Archive for Business Development

The Importance of the Common Problems Sheet

February 13, 2009 Business Development No comments

For reference, please open and complete ”Common Problems with Sales Teams“.

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Pretend that you are like one of my CEO clients, who have been through the common yet very painful experience of hiring salespeople that don’t sell.  If you’re like most, you might get 2 people - out of 10 - that actually can and does sell and increase revenue.  What is common is that CEO’s are plagued by salespeople who complain and make up excuses why they can’t sell: the economy, the prospects and/or clients, the products and or services, etc.  Add to this the fact that these complainers are usually taking a minimum of $5000/mo. base.  Now pretend I have you complete “Common Problems with Sales Teams” at the beginning of the meeting…. it gets the meeting kicked off right!

A “Common Problems” sheet is a tool that you should be using as a precursor to every meeting or call.  It can help in several ways:

  • Gets the prospect focused on an agenda, i.e. why your are meeting or talking on the phone.
  • If your prospect has problems that you truly can fix, it gets them emotionally involved up front (remember, emotions are necessary to get people to make a decision).  It is used to see if your prospect has pain.  If you were the CEO above, how do you think you’d feel?
  • It tells your prospect what you do and how you can help without you having to say a word

You can create a Common Problems sheet for whatever you sell.  Just download the “Developing Common Problems Sheet” and be on your way.  You’ll see that having your own Common Problems sheet will greatly help you!

You’re using Track-It sheets, right?!

February 9, 2009 Business Development No comments

One of best ways to do something your competition isn’t is to use a Track-It sheet that records you and/or your sales teams activities.  Here are some activities I recommend you start keeping track of:

  • Goals review – at least once a day
  • SalesMind – 8 minute affirmations to reduce negative scripts (call reluctance, money tolerance, etc.) – at least once a day – contact me to learn more about SalesMind
  • Dials – how many times you just dial the phone
  • Contacts – how many times you talk to the decision maker
  • Appointments
  • New opportunity
  • Referrals given – a great way to get referrals is to give them!
  • Referrals received
  • Yes/Close – agreement to do business, a sign up, a free trial.
  • No- no’s aren’t bad. Get through them!
  • Blog post – make the world better and market yourself at the same time
  • Email opt-in – get people on your ‘touch’ list

Advantages to Tracking Activities

Setting up Track-It sheets allows you to design you and/or your sales team’s time for success.  Then, you use it for accountability. If you notice you’re not getting the results you wanted, just look at the Track-It sheet.  Did the necessary amount of effort go into closing more business?

Another reason why tracking activities can be a benefit is that it can show you the problems of why more new business isn’t closing.  For instance, if the dials to contact ratio is solid, i.e. 10% for cold calling, but appointments are way low, you know there is a problem with asking for the appointment.  Then, by recording the sales calls, you’ll be able to determine what you and/or your sales reps are saying that may be affecting the prospect negatively.

For Sales Managers – Tying Salary to Activities

Are you paying your salespeople a base salary?  I hope that the Track-It sheet is tied directly to the base compensation.  For instance, whenever I pay a base salary to a salesperson, the expectations are set right up front that the salesperson is expected to keep their Track-It sheet on their desk at all times and they need to mark all activities and results.  Furthermore, in order to get their base compensation, they’re required to turn their Track-It sheets in as proof of their activities.  If the salesperson only does 75% of the agree upon activities required for success, in many cases dials, the salesperson only get 75% of the base.  No muss, no fuss.

Always (ALWAYS) ask “Is this a good time?”

January 29, 2009 Business Development No comments

When was the last time a salesperson that called you asked “is this a good time?” I don’t know about you, but you’ve about ruined it with me if you call me for the first time and fail to ask if this is a good time. I’ll go further to say you’ve just about hit a homerun if you DO ask me, because so few people do it and it is such a professional thing to do. I’m willing to bet that you and/or your sales force will have a significant improvement in closed business by getting in the habit of asking such a simple question because it really is a powerful bonding and rapport method.

Record EVERY Call

January 27, 2009 Business Development No comments

Have you ever had a call with a prospect that dumped so much on your plate that you hung up wondering what the heck he/she talked about?  Have you ever wished you could just sit there and converse with the prospect?  I am not particularly good at listening while taking notes, and I believe that while I am taking notes, my face betrays my thoughts.  I recommend you and your salespeople record all sales calls (a recommendation for new hires anyway), and not just on the phone.  Recording calls allows your people not to have to worry about the facts.  They don’t get bogged down with trying to make sure they’ve got every little detail.  They can sit and enjoy the conversation and focus on listening and hone in on the essense of the call.  And if they need facts, they can then replay the tape and get the facts.  In fact, I believe they should be recording their calls and replaying them with you anyways as this will help them become better at their sales skills.

Sales IS Life…

January 24, 2009 Business Development No comments

There’s a reason I say “sales is life”; it’s because pretty much everything you do – day in and day out – is selling. If you don’t think so, then why do you think that person married you (or is dating you)? How did you get that job? How did you get into school? You see, you sold somebody something my friend! And I know without a shadow of a doubt that the better you are at sales, the better life will be.

Go it alone!

January 24, 2009 Business Development No comments

Ian is a shark.  He is already getting the web development company he just started working for so busy they need to hire more staff - and this is after only 4 months.  However, he called me this afternoon and told me he just got out of a meeting with a client that he had invited his boss to.  He told me his boss is one of those guys who talks over people and doesn’t listen and the meeting was very awkward.  Ian felt bad and almost felt it appropriate to call his client and apologize.  I think an apology may do more damage than good, but Ian definitely won’t be taking his boss with him on meetings – and a sales person who is kicking butt always gets to make this type of decision… boss or not.

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