Sales Force One

Competition

I typically ask a group of salespeople this question:

"Who is your strongest competition?"

The answers vary...typically the answers include the names of the firms they compete against and occasionally the answer will even be "myself."

My thought - your strongest competition is the status quo - the tendency for your prospect to do nothing, to bury their head in the sand and hope things get better.  Of course, as we all know, hope is not a strategy.  How does waiting help your prospect solve their problem? (I assume here you started the selling process because they actually said they had a problem to solve vs. you begging them for an appointment or running numbers just to see what you could do for them).

Accountability - Can You Count on Yourself?

ACCOUNTABILITY.  Think about your top salesperson and what they would say if they did not hit their sales target this month.  "I'm on it; my pipeline is strong and I will fix the problem."  Accountable.  Now, think about the weakest salesperson that you have; what would they say about coming short of goal?   "I had to do Operation's job, the market is soft."  Excuses.
 
As the sales leader, how accountable are you to reaching your sales goals?  What shadow do you cast when it comes to taking full responsibility and not allowing an environment of excuse-making?
 
Tony Cole, President & CEO of Anthony Cole Training Group, works with sales managers and business owners across the country.  He will share with you three specific ideas to implement that will help you instill a culture of responsibility.  If you need to drive more consistent sales growth, participate in this free webinar,  Accountability - The 14-Letter Word for Sales Success, from 12 to 1 pm EDT on Thursday, August 6, 2009.
 
In this webinar, you will gain:
 
1.    A process for setting extraordinary standards
2.    An understanding of how to more effectively evaluate and manage
       sales activity and success
3.    An accountability matrix to use immediately with your sales team
4.    A way to accurately assess the commitment of your team
 
Please register now or call us at (877)635-5371. 

Selling Lessons From The Neighborhood

We live on a cul-de-sac in our neighborhood and I was struck by two events this week in terms of their application to selling.

First, in a game of wiffle ball this week my daughter Madison hit the ball and then realizing the second baseman was going to beat her to first base and she would be out, decided to run back to home crying!  That made me think of some of the reasons sales people get called out at first base on the initial prospect call...and how they go back to the office wondering "how did that happen?"

Secondly, Madison has swim practice every day in the morning...and I mean every day Monday through Friday.  But her friend Logan from across the street has not yet given up in the hope that he will get a different response when he comes across the street to see if she can play.  Every day the door bell rings.  Every day it is Logan asking if Madison can play.  And every day it is me telling him she is at swim practice and will be home after lunch.  These porch step conversations with Logan remind me of sales people who keep calling on the same prospects over and over again but expecting a diffent outcome and who do this primarily because the prospect will at least take their call.

Translation - make sure you are knocking on the right doors...with people who have compelling reasons to speak with you...and that you have a plan for getting past first base (without crying).