S&MM SoundOff

Tough Questions Get Results

Do the questions you ask your prospects and customers make them think? Do they stimulate conversation? Or are they easy to answer because they are safe and barely scrape the surface of your prospect’s mind?

The higher up the corporate ladder you sell, the more important it is ask tough questions. If you deal with C-level executives, VP’s, and Directors, you will earn their respect by asking more than basic questions. Focus on their goals, objectives, and business challenges. Here are three steps that will help.

First, write out the questions. You cannot afford to fly by the seat of your pants with this so it is critical that you know beforehand what tough question you plan to ask.

Next, practise verbalizing your questions. This pre-meeting practise is essential because it gets your brain and mouth working together and makes it easier to ask your tough questions during your conversation.

Lastly, rather than bluntly asking a tough question, lead into it. For example, you could say, “I noticed on your website that_______, how is this affecting your third quarter results?” This shows that you have done pre-meeting research and can open the door to a meaningful conversation.

2008 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com.

Take a (Virtual) Number

In the forthcoming March/April issue of Sales & Marketing Management, you’ll find an article (written by yours truly) on the subject of maximum mobility—which is to say, tech tools that help a sales manager and his team achieve maximum productivity while on the road. In the sidebar to that article, you’ll read about TimeTrade, a Bedford, Mass.-based provider of appointment scheduling software. Specifically, you’ll learn how the move toward Web-based appointment scheduling ultimately benefits both rep and client.

But to hold you over until the issue hits, let’s turn the floor over to Chris Murphy, TimeTrade’s vice president of sales. Below are four hard-to-argue-with points from Chris in favor of the automated approach:

1. No question, you can record customer preferences, meeting/services history and timing through any old appointment setting process … but only Web-based scheduling allows you to access, analyze and leverage that information easily. Not to mention, if any of your employees leave, you don’t have to worry about them taking that info with them.

2. No one likes waiting for an appointment, period. If this fate befalls your customers or prospects, they’ll likely end up walking right out the door. Web-based scheduling sidesteps such disasters, ensuring customers and service providers are both completely ready for the meeting.

3. Self-service appointment scheduling just plain makes it easier for people to do business with you. Who really has the time or inclination to deal with phone tag?

4. Special offers, reminders and personal invitations are all great ways to keep your customers happy. And all it takes is a targeted e-mail with an easy call-to-action embedded within.

I Need A Quick Answer - Help!

By Mona Piontkowski, SeminarInformation.com

We certainly live in a fast-paced world. It used to be days, even weeks before most of the nation learned who won the Presidental election. Now, everytime one of the candidates attends a rally, gives a speech or makes a misstep we hear about it immediately. And we all know that the minute we walk out of a store with the latest techno-gadget somewhere someone is developing one that will do more...faster and easier. How can we possibly keep up with it all?

In an age where daily newspapers are often outdated before they even go to press it is difficult for professionals to stay on top of their professions, i.e. be state-of-the-art. Of course you could look for a book in the bookstore - but by the time it is available the information will, most likely, be outdated. The Internet could be a good starting point for help - but then the information on many of those Internet sites is only as good as the person who posted it.

One industry, the training industry, has always tried to address problems as they develop. Seminars are developed overnight and are usually presented within days or weeks of a new technology, new problem or new idea. Seminar providers have jumped in to help indivduals and organizations solve problems as they crop up.  As we are headed towards recession and the numbers of foreclosures increase Lorman Education has come up with a presentation,  "Foreclosure and Repossession" (http://www.seminarinformation.com/qqbpun/foreclosure-and-repossession) and Sterling Education Services has "Foreclosure Procedures" (http://www.seminarinformation.com/qqbufw/foreclosure-procedures). Both of these seminars are directed towards attorneys and real estate professionals who must face this ever growing problem.

It has always been difficult for those in the health care profession to stay on top of it all. Cross Country Education and Therapy Network Seminars present a whole slew of programs directed towards health care professionals. "Autism Spectrum Disorders: Guiding Families through Acceptance, Understanding and Progress" (http://www.seminarinformation.com/qqbugb/autism-spectrum-disorders-guiding-families-through) from Cross Country Education assists health care providers in dealing with the current increase in autism cases in the US. Lorman Education presents " Individuals With Asperger Syndrome Or High Functioning Autism: Understanding Their Community And Educational Strengths And Needs" directed towards special education teachers, classroom teachers and parents.

It has always easy to find a seminar that explains the latest version of  software as well as any new software that is developed. Seminars are probably the best way to stay on top of  the latest release from Microsoft and others without having to try to work it all out for yourself. Some seminar companies who present these type of seminar include Learning Tree International, CompuMaster, Hands of  Technology Transfer and Global Knowledge. You can find a quick one-day overview seminar or a week long in-depth coverage.

Seminars have always been there in the past - right after the horror of September 11th seminars were developed on disaster recovery for those firms who feared that they too might have to recover after a major impact on their business. Learning Tree International's "Disaster Recovery Planning: Ensuring Business Continuity" (http://www.seminarinformation.com/qqbtkc/disaster-recovery-planning-ensuring-business-continuity) teaches businesses how to continue to function after a disaster either man-made or natural effects their business. CareerTrack Seminars developed "Emergency Planning and Disaster Management for Your Organization" (http://www.seminarinformation.com/qqbsqx/emergency-planning-and-disaster-management-for-your) that also addresses dealing with earthquakes, floods, fires, and computer issues such as hackers.

You can always find seminars that address common problems like stress and time management or help you brush up on skills like finance and accounting but now, more than ever, seminar providers are addressing issues as quickly as they develop. So next time you need a quick answer look for a seminar provider on the Internet or check out the local community college and you may find help is not very far away.

You Had Me At Hello

Remember the movie Jerry Maguire? Near the end Tom Cruise bursts into Rene Zellweger’s home and goes on a rant about how much she means to him, how important she has become, etc. After a five minute monologue, Rene says, “You had me at hello.”

It’s fascinating how many people talk way too much during a sales conversation. I recently had an interesting conversation with another sales trainer and author. This person contacted me about a program he thought I would like to participate in and 45 seconds into his presentation I knew I wanted to get involved. However, he talked non-stop for another three to five minutes and going through my mind was, “Stop already! I’m interested so you don’t need to sell anymore.”

The next time you meet with a new prospect or existing customer; monitor how much time you spend talking versus allowing the other person to speak. If your prospect or customer has less than 50% of the airtime, you are talking too much and this can be costing you valuable sales opportunities.

Invest more time listening instead of talking and you can notice a significant difference in your results.

© 2008 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com.

Sales Management: How to Manage Independent, Tech-Savvy New Millennial & Help Them Sell Effectively

Independent, tech-savvy, social, and optimistic – why are these “kids” so hard to manage?

Seasoned sales managers are facing challenges managing new Millennial’s, also known as people born after 1980. These new sales professionals have a different approach to life. This greatly impacts their ability to sell effectively.

Understanding them and some key events that took place during their youth will help you manage your Millennial sales team with shorter ramp times.

What is different about the new Millennial sales team?

Their work styles, motivations and view of the worlds, especially the corporate world.

A Quick Review:

· Demonstrate loyalty to their social network and specific managers and members of the team, but not to the company.

· Grew up during a technology explosion. Their every day reality included video, cell phones, laptops, and iPods.  

· Are addicted to reality television, Google and websites like Myspace and Facebook. In this world information is available for the asking. That’s why they believe in putting everything out there for all to see.

· Faced school violence and global terrorism (specifically 9-11). This made them wary about the world. It also helped them develop a global perspective

· Have the ability to find information about anything at a rate that far exceeds expectations of management. What they lack is discernment about the accuracy of the information. If it’s on the Net they tend to believe it must be accurate. They can instantly communicate this information to their social network via Blogs, Instant Messaging (IM), personal Web pages and cell phones. Some companies have found out the hard way that their management mistakes are common knowledge within days, if not hours.

· Do not know their own strengths and weaknesses because there have not been many opportunities for self-evaluation or honest, constructive criticism. With hundreds of possible activities, from soccer to music lessons, Millennials have been over-committed and over-scheduled.

· Were smothered in praise with constant reinforcement about how great they are. That’s why they expect recognition for everything, even the most mundane activities.

This creates your greatest management challenges:

• How do you help them understand that there are winners and losers in the sales world?
• How do you provide constructive criticism without devastating their psyche?

This is new ground for both the sales manager and the new Millenial sales professional.

Here’s a simple 4-Step Process to Managing Your New Millennial Sales Team

1. The first time they approach you, work with them to think through at least three options. Then make the decision for them. Having them consider options is the first step of developing your new sales team’s ability to reason.

2. When they want your input, make sure they have created three options to discuss. Help them understand the consequences of each option. Add in other options if they haven’t considered all of the consequences.

3. Guide them toward the course to action you want. Essentially they will be making the recommendation, which you are approving.

4. Cut them loose and have them handle a situation on their own. However, also have them provide a written report. The report needs to tell you what the situation was, the options they considered and the decision they made. This step won’t last that long as their need for independence will kick in and they’ll just stop coming to you with every little situation.

Keep in mind that these new sales professionals are going to need much more coaching than their predecessors. Unlike other generations, they grew up protected. And, they interacted with others largely through technology. This created a generation whose people savvy is very limited. So, guide them and help them understand the nuances of body language, the uniqueness of each person’s office and what the contents of that office reveals about the customer.

You may even want to give them a copy of my book, “People Savvy for Sales Professionals” that covers these points in great detail.

And remember, when coaching Millenials your focus and approach may need to be different from others you have worked with. Here’s how…

· Provide structure and give information in bite-size pieces.

· Praise them for their efforts

· Present mistakes as development opportunities

· Use technology freely before and after the session.

· Provide the rationale behind your coaching.

· Sell your Millennial sales team on the idea of discretion

Smart sales managers focus on developing their Millennial’s people savvy. They understand flexible work roles and create effective virtual teams. They leverage technology that will help Millenials become a valuable asset sooner rather than later. And, most importantly they meet the challenges of working with, not against, the new Millennial sales team generation.

Sales Psychology Expert Gregory Stebbins has helped over 20,000 sales professionals better understand their customers so they can outsell their competition. Now, with his book, PeopleSavvy for Sales Professionals, sales managers can help their NEW sales team understand a simple, yet groundbreaking plan to winning your customers’ trust and create a client for life. Get your free sneak preview at http://www.peoplesavvy.com/book.htm

I Propose (follow-up)

A few weeks ago I posted an article about creating effective proposals. Several people emailed me with comments and one person's email caught my attention. Here is what Patrick of Direct Connections Int'l said,

"The best advice I can give someone on writing proposals is to first make a completely generic proposal and use that as your template for future proposals so you don't start with a blank slate each time.  This helps prevent your accidentally leaving out key sections.

"Next, assume that the proposal has to make the entire sale and they have forgotten everything you have told them.  Frequently there are multiple decision makers and influencers and all they will see are the various proposals.  Make sure your proposal can stand alone and make the sale without your help.

"And lastly, the proposal should be long enough to contain all the information needed to convince someone to buy.  Start with an outline of the project, then go into some detail.  Tack on a few pages of success stories and testimonials at the end.  They probably won't bother to read them all, but at least at the moment they are making their decision they will be reminded that others benefited from the decision to hire you."

I particularly like the comment about creating a tempate for your proposals. This can dramatically reduce the time you need to create a proposal and keep them consistent.  His second comment is also worth considering because far too often people forget that multiple people will read their submission. While the person we initially spoke to has the advantage of recalling your conversation, other people involved in the buying process will rely on the information in your proposal.

Keep these additional points in mind the next time you need to submit a proposal.

Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals and businesses discover new techniques to improve their sales and profits. Receive a FREE copy of 100 Ways to Increase Your Sales by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or [email protected].

Gender Bender: Glass-Ceiling Selling Beliefs Exposed - by Kelly McCormick

It hurts when you hit the glass ceiling. Yet professionals still bang their heads against glass-ceiling beliefs regarding women and sales. My recent article “Women Buy Brands: What Do You Sell Her?” also struck a nerve. A marketer posted this on a blog: “I couldn’t understand why [Kelly] was making a special case for women.” Even my research and information on why and how to earn her buying loyalty didn’t tip the scales in favor of segmenting women as a market.

Guess what? That marketer wasn’t the only one with potentially bankrupting notions about women as buyers. Some business and sales people express their concerns about selling to women before they hear my “How to Sell to Women” talks. Let’s be honest: The women’s market hasn’t always been seen as a big money maker.

March is International Women’s Month. It’s the perfect time to break through glass-ceiling beliefs about women and sales. It’s also the perfect time to get down to business.
© 2008 Kelly McCormick, All rights reserved.

You just read the opening of my recent online column for the Manage Smarter Web site. Read the full article to find out the top two myths about women and sales. You’ll also get a great snapshot of where women spend an estimated $19 trillion annually around the globe. Go to ManageSmarter.com.

About Kelly
Kelly McCormick, of OutSell Yourself®, is an expert on women and sales. Kelly writes a monthly online column for SalesandMarketing.com. She covers a variety of topics pertaining to women and sales. Her book, OutSell Yourself®, is soon to be released. Sign up for Kelly’s Communication E-tips and read articles about sales and women at OutSellYourself.com. For information on Kelly’s sessions and keynote talks, call 800-889-9637 (PST).

What salespeople can learn from Brett Favre

by Greg Krauska, President, The Change Agent Group

Brett Favre retired this week after 17 years in the National Football League and 16 years as a Green Bay Packer.  Even if you are not a lifelong Packer fan as I am, you almost certainly have a high level of respect for Brett Favre as a competitor and as a person.  As I watched his press conference announcing his retirement today, it was clear that what makes Brett Favre so appealing to so many can make salespeople stand out, too.

So here are five ways that Brett Favre approached the game that you can use to make you a hall-of-famer in sales.

1. Play like you mean it.  Favre is proud of the fact that in 17 years of professional football, he has never held back for even one play.  Don't do your best because someone else is watching.  Do it because each moment is valuable.  Choose to do your best because it is the right thing to do.  If you are lucky, you can look back on your career with no regrets.
2. Make everyone around you better.  During his years with the Packers, Brett was not always surrounded by the most talented players.  Yet, by his example, Brett inspired others to elevate their commitment and results.  He said that one of the things he will really miss is being around his teammates.  He will miss preparing for each game with his receivers, challenging each other in a good-natured way to figure out how to play at a high level and win.  Don't complain that your marketing team is not on message or that your delivery team is dropping the ball.  Who would you need to be to make them better - and have fun in the process?
3. It's not about you.  During his press conference today, Brett stated that while the quarterback gets the most attention, for him, it has always been about the team and the fans.  Although the strategic account manager or the Regional VP of Sales get to take their spouses on the club trip for making quota, remember that your entire organization is responsible for helping you win.  Brett also talked about commitment to the fans (also known as the customer).  Express gratitude.  You cannot succeed alone.  If you don't want the customer booing you, figure out how to get them on your side.
4. Celebrate your success.  One of the reasons Brett says he decided to retire was because he reached a point where he was not celebrating the way he used to.  Even on Sunday nights after a win, Brett said that he began to study game film instead of enjoying the victory or spending time with his family.  Brett said that he could remember nearly every play of every game he had every played, but could not say that about experiences off the field.  What price are you willing to pay for your success?  Find a way to create balance and give yourself a chance to recover after big campaigns.
5. Be real.  Brett said that as he prepared for the press conference, he thought of wearing a suit and tie and thought of writing down some prepared comments.  Instead, he wore jeans and a shirt and spoke from the heart.   "What you see is what you get," said Brett.  Customers don't care about how carefully you have crafted your presentation or how much homework you have done to understand their needs if you are not authentic.  Trust is more and more valuable as a currency.  Earn it by being real.

From the outside, we see Brett Favre as a fun-loving gunslinger who loved to show up on Sundays and give his best.  We see him as a quarterback who holds nearly every NFL record at his position.  But as you listen to Brett speak about his passion for the game, his teammates, his fans and his family, it is clear that what makes him so special is the character that lies within.

We are all fortunate to have careers where we can have tremendous impact on customers and the people that they serve.  Use that privilege well - and have some fun along the way!

Greg Krauska is President of The Change Agent Group, where he helps organizations innovate and create a winning sales culture.  Find out more at www.changeagentgroup.com

A Culture of Motivation

Do you know what's demotivating your employees? Could it be that your star hires, who used to be full of spark, are losing their motivation on the job? Looks like your organization could use a cuture shift.

Beginning this week, site visitors can look forward to a new weekly online column-and-podcast feature from our sister publication, Incentive magazine. Each week in  "Culture Shift,"  author and industry consultant Paul Levesque will tackle the incentive mistakes corporations make, and address how you can start shifting your organization's culture by 180 degrees--from one that lacks luster to one that breathes motivation. And, as an added bonus, Paul will provide his own personal experiences and strategies in an accompanying video podcast (available in audio-only format as well) with his column each week to give you even greater insight into shifting your corporate culture

Read the first "Culture Shift" column, "Aligning Employee Focus With The Rule of the O.M.I.T," to discover how pinpointing the One Most Important Thing for your employees can shift your culture and inspire productivity. Also, listen to this short meet-and-greet podcast to get to know a little about Paul and what you can expect from his column each week.

A Too Close Encounter at Border's Books and Music

By Tom Richards

Please allow me one more rant at retailers.  We blame store failures on the economy but I think much of the blame should be put on the lack of training in retail.

At the Border's Café, I was the recipient of a nice bit of cross-selling.  When I ordered a cup of coffee, I was presented with a coupon that offered me a $3.00 discount on CDs in their music department.  So, after coffee, I strolled over to see if I should add to my CD collection.  So far, so good.

I'm a jazz and classics hobbyist, so I started in the jazz section.  As it turned out, not a smart move.  A Border's employee was putting inventory into the jazz department in the J section, exactly where I wanted to look to see what selections were on the latest Norah Jones album.  And there he was -- as if I didn't exist. 

I thought if I seemed interested in section J, he'd go do something else.  But no, he was going to put up his J rack and who the hell did I think I was getting in his way.  So I moved and Norah Jones missed a shot at a royalty.

But I'm flexible -- annoyed, but flexible.  I'll look at the latest release from Diana Kral.  Yup, you guessed it, there he was again.  Time to fill the rack in section K.  Feeling claustrophobic, I left section K and almost stepped on a batch of posters strewn all over the jazz department floor which, I observed, was going to be my unwelcome partners next chore.  That took out the rest of the department for me so I left, throwing the $3.00 coupon into a trash basket.