"I wish I could sell like...???"‏

Have you ever wondered why some people are able to exceed sales targets easily and consistently and others try really hard and don't get the same level of sales success?  

 

It's all down to Strategies! When you do things brilliantly and effortlessly it means you've developed a great strategy. When you struggle it means you have an ineffective strategy. 

You have millions of strategies. You'll have one for getting up in the morning. You'll have one for your journey to work, you’ll have one for cleaning your teeth! The list goes on. You have devised a strategy for everything you do.

So what is a strategy exactly?  

In this context a strategy is the precise...and I mean very precise...order and sequence of what you think and do from the trigger point to completion of the specific activity. Every thought you have during the process impacts on your inner state and behaviour. Just to make it more interesting, there are elements of your strategies that are done completely unconsciously!  

 

You have modelled other people’s strategies from the moment you were born. You watched. You saw. You copied. In no time you were walking, talking, dancing and feeding yourself. You would have been thrilled every time you mastered a new strategy

 

It’s exactly the same as an adult  

Think of it...all of those things in your life and work that aren’t as you’d like them to be...you can change them easily by modelling yourself on a person that has already successfully achieved what you’re wanting to achieve!  

Some of your existing strategies will be working well. But some of your other strategies will have become out of date. Sometimes though, you don’t always realise that they are out of date, so you continue with unproductive processes and behaviour.  

 

If you aren't getting the sales results you want, my guess is you've got some strategies that just don't work for you. In fact once you start scrutinising them you'll probably find that some of your strategies are actually making it much more difficult for you to achieve the sales success you want!  

 

So the secret to being an amazingly successful sales professional is to carry on using your strategies that deliver results and ditch the ones that don't...and in their place you put proven strategies you know will get you the results you want.  

 

How do identify a great strategy?  

How do identify a great strategy? Go out and find someone that is already achieving the results you want - and elicit their strategy so that you can use it yourself!  

 

There are some pointers to consider before you go charging off in pursuit of the most successful sales person you can find. You must find someone that gets the exact results you want and behaves and thinks in a way that you would be happy to model. Choose your person wisely.  

 

When you find your person – it’s not just what you see in terms of behaviours that you need to elicit. Think of their strategy as an iceberg and their behaviours as the bit you see above the water line. Most is below the water line - their thinking – and it’s in this area of their strategy where the magic can lie.

 

Have a think...in any area of your role...who is achieving exactly what you want to achieve?  

 

Whose strategy can you model?  

 

All part of the psychology of sales.  

 

Until next time...

 

Leigh

PS: Remember to check out next month's TrustConference - Bob Geldof's going to be the Keynote Speaker! Click for details 

 

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

Forprevious 'Tricks of the Trade' go here

5 ways to motivate your team (and money isn't one of them)‏

Here’s my motivation check list...how many of these questions can you say YES to?

If you alone are responsible for the sales results where you work, ask the questions of you. Otherwise ask them for your team and anyone who sells on behalf of your company.

1. Does each member of your team know where they fit in to the bigger company objectives?
2. Do you know the higher purpose of each of your team?
3. Are your team’s targets realistic bearing in mind your industry’s current market conditions?
4. Do your team members only very occasionally contact you for guidance?
5. Do you know the meta-programmes of each of your team?
6.  

So...how many did you answer yes to? Clearly the more you could answer yes to, the more motivated your team is likely to be.

This morning I quickly jotted down just a few of the many principles that I think are important when it comes to motivating a sales team. Of course there’s many more but I’m pushed for space and you’re pushed for time. So let’s throw a bit more light on these five.

 

Where do they fit in?  

Be sure you’ve explained where everyone fits in to the bigger company picture. Where is it all leading? Company growth? How much? And what’s their role in achieving that growth – individually and as a team? Make it simple. No need for fancy charts!  

 

What’s their higher purpose?  

Each of your team needs to have identified a higher purpose for themselves. In simple terms why they are doing what they are doing? And you need to know that purpose. Are they working towards a new or bigger car? A bigger house? An engagement ring? To retire early? Find out - and remind them regularly. Help them to constantly make that link between their day job, their target and that higher purpose.  

 

Targets should be er...on target  

Set your targets too low and it will be feet-up time for everyone. Set them too high and you ‘lose the team’ i.e. everyone knows they’re unachievable, so unconsciously they don’t try. I’m for flexible but stretching targets which take into account the prevailing market conditions, which may well conflict with those the Managing Director came up with 8 months ago but which now look pure fantasy. Let him/her explain their budget away elsewhere - in the meantime set stretching, realistic targets which will get the best out of your team right now.

 

Do they have to ask you about everything?  

If you hired them to do a good job, trust them! Surely they don’t have to ask you about everything? Let them scuff their knees and they will grow into the role. Sure you might have some challenges along the way but you’ll end up with a motivated and developed member of the team – and you get some of your time back too! Read this previous article for more about giving your team more autonomy.  

 

How are they wired? 

Heard of Meta-Programmes? These are the ‘internal wiring’ mechanisms that make up the individuality in each of your sales team. Know these programmes and you’ll never look back in terms of motivating your team. Remember each of your team are different – so your approach needs to be too. Click here for an example of just one meta programme (there are up to 16 in total!). You'll see how useful meta-programmes are for communicating with your team - and your customers.  

 

What about money?  

Phew - I’ve ran out of space and I haven’t even mentioned money. That’s deliberate though. Most meaningful research suggest money is only ever an effective motivator in the short term. And that’s borne out when I talk to sales directors and sales teams. 

For now, work on getting these five right and you’ll have a more motivated team – and more sales success.

Until next time

Leigh

PS; Remember to grab your copy of "The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes"

   

The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes identifies those key mistakes that are stopping sales teams, companies and business owners fulfilling their sales potential. The report establishes how to identify these errors, indicates how they can be eliminated - and sets out how to avoid them.

  

  results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

For previous 'Tricks of the Trade' go here

Sales and the "F" Word‏

Phew! I thoughts things were supposed to get quieter over the summer? Not this summer!  

It’s been all go on the training front. Very enjoyable too. It’s my mission to help people and organisations to make more sales and it’s incredibly rewarding to watch people develop their skills and improve their results right before my eyes.  

It's clear to me that those who develop their skills and results the most have one thing in common...their ability and willingness to accept feedback - and use it.  

 

The essence of feedback  

Everything you do creates a result. Some results you love. Some results you don't. Develop your mindset so you get to treat it all as feedback on how you're doing and crucial pointers on how to operate in future.

 

Imagine a world where the only feedback you received was that you are wonderful, brilliant and amazing! Sounds fabulous doesn’t it? But if that's all you ever heard from people what do you think would happen? You would probably become complacent and at best your results would plateau and at worst you'd decline.  

 

You need feedback  

You absolutely need feedback on the areas where you're perhaps not that great (yet!). If nobody tells you... how are you going to improve? There’s a fair chance that on your own you won’t easily identify those areas where you can improve. So be receptive to the help of others. 

Many people are only comfortable giving positive feedback. The results being that you only get to hear the good stuff. Yet it’s often the ‘developmental’ feedback that generates greater learning and development. If this developmental type of feedback is ever given, it’s often delivered in a clumsy manner by someone who is very uncomfortable delivering it as attempt to justify a pay freeze despite telling you all year you’ve been doing well! Or it’s delivered at the wrong time i.e. the first time you find out about your weaknesses is during a heated exchange!

 

Are you getting enough? 

Congratulations if you already get excellent, constructive feedback to help you grow your success... and yes, do thank the people that have the confidence to tell you.  

 

If you don't get that kind of feedback... and in a way that makes it palatable for you to absorb - then you need to instigate the feedback you desire to grow your skills and your sales success.

You also need to accept feedback in the spirit of which it's meant. Getting all defensive and making excuses for why you did what you did won't get you very far. It will also put people off giving you the feedback you need. Accept it graciously, thank them... then reflect.  

 

You haven't got to agree  

By the way, you haven't necessarily got to agree with them. Remember it's their feedback based on their map of the world. Consider though that if they have this perspective, others may too. 

  

So when asking for feedback, be very specific with your questions to help the person help you. If you're not used to getting this kind of feedback and are a little unnerved by the responses you might get... get over it! This is the only way to continual improvement.

Remember...no failures - it's feedback. You’re on a journey.  

 

Ask for it. Welcome it. Act on it.  

 

Until next time..

Leigh

PS; Remember to grab your copy of "The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes"

The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes identifies those key mistakes that are stopping sales teams, companies and business owners fulfilling their sales potential. The report establishes how to identify these errors, indicates how they can be eliminated - and sets out how to avoid them.

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

For previous 'Tricks of the Trade' go here

How BAD are the questions you're asking?‏

Firstly – and I can’t stress this strongly enough, be in no doubt that your sales results will be directly influenced by the quality of questions you ask.

So how good are YOUR questions? 

The subject of "open questions" figures in just about every sales manual ever written and every sales course ever delivered. That's not a coincidence. 

To sell effectively you need information. Your prospects hold it. You need to acquire it. If you can conjure up a bank of well crafted open questions, you're in business! 

If you’re new to this game let me quickly define an open question as a question that cannot be answered yes or no. And when you’re looking to open up a conversation with a potential customer, just about the least useful answer you can get is yes, or no.   

Open Questions  

Asking open questions will get your prospect talking, which relaxes them and helps to build genuine rapport in no time. They'll get a sense that you're really interested in them and their needs.

 

What you get in return is the vital information you need - initially to make an internal judgement on how (or indeed if) you can help your prospect. Secondly you'll be able to match your offering specifically to their needs, the very needs which you beautifully elicited earlier with your fabulous open questions!   

Listen to their answers  

By the way, listen to their answers! I find that good listening skills are lacking amongst many sales people. Your sales conversations will flow much more freely if you relax and focus on their answers, not what your next question will be. Listen properly and with good intent - and your next question will just appear naturally.   

Here are some ideas for open questions - tailor them accordingly to your specific needs whether you're selling to other businesses or direct to consumers.  

Examples of Open questions... 

What's going on for you in your business right now?

Currently, what are your biggest challenges?

What's going well for you?

What's not going well for you at the moment?

Which areas are you most concerned about?

Where does your business/team need to be in x months/years time?

How do you see your business developing?

What action have you taken so far to...?

Where are you in terms of....

What's the next stage?  

And if in your business the potential customer arrives/phones up and asks about the availability of the ‘XYZ’ product, you’ll need to know the reason they chose that product from your vast range. For example you may be out of stock and want to offer an alternative, or have an even better version more suited to their needs. Or just want to build rapport as you process the sale. 

The question to really open up any conversation in these circumstances is... “What attracts you to this xxxx”. When answering this question the customer will give you their full buying criteria (“it’s got this, it hasn’t got that”) – golden nuggets of information to help you complete the sale.  

Avoid questions starting with 'Why'...

...as they can be confrontational - no matter how fluffy and soft you make them sound. When you ask a 'Why' question you are asking for justification of their response. Your client will probably become defensive and give you an emotive response.   

It takes practice  

Think of your next selling or networking scenario. Think of crucial information you need to successfully promote your product or service and construct five open questions which will help you get that information and help you increase your sales success.

Until next time.

 

Leigh

PS; Remember to grab your copy of "The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes"

The 9 Biggest Sales Mistakes identifies those key mistakes that are stopping sales teams, companies and business owners fulfilling their sales potential. The report establishes how to identify these errors, indicates how they can be eliminated - and sets out how to avoid them.  

results@sales-consultancy.com

020 7903 5426

www.sales-consultancy.com

For previous 'Tricks of the Trade' go here