"The customer is always right".
Everytime I hear that, it makes me want to scream like Howard Dean. What people really mean, I hope, is "The customer is king"! The underlying psychology behind these two statements is as different as store-bought ice cream and homemade ice cream.
If the customer is king, you want to do anything you can to satisfy him so that you won't be sent to the dungeons or the guillotine. You want him to be happy to see you and to know that the time spent with you is golden.
If the customer is always right, you have nothing to sell and become an order-taker. If the customer says she wants to use Prudential for life insurance and you work for Northwestern, what do you do? Walk out? Of course not. Since she is the queen, you find a way to delicately convince her of the error of her ways and sell your policy.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Road Warrior
A few years ago, I was in a training session with a new salesman named Nick. He was a very intelligent young man who took copious notes and tried to implement everything that was taught. That ultimately got him fired but that is another story for another blog on another day!
Nick was a little immature and asked me how much I enjoyed life on the road - "you know; bars, booze and broads". I told him that A. "I'm a happily married man" and B. "I don't drink". But I did have some advice for him that might help him succeed.
Early to bed, early to rise will, besides the obvious, also get you to your appoinments on time with a relatively sharp mind. Eat healthy and drink water.
Allow time between calls so that you can maintain speeds that will let you keep your driver's license. I knew a guy that lost his license and had to be chauffeurred. That lasted about a month then he was gone.
Go see the movie with Glenn Close and Michael Douglas, "Fatal Attraction". If that doesn't scare you straight, I'm not sure what would.
Oh, sure I know what would scare you straight; AIDS.
Nick was a little immature and asked me how much I enjoyed life on the road - "you know; bars, booze and broads". I told him that A. "I'm a happily married man" and B. "I don't drink". But I did have some advice for him that might help him succeed.
Early to bed, early to rise will, besides the obvious, also get you to your appoinments on time with a relatively sharp mind. Eat healthy and drink water.
Allow time between calls so that you can maintain speeds that will let you keep your driver's license. I knew a guy that lost his license and had to be chauffeurred. That lasted about a month then he was gone.
Go see the movie with Glenn Close and Michael Douglas, "Fatal Attraction". If that doesn't scare you straight, I'm not sure what would.
Oh, sure I know what would scare you straight; AIDS.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Fair's Fair
The previous post about partnerships seems to point the finger at customers who lie and take advantage of salespeople. We all know that this IS a two way street.
Salespeople today must have the highest integrity and serve customers well. Without that trust, clients will be unwilling to give the business to you even if they have to pay a higher price. AND customers have a very good memory if they think they have been, uh, mishandled.
Perhaps the most common type of lie or simply being "misleading" is lying by omission. Frequently, there is all kinds of information that has no relevance and doesn't need to be discussed. However withholding information that is relevant that could cost you the sale can sink your career faster than a canoe with a 12" hole in the bottom. The other common type of lie from sales people is "yes we can" without knowing it to be true. When clients learn the truth . . .
Many sales trainers believe that "no" should be taken out of the dictionary. While I am a "yes" kind of guy, if I don't know, I ask for time to do the homework. It is much better to under promise and over deliver!!
I've been fortunate enough to have worked mostly with and for people of high integrity. I have also let the people I work with know that integrity is expected. By having high expectations of myself and others, rarely have I been let down. I hope that the same is true for you.
Salespeople today must have the highest integrity and serve customers well. Without that trust, clients will be unwilling to give the business to you even if they have to pay a higher price. AND customers have a very good memory if they think they have been, uh, mishandled.
Perhaps the most common type of lie or simply being "misleading" is lying by omission. Frequently, there is all kinds of information that has no relevance and doesn't need to be discussed. However withholding information that is relevant that could cost you the sale can sink your career faster than a canoe with a 12" hole in the bottom. The other common type of lie from sales people is "yes we can" without knowing it to be true. When clients learn the truth . . .
Many sales trainers believe that "no" should be taken out of the dictionary. While I am a "yes" kind of guy, if I don't know, I ask for time to do the homework. It is much better to under promise and over deliver!!
I've been fortunate enough to have worked mostly with and for people of high integrity. I have also let the people I work with know that integrity is expected. By having high expectations of myself and others, rarely have I been let down. I hope that the same is true for you.
Put it there, Partner !
The question is "Where is what put?" .
While talking with an old friend recently the subject of "partnerships" came up. Partnership is a term used for a "close relationship", an "alliance", a "synergy between the companies" etc. Every good salesman for thousands of years has worked towards close relationships with customers. Partnerships are built on mutual trust, shared goals and a desire to see both companies succeed.
HOWEVER, there are exceptions to every rule as my friend, Mr. Marks, pointed out. He said "frequently partnerships tend to be parasitic with the vendor as the host". Sometimes while working towards the common goal, a salesman (salesperson!) can find themselves on the super highway which is, by the way, one way. Once on it, it can be difficult perhaps even impossible to change direction.
Be aware that some customers / potential customers will obfuscate / lie to better themselves. They will talk about mutual success through the partnership but when push comes to shove, you'd better have your position very stable.
As a very young salesman, I got severely conned - "partnered" almost out of a job. A company that I had pursued came to me with wonderful promises and orders in hand. My product was purchased, used and never paid for - to the tune of $30,000, large $$ to me at the time. The only thing that saved me was the fact that the factories that I got the orders for as a representative didn't do any kind of financial check.
If a situation occurs that seems to good to be true - be skeptical, keep the eyes and ears open and the mouth shut until all the cards have been dropped. Partnerships are great but everybody has to be up front, honest, trustworthy, brave and true !
While talking with an old friend recently the subject of "partnerships" came up. Partnership is a term used for a "close relationship", an "alliance", a "synergy between the companies" etc. Every good salesman for thousands of years has worked towards close relationships with customers. Partnerships are built on mutual trust, shared goals and a desire to see both companies succeed.
HOWEVER, there are exceptions to every rule as my friend, Mr. Marks, pointed out. He said "frequently partnerships tend to be parasitic with the vendor as the host". Sometimes while working towards the common goal, a salesman (salesperson!) can find themselves on the super highway which is, by the way, one way. Once on it, it can be difficult perhaps even impossible to change direction.
Be aware that some customers / potential customers will obfuscate / lie to better themselves. They will talk about mutual success through the partnership but when push comes to shove, you'd better have your position very stable.
As a very young salesman, I got severely conned - "partnered" almost out of a job. A company that I had pursued came to me with wonderful promises and orders in hand. My product was purchased, used and never paid for - to the tune of $30,000, large $$ to me at the time. The only thing that saved me was the fact that the factories that I got the orders for as a representative didn't do any kind of financial check.
If a situation occurs that seems to good to be true - be skeptical, keep the eyes and ears open and the mouth shut until all the cards have been dropped. Partnerships are great but everybody has to be up front, honest, trustworthy, brave and true !
Friday, June 26, 2009
Self-Motivation
Motivation is a concept right up there with "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", "to each his own" etc. What moves one person may not get as much as a blink of an eye with the next.
A few years ago a sales contest was held to give a boost to a particular product group. Polling the sales guys revealed that most would be interested in a vacation trip for two. The grand prize ended up being a four night, five day stay in the Bahamas - company paid and no personal vacation time required to be used. It was wildly successful with exposure and sales for that product line more than tripling over the previous quarter. The winner didn't want the prize and only asked that he be able to take the 5 days as extended weekends over the course of the year. A quiet man, his only goal was to show that he was the best.
While many seminars on motivation seriously motivate some people, most attendees that I have talked with admit that the surge lasts only a few days. My question to them then is "Have you learned anything that you can use to motivate yourself when you need to achieve?" Most say they know what to do and they just have to make themselves do it. This is where goal setting blends with motivation - set a goal and take the steps to do it.
When I young in the sales game, I blazed away for a while and then I "blazed away" like a piece of charcoal. Still hot but the bright flame was hard to see. My manager, an "old" guy who at the time was younger than I am now called me to his office as he could see some of my frustrations.
After admitting that it was difficult getting "up" to see some accounts he put it very succintly - "Do your job and then some and you'll pick back up very quickly. If you don't do your job, it WILL very quickly become a real chore and you will fail". How right he was! If you at least do the job and a little bit more, the bad times will be in the past and you'll get moving again.
As Zig Ziglar says "the auto-university" is an excellent way to listen to motivational people and to learn. The big sellers are big for a reason; they speak well, they speak to you and they speak to success. Invest the money to listen to the best like Ziglar, Napolean Hill etc. I'll go through my audio library soon and will give you a list of some that I like.
My son makes fun of me for this but I like to listen to music that inspires me before I go into a big meeting. "1812 Overture", Theme from Superman, "Hall of the Mountain King", "Star Wars", "Impossible Dream" etc. Do what it takes if you require a little mental boost. Put a picture on your dashboard of the person you want to impress, read a great speech, listen to a motivational speaker or to music that wakens your soul. BUT BE SURE TO DO IT.
A few years ago a sales contest was held to give a boost to a particular product group. Polling the sales guys revealed that most would be interested in a vacation trip for two. The grand prize ended up being a four night, five day stay in the Bahamas - company paid and no personal vacation time required to be used. It was wildly successful with exposure and sales for that product line more than tripling over the previous quarter. The winner didn't want the prize and only asked that he be able to take the 5 days as extended weekends over the course of the year. A quiet man, his only goal was to show that he was the best.
While many seminars on motivation seriously motivate some people, most attendees that I have talked with admit that the surge lasts only a few days. My question to them then is "Have you learned anything that you can use to motivate yourself when you need to achieve?" Most say they know what to do and they just have to make themselves do it. This is where goal setting blends with motivation - set a goal and take the steps to do it.
When I young in the sales game, I blazed away for a while and then I "blazed away" like a piece of charcoal. Still hot but the bright flame was hard to see. My manager, an "old" guy who at the time was younger than I am now called me to his office as he could see some of my frustrations.
After admitting that it was difficult getting "up" to see some accounts he put it very succintly - "Do your job and then some and you'll pick back up very quickly. If you don't do your job, it WILL very quickly become a real chore and you will fail". How right he was! If you at least do the job and a little bit more, the bad times will be in the past and you'll get moving again.
As Zig Ziglar says "the auto-university" is an excellent way to listen to motivational people and to learn. The big sellers are big for a reason; they speak well, they speak to you and they speak to success. Invest the money to listen to the best like Ziglar, Napolean Hill etc. I'll go through my audio library soon and will give you a list of some that I like.
My son makes fun of me for this but I like to listen to music that inspires me before I go into a big meeting. "1812 Overture", Theme from Superman, "Hall of the Mountain King", "Star Wars", "Impossible Dream" etc. Do what it takes if you require a little mental boost. Put a picture on your dashboard of the person you want to impress, read a great speech, listen to a motivational speaker or to music that wakens your soul. BUT BE SURE TO DO IT.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Quote of the Day
"Remember that someone, somewhere is practicing and when you meet him, he will win."
Edward Macauley
Rehearsal time is needed for every profession that requires constant thought and action. Surgeons, athletes, lawyers, actors, financial advisors, dancers and sales people.
Be prepared. Use down time to review the sales process, to try to predict objections, to learn more about your customer.
Some of the highest paid professions in the world require constant fine-tuning. Why should we sales types just "wing it"?
Edward Macauley
Rehearsal time is needed for every profession that requires constant thought and action. Surgeons, athletes, lawyers, actors, financial advisors, dancers and sales people.
Be prepared. Use down time to review the sales process, to try to predict objections, to learn more about your customer.
Some of the highest paid professions in the world require constant fine-tuning. Why should we sales types just "wing it"?
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Imperative: Goals
There must be a reason why so many books, magazine articles, seminars and speeches are given about goal setting. What do you think it is? To make money? Maybe / probably but that isn't the main reason. It is important? BINGO ! So why don't more of us do it?
Not setting goals makes life so much easier. No pressure to meet expectations. No deadlines.
How about - NO SALES ! Sure some industries are easier to float with the current than others but is that going to help you, your customer, your co-workers or the company?
Some experts turn goal setting into an ordeal by giving you life advice on setting goals for everything. Some focus strictly on the money aspect - Two Million $$ a year at 43% profit, etc.
Most of us don't want to be decathletes but some of us are willing to work on what we understand to be weaknesses. Perhaps we do need to set a dollar goal or a goal for the number of phone calls required per day. Maybe it needs to be to see a new person each time you visit an established account or to invite a customer to lunch more frequently.
Goals need to make you stretch yourself, to be something positive, sustainable and trackable and to be realistic. In a college PE class, we had to set up a fitness schedule that we could implement once we became working adults. I failed it because "this is great if you want to go to the Olympics but not reasonable for the average person with a job and family".
Think about what needs to be accomplished, prioritize, plan and start to implement!
Not setting goals makes life so much easier. No pressure to meet expectations. No deadlines.
How about - NO SALES ! Sure some industries are easier to float with the current than others but is that going to help you, your customer, your co-workers or the company?
Some experts turn goal setting into an ordeal by giving you life advice on setting goals for everything. Some focus strictly on the money aspect - Two Million $$ a year at 43% profit, etc.
Most of us don't want to be decathletes but some of us are willing to work on what we understand to be weaknesses. Perhaps we do need to set a dollar goal or a goal for the number of phone calls required per day. Maybe it needs to be to see a new person each time you visit an established account or to invite a customer to lunch more frequently.
Goals need to make you stretch yourself, to be something positive, sustainable and trackable and to be realistic. In a college PE class, we had to set up a fitness schedule that we could implement once we became working adults. I failed it because "this is great if you want to go to the Olympics but not reasonable for the average person with a job and family".
Think about what needs to be accomplished, prioritize, plan and start to implement!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thought for the Day (ok - evening!)
Be cognizant.
If someone steps back from you - there may be a reason.
If someone offers you a mint or piece of gum - take it!
They might be following the old rule - share and share alike
OR
They might not have the courage to say that your breath is
OUTRAGEOUS.
Bathe.
There was a co-worker once that rarely seemed to smell good and all hints were ignored.
Finally, the branch manager of the office called the guy in and suggested to him that if he
was going to do sweaty work at home before coming to the office then he needed to allow time for a shower. Thank goodness that helped; not everyday was great but the man improved.
Wear clean, neat clothes and if you serve in a humid part of the country or in an industry where you can get sweaty and dirty - at least keep a clean shirt handy to switch into before the next call. You cannot predict the future and can never know what opportunity may arise. Sure, Chris Gardner pulled it off (at least in the movie "Pursuit of Happyness" he did) but that is a card you probably shouldn't try to play.
If someone steps back from you - there may be a reason.
If someone offers you a mint or piece of gum - take it!
They might be following the old rule - share and share alike
OR
They might not have the courage to say that your breath is
OUTRAGEOUS.
Bathe.
There was a co-worker once that rarely seemed to smell good and all hints were ignored.
Finally, the branch manager of the office called the guy in and suggested to him that if he
was going to do sweaty work at home before coming to the office then he needed to allow time for a shower. Thank goodness that helped; not everyday was great but the man improved.
Wear clean, neat clothes and if you serve in a humid part of the country or in an industry where you can get sweaty and dirty - at least keep a clean shirt handy to switch into before the next call. You cannot predict the future and can never know what opportunity may arise. Sure, Chris Gardner pulled it off (at least in the movie "Pursuit of Happyness" he did) but that is a card you probably shouldn't try to play.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Imperative: FOLLOW-UP
Recently I had an opportunity to follow my own advice. After a very important phone call to sell myself, I provided follow-up in the form of a greeting card to express appreciation for the time given to me. Besides being basic good manners, it is an opportunity to promote your name / company one more time.
The high speed world is providing more and more instant communication, some of which is lost or deemed insignificant simply because of that volume. By using the post office as a follow-up resource, you can increase the chance to raise your visability. Virtually everybody will open a piece of mail that looks like a personal card.
Quality cards for business use are difficult to find. Basic "Thank You " cards are ok, especially with a hand-written note. http://www.successories.com/ has a wonderful variety of cards for business and I have used them for years but be prepared to spend a little money.
Follow-up. It is a selling imperative that should not be ignored but unfortunately, frequently is.
The high speed world is providing more and more instant communication, some of which is lost or deemed insignificant simply because of that volume. By using the post office as a follow-up resource, you can increase the chance to raise your visability. Virtually everybody will open a piece of mail that looks like a personal card.
Quality cards for business use are difficult to find. Basic "Thank You " cards are ok, especially with a hand-written note. http://www.successories.com/ has a wonderful variety of cards for business and I have used them for years but be prepared to spend a little money.
Follow-up. It is a selling imperative that should not be ignored but unfortunately, frequently is.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Shake On It !
Meeting someone for the first time requires so much of you to be sure that the first impression is a good one. So many things can go wrong; poor dress, bad breath, poor posture, bad handshake, etc.
Shaking someone's hand is an opportunity to convey a non-verbal, positive message. I liken it to holding a baby; infants want to feel secure thus a fretful baby frequently quiets down when held closely and firmly. When you shake someone's hand, do it with a firm grip and with sincerity. Don't crush the hand or fake how happy you are to meet a person.
The WORST thing you can do is offer a limp hand where the fingers are barely curved around the person's hand with little pressure, not curved at all applying no pressure or provide no hand to shake. The message that is instantly sent is "I don't really care about you". True or not that piece of information you send is probably not one that would ever be verbalized but would come out of your customer as "I don't know, there's just something about him I don't like."
When a new person enters the room, stand up, smile and shake hands. Even if it is someone that you know, do it. Do you think you won't be liked for standing up to greet someone? Of course not but if you don't stand, you might be adding to the "I don't know . . ." file.
Shaking someone's hand is an opportunity to convey a non-verbal, positive message. I liken it to holding a baby; infants want to feel secure thus a fretful baby frequently quiets down when held closely and firmly. When you shake someone's hand, do it with a firm grip and with sincerity. Don't crush the hand or fake how happy you are to meet a person.
The WORST thing you can do is offer a limp hand where the fingers are barely curved around the person's hand with little pressure, not curved at all applying no pressure or provide no hand to shake. The message that is instantly sent is "I don't really care about you". True or not that piece of information you send is probably not one that would ever be verbalized but would come out of your customer as "I don't know, there's just something about him I don't like."
When a new person enters the room, stand up, smile and shake hands. Even if it is someone that you know, do it. Do you think you won't be liked for standing up to greet someone? Of course not but if you don't stand, you might be adding to the "I don't know . . ." file.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Notes on a Previous Blog
Last Monday, June 9th, I had an entry about body language and that it is really hard to miss the message that a customer sends by looking at a clock or a watch.
A nurse practitioner called me to provide some input about the almost total lack of appreciation of her and her staff's time by pharmaceutical reps. It seems that most of the reps pop into this office unannounced and don't hesitate to stand in the hall, in the way until somebody on the staff signs a "call sheet" to prove that the offending salesperson has in fact had their body in the office of this particular practice. This practitioner said that those salespeople have been told that this form of "selling" is not appreciated and these pharm reps do not get many, if any, orders or prescriptions placed.
However, there are a few that call in advance and generally stop in before the day fills up with patients. One rep would frequently bring fruit parfaits for the whole office early in the morning and was very respectful of the medical offices' time.
This case study of what not to do allows once again for this to be said; It is imperative to build a relationship with your clients. Part of this requires respect for the client and the amount of time the client can afford to give. DON'T think that now is the time to tell everything you know out of fear that you'll never be seen again. Be succinct. Be factual. If the client wants to talk more, take all the time that is given and listen. By knowing what is important to the client, the next time you call for an appointment you'll be able to hit the hot buttons thus have time allotted to you.
A nurse practitioner called me to provide some input about the almost total lack of appreciation of her and her staff's time by pharmaceutical reps. It seems that most of the reps pop into this office unannounced and don't hesitate to stand in the hall, in the way until somebody on the staff signs a "call sheet" to prove that the offending salesperson has in fact had their body in the office of this particular practice. This practitioner said that those salespeople have been told that this form of "selling" is not appreciated and these pharm reps do not get many, if any, orders or prescriptions placed.
However, there are a few that call in advance and generally stop in before the day fills up with patients. One rep would frequently bring fruit parfaits for the whole office early in the morning and was very respectful of the medical offices' time.
This case study of what not to do allows once again for this to be said; It is imperative to build a relationship with your clients. Part of this requires respect for the client and the amount of time the client can afford to give. DON'T think that now is the time to tell everything you know out of fear that you'll never be seen again. Be succinct. Be factual. If the client wants to talk more, take all the time that is given and listen. By knowing what is important to the client, the next time you call for an appointment you'll be able to hit the hot buttons thus have time allotted to you.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Value is In the Heart of the Beholder
How do you negotiate?
From a position of knowledge?
A position of strength?
Is your product totally unique?
Is value offered?
Do you have alternatives ready?
Are you Listening well?
Are you Able to walk away?
Negotiating thru a good relationship?
From a position of knowledge?
A position of strength?
Is your product totally unique?
Is value offered?
Do you have alternatives ready?
Are you Listening well?
Are you Able to walk away?
Negotiating thru a good relationship?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Good Book
check out Thinking for a Change by John Maxwell.
It has been several years since I read it but I just pulled it out to peruse again.
The chapter I most remember is "Master the Process of Intentional Thinking" with the key word being "Intentional". It's a good book that is well worth the time invested which is one of the Imperatives - ROI of Time.
It has been several years since I read it but I just pulled it out to peruse again.
The chapter I most remember is "Master the Process of Intentional Thinking" with the key word being "Intentional". It's a good book that is well worth the time invested which is one of the Imperatives - ROI of Time.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Truth and Consequences
This is such a basic topic that very little is written about it. Books, chapters are not dedicated to the importance of truth because we all believe in it. Right? Once in while you'll find a magazine article dedicated to truth and its application in selling but that is about it.
Unfortunately, many people believe that truth is in the eye of the beholder, that getting the job/order is the only truth that counts; "my truth is the paycheck!" Recently, a friend of mine was telling me about an argument that he had with his boss. My friends' company needed 8 weeks to produce a product and his boss wanted him to tell the customer 4 weeks. The discussion was essentially that the boss was afraid if 4 weeks was not quoted, they'd never get the job. The point my friend made was if they lied to get the order, they may never get another!
For some reason when it comes to a customer lying it suddenly becomes "shrewed negotiating". It's considered ok for a purchasing agent to request getting a shipment overnight knowing the product won't be needed for a week. Or to say that they are paying considerably less than they actually are. In one prime example of this, I had been trying to do business with a very large tire manufacturer but I'd lose every opportunity and each time I followed up, the same answer was given "your price was too high" . The next opportunity to quote was for a specific product that was distributed by my company and several competitors but by contract I had a "protected" territory and a pricing structure equivalent to everyone else in the USA. The price quoted to the tire company was 10% below my cost and the order was still lost. While talking with the purchasing agent I admitted what I had done and asked him what was going on, diplomatically of course! Somebody else had a better relationship with that PA, he was required to get three quotes and that was that. Lesson learned on my part - DEVELOP A BETTER RELATIONSHIP!
Or perhaps to try to trick the salesman into making a mistake. Several years ago a very large company started having problems with a product that I represented. The product had been installed for about 10 -15 years. When I investigated the situation, it was determined that production had been ramped up so much during that time that my product was being asked to perform twice as well as it had been designed to do. When I advised the customer this, the engineer said "Oh, we knew that. We just wanted to see what you'd say" . Which implied to me that a mistake on my part was being hoped for so that they wouldn't have to spend their money.
I am brutally honest, perhaps to a fault, with my customers and the companies that I represent. It has won me a lot of business because I'm trusted. It has greatly irritated people that I have sold for, from presidents down to folks producing products. Lying or misleading customers only leads to disasterous results down the road and some of the stories that I have heard from customers have confirmed that to me. Now, many times the customers will set themselves up for disappointment and will have very selective memories but being truthful and upfront will win in the long run. "Honesty is the best policy" and "do better unto others than you would have them do unto you."
Unfortunately, many people believe that truth is in the eye of the beholder, that getting the job/order is the only truth that counts; "my truth is the paycheck!" Recently, a friend of mine was telling me about an argument that he had with his boss. My friends' company needed 8 weeks to produce a product and his boss wanted him to tell the customer 4 weeks. The discussion was essentially that the boss was afraid if 4 weeks was not quoted, they'd never get the job. The point my friend made was if they lied to get the order, they may never get another!
For some reason when it comes to a customer lying it suddenly becomes "shrewed negotiating". It's considered ok for a purchasing agent to request getting a shipment overnight knowing the product won't be needed for a week. Or to say that they are paying considerably less than they actually are. In one prime example of this, I had been trying to do business with a very large tire manufacturer but I'd lose every opportunity and each time I followed up, the same answer was given "your price was too high" . The next opportunity to quote was for a specific product that was distributed by my company and several competitors but by contract I had a "protected" territory and a pricing structure equivalent to everyone else in the USA. The price quoted to the tire company was 10% below my cost and the order was still lost. While talking with the purchasing agent I admitted what I had done and asked him what was going on, diplomatically of course! Somebody else had a better relationship with that PA, he was required to get three quotes and that was that. Lesson learned on my part - DEVELOP A BETTER RELATIONSHIP!
Or perhaps to try to trick the salesman into making a mistake. Several years ago a very large company started having problems with a product that I represented. The product had been installed for about 10 -15 years. When I investigated the situation, it was determined that production had been ramped up so much during that time that my product was being asked to perform twice as well as it had been designed to do. When I advised the customer this, the engineer said "Oh, we knew that. We just wanted to see what you'd say" . Which implied to me that a mistake on my part was being hoped for so that they wouldn't have to spend their money.
I am brutally honest, perhaps to a fault, with my customers and the companies that I represent. It has won me a lot of business because I'm trusted. It has greatly irritated people that I have sold for, from presidents down to folks producing products. Lying or misleading customers only leads to disasterous results down the road and some of the stories that I have heard from customers have confirmed that to me. Now, many times the customers will set themselves up for disappointment and will have very selective memories but being truthful and upfront will win in the long run. "Honesty is the best policy" and "do better unto others than you would have them do unto you."
Monday, June 8, 2009
Oh My Gosh, Look at the Time !
There is a news commentator in the evening that periodically will have a body language expert on the show to interpret the body language of people in the news. While most of the time I agree with her assessments, frequently I would think that you really need to know or study this person to be sure what message is being sent by the body. Sure enough, one segment she said that - "I really don't know and haven't studied this person so I can't be sure but . . ."
As salespeople, we look for signs all the time. Is the buyer open? Is now the time to ask for the order? Is this the right person to talk to? etc. My contention is that we must be very careful doing this until several meetings have passed. Unless, of course, the body language is one of the universal signs that everybody does like glancing at the wristwatch or the clock on the wall. When that happens, either the customer wants to speak or you have over-stayed your welcome. In either case, stop talking, ask a pertinent question or invite yourself to leave.
As a psychology student, I had a professor who was a practicing psychologist. This guy was really into body language and even had his practice set up so that he could see the waiting room and the patient had to walk a long hallway also in his view, to get to him. He would make notes and then compare them after the session of questions with the patient. He claimed that he was right 90% of the time on his asssesment by body language but then again, professors always think they're right!
Do observe your customers closely and learn what some of their body language is saying. It may be the unspoken key to getting the business!
As salespeople, we look for signs all the time. Is the buyer open? Is now the time to ask for the order? Is this the right person to talk to? etc. My contention is that we must be very careful doing this until several meetings have passed. Unless, of course, the body language is one of the universal signs that everybody does like glancing at the wristwatch or the clock on the wall. When that happens, either the customer wants to speak or you have over-stayed your welcome. In either case, stop talking, ask a pertinent question or invite yourself to leave.
As a psychology student, I had a professor who was a practicing psychologist. This guy was really into body language and even had his practice set up so that he could see the waiting room and the patient had to walk a long hallway also in his view, to get to him. He would make notes and then compare them after the session of questions with the patient. He claimed that he was right 90% of the time on his asssesment by body language but then again, professors always think they're right!
Do observe your customers closely and learn what some of their body language is saying. It may be the unspoken key to getting the business!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Be Careful At Lunch
As a follow-up to yesterday's post there is one caveat. Mind your table manners!
Be aware of how you may be perceived as you eat. Do you hover over your food like a hawk after a kill? Does your hand go to your mouth with the speed of a packaging conveyor? Do you talk with food in your mouth? If you have a mustache or beard, are there particles clinging to you?
I have a friend that I have lots of meals with but I have to make sure I don't sit across from this person. After every meal, the nose cleaning process begins. Not just blowing the nose but using the napkin like a q-tip in each nostril right at the table. I don't know if there is a food allergy problem or what but it is pretty disgusting especially while people are still eating.
Pick up a book about etiquette. Ask your friends who are brave enought to tell you, "Do I have any habits, particularly at the table, that annoy you?". As you eat a meal ask yourself "Do I look like a cave dweller or a modern human being?". Even if you don't know the difference between a butter knife and a carving knife, practice looking good while you eat. Of course there is the other rule - eat the same way your guest eats!
Be aware of how you may be perceived as you eat. Do you hover over your food like a hawk after a kill? Does your hand go to your mouth with the speed of a packaging conveyor? Do you talk with food in your mouth? If you have a mustache or beard, are there particles clinging to you?
I have a friend that I have lots of meals with but I have to make sure I don't sit across from this person. After every meal, the nose cleaning process begins. Not just blowing the nose but using the napkin like a q-tip in each nostril right at the table. I don't know if there is a food allergy problem or what but it is pretty disgusting especially while people are still eating.
Pick up a book about etiquette. Ask your friends who are brave enought to tell you, "Do I have any habits, particularly at the table, that annoy you?". As you eat a meal ask yourself "Do I look like a cave dweller or a modern human being?". Even if you don't know the difference between a butter knife and a carving knife, practice looking good while you eat. Of course there is the other rule - eat the same way your guest eats!
Friday, June 5, 2009
A Good Book About ROI Time
Keith Ferrazzi wrote a good book and his best advice is the title - Never Eat Alone .
Every salesperson must use their time wisely and consider what constitutes the best return on their investment of time. Some road warriors have to use the lunch hour to travel from one town to the next. In between bites of grilled chicken sandwiches, using a voice activated recorder you can make notes, dictate e-mails or letters that you want to go out. I know that in the name of safety on the roads, you wouldn't be making cell phone calls to clients providing them with follow - up. Yeh, I know they are at lunch but you can always leave well thought out messages or provide follow-up information .
However, if you possibly can, have lunch with a client or potential client. Help yourself and your customer by developing a relationship with each other; building trust and familiarity. There are 5 - 10 hours a week that can be used for this purpose. Take the person out that you don't have a relationship with or just don't like. Expand your contacts at the account by offering to take your customer and their boss or someone of your customers' choice.
Many times breakfast is an excellent choice for dining with a client. You beat your competitors in the door that particular day, you can plant positive seeds about your company and product that will last most of day and your client probably hasn't encountered any issues yet so there are no walls to communication that had been built that day. Plus, it is almost always a less expensive meal !
It's usually pretty safe to let your client pick the place because they will pick someplace where they are comfortable and most of the time won't try to stick you with an unreasonable bill. If the place is TOO reasonable, don't hesitate to recommend an upgrade. Remember to ask questions (work related for the tax break oh and for the business!, personal for relationship building) and listen. All the world loves a good listener!
Don't be abusive to your company's policies and if your company doesn't pick up the tab, keep the receipts for your personal tax deductions.
Every salesperson must use their time wisely and consider what constitutes the best return on their investment of time. Some road warriors have to use the lunch hour to travel from one town to the next. In between bites of grilled chicken sandwiches, using a voice activated recorder you can make notes, dictate e-mails or letters that you want to go out. I know that in the name of safety on the roads, you wouldn't be making cell phone calls to clients providing them with follow - up. Yeh, I know they are at lunch but you can always leave well thought out messages or provide follow-up information .
However, if you possibly can, have lunch with a client or potential client. Help yourself and your customer by developing a relationship with each other; building trust and familiarity. There are 5 - 10 hours a week that can be used for this purpose. Take the person out that you don't have a relationship with or just don't like. Expand your contacts at the account by offering to take your customer and their boss or someone of your customers' choice.
Many times breakfast is an excellent choice for dining with a client. You beat your competitors in the door that particular day, you can plant positive seeds about your company and product that will last most of day and your client probably hasn't encountered any issues yet so there are no walls to communication that had been built that day. Plus, it is almost always a less expensive meal !
It's usually pretty safe to let your client pick the place because they will pick someplace where they are comfortable and most of the time won't try to stick you with an unreasonable bill. If the place is TOO reasonable, don't hesitate to recommend an upgrade. Remember to ask questions (work related for the tax break oh and for the business!, personal for relationship building) and listen. All the world loves a good listener!
Don't be abusive to your company's policies and if your company doesn't pick up the tab, keep the receipts for your personal tax deductions.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Malloy said to "Dress for Success"
In the late '70s, John Malloy wrote an excellent book called Dress for Success. Many of the suggestions in the book still apply to certain industries. However, dressing for success has changed and I'm not sure for the better. Some sales people take the whole casual business dress to the extreme; wearing tennis shoes, no socks, shirts that aren't clean, skirts that are too short etc.
I had an opportunity to make some joint calls with a regional manager for one of the largest corporations in the world and they had a fairly strict dress code; suits and solid shirts with ties.
Unfortunately, we were going to make calls to and in coal mines. I advised that in this particular case, the mining companies wanted to see someone who could get dirty and jeans, older shirt, boots and no tie were recommended. He didn't even flinch - "can't do it".
We traveled to 3 mines and in each case we weren't allowed out of the office of the safety engineer even though there was equipment to inspect. I was dressed appropriately but that didn't help and had to come back the next week to do the work.
Another time a national VP of sales was with me, in the sunny south during the middle of July. We both had coats and ties and were on our way to the last call of the day. The VP asked if we could lose the coats and I advised that this next call was with a good friend and would be no problem. Wrong call !! We were chewed out for being unprofessional. I found out later that my friend made examples of us because he had just chewed out one of his guys for not dressing well and wanted to be sure the message go through.
Regardless of your industry, dress well and cleanly. No little stains (that just beg to be stared at), no little rips etc. How you look says a lot about you, your attention to detail or sloppiness. Remember, all the professional literature says that you are judged by people within the first 2 - 3 seconds of being seen.
I had an opportunity to make some joint calls with a regional manager for one of the largest corporations in the world and they had a fairly strict dress code; suits and solid shirts with ties.
Unfortunately, we were going to make calls to and in coal mines. I advised that in this particular case, the mining companies wanted to see someone who could get dirty and jeans, older shirt, boots and no tie were recommended. He didn't even flinch - "can't do it".
We traveled to 3 mines and in each case we weren't allowed out of the office of the safety engineer even though there was equipment to inspect. I was dressed appropriately but that didn't help and had to come back the next week to do the work.
Another time a national VP of sales was with me, in the sunny south during the middle of July. We both had coats and ties and were on our way to the last call of the day. The VP asked if we could lose the coats and I advised that this next call was with a good friend and would be no problem. Wrong call !! We were chewed out for being unprofessional. I found out later that my friend made examples of us because he had just chewed out one of his guys for not dressing well and wanted to be sure the message go through.
Regardless of your industry, dress well and cleanly. No little stains (that just beg to be stared at), no little rips etc. How you look says a lot about you, your attention to detail or sloppiness. Remember, all the professional literature says that you are judged by people within the first 2 - 3 seconds of being seen.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Follow the News
Following the news is so important on so many levels. Following it through several sources is something that I would strongly recommend.
Almost thirty years ago I had developed a very nice account in the hills of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia and knew the owner right on down to the guys and gals who kept the plant running and making money. Most of my calls were made on the plant manager or the maintenance superintendent.
Early on a Tuesday morning, upon reaching the plant I went to the reception area only to find the desk empty. In a few moments the receptionist came back and asked who I needed to see. When I asked for the maintenance manager she advised that he wasn't in, neither was the plant manager and neither was the owner. She looked at me and said "Didn't you hear that the corporate plane went down? They were all in it." To this day I have no clue if I said anything intelligent.
May your prayers include the passengers and families of those on Air France Flight 447.
Almost thirty years ago I had developed a very nice account in the hills of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia and knew the owner right on down to the guys and gals who kept the plant running and making money. Most of my calls were made on the plant manager or the maintenance superintendent.
Early on a Tuesday morning, upon reaching the plant I went to the reception area only to find the desk empty. In a few moments the receptionist came back and asked who I needed to see. When I asked for the maintenance manager she advised that he wasn't in, neither was the plant manager and neither was the owner. She looked at me and said "Didn't you hear that the corporate plane went down? They were all in it." To this day I have no clue if I said anything intelligent.
May your prayers include the passengers and families of those on Air France Flight 447.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
$$$$$
While doing research on the net about the average cost of a sales call, I could find no consensus. Some industries are probably in the $600 to $700 range but those would be the very high tech, big dollar industries. Perhaps $350 to $450 is more of a median.
Regardless, it is not cheap and some business requires multiple calls. Considering this, why do so many salespeople wait until the end of the sales process to talk about price? I learned this the hard way. Helping a manufacturing plant in their considerations to move from mechanical devices to electronic, I spent several face to face calls discussing the pros and cons and crawling around equipment to make sure I had considered all aspects of the change over.
This plant had 70 pieces of equipment to retro-fit; it would be a nice order. During one of the last calls to put the finishing touches on the project, the chief engineer asked what all this would cost him. Being the clever salesman that I thought I was I said that it wouldn't cost him anything as he would re-coup his expenses very quickly in improved manufacturing and less down time. The outlay would be about $4,000 per machine.
He was stunned and said that their budget was only $150,000! Had I asked about the budget up front, the whole process could have been handled differently. Different equipment might have been able to be used. How much of my time, the customer's time, and design engineer's time had I wasted? All for want of asking the right question at the right time.
Be bold! Ask early, very early in the process if the purchase is definite, probable, just being considered, money alloted, how much, this quarter, next quarter etc. Remember that ROI on time is an imperative.
Regardless, it is not cheap and some business requires multiple calls. Considering this, why do so many salespeople wait until the end of the sales process to talk about price? I learned this the hard way. Helping a manufacturing plant in their considerations to move from mechanical devices to electronic, I spent several face to face calls discussing the pros and cons and crawling around equipment to make sure I had considered all aspects of the change over.
This plant had 70 pieces of equipment to retro-fit; it would be a nice order. During one of the last calls to put the finishing touches on the project, the chief engineer asked what all this would cost him. Being the clever salesman that I thought I was I said that it wouldn't cost him anything as he would re-coup his expenses very quickly in improved manufacturing and less down time. The outlay would be about $4,000 per machine.
He was stunned and said that their budget was only $150,000! Had I asked about the budget up front, the whole process could have been handled differently. Different equipment might have been able to be used. How much of my time, the customer's time, and design engineer's time had I wasted? All for want of asking the right question at the right time.
Be bold! Ask early, very early in the process if the purchase is definite, probable, just being considered, money alloted, how much, this quarter, next quarter etc. Remember that ROI on time is an imperative.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Quote for the Day
"It is how you play the game that determines if you win or lose." Gil Minor
Years ago I worked with a small distributorship that only had three salespeople and maybe four office / warehouse people. This was an industry that was male dominated; engineers and mechanics, while NASCAR, hunting/fishing, football etc were the topics of the day.
The number 1 saleperson at this account was (probably is) a lady. No, she was not a tall, willowy blonde but a very plain, short and round person. Her strengths were product knowledge and efficiency. Her products were industrial tools, machine tools and top of the line customer service. Though relatively young in the industry, she could talk about cutting speeds, lubricants, torque and all the types of accessories needed in the machine shop industry.
In the days before cell phones, she constantly stopped at hotels (they're quieter) and used the pay phones in the lobby to call for P&D or technical information. She'd then call the customer right back and would always ASK FOR THE ORDER. She was really successful.
Your phone is probably in your pocket, on your hip or on your ear. How quickly do you handle customer requests? Do you always ask for the order? Even if the customer says "no rush", you should react as if there is because frequently the first in the door will win the war.
How does this tie in to the quote? The world is full of beautiful people, genious people, social people but all of that is for naught if you don't do what needs to be done to win the game.
Years ago I worked with a small distributorship that only had three salespeople and maybe four office / warehouse people. This was an industry that was male dominated; engineers and mechanics, while NASCAR, hunting/fishing, football etc were the topics of the day.
The number 1 saleperson at this account was (probably is) a lady. No, she was not a tall, willowy blonde but a very plain, short and round person. Her strengths were product knowledge and efficiency. Her products were industrial tools, machine tools and top of the line customer service. Though relatively young in the industry, she could talk about cutting speeds, lubricants, torque and all the types of accessories needed in the machine shop industry.
In the days before cell phones, she constantly stopped at hotels (they're quieter) and used the pay phones in the lobby to call for P&D or technical information. She'd then call the customer right back and would always ASK FOR THE ORDER. She was really successful.
Your phone is probably in your pocket, on your hip or on your ear. How quickly do you handle customer requests? Do you always ask for the order? Even if the customer says "no rush", you should react as if there is because frequently the first in the door will win the war.
How does this tie in to the quote? The world is full of beautiful people, genious people, social people but all of that is for naught if you don't do what needs to be done to win the game.
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