Brandon L. Clay's Blog, page 16

Stick to the Script! part 2

Another Michael Jackson tidbit...I used to imitate him years ago (you really didn't see that coming!). I didn't look like the 2000's MJ, but I was a spot on ringer for the "Off the Wall" & "Thriller" version. Did a pretty good singing and dancing rendition of Billy Jean...yes, Moonwalk and all! I used to get paid to do parties and one time a gig wanted me to sing live at a party.  Not a problem...especially for $200 and all the shrimp I could eat! Performance night and the conditions were ALL WRONG!  Floor was slick and I thought I might fall.  The sound system was awful and I couldn't hear the music.  In spite of all the drama, the show must go on...right? Needless to say...I was awful.  I couldn't even take the money...yeah...that bad! One thing I learned that night, is no matter how much people loved Michael Jackson, a bad imitator will still get booed...there...I said it! From that point forward, I was always mindful of the conditions...and practiced, practiced, practiced! Before you begin telemarketing are you mindful of the conditions and ready to perform?  Are you confident so that you are smooth and natural?  If you are prepared and practiced, you are 90% of the way to success!   If you are not...you will get booed...or worse! In various surveys there are many reasons people "boo" telemarketers, but the ones you can control can make a difference in how effective you will be; Sounding scripted - Think back to the last few calls you got (that you answered) and how annoying it was to have the person sound like they were reading a script from the computer. While that is likely the case, practice can make you smooth and effortless in delivery...  That has to be your goal.  Being rushed - We understand that you have only a few moments to get attention and gain interest, but to speak at 100 mph is not helpful. Find a pace that allows you to be smooth, understandable and relay your core purpose for the call in 20-25 seconds or less. Carefully constructed scripts can work wonders in that time. Not gaining agreement. In sounding scripted and being rushed, the telemarketer does not gain agreement to move forward beyond the initial 20-25 second window. They continue to speak (or read) in a fast tone for a minute or more - feels like a lifetime. When they finally take a breath to ask a question, what is the prospects most common answer? That's right... "No". Would you rather spend 20-25 seconds gaining agreement to proceed or a minute and be shut down? Not sounding professional. While the phone can be a non-personal medium (particularly, when you are calling a total stranger!) you can still convey enthusiasm and professionalism without the presence of an attitude or being an "over-the-top" Sham Wow salesman. Your demeanor should be that of a professional marketing valuable services. You have to be friendly, non-threatening and not "robotic".  Use pauses and powerful inflection points to get attention and build interest.  It seems like a lot of skill until you build confidence which can only come from practice and experience. Funny thing, I look at vintage footage of Michael now and think, "I must have been crazy to think I had his talent"... I didn't, but that didn't stop 1000's of people from clapping and cheering me on as I "did my thing". The phone will be the same for you.  You may not feel today that you have what it takes, but 1,000 dials later, you will have clients...promise. Some of them will clap and cheer as you have helped them with a need or desire...they will tell others about you and your audience will grow.  If you... Stick to the Script! Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! 

Stick to the Script!

I beat Michael Jackson (you didn't see that coming...did you?). I was in the Wizard of Oz before he was.  It was 4th grade and I played the Cowardly Lion.  I was good too.   Stole the show!  When it came time to say, "I do, I do, I do, I do believe in ghosts", I was on the mark...and hilarious!  On the very first performance, I actually got a standing ovation after delivering those classic lines. Something about the applause was intoxicating, empowering...and unexplainably overwhelming. The next performance, I added a couple of extra "I do's" and did a little spin of my yarn tail...impromptu ad-libs that garnered my second standing ovation of the day! Ms. Westrom pulled me to the side at the end of that performance and sweetly held my hand and told me I was doing a fantastic job...but "Stick to the Script" When you are prospecting for clients, particularly to set appointments to actually demonstrate the product live, it is vital you Stick to the Script.  Ad-libbing creates the opportunity to lose control or have a longer conversation that might not end in the Desired Outcome. As we introduced last time, there are 4 key elements that make up a powerful script; Attention is the compelling proposition. Your great product means nothing if you have not gotten their attention before you begin to show your wares. Even Moses had the burning bush that drew his attention before he heard The Voice!  You have to be engaging but not too dramatic (or sedate).  That is one of the things people hate about telemarketing -  that P.T Barnum carnival barker tone of an offer that is being relayed in a "too good to be true" tone will result in a hang up.  You likely have one or two sentences...make them compelling...get their attention! Interest is the captivating proposition. It makes the call personal to your prospect. I work with companies that give their sales people orphaned accounts.  To gain interest, the sales person tells them they have "an important update to their current account that requires attention" to gain interest. If it is not a current client, then you will have to address a problem/desire that is specific to them. Years ago, I owned a mortgage company and I prospected often to secure new clients. My approach;  "Mr. Jones, Henry county real estate records indicate that your current mortgage rate of 6.75% is 2 points higher than national averages".  That was his rate and it was 2 points higher... Desire is the continue proposition . Within the science of prospecting, you have to be brave enough to leave "dead space" in a call for their response so they can tell you their desire.  People don't like telemarketers that never come up for air - you have had that call before...right? At some point, you have to allow them to express desire...or disinterest. If Attention and Interest are properly cued up, then Desire should follow. To continue with my mortgage example;  "The purpose of my call is to help you begin the process of lowering that rate and your payment by as much as $600 a month?" Do you have a few minutes to review your options?" (Pause)  Now they own the call - the next move is theirs - I had to turn it over sooner or later...right?   "That is none of your business!" (hang up!)   but some said,   "I have a few minutes...what can you do about it?"  Ahh, the science of prospecting!   Desire will not always be explicit but can be implied through statements from the caller. It can come in many forms such as clarifying inquiry - "Who are you again? What company do you work for? How did you get my information?"  These types of caller statements still leave the door open. You have to be nimble and quick to offer convincing responses that allow you to continue. Here is the where The Desired Outcome takes over from your point of view. You will have to make validating and credibility statements to gain enough trust for them to take the step that you want them to take.  Be prepared to give what is needed.  Stick to the Script to get your Desired Outcome. Action is the completion proposition. You now have to get a commitment from the caller based on the Desire Outcome. Once that is done, the call is successful! Be flexible but firm in the next action steps and don't allow ambiguity such as "Let me think about it" or "Send me a brochure" or "What is your website?" If you can't pin down specifics, you are probably better letting them go. You can twist arms for appointments but that will lead to a mountain of "no shows" and cancellations. You have to be aggressive in applying the science, but not to the point of futile exhaustion. The script is best constructed using your "artful" personality and natural idiosyncratic tendencies - you do not want to sound disingenuous or robotic. To be repeatable and compelling it has to be your "authentic voice" but is also has to... Stick to the Script!  Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! 

The Unlimited Calling Plan!

Happy Friday! I remember my first cell phone.  The company I worked for in sales upgraded us from beepers (yikes!) to phones.  Back then, a cell phone wasn't a novelty or a toy... it was a tool.  Just a few years later, my two boys and my wife had cell phones.  I got a family plan that allowed 1,000 minutes and 1,000 texts.  With an admonishment to watch minutes (except evenings and weekends!) I handed them out. That should be enough...right?  Wrong!   I got a bill and my youngest son, Christian, had actually sent over 5,000 texts!  The bill was $700!  The kids were standing next to each other and instead of talking...they were texting!   Lesson learned...both of us.   After my blood pressure came down and his butt cooled off, I called the cell phone carrier.  They said they just started The Unlimited Calling Plan...minutes and texts with no limits. That's what you need to be a true phone warrior. The Unlimited Calling Plan. Something you can do successfully and repeatedly with no limits.  The challenge I see for sales people is stamina and ability to stay focused.  They make a few calls, get up and move around, get coffee and then sit down to make a few more calls.  It takes 4 hours to get through 100 calls. That approach to telemarketing is aimless and creates call reluctance...and is not effective. Telemarketing is purely a Law of Large Numbers game and is scientific in nature.  If you make 100 dials, then there is a science behind how many people you will contact and how many you will close.  You have to have a plan and a routine that allow you to stick with it long enough to see success.  Let's begin to review what it takes to be consistently good on the phones;     The Desired Outcome - What you want as a result of your calling depends on the nature of your product and your role in distributing it. If your product is a "simple sale" then your Desired Outcome is to close a sale over the phone. If your sale requires a brochure to be mailed, then a follow up call to close the sale over the phone - that becomes the goal.  If you need to interact face to face with the client, then you are "selling" the appointment. If an appointment is the goal, then you should not get drawn into an in-depth product discussion. Yes, some folks will say "send me a brochure and I will call you back" - a common request.  This is where the science of prospecting comes in. You may get 30 of these out of 100 contacts - that is ok, based on the science. At a minimum, you should send the brochure only after securing your ability to call them back at a predetermined time - and follow through. It is all part of the process.   The company you represent should be able to give you data on their scientific formulas of call effectivness. How many live contacts it takes to generate a level of activity.  If you know the industry averages, then you will know when you meet it, exceed it, or need adjustment when you fall out of "the norms".   The List  - This is critical to building an effective outreach campaign. It should target the people who are most likely to be candidates for your product.  The List should provide a the highest probability that you can meet the scientific metrics demonstrated by the Law of Large Numbers.  A list should be generated with various filters (demographics) that provide insight into buying patterns and probability of receptivity. It might include data on age, gender, income, and other clues to consumer patterns that would provide the widest net of opportunity.  However, the greatest list will not make the fish jump into your boat!  With Desired Outcomes and a viable List, the rest is up to your approach...The Script.  The Script - The talking points of your script are secondary and could have hundreds of variations, but there are 4 things that you have to do to make a call effective; the time tested acronym of AIDA - Attention, Interest, Desire and Action (we will deal with creating a effective script next time). I know all of this sounds simple and on many levels...it is.  These 3 things will help you in your call campaigns... What do you want? - The Desired OutcomeWho do you want? - The ListWhat do you say? - The Script Evaluate what you are doing now and how effective it is.  Tweaking any one of these could improve your results, but if you have call reluctance or fading phone stamina, be mindful of these elements as they are the key to...  The Unlimited Calling Plan! Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! 

The Phone Is Your Friend!

Summer of 1979...I had to make... The Call. You know the one...you want to break it off with someone you are "going with".  That's the term we used when you were dating someone but you didnt actually ever go out...I could have said "going steady" but I am not Richie Cunningham from the 50's! Sweet girl, but it had run it's course.  As a shy teenager, I probably should have stayed put, but my boys kept telling me it's the summer...run free! Easy for them to say...I still had to make... The Call. No cell phones.  Our home phone was still rotary dial (owned by Ma Bell nonetheless).  No texting my Dear Jane note, either. I would have preferred to do it face to face (I am really not a scoundrel!), but I was too young to drive. My friend Clint came over my house one day and said, "Let's call her now". He could see the panicked look on my face.   "Man, the phone is your friend."   He was right.  What was there to be afraid of?  I repeated it to build up courage. "The phone is my friend"...and I made The Call. Have you ever faced a call that you were afraid to make? Maybe it was to tell a client you made a mistake in something you told them.  Maybe rates have increased and you are trying to preserve the business.  Maybe you are in a call center and the day just hasn't gone well and you are facing a long afternoon to make your production. Face it, in sales we all deal with call reluctance from time to time.  That is actually ok. The problem occurs when you are "afraid of the phones" - particularly when it comes to prospecting and generating new clients.  That is not only problematic...it is dangerous. Prospecting is the life blood of any sales persons effectiveness and success.  Without it, you will have no one to see.  You will build a dependency on "hand outs" of leads and it may make you take shortcuts to cover up your fear of the phones. But as my friend Clint said, "The Phone Is Your Friend". This next few days we will look at this mode of client acquisition - telemarketing, cold calling, and prospecting. Many sales people have low regard for this highly important activity.  It is an activity that is necessary in the Effort Phase (paying dues) and is one of the scientific elements of the sales process. In order for the science of the Law of Large Numbers to play out, you have to develop a systematic and effective manner to conduct these activities.  The primary fundamentals of the best prospecting efforts involve three elements - The Desired Outcome, The List, and The Script. Newbies and seasoned pros will note quickly that The Script is last - that is intentional. What you say (The Script) should be governed by what you want (The Desired Outcome) and who you are talking to (The List). Back to The Call. I knew The Desired Outcome (breaking up). I had The List (only one name was on it!) I had The Script (I had rehearsed it to Peabo Bryson a dozen times). The number dialed...the phone rang...her father answered... I hung up!   We kept "going together" the rest of the summer... Hey, I never said it would be easy...over time, I built up the nerve to do what I had to do.  I expect it will be the same for some of you as you get over your fear of the phones...remember... The Phone Is Your Friend! Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! 

The Bionic Sales Person!

Mad Scientist Diary...day #5 Before I hook up the electrodes to bring this sales machine to life I want to take inventory of the parts of my creation; Heart of a Lion  - We started with the intangibles...the things that can't always be measured - Energy, Work Ethic - Passion - Ambition - Discipline - Independent - Adaptable - Commitment - Courage - Confident. All of these culminating in someone who is not easy discouraged and will remain focused on the task at hand until success is wrenched from the opportunities in front of them. A Beautiful Mind - Beyond academics, we engrafted our super sales person with qualities that allow them to find solutions where others think none exist with  - Intelligence - Smarts - Innovation - Ingenuity - Creativity - Intuition - Instinct - Strategic - Problem Solving - Mental Agility. This blend of brawn and brains is the foundation of the ultimate warrior that understands the opportunities in front of them but is not afraid to "do the work" of cultivating and harvesting those opportunities. Next we added the Golden Rule attributes of Integrity, Service Mindset, Sincerity, Conscientiousness, and Caring. We added two ears and one mouth to ensure our super sales person listens actively and communicates effectively. All that is left is to give them industrious hands and feet that are always in motion.  The best sales people are kinetic and are a moving target.  They are at work on their craft and looking for better ways to be effective and serve their clients. I have all I need...I think we are ready... Zap!   Zap!  Zap! This ultimate sales machine slowly comes to life.  In a new environment of opportunity, it takes a moment to get it's bearings.  Scouting out the new surroundings and getting acclimated to the new product they are going to sell. Two weeks of orientation and training...and they are off!  Even though they were created for perfection, there is still a learning curve.   Each positive experience and each challenge provides new data for them to evaluate and make adjustments.  Success may not come immediately, but each day progress is made.  The first sale brings jubilation and the first seeds of confidence.  They get continued coaching and help to make sure good habits are engrained and established.  In the first weeks they meet and exceed all the metrics established by their industry and company... They are well on their way to success! What about you? We started this series with the question... Would you hire you? Taking a fresh look at the qualities and attributes of the highest sales achievers, I believe you possess many of them.  They are the qualities of an exceptional human being who just happens to be in sales. With focus and determination, I know you can maximize who you are today for great success.  Those parts you don't have...work on them realizing you can develop what you need...  "The whole is greater than the sum of it's parts" Aristotle John & Jane Doe, sales person. A sales person barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic sales person man. John & Jane will be those persons. Better than they were before.   Better, stronger, faster.  The Bionic Sales Person! Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! 

Two Ears...One Mouth - Check!

That's me...2nd row from bottom...1st kid on left. My teacher sent home a note with my report card (all "A's" mind you!)...    Precocious and loquacious.  (Thankfully, my dad was college educated and is where I got my vocabulary from). "Hey dad, what does that mean?" "It means you are smart beyond your years and that you are not afraid to offer your thoughts." Ok, he got precocious right but loquacious as defined by Dictionary.com: "Talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative; chattering; babbling; garrulous:" Sounds more like obnoxious! I realize that in nuancing that definition, my dad was trying to protect me...preserve that part of me that would make me who I am. The guy that would stand up in front of 1,000's with no sweat....off the cuff! The guy would write books and blogs and put millions of words in print! The guy that would become a classically trained master sales person and coach & teach 1,000's. Thanks dad for not stifling my voice at an early age...or allowing them to give me Ritalin!  In sales, talking too much can be a major detriment.  Thankfully, I have learned to control it (no comments please!). So as the Mad Scientist working on what it takes to be a top sales professional I do a quick anatomy check; Two ears?...check! One mouth?...check! Using them proportionately?...only time will tell. Your ears and mouth are your tools for communication.  The best sales people understand that you should be listening twice as much as you are talking.  Here is the C.A.R.E. model of effective communication process as outlined in these direct excerpts from Lunch with Leroy; CONCENTRATE - Have you ever been talking to someone and you could tell they were waiting on you to finish so they could say what was on their mind? It is an unmistakable look of the daydreamer looking off into the blue sky oblivious to the words that are being spoken by the other person. While many sales people may not be this overt, they are counting the moments until the clients "hush up" and allow them to give a soliloquy of all the great things their product will do.  You should be doing just the opposite. You should be listening intently to every word and not be in a hurry to offer rebuttal. You have two ears and one mouth... Use them proportionately! ACKNOWLEDGE - Notice that the root word is "knowledge". By definition it means to give credence to what the person is stating. It matters not that their knowledge of your product is limited or even erroneous, they are stating matters of the heart along with any other information they may have gathered...that alone is worth acknowledgment.  It is not time to engage in full objection handling, it is simply to let them know that "you hear them loud and clear". REPEAT - This is exactly what it appears to be. Of course you aren't going to parrot their exact words as that would be deemed condescending. What is most powerful is to restate their concerns, understanding and information in a way that lets them know that you not only hear them, you understand them.  In the days of yesteryear, the professional seller had a leather portfolio with a notepad and took notes of the meeting. This demonstrates a high level importance of each word the prospective client speaks. Whatever method you choose, it is vitally important for them to know that you are listening, you acknowledge and you understand. EMPATHIZE - The astute student will notice that the first three elements of the CARE method require minimal conversation from the professional seller. It is more about active listening to the client than delivering the elements of your presentation. It is intended to establish as the primary purpose for the meeting, the needs and desires of the client.  With empathy we are displaying a higher level of understanding and the affirming emotion of compassion. It must be conveyed with the highest level of sincerity, integrity and authenticity to be effective. If your purpose and passion are aligned this will be quite natural. Ultimately, sales is about communication.  It asks questions to uncover needs, it demonstrates value and it handles objections.   My greatest gift is in my voice, but I also realize that left unchecked, it could be a liability.  The real key to becoming a top professional is listening to the point of understanding, and then communicating how your solution will bring the desired outcomes.  You need... Two ears...and one mouth. Check!  Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! In Lunch with LeRoy, the principles, axioms and philosophies that have made him a living legend are now available to the newcomer as well as the seasoned professional. The knowledge in this First Volume is based on a lifetime of experience responsible not only his success but the success of 1,000's of others in the sales profession.

This book is the foundation of success in sales and in life and should be required reading for all entering the sales profession! Available on Amazon! 

The Golden Rule...Rules!

Happy Monday! Hey, what happened to Saturday and Sunday Daily Crumbs? I measured, monitored and managed my results.  Mon - Fri my open rate is over 88% - industry leading metrics!  Thank you! Sat - Sun...not so much. Hey, 7 days of Brandon is even more than my wife, Natalie can take sometimes!  If you miss me you can email me...as 100's of people will attest...I actually answer them!!! Back to business...I am still the Mad Scientist putting together the perfect sales person.  We have looked at matters of the heart and the mind.  Next, I want to focus on how the best in the business treat people...their clients...simply, The Golden Rule...Rules! "Treat thy neighbor as thyself." "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." "It's about the mission...not the commission." The Golden Rule is about ethics.  The moral compass that will guide how you engage the people you interact with.  Much of the negative perception of sales is due to an absence of ethics.  It is about character and connection.   Let's review my top 5.  While there is only 5, they are twice as important;
 Integrity - One of the definitions of integrity says, "Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code".  Do you have a code of conduct beyond the one company made you sign?  There are so many levels of integrity but here are the ones the best sales people exhibit without fail ;   The integrity of the product - Will it do everything you say it will do? If not, do you embellish to cover the weak spots or omit facts all together...that is why there is Errors and Omissions insurance. You should never have a claim! The integrity of the process - Cutting corners to get the sale done is not the way to build a solid reputation and career in sales.  Warren Buffet says, "It takes 20 years to build a good reputation, and 5 minutes to ruin it.  If you think about that, you will do things differently". The integrity of how to treat people - How do you treat people who can buy?  Thought so.  What about those that you find out in the first 5 minutes, they can't buy?  You can tell a lot about how successful someone will be by how they help someone who is not in a position to help them. Service Mindset - Ultimately, selling is service.  It is not a "customer is always right" cowering down to get a sales through patronizing head nodding.  It is about positioning yourself as the advocate for the client.  Doing things that are in their best interest and honestly meeting their needs/desires in a spirit of excellence, professionalism and service.  Sincerity- Have you ever talked to a sales person that was not sincere?  What does that look like?  Sound like? The best sales people are authentic.  They are not acting, putting on a sales "mask" or a masquerade.  The passion for their product and the selling profession are contagious and cut through client skepticism to create an atmosphere of receptivity.     Conscientious - The top achievers in sales have a high level of accountability for the outcome of a successful sale.  When things don't go quite right, they do not engage in a blame game, but immediately begin seeking solutions and resolutions.  They care about the customer and want what they sold to be what is delivered.  They stay in contact with their client throughout the process, and beyond, because they are vested. Caring - What makes you do more than you are paid to do?  What makes you a stakeholder and not just a placeholder?  The Power of Caring.  Caring embeds "pure" motive into your actions.  You don't have to be cajoled, convinced, or coerced.   If you care, you will call the client back.  If you care, you will prepare before the sales call.  if you care about their situation, you will do all you can to help them.   It is the most overused sales cliché known to man...but darn it...it is true!   "Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care."Teddy Roosevelt 
 Remember Eddie Haskell from "Leave It To Beaver"? He was slick.   In front of June and Ward Cleaver, he was the model citizen.  Polite, well-mannered and courteous.  The moment they would leave the room... "Shut up squirt!" I know that people can fake these qualities and pretend to be ethical...but not for long.  The parents were never fooled. There is an expression... "Game recognizes game". I know what my ethics and my character are.  That should give me a divining rod of discernment to know the "wolves in sheep's clothing".  I can hear it in their voice when they say authentically and proudly... "I am in sales, because I love helping people ."  That let's me know that in their lives... The Golden Rule...Rules! Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! Next Time: Two Ears...One Mouth - Check!

If I Only Had A Brain!

Happy Friday! Here is a famous quote from President Calvin Coolidge; "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."  Let me say that I agree...in the absence of smarts, tenacious persistence will make up for a lot of things. Yesterday we built a Calvin Coolidge lengthy quote inspired selling machine... Someone that can withstand all the challenges that comes with sales...to take a licking and keep on ticking - Determined, persistent, ambitious and committed.  What more could you ask for...  Some smarts perhaps?  Sorry Pres...that is not meant to be hypocrisy or heresy...I'm just saying if I am the Mad Scientist, I want my creation to have brawn...  and a brain.  My good friend, Jason, always says that "If you are going to be dumb, you better be tough!"  His father said that to him after he shot himself in the foot with a BB gun...on purpose! What if you were tough...and smart.  That's the stuff six and seven-figure sales giants are made of.  Let's review my top 10:
 Intelligent - While college educations aren't required, the ability to read, digest and disseminate information is vital.  Many sales jobs require licensing, certifications and annual testing.  You have to be able to stay abreast of enough technology to stay connected to what is happening now.   Smart - That is not a repeat!  Smart comes in some many forms.  Street smart, book smart, life smart...you get the picture.  There are some people that don't have a formal education that run circles around their degreed colleagues.  Jim Rohn says, "Formal education will make you a living, self-education will make you a fortune". Innovative- People who are innovative create better solutions.  They see problems or challenges and create processes or methods to get more "horsepower" out of the engine.  It takes very little improvement to see great results.  Get a 5% increase in each area of response rates, close rates, referrals and repeat business and you are likely doubling/tripling your income!   Ingenuity - When others see dead-ends or stumbling blocks, people with ingenuity see opportunity.  As I teenager, I would look in the refrigerator and see nothing...my mother saw a family meal.  For top sales people, what they have in front of them is more than enough for success.  They look at it with the right perspective - and ingenuity! Creative - Like innovation and ingenuity, creativity is born out of the desire/necessity to see better results, more effectiveness and efficiency.  Do you wait for someone to tell you how/what to think or do you build your own ideas of how to proceed? Intuitive- It is the ability to be "in tune" with the circumstances with a heightened state of awareness.  It gives you a sixth sense of insight to turn a situation around - that feeling you have, that prompts you to say the right thing at the right time. To help the client understand that you understand....and secure a sale.   Instinctual - Instinct is the twin to intuition but instinct is about timing.  Knowing when to talk...and when to let silence prevail.  Allowing tense moments to build to fever pitch, the poetic pause, the authentic statements and gestures...knowing when to close.  Top guns have great instincts! Strategic - For sales achievers, time management defines each day and assigns each activity an objective and corresponding tactics.  It is not an aimless "let's see what the day brings" mindset.  It is structured, purposeful and targeted.  Nothing is left to chance or happenstance.  With a strategic mind, if something fails...at least we know why!     Problem Solving - A necessary companion of Strategic.  If the tactics are not generating desired results, then problem solving kicks in to measure, monitor and manage them until a better way can be found. The strategy and tactics will evolve through this skill of building bridges for every barrier that is encountered.  Mental Agility - The best sale people have nimble minds...not rigid.  They roll with the punches, they swim with the tide of process until it delivers them...99 rejections...1 sale - all is right with the world.  Not too high or too low through it all.  They are optimistic but not blindly so.  The glass is half full so they can fill it up! Whether it is a school of higher learning or the school of hard knocks, you have to engage your brain to be great in sales. Again...assess how you do with each of these qualities.  Some are tougher than others and are "natural" gifts, such as instincts and intuition.  It is true that some sales people are "born" and others are "made".   As we started with President Coolidge, if you have only have persistence, you can do well...but oh, how much father could you go... If You Only Had A Brain! (Not insulting your intelligence...I think you know what I mean!) Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! Next Time: The Golden Rule...Rules!

The Mad Scientist! Part 2

I was a Kool-Aid kid growing up ("where does he come up with this stuff?")... Weren't you? Only problem, sugar was expensive (Jimmy Carter era of high gas, coffee, and sugar prices - and 16% return on CD's!) and we would even have to go next door to "borrow" sugar...aaahhh, how I long for simpler days!   My mom would let me make it and I would pretend to be a research scientist mixing up the antidote for some virus the evil Dr. Doom had unleashed on the world. Though the directions called for 1 cup of sugar, she only gave me 1/4 cup... Yea...kind of bitter but still better than water!  My sisters and I would fight over the last glass that had all the crunchy bits of the sweet compound mixture of water, ice, sugar, and red dye #40...a poor man's slushie! It's kind of like when you hire someone for sales.  The resume says 1 cup high achiever...but you only get 1/4 cup. Not today...The Mad Scientist is putting together a complete package.   Where do we begin? Not the brain...but the heart !  Here are the 10 qualities that I would look for first in sales people with heart; Energetic - Kinetic energy...a certain "mojo", is necessary to let clients see the passion and conviction you feel about your solutions.  Physically, it takes energy to make it through the typical sales persons day.  Hint: Lay off sugar, caffeine and processed foods - they are killing your real energy!   Work Ethic - Start early, be on time and work toward being effective...not busy.  Professional and personal balance are important, but when you are at work - work!  When the task calls for more energy (see #1), you have to be ready to roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes! Passionate - The most successful sales people love what they are doing.  They may not love every aspect, but the love of the payoff keeps them on task.  It is the combination of the product, what the product does and how it serves the needs/desires of their clients that drives them. Ambitious - Not blind ambition that mows over anything in it's path, but a goal-driven focus.  The best sales people set the objectives and use all the other characteristics to meet and exceed it!  This could be the personal perks...the material rewards or recognition of trips and awards.  It could be the higher sense of service to their clients...or all of the above! Disciplined- Procrastination is the #1 killer of sales effectiveness.  The mindset to begin and the mental toughness to see it through to the end is the hallmark of the best sales people.  Remember our earlier definition of discipline? "Doing what it takes, to get what you want...as long as it takes, until you get what you want!" Independent - Nothing shouts independence like commission only!  If it is going to happen...the best sales people don't sit back and wait... they make it happen .  They are self-starters that take initiative.  They don't travel in packs or cliques but develop a work standard and approach that is a true to their independent nature. Adaptable - In most industries, sales is an ever-evolving occupation.  The things that worked yesterday are antiquated today.  The competition is fierce and people are vying for the precious resource of clients.  Top sales people stay on top of changes and adapt to them.  It takes mental toughness not to lament when "the good ole days" are over but rather say, "It is a new day!" Commitment - Consistency leads to results.  Making the contacts, following up on proposals, and the after the sale service require commitment.  The best sales people define and refine a process that works within the framework of their gifts, abilities and personalities...then they don't deviate from it! Courageous - Sales is scary.  Each day will require new action that may take you out of your comfort zone.  A new product, a new competitor, or a client with a major problem.  The top sales persons mettle it tested daily, but they respond with courage and meet each challenge head on. Confidence - The best sales people operate "with faith" in themselves and their abilities.  Sales is not for the faint of heart since rejection is a "minute by minute" possibility.  Successful sales people  have the confidence to take "no" as a part of the process...not a personal rejection. There you have it...the characteristic that I believe make sales people the "heart and soul" of an organization.   If you have 3-5 of these characteristics you are likely already successful or at least on your way.  If not, you can see that most of them can be developed.  If you are missing critical ones, get busy in self-development and improvement. Build a better you...a better sales person...become The Mad Scientist! Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!\
Next Time: If I Only Had A Brain! 


 

The Mad Scientist!

I failed chemistry in college.   Before you judge, I made it through 5 levels of calculus. Math is logical and progressive...chemistry is hit or miss. A little of this, a little of that. (Why do you think they have to wear goggles?) Much of sales is a science of sorts - a little of this...a little of that to make the process work. Much of it is an art - idiosyncratic - the snowflake and fingerprint of individual character and personality. I have hired over 400 direct employed sales people in my corporate career and have been a trainer to many 1,000's.  There is no equation that will tell you who will succeed.   Thank goodness, or else all sales people would act the same, look the same, and sell the same.  Diversity of operation means we all have a fighting chance to make it in this business.  A shy former high school teacher can do as well as the brash former higher school quarterback. I have spent some time pondering the conundrum that is sales people.  What if I could create the ultimate sales person?  Frankenstein of sales (ok, the mad scientists name was Frankenstein but it is cooler than saying "monster"!) An amalgamation of gifts and talents, all taken from the best the profession has to offer.  A seven-figure model of revenue generating possibility.  What would they look like?  To begin, they would be a blend of the science and art of selling.  Science of selling:  These are the things we all have to do to be successful - they are process focused activities.  They can usually be measured (quantitative) and will work along predicable lines for an industry.  Science will tell a CFO that if there are 1 million prospects, how many of them will buy and generate a certain amount of revenue.  That defines how many sales people they need and that is where your quota comes from! Science is about the process of finding that client and converting them into revenue for the company.  From the sales person's perspective, that sales process would include; Prospecting, Building Rapport, Questioning, Demonstrating Value, Handling Objections, Closing, and Post Sales activities.   No one can escape these basic elements.  The Art of selling can be summed up in one word - style (qualitative).   In the classic Kung Fu movie "Enter the Dragon" a man from New Zealand asks Bruce Lee, "What's your fighting style?" Bruce answers (man, he was cool!)... "The art of fighting...without fighting." What's your selling style?  Laid back, hard charging, focused, persistence, consultative? Remember I asked you the other day if you would hire yourself? As we take a look at some characteristics, gifts and abilities of top sales people, review them against your own.  We will look at them high level.  Then we will come back and work on the development of areas where you may need improvement. Ultimately, there are many ways to "skin the sales cat", but we are going to look at what I think is the best way (after all...this is my blog!) over the next few sessions as I play... The Mad Scientist!     Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! Next Time: The Mad Scientist! Part 2