Jonathan Farrington’s Blog

In my opinion, hundreds of millions of pounds world-wide are wasted every year on irrelevant, unnecessary or inappropriate sales skills development and there are four obvious reasons.

To begin with, the one off programme may supply a short term motivational buzz and provide the delegate with a number of thought provoking ideas. However, in reality, once they are back at the “front-line” the day to day pressures of hitting quota etc take over again and the reactive mindset returns. It is rather like the Chinese meal effect; when you leave the restaurant you feel full but by the time you arrive home you want to eat again.

Secondly, most, not all, but a very high percentage of courses on offer today, deliver what I term “generalised” skills development.

For example, a guy operating within the aerospace sector, negotiating multi-million pound contracts can find himself sitting next to a young saleswoman who markets insurance policies and is based in a call centre. On her right is another guy who is developing a successful career in manufacturing, selling hydraulic components and next to him…..I think you will appreciate my point. To achieve sustained success in all of these disparate industries requires specific skills sets and the “generalised” workshops simply cannot deliver them.

Thirdly, most and again I would estimate it is at least 80% of training organisations today, make the assumption that all delegates are at the same level in terms of experience, expertise and have the same “commercial bandwidth”. This is of course, totally unrealistic.

They are not……… wake up guys!!

As ever, wherever you are in the world, have a great w/e and thank you for joining me. Just eleven more days to the launch of Sales Leadership Zone - I think you will love it!

The JF Guest Author Spot 

“How Continuous Contact With Your Client Makes the Difference” By Steve Kraner

The Challenge: A client expressed frustration about the fact that they had some customers who complained about ‘product problems’—yet other clients who used the same series of products had no complaints.

One Answer: As I was considering the possible answers to this riddle, I sat on a plane beside a self-described ‘CEO Consultant.’ He showed me an article he was writing on ‘Why CEO’s Fail’ —which I subsequently saw published—based on researching about 30 CEO’s who had failed in the last 10 years. One of the most persuasive things he said was that once a failed CEO resigned, many of the organizations quickly rebounded under a new CEO. It would seem the CEO was the difference.

Why CEO’s Fail
The consultant’s study of this phenomena lead him to a fairly simple conclusion. CEO’s don’t fail due to lack of strategy or a grand vision. They fail in execution: The mundane day-to-day details of how to get it done.

You are the CEO of Your Territory
The same is true of sales professionals and their account relationships. I was recently doing interviews for a client to determine why some customers had defected to the competition and others hadn’t. Many of the sales people at the company made reference to prior problems with the product. My investigation showed the only correlating variable to be (can you guess?)—the account manager. The difference between an account set with no history of product problems and those with enough dissatisfaction that they had gone over to the competition was—not the problems—but how the rep had handled the problems—the mundane details of account management.

Continuous contact, including contact after the sale:
1. Insures satisfaction—the sale is done when the customer’s pain is gone.
2. Gives you the chance to address problems as they arise.
3. Provides warning of competitive attempts to penetrate.
4. Helps you find new opportunities.
5. Lets you take advantage of windows of opportunity, when the competition is vulnerable to displacement due to dissatisfaction.

Why isn’t it done more often? The most common thing I hear is, “I don’t have time. I have to make this month’s number.” It’s the same reason people don’t exercise. It’s a false economy of time. It makes selling as hard as digging a hole with a bowling ball.

Here’s How to Make it Work
Triage your accounts into A, B, and C customers. I suggest using the an estimate of potential life time value as the basis of the triage. The top 20% are “A’s”—the middle 60% are “B’s”—the bottom 20% are “C’s.” Then develop a contact plan for each tier—and put it on your calendar to do.

Dig Your Well before You’re Thirsty
A’s—Meet or call your main contact at least monthly. But don’t let a key account relationship dangle by the thread of a single relationship. Set goals to expand your contacts both vertically and horizontally. Map the account. Get an organization chart and put it on the wall. Highlight who you know in green. Highlight who you don’t know in red. Pick new people to meet—especially senior people in new departments or divisions—use gold to highlight these people. Initiate and maintain executive relationships a level or two above your current contact level.

Develop a personal plan to increase your value as a trusted advisor to these senior people. Read their trade press—know something about their business. Read their Annual Reports—know their company. Go to Google and search on their names—you’ll find most senior people on the Web—know them. In the end you should have breadth and depth in your personal relationships in the account and you should engineer relationships between your technical people and theirs and between your executives and theirs.

B’s—Meet or call your main contact at least quarterly. Develop one new contact in another functional area this quarter. If you call mainly on IT, then develop a contact in another department. Also set a goal to make a contact at least one level higher than your current contact.

C’s—I suggest taking a good look at these customers. As tough as it might sound, it’s often best to either fire them (burning bridges isn’t necessary or desired) or promote them to the next level.

The best reps learn there’s no use winning new accounts if you don’t retain them. They know they have to wisely spread their available time and attention across both new accounts and existing customers.

I think this is what Vince Lombardi meant when he said, “Gentlemen this is football.” He was often chastised in the NFL for having a thin play book.. He wasn’t considered very creative. But he won.

Maintain a relentless focus on the fundamentals and a maniacal focus on the customer.
 Steve Kraner brings his leadership skills, honed by his training at West Point and experience as a paratroop commander and entrepreneur, to his work. He has built successful high-tech divisions (commercial and Federal) within two major U.S. corporations.

He is an entertaining and persuasive speaker with the ability to build trust, inspire confidence, and deliver peak performance to a wide range of personalities. A risk-taker with a track record of successes and a taste for breaking new ground, Steve can walk the talk. More here:http://www.hightechguru.com

Customers may well want to tell you they’re unhappy about something but they either:

•  Feel uncomfortable about doing so
•  Don’t know how to
•  Don’t have time; it’s easier to let it go

So, give them a choice of mechanisms. For example:

•  Simple questionnaires with pre-paid postage
•  Telephone help line
•  Customer service points
•  Exit surveys – face to face questions
•  Comment cards

Let them know it’s not a waste of time!

What are you going to do with the information? File it away? Shred it for next year’s Christmas decorations?

One company I know maintains a whiteboard in the reception listing the key comments/complaints made by customers, with a note of the action taken, or to be taken and by whom. Customers really feel they are part of the product and service improvement team.

Customers need to know what’s in it for them if they do complain.

Respond quickly to complaints. If you give a number to ring, make sure someone is always there to answer the phone. Reply within two days if that’s what you promised to do.

Have an “escalation procedure” which allows for the more serious complaints to be dealt with by a senior member of staff. Directors need to be accessible, hiding away simply creates suspicion.

Summary:

Unfortunately, when compared over time, the customers’ interest levels increase while the vendors’ interest levels tend to decrease. This creates a “relationship gap” and is due entirely to complacency.

Fact:

It costs seven times as much to locate and sell to a new customer as it does to an existing one. That reason alone, should act as sufficient incentive for us to attempt to build brick walls around the relationship in order to deter predatory competitors – and there are plenty of them out there.

We must continually strive to earn the right to receive our customers business and one significant stride in that direction, is to implement an effective customer care programme.

The JF Guest Author Spot

“Time Management; Are Your People Assertive Enough?” by Kevin Dwyer

Most time management programmes miss a critical element. The element is our own degree of assertiveness.

Time management programmes usually encompass the following elements:

- Goal setting
- “To do” list
- Prioritisation of the activities on the “to do” list

Many people use time management programmes to great effect. Many people successfully self teach managing their time using the same tools and principles taught in time management programmes.

A good, if not the best, example of a time management programme is Stephen Covey’s programme described in his very successful book, “First Things First”.

Covey describes four generations of time management:

1. First generation: - Reminders and to-do lists. We regularly create lists to remind us of what is in front of us. We regularly fail to complete the list, generating a new one. We may fall into the trap of getting more joy out of creating the list than completing the tasks on the list.

2. Second Generation: - Scheduling future events. We identify deadlines to get things done; scheduling our time to complete the tasks we have on our to-do list. We fall into the trap of overestimating our productivity and allow external forces to interrupt our schedule.

3. Third generation: - Setting long term, medium term and short term objectives to reach an ultimate goal. We manage our time to deliver the objectives we have set to reach our ultimate goal. We can set aside tasks which do not contribute to the objectives we have set.

4. Fourth generation: - Committing to the important. We set objectives to reach our goal and divide the tasks we have in front of us into a matrix of urgency and importance. We evaluate our tasks against our goal and objectives using the matrix, with the obvious conclusion that the non-urgent and unimportant are not done at all.

It is a great tool that has helped a large number of people manage their time better. And yet, many people, possibly the majority of people, fail to get full benefit from tools like it.

My observation is that people who fail to manage their time given appropriate tools lack an appropriate level of assertiveness.

If a low level of assertiveness is combined with low emotional energy and low levels of detail, then they are bound to have difficulty managing time in any work environment.

They find it too difficult to pay attention to the details required to evaluate their tasks and prioritise them. They find the requirement to proactively prioritise tasks and assertively stick to a resultant schedule emotionally draining, giving in to other’s requests, when they know it will disrupt their schedule.

If the low level of assertiveness is combined with a high level of tolerance and a high level of consideration of others, their ability to manage their time will almost certainly be impacted upon by the actions of their subordinates, peers, customers, suppliers and bosses with higher degrees of assertiveness.

They will be unable to effectively say no to requests. They will be unable, when confronted with requests to use techniques such as:

- Time shifting - “I can’t help you right now, but I would be happy to at 4:00 pm tomorrow. Does that suit you?”

- Responsibility allocating - “I can help you with thinking through the problem, but completing the research, analysing the options and making the decision is your responsibility”. Or “I will not do what you have asked, it is your responsibility”.

- Goal clarification - “What you have requested is a good idea in itself, but I cannot see how it fits with the organisation’s goal or my goal. I’m happy to be convinced, but at the moment I do not see the connection”.

- Lack of planning on your part does not create an emergency on my part - “I would love to help and I will, but only after I have completed the requests made by people who were on time. I will not penalise them for your being late.”
Most time management techniques add less to their productivity than can be possible If people are not assertive.

However, people can be taught to be assertive.

Making people aware of their level of assertiveness though an evaluation tool such as an EQ profile is a first step. Getting people to seek feedback on their assertiveness and its impact on their relationships and productivity provides further insight.

Self awareness is a powerful tool on its own.

Teaching people how to catch themselves in the act of being non-assertive is another great self awareness tool. Being aware whilst in the act allows one to draw breath and change before the interaction is completed.

A little self evaluation of times when they are not assertive reveals words, emotions or physical attributes which are common across many different interactions. Training people to recognise the triggers and training them to stop when they recognise the triggers is not difficult.

Role plays can be easily built to practice some techniques.

For example, training people to recognise a trigger and then stopping, by saying something like, “Would you mind if we had a time-out? I just need to think for a moment”, will be seen by most as not difficult to do.

Resuming the conversation, being calm and assertive about what they can and cannot do is also easy to add into some realistic scenarios in a role play.

Teaching people to emphasise what they can rather than they will not do and being clear about both is also relatively easy. It only takes a couple of weeks of using an approach such as this to develop new assertive habits.

Using role plays in a face-to-face training programme backed up by working through them with a mentor on a weekly basis builds confidence.

Providing additional reading such as Adele Lynn’s book, “The EQ Difference” will help expand people’s skill sets as they become comfortable with the ones they have practised in the role plays.

There are many tools available to help people manage time. However, without assertiveness, most people will fail to use the tools appropriately. So when you are next thinking of running a time management course, do not forget assertiveness training.

Kevin Dwyer is the founder of Change Factory. Change Factory helps organisations who do do not like their business outcomes to get better outcomes by changing people’s behaviour. Businesses we help have greater clarity of purpose and ability to achieve their desired business outcomes. To learn more or see more articles visit the website above or email kevin.dwyer@changefactory.com.au

Personal note: As well as being a highly valued and key member of The Top Sales Experts Team and a very good friend, Kevin is a genuine thought leader and leadership guru - I particularly enjoy his newsletter “Winds Of Change” which you can subscribe to by visiting his site.

For companies to remain competitive now, their sales organisation must be able to respond positively to changing economic tides. As businesses strive to establish customer orientation, sales partnerships and a strategic approach to selling, they are demanding more and more from their salespeople but ensuring that these new methods are widely practised and smoothly implemented falls to sales management.

Building Productivity:

Sales productivity is a strategic issue. That’s why problems in this area stem from salespeople being unclear about their company’s priorities i.e. what their message should be and what they should be selling.
The trend in industry of removing layers of management between the sale force and the general manager presents a challenge to those sales managers who remain. To begin with, the sales manager becomes an essential link between company strategy and what takes place in the customer’s office. He or she must not only grasp the corporate vision but be able to communicate it to the sales force in terms of the real effects on sales practices.

Creating Direction:

Sales managers with an intimate feel for the selling process succeed because their staff regard them as part of the sales team but coaching the team is as important as playing in it. In other words, sales managers must be prepared to provide training, feedback and support to every individual within the team.

Once committed to the training process, they must routinely reinforce new ways of behaving in real sales situations. They must provide a clear sense of direction on a daily basis, not just at the monthly sales meeting / quarterly review / annual appraisal.

The very best sales managers engage in frequent coaching and feedback, even when their sales people work in remote locations. While encouraging salespeople to air their problems openly and discuss their concerns, sales managers must be able to offer clear and specific feedback for improving sales performance.

Rewarding Change:

The sales manager is charged with translating the company’s reward system into specific improvements in sales performance. Both salespeople and corporate managers count on the sales manager to recognise and reward outstanding achievement, formally and informally.

The process of promoting new attitudes about the customer and the role of the salesperson can be frustrating and slow. Reverting back to recent research there is compelling evidence to suggest that companies will see results sooner if they recognise and reward salespeople - “you get more of the behaviour and results that you reward”.

The trend in sales compensation appears to be away from commission to guaranteed salary, from compensation based on orders to compensation based on delivery and sign-off. Interestingly some organisations we know, base their ‘salesperson of the year’ award on the basis of customer satisfaction or customer retention rather than sheer volume of orders or activity.

Tomorrow on the JF Guest Author Spot is my good buddy from down under, the brains behind Change Factory, Kevin Dwyer.

Unless the person you are influencing offers an unconditional “Yes” to your proposals you will need to do or say something that will generate a positive decision.

Here are two steps you can take towards achieving a decision:

Step One:
Ask yourself ‘How does this person normally go about making decisions?’ Most people usually have a preferred way of making up their mind. Some people take their time to decide, others are happy to make snap decisions. You can sometimes push the latter, but you will need to tread more carefully with the former.

Step Two:
Have a variety of ways in which you can stimulate a decision.

Spot The Signals – Verbal And Non-Verbal:

Knowing when to ask for a decision can be critical. Ask too soon and you may frighten the other person off. Ask too late and you may miss your best chance.

Watch for signals that suggest the other person is ready to decide:
• Leaning forward, seeming more interested and involved
• Head up, good eye contact
• Stroking chin thoughtfully
• Nodding or smiling in agreement with you
• Upward infection in voice tone
• Requesting more information
• Asking you to repeat some points you made earlier
• Making notes
• Asking ‘What if …’ or ‘Suppose …’ questions
• Checking guarantees, support, follow-up plans
• Picking up your written proposal and double checking aspects
• Discussing implementation details.

Dealing With Ditherers:

A good way of avoiding a decision is to say: ‘I want to think about it.’

Sometimes people do want time to think things through, but, very often, this can be an excuse or a put-off.

Ask:
• ‘What exactly do you want to think through? (Whatever you do – don’t pause here!) Is it the implementation schedule? Is the bottom line? Is it the timing?’
Once you have isolated the real reason, you are much better placed to respond to the objection.

Going For “Yes”:

• ‘If you agree, shall we go ahead right away?’

Its very directness appeals to the Driver or Expressive personalities.

If the answer is “no”, ask : ‘What’s preventing you from going ahead?’

The Alternative Choice Question:

This is less direct because you enable people to make a choice between two possible options.
• ‘When would you like to start – Friday, or shall we wait until Monday?’
• ‘Which of these two do you prefer?’
• ‘Which support contract is most appropriate for you – this one, or that one?’

The Minor Decision:

Here, you ask people to make a decision about a relatively unimportant aspect of the proposal. If they give the go-ahead, the assumption is that they agree to the whole idea.
• ‘Where do you want your logo to appear – at the top of the form or do you think it would look better in the bottom right hand corner?’
• ‘By the way, how do you intend to resource the project?’
• ‘How should we deal with the Southern branches?’

The Assumptive Question/Statement:

This question/statement works well with Amiables and Expressives, both of whom need a continuous nudge towards decisions. (Be careful with Analyticals who dislikes presumption.)
• ‘After we start, I assume you’ll want a monthly update?’
• ‘You’ll notice significant improvements immediately after we start.’

And Finally: The Benefit Summary:

Some people like to hear a review of the benefits they will receive if they agree to your ideas. A quick list followed by a decision question often does the trick.
• ‘Ok – let’s summarise. After we’ve made the alterations you will notice that you have extra time available for other things, you’ll start to save on budget and you’ll have a happier work force. So, shall we go ahead?’

You know, one of the things I like about working with the Top Sales Experts Team is that everyone does everything they can to promote the other members of the team. Today, is no exception: My colleague Colleen Francis is in conversation with Clayton Shold over at Salesopedia

I quote:

“She speaks of the advantages of referred leads versus cold calling, supporting her position with hard numbers. Addressing topics of why sales reps don’t ask for referrals, when and how to ask for a referrals. Colleen shares some specific tips on asking for referrals that actually works, why the concept of reciprocity is so valuable and professional ways to acknowledge the referral. Hear about her ‘Advocacy Program’ to manage your referral network more efficiently”

You can listen to the entire interview here

Wherever you are - have a great weekend!

The JF Guest Author Spot

“The Power of Questions” by Kelley Robertson

Participants in my sales training workshops often ask how they can better control the sales process. Most people spend the majority of their time talking about their product or service believing that telling is selling. Although they may have been trained to do this, it is an ineffective approach. The most effective way to control the sale is to ask more questions.

Selling is like driving a car. The person who asks the questions sits in the driver’s seat and controls the direction of the sale. The passenger—the person who answers the questions—goes along for the ride. Whenever the customer starts asking questions, she moves into the driver’s seat and takes control of the sale and the sales person becomes the passenger. Unfortunately, many sales people feel that they are selling when they are responding to their prospect’s questions. They mistakenly believe that this will demonstrate how smart or knowledgeable they are and will help the other person make a buying decision.
Many sales people have learned to ask questions but too often they sound like this:

“If I could save you money, would you be interested?”
“Is this the one you want?”
“What will it take to earn your business?”

The problem with questions like this is that they do not help you gain the knowledge you need to effectively present a solution. And they don’t help you actually control the sales process. Plus, questions like this only demonstrate your lack of sales ability and skill and will quickly cause your prospect to lose interest in the call or discussion.

Instead, you need to ask high-quality questions. Questions that make your prospect or customer think.

Questions that demonstrate your knowledge and expertise. Questions that your competitors are not asking.

Let’s say for example, you sell advertising. Instead of asking standard questions that focus on your prospect’s current advertising campaign and budget, you could focus on learning more about their goals, objectives and the challenges they are facing trying to meet those targets. This approach helps you gain more insight to your prospect’s business which means you will be able to present a solution that will help that person’s business.

In today’s ultra-competitive business world it is actually easy to stand out from your competition because most sales people are so focused on trying to get the sale that they don’t learn anything about their prospect’s situation. Or, they move backwards through the sales process by starting with their presentation, pitch or demonstration followed by a Q and A session instead of asking questions first and then adapting their presentation to address the needs of the person they are speaking to.

Several years ago, I met with a sales rep to learn more about computer-based training and how it could potentially help the company I was working for. When he entered my office he immediately fired up his laptop and began telling me everything about his company from how long they had been in business, to how well funded they were, to the organizations they had worked with. After his fifteen minute monologue, he asked me what questions I had. My immediate response was, “How can you help me?” after which he went into another ten minute pitch. By the time he was finished talking, he was also out of time because I had to attend another meeting. A few weeks later he called me and asked if I had made a decision and when I said I going with another vendor he immediately asked if price was a factor. I responded by saying that we had not even discussed price because all he did during the entire sales call was talk about his company. I also mentioned that I still had no idea of how his company could help me and shortly afterwards, I disconnected the call.

Hopefully it’s obvious to you that the sales rep lost the chance to gain my business because he didn’t learn anything about my specific situation. He didn’t ask me what I was looking for or why I was considering computer-based learning. In all likelihood, he probably thought he was controlling the sale by talking, but in reality, all he did was waste my time and his. Unfortunately, this happens much more than people realize.

In a recent workshop I conducted, we had invested a significant amount of time discussing the importance of asking thought-provoking questions and the time had come to apply this concept in a simulation. I watched in amazement as virtually every sales person launched into a pitch without first asking their customer a series of questions.

If you truly want to control the sales process and positively influence the outcome, you must teach yourself to ask questions instead of talking. Contrary to popular belief, telling is NOT selling.

© 2007 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.

Kelley Robertson is a professional speaker and trainer on sales, negotiating, customer service, and employee motivation. Visit http://www.kelleyrobertson.com He is also the author of “The Secrets of Power Selling” and “Stop, Ask & Listen-Proven Sales Techniques to turn Browsers into Buyers.” Receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his free newsletter available at his website. For information on his programs contact him at  or Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.

The dichotomy facing Sales Directors is how they reconcile the fact that most corporations today provide less upfront training for their sales staff than in years past, yet attach increasing importance to staff development?

This should not come as a surprise, because current stock market thinking provides a powerful disincentive for firms to invest in their people on an ongoing basis. An organisation’s investment in their human capital, in the form of training and other forms of education, is not separable from general expenditure. It therefore appears as a cost on the corporate balance sheet.

Tough Choices:

Unfortunately, as a consequence, many Sales Directors have concluded that their only realistic option is to cut back on training and instead look to recruit sales professionals who, in theory anyway, already possess the necessary skills needed to do the job. They then send them out to win business armed with what they know. However, most of those same Sales Directors are discovering just how difficult it is to find skilled salespeople who have all of the essential skills and personal traits. And anyway it is not possible to equate experience or seniority with success.

In skills development, there are many similarities to sport i.e. does an athletic champion stop training as soon as they win their first medal? In music, does a concert pianist stop rehearsing as soon as they have given their first recital? In art, does the artist stop improving after they have enjoyed the first exhibition of their work? The answer in all cases is obvious and we should apply the same common sense principals to the ongoing development of our sales teams.

The reality is that selling in today’s climate is both an art and a science. Selling is a profession that demands a far wider range of skills than ever before, skills that require continual fine-tuning and constant practice.

In Summary - Ongoing Reinforcement and Development Is Essential:

The operative word here is “ongoing”. Even if salespeople have undergone progressive sales training, there’s no guarantee that they will be successful. It is common knowledge that skills grow rusty over time and salespeople are prone to pick-up bad habits along the way or to simply skip steps and take shortcuts that can lead to long-term trouble. Perhaps even more important these days, is the fact that markets, competition, technologies, and customer preferences are all in a constant and accelerating state of change.

This fact requires that sales people are able and willing to rethink their sales strategy and approach frequently and receive a regular top-up of skills and motivational coaching.

Tomorrow:

On The JF Guest Author Spot, Kelley Robertson - “The Power Of Questions” last weeks winning article at Top 10 Sales Articles

JF Guest Author Spot

“Are You A Spoiled Brat Negotiator?” by Kim Duke

I was pushing my chocolate-laden shopping cart at the grocery store the other day (yes – Divas grocery shop!) and saw a power negotiator in action.

This person was persistent, passionate and absolutely on purpose!

They were also less than 4 feet high.

Yeah -you guessed it lady – I saw a 6 year old girl with pig-tails seriously work her mother for a different kind of yogurt.

I know – yogurt? (if it had been me – it would have been sugar cereal or a chocolate bar all the way!)

You got it – this little blonde, blue-eyed dynamo was determined she wasn’t going to have to eat the stuff out of the “big” plastic, boring container. She wanted the stuff in the colorful tubes instead!

I kid you not – this is what I heard her say…(this child should be teaching sales)

“But Mom - this kind tastes better and I always eat it at school.”

BINGO!

Mom folded like a taco and a little girl got her box of tube yogurt. And a Sales Diva received some inspiration for a column!

Are You A Spoiled Brat At Negotiating?

This little girl absolutely “Wowed” me with her negotiating skills because she inadvertently said what her mother needed to hear. Benefit. Benefit. Benefit.

So she actually wasn’t a spoiled brat negotiator at all.

But YOU probably are.

One of the biggest reasons most people SUCK at negotiating is because it’s all about ME, ME, ME!

Remember – a successful negotiation is not where you have STICKY FINGERS.

Follow these 5 Bossy Sales Diva Rules Instead:

1. Stay calm. If you’re stamping your feet in the sandbox about what you want and lose all sense of logic…well then – you have just become vulnerable in the world of negotiating. And you’re about to lose your favorite toy. (in my world – this means MONEY)

2. Pouting doesn’t work. If your potential customer isn’t seeing the value of what you offer – that’s YOUR ISSUE and not theirs. No one likes a defensive cry-baby.

3. Share Your Toys. A successful negotiation is where both parties feel like it was a Win-Win. No one should feel they were “taken for a merry-go-round-ride”.

4. Play With The Right People. Are you really busy chasing people who have no need for your services? You’re going to get a lot of rejection. Be super clear on who your target audience is.

5. Don’t Reward Bad Behavior. Hey – stop giving discounts to people who always want the cheapest price or who only want to buy something small. Reward your loyal customers, or people who are making a large commitment of time and investment in you.

When I was a kid, my sister’s favorite expression to me was “You’re not the BOSS of me!”

She was right.

The only person who is THE BOSS OF YOU – IS YOU.

It’s time you grew up and realized that you have VALUE and you don’t have to be the cheapest kid on the block. You don’t need everyone to like you – you just need more of the kinds who do.

So there.

Kim Duke, The Sales Diva, provides savvy, sassy sales training for women small biz owners and entrepreneurs. Kim works with clients internationally, showing them The Sales Diva secrets to success! Sign up for her saucy and smart FREE e-zine and receive her FREE Bonus Report “The 5 Biggest Sales Mistakes Women Make” at www.salesdivas.com

Hot Event: Upcoming Teleseminar
Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling

When we agree to an idea or proposal, it’s because there’s something in it for us. It’s hard to influence people who can’t see what’s in it for them. Sounds one-sided, but it is true. Call it self-interest, selfishness or whatever. It is only human nature to ask, ‘What am I getting from this?’

People will say yes to your ideas if they meet their needs or match their view of life in the following areas:
• Principles and values
• Beliefs and opinions
• Needs and wants

So Give People What They Want & Need:

People agree to ideas and suggestions that match their needs or views of life. Underpinning all our lives are certain principles and values that we hold to be true. These become guidance for how we conduct our lives. They influence and mould our behaviour. They can differ greatly from person to person and successful influencers always take principles and values into account.

But how?
• Notice what principles and values drive other people
• Ask questions and invite comment and reaction
• Check with those who know them well

Some examples of principles:

‘Integrity and fairness are an integral part of business dealings.’
‘I think that older people deserve courtesy and consideration.’
‘Moral behaviour is part of the fabric of daily life.’

It would be unproductive to spend time attempting to dislodge these deep-seated principles. Instead, harness them to add leverage to your suggestions.

Beliefs & Opinions:

Beliefs and opinions can be transient or short-term. Remember when you used to believe in Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy, giants and witches? Proof can easily dislodge a belief. So too can time.

An early step on the road to influencing others may include having to change lingering beliefs or convictions before you can proceed further.

‘I think that BubbleClean washing machines break down more often than the Tumblingsystem range.’
‘I think that all politicians are corrupt.’
‘I never make decisions on the 13th.’

Each of these beliefs can be dealt with by logical questioning or providing proof or data.

Needs & Necessities:

These are fundamental requirements – they have to be met if you are to influence others. Typical needs include: reliability, security, achieving a deadline, meeting a budget, keeping up to date.

‘Because of increasing competition, it is essential that we maintain an image and at the same time keep up to date.’
‘My team members are under great pressure, so it important to maintain their morale.’
‘The system must not only be reliable but secure, as well.’

Having uncovered needs, you may have to mould or reshape your ideas to dovetail with the requirements of others. Often, people have a hierarchy of needs, so it may be important to discover and use this:

‘Which is most important to you – reliability or security?’

Wants & Wishes:

Wants and wishes are not essentials, just a wish list: ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely … if only’. But their fulfilment can be the cherry on your influencing trifle, placed on top with a flourish, after the other person has agreed to your proposal.

Depends What’s On Offer:

Question: How will your suggestions benefit the other person?

The person or people you are influencing will interpret the benefits of your suggestions in different ways. Some will be interested in the features – the fine details, the nitty gritty of ideas. Others will say ‘How will I benefit?’ Others will seek out the advantages of proposals – how the benefits are different.

Features, Benefits & Advantages:

No doubt you are familiar with the differences between features, benefits and advantages, but it is worth re-iterating.

Features:

These are built-in aspects of your idea or suggestion – timing, costs, resources etc. They will remain locked up in your idea whether the other person agrees or not.

Benefits:

These are far more important than the features of your proposal. They translate boring old features into exciting statements which show clearly how others will gain.

‘This new hardware is made in Germany (feature) which means that we will save time and money on spare parts (benefit).’

Advantages:

These are comparative benefits e.g. – increased revenue, greater savings, and faster turn-around.

In Summary: The Benefit Balance Sheet

Most people do not agree whole-heartedly to an idea. There is usually something that niggles, however well you’ve addressed their concerns.

In the end, when we finally say yes to a proposal, it is because the benefits outweigh any disadvantages.
As you plan and prepare your influencing case, list all the benefits and advantages of your suggestions.

Use them to tip the balance in favour of yes.

Tomorrow:

On The JF Guest Author Spot, Kim Duke - The Sales Diva asks “Are You A Spoiled Brat Negotiator”?