We all face a continuous set of challenges.  In our personal lives we do the best we can to be a productive member of society, to create positive experiences with our families and along the way work to maintain good friendships with people we trust and enjoy good company with.  Each of our challenges is relative to real problems in the world.  In America our worst day is way better than those who face ongoing war and disaster.  Afghanistan and Haiti come to mind without thinking.

So our challenges are miniscule.

In our professional lives it’s our responsibility to be productive citizens.  The industries we’re in and the companies we work for create expectations that we’ll do what’s necessary to advance ourselves, our companies and our customer’s experience.

As a sales coach and business consultant, I’m fortunate to work with many people who have vision, and are pursuing growth by providing products or services desired by their customers.  The real challenge I think has become how to balance the day to day operations and deliverables with the necessary drive to increase performance.

That’s why I teach.  That’s why I coach.  That’s why I consult.  To help the business owners we’re in partnership with create a positive balance between the daily challenges that exist and how they can look ahead and design their business practices in a way that supports employee growth and development.

I’m in the early stages of developing a radio advertising sales training program with Radio1 Broadcast School in LaCrosse.  They’ve been focused on the broadcast side for 7 years and just this week won awards presented at the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Student Awards for Excellence event.  They are good at training prospective announcers.  Now they want to develop a quality radio sales training curriculum and I’m honored to be involved in the creation of this new professional development series.

The radio industry like many media today faces significant challenges adapting and evolving to stay relevant with changing technology.  One thing that has not seemed to change much is how broadcasters train their sales people.  I was fortunate to be the recipient of the best sales training in the world from my very first day in advertising sales.  The companies I worked for were adamant about having the best people and the best training to keep their revenues chugging along to reach goal.  My experience is the exception to the industry.  Most radio stations leadership is so busy fighting fires internally and with corporate investors that they lose sight of what is really happening on the street with their customers and their sales people.

Radio sales people come in three categories.
1.  Experienced veterans that bill 80% of the stations revenue. (top performers)
2.  Novices who are learning and committed to their careers. (mid-level performers)
3.  Beginners who may or may not make it in the business.  (entry level learners)

If the radio industry wants to continue as a viable advertising and entertainment medium, it must look critically at how seriously it’s committed to training.

Sales managers are the individuals charged with running the sales operation, managing people, taking care of key clients, going on sales calls and training the sales staff.  Only the finest broadcast companies have the sales management experience to support the daunting challenges sales managers face day to day.  These radio groups are rare indeed.

We’re developing this new radio advertising sales program to help the companies that don’t have the experience and budgets to train their people properly.  So the process has begun.  We’re customizing our sales training curriculum to fit perfectly with the challenges that radio stations and radio advertising sales people face today.  Having been in radio advertising sales, sales management, sales training and having been on the buying side as marketing director and as a consultant that still is involved in buying media for my clients, I’m excited to be able to fill a huge void.

In the days ahead I’ll begin to share the resources I’ll be using to help me become the best radio sales trainer in Wisconsin.

Over my 25 year career I’ve been fortunate to be the recipient of great sales and business training.  My library has over 60 books written by the best business experts, consultants and trainers.  Even though I’ve read them all, I consistently re-read those that pertain to specific disciplines I’m involved with in helping my clients.

One of the best is “Profitable Growth Is Everyone’s Business”, written by Ram Charan.  Ram has written or co-authored 7 books and I’ve read several.  In “Profitable Growth Is Everyone’s Business”, Ram outlines 10 tools of profitable revenue growth.  “Growth is a creative act, but it is also a social process that is disciplined and links together the moving parts of an organization to achieve a consistent increase in revenues.”

The tools for growth beg a thought process that requires commitment, dedication and a desire to win.

What are you doing to help your customer?
In every customer interaction, how well do your people extract information about customer needs?
How does that information get shared internally?
Is your focus on cost cutting at the expense of revenue growth?
Are you focused solely on one big idea or multiple small ideas?
Can you improve productivity and increase revenue at the same time?

Ten Tools
1.  Is revenue growth part of everyone’s business every day?
2.  Work to hit more singles and doubles, not just home runs.
3.  Seek good growth and avoid bad growth.
4.  Dispel the myths that inhibit both people and organizations from growing.
5.  Turn the idea of productivity on its head by increasing revenue productivity.
6.  Develop and implement a growth budget.
7.  Beef up upstream marketing.
8.  Understand how to do effective cross-selling (or value/solutions selling).
9.  Create a social engine to accelerate revenue growth.
10.  Operationalize innovation by converting ideas into revenue growth.

The implications in Ram’s Ten Tools clearly indicate the need for an open company culture, the importance of teamwork, communications and the overall need for training.

The chapters in “Profitable Growth Is Everyone’s Business” are filled with practical, easy to understand perspectives on how you can create your own high performance customer development strategy.

Sooner or later in the life of every salesperson the infamous price objection will rear its ugly head.  The reality is that buyers want to spend as little as possible.  Salespeople want to maintain high maintained margin and don’t want to be viewed as a commodity for which there is no customer loyalty.

So how can you differentiate yourself from the competition and sell your products and services at higher prices?  The answer is:  Add value and service. But before that you have to:

Do your homework. Make sure that you know your product, your market, your competition and the needs of your prospect

That means asking your prospects open ended questions and listening to their responses.  Develop a list of 10-15 questions to get to the root of their needs.  While, on the surface, price may be an objection, it may be overcome by a cast iron guarantee or value added services and support options.

For example, you sell apples for 79 cents each and the store (vendor) down the road sells them for 75 cents. The only difference aside from the price of the apples is that you have a return policy.  If the customer buys an apple from the store down the road to save a couple of pennies and gets a rotten apple, they’re stuck with it.  If they buy the apple from you they can get a new one.  It’s a matter of developing a comfort level.

When selling higher-margin products, you need to educate prospects about what they’re getting for their money and why it’s in their best interest to do business with you.

An additional way to overcome a price objection is to surround the account and become a consultative salesperson.  In other words if a customer has needs that are beyond your capacity to deliver, have the courage to go the extra mile and partner with outside non-competitive sources that can help you get the job done for them.

Remember:  Customers don’t care how much you know until you show them how much you care.

William F. Kendy – TBS

Without a doubt, referrals are the best source of qualified leads.  When friends, business associates or clients recommend you and your company to someone they know, your odds of bringing home the bacon increase.

When you receive a referral you have pre-approved authority to conduct business with the person referred to you.  It’s a matter of commonality and endorsement and you are operating on a higher level of trust and the prospect-turned-client and a stronger sense of loyalty from the get-go.  It’s a third party recommendation.

Many salespeople don’t capitalize on the power of referrals simply because they either are afraid to ask for them or feel that asking is pushing and are uncomfortable making the request.

The real key to getting referrals is to ask for them at the appropriate time in the sales scenario.  Once the customer sees value in what you’re proposing, whether they buy or not, is the time to pop the question

What do you have to lose?

William F. Kendy – TBS

Sales people are constantly searching for ways to maximize their opportunities to increase their sales.  In 2005 I had the great pleasure to work with a sales coach on my team named Kevin Patrick.  He has since moved into a new position as Sales Manager with a successful company.  Kevin wrote a little booklet to assist our clients and staff highlighting 16 natural opportunities to win or lose a sale.  I keep that small booklet handy and refer to it from time to time to check my own process to make sure I’m conscious of these opportunities and incorporate them into my daily work as a business coach, sales trainer and sale person.  These are great action steps.
Here’s a shortened outline of those 16 opportunities.

Natural Opportunity 1
Turning your suspect into a prospect through qualifying questions.

Natural Opportunity 2
Determine the true decision maker.

Natural Opportunity 3
Send the first letter branding you as a source of information not necessarily available to the prospect

Natural Opportunity 4
Send a second piece of information adding additional proof of how hard you will work, just to get the appointment, which translates to the prospect how hard your company will work, once you make the sale.

Natural Opportunity 5
Send a third piece of information noting that you have empathy for your prospects busy schedule, challenges and time.  This demonstrates your professionalism, show’s respect for your prospect’s time and your time.

Natural Opportunity 6
Dial the phone.  Use effective voice mail scripts in your messages and have a communication strategy to demonstrate your understanding of their business and the potential value you will bring to them in helping them solve their challenges.

Natural Opportunity 7
Contacting the Decision Maker.  Make sure you’re investing your time to connect with the person who can say “yes” to your proposal or who is the chief influencer of the decision maker.

Natural Opportunity 8
Book the appointment.

Natural Opportunity 9
Confirm the appointment and plan for the meeting.

Natural Opportunity 10
Complete the first appointment.

Natural Opportunity 11
Book the customer needs analysis.

Natural Opportunity 12
Complete the customer needs analysis.

Natural Opportunity 13
Book the proposal presentation.

Natural Opportunity 14
Write the proposal.

Natural Opportunity 15
Present the proposal.

Natural Opportunity 16
Confirm the sale

Over my 30+ years in sales, sales management and sales training, I’ve developed a different understanding about how timing affects the sales process and individual response.  I remember times when I simply could not understand why someone would not return my call, agree to my proposal or why someone would cancel our sales agreement.  In my youth I struggled with my own demons on why things went awry.  I wondered, “what did I do wrong?”  “What’s wrong with my product?”

When I began to learn more specifically from my customers on what actually lead to their decisions to change, modify or cancel our contracts, I found out that in fact, it was rarely if ever anything that I did or that my company did or that our product failed to work.  Almost across the board, something had changed inside their world that caused them to require a change.

Then later in my career, when I began to consult with companies and manage the various relationships with media and sales people, I quickly learned that the inner world of the business owner was almost always greatly affected by the timing that a variety of factors and issues presented.  All these timing issues affect all business decisions.

The truth is, it’s rarely about you.  It’s almost always about circumstances within the company you’re calling on that have nothing to do with you.

Where do you start?            With yourself!

Things Leaders Do – General Electric Jeff Immelt on 10 keys to great leadership.

1. Take Personal Responsibility
Build teams and place others first.  It’s not about you.

2. Simplify Constantly
Clearly explain the top three things you’re working on.

3. Understand Breadth, Depth and Context
How do you fit and respond?

4. The importance of alignment and time management
Set priorities, measure outcomes and communicate to others.

5. Leaders learn constantly and also have time to teach
Teach others of your value and ability.  Share what you’ve learned.

6. Stay true to your own style
Become self-aware.  Every morning ask, what three things could I have done better yesterday?

7. Manage by setting boundaries with freedom in the middle
Commitment, passion, trust and teamwork are boundaries.  Protect them.

8. Stay disciplined and detailed
Personally intervene on things that are important to you, your customers, your team and your company.

9. Leave a few things unsaid
Sometimes being an active listener is more effective than a personal position.
What’s best for the team?

10. Like people
You have chosen to be here.  Understand others, be fair and put your best effort forward.

“The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, learn about them or even seriously consider them as believable or achievable.  Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.”  Denis Waitley

Have a specific goal and have a specific plan for reaching that goal.

Set your prospecting anxiety on the shelf.

Exactly what do you intend to accomplish in terms of increased numbers of new:
-Clients
-Product sales
-Service sales

How many hours on what specific days?
How many and what kind of direct approach actions do you propose to invest in reaching those goals?

Know thyself.  People don’t run a marathon after five years of sitting on the couch.

Can you ask every single customer you know for an introduction, not a referral, an introduction?

The key is to make progress.  Commit to making effort.  Make multiple attempts.  You can’t control the outcomes, but you can control your level of commitment, and dedication to making numerous attempts to open new conversations in person.

Focus on inputs first, outcomes second.    Keep score of both.

Start small with small victories for the first two weeks.  Measure your actions and add a little bit every week, building your prospecting stamina, working towards your goals.

People fail in attaining their goals because they try to do too much all at once and don’t work into a specific plan with small steps, each leading to bigger steps and better outcomes along the way on your journey to reaching your goals and your own personal and professional development.

Whatever It Takes!

• You alone are responsible for the quality of your work and the quality of your life.
• Give yourself the freedom to grow and expand.  Say YES to your own potential.
• Dream big and use the power of your imagination.
• Without action, your dream, your goal or plan has little meaning in the world.

Writing Your Goals

Clearly describe the results (goals) of what you want that you can control and write them down.

Define why these results are important to you.  Be certain of your desire to achieve these goals and focus on the solution rather than the problem.

List the likely obstacles that you will have to overcome to achieve the results and identify where you can get help.  Reach out for help today!

List the realistic capabilities, strategies and knowledge you will need to achieve these results.

Write a specific, measurable action plan, defining each step to achieve the results.  Express your goals in terms of specific events and actions.

Create accountability by specifying a timeline to achieve your goals.

Progress = Milestones

How you spend your time everyday matters.

Persevere

Stay positive

Pay attention to details and prepare your action plan.

Build your own network of advocates, your personal promoter network.

“Like all of us, you are spending the minutes, hours, and days of your life in the pursuit of something and your are buying it with your very life.  Have you inspected the package?  Are you chasing what you really want?”

“Pursue your goals with ferocity and singularity of purpose.  When you choose a goal to pursue, do you ask, “Is this a mountain I’m willing to die on?”  Roy H. Williams

Take Action Today!
Write down your goals, put the steps necessary to reach your goal in your planner and set a date by which you will have made progress towards achieving those goals.

It’s the holiday season and after a long day of pounding the pavement and making sales presentations you finally get home.  After hanging up your coat, you pour yourself a little bit of holiday cheer, sit down and go through your mail.  Lo and behold you find a Christmas card from someone you hadn’t even thought of sending one to.  You probably feel bad and guilty for ignoring them and will pop one in the mail to them ASAP.

That’s reciprocity.  How does it work in sales?

You’ve scheduled three appointments with a prospect and he has begged off on all of them.  While the reasons for breaking those meetings may be legitimate ones, the meetings were cancelled nonetheless.  You’re starting to wonder if it’s worth the time and effort to keep pursuing this person and if anything will ever come of it.  Maybe it’s time to walk.

Don’t.

The prospect is fully cognizant that he’s been putting you off and deep down inside he knows that probably one of those appointments could have been kept. That means when you do meet he’s going to feel obligated to be a more attentive.

Take advantage. Be more aggressive.  Spend a little more time asking questions to uncover needs.  Suggest some options that you may not have felt comfortable bringing up on one of the “kept” meetings.  Dare to do some trail closes or even take a stab at cross selling.

Keep your eyes open for opportunities to utilize the rule of reciprocity.  I heard a sales consultant tell the story of when he first started selling insurance he was having a hard time closing.  A mentor told him that the problem was that he was accepting compliments at the end of his presentation and this allowed prospects to discharge their obligation and get off the hook.  The advice was when faced with the “You did a great presentation and I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me but…” comment to reply with, “If I did such a great presentation why aren’t you going to buy this policy?” By not accepting the complement, the prospect still owed him, which meant he could re-open the sales cycle which increased the closing ratio.

William F. Kendy – TBS

Today there are many unemployed professionals and young college graduates looking to get on the career ladder.  Those trying to get onto the ladder and planning to move up, are proof that it’s possible to advance all the way to the top.

At times we’ve all been in each of these positions.  There are those of us that can stay on the same plane over the years, but the majority of us move up and down at different times during our career.  Both failure and success are temporary conditions.  Make the commitment, know your purpose and let your passion grow for what you believe you can accomplish.  You’ll soon be on your way towards the top.

It’s been said that if two people want to do business together, nothing will get in their way.  If they don’t want to do business together, anything will get in the way.

Negotiation is a part of life and here are some points to consider.

1.  Throw your fears out of the window. Don’t worry about rejection or being viewed as haggling, cheap or undignified.

2.  Know what you want and identify what’s really important to you.

3.  Know the field and get the facts.  If you know that a vendor doesn’t have the ability to come down to your price points, don’t try to get blood out of a turnip and adjust your terms.  If you know of someone else who is getting a sweeter deal, bring it up.  If a vendor’s competition is offering something special, give them a chance to match or beat it.

4.  Make sure that you’re playing with the players who have the authority to play ball.

5.  Never make assumptions about what is important to the person across the table.  Price is always an issue but it may not be “The Issue”.  Be empathetic and look at the situation from the other person’s perspective. What do they need to get out of the negotiations?

6.  Don’t be shy.  The world belongs to the lions and the worst that is going to happen is that you’ll be told “no”.

7.  Leave yourself wiggle room and try to keep things moving forward.    Don’t make everything so black and white that there is no room for shades of grey.  If you do you’re putting yourself in a box.

8.  Don’t rush the negotiating process.  Time can be your friend and let things play out as they evolve.

9.  Know which points you’re willing to give up or bend on and use them as chips.

10.  Listen, observe and take notes.

William F. Kendy
Copyright 2009
May reprint with permission of William F. Kendy