abby” of sales and sales leadership.  You may post any question that puzzles you regarding sales and sales leadership careers: interviewing, the sales process, advancing and achieving.  You will also be directly contributing to his third book, “A Salesman Forever.”

Question submissions can be made via LinkedIn to Carson V. Heady, this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carson-V-Heady/125078150858064?ref=hl , Twitter via @cvheady007 or e-mail at cvheady007@yahoo.com or you may post an anonymous comment as a reply to my WordPress blog at the bottom of this page: https://carsonvheady.wordpress.com/the-home-of-birth-of-a-salesman-2010-published-by-world-audience-inc-and-the-salesman-against-the-world-2014/

Carson V. Heady has written a book entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ICRVMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_yGXKtb0G28TWF