tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18588251076823405952024-03-13T12:47:15.895+00:00BMAC Sales ConsultantsBMAC Sales Consultants have more than 20 years of success in Sales Performance Improvement. We measure, and then improve, the Sales Performance of Salespeople and their Sales Managers. Simple.
Follow on Twitter: @Palayo
Connect on LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/brianmaciver/
Contact: brian.maciver@googlemail.comBrian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-61763378559129268242014-07-05T08:58:00.001+01:002014-07-05T09:09:27.017+01:00Buying is CHANGING.<blockquote> <p><font size="3"> In study after study we can measure changes to the Buying Process. </font></p> <ul> <li><font size="3">The Buying Cycle is taking longer. </font></li> <li><font size="3">There are more people involved in the Buying Process. </font></li> <li><font size="3">Buying Criteria has increased and is more diverse.</font></li> </ul> <p><font size="3">These changes to the Buying Process are giving consequences to the Selling Process. <br />Sales are becoming “involved” later in the Buying Process. </font></p> </blockquote> <h4>The role of Sales, in the Buying Process, is changing from <strong><em>Informational</em></strong> to INSIGHTFUL.</h4> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9qzMNceNVME/U7ewCM8oOnI/AAAAAAAABT4/mHQvQ3bng9o/s1600-h/insights%252520lightbulb%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="insights lightbulb" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="insights lightbulb" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0LaC4fqVfvg/U7ewCpLyetI/AAAAAAAABUA/Bk46kM1W_R8/insights%252520lightbulb_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="517" height="359" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">Buying Decisions WERE being made on ‘Best’ argument, ‘Loudest’ voice or simply ‘Gut Instinct’! <br />Buying Decisions WERE often justified using post-decision rationality to highlight possible benefits, <br />mitigate possible risks and minimise likely costs.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Today, increasingly, the Buying Process is supported by Decision Science. <br />The Decision Making Unit is using tools, techniques and process to PREDICT likely outcomes from its Decision. <br />In many cases the decision support system will simple give a Red, Amber or Green light on options, <br />WITHOUT exposing the Decision TAKERS to the full underlying Data or even the actual analysis!</font></p> <h4>So What?</h4> <p><font size="3">This means that Salespeople now NEED an awareness of Decision Science and Data Analytics if they hope to influence the Buying Decision in their favour, or at least AVOID influencing the Buying Decision AGAINST themselves! ‘<em>Shooting themselves in the foot’</em> is, currently, a widespread Sales Activity.  Giving Information, instead of Constructing Insights which contain REAL Value Data Input to their Data Analytics.</font></p> <h4>What is Data Science?</h4> <p><font size="3"><strong>Data Science turns Data into Actions.</strong> </font></p> <p><font size="3">The collection, storage, sharing and use of Data is about 50 years old. <br /></font><font size="3">The Analysis, inductive reasoning and Decision advice is about 10 years old. <br />Simply, most companies have acquired sufficient processing power to perform viable Predictive Analysis. <br />They can, with a reasonable degree of accuracy predict their future. <br />Or, at least ONE of their possible futures, based on historic data, analysis and extrapolation. <br /></font></p> <p><font size="3"><strong>Science based guesswork, rather than ‘gut feel’.</strong></font></p> <h4>What should you be doing?</h4> <blockquote> <p><font size="3">Perhaps you think this does NOT apply to me, MY sales are based on Relationships. <br />Well, you may as well know “<em>Relationship</em>” is going to play a steadily DECREASING role in Buyer’s Decision Making. <br />And, <strong>INSIGHT</strong> input based on Analytics<em><strong> is going to play an increasingly IMPORTANT role.</strong></em></font></p> </blockquote> <p><em><strong></strong></em></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jHrCi5j-s6Q/U7ewDBz7LII/AAAAAAAABUI/OFVT95Jzkpo/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><strong><img title="image" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 52px 0px 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HeQPVCyTVRg/U7ewD693JAI/AAAAAAAABUQ/KXuDg3uyXpg/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="367" align="left" height="367" /></strong></a><font size="3"><strong>Data Analytics are the BEST “Insights” available to Buyers.</strong> </font></p> <p><font size="3">They are inductive reasoning based, patterns which indicate the best action for the best probable future. <br />They outperform ‘theory based’ deductive reasoning, in real time! The inherent ability of Data Science to offer NEW relationships from multiple domains in business, <strong>to spotlight new business insights</strong>, and to offer alternative paths based on Data, not instinct.</font></p> <p><font size="3">If you thought the Internet and Social Media changed Buying then that will be small change compared to the REVOLUTION that Decision Science is bringing to Buying then Selling.</font></p> <p><font size="3"></font></p> <h4>Learn, at least a little, <br />about the Decision Science available to your Prospects and Customers, and probable applications. </h4> <p><font size="3"><em><strong>Understand how information shapes your Web Page Ranking in Google!</strong></em> </font></p> <p><font size="3">It’s NOT gut feel, loudest voice or Best Argument. </font></p> <h4><font size="3">It is Data Analytics.</font></h4> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-83949989186347261442014-06-17T20:08:00.001+01:002014-06-17T20:08:15.156+01:00How important is Sales Education?<p>I don’t usually preamble a Sales Blog with my ‘qualifications’, <br />so the fact that I tell you, Dear Reader, that I have worked in Sales Education for 30 years, is significant. </p> <p>For more than a decade I have wrestled with a really thorny question.</p> <h2><em>How important is Sales Education?</em></h2> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-la61LCE_BqE/U6CSAGfqOVI/AAAAAAAABTA/oqxmm1JsVFs/s1600-h/education%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="education" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="education" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-icSyJDnDP10/U6CSA0V7r4I/AAAAAAAABTI/eONCzZ0PDBg/education_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="452" height="295" /></a></p> <p>Here I included both Training as well as Coaching; and both Skills and Knowledge.</p> <h4>I am, I have been, and will continue to be VERY critical about much that is sold and delivered as Sales “Education” <br />most of it is, for the want of a better word, “BUNKUM”, </h4> <h4>if you run your Thesaurus over that great word <i>Bunkum</i> you get: <br />Nonsense; Claptrap; Twaddle; Hogwash; Humbug; and Codswallop.</h4> <p><font size="3">None of these words are too strong, to describe such ‘education’ as: <br /> Always be Closing, Handle Objections, Never Discount, ‘steps’ of the sale, or the Sales ‘Gene’ theory.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Yet, that is not my worry. <br />Younger, and smarter, salespeople, with ‘Big Data’ tools and Analysis Apps can spot these dysfunctional selling skills in days, <br />rather than practice them fruitlessly for decades!</font></p> <h2><font size="3">My worry is one which is facing Educators world-wide, and NOT just in Sales.</font></h2> <p><font size="3">It is this:</font></p> <h3><em>Does Education really make a difference in Productivity?</em></h3> <p>And its subsidiary question: </p> <h2><em>Does Sales Productivity depend on Sales Education?</em></h2> <p><font size="3">We have generations of Sales Educators, <br />Trainers and Coaches who have offered their “<em>evidence</em>” that Sales Education is the key to Sales Productivity. <br /></font></p> <p><font size="3">But, they all have a vested interest in finding the <em>positive correlation</em>.<strong> I confess Guilt.</strong> <br /></font><font size="3">I have shown proof that MY Sales Education correlated with improved Sales results. <br />I have shown relationships between my Training and/or Coaching and improved results.</font></p> <h2><font size="3"></font></h2> <h2><font size="3">But, I have never answered my own question:</font></h2> <h2><font size="3"><em>Does Sales Productivity depend on Education?</em></font></h2> <p><font size="3">It is only since 2010 that I have delved into this question.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Here I share my results.</font></p> <ul> <ul> <li> <h4><font size="3">The best educated Sales people do not always make the best sales people.</font></h4> </li> <li> <h4><font size="3">The best educated Salespeople does not lead to Corporate Success.</font></h4> </li> <li> <h4><font size="3">Poorly educated Salespeople can be TOP Sales Performers.</font></h4> </li> <li> <h4><font size="3">Corporate success is linked to having the <u>right</u> Education, not the best.</font></h4> </li> </ul> </ul> <p><font size="3">Education, as I am presenting it, includes but is not limited to: Schooling, further education College/University, Continuing Professional development [Sales Skills, Product and Marketplace Knowledge, Negotiation Skills]. It includes Formal and Informal education as well as structured, semi-structured and self-directed Learning.</font></p> <h2> </h2> <h2>The conclusion has to be that Education=Productivity is a myth.</h2> <h4><font size="3">And, a very expensive myth as Sales Education is a multi-billion Dollar business.</font></h4> <h3><font size="3">Poor Sales performance CANNOT be explained by IGNORANCE, </font></h3> <font size="3"> <h3><font size="3">because the ‘<i>ignorant’</i> often sell and the ‘<em>educated’</em> do often not sell! </font></h3> </font> <p><font size="3">Poor Sales Performance is NOT attributable to a “<em>Lack of Education</em>”; <br />nor is Sales Productivity the result of Sales Education. <br />We have to look deeper, and think a lot harder, <br />rather than simply prescribing “<em>Education</em>” by Training Knowledge, Skills or Coaching.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jIkEInE2Jj8/U6CSBdfWazI/AAAAAAAABTQ/vP_av8Ae27g/s1600-h/education1%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="education1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="education1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rlRp391Zsec/U6CSCd_B_vI/AAAAAAAABTY/V2-TABr7wuk/education1_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="556" height="273" /></a></p> <p><font size="3">Before we run our next expensive Education program, <br />before we burn Valuable Salespeople’s, and Sales Manager’s time on Coaching, <br />we have to ask ourselves, and answer honestly </font></p> <h2><em>Does it really matter?</em></h2> <p><font size="3">Or should you work on another aspect of Sales Performance?</font></p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-30990870582345317962014-05-28T11:59:00.001+01:002014-05-28T12:09:18.791+01:00How to Catch a Crocodile<p>: by Emma Clarke aged 9 <br /></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kSaNb1oQsRA/U4XBm0EcyqI/AAAAAAAABSY/YHvDR3yW6qk/s1600-h/elephant%252520with%252520a%252520crocodile%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="elephant with a crocodile" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="elephant with a crocodile" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qg0pQ3fl1ho/U4XBoAVdwXI/AAAAAAAABSg/Ei3rQBK9NVk/elephant%252520with%252520a%252520crocodile_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="677" height="509" /></a></p> <p><font size="3"></font></p> <p><font size="3"><em>As everyone knows, <br />crocodiles are large fearsome creatures so if you want to catch one you have to follow the rules really carefully. </em></font></p> <h3>If you want to catch a crocodile the first thing you have to do is to go where the crocodiles are. <br /><font size="3"><font style="font-weight: normal">(We know a lot of Sales and Marketing people who haven’t worked that one out yet</font>) </font></h3> <p><font size="3">Crocodiles as we all know live down at the swamp, so if you want to catch one you have to go down to the swamp, <br />but before you set out you must make sure you take the right tools. </font></p> <p><font size="3">What you need to take with you if you want to catch a crocodile is:</font></p> <ul> <li><font size="3">a blanket a pair of binoculars, </font></li> <li><font size="3">a pair of tweezers </font></li> <li><font size="3">and a match box. <br /></font></li> </ul> <h3>So, making sure that you have remembered your tools, you set off down to the swamp. </h3> <p><font size="3">When you get there you go down to the edge of the swamp and you spread your blanket out on the ground. </font></p> <p><font size="3">You take your tools and you carefully lay them out, then you lay down and go to sleep. <br /></font></p> <p><font size="3">Eventually the big old crocodile will come by and poke his head up out of the swamp. <br />What will he see? </font></p> <p><font size="3">He will see you lying there asleep on the blanket!</font></p> <p><font size="3"><em>“What’s going on here”</em> the crocodile will think <em>“I know what’s going on here, sleeping is what’s going on here” <br /></em>and with that the big old crocodile will haul himself out of the swamp and lie down beside you on the blanket <br />and because you are sleeping he will go to sleep to. <br /></font><font size="3"></font></p> <h4>(This technique is better than diving into the swamp with a net and a bowie knife) <br />[which many salespeople use to Close Deals!]</h4> <font size="3"> <p> <br /><strong>But because you went to sleep first you will wake up first</strong> , (this is the INSIGHT) <br />and there beside you on the blanket is this great big fearsome crocodile <br />and you think: “<em>How can I deal with this?”</em></p> <p> </p> <p>So you take your binoculars and you turn them round <br />and you look at the crocodile through the binoculars backwards <br />so that reduces him to a more manageable size. <br /></p> <h2>Then you take the tweezers and you put him in the matchbox!  Simple!</h2> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BbodNbhmeEw/U4XBpC9FuuI/AAAAAAAABSo/YqADnIAj1MA/s1600-h/Crocodile%252520in%252520a%252520match%252520box%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Crocodile in a match box" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 77px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Crocodile in a match box" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1lTkPJuv1IE/U4XBpuj__II/AAAAAAAABSw/jkPw2W6yDnw/Crocodile%252520in%252520a%252520match%252520box_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="321" height="213" /></a></p> <p>In the case of Eating an Elephant, then this is BEST done in bite-sized chunks, which may be kept in a match box!</p> <p> <br /></p> <h2>So you see nothing is impossible </h2> <br /> <h3>and with the right approach it is possible to simplify the hardest task and make it seem easy!</h3> </font> <ul> <li><font size="4">The moral for Salespeople?  Take this nine year-olds advice:</font></li> <ul> <li><font size="4">Go where the Customers are.</font></li> <li><font size="4">Bring the RIGHT tools.</font></li> <li><font size="4">ADAPT to their situation</font></li> <li><font size="4">Bring INSIGHTS which enable you to “<em>reverse the binoculars</em>” <br />and VALUE to act as “<em>tweezers</em>” to put them in the Box!</font></li> </ul> </ul> <p><font size="4">N.B. I have to thank Emma for her insight; we should all learn how to think like 9 year olds if we want to Sell!</font></p> <p><font size="4">I also MUST acknowledge Dave Brock’s Great posts on Sales Fundamentals </font></p> <p><a title="http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/principles-of-sales-part-1-interactions-between-people/" href="http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/principles-of-sales-part-1-interactions-between-people/">http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/principles-of-sales-part-1-interactions-between-people/</a></p> <p><font size="4">for putting me in the frame of mind <br />to see the TRUTH which Emma’s insights presented.</font></p> <p><font size="4"> </font></p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-4967614071800838352014-04-09T08:50:00.001+01:002014-04-09T08:50:08.572+01:00The internal and external world of selling, and buying<p> </p> <h2>We never KNOW what our Buyer is thinking or feeling.</h2> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-seCSXSrG-10/U0T7psHYqhI/AAAAAAAABRA/P4q-ksxwYZc/s1600-h/mystery%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="mystery" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="mystery" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OqZaEmfBXc4/U0T7qiEkgpI/AAAAAAAABRI/b1i0crg_lNo/mystery_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p> </p> <h4>Nor, do they KNOW our thoughts or feelings.</h4> <p><font size="3">All we have is their behaviours, as they have our behaviours.</font></p> <p><font size="3">The sell/buy experience is in the external world of Activity and Behaviours, <br />which is what is said, and what is done. <br />[As well as what is NOT said, or NOT done]</font></p> <p><font size="3">It is notoriously unreliable to interpret a Buyer’s word or action <br />as a “window” into their interior world of Thoughts, Feelings or Motivations.</font></p> <p><font size="3">Nor, can our Buyer’s READ us.</font></p> <h4>We are what we say and do.</h4> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FGZ0l0n3Jok/U0T7rS8DFRI/AAAAAAAABRQ/AjH-ySC1pII/s1600-h/mystery-woman%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="mystery-woman" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="mystery-woman" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XiTTQjItwbY/U0T7rna2_7I/AAAAAAAABRU/KngXFF4nqks/mystery-woman_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="209" height="244" /></a></p> <h2> </h2> <h2>That is the reality of the Sales world</h2> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-30365214336363905822013-09-21T10:36:00.001+01:002013-09-21T10:36:11.822+01:00Sales Forecasting Carefully, or beating Target?<p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Bxbz_dJZf08/Uj1ogl-NUcI/AAAAAAAABIg/-EOkt0PwS7g/s1600-h/business-forecasting%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="103578732" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="103578732" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LuVu1ueVdDI/Uj1ohMC4W4I/AAAAAAAABIo/QrN-95ByG3U/business-forecasting_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="522" height="350" /></a></p> <h2> </h2> <h2>Sara Catz President and CFO of Oracle reports: </h2> <p>http://www.morningstar.com/earnings/earnings-call-transcript.aspx?t=ORCL&pindex=2</p> <blockquote> <p><font size="3"><em>“Now, to the guidance, and I want to remind you that last Q2 new license and cloud revenue increased 18% in constant currency. So this will be a very, very tough comparison. Though our pipelines and potential transactions for the quarter look really very exciting, our sales leaders remain very careful about what they are forecasting to us.”</em></font></p> </blockquote> <p>The phrase that catches my eye is <br /></p> <h3>“our sales leaders remain very careful about what they are forecasting to us.”</h3> <blockquote> <h4>“Sales leaders, very careful, forecasting”</h4> </blockquote> <p>The word ‘<em>semantics’</em>, has become associated with ‘<em>imagined’</em> differences, we hear the expression </p> <blockquote> <p><em>“It’s just semantics”.</em></p> </blockquote> <h3><font style="font-weight: normal">However, if I apply </font><em>double-indexing semantics </em><em><font style="font-weight: normal">to Sara Catz’s words, </font> <br /><font style="font-weight: normal">a depth of meaning appears which should be of interest to ALL Salespeople, </font> <br /><font style="font-weight: normal">but specifically to the Sales Managers and Salespeople in Oracle.</font></em></h3> <h3> </h3> <ul> <li> <h3>“Sales Leaders”, </h3> </li> </ul> <p><em>Catz is putting the responsibility, and accountability, for Sales Forecasting squarely on the shoulders of Sales Leaders.</em></p> <ul> <li> <h3>“Very Careful”, </h3> </li> </ul> <p>last year, Catz attributed a ‘<em>missed forecast’</em> to Sales, further she attributed it to the recruitment, on-boarding and under-performance of many thousands of new Sales people, who did not perform as “<em>Forecast</em>”. Hence, she is NOT looking for Forecasting to “<em>remain</em>” [optimistic], but is in fact signalling that “<em>careful</em>” means “c<em>onservative</em>” forecasts.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1VQXWN5768A/Uj1ohwOBSTI/AAAAAAAABIw/uQq68gCKAFY/s1600-h/Target%252520on%252520forecast%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Target on forecast" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 14px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Target on forecast" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gqry6jlJjfs/Uj1oiqN7NPI/AAAAAAAABI4/2Q7BDL1rL24/Target%252520on%252520forecast_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="318" /></a></p> <ul> <li> <h3>“Forecasting”,</h3> </li> </ul> <p>in the context used is also “<em>targeting</em>” as it is <br /><strong>performance compared with last Quarter</strong> (Q2), <br />and has inherent risk, as expressed by Catz, in her use of “Constant Currency”, <br />when her Global Market is has a Volatile Currency uncertainty.</p> <h4>Catz is addressing the Investment and Analyst Community, <br />her audience expects to hear certain messages, <br />Risk Management, Growth, Returns, <br />so she inserts “safety” through “Very Careful”.</h4> <p> </p> <h2> </h2> <h2> </h2> <h2> </h2> <h2> </h2> <h2>The stock performance was good after her report, <br />so her message, to her audience, was on song.</h2> <h2> </h2> <h2> </h2> <h2> </h2> <h2> </h2> <h2>I am curious about the EXECUTION of her message INSIDE Oracle.</h2> <h4>“Sales leaders, very careful, forecasting” </h4> <p>We have over the last 40 years, repeatedly looked at Sales Forecasting.</p> <blockquote> <h3>WHO owns the forecast?</h3> <h3>HOW should it be done? </h3> <h3>WHAT is the forecast used for?</h3> </blockquote> <p>The consensus from meta-analysis is that Forecasting should be owned at the level closest to the forecast event. <br />And, I am sure that Forecasting ‘<strong><em>starts’</em></strong> at the Oracle Sales Executive level. <br />Should Sales Executives forecast<em><strong> “Very Carefully”?</strong></em></p> <h4>In Sales, a very careful Forecaster is known as a “Sandbagger”. <br />They only forecast Rain, when it has already started raining!</h4> <p>The opposite  of a “<em>very careful</em>” forecaster is a very ‘<strong><font size="3">careless’ </font></strong>forecaster, in Sales we call them “<strong><font size="3">Dreamers</font></strong>”. </p> <blockquote> <p><em>Every Lead is already a Sale!</em> </p> </blockquote> <p>Sometimes they are cynically optimistic, they present “Huge” pipelines, stuffed with opportunities which never happen. <br /></p> <h4>The belief that a ‘Big’ pipeline protects poor performance, this is ‘reckless’ behaviour!</h4> <p>“<strong>Careful</strong>”, <em>cautious, suspicious, precise, judicious, cautious or shrewd; <br /></em>these are just some of the ‘<em><strong>semantic’</strong></em> differences using the word “<strong>Careful</strong>”. </p> <p>But when you add “<em>Very</em>” then the meanings can bounce from: <br /> ‘<em>Actual’</em> if she used it as an adjective, to ‘<em>Extremely’</em> if her use was an adverb!</p> <blockquote> <h5>Let’s take the desired case scenario: Catz’s words urge the Oracle Sales force from <br />Top [Leaders] to Bottom [Sales Executives] to forecast accurately, to be <em>precise</em>, not dreaming nor sandbagging.</h5> <h5>Let’s imagine that by so doing, Oracle delivers a good set of results, much as the Forecast. Success.</h5> </blockquote> <p><strong><em>Or, was it?</em></strong></p> <blockquote> <h4>Let’s take a poor case scenario: <br />Catz’s words urge the Sales Leadership to be “<em>conservative</em>”, <br />they believe that it is better to be accurate than bold. </h4> </blockquote> <h3>Meeting Forecast, becomes more important than exceeding Target! </h3> <p>Care to ensure that what you forecast actually happens, then your forecast becomes the “<em>reality</em>”.</p> <p>The illusion of “<em>See, I told you so</em>” has never been Sales Success, <br /><em>“better than expected”, “Upside”, “BOLD”,</em> have always been hallmarks in Sales, Corporate and Sporting success.</p> <p>I have discussed Sales Leadership as a function of their “<strong>Maturity</strong>”, through the lens of Forecasting and Targeting</p> <p><a href="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2011/01/stretch-sales-targets.html">http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2011/01/stretch-sales-targets.html</a></p> <p>ORACLE’s results, and its stock performance, are dependent on Good Forecasting, <br />but they are equally dependent on PERFORMANCE in the Market and likely future performance.</p> <h3> </h3> <h3>It’s about Expectation AND <em><strong>perceived</strong></em> Performance.</h3> <h3>It’s about how well you did against how well you ‘might’ have done!</h3> <h4>Managing Expectations is OK, but Managing Maximum Performance is more important!</h4> <p>I believe that Catz and her Sales leadership will have to communicate a clear message to their Sales force about what “<i>our sales leaders remain very careful about what they are forecasting to us</i>” really MEANS. </p> <p>The Sales Leadership will need to turn this into HOW we want Sales Executives to behave, <br />as neither dreamers nor Sandbaggers, <strong>but bold and right!</strong></p> <p>Big Data, Big Numbers are made up from individuals and their actions, <br />getting your Sales force to do what is productive, not just careful, is in these days of BIG, quite a challenge! </p> <h2>Let’s just review how tough any forecasting is, </h2> <h2>never mind ‘very careful’ forecasting!</h2> <p><a href="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2010/10/sales-forecasts-are-just-estimates.html">http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2010/10/sales-forecasts-are-just-estimates.html</a></p> <p> </p> <p>.</p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-77346355652719146512013-08-29T11:06:00.001+01:002014-01-15T06:26:05.834+00:00Sales Managers and Poor Performers<p> </p> <h2>Making 2014 the Year of the Sales Leader</h2> <p><font size="3">Two other blogs, were published on this:</font></p> <p><font size="3">Mike Kunkle of Richardson </font><a title="http://bit.ly/186uW3G" href="http://bit.ly/186uW3G"><font size="3">http://bit.ly/186uW3G</font></a></p> <p><font size="3">and Dave Brock of Partners in Excellence </font><a title="http://bit.ly/19YQJA1" href="http://bit.ly/19YQJA1"><font size="3">http://bit.ly/19YQJA1</font></a></p> <p><font size="3">Both are worth reading and thinking about.</font></p> <p><font size="3">I add mine as a a contrast to both, as Sales Management is, in many ways, all about Managing Performance</font></p> <h3> </h3> <h3>HOW you deal with poor performers will <br /> define your performance and your future as a Sales Manager.</h3> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FSEgV5QR2-E/Uh8dA4OYkVI/AAAAAAAABGI/lxUj08n6xAU/s1600-h/road%252520to%252520perdition%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="road to perdition" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="road to perdition" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-619fPaFGMp8/Uh8dBthD2JI/AAAAAAAABGQ/PVKbrb2C4Sg/road%252520to%252520perdition_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="426" height="285" /></a></p> <p>© 2013 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved</p> <p> </p> <h3>The fastest route to Poor Performance, by a Sales Manager, <br />is to<em> focus on poor performing</em> Sales People. </h3> <p><font size="3">This is not a <em>casual observation</em> by a casual observer, it is a <strong><u>causal analysis</u></strong> by a trained observer! <br />We have studied the roots of the failure of Sales Managers for 30 years, <br />and one of the recurring causes of failure is a <strong><u>focus on poor performers</u></strong>.</font></p> <h4>We use a bell curve to ‘identify’, or as an ‘indicator’ of Poor Sales Performance. </h4> <h4>The axis that we use varies.</h4> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-h3DZJDC-fdk/Uh8dCQOEJ0I/AAAAAAAABGY/ecYHrfmD79Y/s1600-h/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales%25255B3%25255D.gif"><img title="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7D-lCJHbhXA/Uh8dC-QiiGI/AAAAAAAABGg/DdHIYft7eHU/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales_thumb%25255B1%25255D.gif?imgmax=800" width="491" align="right" height="282" /></a></p> <h3> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3>At the simplistic level it is <br /><font face="Arial Black">Current Sales Performance</font>, </h3> <h3>at the Revenue Generation level. </h3> <h3>This is easy to measure, and is acceptable to discuss at C-level. </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3>But, really it’s a WHAT chart.</h3> <h3><font color="#ff0000"><font size="5">What happened</font>, <br />not <em>“WHY is it <u>not</u> happening?”</em></font></h3> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h3>We then, put the Sales force through a FIVE level filter, five, separate, charts:</h3> <h3> </h3> <h3 align="center">Activity,  Skill,  Knowledge,  Sales Attitude and  Sales Strategy.</h3> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ihsmda5_KHs/Uh8dDeEYuyI/AAAAAAAABGo/GmCDyzPwKIk/s1600-h/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales%25255B8%25255D.gif"><img title="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-N3IG8wkpUUw/Uh8dD5ikxJI/AAAAAAAABGs/F2XxAC6_TRw/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales_thumb%25255B3%25255D.gif?imgmax=800" width="102" height="60" /></a>   <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Qi5u0-BvlNk/Uh8dEd7V4_I/AAAAAAAABG4/8WSFVRRcIqQ/s1600-h/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales%25255B16%25255D.gif"><img title="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FTEuE_OsKc4/Uh8dFF1MJXI/AAAAAAAABHA/EdMmDWikur8/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales_thumb%25255B5%25255D.gif?imgmax=800" width="102" height="60" /></a>   <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZMYyaUhwRHg/Uh8dFmkJ7BI/AAAAAAAABHI/fF66p3g071M/s1600-h/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales%25255B20%25255D.gif"><img title="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9A7CwsFoHYs/Uh8dGK4LrcI/AAAAAAAABHQ/UPBTMiyQU5k/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales_thumb%25255B6%25255D.gif?imgmax=800" width="102" height="60" /></a>    <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UZM-m_oaseU/Uh8dG1ZgicI/AAAAAAAABHY/BIxPTwaOHJw/s1600-h/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales%25255B24%25255D.gif"><img title="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--JPO7fd7RnY/Uh8dHYYdsHI/AAAAAAAABHg/wSY3hn_sc-U/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales_thumb%25255B7%25255D.gif?imgmax=800" width="102" height="60" /></a>   <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0NRKf4PKdQE/Uh8dH_NCCJI/AAAAAAAABHo/s_rT5t7UptM/s1600-h/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales%25255B28%25255D.gif"><img title="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Bell Curve Normal_distribution_and_scales" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jKAZxLjyEIE/Uh8dIfZOaeI/AAAAAAAABHw/VGEWfmrDWE0/Bell%252520Curve%252520Normal_distribution_and_scales_thumb%25255B8%25255D.gif?imgmax=800" width="102" height="60" /></a></p> <p align="center"> </p> <blockquote> <h3 align="center">We “score” on the ‘<strong>standard nine’</strong> scale, where 7 is the lowest ‘desired’ score, </h3> <h3 align="center">1, 2 and 3 is poor performance,</h3> <h3 align="center">4, 5 and 6 is needs improvement,</h3> <h3 align="center">7, 8 and 9 is performance to excellence</h3> </blockquote> <h3>Simple Performance Turn-around can be achieved if, for example, <br /><u>ONLY</u> <strong><em>Activity</em></strong> is wrong, or low, this is ‘fixed’ by Management Control and Supervision. </h3> <p> <br /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LY8whACBmR0/Uh8dJGIcoRI/AAAAAAAABH4/1JcLmClXjOQ/s1600-h/activity%252520Calendar%25255B3%25255D.png"><img title="activity Calendar" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="activity Calendar" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-71a6MzrVyPg/Uh8dJ2BEClI/AAAAAAAABIA/iBvLGnxXG10/activity%252520Calendar_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="327" height="266" /></a></p> <h3>Great Sales Management careers have been launched on the back of Diary Management!</h3> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p align="right"><strong><u><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-n9u4GMh8vrE/Uh8dKtuxiwI/AAAAAAAABII/M8JKhl2vhcQ/s1600-h/strategy%252520key2%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="strategy key2" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 50px 0px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="strategy key2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LbFTKGrqjTI/Uh8dLeOO6LI/AAAAAAAABIQ/2HZ6sq4ypJ0/strategy%252520key2_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="438" align="left" height="326" /></a></u></strong></p> <h3 align="right"><strong><u>Sales Strategy</u></strong>, is also a relatively straightforward fix. </h3> <br /> <h4 align="justify">If a competitive situation, changed product/market, or Customer shift has NOT been incorporated into strategy formulation and execution then, </h4> <h4>Sales Management can re-direct.</h4> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h4>However,</h4> <h4>When the Poor Performance is associated with low levels of Selling Skills, <br />poor Product/Market knowledge and/or wrong Sales Attitude, this then is a Business calculation. </h4> <h4>The time/effort ‘Cost’ of fixing the performance problem, <br />weighed against the likely Revenue ‘Benefit’ derived from fixing the problem.</h4> <h3>Unlike the first two areas, Activity Management and Strategy Formulation and Execution the Sales Manager does not ‘own’ Lack of Skill, Lack of Knowledge or Poor Attitude. </h3> <h3> </h3> <h2>The problem ‘owner’ is the Salesperson. </h2> <h2> </h2> <h2>Salespeople, NOT their Sales Managers, <br />are responsible for their own Selling Skills, </h2> <h2>their Product/Market knowledge and their Sales Attitude.</h2> <h4>Fixing these problems is the primary responsibility of the individual Salesperson, <br />the Sales Manager has a secondary ‘supporting’ role. </h4> <h4>These problems affect your personal employability, now and in the future, take responsibility for them!</h4> <p><font size="3">In order to ‘<em><strong>earn’</strong></em> Sales Management support, Poor Performers must demonstrate <em><strong>progress</strong></em> with their Sales Skills, <strong><em>increases</em></strong> in Product/Knowledge and <strong><em>improvement</em></strong> in Sales Attitude. The time and effort put into fixing these poor sales performers primarily comes from them, <em>not from their Sales Managers</em>. </font></p> <h5><font size="3">Sales Managers, effective high-performing Sales Managers, will be far too busy working with the top and high average performers to make investment is Sales poor performers who are not prepared to invest in themselves.  </font></h5> <h4>There is no ‘Pareto formula’, to define effective time/effort usage by Sales Managers.  </h4> <h5><font size="3">There is no magic formula, <em>no ‘right’ way</em>.  There is only <em>contingency</em>, finding the right answer to your given situation, your people, their poor performance.  You will need <em>diagnostic skills</em> to find the cause, then <em>flexible Leadership skills</em> appropriate to giving the best outcome, <em>Directing, Coaching, Supporting and Delegating. </em></font></h5> <h3> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3>The “<em>Learning from other High Performers</em>”, is a decision which calls for good judgement on the part of the Sales Manager, and the willing cooperation and coordination from the High Performer. The poor performer MUST have great Sales Attitude, high energy and a real willingness to learn.</h3> <p><font size="3">The Hollywood construct is “Master and <em>Padawan</em>”, the Jedi Apprentice. In Sales tradition it was “the bag carrier” and the Senior Salesperson. The success of this is not solely dependent on the Senior’s Selling Skills, Product Knowledge and Sales Attitude as well as the ‘trainees’ observation skills, but also on Senior's Training and Coaching skills, which are very, very rare!</font></p> <blockquote> <h3>In science ideas are tested for their fit with reality.</h3> <h3>In business ideas are tested for their profitability in the Product/Market.</h3> <h3>In Sales we MUST do both, fit with reality and demonstrate Profitability!</h3> </blockquote> <h4>If you reduce it all to an axiom:</h4> <blockquote> <h2>“Treat Poor Performers differently, and appropriately!</h2> <h2>  Or, like a leaking ship, you will both sink.”</h2> </blockquote> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">Further reading on Managing Poor Performers:</font></p> <p><a title="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/01/coaching-challenger-selling.html" href="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/01/coaching-challenger-selling.html">http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/01/coaching-challenger-selling.html</a></p> <p><a title="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2010/10/over-boarding-poor-performers.html" href="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2010/10/over-boarding-poor-performers.html">http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2010/10/over-boarding-poor-performers.html</a></p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-36077040564313671602013-06-04T11:14:00.001+01:002013-06-05T12:21:45.399+01:00How NOT to Handle Customer’s Objections.<p> </p> <h3><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TrXDK58SP8A/Ua295_KrwdI/AAAAAAAABEQ/cw_NQokYktk/s1600-h/scientific-research%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Beautiful young scientist " style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Beautiful young scientist " align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gzr1O8agE9g/Ua296kL3N5I/AAAAAAAABEY/w_6wM88UwZY/scientific-research_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="385" height="256" /></a>It is tempting to immediately share </h3> <h3>30 years of research with you, and say <br /><em>Buyer’s Objections Cannot be Overcome!</em> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3>But, that would cause you far too much emotional distress. You don’t want to believe that is true, or you would not have started to read this Blog.</h3> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h2><em></em></h2> <h2><em></em></h2> <h2><em><font size="6">How to Handle Customer’s Objections?</font></em></h2> <h3> </h3> <h3>The BEST way, by far, is to <u>AVOID</u> Objections completely! </h3> <h3><em></em></h3> <h3><em>In order to do that, you must first learn: <br />What causes objections? <br /></em></h3> <em><em></em> <h2>YOU DO! </h2> </em> <h4><font size="5">Yes, that’s right; Sellers <u>CAUSE</u> Buyers to Object!</font></h4> <p>In thousands of Sales Calls I have logged the Customer Objection, <br />AND what the Salesperson said  before  the  Customer Objected:</p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-De60_IGSus8/Ua297dsIrAI/AAAAAAAABEg/oTi6s7TZIuQ/s1600-h/blame-game%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="blame-game" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 32px 0px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="blame-game" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-f6FT80QWsBE/Ua297w9jd0I/AAAAAAAABEo/ecbsrVJLJAA/blame-game_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="208" height="244" /></a>The Sellers <u>gave</u> the price, <br />then the Buyer said<em> “that’s too expensive!”</em></p> <p>The Seller <u>gave</u> the dimensions, <br />then the Buyer said <em>“that’s too small!”</em></p> <p>The Seller <u>gave</u> a delivery date, <br />then the Buyer said<em> “that’s too late!”</em></p> <p>The Seller <u>asked</u> for the order, <br />then the buyer said <em>“I am happy with my current supplier!”</em></p> </blockquote> <p> </p> <p>In fact, <strong><em>evidence based fact</em></strong>, the two<em><strong> primary causes</strong></em> of Customer’s Objections are:</p> <ol> <li>The Seller <strong><em>giving</em></strong> features, Price, Size, style, speed, feed, location, colour, compatibility, etc. </li> <li>Or, The Seller <strong><em>asking</em></strong> for the order. </li> </ol> <p>If Objections were GOOD things (<em>Buying Signals</em>), <br />then the best way to get Objections is: to ASK for the Order, <br />early in the Buying Cycle as this is <u>almost certain</u> to cause an Objection!</p> <h3> </h3> <h3><em>Are Objections GOOD things, are they buying Signals?</em> </h3> <p>If you look at the straightforward evidence of: <br /></p> <h4>What is the relationship between Customer Objections and Sales success?</h4> <p> <br />This is easy to measure, just COUNT them!</p> <h2><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YYBIFPHV42c/Ua8e8XZArXI/AAAAAAAABFI/Hh7xLmouUhQ/s1600-h/Objections%252520word%252520cloud%25255B2%25255D.png"><img title="Objections word cloud" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Objections word cloud" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fbDQkJO8k0w/Ua8e9rPzNjI/AAAAAAAABFQ/ovg-5PgrfnE/Objections%252520word%252520cloud_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="357" height="351" /></a>Then, </h2> <blockquote> <h2>the MORE Objections you get, <br />the LESS you sell !</h2> </blockquote> <h4> </h4> <h4>Remember: <br />YOU caused the Objection <br />by Talking Features or Asking for the Order.</h4> <p> </p> <h3>ONE Objection?</h3> <p>for example: Price, this MAY be overcome if a<em> ‘trade-off’</em> is made [often this is <strong>Value</strong>]</p> <h3>TWO objections?</h3> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>You are unlikely to get the business,</strong></font> even if you have one good trade off.</p> <h3> </h3> <h3>THREE objections? </h3> <h4>You have mis-sold your product or service and you won’t be getting the business. </h4> <blockquote> <p>Hopefully one of the three objections was PRICE, <br />now you can report to your Sales Manager, <br />that the Price is too high, <strong><em>rather than YOU cannot sell!</em></strong></p> </blockquote> <h2> </h2> <h2>Objections are OBSTACLES. </h2> <blockquote> <p><em>If you believe Objections are welcome ‘buying signals’ <br />then you have given up Rationality, rather than just giving up the sale [or selling]. <br /><strong>When you extrapolate fiction, it then becomes fantasy!</strong></em></p> </blockquote> <p>Persistence is a trait of many Salespeople, <br />but continuing to repeat something with little chance of success is <strong>“Irrational Perseverance”</strong></p> <h4><font size="5">Objections are best Avoided.</font></h4> <p>You can avoid Objections by <strong>showing</strong> how your Product or Service meets the Buyer’s needs, <br />and by <strong>NOT </strong>Asking for the Order, until they are<em> ‘Ready to Order’</em></p> <h3> </h3> <h3>OK, how do I Handle the one Objection I did get, <br />by giving them my Price BEFORE I gave them their Value?</h3> <h4>First of all 99% of Sales “Objection Handling” techniques DO NOT work. </h4> <p><em>They are nonsense. I repeat, the techniques taught, and written about DO NOT WORK.</em> </p> <p> </p> <h4>I have measured ‘overcoming’ Objections on thousands of occasions, <br />thousands of objections and the “Skills” to overcome objections DO NOT work. <br />You can easily measure them too.</h4> <p>Let’s take a widely taught Objection Handling technique “<em>Feel, Felt, Found</em>”.</p> <blockquote> <p><i>I understand why you <strong><u>Feel</u></strong> the price is too high.</i></p> <p><i>And other customers have <strong><u>Felt</u></strong> the same way.</i></p> <p><i>However, when they saw the money they saved with it they <strong><u>Found</u></strong> it was really good Value!</i></p> </blockquote> <p>I measured this against 300 uses for various objections, <br />it succeeded<strong> less often than just ‘ignoring’ the objection</strong> all together! <br />And, that was only “<em>successful</em>” in less than 15% of the time.</p> <h4>It does NOT work.</h4> <h3>Or, “Preemptive” Objection Handling</h3> <p>using a “<em>Script</em>” to introduce a known shortcoming of your product or service, <br />then attempt to offer a scripted ‘<em>answer’</em>.  </p> <p> <br />“<em>By presenting these shortcomings or negatives, our aim is to create credibility and gain trust”.</em>  <br /><strong>The actual effect on Buyers is the opposite!</strong></p> <p><strong>The Seller ‘introduces’ additional Fears, Uncertainties and Doubts in the Buyer’s mind, <br />then uses a “Rebuttal” or “argument” to overcome it!  Nonsense!</strong></p> <p><strong>Again, research shows that <em>“When you extrapolate fiction, it then becomes fantasy!”</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>What does <strong><em>sometimes</em></strong> handle an Objection is a <font size="5"><strong>Trade-off</strong></font>.</p> <p>In this case trading better Value for a higher Price</p> <h3> </h3> <h3>Let’s take three houses. </h3> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eyJpKlDDX6k/Ua298x6SdsI/AAAAAAAABEw/a_9DVaT0aI8/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B9%25255D.png"><img title="clip_image002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-H1WjwTJ6O1Q/Ua2995Exj_I/AAAAAAAABE4/SMBxQ4asA1Q/clip_image002_thumb%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="677" height="508" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>If we were selling the New House A, the most expensive, <br />then we would have the<em> “That’s too expensive option”.</em></p> <h2>We have to Trade Value, for the higher Price.</h2> <p>Against the other house B our ‘Value’ is in a Better Location, with Good Schools.</p> <p> </p> <h3>Is it better to have a Good location?</h3> <p>Yes, because this property will <strong>increase in Value faster and further than House B</strong>,  <br />So it will be in demand, therefore it may work out cheaper overall! </p> <p> </p> <h3>And, what price do we put on having our children happy at school? </h3> <p>If taken over a 10 year period it would be 20,000, or 2,000 per year, or 40 per week. </p> <h3>This money will be recovered in a higher Price when we choose to sell!</h3> <p> </p> <p>Against, the current house which, after the new baby, is now too small, <br />it’s the increased cost of the mortgage 263 per month or less than 10 per day. <br />However, ALL of this money, and more, will be recouped when you sell the new larger house, <br />i.e. <strong>the extra bedroom will be free!</strong></p> <h3><strong>Trade-offs</strong>, against <strong>Drawbacks</strong> [<em>objections</em>] may convince Customers to buy.</h3> <p>Here are a few Key thoughts about Objections:</p> <ul> <li>Objections are BEST avoided </li> <li>Objections are Caused by Salespeople </li> <li>Objections cause lost sales, they are NOT ‘<em>Buying Signals’</em> </li> <li>Objections are “<em>Drawbacks</em>” </li> <li>Objections can be traded off, sometimes! </li> <li>Objections are Statements, they are NOT Questions. </li> <li>Objections cannot be overcome with flim-flam, <br />psychological nonsense, and 99% of taught techniques do not work </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p>BMAC Consultants have developed an Evidence Based Objection Handling model, <br />based on Avoidance and Trade-off. <br />This is a Sales Skill, an Interactive Skill based on the ACTUAL Sales Situation.  <br />If you wish to see other examples e mail <a href="mailto:Brian.MacIver@Gmail.com">Brian.MacIver@Gmail.com</a></p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-77574779485430892082013-05-28T18:32:00.001+01:002013-05-28T18:32:43.589+01:00Book Review Dan Pink’s To sell is human<p> </p> <p>Pink asks a profound question about the basis of selling: </p> <h2><em>“Who is doing who a favour?”</em></h2> <p><i>Is the Salesperson doing the Customer a favour, <br />by bringing much needed goods and service to the table?</i></p> <p><i>Or, is the Customer doing the Salesperson a favour, by buying their goods and services?</i></p> <h4>After reading the book, I do not think it matters, <br />as this is not the Basis of Selling, anyway.</h4> <p>His final advice is: “<i>Treat everyone like your Grandmothe</i>r<i>!</i>” This is a loaded concept.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7FLFmaL55-s/UaTqN9dujMI/AAAAAAAABD4/2KOHyG57R4Y/s1600-h/queen-elizabeth-a-great-grandmother-1333210545-7507%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="queen-elizabeth-a-great-grandmother-1333210545-7507" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="queen-elizabeth-a-great-grandmother-1333210545-7507" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FXJLbAcPOWY/UaTqOmAmnnI/AAAAAAAABEA/q_ofOy6YlBw/queen-elizabeth-a-great-grandmother-1333210545-7507_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p> </p> <h3>I would have just stuck to the <b>Golden Rule:</b></h3> <ul> <li>One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself. Or.</li> <li>One should NOT treat others in ways that one would NOT like to be treated</li> </ul> <p>The <strong>Golden Rule</strong> contains the essence of Selling, <i><strong><font size="4">Selling is reciprocal</font></strong></i>, <br />and Selling and Buying are done together.</p> <blockquote> <h4>Selling is NOT something we do TO Buyers, <br />Selling is something we do WITH Buyers!</h4> </blockquote> <h5>The nonsense themes in the book are: </h5> <ul> <li><i>Everybody sells</i>. No they don’t! <br />What he means is everybody TRY’s to <em>influence</em> or ATTEMPTS to <em>persuade</em>, <br />and mostly we don’t do a very good job of it! <br /></li> <li>The “Fuller Brush” story is a red herring, it is not relevant. <br />Door to door is “<em>hawking</em>”, always was, always will be. <br />I speak from experience, something which Pink’s lack of shows throughout the book. <br /></li> <li>ABC never worked, Pink’s ABC will NOT work either. Selling is not about simple rules.</li> </ul> <p>The end theme is the Salesperson’s Burden: “<i>Leave the world a better place</i>”, to<strong><em> sell is human</em></strong>. <br />This may be countered by another cliché <strong>“<i>to err is human</i>”</strong></p> <h3> </h3> <h3>Pink does deliver some good, if not common, sense</h3> <ul> <li> <b>Improvisation</b>. Although in the Behavioural Approach to Selling <br />we have called it “<b>Interactive Competence</b>” for 4 decades. <br /><strong>The ability of the salesperson to align their behaviour to their objective.</strong></li> </ul> <blockquote> <p>BUT, in Sales it is NOT about <strong>ACTING</strong> (improv), <br />it IS about<strong> INTER-ACTING</strong>, <em><strong>Inter Active Competence</strong></em>.</p> </blockquote> <h2>Selling is about what you DO, not WHO you are.</h2> <ul> <li>His writing on Greenleaf’s “<i>Servant Leadership</i>” should be encouraged for Sales Managers!</li> </ul> <h4>Conclusions:</h4> <p>Although the book lists extensive references <br />and refers to “<em>research</em>” his conclusions are fundamentally speculative.</p> <p>Pink ‘<em>sows’</em> together a Patchwork to offer his ‘<i>view’</i> of selling [<i>or moving people</i>] <br />from Brush Salesmen to pay rises. <br /></p> <h3>There is no method, or system, just ideas and thoughts.</h3> <p>I read the book twice, firstly as an Evidence Based Sales Consultant, <br />then secondly through the eyes of a Sales Novice.</p> <h4>As a Sales Consultant, I would have score it as a Red 3/10 <br />i.e. slightly more DYSFUNCTIONAL than FUNCTIONAL, <br />an experienced Sales person would be <i>worse off</i> after reading it.</h4> <h3>However, as an ‘<i>empty vessel’</i> I would have scored it as AMBER 6/10 <br />because of the section on <b>IMPROV</b>.</h3> <h3>This could be a solid base from which to learn <b>Interactive Competence</b>.</h3> <p>Dan Pink’s ‘<em>To sell is Human’</em>, would not be in my Top Ten, <br />but it is in the Sales Section in my Library.</p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-51738810645554027162013-05-06T10:32:00.001+01:002013-05-06T10:32:30.876+01:00Challenging - The Challenger Sale<p> </p> <h2>The recent RAIN Group Report, <br />purports to ‘Challenge’ The Challenger Sale.</h2> <p>http://info.rainsalestraining.com/free-report-what-sales-winners-do-differently</p> <h3>It is based on a survey of “Buyers” talking about “Sellers”.</h3> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mxsvTZUjXWY/UYd4oZZDHgI/AAAAAAAABCQ/mENmWIaF1oo/s1600-h/paradox.htm%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="paradox.htm" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="paradox.htm" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1yqZ7yVyfuA/UYd4pGwmCqI/AAAAAAAABCY/L9KzYt0pwVI/paradox.htm_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="236" height="244" /></a></p> <h2>Paradoxically they ignore their own advice:</h2> <blockquote> <p><i>“Sales research methods often focus on asking sellers, sales managers, and leaders what the top performers do versus average performers.<font color="#ff0000"> <b>Unfortunately, people’s perceptions of what they do and what they actually do tend to be quite different.</b></font></i></p> <p><i>Our research looks at sales from the buyers’ perspective. Our objective was to find the answer to the following question: <b><font color="#0000ff">What are the winners of </font></b></i><font color="#0000ff"><b><i>actual </i></b><b><i>sales opportunities doing differently than the sellers who come in second place?</i></b><i>”</i></font></p> </blockquote> <h3>Their “<i>research</i>” ignores the very flaw which THEY highlight earlier!</h3> <p><b><i>Unfortunately, people’s perceptions of what they do <br />and what they actually do tend to be quite different.</i></b></p> <p>This applies equally to both <strong>Sellers</strong> AND <strong>Buyers</strong>. <font color="#ff0000">The perceptions of what Buyers ‘believe’ Sellers DO will actually tend to be quite different from what Sellers actually ‘DO’!</font> We are helped in this by having a body of research of 35,000 sales calls, carried out in 23 Countries, over a period of 12 years!</p> <p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>The second Paradox is using a Comparison of ‘<i>winners’</i> to ‘<i>losers’. </i></strong></font>  <br />N. Rackham and (Dick) Ruff published this flaw in their book<em> ‘Managing Major Sales’</em> in 1991. <br />However, the ‘flaw’ of using this approach was widely known since the early 1980’s.</p> <p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Learn from Neil Rackham</strong></font>: <br /><i>“<font color="#0000ff">And to not waste any time comparing Exemplar Performers (what I call Master Performers) to <br />Poor Performers. To Moderately Successful Performers, yes. <br />To see what truly ‘differentiates’ the true Masters.</font>”</i> <br />Written by Guy W. Wallace, CPT, performance-based Instructional Analyst Architect - Since 1979 and Consultant - Since 1982 [from <a href="http://eppic.biz/2013/01/04/1st-friday-favorite-guru-neil-rackham/">http://eppic.biz/2013/01/04/1st-friday-favorite-guru-neil-rackham/</a>]</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-F9gWb0boDm0/UYd4qKp_NOI/AAAAAAAABCg/zvbqnhLWZXc/s1600-h/winners-and-losers_crop_340x234%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="winners-and-losers_crop_340x234" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="winners-and-losers_crop_340x234" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6sCcj3FOdbg/UYd4rAsFp4I/AAAAAAAABCo/BsSyWGjq4uc/winners-and-losers_crop_340x234_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="338" height="234" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>RAIN Group highlight the <font color="#0000ff" size="4">Winner/Loser flaw</font> by showing what they top rank in ‘<em>winners’</em> <br />“<em>Educate with new ideas and perspectives</em>” <br />compared with ‘losers’ who have this as their 42nd from the top, or bottom Rank!</p> <h4 align="center">With this combination of two fatal flaws in their basic research approach, </h4> <h4 align="center">no credibility can be attached to their conclusions </h4> <p>which, <em>paradoxically</em>, they claim contradict The Challenger Sale Model. <br />This is a surprising claim as they state Salespeople <br />“<em>can’t inspire buyers unless they ‘educate them with new ideas and perspectives</em>’” <br />which sounds like a rephrasing of “<i>Teach with Insights</i>” to me! </p> <h3>In other words, they <em>appear</em> to endorse The Challenger Sale approach.</h3> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-566742069092243892013-04-22T14:46:00.001+01:002013-04-22T14:46:37.890+01:00Simple Selling and Complex Selling<p> </p> <h2>A Theoretical Foundation in Selling</h2> <p> </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S9d6RyXdQw8/UXU_C3jem7I/AAAAAAAAA_4/a3OIAsz12ts/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 23px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-h7paAVieSXU/UXU_Dqlf1jI/AAAAAAAABAA/r5NqL6_HsSs/image_thumb%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="462" height="261" /></a></p> <p align="justify"><em>This was the definition I used for  <br />twenty  years, it was based on Rackham’s research. Which he published in <br />‘Major Account Selling’, to distinguish between ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ Selling and then describe differences in successful Sales Behaviours.  </em></p> <p align="justify"><em>The multiple factors, in effect, <br />could be applied to almost any sale.  </em></p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify"> </p> <h2 align="justify">In other words: ALL Selling was Complex!</h2> <h4 align="justify">By 2000 it was obvious that a Multi-factor definition was not working.  </h4> <p align="justify">One by one Factors which were not helpful or important were disappearing.  </p> <p align="justify">First to go was “<em>Competitive Situation</em>”, this was not helpful in Contract Renewals with NO Competitor present, <font color="#ff0000">But the Sale was NOT simple! </font> The “<em>Long Sales Cycle</em>” was a repetition of many meetings, in fact some Long Sales Cycles were Simple Selling, which just took a long time!</p> <p align="justify">“<em>Decision means Major Change</em>”, yet equally Minor Change with high Impact, could have a similar effect.  The amount of change often reflects the ‘Motivation to Change’, rather than a difference in Selling Behaviour.  “<em>Long Term Partnerships</em>”, let’s take out the word “<em>Partnership</em>” and just go with Long Term Seller/Buyer Relationships.  </p> <p align="justify">We worked with the final two factors “<em>Committee Decision</em>” [not an individual] and “<em>The Solution is Complex</em>” from about 2000 until 2005, as it met most of our needs.  However, in 2005 we were offering some highly “<em>Complex Solutions</em>” in the Voice over IP and ‘Hosted Voice’ arena, and Buyers had NO interest in the Complexity, rather a desire for<strong> simplicity</strong>. <em> “I don’t care how it works, Does it DO what we want done?”</em></p> <p align="justify">in 2005, we wrote the final Definition of Simple and Complex Selling:</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ll8mNF7Elm0/UXU_ECsFohI/AAAAAAAABAI/7A708LSnLZE/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-43AxQn5yvts/UXU_E7svqeI/AAAAAAAABAQ/W3cq3L50ey0/image_thumb%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="464" height="263" /></a></p> <h4> </h4> <h4>Selling is a Communication Process, an Interactive Competence, <br />which becomes increasingly COMPLEX as the number of Participants INCREASES.</h4> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YKSwNEGTpWE/UXU_Ff_dgPI/AAAAAAAABAY/XxeX5U77zPM/s1600-h/image%25255B41%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vRl2xaQICoE/UXU_GOZbYvI/AAAAAAAABAg/doiX1NlUvJ0/image_thumb%25255B25%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="487" height="324" /></a></p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <h3><font size="3">One to One <br />is Simple Selling.</font></h3> <p><font size="3">One to Many, or <br />Many to One, <br />is <strong>Complex Selling.</strong></font></p> <p><font color="#ff0000" size="3">Many to Many is <br /><u>VERY</u> Complex Selling!</font></p> </blockquote> <p><font color="#ff0000"></font></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_OKjlvFzBzU/UXU_G8e9oiI/AAAAAAAABAo/KsGMC6asvwE/s1600-h/image%25255B25%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-K9PCwMQmC3Y/UXU_HrRjywI/AAAAAAAABAw/gki87n8PJlg/image_thumb%25255B15%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="405" height="230" /></a></p> <p>Observing Sales Behaviours in One-to-Many Sales Calls the level of INTERACTIVE COMPETENCE required for <em>Successful Selling</em> increases alarmingly.  Even the Observer is <em>stretched</em> identifying Behaviours.  <br /></p> <h4>The Salesperson MUST have a <em>Sales Behaviour Fluency</em> many times higher than selling One to One.</h4> <h3>If two Buyers means Complex Selling, then what if there are MANY Buyers?</h3> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ifqtzFauf1E/UXU_IQ7u23I/AAAAAAAABA4/M5HbvCJQNRg/s1600-h/image%25255B30%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QR_yXyppJaI/UXU_JpoJP-I/AAAAAAAABBA/IxlUXliKmZU/image_thumb%25255B18%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="778" height="439" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>A Sociogram of Big Telecom with a Major Bank Customer may look like this!  <br />Some Sales were simple Products, some were Complex Solutions.  <br />Some Sales had a Sales Cycle measured in minutes, some lasted for more than a year.  <br />Some were Major Changes [<em>Telephone and Internet Banking</em>], and <br />some were ‘<em>Partnership’</em> projects with shared risk.  <br />There was a constant Competitive threat.  </p> <p> </p> <h3>Yet, the determining factor was Selling one to one or one to many!</h3> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7Vh1cVML6i8/UXU_KhseKkI/AAAAAAAABBI/VUywOc15_Cg/s1600-h/image%25255B36%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hDyO9XJnlyQ/UXU_L_D7PQI/AAAAAAAABBQ/vF8Yaoh1YgA/image_thumb%25255B22%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="786" height="445" /></a>  </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-H-02eMftq54/UXU_Mn792fI/AAAAAAAABBY/FAzaOAh_PwQ/s1600-h/image%25255B40%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 30px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-H-EDLTXbJDA/UXU_NOpkTMI/AAAAAAAABBg/lw4QdE6DL6w/image_thumb%25255B24%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="428" height="242" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h3>Today in 2013, <br />this definition of </h3> <h3>Simple and Complex Selling <br />is crucial</h3> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uGhfelsq8iU/UXU_NzEwlrI/AAAAAAAABBo/XfywdvzEvPQ/s1600-h/image%25255B46%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nnvepSuBZuo/UXU_O_8kdyI/AAAAAAAABBw/5SRDrioy6Hw/image_thumb%25255B28%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="714" height="403" /></a></p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-25760746947944066792013-04-19T15:49:00.001+01:002013-04-19T16:01:10.914+01:00Customer Retention Strategy Selling in Recession<p> </p> <h3>Dave Brock has written two insightful Blogs into Customer Retention.</h3> <p><a title="http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/customer-retention-different-approaches/" href="http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/customer-retention-different-approaches/">http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/customer-retention-different-approaches/</a></p> <p>and</p> <p><a title="http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/customer-retention-whose-job-is-it-anyway/" href="http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/customer-retention-whose-job-is-it-anyway/">http://partnersinexcellenceblog.com/customer-retention-whose-job-is-it-anyway/</a></p> <h2> </h2> <h2>In a recession your ability to keep and grow <br />existing Customers is the difference between <br />Business success and failure.</h2> <h3> </h3> <h3><em>How do you set a Good Sales Defence Strategy?</em></h3> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-M-n2VFdCPS0/UXFZbfoI3XI/AAAAAAAAA_g/26euqbhX1QY/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9LX3kO8s5cU/UXFZcJGOXKI/AAAAAAAAA_o/XBZxYwnbXSw/clip_image002_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" height="248" /></a></p> <p> </p> <h3 align="justify"> I can no more give you a Formula, <br />than the plan that Napoleon had that ended in his ignominious retreat from Moscow, <br />instead of the victory parade in he planned.</h3> <p align="justify"> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h4>Sales Defence Strategy will be determined by <br />YOU, your Customer and the Competition.</h4> <p align="justify">The factors in formulating a good defence are building high walls, in business this is “Barriers to Entry”, or at the very least a very high Cost of Entry. IBM, was very successful in this by using proprietary software, in the 1980’s if you wanted the software, it only ran on an IBM Computer. Open-architecture, and Plug-Compatibility put an end to this approach!</p> <h2> </h2> <h2>What are today’s ‘<em>Barriers to Entry’</em>?</h2> <h3> <br />Functionality can be a barrier</h3> <p>If you do what the Customer wants done, and others cannot do it, then you can defend the Account. <br /> However, relying on USP’s and Functionality alone is, no more than, a short term defence, <br />it won’t last, the Competition will catch-up, they may even leap frog you! [Blackberry]</p> <h3> </h3> <h3>Today’s barriers are Customer Experience.</h3> <h4>That is, in great part, how Sales sold the first deal.</h4> <h5>What were the “Expectations” of the Customer, <br />what are their current “Perceptions” of their experience? <br /> <br />How satisfied are they with your Value delivery?  <br /> <br />In planning a ‘Defensive’ Sales Strategy, you MUST listen to the “voice” of the Customer. <br />One way is in Complaints Handling, if these are well done, <br />then you create a Positive ‘voice’, <br />if handled poorly then it’s a Negative ‘voice’.</h5> <h3>Financial Barriers, can be the hardest to erect</h3> <h4>And, during recession this can be the weakest point in your defence. </h4> <p>This is not only PRICE, but is VALUE as well. <br />A well-defended account, will have kept a ‘<strong>Customer Perceived’</strong> Value REGISTER, <br />showing the Financial BENEFITS, which the Customer expected and they perceived that we delivered. <br />This is NOT a wall you want to try and erect AFTER you are under attack! </p> <h4>That is called ‘Panic Discounting’, a paper thin wall, offering little or no defence.</h4> <h2>Relationships are the third wall in Sales Defensive Strategy.</h2> <p> We know that <strong><font color="#ff0000">you cannot Sell on Relationships alone,</font></strong> <br /><strong>nor will you be able to defend on relationships alone.</strong> </p> <p>But, they are a vital part of Defence! A good Account Defence, is based on a broad set of<em> Sales-Customer relationships</em>, from the front desk Receptionist through to the CEO. <br />The front desk may well be your first ‘<em>early warning’</em> of Competitive Activity in the Account.  <br />Build an ever growing network inside your Customer, <br />connect them back into your Company, <strong>KEEP ON SELLING!</strong></p> <p>When I conduct Customer Retention Strategy Workshops, <br />I always ask the same starting question:</p> <h3><i>What would you do to win this account?</i> </h3> <p>We spend a lot of time working out the BEST competitive <strong>Acquisition Strategy</strong> against us, <br />then, and only then, do we begin formulating our Customer Retention Strategy, <br />to hold onto [and often Develop] our Customer.</p> <p>Just a final note, I was at Burroughs [now Unisys] when they adopted the Tactic of <em>Hunters and Farmers</em>. <br /> Against IBM and Hewlett Packard this was a DISASTER, <br />as fast as our <em>Hunters</em> Won new Business, <br />our <em>Farmers</em> Lost existing business. </p> <h4>A New Business Salesperson with a Sales Acquisition Strategy <br />will always take Business from an Account Manager <br />who has not both planned <u>AND</u> executed their Customer Retention Strategy.</h4> <h2>Start Building those walls today!</h2> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-32461087348262156492013-04-16T16:12:00.001+01:002013-05-03T17:27:13.171+01:00Predicting Future Sales Performance<h2> </h2> <h2>MacIver’s Algorithm</h2> <p> </p> <p><b><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Hnq_YDmx52I/UW1qRSQRsjI/AAAAAAAAA_I/TOPSoFteee0/s1600-h/clip_image001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image001" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px 27px 0px 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image001" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KQrj5SbgWlc/UW1qSA2G23I/AAAAAAAAA_M/9sEJsDsmHRs/clip_image001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a></b><b></b></p> <p><b></b></p> <h3 align="justify"><b>The most accurate predictor <br />of Future Sales Performance, <br /></b><b>and it is FREE, my gift to you.</b></h3> <h3 align="justify"><b> </b> <h3 align="justify">It can be used to Recruit and Select, to Promote </h3> <h3 align="justify"><b>or to Identify your Future Top Sales Performers.</b></h3> </h3> <p align="justify"><i></i></p> <p><i></i></p> <p><i>I am prepared to state that this is more accurate <br />and has higher validity than any Psychometric ‘test’ <br />or any Recruitment Agency. <br /></i> <br /></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>This simple <b><i>three-factor algorithm</i></b> will substantially out perform any and all ‘Tests’, <br />and will do at least as well, <em>but usually far better</em>, <br />at predicting Future Sales Performance than any Expert.</p> <p>a.) <strong><font size="4">A</font></strong>verage<strong> </strong>(%) <b>of Annual (<em>actual</em>) Performance</b> <i>against target (last five years</i>.) <br />                (Reduce the total by twenty per cent for each year less than five years)</p> <p>b.) <strong><font size="4">B</font></strong>EST Quarter’s (%) MINUS WORST Quarter’s (%) Sales Performance <i>(last five years)</i></p> <p>c.) <strong><font size="4">C</font></strong>urrent<strong> Sales Velocity</strong><i> </i>(%)   (<i>Last quarter´s Performance against target)</i></p> <p>EXAMPLE:</p> <blockquote> <h3 align="right">A<font style="font-weight: normal" size="3">verage</font> last 5 year Annual performance = 87%  </h3> <h3 align="right">B<font size="3"><font style="font-weight: normal">est quarter</font></font><font style="font-weight: normal"> </font>137% <i>minus worst quarter</i> 48% = 89%  </h3> <h3 align="right">C<font size="3"><font style="font-weight: normal">urrent</font></font> Sales Velocity = 115%</h3> <h3><em> </em></h3> <h3><em>(A times B times C)</em> 87% times 89% times 115% = <u><font style="background-color: #00ff00">89%</font></u> </h3>    </blockquote> <h3>Then, <font style="background-color: #00ff00">89% is the PROBABILITY</font> of this Candidate achieving Target in their first 12 months; redo figures to predict year two when year one actual figure is achieved.</h3> <p> </p> <p>Thanks to Jeff Michaels of Intended Results (@IntendedResults) for encouraging me to Blog this.</p> <p> </p> <h4>Update 04/2013:  I have received a number of direct comments, and I am always happy to receive them here as well.  Based on this feedback and in particular some of the questions I have to caveat the <u>USE</u> of the Algorithm, not the Algorithm, but its use!</h4> <h5>Possible fundamental limitations of predictive model based on data fitting</h5> <blockquote> <p align="justify">1) <strong>History cannot always predict future</strong>: using relations derived from historical data to predict the future implicitly <em><u>assumes</u></em> there are certain steady-state conditions or constants in the complex system. <strong>This is almost always wrong when the system involves people.</strong></p> <p align="justify">2) <strong>The issue of unknown unknowns</strong>: in all data collection, the collector first defines the set of variables for which data is collected. However, no matter how extensive the collector considers his selection of the variables, <em>there is always the possibility of new variables that have not been considered or even defined, yet critical to the outcome.</em></p> <p align="justify">3) <strong>Self-defeat of the algorithm:</strong> after an algorithm becomes an accepted standard of measurement, it can be taken advantage of by people who understand the algorithm and have the incentive to fool or manipulate the outcome. </p> <p align="right">Wikipedia</p> <p align="right">.</p></blockquote> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-18269562164051409832013-04-09T17:58:00.001+01:002013-04-16T09:29:27.785+01:00The SIX Hour Sales Call<p> </p> <p><i></i></p> <p><i><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MvL2CjCVt-Q/UWRIrFA7a2I/AAAAAAAAA-Q/H6HqC_uxzRI/s1600-h/bad%252520lie%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="bad lie" border="0" alt="bad lie" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FcNhDXx3MpY/UWRIr2XkD9I/AAAAAAAAA-Y/pl7pIFCBl_c/bad%252520lie_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="388" height="388" /></a></i></p> <p><i></i></p> <p><i></i></p> <p><i>“What’s the ruling?”</i> he asked.</p> <p>I gave him the rule straight from the Rules of Golf. <br /><i> <br />“It’s an unplayable lie, you can move the ball [after marking it] under penalty of one shot. <br />Rule 27-1 lets you play your shot again from where you last played. <br />Or drop a ball on the line between your marker and the pin, as far back along the line as you wish. <br />Or, drop a ball no more than 2 club lengths from the marker NO nearer the hole.”</i></p> <p><i>“It’s your choice!”</i></p> <p><em></em></p> <h4>While he was thinking, </h4> <h4>it occurred to me that Golf has RULES which make it fair and enjoyable.</h4> <h2> </h2> <h2>What, I wondered, were the rules of SELLING?</h2> <br /> <h5>When, like me, you have a Prospect [or Customer] with you on the golf course for six hours?</h5> <h2>It is probably best to begin with a few DON’Ts:</h2> <ol> <ol> <li>Do NOT try and have a six hour Sales Call! <br /><em>This will strain both you and your Client to breaking point <br /></em></li> <li>Do NOT just have a ‘social’ round of Golf  <br /><em>Play a <strong>competitive round</strong>, which fairly tests both of you <br /></em></li> <li>Do NOT play at your rhythm and speed of play but at the Client’s pace, Play READY Golf <br /><em>it’s their day If you are a fast golfer, take your time, if slow then get a move on! <br /></em></li> <li>Do NOT drink alcohol DURING the Game  <br /><em>It will not improve either your game or, your behaviour! <br /></em></li> <li><strong>Do NOT talk business for the first six holes, or the last six</strong>, <br />only the middle six and then in the bar afterwards.  <em><strong>That is a TWO Hour Sales Call,</strong> <br />but it is best done between <strong>the Green and Tee</strong>, so it is only 20 minutes on the course.</em> </li> </ol> </ol> <h3>Before talking about the DO rules, <br />its best to consider WHY you are inviting your client to a Golf Day. <br />[<i>and why they are accepting</i>]</h3> <h2> </h2> <h2>It is Classic “<b><u>Relationship Discovery and Development</u></b>”, <br /> getting to know one another, it’s about building Trust.</h2> <p> </p> <p align="justify"><b><i><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1Wry29y7zvA/UWRIsj4ExFI/AAAAAAAAA-g/mhPv1hHTZSQ/s1600-h/fairplay_golf_55%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 1px 3px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="fairplay_golf_55" border="0" alt="fairplay_golf_55" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M-djDqaGwKQ/UWRIth2uaUI/AAAAAAAAA-o/unImjUXUgFY/fairplay_golf_55_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="373" height="241" /></a>Fair Play</i></b> on a Golf Course may not indicate fair play in Business.  But, unhelpful, unfair and aggressive Play on the Golf Course, may indicate to a Buyer, <br />what you are like in business. </p> <h5>Demonstrate Fair Play, helpfulness and collaboration. </h5> <p align="justify">It’s important that you KNOW, <i>and abide by</i>, the Rules and, <i>just as importantly</i>, the Etiquette of the Game. The purpose of the day, no matter the actual Goal for the day is to establish that they would want to do business with you!</p> <h2>The Five DO’s are: </h2> <blockquote> <ol> <li><strong>DO</strong> Only invite People who matter. <br /><em>You want key people from the Decision Making Unit, NOT their best Golfers! </em></li> <li><strong>DO</strong> have Goals for the day. <br /><em>Rehearse any Suggestions, or Requests, you may make, <strong>DO NOT be spontaneous!</strong> </em></li> <li><strong>DO</strong> Play the best Golf you can on the day, do not <i>play to lose</i>. <br /><em>This is obvious manipulation, a fair win is better than a ‘planned’ loss. </em></li> <li><strong>DO</strong> Be a good Golf host <br /><em>ENTERTAIN on the course have some great Stories, and tasteful jokes, be Great Company </em></li> <li><strong>DO</strong> Play for the 20<sup>Th</sup> hole, <i><u>not the</u> 19<sup>th</sup></i>, it is what happens next that counts. <br /><em>Send a follow-up letter, a photo or souvenir of the day, to remind them of their Golf Day. </em></li> </ol> <h4 align="center"><font size="5">A Client Golf Day is all about Relationship and Trust, <br />it is NOT about Product or Company.</font></h4> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p><em>You have an ideal opportunity to observe [close-up] your Client’s Problem Solving, <br />their Decision Making process, and their Interpersonal Skills.</em> </p> </blockquote> <h3>There are a number of models you can use:</h3> <h3>One is the <em>Socializer, Relator, Director</em>, and <em>Thinker</em> model</h3> <p><a href="http://www.mindspring.com/~lindaross/audi/pdf/personality_types.pdf">http://www.mindspring.com/~lindaross/audi/pdf/personality_types.pdf</a></p> <h3>Make use of these insights to appeal to your Client’s Personality <b><u>Preferences</u></b>. </h3> <p> <br /></p> <h2><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qvK8SfPzf54/UWRIuQe8VXI/AAAAAAAAA-w/T9L18GDQ1IQ/s1600-h/problem%252520solver%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 40px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="problem solver" border="0" alt="problem solver" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zghz_Jew1yg/UWRIvUZsY4I/AAAAAAAAA-4/jb7yVQo4loo/problem%252520solver_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="311" height="406" /></a></h2> <h2> </h2> <h2> </h2> <h2> </h2> <h2>The <b><i>Perception</i></b> YOU make <br />with YOUR Customer, <br />will be <em>their</em> view of you, <br />and of your Company <br />…..Manage Yourself.</h2> <p><font color="#000000"></font></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h4 align="center">Non-Golfers can participate in Golf Days by being <font color="#000000">‘</font><strong>Hosts’ <br /></strong><em>both before and after the game</em>.  </h4> <h3> </h3> <h3>If you are thinking of learning the Game of Golf, <br />then learn from a Golf Pro, that’s your advantage. </h3> <h3>Self-taught Golfers, like Self-taught Salespeople, often don’t play by the rules and have more bad habits than good habits. So, take lessons!</h3> <p> </p> <p>BMAC Consultants run Business Golf Training sessions in both Spain and Scotland:  <br /><em>“How to get the best from your Company Golf day”</em></p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-58176503850655589612013-03-08T18:25:00.001+00:002013-03-13T14:04:24.924+00:00Do you think The Challenger Sale methodology is superior?<p><strong></strong></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JXhhw9v9EEY/UTotE14L3WI/AAAAAAAAA78/LOUdzbSCtp8/s1600-h/jill%252520rowley%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 19px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="jill rowley" border="0" alt="jill rowley" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HoywQeohsNI/UTotFhl0IXI/AAAAAAAAA8E/XU0uKimyHbk/jill%252520rowley_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="124" height="124" /></a></strong></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p><strong>Jill Rowley (</strong><a href="mailto:‏@jill_rowley">@<b>jill_rowley</b>) of Eloqua<u> <br /></u></a><b>Winner of the 2013 Sales Representative of the Year – Stevie® Awards</b></p> <p><a title="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HTJQyce2Qf0" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HTJQyce2Qf0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HTJQyce2Qf0</a></p> <p> </p> <h3> </h3> <h3>Asked me a simple, straight forward question:</h3> <blockquote> <p><i>“</i><i>Do you think The Challenger Sale methodology is superior?” <br />[to the IBM Signature Selling Methodology SSM]</i></p> </blockquote> <h3>The short answer is “<i>yes</i>”.</h3> <h3> </h3> <h3>The longer answer is below!</h3> <p>IBM’s ‘Structured’ Sales Methodology (SSM) gave them significant Competitive Advantage, across multiple Sales Channels. I was consulting with Big Data Storage when we noticed an increase in sales being lost to IBM Distributors in the early 2000’s. We were used to winning the lion’s share in this arena because it was not IBM, not IBM sales, not IBM process. It was a ‘soft’ Market. I did a number of lost business reviews, and we interviewed several job applicants from IBM Distributors.</p> <h4>We found SSM.</h4> <blockquote> <p><i>“Over one-third of IBM’s employees use the IBM Signature Selling Method every day as they develop solutions to client problems. <b>IBM has learned that the professionals who have trained on and use this method sell two to three times more than sales personnel who have not.</b> The method is supported by a portal to allow IBM sales representatives to hone their selling skills and to help with soft-skills development, such as self-image and rapport-building, that is necessary for sales success.</i></p> </blockquote> <p align="right"><b>IBM’s learning transformation story. 2004</b></p> <h5>SSM is an elegant methodology which gives IBM and its Sales Channels a common language, allows for rapid scaling and experience sharing. IBM drove it from Marketing, which gave SSM reach and funding.</h5> <p>It is based on the process that Rackham had published several times, most specifically his 1999 “Rethinking the Salesforce”, accurately subtitled as: <i>redefining selling to create and capture Customer value,</i> which he co-authored with John De Vincentis.</p> <p>Rackham’s Process is described in Chapter seven “<em>Sales Process light in a long dark tunnel</em>”, <br />where the basis of IBM SSM is covered. </p> <h4>The KEY point is that Sales, unlike other departments, do not have clear boundary “handoffs”, where ‘lean’ improvements can be made.</h4> <h3>Rather Sales have an end to end process…….<b>The BUYING Cycle!</b></h3> <h3>And, Sales have to fit with that.</h3> <p>But then you knew that!  Jill, you are the EloQueen.</p> <p>What you may find interesting is his “Seven Characteristics of a Good Sales Process” page 217.</p> <h4>And, that was what IBM did, <br />they tested their Sales Process against those seven Characteristics.</h4> <p>From 2003 on in Big Data Storage and Data Services which, compete head to head with IBM, we have used an SSM, underpinned by Consultative Selling Skills based on SPINFAB to successfully compete with IBM and its distributors. If you do not have a SSM, you will lose, a lot, against IBM. In Big Software we underpinned our SSM with Enterprise Selling based on Advanced Selling Skills using <b><u>VALUE CONSTRUCTION.</u></b></p> <blockquote> <p><em>When 2008 happened, we had problems all over. Delayed decisions, status quo decisions, losing to the cheapest competitor, and really, really tough Price/Cost negotiations with procurement. Sales were down, margin was down, and profits were down. <strong>Yet some Salespeople were doing OK, Revenue Growth, Margins held, and they were earning good Commission!</strong></em></p> </blockquote> <p>We audited and assessed the Salesforce. Compared to previous audits there was no skill drop off, but there was <strong>substantial activity change</strong>. Late entry [<strong><i>or even last minute</i> <i>entry</i></strong>] in the <strong>Buying Process</strong> was becoming the ‘Norm’. Selling was becoming a matter of weeks of FRANTIC activity followed by months of inactivity in both Strategic accounts and Major accounts.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-H_HYu1hBxZk/UTotGiHohBI/AAAAAAAAA8M/zDRVW97OP_A/s1600-h/round%252520table%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 22px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Conference Table" border="0" alt="Conference Table" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uFJestJwnaA/UTotHW4PU7I/AAAAAAAAA8U/57b3zEN3TFI/round%252520table_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>In 2010, in London, I held a breakfast briefing with clients from Big IT, Big Data Storage, Big Telco and Big Software, where I suggested that <b>Relationship Based Selling was <u>NOT</u> working</b>.</p> <p><b>It did NOT go down well!</b> <br /><i>We had a lot of toys thrown out of prams.</i></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Some of these Corporations were betting their shirts that the ‘<i>relationships’</i> they had been building [<i>for 10 or more years</i>] with their clients in Banking, Government, Industry, Transportation, Energy and Petro-Chem were going to sustain them through the “<i>turbulent</i>” economic climate.</p> <p><b>Relationships, did not help.</b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <h2>By 2012, we had the following general situation.</h2> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uCsCgy77SpE/UTotIPb9jfI/AAAAAAAAA8c/ccJmpw961Xo/s1600-h/clip_image001%25255B6%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image001" border="0" alt="clip_image001" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-X5lpO4F_arQ/UTotJIl3q-I/AAAAAAAAA8k/omgOASgvoIE/clip_image001_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="651" height="490" /></a></p> <h3> </h3> <h3>Yes, SIXTY per cent of the Profit <b><i>contribution</i></b> <br />was coming from only 15% of the Salesforce.</h3> <h4>This means that losing a Sales Top Performer, a <strong>Rock Star</strong>, <br />was really hitting the bottom line.</h4> <h4>Just promoting the Top Performer, could seriously impact Profit performance.</h4> <p> </p> <p>In several Telecom Clients in 2010-2012 <br />we took the step of cutting the bottom 15% of Salespeople <br />who were causing a 20% profit <b>contribution LOSS. <br /></b></p> <p>We then gave<b> </b>their accounts/territories to the Top 15%. <br /></p> <h3>It had a very positive Profit Contribution response. <br /><i>(This technique was used by Unisys in the 1970’s)</i></h3> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2zBak1EtpuI/UTotJ5Oc96I/AAAAAAAAA8s/gNhvcXqAW78/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B5%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4qjFhMAXtqY/UTotLDKObSI/AAAAAAAAA80/N1CQ06DeeeM/clip_image002_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="655" height="493" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Then, in late 2011, we began hearing about some of the SEC-CEB research, <br />and the forthcoming Challenger Sale. I read Rackham’s endorsement, <br />and obtained an early copy of the book.</p> <h4>Jill, I have worked in Evidence Based Selling skills for 30 years, ~ <br />I am NOT taken in by Fads, <i>silver bullets</i> or <i>Hyperbole</i>. <b>I am a Sales Skills Sceptic</b>. <br />To be even more precise I use an ‘eliminative philosophy’ which simply says: </h4> <br /> <blockquote> <p><i><font size="4">“If what you tell me is true, then show me the proof and let me TEST it!”</font></i></p> </blockquote> <h3>I wrote a Philosophical Criticism about The Challenger Sale in November 2011.</h3> <p><a href="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2011/11/philosophical-criticism-of-challenger.html">http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2011/11/philosophical-criticism-of-challenger.html</a></p> <p>I cautioned, TCS would be misunderstood, and it is now the <b>most misrepresented</b> Sales Methodology around. It has ‘<i>disciples’</i> who don’t get it, and it has “<i>critics and detractors</i>” who don’t get it, either. I suspect that many who comment for, or against, the book have never read it!  Not understanding the Book, the Research, or the Practice does not seem to stop anybody from commenting about it. </p> <p>Remarkable!</p> <p>2011, and The Challenger Sale, I already knew that Relationship Selling was NOT working. The startling new Information that the book offered was a <b>sound statistical basis</b> to take a fresh look at Selling, <br />since the 2008 financial collapse</p> <p>The emergence of The “<b>Challenger</b>” profile, as distinct from the “<b>Lone Wolf</b>” was really helpful, as both in my research, and is most other research, they were both in the SAME category “Top Performer”. However, now we could measure that one type of ‘top’ performer was in decline, and the other in ascendancy in current Market conditions.</p> <p>The TCS comparative Statistical Analysis on the <b>‘Challenger’</b> out-performing the<b> ‘Relationship Builder’ </b>by more than 10:1 in Complex Selling, was even more than our calculated 7:1.  We had a Validation for what we had perceived in 2010, and had implemented by restructuring the Salesforce population.</p> <p>Now Jan 2012, the real work began: <br /><i>“What were the Sales <b><u>BEHAVIOURS</u></b> being used by <b>Challengers</b>, and <b>Relationship Builders</b>, <br />which were defining their success and failure?”</i></p> <p><em></em></p> <h2><b>Challengers are “Challengers” because of what they <u>DO</u>, <br />not because of who they <u>ARE</u>!</b></h2> <b> <h2><b>Likewise for Relationship Builders.</b></h2> </b> <p>Early research, we had a 15 year database of Sales Behaviours and Sales Performance results to examine, (n=3000 approx.) We had 300 hours of Video to review. And a current base of 350 audited and assessed salespeople to improve behaviourally.</p> <h3> </h3> <h3>We had several early wins.</h3> <p><b>Challengers</b> and “<b>Lone Wolf</b>” both used more <i>Suggestions</i> than Proposals unlike <b>Relationship Builders</b>, who used almost exclusively Proposals. This is NOT published in the TCS book and is unique to BMAC Consultants.</p> <p><i>What do I mean?</i></p> <ul> <li>A “<b>Proposal</b>” is a Statement: “<i>You should do this!”</i> </li> <li>A “<b><i>Suggestion</i></b>” is a Question: <i>“How would it be if you (or we) did this?”</i> </li> </ul> <p><b>Challengers</b> and the <b>Lone Wolf</b> by using Suggestions <br />were having a 60% Buyer <b><u>agreement</u></b> rate and a 40% disagreement rate.</p> <p><b>Relationship Builders</b> by using Proposals <br />were having a 60% Buyer <b><u>rejection</u></b> rate and a 40% agreement rate.</p> <p><b>i.e. this behaviour alone was proving to be 50% MORE successful.</b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <h2>The second early win was on Challenger “<i>Insights</i>.”</h2> <p>See: <a href="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/05/putting-challenger-sale-to-work-four.html">http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/05/putting-challenger-sale-to-work-four.html</a></p> <p>This was the method we used, very successfully, <br />to generate insights for Big Software to sell Cloud Based substitutes for Enterprise Software.</p> <p>We then looked at the Behavioural Practice to <b>deliver the insight content</b>. <br />Again using the Challenger group and comparing behaviours to Relationship builders.</p> <p><b>Challenger</b> exhibited a 60:40 ratio of <strong>DISAGREEING</strong> to Agreeing</p> <p><b>Relationship Builders</b> exhibited a ratio of 40:60 disagreeing to <strong>AGREEING</strong></p> <p>It has to be noted that <strong><u>Challengers disagreed rationally</u></strong>, by saying WHY they disagreed, <br />and delivering an insight, RB’s tended to agree with Customers <em>without saying WHY they agreed</em>.</p> <h2>The Impact on the Buyer is noticeably different!</h2> <h4><em>The Buyer would accept the RB’s agreement and reinforce their current approach.</em></h4> <h5>The Challenger’s rational disagreement would cause the Buyer to defend their current approach and enter into Customer Engagement where the Challenger could PROVE their insight.</h5> <p>So, the question <br /></p> <h3>“<i>Do I think The Challenger Sale methodology is superior?”</i> <br />[To IBM’s SSM], is:</h3> <p><b>That they work together! </b></p> <h6>Using a Structured Selling Process is better than not using a Structured Process. </h6> <p>(NB. it’s very worthwhile to test your “Structure” against Rackham’s Checklist, <br />just any old “structure” will not do!)</p> <blockquote> <h4>Using the Challenger Approach to initiating Customer Engagement<b>, is superior to most alternatives,</b> especially the <b>Problem Discovery Question based, then Solution offered</b> approaches.</h4> <h4>Hence, the furore over “<b><i>solution selling</i>” is dead</b> discussion.</h4> </blockquote> <p>My research leads me to conclude that Salespeople will NOT learn the ‘<i>behaviours’</i> of a <b>Challenger</b> just by reading the book, but anyone in Selling can become a successful <b>Challenger</b> by learning the Challenger behaviours and USING them correctly!</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--CrgU0wQ35Q/UTotL-IW3II/AAAAAAAAA88/6UZsB1FWiOI/s1600-h/clip_image003%25255B6%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 23px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image003" border="0" alt="clip_image003" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_tK-UQcnBWE/UTotM5z9gBI/AAAAAAAAA9E/b0qoAt7KlXg/clip_image003_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="412" height="310" /></a></p> <p> </p> <h5>The Golden Triangle, the very Top 5%, Performers in Sales can be developed by careful construction and combination of:</h5> <ul> <li> <h5>Revenue Generating Sales Activity [an SSM], </h5> </li> <li> <h5>Evidence Based Selling Skills [including TCS] and </h5> </li> <li> <h5>Business Knowledge [access to Business Insights or an Insight Generation system].</h5> </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h4>And, all of this fits right on top of current best Practice in Marketing from Companies like Eloqua’s cloud-based marketing automation and revenue performance management software.</h4> <p>Eloqua’s modern marketing cloud delivers best-in-class capabilities to ensure every component of marketing works harder and more efficiently to drive revenue. Having a robust Evidence Based Structured Selling Methodology and an Evidence Based Sales approach, with Validated Sales Behaviours delivers the REVENUE and PROFIT results!</p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-21618448809259985342013-02-20T08:36:00.001+00:002013-02-20T08:36:35.948+00:00Closing is a Dysfunctional Selling Skill<p> </p> <p>In his blog http://thesaleshunter.com/never-leave-a-sales-call-without-closing-on-something/</p> <p>Mark Hunter offers advice on how ‘Closing’ [<em>asking for continuance in this case</em>] should be done when a Sales Call is going badly. The premise he uses for this is the <em>“Try Harder”, “persist longer”,</em> <br />the<em> “never give up”</em> Sales school.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-c9N4Lyr-lEk/USSLChLF_UI/AAAAAAAAA7E/kRYo1W9IXIM/s1600-h/clip_image001%25255B4%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image001" border="0" alt="clip_image001" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RKv6uximJWI/USSLDb8hZkI/AAAAAAAAA7M/HQutJ06ERRg/clip_image001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="308" height="232" /></a></p> <p>Mark writes: </p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <p><em>“It is essential to always remember there is no such thing as a final sales call. If a sale can’t be made, there is still a sale that can be made and that’s selling yourself and creating a next step.”</em></p> <p><em></em></p> </blockquote> <p> </p> <h3> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3>What is the Evidence Basis for this view? </h3> <h4>Well, Top Sales Performers use the opposite approach.</h4> <p>They ask themselves <em><font size="4">what is the likelihood of winning this business? <br /></font></em>Unless their chances are high [the algorithm they use I will write about at a later date] they cut and run. </p> <p>Their most important resource is their TIME, and they don’t waste it, on <em><u>unlikely</u></em> sales. </p> <h4>Poor Sales Performers, on the other hand, <u>don’t give up.</u> </h4> <p><em>They flog dead horses. Poor Sales Performers appear to lack judgement, <br />they do not use an Algorithm. <br />They spend 4 times as much time on No-sales as Top Performers.</em></p> <p>Mark then writes:</p> <blockquote> <p><em><strong><font color="#ff0000">“Minimally, strive to agree on what is keeping the customer from making a decision to buy.</font> <br /></strong>Doing this helps to clarify in both your mind and your customer’s mind where the issues are.”</em></p> </blockquote> <h3>This is a <u><em>highly</em></u> Dysfunctional Selling Skill! </h3> <h3>Agreeing with a Customer’s Objection is called “Objection Reinforcement.” </h3> <p>This was used disastrously with the Positive-Negative Close.</p> <blockquote> <p><em>“You’re too expensive!” <br />“Yes, we are expensive, and it’s this Price ‘exclusivity’ which many of our Customers enjoy!</em></p> </blockquote> <h4>Agreeing with ANY Customer objection <u>reinforces</u> the Objection. </h4> <p>Xerox PSS in the 1970’s used a step in Objection Handling called “<em>Confirm and Isolate</em>” <br />e.g.<em> “You believe we are expensive, is this the only reason why you won’t go ahead?” <br /></em></p> <p>Salespeople who used this were found to be 10 times <u><strong><font size="4">less likely</font></strong></u> to get the business, <br />than Salespeople who missed this step out!</p> <p> </p> <h3>First of all recognise, <br />that YOU have most likely made mistakes both before, and during, the call. </h3> <p>Poor pre-call qualification, poor proposition or insight preparation or just poor selling skills during the call.</p> <h4>Don’t make it worse by “Reinforcing the Objection”, <br />or by causing further Objections through more ‘Closing’ or Commitment requests.</h4> <p> </p> <h3>So, how can you manage the ending to a ‘difficult’ call?</h3> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rcB4DXxT2VI/USSLEFlaggI/AAAAAAAAA7U/wzAVFkg9_IY/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Sm7BnrexyGI/USSLEywFuWI/AAAAAAAAA7c/M3nfsl_Pp7k/clip_image002_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="414" height="197" /></a></p> <h5>DISAGREE with what is keeping you apart, </h5> <h5>ask for a time-out and a new appointment.</h5> <h4> </h4> <h5> </h5> <h5>Give a positive reason for the next meeting, <br />see three great selling skills that really work.</h5> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/three-great-selling-skills-that-really.html">http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/three-great-selling-skills-that-really.html</a></p> <p>And, finally if you did a good job in the Call, and it did not payoff, use the Algorithm “Move on!”</p> <h3>Sometimes Your Cheese really has Moved!</h3> <p><em>Be the Type of Salesperson who uses an Evidence base to Support their Sales Behaviours, not speculation.</em></p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-15787435183322376182013-02-16T14:54:00.001+00:002013-02-16T15:34:37.198+00:00Sales, a Job for Life! Part Two<p> </p> <h2>Why some Sales people consistently outperform others.</h2> <h4>Transferable Selling Skills are not COMMON sense. </h4> <h4>If the skill is just “COMMON” in Sales then it is usually “Common Nonsense.”</h4> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-F7BgpbuTzUM/UR-dkPsK_WI/AAAAAAAAA6A/s4fsyNivL_k/s1600-h/first_impression%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 15px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="first_impression" border="0" alt="first_impression" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eSXiBbAzX2M/UR-dk06b-kI/AAAAAAAAA6I/tutD_m_d2g0/first_impression_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="339" height="301" /></a></p> <p><em>“The last thing the Sales Manager saw and heard <br />before the Salesperson won the business was the Salesperson <strong><font size="4">Asking for the Order</font></strong>.”</em></p> <p><em>The Sales Manager used inductive reasoning <br />and made note of what he had seen.  </em></p> <p><em>He saw it again soon after. <br />Then, again and again.</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h3> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3>Considering the “<i>evidence</i>” he had seen, the only conclusion he could draw, </h3> <h3>by INDUCTIVE REASONING, was <i>Asking for Orders</i>, <b><u>CAUSED</u></b> Buyers to Buy!</h3> <h2> </h2> <h2>He labelled this Sales Behaviour “<b><i>Closing</i></b>” – </h2> <h2>Closing the Sale or Asking for the Order.</h2> <p>The Sales Manager left his job and became an independent Sales Trainer. <br />He called himself an “<i>Expert</i>” and claimed to have discovered the <b>“Secret of Selling”</b>.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-i-idbBdztfQ/UR-dlUhwx6I/AAAAAAAAA6Q/guGtdFSAXDQ/s1600-h/BossLecturing%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="BossLecturing" border="0" alt="BossLecturing" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vM9lKDKGFI0/UR-dl6BtaOI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/_Mc4VG4XeYI/BossLecturing_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="329" /></a>He promoted his Master Class in Selling under the Title </p> <h3 align="center">“Close the Sale!”</h3> <h4>So sure was he about his “<i>secret</i>” that he offered a money back guarantee, if you did not win more sales by learning his secret!</h4> <p>Some people tried to claim their money back. <br />But, he simply said “<i>It works for everybody else</i>!” <br />And, then he added <br />“<i>You are not doing it properly, <br />with great confidence and a positive mental attitude</i>”. <br />So, he did not refund their money.</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b></b></p> <h3>But, he did carry out some more research.</h3> <p>He found that Closing did <b><u>NOT</u></b> always work, the first time, <br />so he altered the “<i>secret</i>” and said you have to ‘<b>Close’ FIVE TIMES</b> to win the Business.</p> <p>His Training now said “<i>you can’t close too early and you can’t close too often!</i>” <br />He developed many ‘<b><i>types’</i></b> of <i>Closing</i> to give variety to the repetitive close five times! </p> <p><i>The Assumptive, </i>and<i> the step by step, </i></p> <p><i>The direct ask, </i>and<i> the indirect ask, </i></p> <p><i>The alternative, </i>and<i> the trial close, </i></p> <p><i>The Ben Franklin, </i>and<i> the Half Nelson close, </i></p> <p><i>The Sharp-angle close, </i>and<i> the Positive-negative close. </i></p> <h5>His original 2 hour session was now a TWO DAY Sales Workshop called:</h5> <h5>“<i>101 ways to Close the Sale, the SECRETS to Sales Success</i>.”</h5> <p>He performed in larger and larger venues. <br />He was a Rock Star, and <i>the show</i> went from Teaching to Theatre.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-x8wxb0C9O3Q/UR-dm0-cVtI/AAAAAAAAA6g/r4Cv71CXyik/s1600-h/Madison-Square-Garden-Front-door%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Madison-Square-Garden-Front-door" border="0" alt="Madison-Square-Garden-Front-door" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8_WC0aVmmrg/UR-dniRWgfI/AAAAAAAAA6o/s6k2VQlGhcM/Madison-Square-Garden-Front-door_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="438" height="293" /></a></p> <h2> </h2> <h2>He trained over 200,000 people.</h2> <h3> </h3> <h3>His Sales Training ‘<i>heirs’</i> have passed his <b><i>secret</i></b> on to Millions of Salespeople, </h3> <h3>through several generations of Salespeople.</h3> <h4>But, He never conducted the simplest of all research, a behavioural experiment:</h4> <blockquote> <h3><i>“Do Salespeople who Close MORE often, SELL more, </i></h3> <i> <h3><i>  than Salespeople who Close LESS often?”</i></h3> </i></blockquote> <p>If he had conducted that experiment, <br /> then he would have uncovered that: <br /> <strong>People who ‘Close’ LESS often SELL MORE, and <br />People who ‘Close’ MORE often SELL LESS.</strong></p> <blockquote> <h3>What he had been selling as “<em>The Secret to Selling</em>”, </h3> <h3>was in fact, a DYSFUNCTIONAL Selling Skill.</h3> </blockquote> <h2>THE <u>MORE</u> YOU DO, then THE <u>LESS</u> YOU SELL.</h2> <p>If he had used <b>Evidence Based Research</b>, simple behavioural research, <br />instead of <i>Inductive Reasoning</i>, then he would have found that: <br /></p> <p>The most likely Buyer response to an<i> “Early Close</i>” is an <b>OBJECTION</b>.</p> <p>He would have also been able to observe that: <br /><b>the more often you close, the more objections you get! </b></p> <p>And, he would have been able to empirically measure that: <br /><b>the MORE Objections you get then, the LESS YOU SELL!! </b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <h2><b>When a Positive Attitude to Closing </b><b><b>is displayed <br />by “Closing” too Soon and too Often then: </b></b></h2> <h2><b>You do NOT succeed in Sales!</b></h2> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-41541878142046191682013-02-11T17:06:00.001+00:002013-02-11T17:06:21.802+00:00Sales, Jobs for life!<p> </p> <h2>Nobody has a lifetime Contract of Employment,</h2> <h2>which is strange because Employers want Customers for life.</h2> <h2 align="center"> </h2> <h2 align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-z9i-WN8O6wg/URklAw63cTI/AAAAAAAAA5A/BgU5fsuaQSs/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bafOOIMRN3E/URklBGdwy3I/AAAAAAAAA5I/auGTAsfcX0g/clip_image002_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="139" height="138" /></a></h2> <h4 align="center">How do we understand a “<i>Job for Life</i>” in 2013?</h4> <p>I believe it is found in the concept of “<b>EMPLOYABILITY</b>” </p> <blockquote> <p>An ‘<i>employable’</i> person is one who has <i>desired</i> Skills and Competencies, <br />which they can use to <b>generate Value for their Employers</b>, they are always in demand.</p> <p> </p> </blockquote> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ez3s9bE61AU/URklBrHqxnI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/X9Db_3UWp8g/s1600-h/clip_image003%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 24px 0px 12px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="From point A to point B" border="0" alt="From point A to point B" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-b7zG0L4Sotw/URklCEbn7DI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/JSc1K383BEQ/clip_image003_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="402" height="268" /></a></p> <p align="left">As a Sales “<i>Employee</i>” you have the <b><i>right</i></b> that your Employer shall at least <b><u>maintain</u></b> your current employability. <br /></p> <p align="left">It is to <strong><em>their</em></strong> current benefit <br />and it is of <strong>vital future importance to YOU</strong>.</p> <p align="left"><em><strong>Employability</strong>, for a Salesperson, is having a Portfolio of <u><strong>transferrable</strong></u> Selling Skills, <br />which will enable you to bring Value to your Employer whoever that is.</em></p> <h3 align="left"> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h3 align="center">If a Salesperson’s Selling Skills are developed and maintained, <br />then I believe they will have a job for life.</h3> <h4>Selling skills, <u>FUNCTIONAL Selling skills</u>, serve as a good foundation for Management and a great foundation for General Management.</h4> <p>Insist that your Selling skills, hence your future EMPLOYABILITY are at the highest level. </p> <p>If your current Employer will not do this, then before you lose what employability you have. <br />Leave and find an Employer willing to maintain your Selling skills.</p> <h4><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-W89oOtOR2u0/URklChQsDeI/AAAAAAAAA5g/alb1TOf76Ic/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image004" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image004" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VqjgqEXG5qQ/URklDKQxseI/AAAAAAAAA5o/jLEkAreFlg8/clip_image004_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="204" height="168" /></a>In all events, recognise that YOUR future employability, <br />YOUR Job for Life, rests in YOUR own hands.</h4> <h5>Take actions to safeguard your employability, do it for yourself!</h5> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-20741909952816571172012-11-15T17:03:00.001+00:002012-12-07T11:55:14.734+00:00Managing Sales Attitude for Success<p> </p> <h2>Attitude, “Positive” Sales Attitude <br />is one of the five “leading indicators” <br />of a Sales person’s likely Sales successes. <br /></h2> <h2>We know this from repeated research.</h2> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6SyX4oGdERY/UKUhVwNljLI/AAAAAAAAAzg/PHrTJR9rLvo/s1600-h/winner1%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="winner1" border="0" alt="winner1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TTijxSxfnR0/UKUhXIY5JXI/AAAAAAAAAzk/hlZpU5KUpmg/winner1_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="323" height="243" /></a></p> <p> </p> <h4>Attitude is linked to motivation and if all other things are equal, <br />the more motivated Salesperson sells more than the less motivated Salesperson.</h4> <p>Adverts for Sales jobs frequently ask for “<i>positive</i>” Attitude, <br />every job Candidate claims to have it, but how do you measure it? </p> <p>There are several Validated, and Reliable (in expert hands) Psychometrics, <br />which give insights into a Sales person’s likely attitude <br />to their Product, Company, Manager, Customers and to themselves.</p> <blockquote> <p><em>Here is a simple exercise, which is a good indicator of a Salesperson’s Sales Attitude.</em></p> <p><em>1. List the five most important tasks you completed last year.</em></p> <p><em>2. Now, put them into two groups:</em></p> <p><em>· Group 1 Tasks you did to avoid negative consequences or to receive promised reward.</em></p> <p><em>· Group 2 Tasks you did because they had meaning for you or your company in the longer term. </em></p> </blockquote> <p>You can now “<em>measure</em>” their engagement, the number of Tasks in Group 2; <br />which will give a percentage of their <em>optimal Motivation</em>, intrinsic motivation. <br /><strong>Sometimes this is called “Self-motivated”.</strong> </p> <p>The number of Tasks in Group 1 which, <br />were <em>sub-optimal</em> motivated by <strong><font size="4">external</font></strong> events of Punishment or Reward <br />show their Ratio to External or Manager-based Motivation.</p> <h4>During interview this exercise, <br />and YOUR subsequent inquiry, <br />will give insight into how the Salesperson works.</h4> <h2>It applies equally to your current Sales team!</h2> <p>Repeat the exercise with every individual.</p> <p><em>Diagnose</em> their level of Engagement, by using the two lists.</p> <p>The more Group 2 items the Higher their engagement, <br />they have the Positive Attitude to do the Task. <br /></p> <p>The more tasks they have in Group 1 the less engagement they have, <br />the more variable their Commitment and their Attitude. <br />Then, the more work YOU will have i.e. to manage them by punishment and reward!</p> <h3> </h3> <h3>As a Sales Leader, the Sales Manager’s role <br />is to connect the Salesperson’s work to meaningful outcomes. </h3> <p>The lowest form of motivation [<em>the least effective</em>] is Carrot and Stick; people are not Donkeys.</p> <p> Understand and share the meaning of work, FOR yourself, <br />WITH your Salespeople and FROM your boss.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aRryPoCICHE/UKUgVQvRczI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/Np5wYHHazfU/s1600-h/Stone-masonry-freize%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Stone-masonry-freize" border="0" alt="Stone-masonry-freize" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AbifaEXQ5rU/UKUgWZ1aK4I/AAAAAAAAAzY/hiRwTekbOho/Stone-masonry-freize_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p><em>“Cutting stone is just poorly paid, hard, exhausting work, <br />  but, being part of building a great building that then brings meaning!”</em></p> <p> </p> </blockquote> <p>.</p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-13828492202188240642012-09-22T23:05:00.001+01:002012-11-22T11:33:02.754+00:00Selling against Value, with Price.<p> </p> <p>In these frugal days, Price, <br />or as Buyers refer to it “COST”, is a very important factor in their Decision Making.</p> <p>Sometimes, clever salespeople reverse the Price Advantage by offering more VALUE.</p> <h5>It’s a Formula:</h5> <h5>Value = Benefits less Cost</h5> <p>Their “Added Value” comes from offering MORE benefits to cover their EXTRA Cost (higher Price)</p> <p>For example: </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Uh8pc_XyYNk/UF42I0pLBmI/AAAAAAAAAxE/jc_Hgna1I-A/s1600-h/discount%25255B2%25255D.gif"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 19px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="discount" border="0" alt="discount" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mdHd9RTUfLQ/UF42KGDVn5I/AAAAAAAAAxM/x1Up3k4kj4M/discount_thumb.gif?imgmax=800" width="244" height="217" /></a>They may claim that “<em>due to lower running costs</em>”, <br />their Total Value over five years is better than yours. <br />However, YOUR PRICE is less than theirs is, NOW!</p> <h4> </h4> <h4></h4> <h4> </h4> <h4>So, “How do you WIN on Price?”</h4> <p> </p> <p>There is an embedded preference in most people. <br />In Human Decision Making we have a marked preference <br />for Rewards (<em>payback or benefits</em>) that arrive EARLIER. </p> <h2> </h2> <h2>People prefer Rewards sooner, rather than later.</h2> <blockquote> <h3><em>Would you rather have $1 now or wait a year for $3?</em></h3> </blockquote> <p>If you chose a dollar now, then you are in the majority and you exhibit <strong><font size="4">PRESENT BIAS.</font></strong></p> <h3> </h3> <h3>You like the certainty of rewards now, </h3> <h3>rather than the hope for reward at some future date. </h3> <h3>A future which may, or may not, come!</h3> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bpAI6d9XOaM/UF42LYQwDpI/AAAAAAAAAxU/qu-DZagDd_A/s1600-h/discounts%252520present%252520bias%25255B3%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="discounts present bias" border="0" alt="discounts present bias" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mRvW9-l9PBo/UF42NMbjgUI/AAAAAAAAAxc/IPkzjyufY5U/discounts%252520present%252520bias_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="360" height="289" /></a>When selling on PRICE, you have to appeal to your Buyers “Present Bias”. <br /><strong>The Value of a lower Price is available NOW.</strong> <br />The Value of “added” benefits only occurs over time and has a lower value than a Reward instantly available!</p> <p>Who knows <br />if the projected value over five years will occur? <br />Who will get the credit, perhaps your successor? <br /></p> <p>The Time Value of Benefits <i>discounts</i> with time. <br />The certainty of reward and recognition of a lower Price, to you a lower COST, is available now.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>So, when <strong><em>Selling on Price</em></strong> against a “Value” Seller, make sure you invoke the <strong><font size="4">“Present Bias”.</font></strong> <br /></p> <h3>Make sure your Buyer knows they can have their REWARD from you NOW!</h3> <p>How does PRICE link to Sales forecasts and missed Targets?</p> <p>Read <a title="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/ignoring-sales-forecast-and-missing.html?spref=tw" href="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/ignoring-sales-forecast-and-missing.html?spref=tw">http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/ignoring-sales-forecast-and-missing.html?spref=tw</a></p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-23091770066871652862012-09-12T10:32:00.001+01:002012-09-12T10:32:16.405+01:00Do NOT spend money on Sales Training without doing a Sales AUDIT first<p> </p> <p>Dealing with Recession and Market Downturn <br />is causing many Companies to consider expensive or extensive Sales Training and Coaching Makeovers. <br /></p> <h3>Do a SALES AUDIT first, before you throw good money after bad!</h3> <p>“<i>Our research </i>[ The MAC Group, <em><u>no connection to BMAC</u></em> ] <i>shows that in most firms, <br />more than half of all Customer accounts are <b><u>NOT</u></b> profitable. <br />Moreover, between 30%-and 40% are only marginally profitable. <br />It is only a mere 10%-15% of a Company’s Customer-Sales relationships <br />that generate the bulk of the profits”.</i></p> <p><em></em></p> <h4></h4> <h4 align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eFBxiAiCM5Y/UFBWlSryouI/AAAAAAAAAwU/NTp-nuJ-zPY/s1600-h/Upturn%252520Down%252520turn%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 29px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Upturn Down turn" border="0" alt="Upturn Down turn" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EtuwHkMbi4s/UFBWmEIeMqI/AAAAAAAAAwY/9k2IFM931xI/Upturn%252520Down%252520turn_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="321" height="242" /></a>A Sales Audit <u>MEASURES</u> your sales force, <br />its individual and their total capability.</h4> <p align="justify">It measures your <u>ABILITY</u> to SELL your Product, <br />to your Market, against YOUR Competition.</p> <p align="justify">  <br />A meaningful Sales Audit is a PORTFOLIO of appropriate <br />Sales MEASURES, for your particular Product-Market.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h3>The Sales Audit is the baseline score (100) against which future Sales Performance, both Positive or Negative, can be measured and compared.</h3> <h3> </h3> <h3>THIS IS <u>NOT</u> A QUESTIONAIRE OR PERSONALTY TESTS.</h3> <h4></h4> <h4> </h4> <h4>Sales Audits and Sales Assessments </h4> <p>The purpose of the Sales Assessment is to measure <strong><u>Key Performance Indicators</u></strong> and calculate the likelihood of Sales Performance Success. The process producing a Sales Assessment should involve a Sales Audit by an Independent Sales Assessment Professional; <em><strong>its purpose is to provide a measurement</strong></em> rather than to express an opinion about “<em>quality</em>” of Sales Performance.</p> <h5 align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NTQUF6vEZbM/UFBWm2IAgjI/AAAAAAAAAwk/3LiLZORwn2M/s1600-h/Cost%252520Justification%25255B6%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 18px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Cost Justification" border="0" alt="Cost Justification" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MjWx0d5Xhyo/UFBWnlC3qKI/AAAAAAAAAws/qbielPF56Hg/Cost%252520Justification_thumb%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="367" height="227" /></a><u>Sales Audits</u> should always be an Independent Evaluation, which will include some degree of quantitative and qualitative analysis, whereas an <br /><u><em>Sales Assessment</em></u> implies a consultative approach.</h5> <p>The Sales Audit includes both LEADING and LAGGING indicators as well as an overall Performance Benchmark.</p> <h4> </h4> <h4> </h4> <h4>A Sales Audit is an ESSENTIAL part of:</h4> <ul> <li><b>Due Diligence</b>, Pre-Acquisition, Merger or Joint Venture </li> <li>Pre-Training Project Management</li> <li>Pre-Investment (or Re-investment) <br />the Sales <u>CAPABILITY</u> is a key indicator of likely future success.</li> </ul> <p>Contact <a href="mailto:brian.maciver@gmail.com">brian.maciver@gmail.com</a> for details it’s a LOT cheaper than a mistake!</p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-27120153312043123002012-07-21T13:02:00.001+01:002013-01-23T10:05:53.462+00:00The Secret to Selling<p> </p> <h2>A great sales Guru discovered the Secret to Selling.</h2> <h2>It is comprehensive; it is elegant in its simplicity.</h2> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CZXT8IctSZk/UAqaSiuaviI/AAAAAAAAAus/kIWEv_mRfG8/s1600-h/digital-guru%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 52px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="digital-guru" border="0" alt="digital-guru" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3He5oCszu9w/UAqaTIa9W6I/AAAAAAAAAu0/Xf8gQxvfAq4/digital-guru_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a></p> <h4>Those who learn the secret will have untold success and fulfil their dreams.</h4> <p>Using the secret will bring great wealth, which may then be demonstrated in Property, <br />possessions of great quality and a five-star life style for themselves and for their families.</p> <p>They will be respected and valued by their Employers, <br />admired by their colleagues and loved by their Customers.</p> <p><em>The great sales Guru who found and taught the Secret of Selling <br />retires and disappears to live in secluded luxury.</em></p> <h4>The Salespeople who learned the secret begin to fail. </h4> <br /> <p>They search libraries for new books, watch new videos and attend conferences for the secret. <br /><em>They consult with Consultants, <br />they are trained by Trainers and <br />they seek coaching with Coaches.</em></p> <p>They search for the Secret of Selling in Psychology, <br />they then resort Pseudo-Psychology and Folk Psychology.  <br /></p> <p>They ask <em>neuroscience </em>if they have found the Secret of Selling <br />and they are told of a Biological basis to decisions.</p> <p>Computers are bought to enter, share and manage Data, to Control Relationship Management, <br />to give Sales Force Automation systems and process to the speculations of ignorance.</p> <p>As their Revenue numbers drop and their success turns to failure, <br />their search becomes frantic. <br />Any street prophet, lunatic or charlatan is paid for advice and, even worse, they are listened to.</p> <p>Salespeople pretend to their Employers that they still have the secret, <br />but they are losing the respect and value they once had. <br />Their Colleagues stop admiring them; instead they begin to resent their high salaries.</p> <p>Customers no longer love them; in fact, Customers avoid them preferring to buy on-line.</p> <p>Their five-star Lifestyle is no longer possible and their families resent the change.</p> <p>And then, the sales Guru returns.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rw-XTWjYS-0/UAqaUcy0c0I/AAAAAAAAAu8/Kywm9FmU0dA/s1600-h/digital-guru%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="digital-guru" border="0" alt="digital-guru" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1x05m8O_gW4/UAqaVXbYYnI/AAAAAAAAAvE/OIGHsfA5-Fw/digital-guru_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a></p> <h4>They ask again for the secret of selling.</h4> <p>He smiles then replies, <br /><em></em></p> <blockquote> <h3><em>“The secret of selling is in the <u>skills</u> that you have, </em></h3> <em> <h3>the <u>knowledge</u> that you need, the <u>work</u> that you do, </h3> <h3><em>the <u>strategy</u> that you use and the <u>attitude</u> that you hold.”</em></h3> </em> <h4 align="center"><em>“After I left, you forgot this, <br />you listened to false teachers <br />and you looked for lazy answers.”</em></h4> </blockquote> <ul> <li><font size="3">The secret of Selling is in <strong><u>Evidence Based Selling Skills</u></strong>, not in <em>short cuts or proverbs</em>. <br /></font></li> <li><font size="3">The secret of Selling is in <strong><u>Appropriate Knowledge</u></strong> of Product/Market, not in <em>bluff. <br /></em></font></li> <li><font size="3">The secret of Selling is in <u><strong>Revenue Generating Activity</strong></u>, not in <em>busy work</em>. <br /></font></li> <li><font size="3">The secret of Selling is in a <strong><u>Good Strategy</u></strong> for Your Customers and Your Competition, <br /><em>not in an imaginary Selling Process</em> married to an <strong>imagined Buying Process</strong>. <br /></font></li> <li><font size="3">The secret of Selling is in a <strong><u>Healthy Attitude</u></strong> to work, <br />to your Employers, to your Colleagues and to your Customers; <br />not in <em>easy answers, tips, tricks, ploys and dodges</em>.</font> </li> </ul> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-3945084945967177042012-06-07T18:19:00.001+01:002012-06-07T18:23:04.077+01:00Putting the Challenger Sale to Work (SIX)<p> </p> <h2>Making a Challenger Sales Presentation or NOT?</h2> <p>I love Flip Charts the fresh white surface, the smell of the permanent marker Pens! If you have been to one of my “<i>Early Closing</i>” days, then you know the room fills with Flip-chart pages 20 or more blue tacked to walls, windows and doors. Flip charts filled with 3M post its which are sorted, listed grouped as we identify HOW we will win the sale, and WHAT we have to do to win it!</p> <h4><em>I do not like “Whiteboards” so much, you cannot bring them with you, <br /></em><em><em>and you are not allowed to take them away after you finish!</em> </em></h4> <p>The content is temporary, like their Dry Marker Pens (more Dry than Marker) with almost no smell. <br />The main use I put whiteboards to is as a Projection Screen for presentations, and they are not very good at that either. <br />They always have a glaring, reflective “hot-spot” which prevents the viewer from seeing the best bit!</p> <h4>It has been with some interest that I have watched the FAD of “Sales White-boarding” grow. <br />Like all FADS, numerous people claim its invention. Moreover, even more “licenced” <br />or “accredited” to run a “White Board Sales School” Training Courses.</h4> <p>There is a wide range of Claims for “white boarding”, the basic claim is it’s “<font size="3"><strong>better</strong></font>” than PowerPoint. <br />Additional claims are its <i>memorable, creative, flexible and persuasive</i>. <br /> <br />The <strong><font size="3">CLAIMED</font></strong> out <u>comes</u> of white boarding are SHORTER Selling Cycles, BETTER Sales Margins and <br />more acceptable to C level Buyers.<strong><font size="3"> Most Firms would want these.</font></strong></p> <h3>What is the reality?    Have a look at this video.</h3> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_CAZkris4Q">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_CAZkris4Q</a></p> <blockquote> <p><em><font size="4">Are their Claims met?    Is it ´operator error´ or is it the concept?</font></em></p> </blockquote> <h3>Let us compare this to a simple PowerPoint Presentation on a similar subject.</h3> <p><a href="http://www2.bt.com/static/i/media/pdf/secure_internet_teleworker_presentation.pdf">http://www2.bt.com/static/i/media/pdf/secure_internet_teleworker_presentation.pdf</a></p> <p>There is a “<em>script</em>”, which the presenters are trained to “<em>tailor</em>” to their audience. <br />If it is no better, it is certainly no worse.</p> <p> </p> <h2>Let us look at some static images</h2> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kY_Tdgex7UQ/T9Dikh2KOrI/AAAAAAAAAsw/LySB0Kwmhso/s1600-h/white%252520boarding%252520bad%2525201%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="white boarding bad 1" border="0" alt="white boarding bad 1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Y1DxZxbpwUA/T9Dilce0LmI/AAAAAAAAAs0/bKmvA3_F-gE/white%252520boarding%252520bad%2525201_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>   then this one       <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kYo3GxxDogc/T9DimA0S-NI/AAAAAAAAAtA/Fl5ZN6Tl6vI/s1600-h/your%252520fired%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="your fired" border="0" alt="your fired" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-j_C_I7bh6wk/T9Dim0tdBxI/AAAAAAAAAtI/slkfd7WPteU/your%252520fired_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="182" /></a></p> <p> </p> <h3 align="center">Which is a C-level graphic, which is a play ground doodle?</h3> <p> </p> <p>These are two BLOG graphics from one of my favourite bloggers, a really smart guy…….</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ikq7UGh7KZo/T9DipM9ETzI/AAAAAAAAAtM/z0IQhlOeBP0/s1600-h/Bad%252520graphic%25255B2%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Bad graphic" border="0" alt="Bad graphic" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--PVv5swdoY4/T9Dip3LEbTI/AAAAAAAAAtU/0DXZjiRQJ-Y/Bad%252520graphic_thumb.png?imgmax=800" width="240" height="244" /></a>     or    <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-w4O7vHPiisI/T9DiqoRGifI/AAAAAAAAAtg/fp9YJ82PqkA/s1600-h/Good%252520Graphic%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Good Graphic" border="0" alt="Good Graphic" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vZr7QBvvKv8/T9Dirk0UrII/AAAAAAAAAtk/1NFj0iO6XLk/Good%252520Graphic_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" height="236" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h3>Many smart people are being mesmerised by this approach, </h3> <h3>especially in MARKETING, but MOST Sales people <u>CANNOT</u> use it effectively,</h3> <h3> only a very few who do use it, use it even fairly well.</h3> <p> </p> <p>What you did………</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HtCIfP0RhUE/T9DisD2VbBI/AAAAAAAAAts/-UG7_3A8xVw/s1600-h/what%252520you%252520did%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="what you did" border="0" alt="what you did" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IgPpOKkcLe4/T9Dis2FYUWI/AAAAAAAAAt0/-lEzkt_nQcg/what%252520you%252520did_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>         what you tried to do…….   <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-j3Bk5bepC9A/T9Dit48T7uI/AAAAAAAAAt8/FAolW_TA7N0/s1600-h/what%252520you%252520think%252520you%252520did%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="what you think you did" border="0" alt="what you think you did" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LYu6IZRnvRc/T9DiupWwLFI/AAAAAAAAAuE/8CooTb5F7s8/what%252520you%252520think%252520you%252520did_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="176" /></a></p> <h2> </h2> <h2>My conclusion: if you have an arty degree, </h2> <h2>especially in the graphic arts this tool may help you.</h2> <p>If you do NOT have any talent in lettering or drawing, <br />if you always lose at Pictionary, <br />then remember the Saying</p> <blockquote> <h4>“A fool with a tool is still a fool!” (Thanks Tamara)</h4> <p> </p> </blockquote> <h2>What does all this have to do with Challenger Selling?</h2> <p>I have watched a series of great opportunities being blown due to inappropriate amateurish, <br />even childish efforts to whiteboard.  And, at the same time as the CMO is sending <br /> more and more people of for “Training” in the ART.</p> <p>Buy a copy of “The Challenger Sale” for your Salespeople instead, it’s cheaper, <br /> the <u>outcomes</u> are SHORTER Selling Cycles, BETTER Sales Margins and <br />more “Challenging Selling” is a lot more acceptable to C level Buyers, than DOODLES.</p> <p>If your PowerPoint Skills are poor, then get trained. <br /> <br /></p> <h4>If your PowerPoint Presentations are boring or extra-long then buy the book “Beyond Bullet points”, <br />and realise the power of Great Storytelling, together with great graphics <br /> in a really SALES PROFESSIONAL way.</h4> <p> </p> <h1>In Challenger Selling, <br />you do a lot of hard work to earn your Presentation <em>Opportunities</em>, <br />DO NOT BLOW IT, <br />Tailor and Control it instead.</h1> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-25339645426095482242012-06-04T11:51:00.001+01:002013-01-23T10:15:34.677+00:00Putting the Challenger Sale to Work (Five)<p> </p> <h1>A USP is <u>NOT</u> <br />a Challenger Insight </h1> <h3> </h3> <h3>The CEB research clearly shows that Challenger Insights work.</h3> <h3><em>However, few Salespeople are actually using them!</em></h3> <h2> </h2> <h2>Let´s review briefly, what USP´s are:</h2> <p><em>“The <b>Unique Selling Proposition</b> (a.k.a. <b>Unique Selling Point</b>, or <b>USP</b>) is a<strong> </strong></em><em><strong><font size="3">marketing</font></strong></em><em><strong><font size="3"> concept</font></strong> <br />that was first proposed as a theory to understand a pattern among successful advertising campaigns <br />of the early 1940s. It states that such campaigns made unique propositions to the customer and <br />that this convinced them to switch brands.</em></p> <p align="right">Wikipedia</p> <h3>Marketing produces USP´s by the gazillion: </h3> <h3><em>Faster, bigger, smaller, easier, cheaper, and on and on!</em></h3> <h4>HOWEVER, do they work?</h4> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ISyDuA0RkjI/T8yTGedqyOI/AAAAAAAAAsM/sXbH5C0KYB0/s1600-h/C5%252520no%252520fuel%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="C5 no fuel" border="0" alt="C5 no fuel" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gPXOEqRyp1U/T8yTGlsTGiI/AAAAAAAAAsU/_skbgNCAvWI/C5%252520no%252520fuel_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="304" height="203" /></a>  <font size="7">USP: </font></p> <p><font size="7">The Gas ‘free’ car</font></p> <p> </p> <h4> </h4> <h4>We have known for years, in Sales, that USP´s DO <u>NOT</u> SELL.</h4> <h5>Rackham’s Research published as SPIN Selling devotes a chapter to it (Ch.9)</h5> <p>“<em>The Myth and Magic</em>” of the Initial Benefit Statement <br />and the USP in <em>“Opening the Sale”</em> is just another rod on Sale’s back!</p> <blockquote> <p><em>“It’s the fastest on the Market!”</em> offers the novice Salesperson.</p> <p><em>“We do NOT need more SPEED, we need more reliability, <br />and faster usually means LESS RELIABILITY!”</em> Retorts the cynical Customer.</p> </blockquote> <h4>This really is <i>stepping off on the wrong foot</i>, <br />from push “<em>benefit</em>” to Customer Objection in less than 10 seconds! </h4> <blockquote> <h4><em>“We do not want your USP of speed; <br />we believe that might damage the reliability that we really need.”</em></h4> </blockquote> <p>The brochures promote SPEED, the adverts promote SPEED, <br />and the Call-centre is calling trying to book appointments for salespeople to talk about SPEED. <br />It is another failed Marketing Campaign, but Sales is going to get the blame. </p> <blockquote> <p><strong><em>“They didn't sell the USP: SPEED!”</em> laments the CMO.</strong></p> </blockquote> <h3> </h3> <h3>Opening the Sale refresher <br /><a href="http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/three-great-selling-skills-that-really.html">http://brianmaciver.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/three-great-selling-skills-that-really.html</a></h3> <h2> </h2> <h2>How do we construct these <em>Challenger Insights</em>? </h2> <h4><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vQt0aizu6Fw/T8yTHEB1LjI/AAAAAAAAAsc/WwlX-5e8KFs/s1600-h/go%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 22px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="go" border="0" alt="go" align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ahHI3Oz3FaM/T8yTHljXpVI/AAAAAAAAAsk/TcNiJuS-4Do/go_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="318" height="240" /></a>From the MARKET, not MARKETING!</h4> <blockquote> <h5>Get together with some customers, product specialists and ….</h5> <h5>OK some marketing people <br />(but have an equal number of Salespeople present).</h5> <h5><font color="#ff0000">DO NOT let Marketing seize the White Board <br />or write-up the minutes of the meeting.</font></h5> </blockquote> <h3>Have a <b>Customer Engagement</b>; </h3> <h3>see their world through their eyes.</h3> <p>Ask Customers to design your next product, <br />or to modify your existing products.</p> <p>Find out where “Speed”, size, or cost etc. is on their priority list.</p> <p>From the meeting develop and test a variety of “<em>insights</em>”, <br />this is the beginning of Challenger Insights. <em><font color="#ff0000">(And the end of the USP! fiasco)</font></em></p> <p> </p> <p>.</p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-70377834230100295362012-05-28T07:51:00.001+01:002012-12-07T11:48:06.590+00:00Putting the Challenger Sale to Work (Four)– INSIGHTS<h3> </h3> <p>Challenger Selling is when a Salesperson uses a Business Insight to Challenge a Customer which enables a process of discovering and developing Vales with the Customer. The Value Proposition, made by a Challenger Salesperson, is constructed from the Customer Identified Value and the Salesperson’s Capability to deploy and deliver these Values to the Customers organisation.</p> <h4>It is not easy.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JSI1wmzqxqs/UMHWO1RVBxI/AAAAAAAAA0s/bOL-HLgcV50/s1600-h/stressed%252520individual%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 30px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Exhausted businesswoman." border="0" alt="Exhausted businesswoman." align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VEdfFr8P0N4/UMHWPsSdspI/AAAAAAAAA0w/0vhtY90sd84/stressed%252520individual_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="443" height="295" /></a></h4> <p align="justify">In fact, some of my Clients are finding it difficult to even get started. <br />Here is a solution which BMAC Consultants have successfully deployed to Big Software. Their basic difficulty was: <em>“What is the “insight” we deliver which leads our existing Customers to re-deploy Enterprise Software into The Cloud?</em>”</p> <h4><em>Well I am not going to tell you their insights; <br />they are confidential.</em> </h4> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h3>But, I will tell you how BMAC Consultants solved their problem!</h3> <h4> We introduced “The Five O’clock Club.”</h4> <p align="justify"><strong><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ab67cB1OcxM/UMHWQqI2dqI/AAAAAAAAA04/K4zfuUGTXNQ/s1600-h/productive%252520group%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 21px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="productive group" border="0" alt="productive group" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vswDrX6K72U/UMHWRvc6GFI/AAAAAAAAA1E/th5LEPAMmqw/productive%252520group_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="388" height="258" /></a>“The Five O’clock Club”</strong> is a meeting place for Sales, Marketing and Product on a weekly basis. <br />They meet usually on Wednesdays or Thursdays at Five o’clock. The core group are ‘<em>volunteers’</em>, one salesperson, one marketing person and one product person. To get ‘<em>volunteers’</em> you need to invite people along to the first few meetings. <br /></p> <p>BMAC does this with beer and snacks!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>You pose the problem <em>“What insights can we offer our Customers which will support a selling cycle taking them from Enterprise software to Cloud based software?”</em> <br />Then use a variety of brainstorming techniques with the talent in the room. <br />BMAC facilitate these, but you could use the ideas from “<a href="http://www.creativethink.com/">a whack on the side of the head</a>!”</p> <p>OK, by now ‘the question’ has transformed into a range of completely different “questions”, <br />about us, our competition, our customers, their competition, our capabilities, <br />our ability to deploy and deliver value that Customers <strong><u>WANT</u></strong>.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p align="justify">That is when BMAC turnover the whole process to the Core Five O’clock Group, <br />by now you have volunteers and their substitutes! <br />They can invite guests (<strong><em>including Customers</em></strong>) <br />and now they pay for their own beer!</p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify">Officially the meeting ends at six o o’clock, <br />but you will find that sometimes they run longer, don’t disturb them. <br />Look at their output, let them bulletproof their own ideas, <br />don’t be an “idea crusher.” </p> <p>The groups which really zing are based on: </p> <h4>Account Manager, Marketing Executive and Product Support Specialist. </h4> <p>If Sales Managers, Marketing Managers and Product Managers want to “<em>generate insights</em>”, <br />they do NOT have to wait for Thursday at five O’clock that is their DAY job, <br />they can do it any time they want.</p> <h2>However, DO NOT STOP The Five O’clock Club.</h2> <p>This is a low cost, Customer (and Segment) based <strong><em>insights machine</em></strong>. You will find that more than enough Insights are being generated AND time wasting “<em>internally generated insights</em>” are discarded <em><u>before</u></em> they are communicated to disinterested Customers.</p> <p>If you would like more details on a Five O’clock Club e-mail <a href="mailto:brian.maciver@gmail.com">brian.maciver@gmail.com</a></p> <p> </p> <p>.</p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858825107682340595.post-59971789584859173132012-04-26T12:05:00.001+01:002012-04-26T12:08:47.039+01:00Putting Challenger Selling to Work–THREE<i></i> <h3 align="center"><i></i></h3> <p align="center"> </p> <h3 align="center"><i></i></h3> <h1 align="center"><i>At A Glance </i>- First Impressions</h1> <h1 align="center">in Challenger Selling</h1> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h2>The Sciences of <b><u><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioural_economics">Behavioural Economics</a></u></b> have many lessons to offer Salespeople who are interested in Human Behaviour <br />and particularly in Decision Making.</h2> <p>I have never seen any science behind the many schools of “<em>Body language</em>”, <br />nor proof supporting their “<i>Claims</i>” of 90% of communication is visual (or 80% or 70%), based on Visual “<i>Signals</i>”.</p> <p> </p> <h2>There is, however, a piece of Scientific Research <br />which demonstrates <b><u>First impressions – at a glance</u></b>.</h2> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lI81bV8QGPo/T5kr78rMJpI/AAAAAAAAAoU/KfinIxEEr7g/s1600-h/first_impression%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 23px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="first_impression" border="0" alt="first_impression" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-phHugIymB8Y/T5kr81hku8I/AAAAAAAAAoY/_wfKwMGrVdE/first_impression_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="372" height="331" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h4 align="justify">This study by <em>Alex Todorov</em> (Princeton) <br />which seeks to explain the human “<em>ability</em>” of <br />“Rapid <em>Judgement</em>”. The judgement is of the <br /><em>“Safety or Danger of a Stranger”</em>. </h4> <h4 align="justify">The accuracy of this ability is far from accurate. </h4> <h4 align="justify">Yet, it is an inherent “<i>skill</i>” from our long ago ancestors where this judgement was life or death. Todorov’s experiment proved <em>“rapid judgement”</em> to be universal, multi-national and multi-cultural.</h4> <h4> </h4> <h4> </h4> <h4> </h4> <h2>What does this mean for Salespeople?</h2> <h3>The “First Impression” is of particular importance for <b><u>The Challenger Seller</u></b>. </h3> <p> <br /></p> <h3>This is because <em><u>early</u></em> in the Seller Process (<em>regardless of the Buyer Process</em>) <br />the Challenger delivers an <b><u>“insight of value”</u></b> to the Buyer.</h3> <p><strong><u>“How”</u></strong> the Buyer both <em>receives and perceives</em> this “insight of value” is greatly influenced by the First Impression given by the Seller. <br /> In the study by Toderov “At a Glance” (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_miser">Cognitive miser</a>) the buyer will form a first impression composed of <br />“Dominance and Trustworthiness”.  These twin characteristics are based on face shape and smile. <br /> <br />Further influences <b><u>MAY</u></b> be Posture, Movement, Voice, Firmness of Handshake and their Deodorant or Cologne. <br /></p> <h3>The Buyer will make an automatic “<em>rapid judgement</em>” at a fundamental level.</h3> <h4>How do Salespeople cope with this?<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-liwcO54O2LQ/T5kr-BAAp_I/AAAAAAAAAog/GPN0nSDwoLU/s1600-h/first%252520impression%252520wrong%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 11px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="first impression wrong" border="0" alt="first impression wrong" align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LgPWsxKA6Wo/T5kr_BieoTI/AAAAAAAAAoo/AH7pv6vCxqI/first%252520impression%252520wrong_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="171" height="264" /></a></h4> <h3>In observations of <strong><em>successful</em></strong> Challenger Sellers their <b><u>“insight of value”</u></b> <br />is held back for between 10-15 minutes. </h3> <p>Challenger Sellers who deliver their “insight” earlier in the meeting, <br />particularly as their <em>“Initial Statement”,</em> have a much lower success rate <br />(<i>measured by rejection of the insight</i>). <br /></p> <p>Yet, if the same or similar insight offered later in the meeting <br />then it has a far greater degree of acceptance.</p> <h4>Recommendations.</h4> <p>1. <b><u>Recognise</u></b> the importance of first impressions. <br />    You can influence this by dress, posture, smile, handshake, voice and deodorant/cologne.</p> <p>2. <b><u>DELAY</u></b>, your <b><u>“insight of value”</u> </b>for at least 10 to 15 Minutes, use this time to be Buyer Centric, <br />    express interest in them, their role and their company.</p> <p>3. <b><u>Offer</u></b> your <b><u>“insight of value” </u></b>in an <strong><em>assertive way</em></strong> (<i>review the challenger sale and other work to be clear about <br />   Aggressive and Meek behaviours, as both reduce your sales effectiveness</i>)</p> <p>4. <b><u>Use</u></b> <b><i>Evidence Based Selling Skills</i></b>; <br />the TV program “Lie to Me” is entertainment, not a reality show. <br />The Lightman Institute is not real; it’s a speculative flight of fancy. <br />The “real” Dr. Lightman is Dr. Paul Ekman, who’s acclaimed work is presently under critical review, <br />but currently he refuses to allow peer review or publication <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ekman">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ekman</a> (read criticisms)</p> Brian MacIverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916786061781373035noreply@blogger.com2