I hate to admit it, but I’m a fan of Jeff Foxworthy and his, “You know you’re a redneck if….” Eyes on Sales has an article by Drew Stevens that puts a spin to Jeff’s famous cliche, “You might be a cold calling nuisance if…” Drew has 10 quick tips that are great reminders that you should review before making a cold call. So here goes, you may be a nuisance if . . . You pick up the telephone and have no idea who you are calling. After hello you begin with chitchat. Speak with conviction and have a purpose for every call. You call and have conversations with… Read More
Continue ReadingTravel Time
This economy has caused many companies to limit travel and rightly so. Discretionary travel is restricted. However, salespeople still need to get on the road and visit customers even if it is just across town. National and international travel is still needed too. The first, obvious reason is true no matter what the economy – there is still business to be had out there. I think the drumbeat of negativity from the media gets many people to think outside of the right context. The economy, slow as it is, continues to move. Deals are being closed and products/services are being purchased. There is no option to close down the country… Read More
Continue ReadingRFI?
Unbelievable. I have been solicited in a disgusting, disturbing manner. Read this (my emphasis): This request for information (RFI) shall not be construed to be a Request For Proposal (RFP) and no agreement/contract will be entered into with/awarded to any vendor based on responses to this RFI, and it shall in no way be considered as authorization by <company> for vendors to undertake any work. Nothing in this RFI shall be construed as a commitment to issue a RFP. Response to this RFI will not create any obligation. Neither <company> nor vendors answering this RFI shall be bound by any aspect of their response to this RFI. RFI? Yes, I live… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Sales Manager’s Role
What makes a good sales manager is a question we hear all the time from CEO’s, Presidents and Owners. We have worked with hundreds of sales managers over the years and each one brings his or her own strengths and weaknesses. One variable that is oftened overlooked is whether the corporate culture allows the sales manager to do the job for which he or she is being held accountable. Jonathan Farrington has a great quote that not only answers the question of what makes a good sales manager, but is also the foundation of the sales culture of any organization (emphasis mine): The Sales Leader’s role is one of catalyst – constantly helping their team to… Read More
Continue ReadingWe’re Back…
Ok, we never really went anywhere, we just took the holidays off and enjoyed a time of relaxation. Now the new year is upon us along with what I consider the best selling time of the year. From now until Memorial Day, companies are implementing plans, purchasing equipment/services and focused on business. It is a window for any salesperson to start strong on their 2009 quota. This year definitely will challenge many salespeople as the worldwide economies have been in a funk. However, sales still occur. One thing about being a successful salesperson – you have to have passion with controlled emotions. I’ve seen salespeople allow themselves to get into… Read More
Continue ReadingKnow Your Customer
If a salesperson’s customer relationship is based in the purchasing department you have trouble. It is difficult to build a strong relationship with purchasing in that they are incented to cut your margins, shop your competition and demand ever-improving terms. Clearly you have to have a good relationship with purchasing if your typical sale goes through that department. However, it is high risk to base your customer relationship on that department. Selling Power offers up an article that discusses the importance of knowing your end customer – the one who actually uses your product or service. Consider this statement: Once you know your core customer as a person and not… Read More
Continue Reading14 Cold Calling Suggestions
Eyesonsales.com has a short article that lays out 14 steps in making successful cold calls. With the lengthening of the sales cycle in regards to the economy, it is important to make sure that your salespeople stay on top of their pipelines. This article has 14 points that can be used as a refresher for your experienced salespeople or as a starting point for your new salespeople. Have a dedicated time each day to prospect. Know the reason for calling before you call: customer benefits, not product features. Leave short voice mail messages. Assume your voice mail messages will never be returned. Always call one level higher in an organization… Read More
Continue ReadingProper Pipelines
Here is a terrific article from Selling Power titled Pare Down Your Pipeline. Let me give you the opening paragraphs: One key differentiator between your top 20 percent of performers and everyone else on your team is the way the superstars find and qualify leads. Let’s be honest: most of your reps – especially these days when business is agonizingly slow – are working feverishly to fill their pipelines. Their goal is to cram in as many leads as possible, knowing that a certain percentage of them are bound to come out the bottom as closed deals. Top producers, on the other hand, “are more interested in disqualifying prospects than… Read More
Continue ReadingQuoting Is Not Qualifying
I run into this topic often and it is one worth defining. Many companies value quotes as strong sales activity. Now don’t get me wrong, quotes are a step in the sales process and typically one that occurs before a close. However, companies that have under-defined sales processes often choose to substitute quotes for qualifying. Here is what I mean – just because a suspect asks for a quote does not mean that they are a prospect. This applies to customers too. First, let’s define suspects and prospects. A suspect is a company that shows some interest in your product or service but you are not sure of the level… Read More
Continue ReadingPrice Perception
I have seen the price issue play out among many salespeople and there seems to be one simple, philosophical difference between those who close high margins deals and those who are serial discounters. The key difference is understanding that pricing is based off what the buyer will pay for the product or service, not what the cost is to produce it. I’ve seen this difference first-hand as one salesperson prices his product at a fairly high margin. However, the product is highly engineered and relatively unique in the market. One last helper – the company has a strong reputation in the market which certainly helps…greatly. The other salesperson for the… Read More
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