Decide who you are ...and be that

I used to be a big fan of the show M.A.S.H.   I still like it, but not for the humor, but for the occasional nugget of real wisdom that I hear in these old re runs 

For example in one episode BJ and Hawkeye are ribbing Charles on taking too long to operate. His response is a stunning nugget of Sales GOLD .  " I do one thing at a time, I do it very well, and then I move on. "

You see, I have learned that I would rather do one thing great, than to do a number of things and only do them adequately

>First, however you have to decide who you are professionally, and what you can do well

For me it is clear :   I am a Sales Manager, I manage deals, and motivate sales people to achieve .

I am not a technician, I am not an accountant, nor am I able to do those things well . Sure , I understand technical aspects of my product, and I have an understanding of the numbers. But I could not be successful in either of these roles.  Why?   Because I am a Sales manager.

>Once we have have cleared up our role, we must get to work on doing it well.

Mastering one's craft used be a source of pride in this country.  You started a new job as an apprentice then worked your way up to an assistant and then worked from there to be certified, and after much learning and work you were considered to have mastered the craft.  Today we seem reluctant to put in the effort or the time needed to really master anything.

Success takes work.    There is no short cut here, You simply cannot be a great sales person and not put in the work.   It takes Study, practice, rehearsal, and a focus on the goal .

STUDY
 I have not done this up to this point in my blog, but I would like to make you a few recommendations of trainers that I know to be the best at what they do:
Mike Whitty   -> www.mikewhitty.com
Grant Cardone - > www.grantcardone.com
Paul Cummings -> www.paulcummings.com
Dan Waldschmidt -> www.edgeofexplosion.com

These folks do not pay me to endorse them, nor do they even know that their sites are recommended here, but I know they are committed individuals and have dedicated their lives to developing great sales teams.

PRACTICE & REHEARSE
  I have said this before   sell everyone !!  your kids, your spouse, your team mates, anyone who will stand still long enough !!!!!  practice and rehearse your presentation.  work on it until it is second nature.  learn to sell with purpose, and a plan. know where you are in the presentation, and be able to anticipate what is coming next. be prepared.

FOCUS
  Remind your self every day what it is you are working for.  write down your goals and read them every morning. remember the words of YODA  " Do or do not, there is no try "


Sell like your living depends on it
Donnie

Lets make it happen

I suppose there are few things as dis heartening to a retail sales pro than a business slowdown

You know what i am talking about, those days that feel as if they are crawling by, when there is just not enough coffee to keep you awake. 

This is time we are most vulnerable to day dreaming, Time wasting, and the general dismemberment of all we are working towards.

SO...

LETS STOP WAITING FOR A CLIMATE CHANGE, AND START CONTROLLING OUR OWN ENVIRONMENT

1. GET BUSY GETTING BUSY !!

  Activity breeds activity.  
Hey you've got the time available, so lets use it !!  I will give you a formula that will increase your sales in a down month

A. - Send 20 handwritten notes daily
           Let your prospects know that you are still in there working to earn their business
Snail mail is a lost art form, it is generally ignored by your competition which makes it fertile soil for growing new business - avoid form letters or computer generated "sell it all" letters.  Just a few quick lines , hand written and sincere.

B. Dial for Dollars

  30 to 35 calls a day
  Not just blind cold calling here,  targeted planned calls.  Contact those customers that just needed some more time to make a decision.  Contact that Customer who was just starting his shopping experience.  Call the guy who told you no.
Are there deals and incentives that are here this month that wer'nt the last, Whats new in your industry ?  Are there exciting product changes, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW  and you've got the time to tell them !!

C. Tend your Garden

  You have developed a book of business, You have sold customers that know you, like you, and trust you.
They have friends and family members that would benefit from your services. Lets get those names and numbers. ( Create a reward system that makes your customer happy to have helped you with a referral  a little money, a gift card, maybe a meal at the local restuarant )

Hey were getting busy already!!  But we are not done yet !

2. SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS

    A.-  Make sure you are up to speed on any new innovations in product.
    B. Analyze your competition, What are they doing well, what can you learn from them, and how will we
         stay ahead of them
    C. Perform a "Post Mortem" on lost deals ( I know this is a painfull exercise, It involves admitting we   were   not as good as we could have been .  We have to look at our selves in a brutally honest light here and answer the toughest of all questions " Where did I fail?"


3. STRENGTHEN YOUR TEAM !!
      One thing I have learned through the years is that a tight knit, like minded positive team can accomplish great things together.   This is the time to make that happen,
Team up for your mutual success
Help a partner close a deal, ask them to help you, a fresh face, a new voice, this may be all it takes to turn a prospect into a customer and the team will be stronger for the success.
   Train together -work on the rough areas of your game, steel sharpens steel !!
Share positive influences- we all need fresh insight and positive energy to stay on top.  Be a provider of that energy


I'd share more, but you are way too busy to sit and read !!!

Sell like your living depends on it,
Donnie

Consider the Source

As a salesperson we are subject to a number of influences.

 Some influences mean to make us better, and then there are those that would do us harm.  Don't misunderstand me, I don't think we are in any sort of Physical danger at any given time, but we face something just as potentially dangerous to our performance , negativity.

  This is that low down, scummy , sneaky ,get ya when your not looking kinda influence.. It shows up in the voice of a friend reminding you of how bad the economy is.   It will show up in the arms of a manager that has had a bad day.  It may show up on the heels of a bad sales month . It may even present itself in a family member's lack of confidence in what you are trying to do. 

  The Fact is,  It is powerless until it you give it life.  This energy sucking parasite is like a tick, it is just a little bug until it gets under your skin and feeds.

DON'T GIVE IT A HOME

  OK so you find yourself surrounded by it, Hey that's good news.  When surrounded by the enemy, no matter what direction you shoot you'll hit somebody!!  Just start shooting ,
  Put your Positive influence out there, say something kind, go out of your way to lift someone up.  Buy a new CD, read a new book, DO SOMETHING POSITIVE . 
Where there is no gardener, there is no garden . Don't feed it, don't water it, don't give place to it .  Insist that you remain positive and intentionally seek out influences that will strengthen that position.

ANYTHING THAT HAS A BEGINNING HAS AN END

  Let the end of negative influence be with you!!  It started somewhere, somebody gave place to it, they fed it and now they are passing it on to you  STOP , PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING AND REFUSE TO CARRY IT FURTHER

GET ON THE OFFENSE

  Be a leader, a source of Positive influence. Bring the medicine that PREVENTS the disease .  Search for reasons to be optimistic, and SHARE those reasons. 

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Just a note,  I see in my stats that I have gained quite a few regular readers, Please feel free to interact with me, leave comments, share experiences.  If this blog is helpful at all please let me know.

Those of you that have sent me emails ,thank you and keep em coming.   I appreciate any feedback

  If there is a topic  that you would like to see addressed let me know what that is.

Sell like your living depends on it
Donnie

Lets Communicate effectively

In most Sales organizations there are a variety of people with whom you must communicate to do your job well

The customer
Your support Staff
Service/Delivery personnel


Just to name a few examples

THE CUSTOMER
Here is the beginning of it all, The most important person in the selling process. Unfortunately we often do the worst job here
- Avoid Industry lingo, and acronyms that your customer doesn't understand. They waste his time, and cloud the facts of the purchase
- Write down the details of the transaction- When will it be ready. What will they need to bring. What additional expenses might they incur . You get the idea , put it all in writing.
- Ask questions,  Do they understand the process? Are they feeling good about the progress thus far? Is there any concern that hasn't been addressed?   Listen to the responses and Communicate Clearly
- Set a specific date and time to meet again, and then confirm that date and time.

YOUR  SUPPORT STAFF
 - Don't assume that those helping you to take care of the customer know exactly what he wants, Share the details with those that make this experience possible.  Make sure everyone is on the same page with the customers expectations and take personal responsibility for the success of the sale.

SERVICE AND DELIVERY
- If you are in a large ticket retail setting chances are good you are not getting the product ready or delivered on your own
- Be very specific with these departments, after all they will shape the customer's lasting impression of you and your company.  If this part of the process goes well, it will result in referrals and repeat customers and that equals SALES
- Respect the limits of these departments, they have schedules and work that is in progress, they cannot easily manipulate their day to day activities. You should be aware of those limitations when scheduling your customer's delivery

Clear and specific communication with everyone involved will ensure that your customer has the best possible experience and that is ...

Selling like your living depends on it



Donnie

Getting past average

When I was a younger man I aspired to be a Rock and Roll musician, When I dreamed of my future fame, I imagined the Stadiums filled to capacity and the Music lifting  the people . 
Funny, I never dreamed of rehearsal, Practice , voice lessons ,  countless hours of travel,... well you get the picture.


No one dreams of hard work, long hours,training,and practice .  But this is exactly what it takes to rise above the average sales masses

Hard Work
Putting in the effort when the other guys are long finished, Being willing to get just a little farther before you wrap it up.  Asking just one more tough question, making just one more phone call.  Being the last man standing is often the difference in getting the deal.  The greats in this profession understand this discipline well.

Long hours
 What gets you up earlier than the competition, What keeps you going long after the office lights are out?
This discipline is the result of PASSION , a driving desire to be the best, to experience the magic that comes with being at the top of the game Sales leaders dont watch clocks, they Make the time to make it happen.

Training and practice
I know a Sales person  who brags " I have sold more units to my bathroom mirror than I have customers " !
Incidently, he consistantly out sells his peers .  Sales is like any other Craft, training and practice are the key to lasting success.   Practice really doesn't make Perfection, It does make you better and that equals SALES


Sell like your living depends on it
Donnie

Selling like it matters

These days I am more and more shocked by the level of apathy in the retail selling profession

A few examples :

* A quick trip to the Mattress store finds the sales man on duty, busy playing the latest game on his "smart" phone
* A stop by the electronics store, and the Sales person has to consult the manual to answer a question on the remote control settings
* A sales person ,Reading a novel,filing their nails,smoking out by the door,Flirting with a receptionist,watching the game, wearing his MP3 player,

Or any other activity that suggests at best he is not ready to help, and at worst he doesn't care !!

Let me be clear, I am a Sales Professional in a retail setting, and I am PROUD of what I do for a living.  I want to do it well, and I am not settling for a mediocre living generated by mediocre talent and laziness. 

And I am certain their are others like me ( Hence the Blog, really not just a rant ! )

So I humbly submit the following advice for my fellow Sales professionals  :

1. Come to work with a purpose
     Set goals, both personal and professional , not far reaching un attainable goals, but daily practical goals
Don't let yourself settle for just "burning" the hours of the workday.  Work towards a benchmark and  accept nothing less than your best effort.

2. Sell with sincere enthusiasm
     What is your " value " in the market place? What can you get excited about? Sincere enthusiasm is generated from within, it stems from a belief that what you do is worth while and will add value to the lives of others.  And the desire to share that value

3. Know what you are talking about
No matter your product, chances are good your customer isn't buying it because they have three more just like it at home.   get to know the product, what are the "real life" applications. Try to know more than the product card or brochure.  Offer your prospect tangible examples of how this product will increase the quality of their lifestyle.  Try spending just fifteen minutes a day examining the product , learning the ins and outs, even it's short comings.  Time spent mastering the product will equal quality demonstrations, and well thought out conversations with the customer, and that my friend, equals SALES.

4. Look the part
Here is the area where I will offend someone, but come on, your customer wants to think about your product not how you managed to get that large silver bone in your nose !! Or how you manage to keep your head up with those fifteen pound earrings on!!  That Shirt with the clever sarcasm on it, is great for a trip to Walmart, but it has no place in a retail setting.  And hey, how about a bath before work, a quick run through with the toothbrush and comb.  Let's look like we care .

And the last tip for this particular post ( and perhaps the most important) ...

5. Act like the customer matters ( Because he does )
 You may think that Snarling ,spitting, overbearing sales manager  pays your paycheck, but you are very mistaken.  If you are in sales of any kind the most important person in the process is the person from whom the income is derived.  They put the fuel in your tank, pay the light bill, buy the nice furniture, and finance the vacations.  Their reward, if you will ,for being willing to spend their money with us  , should not be wasted time with apathetic sales robots,  It should be Our sincere effort to make their time with us effortless, and an experience worth rewarding us for

Sell like your Living depends on it
Donnie