http://www.salescoachinglive.com/blog/category/networking-relationships/ Blog categories... http://www.salescoachinglive.com/davekahle/blog/what-can-we-learn-from-the-best-sales-people/ Do great B2B sales people, regardless of what they sell, have any practices in common? In other words, do the best sales people all sell the same way...
A number of years ago, a professional association attempted to answer that question. They studied superstar sales people from a wide variety of industries and concluded: Yes!

In fact, the best sales people excel at the same things. Here are the top five practices of the very best sales people:
1. They see the situation from the customer’s point of view.
2. They ask better questions.
3. They listen more constructively.
4. They are obsessed with time management.
5. They do bigger deals.

Let’s look at the relationship among these items to see if there are any lessons for us.

“They do bigger deals.” That is both the result of their work (that is, after all, why they are the best sales people) as well as their focus from the beginning. They start with an understanding that it is their job to bring revenue into the company, and that the more revenue they bring in, the more valuable they are to their companies and the more successful they become. And this realization leads them to what becomes an obsession.

“They are obsessed with time management.” That means that they intentionally and methodically strive to make the best use of their sales time by focusing the bulk of their efforts on the highest-potential opportunities and customers. You won’t find them running an errand for a “C” customer just to be a nice guy.

In my book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, I make the point that this practice – investing in the highest potential prospects and customers – trumps all other sales practices. If you are a great presenter, for example, and wonderful at closing the sale, your skills will be squandered if they are not exercised with the right people.

And what do the best sales people do with the time they invest in the highest-potential customers? “Ask better questions,” and “listen more constructively.” Amazing. These two fundamental communication skills are, perhaps, the earliest communication skills we learn. Yet, the best take these foundational skills and execute them better. And since they excel at these two fundamentals, they naturally gain a better understanding of the “customer’s point of view.” Equipped with that competitive advantage, they formulate creative proposals that lead them back to where they started: bigger deals.

This should be immensely encouraging to sales people. Unlike the promotional messages from legions of sales trainers and authors, the reality is that there are no “secrets” in sales. Success comes not from hidden strategies and mysterious tactics, but rather from the excellent execution of the essentials.

The best sales people execute the most fundamental skills with excellence. And, since we can all do the things the best do, we can, if we choose, strive to do them better. And, if we strive to do them better, at some point we will arrive at the same place they are: a master sales person.

In other words, there is a path to sales mastery, and we can all follow it, if we choose.

It begins with our mind-set. We need to see ourselves as professional sales people, whose job it is to bring revenue into the company. That sounds so simple and so basic, yet legions of sales people are loath to consider themselves sales people. They are account executives, sales facilitators, mobile customer service representatives, etc. Some consider themselves to be exclusively the advocates for the customer and hand out discounts and concessions to anyone and everyone.

Since they don’t see themselves as professional sales people, they don’t invest in improving their sales skills. They don’t understand that their behavior creates a reciprocal reaction on the part of the customer. The sales person’s actions create reactions on the part of the customer. If they want more profitable actions from the customer, they need to improve their actions.

Once we have the mind-set of the professional sales person, we slowly begin to gravitate toward the opportunities and customers that hold the greatest potential. We understand that we only have a small and limited quantity of sales time, and that we must invest it, with a cold-blooded business attitude, in those situations that will bring the greatest reward. In short, effective time management becomes a daily obsession.

Now, since we are interacting more frequently with the highest potential customers and prospects, we focus on excelling at the most fundamental communication skill: asking better questions and listening more constructively. Armed with these two fundamental and powerful communication devices, we strive for continued improvement and constant development.

With this as a path, sales mastery is an achievable goal for every committed sales person.

As the best have taught us, there is a path to sales mastery, and it comes travels through excellent execution of the essentials.]]> http://www.salescoachinglive.com/davekahle/blog/what-can-we-learn-from-the-best-sales-people/ Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:45:03 +0000 Dave Kahle http://www.salescoachinglive.com/schlackman/blog/3-reasons-prospects-will-meet/ You call a prospect for the first time and ask to meet. Little do you realize that you are the 10th call they received that very day for the same reas...
Let’s explore 3 reasons that can make a difference when asking your prospect to say yes to an initial meeting.

1. Mutuality - it is so much easier to turn a cold call into a warm one when you have a mutual relationship. It’s naturally easier to start a conversation out with someone by saying “John my name is Stu Schlackman with Competitive Excellence and Jack Reynolds suggested I contact you in regards to….” The probability of John accepting the invitation to a meeting is much higher. After all, John might be letting down his friend if he didn’t agree to meet. It’s natural for people you know to help you - that’s what relationships are all about.

2. Commonality – though similar to mutuality, the difference here is that both you and your prospect might have something in common that reaches beyond that of a mutual contact. It can be an organization, a hobby, an interest in a business topic or friends whether business or social. One example our team experienced several years ago was getting with an executive at a large firm in North Dallas. We were trying to see if this person had anything in common with members of our team. Come to find out the person was in an article of a major magazine and it talked about his hobby of being a triathlete. Since I had completed several in the past, I called leading with the following statement and question “John my name is Stu Schlackman with ….. and I saw your article in …. magazine last month. Besides being interested in the issues you mentioned about IT technology priorities for this year, I was impressed to see that you too competed in the Capital of Texas Triathlon. I participated in the same one 2 years ago and wanted to see if you enjoyed the experience as much as I did”. What do you think happened then? You got it – we met and struck up a friendly and productive relationship. You can do this too – a little research will help you discover what you have in common.

3. Credibility - your reputation in the market is critical to your success and prospects value credibility. Having mutual contacts and being referred by them adds to your credibility. Having something in common like running a triathlon or receiving the same award from an organization also contributes to your reputation which increases the likelihood of getting the meeting. The goal is to connect with the prospect in a way that gets them to be open to who you are and the company you represent. Prospects also like to talk about their successes. Prospects are more likely to open up when you lead with their expertise in the market. The conversation can open in the following way. “John we understand that in the area of inventory control, you are one of the top experts in the industry. Our company has a practice in the very same area and we would enjoy the opportunity to visit with you to get your insight on the challenges the industry is facing. Would you have time next week to visit”? People enjoy sharing their knowledge. Notice that the objective of the meeting is to learn and build trust, NOT to sell.

Mutuality, commonality and credibility are excellent ways to make prospecting more warm than cold. Part of the reason that social media like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are so successful is that they provide opportunities for warm introductions. They make it much easier to research and find out more about the people you want to meet.

As you create your sales plan for the new month, consider how you can utilize mutual relationships, your hobbies and interests to help you build credibility. You are certainly more likely to find a warm response!

Good prospecting!]]> http://www.salescoachinglive.com/schlackman/blog/3-reasons-prospects-will-meet/ Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:20:52 +0000 Stu Schlackman http://www.salescoachinglive.com/barrycaponi/blog/want-another-chance-to-follow-your-new-year-s-resolutions-2/ http://www.salescoachinglive.com/barrycaponi/blog/want-another-chance-to-follow-your-new-year-s-resolutions-2/ Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:10:28 +0000 Barry D. Caponi http://www.salescoachinglive.com/barrycaponi/blog/want-another-chance-to-follow-your-new-year-s-resolutions/ http://www.salescoachinglive.com/barrycaponi/blog/want-another-chance-to-follow-your-new-year-s-resolutions/ Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:09:51 +0000 Barry D. Caponi http://www.salescoachinglive.com/bfarmer/blog/opinions-everyone-has-one-at-least-one/ I have often heard that opinions are like anal orifices, everyone has one! The fact is that just like parts of our own body, we not only have opinions...
Our ownership of opinions is absolute regardless of the facts!! Two plus two always equals four. New York City is the largest city in the United States. San Francisco is on the west coast. These are objective facts.
Red is better than blue. Chicago is a more dynamic city than LA. The Packers should win over Minnesota (said before the season begins). These are ALL opinions and their truth lies solely in the eye of the beholder.

Before we enter in a discussion about what is “Better” for someone we care about, we need to take a minute and review what their opinions and beliefs are. That review can take many forms. Here is one possible way to begin the evaluation.

1. What is their underlining belief system?
2. What in their background could influence the critical viewpoint or decision?
3. Who else will influence this discussion / decision?
4. Why am I involved in this discussion / decision?
5. What impact will this have on their resources - mental, physical, financial
6. What do I KNOW about their opinions that will come into play?
7. What are the facts? Are these truly facts or MY opinions of the facts?

These are first steps. Remember that a person’s opinions are critically important to them and they will defend them to the death! If you think this is a bit of an exaggeration then look to the Middle East, the Middle Ages, witch hunts, the Hatfield verses McCoy feud, Democrats verses Republicans, USC verses UCLA and High School Football in Texas!!

Treat people’s opinions as if they are as precious as their children. They might have had them longer!]]> http://www.salescoachinglive.com/bfarmer/blog/opinions-everyone-has-one-at-least-one/ Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:13:59 +0000 Ben Farmer http://www.salescoachinglive.com/bfarmer/blog/passion/
Without passion, there is no fun!!

One of our best friends is p...]]>
Without passion, there is no fun!!

One of our best friends is passionate about abandoned St. Bernard dogs. This became a mission that has lead to the rescuing of hundreds of these beautiful animals.

Passion is the reason Jonas Salk invented the Polio vaccine and when asked why he did not patent it stated when asked by famed reporter Edward R. Murrow “Who owns this patent?", Salk replied, "No one. Could you patent the sun?"

Here are a couple of key ways to know what you are passionate about:

1. Does your voice get stronger when you are talking to others about building a house?
2. When someone asks your advice on a finding new customers do you find yourself giving them all sorts of advice?
3. Do you find yourself going on and on about Golden Retrievers?
4. Do bridal dresses give you goose bumps?
5. When you are tired and you get a call to go do something that involves a subject does your exhaustion disappear?

If this happens than more than likely you are passionate about these particular items.

When someone asks me about helping others be successful, I have to hold myself back. When someone mentions a golf game, I am there.

Now translate this to business. What about your business turns you on? Is it that your office is a great place to work? Do your clients send you thank you notes? Are you award winners in your industry? Do you make a difference in your clients lives? How do you fulfill their wants and needs? How do you make communication better in the office, with your sales force, with your clients? Are you passionate about adding value to you clients lives? If so, how?

Be passionate and make a DIFFERENCE!!]]> http://www.salescoachinglive.com/bfarmer/blog/passion/ Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:48:14 +0000 Ben Farmer http://www.salescoachinglive.com/KevinPiket/blog/joseph-t-charles-mentor-program/ While I was an alumnus with Lambda Chi Alpha, I had the opportunity to chair what I felt was the single most important aspect of post-college life tha...
A generous alumnus member named Joseph T. Charles, who owns Charles Industry, funded this program. His vision was for alumni brothers to be paired up with undergraduate members for the purpose of job shadowing, internships, help with resumes and help prepare members for job interviews. He also felt other alumni members could connect with each other to network through this program. He felt since the organization has over 300,000 living members that we should take advantage of it. I felt the same way, but I didn’t have the over $300,000 that he had which he donated to start the program. It was Joseph T. Charles vision and money that kick started this great program that still exists today.

I was the person who put Joseph T. Charles vision into reality with the help of a great committee. Before I joined the committee, the program did not know what they wanted to do. What we did was give it an identity and start a marketing program to try to enlist members to participate. One way was to distribute awards to chapters who had the most alumni members involved and undergraduate members involved. Awards are an important part to undergraduate chapter life...so this helped us put some focus on the program at that level. We had plenty of alumni involved, we just need more undergraduates.

We also changed it from a matching system to a database search system. What I mean by this is we would let the members select a search criteria and then alumni who fit that criteria would pop up and the undergraduate would be able to contact them directly. This way the undergraduate initiated the contact and started the relationship. We had a lot more success with this approach than the last one. Plus it did not frustrate the alumni as they were contacted instead of waiting to hear from an undergraduate who was paired with them. The program grew tremendously and gained a lot of respect within its members.

I am sure some of the organizations you have been involved with have a program like this. If they do, I encourage you to get involved. A mentor program is a great way to give back and create new connections that help build your personal sphere of influence. The more contacts you can add to your personal sphere the better it will be for you. In my next entry I am going to discuss other types of organizations that you can be involved with that will help you find new contacts and new revenue for your career.

Copyright © 2011 Kevin T. Piket]]> http://www.salescoachinglive.com/KevinPiket/blog/joseph-t-charles-mentor-program/ Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:52:41 +0000 Kevin Piket http://www.salescoachinglive.com/KevinPiket/blog/don-t-forget-about-your-college-roots/ As I continue with my discussion on how to build your personal sphere of influence, I want to focus this entry on after college and what activities I ...
As a member of Lambda Chi Alpha International Fraternity, I had the opportunity to volunteer as an alumnus in various roles. I was elected President of my chapter’s Alumni Board in the spring of 1997 and served in that capacity until 2005. Through that role I was able to reach out to many other alumni members within my fraternity who graduated before I did and the other alumni members of the fraternities and sororities at Eastern Illinois University. That helped me meet new people and create new connections. Some of those connections I still actively talk with today and do business with.

I also had an opportunity to become the Chapter Advisor for a newly formed chapter at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. This opportunity opened the doors for me as I met several people affiliated with Northwestern University who knew a lot more people than I did. I was able to leverage those relationships into many new ones for myself.

So to say the least, my fraternity life did not end when I graduated, the networking only began for me. I have told many undergraduates that I have worked with over the years that when you are talking to potential new members about why to join our fraternity make sure you discuss the networking potential after college for them. At the time they might not care, but in the long run they will as eventually most people graduate from college and leave, but after graduation having doors open when looking for a new job is a better way to go.

Being involved as an alumnus with Lambda Chi Alpha was just one activity I have been participating in since graduating college that has paid off for me personally. If you were a member of fraternity, sorority or another activity while in college, now is the time to re-connect with the various people from those activities, it might just pay off for you. It is never too late as I am sure those activities are always looking for talented alumni to volunteer their time.

I also had an opportunity to chair a committee at the International level with Lambda Chi Alpha which dealt directly with networking. It was called the Joseph T. Charles Mentor Program and I helped take that program to the next level. I will go into more details in my next entry on what this program was and how it operated. I am sure you will find it interesting.

Copyright © 2011 Kevin T. Piket]]> http://www.salescoachinglive.com/KevinPiket/blog/don-t-forget-about-your-college-roots/ Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:13:12 +0000 Kevin Piket http://www.salescoachinglive.com/KevinPiket/blog/what-is-a-personal-sphere-of-influence/
One common phrase you will here from me is...”I have a person who can do that for you...” Simply put, in my personal sphere of influence I probably have a referral for just about anything you can think of that you might need in your life. This didn't happen over night though, it has happened over many years of meeting new people and then in turn being referred to other people from those whom I have just met, kind of like a domino approach...one contact falls into another. I have used this sphere quite a bit during my real estate career as Realtors are known as the "contact" people; Realtors always have someone to refer you too. During my time here at Sales Integrity, these contacts have helped me get meetings with people who I feel my company can benefit. Either way, I am always working my sphere and adding new people to it on a weekly basis. I also like helping people connect with each other and my personal sphere of influence helps do that too.

When you can be become the “go to person” for your clients, that is when you are extremely valuable to them. Always be in a position to be the first person they talk with when they think of something they need. If you can't get it for them directly, it is always nice to be able to say...”I can you refer you to someone who does that”.

Copyright © 2011 Kevin T. Piket]]> http://www.salescoachinglive.com/KevinPiket/blog/what-is-a-personal-sphere-of-influence/ Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:38:42 +0000 Kevin Piket http://www.salescoachinglive.com/KevinPiket/blog/building-your-personal-sphere/ As I mentioned in my last entry, I wanted to discuss how you build your own personal sphere of influence from the ground up. There are many parts to h...
Finding a professional networking organization that just doesn't have its hand out each time you show up is hard to find. I have always had the philosophy that you get out of something what you put into it. Call me crazy, but I think that this should apply to networking groups too. I have found that too many networking groups want to know what you bring to the table while never telling you what they will bring to you. That is a one-way street and one I would not like to go down. Networking groups should consist of members who are givers, not just takers!

The Naperville Jaycees is a 200+ member organization who believes in building leaders through community service. Oh yeah, this group is filled with 21-40 year-olds who are very successful with their careers and families. The age group for this organization inherently allows for networking to happen especially when Gen X's & Gen Y's get together. I have found that the people who join this organization are givers and don't have their hands out looking for something in return…it just happens naturally. It is kind of the “you scratch my back I will scratch yours” philosophy.

I am sure there is a Jaycee chapter near where you live that you can join and I highly recommend you do. I think it will add value to your life and I am sure you will add value to the organization. In fact, you can go to http://www.usjaycees.org/ to find a local chapter. There is nothing better than joining an organization where you can sharpen your leadership skills by organizing events which would in turn show potential clients your real work ethic. I get business from the Jaycees because I have been told I do it “the right way”, which means rolling up my sleeves and getting involved. It shows the members my work ethic and my leadership skills. I have helped organized events and I have taken leadership positions within the organization...not to get business, but rather because I enjoy it and it happened to get me business. Also, the Jaycees are a great organization to get your family involved too as there are plenty of things for the kids to enjoy.

In summary, join a group like the Jaycees where you can show case your leadership skills, when you are in the community group, don't be a wall flower, get involved and show your strengths and finally have fun with it…life is too short not to have fun and enjoy what you are doing, especially when it involves your free time.

Copyright © 2011 Kevin T. Piket]]> http://www.salescoachinglive.com/KevinPiket/blog/building-your-personal-sphere/ Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:00:28 +0000 Kevin Piket http://www.salescoachinglive.com/KevinPiket/blog/building-sales-networks-introduction/
While reading my blog you will read about a concept that I like to call a "Personal Sphere of Influence", it is the central point to my networking philosophy. I know that the more contacts you make the more sales you will earn, it is a simple and proven concept. Stay tuned to my next blog when I describe what a Personal Sphere of Influence actually is. I know you will enjoy reading about it!

Copyright © 2010 Kevin T. Piket
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