Your Sales Force is Not Your Only Way to Build Sales

There is a much-used saying, "Nothing happens until someone sells something". However, the sales force is only part of the mix when addressing the sales growth needs of the organization. Other teams are involved in building the business – customer service, marketing, support teams, sales assistants are all important to creating a sales and service culture that helps differentiate your company and sales force from everyone else in the marketplace.

Just training the sales force to develop their sales skills only addresses part of the opportunity to improve sales performance. To address this opportunity, Algario has customized a new approach to sales training to bring together all teams involved in not only selling, but also servicing the client, developing and marketing products and services, or contributing to the frontline sales team.

Take Financial Services as an industry example: PowerLearn™ provides a foundation for sales, service and support for key functional roles such as:

• Financial Advisors
• Mutual Funds Sales
• Marketing
• Inside/Outside Wholesalers
• Lending Specialists
• Inbound/Outbound Call Centres
• Customer Service Reps
• Mobile Sales Forces
• Mortgage Specialists
• Sales/Service Managers at all levels, in all business areas

In the Algario PowerLearn™ model, functional groups are integrated into the training and development to culturalize and habitualize the sales and service methodology to ensure members are aligned and supporting each other.

The result: A significantly enhanced outcome for the sales group and resulting sales performance of the organization.

The Algario PowerLearn™ Sales Development System not only helps improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your sales, service and support teams... it can be delivered anytime, anywhere.

How Are you Building your Credibility?

From my last post, the best option for establishing credibility is for the salesperson (or any business person for that matter) to earn it. Prospective clients or colleagues form impressions early and often and sellers have only a small window of time in which to pique their curiosity and establish credibility. 

Fortunately, the best option for earning credibility might also be the easiest and most consistent, where you can use a simple questioning technique we call Diagnostic Questions to significantly increase your probability of success.

When a salesperson asks probing questions without first establishing their credibility, prospects tend to become standoffish, cautious and/or hesitant. None of this can be good, right?

Scope is the first of three attributes that characterize what we call “strategic questions” and refers to a question’s broadness or narrowness. For example, open-ended questions tend to be broader in scope, while closed-ended questions are narrower in scope.

You'll notice we will talk about broadening and narrowing the scope of your questions as opposed to using the terms open and closed-ended. That’s because those terms (open-ended and closed-ended) carry too much old-school baggage to have constructive value.

By narrowing the scope of your sales questions, you can accomplish four very strategic objectives for kicking off the needs development conversation:

1. Kick Off the Conversation in a Non-threatening Manner
2. Gather Valuable Information About the Customer
3. Establish Credibility by Asking Relevant Questions
4. Earn the Right to Expand the Conversation

I made the point that asking for too much too soon is problematic for a salesperson. Therefore, with a “walk before you run” mentality, what if we take a few baby steps on the way to accomplishing the larger objective.

Closed-ended questions tend to be narrow in scope. They probe for very specific pieces of information and they are intended to solicit specific short-answer responses. In fact, the only time we recommend exact words in our sales methodology training is for your very first needs development question.

Here is something to try the next few times you start to engage in a sales conversation. Try it and let me know the difference you experience.

At the appropriate time when you are kicking off the conversation, you simply say, “Can I ask you a couple specifics about ___________?” And fill in the blank with some topic of information that you want to explore.

  EXAMPLE     “Can I ask you a couple specifics about your (pick one of the following) – current sales training methodology/product development/planned move/current mortgage/credit card rewards/renovation plans/competitor situation?"

Put it this way, if a customer is going to give you any information at all, they will surely say “Yes” to this initial request.

Now, we ask that you follow with a series of Diagnostic Questions. The objective here is to gather 5-7 quick pieces of information that can be easily and quickly answered, each furthering to earn, not claim, your credibility. Notice in the dialogue below that the salesperson asks a series of short-answer diagnostic questions to kick off the needs development conversation. If you timed this exchange with a stopwatch, you will see that it takes less than 60 seconds – which has huge significance for a salesperson.

Salesperson: “How many file servers do you currently have installed?” 
Prospect: “We have twenty-two servers downtown and seven in the annex.” 
Salesperson: “Is your network topology Ethernet or Token Ring?” 
Prospect: “Ethernet.” 
Salesperson: “Are you using Microsoft NT or Novell?” 
Prospect: “Microsoft.” 
Salesperson: “Version 5.0 or 6.0?” 
Prospect: “We just upgraded to release 6.0.” 
Salesperson: “How many network segments do you currently support?” 
Prospect: “Two per server for a total of 58.” 
Salesperson: “And how many users?” 
Prospect: “We currently have 550 users... but we’re growing rapidly.” 

By demonstrating that you know how to ask intelligent and relevant diagnostic questions, you can communicate higher levels of competence, credibility and value.

If you want to learn more about developing Diagnostic Questions as a strategy for differentiating yourself from all the other salespeople you encounter, contact me anytime at 416-865-9200 or at dbatchelor@algario.com.

Can You Differentiate Yourself in a Highly Competitive Market?

Have you ever thought about how you can differentiate yourself in a highly competitive market?

I’ve watched thousands of sales people over the past 30 years working hard to “tell their story”. That is typically referred to as the Elevator Pitch. It really troubles me at times to see how hard they work on creating that ‘perfect’ 30-second pitch on how great they are, how great their products or services are, how great their company is and on and on.

Honestly, I have to confess that that was me several years ago. We would sit around the boardroom and work on the next greatest elevator pitch, arming our sales people and ourselves, with the “latest and best version”.

So what’s the problem with this?

When you step back and understand that every company is trying to claim that they are the best, have the best products, service, 24/7 support, are #1 and on and on, they all tend to sound the same. In other words, they are commoditizing their value proposition because they sound the same as every other company they compete against. 

These attempts to claim credibility often fall on deaf ears. That’s because in a competitive marketplace, everyone claims to be a leader and your competitors will all claim to be better than you! Rather than trying to “claim” credibility, an innovative approach is to “earn” Credibility. If we re-engineer your elevator pitch using a positioning strategy, this will give you a significant competitive advantage and exponentially increase the number of opportunities you'll have to provide valuable solutions. 

The traditional elevator pitch puts sellers in an extremely weak position. If you sound the same as everyone else, then you will forfeit your competitive position in the marketplace.

I’ll have more for you on our next blog about how you can earn Credibility which differentiates you from your competition and puts you in a much stronger competitive position.

Collaborate – New Capability Integrated into Algario's PowerLearn™ Sales Development System

Sales success is the barometer of sound sales techniques and approaches. Understanding what works and harnessing that knowledge is valuable for both peers and coaches. And yet the actual detail is often lost during the sales process and valuable insights into the customer experience remain underutilized.

Now, the Algario PowerLearn™ Sales Development System captures these sales successes with Collaborate – providing a method to share and help embed sales skills across the whole organization. With Collaborate, we ensure sales development skill building and innovation at the frontline contributes to a catalogue of Best Practices for instant dissemination across the team and senior management... detail that provides a view on what's really happening.

Customer points of contact are invaluable assets in any organization. With Collaborate, summarized activity from the sales organization provides vital feedback for business development, marketing and managers determined to build on this framework of sales success.

The addition of Collaborate is a valuable enhancement to Algario's PowerLearn™ Sales Development System that includes:

• An eLearning format that empowers your employees to train on their own time without interfering with sales routines. An iterative and disciplined approach to learning that seamlessly integrates training into an established sales process.
• A customized 9-step implementation process that adapts to the specific needs of every individual and personalizes the training and tools for each person... automatically. A system that wraps itself around the Question Based Selling™ strategic sales development formula to guarantee effectiveness.
• The addition and interweaving of personal coaching and support delivered virtually, in a classroom or a blend of both.
• The opportunity to continually share successes and reinforce new principles in a collaborative peer environment throughout the program.
• Built-in measurement and dashboard reports identifying individual and team progress, providing you with the tools to reconfirm the overall return on your investment.

The Algario PowerLearn™ Sales Development System measurably improves the effectiveness and efficiency of your sales force and can be delivered anytime, anywhere. And now with Collaborate, individual successes and innovation can be shared and capitalized on by frontline peers and management.

To learn more about Algario's PowerLearn™ Sales Development System, visit www.algario.com and discover what distinguishes this program from all others. To explore opportunities, please contact David Batchelor at 416-865-9200 or at dbatchelor@algario.com.

Thought for the Day: Do You Use All of your Assets to Achieve Your Goals or Are You Handicapped by your Lack of Ambition?

This just landed in my email and think is has a great message for all us in our busy days.

A blind boy paid his way to a Master's degree at Northwestern University by taking notes on class lectures in Braïlle, typing them and selling copies to classmates who had stronger eyes but weaker ambition.

One of the great mysteries of life is why some people who seem to have all the advantages – the right connections, education and experience – never seem to amount to much, while others who have had to struggle for everything they have reach incredible heights of success. It hinges on determination. If you have the will to succeed, you will somehow find a way, regardless of the obstacles you encounter. Do you use all of your assets to achieve your goals? Or are you handicapped by your lack of ambition?

No other person can create in you a desire to succeed. With enough motivation, you will see things all around you that will help you reach your objectives, things that you may have overlooked many times before.

Are You a Leader or a Soldier?

I just read this posting by Judy Williamson, Director of the Napolean Hill World Learning Center at Purdue University and thought it had some great words of wisdom to share. Would appreciate your thoughts on it....

"Consider the words 'constructive criticism'. Upon hearing them you may be subjected to a little squirming. Although many people delight in unloading criticism on others, the opinions involved often reflect more on the observer than the person under evaluation. If you listen to criticism that is supposed to help you grow, develop, and improve oftentimes the path under construction is one laid out by the evaluator, and not defined by yourself. It is a given that if the recommended path is trod, your superior will be happy because his or her plan is now in place.

Napoleon Hill asks us to consider whose life we are living anyway. If it is yours, then you should determine your path’s destination. If you have abdicated the role of master of your life, then anyone’s plan will do. Think about it. Are you required to justify your existence by marching to another’s tune? Or, if your marching orders are still in your head and not in synchronization with your life’s plan, who do you really have anyone to blame but yourself? Being a good soldier is not the same as being a good leader. Leaders lead and soldiers obey. If it is your decision to be a soldier, then orders from your superiors cannot be over over-analyzed or subjected to daily constructive criticism. But, if you want to be the Captain of YOUR life, then you must ask and answer the questions that position you best on your success path.

Deciding to take command of your life is not easy because you must then make decisions for yourself and inherit the consequences of your choices. To do any less, is to abandon your leadership position. If your fear of criticism stops you in your success tracks, recognize this and get over it. Second by second, minute by minute, and hour by hour, you determine your future via the choices that you make.

Ever think about giving yourself constructive criticism? This upfront and personal approach allows you to get to the very heart of the matter where critical change can occur. Only you can do it and only you can process it. Hire yourself as the devil’s advocate and through an intense evaluation, uncover what you already know is holding you back. Next, accept the self-evaluation, and go immediately to work in creating a better you for the sole purpose of self-enhancement. Riches begin within. Within you in a better plan for your ultimate good just waiting to be uncovered.

Be Your Very Best Always,
Judy Williamson"

Opportunity

Statistics from the U.S. Small Business Association suggest that only 50% of small businesses survive their first five years.

Building a business requires a significant investment in time and money. It’s not uncommon for a new entrepreneur to operate at a loss for the first few months and make mistakes along the way (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, mind you – fumbles tend to be the best teachers). That being said, why do so many people take the entrepreneurial leap only to close up shop a few years later? Sure, the economy isn’t what it used to be, but we can’t blame everything on the stock market.

Experts have long debated why the success rate of the average business is dismal at best. Most chalk it up to a lack of experience on behalf of the owner. I’d like to take this theory one step further and argue that a large percentage of businesses and business ventures fail because they are unable to identify and act upon an opportunity.

Thomas Edison once rightfully said that “opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work” – and I couldn’t agree more. The opportunity to build a business or to take it in a new direction never comes in a perfectly-wrapped package that can be implemented right out of the box. Like a diamond in the rough, an opportunity often requires a significant amount of work before it can be turned into a usable (and profitable) venture.

Business leaders are often regarded as 'thought leaders' in their chosen fields. They possess a vision and open-mindedness that allows them to take calculated risks and steer their company into unchartered territory, giving them an edge over their competitors.

Long-term success requires work and lots of it. It’s also dependent upon keeping ahead of trends, possessing the ability to network and maintaining some level of diversity in one’s business practices.

No matter how big or how small, astute business owners know that every opportunity that presents itself deserves some serious consideration on their part.

4 x Sales Activity Results Verified

Here is an update on some exciting news that will be helpful for sales managers and training managers that have always wanted to verify the effectiveness of their sales training investment: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Algario-Sales-Development-Update.html?soid=1104293819133&aid=Na1IfWSsGrY

Steve Jobs Commencement Speech at Stanford U

In 2005, Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs gave a commencement speech at Stanford University. The address – which was recorded and uploaded onto YouTube six years ago – is as relevant today as it was six years ago.

Jobs is a true innovator – a visionary with an acute business sensibility who isn’t afraid to admit failure. I think we could learn something from his experiences, which is why I think his speech is worthy of mention and analysis.

In his address, Jobs discusses how a seemingly inconsequential event – i.e., the calligraphy course he enrolled in at Reed College – went on to shape his career. It was this course that inspired Jobs’ love of print, which would later manifest itself in Apple, the first computer to feature beautiful typography.

Jobs’ underlying message is to remain open to new things. I’ve met my share of business people and it’s surprising how many of them believe that success is achieved through a 'business first' mentality. While it does pay to be business-focused, it’s equally important to dedicate time to leisure activities. This helps reduce stress and can lead to new opportunities and ways of thinking, both of which can have a positive effect on your business.

Another great point Jobs brings up is the notion of 'settling', something he advises strongly against. According to Jobs, one can only be successful if they love what they do.

Being in business can be trying at times and it’s important to have confidence in the products or services you offer. Your faith is what will keep you going during turbulent times and you can’t believe in something you have no personal connection to. Loving what you do is an essential component of success.

Jobs concludes his speech by urging his audience to “stay hungry and foolish” – two character traits that have helped make Apple what it is today. Being 'foolish' doesn’t necessarily mean taking uncalculated risks; instead, it means adopting the ability to think outside of the proverbial box and developing the conviction to steer business into new directions (and learning from the mistakes that are made along the way).

If you have 15 minutes to spare, Jobs’ speech is definitely worth a look. Click here to see it.

7 Tips for a More Productive Business Meal

It may seem that the etiquette of a business meal is pretty cut and dry, but I wonder how many of the following you have observed that can cause the business interaction to be less effective. I'm sure I've missed a couple myself.

1. Swallow before speaking.
2. Give guest full attention.
3. Turn off cell phone.
4. Don't table hop.
5. Keep conversations appropriate.
6. Don't interrupt.
7. Avoid alcohol.

Time is Money... and a Great Tip from Harvard Business Review

In all businesses, time is money. Sounds simple, maybe even too simple, but one thing is for sure for all of us. All we have is our time. And it is up to us to make the most of it if we want to be effective.

There are many ways to make our time go further and I do not profess to be a guru in the time effectiveness space, but I do have a few things that work and work well. Unfortunately, they are counterintuitive to what we do every day.

Most of us use some type of calendar or planning program to plan and execute our days, which breaks the day into 10-, 15-, 30- or 60-minute 'blocks'. Have you ever noticed how most people, when booking meetings, book 60-minute meetings? Is this because Outlook (sorry Bill, I love what you've done) has convinced us that 60 minutes is a nice, round number and makes it easier to schedule the day?

If you'd like to improve your time effectiveness/efficiency, try this next time you book a meeting: instead of booking the hour, book 40 minutes. Yes, just 40. People will think this strange at first, but will show up on time more often. Less time will be wasted since most meetings probably don't need an hour since much of the time, attendees just use up the time alloted, and you'll finish 20 minutes earlier than usual. The benefits? 20 minutes (33% of your time) can be used to move to your next meeting – on time, return some urgent emails, read some mail that normally sits until the end of the day... the list goes on. 

Now, if you have other people that you work with that start to adopt this strategy, the team effectiveness starts to skyrocket and more work is produced as less time is wasted.

So, tell me what you think. Could this work in your organization? Do you have any other ideas to improve employee/organizational effectiveness?

Now, here is a great (short) read from Harvard Business Review that I think will get you thinking: Hold Conversations, Not Meetings http://s.hbr.org/dZFBPw

Do You Have Mojo? Great Book!

I bought this book on Amazon and it is a great read – Mojo (How to get it, How to keep it, How to get it back if you lose it). This book is for everyone. Whether you are a successful business person, still climbing the success ladder, have had a few speed bumps in your career lately, or looking to reignite your life. 10 pages in and you will want to keep going. Here is a clip from the author's website to give you a topline on the book:

Discover Your MOJO

Mojo is that much-desired sweet spot in an organization’s year, a sports team’s season, or an individual’s career where everything is going the right way-and success builds upon success.

In MOJO, bestselling author and renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith explains that having mojo means controlling three elements: – Identity (Who do you think you are?) – Achievement (What have you done lately?) – Reputation (Who do other people think you are? What do other people think you’ve done lately?) .

But understanding mojo isn’t enough. Knowing how to acquire, maintain, or even recapture it is what really counts, and Goldsmith uses case studies from his own high-profile clients as well as from the lives of public figures like John Travolta and Richard Nixon to illustrate how it’s done.

MOJO will show that momentum in business, organizations, as well as individual lives and careers, is easy to define and quantify; there’s a clear cause-and-effect relationship between mojo and success. With Marshall Goldsmith’s help, readers will learn a revolutionary new way to jump-start – and capitalize on – their own mojo.