jienworld

Firing Salespeople

2006-09-12T13:23:00.000+08:00

I will try to be most practical talking about this topic since I don’t want to be bias from the fact that I am a salesperson. In the 21st century it is too common to hear of companies firing salespeople every other day. It is done as if salespeople are like “machines” or “robots”…don’t work? Change it! Still don’t work…change some more!

If salespeople are so easily replaced why have them anyway? Just advertise, do promotions, whatever mechanized way you may have. Most companies today are still living in the 20th century and unable to come to terms that the playing field has changed. In this new era it is about who has the best stamina to last the race. Investors and shareholders are still thinking about 100meter sprints.

Pushing your salespeople over the cliff is the same as killing your own company. We must learn how to grow and nurture them.

Again I find high energy and high content speaker Dave Kahle has the best approach to this problem. Here are some insights from one of his article :

1. ….you may be in the middle of a flat or declining market. Many industries are experiencing the second or third year of flat or decreasing sales. That alone makes you wonder. If your sales aren't growing, what are the salespeople doing, after all?

2. ……price pressures from the competition…... Many of them, in a desperate bid to maintain their businesses, will continue to resort to more aggressive discounting. When margins fall, can you afford to pay salespeople?

3. ……The answer lies, not in the general trends and national reports, but rather in the specifics of your customers, your salespeople, and your suppliers. The trends and pressures may be global, but the answers are local.

He goes on by saying companies need to assess their sales system by studying their customers, salespeople and suppliers. He conclude it by giving this tip :

“These are major initiatives that will occupy a great deal of your executive time, talent and emotional power……... However, when you get to the other side, you'll have a more effective, more powerful sales force. You'll have a sales force that your vendors respect, that brings value to your customers and is a powerful strategic asset for you. It'll be worth it.”

The full article can be found at http://www.eyesonsales.com/articles.php?a=294

I would like to give a blunt personal opinion on firing of salespeople. Since I have started as a door-to-door salesperson right up to corporate boardroom sales, I think I have the right to say this to all the companies, investors, directors, CEOs, senior management whatever you call yourselves. Don’t ever disrespect your salespeople and fire them at your wimps and fancy because it is probably them that will pull you through the worst of times!

I have always love this quote from Sun Tsu the master of the art of war :

"He who knows these things, and in fighting puts his knowledge into practice, will win his battles. He who knows them not, nor practices them, will surely be defeated."

Go think what it means……

Dress & Groom for Success

2006-09-08T13:15:00.000+08:00

Have you ever see a couple walk around in the streets one dressed like an angel the other like s**t? No. Even if you have, the relationship will never last. So if you want a long-term relationship with your customers that will walk together with you, please have some decency on how you look when you are with them.

I am not talking about only in meetings and presentations. Sometimes you may need to be seen in public with the customer i.e. during lunches, dinners, trips, events etc.

Here is a simple guideline for various business dress categories :

1. Casual: Means polo shirts, blouses, khakis, jeans, and cargo pants.

2. Smart Casual: Includes slacks, sweaters, and shirts with collars. Jackets and blazers are optional.

3. Dressy Casual: Implies dress shoes and better quality fabrics than smart casual (wool blends rather than synthetics).

4. Business Casual: A more tailored look than dressy or smart casual. It can include suits and dresses as well as blazers and slacks. Men do not require ties. In general, business casual for dinner almost always means wear a suit.

5. General Business Attire: This means suits and ties for the men and dresses for the women. Suits may have different colour pants or skirts and jackets. Men require ties.

6. Corporate Professional: Also known as "power dressing." Single dark-coloured suits, usually wool or linen. Ties are required for men.

My experiences tells me that other than wearing the right attire for the right occasion it is also very important to have proper gooming as well. Things like :

Is it ironed properly?
Is your tie too long/short?
Is your hair neat?
Are your fingernails long? Worst dirty?
Is it about time you polish or buy a new pair of shoes?
How many years have you not buy a new pair of socks?
Did your car take a bath recently?
Do you need a mint? Did you shave? And the list goes on and on…..

Do you know why grooming is sometimes more important that the right attire? That is because as salespeople we are always on the go. So we may never know where we will be, whom we will meet and what we will do.

Lesson to be learned? So, same as dating…whatever it is make sure when we have “interaction” with our customers make it a pleasant one.

Flat World

2006-09-06T11:10:00.000+08:00

I have recently finished reading a bestseller book, The World Is Flat, by Thomas Friedman, a world-renowned author and journalist. In The World Is Flat, Friedman at once shows "how and why globalization has now shifted into warp drive". He explains how the flattening of the world happened at the dawn of the twenty-first century; what it means to countries, companies, communities, and individuals.

What is in this book that I see so significant to salespeople as compare to other professions? As he elaborate how fast people from every corner of the world is joining the rat race, he emphasized that it is imperative that we differentiate ourselves. This is especially important when some of you salespeople like me that has no “technical” knowledge and relies purely on our sales skills.

In the summary pages the most profound word he uses which I can’t agree more is “Imagination”. It is this desire, capability and possibility that will make individual, companies and countries successful. With China and India producing so many educated people (not counting more from other Asian countries as we mature), the playing field will be leveled between everyone. So the be successful in the Art of Selling it will take a lot of Imagination from the part of sales people to continue to carve a niche for themselves. Tom goes on to say for us to keep imagining we have to keep learning and also to learn how to learn!!!!! Very true!

You can visit his website at http://www.thomaslfriedman.com or just buy his book.

Lesson to be learned? Salespeople that are still doing single dimensional selling had better buck up. We have to start-up our creative minds and keep improving on how we sell, what we sell, when we sell and also should we sell. The good news I see after reading this book is the ultimate differentiator in business in the near future will surely be the SALESPERSON as all products and services will be homogeneous.

To Discount or Not?

2006-08-23T14:00:00.000+08:00

In this competitive “dog eat dog” world everything is about discounts. Retailers and suppliers are so fed up that we can see they are already offering discounts even before we ask for it. Go to a shop and you can see 70% off! Get a quotation and you can see another 50% off!

Being customers we are so used to asked “Got discount some more ar?” Even when there is a big sign showing a huge discount being offered. There is a very interesting idea being offered by Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt. The genius of Goldratt's approach resides in his development of a new paradigm that addresses, for the first time, both the human side and the systems methodology side of management of a business to achieve significant bottom line results.

In an article by Joseph N. Pangilinan, MPC Inc he uses this approach to analyse the need to discount. I find it is a very insightful and it says :

“To Discount or Not to Discount therefore, is NOT the question. It is against company interest to thoughtlessly disregard an order just because the client asks for lower price. Neither is it in our interest to blindly close an order for the sake of increasing sales. Thinking globally for the entire order, and the entire company, we must persevere and reconfigure the offer, or even better change general policy, to meet both the customer and the company's needs.

What is more important is that in the end, WE CLOSE THE DEAL AND MAKE MONEY. To do this, we must revise the package and adjust existing policies to address both the customer and our company's needs, with the common objective of attaining a long term, mutually profitable relationship.”

The article also goes on in giving guidelines and examples on how to achieve a win-win outcome in this situation. The full article can be found at http://www.saigon.com/~nguyent/manila/discount.html

My take? In general humans like the feeling of winning in everything they do. Customers as well. Giving up-front discount will take away their satisfaction of a good negotiation. AH-HA! There is the key word. It’s all about NEGOTIATION. The same article finishes off with a good saying :

“A win-win approach is NOT so easy, but it is powerful. Win-win negotiation does NOT allow giving in without getting anything in return. Without doubt, having more understanding, we will agree and close the deal: neither the company's deal nor the customer's deal, but the better deal.”

Lesson to be learn? Never give up-front discount. If we position ourselves as someone that always meet the customers needs they will comeback. Why? Because they know they can negotiate something different for other vendors. Well of course common sense also tells us that at the end of it the bottom line is still the same but what the hell just NEGOTIATE!

Partners. New insights on who can we leverage on.

2006-08-18T12:36:00.000+08:00

Another often abused word and activity in sales – Partners. The amount of time wasted by companies talking to each other trying to form some sort of partnership is enormous.

Karin K. Schaff is Marketing and Communications Strategist at 3rd Floor Up, Inc defines:

“ Partnerships, alliances, strategic networks…whatever you call them, on the surface, they’re nothing more than two companies coming together to find ways to leverage each other’s products and/or services.”

She goes on by giving some tips on choosing the right partner :

1. Do they have the same sort of business culture, values, and ethics that you do? And how dedicated are they to ensuring that everyone works toward that way of thinking?

2. Who are their other partners and what do those partners think of their relationship with the company? What results have they seen that have helped move their companies to new levels of success?

3. Do they have written partner agreements or are the agreements verbal?

4. What can they bring to the table to begin the process of finding new business together? How open are they to doing so?

5. Are they comfortable with offering information about their client base and partner network so you can see where your offerings fit in strategically?

6. Do they have an exit plan in case the relationship doesn’t go in the direction you planned? If there is an exit plan, how easy is it to disengage and remove yourself from the agreement?

7. Do they have an alliance or relationship manager (or champion) dedicated to working with you and helping both companies achieve their mutual and individual options through the partnership?

8. Do you have leadership commitment from both your company and theirs?

9. Can they confidently outline their top objectives for developing partnerships?

10. Do the marketing and sales budgets have monies set aside for partnering activities and programs?

11. Are they enthusiastic about working with you on building a mutually beneficial relationship? Do they actively participate in putting together meetings and discussions on next steps and partnering ideas?

12. Do you or your potential partner have a process for passing leads back and forth? Do either of you have documentation, such as a Memorandum of Understanding, Lead Profile Form, or Partner Relationship Plan Template, to complete – or to use to build a process that integrates well into both infrastructures?

The most benefit of this leverage I personally experienced in my career is on the TIME SAVING factor. All your partners are your salespeople! Find the right partner and you can see the leads and sales streaming in. Being a 21st Century salesperson we can’t just be relying on formal partnerships formed by the company we work for. We have to have a “network of partners”. The concept is like network marketing I guess. These partners/associates are normally individuals that will be calling me the instant they found a business opportunity that they can’t fulfil. Not that they know I can provide it. Most importantly they know I will show them the light to the end of the tunnel.

In this new world of business and selling we salesperson have to be the CREATOR, the DIRECTOR. Just like films and movies someone comes to us with a brilliant story we take it and show them the way to express it to the audience.

Therefore my “network of partners” comes from a wide range of location, industry and occupation. They can be accountants, lawyers etc. I don’t call them my business contacts or leads generator since I often will bring value to their business or them personally as well. As long as we can tango together.

Take for example : I have a partner which is not a salesperson that introduced me to another partner. I have sold something to this partner and help him/her sell their product/services to another company. I am also working out another partnership with this partner to do business with another company. Confused? Tell me about it.

Lesson to be learned? Any salesperson out there that is still trying to form partnerships the traditional way will be doomed. All humans need to be motivated. That is the basis of forming a partnership. If there is something that can motivate someone and you can provide that something and it can increase your sales/business, HE/SHE IS YOUR PARTNER!

Meeting Sales Quotas. Is it a Myth?

2006-08-14T15:02:00.000+08:00

I love to delve on things that are mostly hated by salespeople since the most controversies exist here. SALES QUOTAS! Will send shiver down the spines of the best salespeople. Year after year, quarter after quarter we are being assigned impossible numbers to be met.

I am a firm believer of hardwork by salespeople in working towards their quotas but achieving the feat in the current competitive world takes a hugh/enormous LUCK FACTOR! How many times have we make comments like :

1) “….that guy was lucky that he was given the large account to manage…..
2) “….wow he was really lucky, as if the customer handed the deal to him just like that….”
3) “….this is his lucky year after a few years of severe underachievement of his quota…”
4) and it goes on….

Before everyone thinks I’m a useless salesperson that believes in such nonsense, I would like to emphasize there is also something called “Increasing/Accumulating Your Luck” in sales. Same as in other aspect in our lives we must work hard towards our goals and we must not stop.

Barbara Bartlein, is the People Pro, and President of Great Lakes Consulting Group, LLC, which helps businesses sell more goods and services by developing people. In her article “Increase Your Luck for Better Business Success” it mentioned a study by Dr. Richard Wiseman, Ph.D. of the University of Hertsfordshire in England. He found that there are different ways in which lucky and unlucky people think and behave. He eventually identified four major psychological differences that seem to be the foundation of luck.

1) Lucky people constantly encounter chance opportunities. Lucky people tend to be more extroverted than their unlucky counterparts, according to Wiseman. They enjoy visiting friends, going to parties and tend to meet and maintain contact with large numbers of people. Lucky people have body language and facial expressions that draw others to them. They engage in more eye contact, are twice as likely to smile and make "open" gestures to others such as uncrossing their arms or turning to the people who are talking. These encounters increase the likelihood that they may find a new opportunity for future business or success.

2) Lucky people make good decisions without knowing why. When it comes to business and financial decisions, lucky people trust their gut. They often have a keen sense of when a business decision is prudent or a person should not be trusted. According to surveys completed, lucky people take active steps to boost their intuition through the use of meditation and daily rituals. These types of activities tend to clear the mind so that one can "listen" to what intuition is saying. Many lucky people say they trust their intuition more the older they become.

3) Lucky people's dreams, ambitions and goals tend to come true and be met. The research found that lucky people's expectations were far higher than the unlucky ones. They believe in themselves and their futures. Unlucky people are the exact opposite; they often see their dreams as unreachable fantasies. Lucky people believe that there is an 84% chance of achieving one of their lifetime ambitions; while the group identified as unlucky identified only a 60% chance. It appears that we create our own life fulfilling prophecies.

4) Lucky people have an ability to turn bad experiences into good fortune. They tend to "find the silver lining" to what happens to them and use situations as learning experiences. They tend to ponder how lucky they are as things can always be worse, often comparing themselves to others with bad fortune. Unlucky people see their bad breaks in almost a superstitious manner or view their destiny to be in the hands of "fate." This thinking leads them to rely on ineffective ways to alter the poor fortune of what is happening to them. They often have difficulty analyzing mistakes and so are more likely to repeat them.

The full article can be found at http://www.networkingtoday.ca/articles/increaseluck.htm or visit her website at www.ThePeoplePro.com.

So the conclusion for you salespeople out there is everything is in your head. Settling the score with ourselves will eventually lead to more hard work and believe in what we are doing. Not to mention doing it more effectively. It takes strong character, a lot of perseverance and dedication. In other words it’s a marathon race to the end.

Lesson to be learned? If ever one day/year that you’ve suddenly met your quota out of your own expectation please be proud of yourselves. Think back what you’ve done and believed………..YOU DESERVED IT!

Cold Call? Call it dating!

2006-08-11T15:06:00.000+08:00

This cold call, warm call, hot call nonsense is from the Industrial Age! It is where too many physical products were produced at that time and there were not sufficient tv, billboards, radios and internet. So humans are used. Well I am not not saying salespeople should not make visits/calls to prospects but the whole approach should be modified.

I often feel that guides provided to a successful sales call/"date" are mostly so single-dimensional. They always give a fnumber of tips on what to do and not do. Should we follow them in every sales encounter?

1) Must listen more, ask less
2) Be confident, think as if you have a million bucks in your pocket
3) Must try to be "personalised" to get the customer comfortable
4) and etc etc.......

These are good guidelines and if interested you can visit and download "101 Ways to Succeed in Selling" by Greg Gore. He has 30 years of selling and 15,000 sales calls to his belt!

http://www.greggore.com/101%20Ways%20to%20Succeed%20in%20Selling.pdf

I believe a successful salesperson can only plan his meetings and calls with a prospective customers to a certain extend only. Many things needs to be decided on the spot when the action is going on. THAT IS THE ART OF SELLING!

You can be selling a pen or a million dollar service. Being successful in all your "dates" with the prospect is very important. If I may share some of my own thoughts :

1) Maybe most important is having eye contact. This is where we know how to react instantly in that call/meeting. (if it's a phone call then tone of voice)
2) Some prospect like to listen but other likes to talk.......blend in please!
3) Some looked as if they are dumb on the first meeting but tells you the stories about their chairman's mistress once they like you.
4) Not all like talking about their kids and favourite sports......maintain that eye contact!
5) Sometimes you may really need to take a strong hit at your competitor
6) Always be prepared that your "date" will be willing to hold hand and kiss after the first meeting.......or he/she is the type that requires a lot of face time.
7) Sometimes you may not want to set an agenda for the "date" just to take off the pressure on your prospect.......and you may not even want to ask for a follow-up meeting.....just to get him/her guessing.
8) and many more.....

As customers get more and more educated and well informed there is lesser and lesser a need to explain our product/services. And as competition stiffens there is lesser room for us to differentiate. Imagine your competitor is sending their salespeople to the best sales training house as you!

Lesson to be learned? Go for a psychology course. Facial/Expression reading course is good too!

The objective of sales meetings

2006-08-07T14:43:00.000+08:00

I am sure all salespeople are so sick of this 2 words.....sales meeting. Funny thing is there are so many books, articles and materials that provide us useful guides in how to conduct a successful sales meeting. You can refer to the below links or hundreds of places for more info.

http://www.allbusiness.com/articles/SalesMarketing/1011-26-1838.html

http://www.bluinc.com/news/msmw.htm

I am more interested in looking at something simpler. What is the objective of most sales managers and top management trying to achieve in these meetings? First words that will probably come out is I WANT TO KNOW THE STATUS OF MY SALES. So people, please reflect what do we actually go around doing during sales meetings.

1) We all start looking at our individual forecast.....
2) Then the first guy start going through the list explaining the progress or activities that happen the past week.....
3) More questions being thrown....
4) Excuses and reasons given ......
5) More problems discussed.....
6) Finally, all parties agree to some next action plan.

This can continue week after week until the sales manager will say "Wait! Is this customer for real???? We have been talking to them for ages.." I think the sales manager ought to be taken out and SHOT! Why ask such question when every week there is suppose to be a meeting?

To me sales meetings are actually forecast meetings. Only very few important and basic questions need to be asked and answered :

1) So they have the right budget?
2) When are they going to buy?
3) Any delay?
4) Lost a deal? Where is your backup deal?
5) Do you still have a minimum of 3:1 ratio (hit rate)?
6) Where are you in achieving your quota (weekly/monthly/yearly)

Anything other than these 5-6 questions will need to be discussed in account planning sessions where accounts are qualified, strategies drawn out, competition highlighted, SWOT etc. We can have more motivation sessions like weekly "top sales sharing" session and etc. I am sure we can find lots of ideas from everywhere.

I am looking forward to find something useful in giving advises like "How to Conduct An Effective Sales Forecast Meeting". And I can say that it is totally different from performing a sales forecast activity.

My views? Simple 3 point rule :

1) This meeting should be a "quickie". 5-10 mins (per person) compact meeting.
2) The manager is suppose to use this session to put things in perspective for the salespeople.
3) Nothing should be discussed on activites done, problems encountered etc.

The salespeople will walk out of the meeting with a very focused mind. He/she will know which account needs an account strategy/meeting. And the rest will follow.

Lesson to be learned? There is only so many type of meetings we can have in a week. Careful planning not to waste time on unnecessary discussions is important. Take my advise. At any point in time during these meetings you start asking yourself "WTF am I wasting my time...." is sufficient reason to stop and walk out. Many times we salespeople will just sit there an endure the torture. (better keep quite since we are not meeting our quotas right?) Yeah you still WON'T!

Vendor & Channel Partner Relationships. "WE" make the difference!

2006-08-04T13:05:00.000+08:00

I would have a lot of experience in this area since I have been in Business Development cum Sales for some years. We often see top management, i.e. MDs, GMs, CEOs etc, are the ones that champion for distributorship for new products and services for their companies. This is not wrong but this role is for a business development person.

Managing successful relationship with your respective principals/vendors takes a lot of care, understanding, time, knowledge and perseverance. I see many so call Business Development person act merely as "puppet coordinators" or worst "CEO-Chief Entertainment Officer". Whenever the principal vendor personnel comes to town the "CEO" will take them to the best restaurant, pubs and karaoke joints. Other days he will just sit in the office sending and forwarding emails to and fro.

Actually our role is to make a difference......not only from bringing in more sales.

1) We are tasked to always react a few steps ahead of the market needs and competition.
2) We are tasked to bring in relevant products and services that is inline with the company vision.
3) We are tasked to be the most trusted "advisor" to the CEO on company strategies

I will talk more about the role of a Business Development person next time. Here is an important question we need to answer. How important is the Business Development/Sales person in a vendor and channel partner relationship? We do see tonnes of guides and training on Successful Channel Management/Partner Management but not much is written on the finer points of WHO is the integral part of this whole shit!

I have taken something from an article written by Ron Miller. He is a freelance writer based in Amherst, Mass. Some interesting points from his article :

1)......When a customer enters into a relationship with a VAR or systems integrator and its channel partner, the person who is assigned to be liaison for the three parties plays a key role in the success of the relationship.....

2)......the relationship hinges to a great extent on this person's ability to communicate a shared vision among the organizations and to balance and communicate sometimes- conflicting requirements......

3)......It is a politically sensitive role that requires a unique combination of skills to pull it off, but successful channel champions can reap the rewards of a high profile in the organization......

4)....."I think organizations need to think of [the channel champion] as a business development manager rather than a salesperson or product person,".......

5)......a salesperson or technical person may be too focused on the product or deal and fail to make connections that could result in additional opportunities for the company beyond the initial arrangements........

6).......these channel liaisons also need to have good written and verbal communications skills, flexibility to adjust to changing customer demands and enough political backbone to tell it like it is, even when people may not want to hear it.......

7)........As a result......... the channel champion can't necessarily make things happen as a person with supervisory responsibility could........

8).........The high visibility of the channel champion can be both a good thing and a bad thing. When things go wrong, it leaves the individual exposed........But when done well, the job provides lots of exposure for the individual to many people on both sides of the partnership.......

I REST MY CASE!

The full article can be found at : http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1926580,00.asp

Other useful information on channel strategy and management can be found at :

http://www.channelcorp.com/corporate_profile.htm
Channel Corp

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5375.html
Harvard Business School

http://www.iirme.com/channelmgmt/
Institute of International Research

The funny thing is do you realise that this is really like a CEO's job..........I mean a real CEO!!!! Maybe it is a good training ground for CEOs-to-be. Whatever it is I love this job.

Lesson to be learn? To all those business development people out there, don't just sit there, please make yourself useful.......because you are suppose to be the most valuable people asset in the company after the CEO!

Entrepreneurial Salespeople Defined

2006-08-02T12:52:00.000+08:00

One of the most prominent trend happening not just in Malaysia but globally is the "Consolidation of companies" which also means "Consolidation of products". Today we are competitors tomorrow we become family. Today we are a distributor of a product tomorrow our principal/supplier got gobbled up by our competitors. And it goes on and on.

So as sales people we are faced with a huge task of keeping focused on our job in getting the sales in. We spend days and months promoting a product/service the next thing we know........GONE! We may end up with customers with needs that we can't fulfil......or at least not immediately until we get ourselves organised to get in a replacement. This is especially true when we are in Malaysia which we are distributor more often than not.

What I have experienced and realised is that to survive in this situation we salespeople have to be very entrepreneurial. Customers/contacts come to me for advises nowadays. There are just too many choices and overlap in them. It's my task to understand a customers business needs and also various needs of the individuals within the company and bring them the right product/service and supplier. This "match-making" process is another skillset alltogether which we can look at next time.

There is a very good article "The end of solution-based selling" by Jeff Thull, the president and CEO of Prime Resource Group (http://www.primeresource.com/) . It gives an insight into how to overcome the problem that I mentioned above. Some points in the article :

1. The way most companies are selling solutions just doesn't work in today's business world. Things have gotten so complex that most customers can't even comprehend what their problems are, let alone distinguish between you and your competitors.

2. And, too, many salespeople are out there making smoke-and-mirrors claims, simply re-labeling a collection of their products as "solutions," when in reality the customer is not able to connect those solutions to their business.

3. The answer is to quit selling your solution as you would sell any other product and start selling like a "business advisor," a job that requires the diagnostic skills of a doctor.

4. Such complex, robust, revenue-building solutions—which fully deliver on the value you promise and often go far above and beyond customer expectations—are what I call "prime solutions."

5. Today's salespeople must function like general managers. They must have a thorough understanding of the customer's business—but, more importantly, also the business of their customer's customers.

6. No one can afford to be complacent......Your products and services can—and will—be copied. Only by ingraining yourself deeply and inextricably into every aspect of your customers' day-to-day realties can you escape being replaced on a whim or due to a sudden shift in the market.

The full article can be view at : http://www.marketingprofs.com/login/signup.asp?source=/5/thull6.asp

Lesson to be learned? Did I mention that becoming such a business advisor you will have the problem to sell a lot of things you may not have to the customer. Depending how entrepreneurial you are, you can transform them into opportunities! Aha.......and that is another topic we will talk again.......

Entertaining Customers

2006-07-31T13:18:00.000+08:00

This will be an interesting topic to many salespeople since its the part of their job they hope to get "entertained" themselves! Most sales training we get and books we read they talk about stuff like power lunches, stratetic high profile dinners, organising joint outings/activities etc. It gives us all the guidelines necessary on how to plan for the occassion, getting the right people involve, what to do and not to do during the whole face time with the client etc.

Since I can't find a proper definition for customer entertainment I will use Dave Kahle (The Growth Coach), a high energy and content speaker, thoughts on this topic. Dave is a top sales professional and acquired most of his experience real life. Some important things he highlighted :

1) .......People like to do business with people they know. The better they know you, the more likely it is that they'll do business with you. When they spend time with you out side of the business setting, they come to know you better. It really is that simple.
2) .......Now, this doesn't mean that you can charge 20% more than your competitors, nor does it mean that you can sell an inferior product, or that your company can get away with second-class service. But, when many of these things are viewed by the customer as about the same as what your competition offers, you are more likely to get to the business if you are the one who has the greater relationship with the customer. The relationship doesn't stand in place of quality, price and service, but it can provide a competitive edge.
3) ....... Make a list of all the individuals who could be instrumental in buying your products and services. Rank them in order of importance using criteria like how important they are to the sale, and how much business they control. Then, start at the top and methodically work down through the list. Try to spend social time - not business time - with each.
4) ........Remember, the purpose is to get to know one another better as people - not as buyer and seller. So, don't talk business unless your customer brings it up. And no sales pitches, please. When you do that, you harden the buyer/seller roles that each of you play. That's exactly the opposite of what you want to have happen. Instead, search for personal common ground - things that you have in common with your customer. You are trying to get to know each other as people, not as role-players.
5) ........When you are entertaining, remember that you are host and that you should attend to all the details. That means that you make the dinner reservations, you see to the parking and transportation.
6) ........Strategic entertaining can be one of your most powerful strategies. It is a way to build relationships which provide you with a competitive edge, while, at the same time, meets the customer's preference to do business with people he/she knows.

His full article can be found at http://www.davekahle.com/article/entertain.htm

Not that these are wrong. Again these are just "structured" activities being marketed as the whole truth behind the success of entertaining your clients. It basically takes the art and fluidness out of a sales job. It is trying to make sales like an engineering job. If you put x + y you get z!!!

The (My) truth? We salespople have to bypass the very 1st hurdle. After that you can follow any method to entertain the beast you will still get the order. This tough hurdle is call "click"/"connect"/"instant bonding" whatever you call it. The same feeling you get when you meet your wife and girlfriend. When you get to such customer all "entry" barriers are gone. Then its a matter of time before you hit the "hole-in-one". (and continuing doing so....)

Comeon guys and girls.....haven't you meet some if not many clients that however you entertain them you just feel that you hate them??? So are they buying from you???? Or probably not for long??? Think! However once you have hit it off with the client, practising all the stuff Dave and other gurus preaches will definitely bring in more and more sales.

Lesson to be learn? How successful entertaining of a client lies in the ability of the salesperson in being able to identify the right client for him (not the company). I have always believed that this activity is most effective to increase sales from existing clients. New clients? Please refer to my previous post on "Illusion of Salespeople".

Illusion of Salespeople

2006-07-27T11:36:00.000+08:00

We have all been through this : I've got a bad year! It was so close! No Luck! So its not my fault! That guy was lucky the deals fell into his lap! Etc etc.

There is this so call "New Unconventional Way of Selling" mooted by Jacques Werth, a veteran salesman and trainer. What I understand is he preaches a different way to sell.

1.We should forget trying to find "interested" prospects and forget trying to convince a prospect to buy something from you.You are only looking for prospects who want to buy your type of product, not those you might interest in it.

2. Sell features not benefits. Because if the prospect can't automatically translate features into benefits in their own minds, they are not high probability prospects.

3. We are not in the education business. But they will buy from someone who offers them what they want and from someone whom they trust and respect. Those are the top two reasons prospects buy, and it takes a prospect about 20 minutes to determine whether or not they respect and trust you. That's the basis of a strong relationship with a customer, not the ability to schmooze. Straighforward and professional. Being overly friendly is a turn-off to many people.

More information can be found at http://www.highprobsell.com/html/high_probability_selling.html

Surprised? How many times have we be teached/educated/trained to :

1. You must MAKE them interested.
2. You must CONVINCE them in all sorts of ways.
3. Never sell FEATURES! Sell BENEFITS!
4. EDUCATE your prospects.
5. RELATIONSHIP SELLING!

Now you see how contradicting all these guidelines are. And they come from all the GURUs of sales. All these training on tactics to MAKE, CONVINCE, BENEFITS, EDUCATE, RELATIONSHIP SELLING etc is what I call the ILLUSION of salespeople! Because they create activities that will give a lot of impression to themselves and their bosses that something is working/happening.

Sorry to say that in my own experience most of prospects that bought from me had the "I have money and want to buy now!" words written all over their face. And most if not all I already knew if they will buy from me on the first meeting. Bullshit? Reflect again.

Mind you that these may not be new prospect you called upon. They can be those contacts you knew for ages with so call "brotherhood relationship". When they are not ready to buy......means they are NOT READY TO BUY! Or when they are not your type of customer....means they are NOT YOUR TYPE OF CUSTOMER!

Lesson to be learn? Like I say before selling is an art. When we meet prospects there is this whole "mating" process going on. Just walk away if you know you have to play "Hand Solo". It saves time, money and a lot of nagging from your mother.......I mean your boss!

The Importance of Email Etiquette

2006-07-25T11:36:00.000+08:00

Although I can be a lazy salesperson at times ( but salesperson are meant to be lazy!) there are certain principles/beliefs/values/system whatever you call it that I must follow. One of them is to do with emails. ABUSED! Is the best word for it.

Clients and partners have so little attention span that reading the email heading and the first "helicopter view" look at the whole content will only take 5 secs. So if we want to be successful please printout these tips below, burn it, put it in water and drink it!

Some important email etiquette tips for you salepeople :

1. Be concise and to the point
2. Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions
3. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation
4. Make it personal
5. Answer swiftly
6. Do not attach unnecessary files
7. Use proper structure & layout
8. Do not overuse the high priority option
9. Do not write in CAPITALS
10. Don't leave out the message thread
11. Add disclaimers to your emails
12. Read the email before you send it
13. Do not overuse Reply to All
14. Take care with abbreviations and emoticons
15. Do not request delivery and read receipts
16. Do not copy a message or attachment without permission
17. Do not use email to discuss confidential information
18. Use a meaningful subject
19. Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
20. Avoid long sentences
21. Don't send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks
22. Keep your language gender neutral
23. Use cc: field sparingly

There are tonnes of tips on the net. Another good one http://www.moddog.com/newsletterexample.shtml

Lesson to be learn? To simplify all these headache.........just pick up the phone or walk over to convey the message. Or better send the damn email then call within minutes. Your client/partners will be happy and fully understands what you need and you have an email trail for everyone to keep and reply. Better?

Basics?

2006-07-24T11:19:00.000+08:00

How funny is it when we need to be so "structured" when we learn and do things in this world. Just the other day in the Star Papers I read an article that we should delay the "structured" learning for babies and kids so their fresh minds have a free-flow of self-discovery ........ something like that......

Here are some useful basic definitions on business terms we as students of the world loved :

One Definition of Advertising
Advertising is bringing a product (or service) to the attention of potential and current customers. Advertising is typically done with signs, brochures, commercials, direct mailings or e-mail messages, personal contact, etc.

One Definition of Promotion
Promotion keeps the product in the minds of the customer and helps stimulate demand for the product. Promotion involves ongoing advertising and publicity (mention in the press). The ongoing activities of advertising, sales and public relations are often considered aspects of promotions.

One Definition of Marketing
Marketing is the wide range of activities involved in making sure that you're continuing to meet the needs of your customers and getting value in return. These activities include market research to find out, for example, what groups of potential customers exist, what their needs are, which of those needs you can meet, how you should meet them, etc. Marketing also includes analyzing the competition, positioning your new product or service (finding your market niche), pricing your products and services, and promoting them through continued advertising, promotions, public relations and sales.

One Definition of Public relations
Public relations includes ongoing activities to ensure the company has a strong public image. Public relations activities include helping the public to understand the company and its products. Often, public relations are conducted through the media, that is, newspapers, television, magazines, etc. As noted above, public relations is often considered as one of the primary activities included in promotions.

One Definition of Publicity
Publicity is mention in the media. Organizations usually have little control over the message in the media, at least, not as they do in advertising. Regarding publicity, reporters and writers decide what will be said.

One Definition of Sales
Sales involves most or many of the following activities, including cultivating prospective buyers (or leads) in a market segment; conveying the features, advantages and benefits of a product or service to the lead; and closing the sale (or coming to agreement on pricing and services).

My Definition?....
Advertising, Promotion, Marketing, Public Relations, Publicity and even Sales.........these are all just activities, outcome, results of........... "SALES". Now, this "SALES" is a noun where as the earlier one is a verb!

Since sales is such an art it comes from the heart not the mind. Structured sales trainings are just clever gimmics where good salespeople use to earn money. They try to "structure" the things they have tried and been through. This is where the students will fail as they don't think anymore. Just follow and you will be successful. Bullshit!

What I believe is we should throw fresh business-minded people into the streets. With little guidance on how to sell something that is where the creativity flows! Have you seen any of our first generation tycoons in Malaysia went for some sort of studies/training? Of course their sons and daughters are doing well since there are some millions in the bank to play with.

Visitor From "Down Under"

2006-07-21T14:40:00.000+08:00

We should learn a thing or two from some of these "white people" on professionalism. This Australian guy is on a business trip to KL and its his first trip to Malaysia! He is 42 yrs old and still a senior technical consultant. He gives so much "quality time" to my client that justify his fees. In our country at 24 (opposite of 42) we wanted to be the technical director sitting in a room doing god knows what.

Spending 5 days in KL he has not only done a great job working but visited Batu Caves, Petaling Street (2 times!), gone for seafood in Port Klang, shopped in Mid Valley and finally going to Sunway X-Treme Park for go-karting before flying off tomorrow. I have been in business trips before and most probably I will spend most of the evenings eating in the hotel, going to some massage place, downing some alcohol etc.

Lesson to be learn? Doing a good job at work should not be used as a reason to not do something more meaningful and interesting that will enriched our life experiences.

The Beginning

2006-07-21T11:59:00.000+08:00

Somehow I have so much philosophy in my daily life and work I figure its best to find an outlet for this fetish. I have been torturing my wife with this shit long enough!

I have often view the 24 hrs of our time daily as a single entity, no work life and no personal life. I have read so many books, articles, famous quotes from the best business and sales people in the world and yet I find I have my own way of defining certain moments and situations, no doubt similar but the delivery is different. I hope people reading it will enjoy it as much as I do blogging about it.

Welcome aboard.........