Jonathan Farrington's Blog

Yes, it’s true, every prospect and customer is indeed unique.

They have their needs, their own set of problems and their own motives for choosing a particular supplier.

That’s why if they receive a ‘bulk standard’ pitch they will feel less compelled to properly evaluate it.  A consultative approach seeks to fully appreciate each prospects needs and gain agreement to those needs, before presenting products/services in a way that demonstrates how their needs can be met.

As I suggest in my first “Twelve Golden Principles Of Selling”

“It is important to remember that all people are different, so you cannot sell the same way to everyone.

Second, no two sales are the same, even if they are made to the same company under similar circumstances.

To become a good salesperson, it isn’t enough to know how to sell. You must aim to become a people expert. It may sound shocking, but the best professional salespeople actually like people!

Remember, people buy from people — they always will.”

There are a number of positive benefits gained by using this approach that includes:

• Improved sales results because the whole sales process becomes easier

• Less objections because your proposals are aligned to their requirements that they have already agreed to

• Better relationships because the prospect feels that you have a good understanding of what they want

• Easier negotiations because you have agreed their requirements with them that you can refer back to at a later date

• Price becomes less of an issue because you have identified all their requirements not just the price one.

The more requirements they have helps you to build a case for why they should choose you.

 Prospects feel listened to because a consultative approach has more contribution and input from the prospect.

 More leverage because the offer is more compelling to the individual as it has been tailored to what they said they wanted

During each of the 4 steps of a consultative approach there are a number of areas of competence that sales people should be excellent at demonstrating:

1. Finding out the prospect’s requirements
• Good questioning skills
• Ability to probe for problems/the prospect’s pain
• Rapport to ensure that the prospect feels comfortable answering the questions
• Active listening skills• 

2. Agreeing the prospect’s requirements
• Ability to summarise requirements in the prospect’s own words
• Asking checking questions to flush out any other requirements that have not been mentioned
• Maintaining good levels of rapport

3. Presenting solutions tailored to the prospect’s agreed requirements
• Taking each requirement in turn and linking to a relevant feature of your product/service and highlighting the benefits gained from that feature
• Using the prospect’s own words
• Looking for non-verbal signs of agreement and if not seen, asking checking questions such as “How does that sound?”
• Using the sensory communication type that the prospect has shown a preference for using. For example, if the prospect is very visual, then using visual aids will help them to better understand your proposition

4. Agreeing the solutions
• Summarising your proposed solutions
• Maintaining rapport
• Being vigilant to buying signals
• Asking checking questions to flush out any hidden objections

Do you know, I think you might also enjoy “How To Develop A Consultative Sales Approach”

Today’s News:  I know many of you are members over at LinkedIn and equally many of you are Webex and Cisco fans, so in case you haven’t heard about this, I am faithfully re-printing the press release, because I am a huge LinkedIn fan.

LinkedIn launches European Business Awards in association with Cisco WebEx

• First awards to recognise success as a result of business collaboration

• Win the chance to be mentored by a global business expert

 LinkedIn, the professional networking site, is partnering with Cisco WebEx online collaboration, the web conferencing and collaboration solutions specialist, to launch the inaugural LinkedIn European Business Awards. The awards will recognise exceptional business success both on a personal and company wide level, specifically rewarding innovation and collaboration in business.

The European Business Awards are open to all members of LinkedIn across Europe, with individuals and companies of any size eligible to enter. Entrants can either nominate themselves or others for the awards online at www.linkedinbusinessawards.eu.

The awards will be judged by LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, PY Gerbeau, the famous French entrepreneur and business consultant, and James Campanini, the head of Cisco WebEx for EMEA and Latin America. The winner of each category will be awarded a live WebEx session with one of the judges, with the final overall winner receiving an expenses-paid trip to travel to London for their personal meeting with PY Gerbeau.

The award categories include:

• Best Business Startup – from idea to success, this award goes to a company that started trading after September 2008, has beaten its original forecasts, and can demonstrate outstanding long-term potential

• Business Leader of the Year – for creating an outstanding workplace based on a set of values that has led to a committed, effective and motivated workforce

• Best Business Innovation – this award will go to the organisation that can best demonstrate a proven ability to create, grow and develop innovations or processes that substantially improve the commercial performance or prospects of the company

• Rising Star – recognises a non-board level individual whose initiative and determination has made an exceptional contribution to the success of the business and has demonstrated exceptional ability in working with clients, suppliers, colleagues and stakeholders to make a difference.

To win, professionals and businesses will have to demonstrate how they have found exceptional business success as a result of collaboration and sharing ideas and provide tangible proof of achievement. 

Kevin Eyres, European MD  at LinkedIn, commented: “LinkedIn and Cisco WebEx share common goals in helping professionals to be more productive, share information and work smarter through collaboration. The aim of the awards is to recognise which professionals in Europe are striving to achieve this every day. For the winners of each category is the chance to get time with highly successful entrepreneurs to learn how they do it.“

James Campanini of Cisco WebEx added: “When so many businesspeople are focused on minimising the effects of the recession and looking forward to economic recovery, it’s easy to forget the hard work being done day-in and day-out by professionals everywhere. With these awards, we want to recognise and give credit to the individuals who are making new business happen and making existing businesses work smarter and be more successful.”

The deadline for entries is Friday December 31st 2009. The winners will be announced in April 2010 in an awards presentation via a live Cisco WebEx.

To enter, businesses will need to complete the online entry form for their specific category at www.linkedinbusinessawards.cu   
———————————————————————————————————————————–Notes to editors
About LinkedIn
LinkedIn has 2.5m members in the UK and one in every three professionals in the capital is a member. LinkedIn continues to be the network of choice for UK professionals looking to stay in touch, to gather information and seek business opinions from other peers. LinkedIn currently adds one new user every two seconds and is the number one networking site in Europe. 

About Cisco WebEx
WebEx, a Cisco company, is an acknowledged expert in the field of online collaboration. Our software solutions enable people to collaborate and work together online, no matter where they are. Our customers include businesses of all sizes from all over the world and every day we help them fulfil their most ambitious goals for marketing, sales, training, and support.

More than 7 million people use Cisco’s WebEx products every month. We are proud to be associated with the LinkedIn European Business Awards as we share the belief that business is better when people work together, innovation and progress depend on collaboration and that great things happen when you share ideas.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Vicky Perry; Lansons Communications – vickyp@Lansons.com / 0207 566 9708/ www.linkedin.com/in/vickyperry

Jennifer Comerford; Lansons Communications – jenniferc@lansons.com  / +44 (0)207 294 http://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifercomerford

Exciting times!
 

The JF Guest Author Spot

Craig Klein
Super Charge Your Sales Engine to Double Sales this Year!

Dramatically increase sales without hiring or firing anyone!

Any animal needs a healthy diet. Sales animals eat leads. Are the leads your sales team is existing on making their commission checks and your business fat and happy? If not, our e-Book will show you exactly how to get more nutrition from the leads you have today..

Here’s what to expect:

1. How not knowing the difference between a lead and a qualified prospect is costing you big bucks and what to do about it
o Specific questions to ask
o Simple steps to take to be sure your sales team qualified effectively

2. How to time your sales efforts to focus on the right prospects at the right time
o How to close more sales by saying no to some prospects

3. How to measure how many prospects are qualified and know whether the right sales actions are taking place at the right time
o Know when reps are spending too much time on the wrong prospects?
o See your pipeline of future sales objectively so you can get a useful forecast

4. How to hold your sales staff accountable without running off your top producers

5. How to super charge your sales engine without increasing expenses
o Easily optimize the fuel in your sales engine – your leads

Today’s News: A quick trip over to Top 10 Sales Articles will reveal that Paul McCord was the very worthy winner in November.

He of course goes onto the very grand Top Sales Article of the Year final, which as you may remember, is being held on December 22nd this year, as part of the Top Sales Experts Christmas party. The event starts at 1:00pm Eastern (6pm GMT) and I’ll have some FREE places for you very shortly. Numbers are limited to 1000, so we expect to have a wait list.

You might also wish to vote for your favorit December article, and I can promise you there are some belters – HERE

The JF Guest Author Spot

Paul Simon

Not too long ago, networking consisted of walking into a huge meeting room at your local hotel or a large business site and handing out business cards to as many people as you could. Now that is all but ancient history. Networking today can build your sales, but only if you heed the new rules.

Successful networking nowadays means toting along a sincere interest in helping others instead of a box of cards and brochures, shelving your selling fervor in favor of making genuine acquaintances, and recognizing that creating reciprocal relationships will pay off much greater in the long run than any possible quick sale. Sure, bring your business cards, but keep a tight grip on them to use when follow-up appears mutually beneficial.

Elevator speeches are just as relevant as ever. But instead of breathlessly spilling your guts about yourself and what you do, simply introduce yourself, share who you best serve and clearly and concisely explain how you ease their pain.

Contemporary networking is all about building relationships and expanding your own circle of personal and business friendships.  Down the road, after appropriate follow-up and maybe a meeting or two at the local Starbucks, your networking partner may turn into a customer.  Or you may become a referral instead. Right now, however, view the networking event as an opportunity for enlightenment.

 The old way: Meet as many people as possible and make sure you tell them all what you do in the hope that a few may jump at your offer of service or products.

The new way:  Spend more time getting to know those with whom you do meet, paving the way for what eventually may turn into a mutually rewarding relationship.

Ever catch yourself at a networking event looking around the room as you shake hands with that person by the refreshment table? It’s important to eliminate that constant surveillance for potential prospects. Maintain eye focus on the person with whom you are speaking and listen attentively. If you feel compelled to break it off, politely excuse yourself. In today’s environment, respect is absolute.

That’s all part of what Keith Ferrazzi refers to as generosity, a major component of creating deep, lasting relationships. Ferrazzi, the author of the books Never Eat Alone and Who’s Got Your Back, believes connecting is a constant process of giving and receiving that starts with a genuine interest in the other person.

Ferrazzi also advocates learning, if possible, who is planning to attend an event and positioning yourself in such a way as to meet and talk with those with whom you most are interested. That makes a networking evening all that more productive, helps you avoid the “wandering-eye” syndrome referred to above, and plants the seeds for your follow-up activities that may develop sincere and rewarding relationships.

People do business with those they know and trust or with those who their associates know and trust.  Diane Helbig, a business coach (Seize This Day Coaching) who excels at networking, says that building relationships is the first step before actually selling. This explains why following up with those you meet at networking events is essential.

Ever wonder why you don’t hear from someone you slipped a business card at a recent event? Helbig insists it is up to you to write a note, express your delight in the meeting, and take responsibility for promoting the budding relationship.

Lori Richardson, an AllBusiness blogger on selling relationships and a sales trainer (Score More Sales) and author, believes and displays the same principles voiced by Ferrazzi and Helbig. One of Biznik.com’s top ambassadors for realtime  events, she insists that when you aren’t intending to directly sell others in the room, it puts you and everyone else at ease. Her advice: Learn about others and then see who might make an interesting connection.

She cites social media expert Chris Brogan’s guidance to simply ask questions of the other person and say very little about yourself. The other person will think you are the most interesting person around.

The key is following up. Richardson does her pre-event homework on the attendees she believes would be good connections. The networking event then becomes a more valuable use of her time, paying off in post-event activities that build her relationships.

Paul Simon is contributing sales editor for AllBusiness.com and communications director for TopSalesExperts.com He owns SharperContent, a communication business that refines  written messages in blogs, newsletters and books and Web sites and that hosts webinars for sales authors and entrepreneurs.  He can be contacted at paul@sharpercontent.com or through LinkedIn.

Today’s News: I was about to dig out and dust down my “Twelve Golden Principles Of Selling” because I always update it at this time of year, but Salesforce beat me to it – here

However, I am going to expand it with twelve chums and release it as an ebook before Christmas, more soon…

The most valuable resource we have, is time and sales people more than anyone know how challenging it can be to cram everything that needs to be done into their available time.

According to  Covey, author of ‘First Things First’ we should focus on our high priority tasks, those that provide the biggest levers towards achieving our goals. That’s why, being clear on what you want to accomplish in every facet of your life will determine the importance and therefore the priority of everything you need to do.

Essentially, we spend our time on tasks that are categorised into one of four areas:

1. Urgent and Important – these activities will include crises, pressing problems, deadline-driven projects, meetings and preparation for all of these things. Whilst we do have to spend time on these tasks, it’s vital to appreciate that many of these become urgent because of lack of planning or simple procrastination.

2. Important and Not Urgent – these activities include preparation, prevention measures, planning, relationship building and creating. In fact all these types of tasks can be summarised as activities that are directly linked to the accomplishment of our long-range goals.

3. Urgent and Not Important – these activities will include interruptions, some phone calls, some emails and reports and those types of tasks that we may enjoy doing, popular activities. The noise of ‘urgency’ can create the perception that these type of tasks are important.

4. Not Urgent and Not Important – these activities will include trivia, some phone calls, junk mail, time wasters, watching mindless television shows and anything that we do to escape doing, those tasks that we need to do. If are battered by spending too much time on urgent activities we may seek solace through doing these types of activities. We can summarise these tasks as those that waste our time.

When working on urgent tasks, two things are likely to occur. Firstly, the feelings of urgency creates an adrenalin rush that can fill us with a sense of excitement. Once the urgency has been withdrawn from our situation we can feel down and depressed. This develops into an addiction to urgency – we crave the highs and do whatever we can to avoid the lows.

Secondly, urgent tasks can create a ‘Choking Effect’ when we feel so overwhelmed that it impairs our ability to think clearly. Neither reactions are helpful if we want to remain in a peak state over a long period.

Many people who experience ‘burn-out’ have spent too much of their time working on urgent things, this creates an imbalance and they simply become exhausted. They simply cannot see ‘the wood from the trees’ and negative thoughts begin to dominate the positive ones. Many sales people get stuck at a certain level of success because they have allowed themselves to become buried under countless details, demands and activities that drain their energy.

Research by The Strategic Coach identified that when people have more balance and more free time to devote to important tasks , they are rejuvenated and better equipped to increase their productivity. This is why spending a larger proportion of our time on activities that are important yet not necessarily urgent gives us a greater sense of control over our lives.

Planning our time accordingly will save you time and ensure that you remain focused on those tasks and activities that take you closer to your goals. Also by scheduling your tasks you’re more likely to complete them.  When planning your time, the following suggestions can help you become more time efficient:

• The first vital step is to become consciously aware of how you are spending your time. People who complain that they “Don’t have the time” have unconsciously created bad habits that need to be highlighted. This conscious awareness is best achieved by keeping a time log of everything they do for one month so they have ‘the problems’ clearly identified before they look for solutions.

• Start with identifying your long- term goals first, because it creates a context for all your activities. Having a clear vision of what you are aiming for, gives you motivation and momentum so that day-to-day decisions that arise can be easily made because you are able to evaluate them in terms of “Is this activity moving me closer towards my goal?”

• Prioritise and schedule tasks on a monthly, weekly and daily basis according to their priority of importance to you. Because people’s efficiency is optimised when they have good work/life balance, it helps to plan in time for family and self so that these areas aren’t compromised. By working on your higher priority tasks first you are able to channel more of your energy and concentration into important activities. As your energy and concentration starts to fade so does the priority of the tasks that you are working on.

For busy sales people, working smarter requires paying attention to non-urgent and important tasks. This is best achieved by having a proper understanding of how they are spending their time, identifying where their time wasters are and planning into their schedules the non-urgent and important activities.

According to George Murphy, CEO e-Justify-it, he proves that just the process of paying attention to specific areas will increase those areas results by at least 5%. Therefore, if sales people are encouraged to become more time-aware, even if they don’t do anything else, they will generate 5% more time.

Today’s News: No doubt you are waiting for the answers to yesterday’s quiz? OK, here we go…

• The more specific a testimonial, the more meaning it holds for a prospect- True

• You can use testimonials throughout each step of the sales process- True

• Ask for testimonials as soon as you’ve built rapport with your prospect- False

• Photographs and customer information adds credibility and impact- True

• The best way to use testimonials is to send them out after your first meeting- False

• Writing a testimonial on behalf on your customer means that they will read better- False

• Selecting relevant testimonials based on your prospect’s situation helps to bring your proposition to life- True

• Video based testimonials are the ultimate way of presenting the viewpoints of other customers- True

• Testimonials can help combat price objections- True

• Asking customers for their opinion (in writing) gets a better response compared to asking them for a testimonial- True

• Effective testimonials should be no longer than 6 -8 words- False

• The process of generating testimonials should be ongoing- False

• If a customer refuses to give you a testimonial, it usually signals a lack of rapport and/or that their perception of you, your company, product or service didn’t meet their expectations- True

• Testimonials reduce their buying risk and maximises the Social Proof Principle- True

Yes, I know, all pretty obvious, I hear you say!

Have a great w/e – I will be posting – JF

Good old Jeffrey Gitomer (a fellow member of the folically challenged club) said, “If you become a testimonial-based seller (which I believe to be the most powerful form of sales in the world), then you can get testimonials for every element, or every step of your sales cycle.”  and he is right on the money.

Why? It’s very simple…. because customers like to feel reassured that the purchase they are about to make will do everything that the sales person has told them it will do. Why? Because there is a principle based around social proof that effectively confirms, “If other customers like this, it must be good”.

The power of using testimonials during different stages of the sales process increases sales when ‘real’ customers are seen or heard testifying as to how beneficial a product/service has been for them. They increase your credibility because they are third-party endorsements rather than words out of your own mouth. The goal of a customer is to predict the future about a product/service, and by offering real stories from other real customers can turn a picture of your proposition into a tangible experience.

There are a number of powerful ways that you can use testimonials that are guaranteed to help you increase your sales results.

Study the statements below and for each one consider if it is true or false – I’ll give you the correct answers tomorrow.

• The more specific a testimonial, the more meaning it holds for a prospect.

• You can use testimonials throughout each step of the sales process.

• Ask for testimonials as soon as you’ve built rapport with your prospect.

• Photographs and customer information adds credibility and impact.

• The best way to use testimonials is to send them out after your first meeting.

• Writing a testimonial on behalf on your customer means that they will read better.

• Selecting relevant testimonials based on your prospect’s situation helps to bring your proposition to life.

• Video based testimonials are the ultimate way of presenting the viewpoints of other customers.

• Testimonials can help combat price objections.

• Asking customers for their opinion (in writing) gets a better response compared to asking them for a testimonial.

• Effective testimonials should be no longer than 6 -8 words.

• The process of generating testimonials should be ongoing.

• If a customer refuses to give you a testimonial, it usually signals a lack of rapport and/or that their perception of you, your company, product or service didn’t meet their expectations.

• Testimonials reduce their buying risk and maximises the Social Proof Principle.

Today’s News:

As the economic tide begins to turn, those of you that are lucky enough to have survived, now have a wonderful opportunity to storm down that last furlong, and really finish the year strongly.

That will do at least two things: Firstly, it will greatly enhance your 2009 performance – of course, but it also will put you in the perfect frame of mind to stride into 2010, full of confidence, and ready to take up the new challenges that will inevitably arrive.

This is your invitation to join five of the leading sales experts in the world:

Wendy Weiss, Paul McCord, Leanne Hoagland–Smith, Kendra Lee and me, who will between us provide you with a route map, to ensure you surge through that finish line.

Tuesday December 1st 2009 1:00 PM EASTERN(6pm GMT)

Join us, with my compliments – register HERE

This all began after I listened in to “Edgy Conversations: An Explosion of Opportunity” a TSE Masterclass, brilliantly presented by  Daniel Waldschmidt last week.

We have at least two team members on the TSE team who understand everything there is to know about “generation gaps” and so I immediately turned to my very good friend, Greg Stebbins for clarification on a number of points that were concerning me.

Basically, I needed to understand if my perceptions were unique, or in fact they were shared.

This is a transcript of our email conversation, which took place very late, last Thursday evening.

JF: When I think about the difficulties that Gen x and Gen y have selling to Baby Boomers, I wonder how we, as Baby Boomers, managed to successfully sell to ?- What were they called? What came before us?
 
I am developing my thinking on this. I sold successfully during that time. Was it down to personality, intellect, rapport, commercial bandwidth – what helped us succeed?
 
GS: It was a different world back then. The Traditionalist – pre-boomer – grew up in WWII, had the abundance of the 50s and 60s and then watched their world radically change starting in 1968. Authority was questioned or totally ignored. Most salespeople in the 60s and 70s still reflected the traditionalist mindset, because that was how we were trained. Computers were still giant boxes tended to by High Priests, and many of them were high when they were working. There was nothing personal about them.

So communication was still via letter and then more and more by phone as long distance rates came down. Selling back then wasn’t too radically different from the previous generation.

The people of our generation started to radically change the corporate infrastructure. First mini-computers, then personal computers, then the Internet, email and finally the Web. Gen X and Gen Y have leveraged the technology, but didn’t invent it. So there are some fundamental disconnects when discussing depth of understanding. They know how to do it, but don’t know why it’s done that way.

Today, all of that has changed. Gen X and Gen Y were raised totally different from each other. As boomers we were expected to go out and produce or lose our job or get demoted. Gen X – the slacker generation – just didn’t care about that. They wanted a life and most were willing to sacrifice praying to the alter of gold coins. Gen-Y – the coddled generation – calls their Mum and asks what they should do.

As boomers we have an unconscious expectation that people will go and produce. But when competition is frowned on by Gen Y’s, that fundamental connection between the generations is severed. Many Gen Y’s are having a hard time finding a job. There are two reasons, not many jobs out there and not being prepared for the expectations that their Boomer or Gen X boss has of them. In many cases the coddled generation hasn’t been prepared for a competitive work environment – and in sales there are definite winners and losers. As Boomers, we grew up with and were trained to be competitive. Neither Gen X nor Gen Y have that mind set. Don’t get me wrong, some of them do, and they do quite well in the selling environment.

My favorite Gen Y lament is, “That’s not fair.” as if life were fair. Perhaps they haven’t watched enough Nature television. Watching a pride of lions (all female I might add) take down a zebra should help them understand that life isn’t meant to be fair. The current generation is made up of primarily farmers and worse, hunters seemed to be shunned.

Bottom line, I would say the difficulty stems from “conditioning” which includes beliefs, values and expectations. If you win a trophy for participation, like everyone else, why put forward any more effort to become the next superstar salesperson.

Compensation becomes an expectation, not something that is earned. Once someone is on welfare it’s terribly difficult to get them to change.

As boomers we unconsciously recognize this is going on and it turns our stomach (perhaps a bit strong, but after a few pints, I think we would all agree). And many of us are perverse enough to make it difficult for both Gen X and Gen Y (after all we didn’t have it easy, so why should they?).

JF: You don’t describe why we could communicate with the “Traditionalist” and yet we have more difficulty communicating with Gen X, let alone Gen Y. And why Gen X have so much difficulty communicating with us?
 
I have accepted an earlier assertion of yours that Boomers still have about another fifteen year shelf life?
 
It is a wonderful insight and I thank you.
 
Greg, can you put a timeline on these four generations?
 
GS: We could communicate with the Traditionalists because we weren’t really that different from them, not in the way Gen X and Gen Y are different from us today. We also shared some of the same conditioning and value systems on how we viewed the world. We were freer than the Traditionalist because of the increased standard of living during the 50’s and 60’s. Gen X and especially Gen Y have very different conditioning and value systems. So when they talk about what they want, it often doesn’t make sense to us. 

That 15 year shelf life is likely to increase as the financial world continues to be dicey. In the U.S. people who thought they had retired are now going back to work. The interest payments on the U.S. National debt amounts to about 22 billion dollars per year. Who’s going to pay it, well it looks like the Boomers in the short term and Gen X and Gen Y in the long term.

Generations are based on Birth Years (there is some disagreement about the exact birth years, but these are generally considered accurate):

Traditionalist:1925-1945 These folks are sometimes referred to as the Silent Generation
Baby Boomers: 1946-1964
Gen X: 1965-1981
Gen Y: 1982-2003

 So, there you have it. I have invested a lot of time in understanding motivation and also “social styles” – in fact anything that impacts on the “Attitude” element of my success formula.

I have also evangalised about the need to always sell to the customer in a way that the customer wants to be sold to. You may remember that the first principle in my “Twelve Golden Principles of Selling” is:

Principle 1: Always Sell to People

This may seem obvious, but it cannot be emphasized enough: You are not selling to an organization or to a conglomerate, but to actual, real people. It is important to remember that all people are different, so you cannot sell the same way to everyone. Second, no two sales are the same, even if they are made to the same company under similar circumstances.

To become a good salesperson, it isn’t enough to know how to sell. You must aim to become a people expert. It may sound shocking, but the best professional salespeople actually like people!

Remember, people buy from people — they always will.

I am not convinced that Gen Y or even Gen X, have taken this on board at all: They appear to be suggesting that everyone, whatever generation, should change habits of a lifetime and adopt a new approach in the way they buy.

I believe we all need to move forward cautiously, and first and foremost, we must listen to what our customers are saying to us.

The reality is that 80% of Economic Buyers, the people with the authority to make decisions, not merely influence them, are still Baby Boomers, and will continue to be for possibly another  twenty to thirty years.

So, Gen X and Gen Y, my generation are working very hard to understand you, will you return the favor?

If you don’t, beware of  potential banana skins…

Dr. Greg Stebbins is an internationally recognized authority on Sales Psychology with an emphasis in individual and organization transformation. He is the President of PeopleSavvy and a master at improving the greatest asset of any business—its people. With more than 30 years of business experience, he applies a wealth of knowledge, street smarts, and high impact ideas to the challenges his clients have. He is also the author of the best selling and widely acclaimed book, PeopleSavvy for Sales Professionals.

Today’s News: 

The panel are currently deliberating on the first monthly winner, who will be selected this week. I’ll post the results early next week, together with an interview, so that you can see what it takes to become one of the best sales professionals on the planet.

I know that some people have mistakenly concluded that this is a TSE initiative, because we are lending our total support. In fact it was the brainchild of a very forward thinking senior editor at AllBusiness called Ghislaine Maize. Ghislaine is a wonderful person to work with, and we are all very grateful for her vision.

Finally, finally… to all my friends, colleagues, readers and visitors in the USA – I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow – JF

Yes, I did promise you a post on Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y, but I am still completing it, as I was anxious to publish the latest edition of the JF Journal yesterday – hope you received your copy? No? You can sign-up here - there is a great FREE gift for you too.

So today, I am going to write about the formal account review, because this is the time of year when you should all be assessing your 2009 performance with all of your customers.

Obtaining continual feedback against a set of established criteria is vital if an organisation is to retain its existing top clients and seek to improve its standing and the quality of its service levels to them.

There Are At Least Seven Benefits Of Regular Feedback.

 Feedback reveals your customer’s current and future plans.
 Seeing your business from your customer’s point of view allows you to answer the question “would you do business with you?” – if not why not?
 Feedback allows you to tailor your service levels so that you enjoy maximum customer satisfaction at a minimum cost.
 If you don’t ask you’ll never know how you are doing until it’s too late! Feedback is magnified by the ‘ice berg factor’ making it more critical than it originally appears.
 Feedback can reveal what your competition are doing helping you to be a consistently strong contender.
 Gaining a reputation for wanting to hear feedback can actually make money for you.

How Often?

This will depend entirely on the importance of the account and revenue levels being achieved – or anticipated.

Assessing The Feedback You Receive

If the feedback you have been receiving to-date has not been useful ask yourself the following questions.

 Do I ask enough questions?
 Do I ask the right questions?
 Do I communicate effectively about why I am asking the questions?
 Do I ask the right people?
 Do I know how to use the data I collect?
 Am organised to respond to the information?
 Do I value and trust the information I receive?

Remember:

The Account Review Process -
 Is a non-threatening meeting –
 It is a fact finding session not a sales event in the short term.
 But It is highly likely that during this meeting you will uncover additional short, medium and long term opportunities.

Today’s News:

The Sales Lead Association announced the results, and I am pleased to confirm that Jill Konrath made it into the top 10.

Full results here

Interesting question in my mailbox last week: “Jonathan, you talk a lot about your success formula, i.e. Attitude + Skills + Process + Knowledge = Success, which of those areas do you most enjoy working in with your clients?”

I replied that they are all critical to an individual’s success and you cannot eliminate any of them. But I have stated on numerous occasions that “Attitude” is fundemental to anyon’e success, because if you have the right attitude you can achieve almost anything. I say almost anything, because when I was teaching my daughter this many years ago, she immediately responded “Not anything Dad, a mouse couldn’t pogo over the moon, could it?” Ah, the inquisitive young mind!

Equally, the wrong attitude or what I refer to as the negative mind, does most certainly prevent success.

“Experience informs us that the first offence of weak minds is to recriminate”  Samuel Taylor Coleridge
  
 Negative people typically suffer from what I call the three “C’s” and are usually found to be:

Criticising, Condemning or Complaining.
 
Here are some tips to help you overcome negativity and to recognise it in others.
 
Develop and build your own understanding of what is really negative. Do remember that constructive criticism is not negative.
 
Check your conversation with others, are you being negative? – Check your thoughts and thinking process – remember that if you are thinking negatively the only person you will harm is yourself. Remove those thoughts as you would a faulty slide from a projector, discard them, you have the capacity to do that and your mind will respond if you are strong enough and willing enough to discard a negative thought.
 
Build a bullet proof screen around you, so that negative comments or behaviour from other people will penetrate. You can do this by instantly recognising negative criticism or conversation.

From time to time, check the company you are keeping. If you have been mixing in the wrong environment, talk to people who are positive. Go out and mix with people you know have positive, constructive ideas. Mix with people who are doing better than you.

If another person’s negativity does get through to you, say to yourself “Why did he or she say that”? You must remember that no positive person becomes so unfeeling that they can’t see life from another person’s point of view. It could happen that someone very close to you says something that can be construed as negative; it may be because they are worried, they are concerned or they have fear. By asking yourself “Why did he or she say that?” You will more than likely be able to understand and by reassurance, conversation and looking at the worry from a different point of view, turn the negative into a positive process.
 
Have your own negative repellent. I have my own, which I have used for many years now.Whenever anyone says anything really negative to me, I  just say “fantastic” – no truly negative person enjoy hearing that word; they really run for cover!!
 
In Summary:
 
• Remember, the negative is always stronger than the positive.
 
• Never allow anyone to pollute your thinking
 
• As a professional you must take care of your attitude

“The most evil, dangerous and cancerous complaint that humanity inflicts upon itself is to be negative” Anon

How do you deal with negativity? Do please leave me a comment?

Today’s News: However you want to measure it, it has been a tough year for most front-line sales professionals – probably the toughest ever. Millions of salespeople, all around the world have lost their jobs, and are facing up to a very bleak Christmas.

My good chum Jill Konrath, has just published a super guide – “Get Back To Work Faster” - full details HERE

Last five days of voting over at Top 10 Sales Articles - Jill Harrington is leading, but will the expert panel agree? Have you voted yet?

Tomorrow, I share my thoughts on Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y, after listening to Daniel Waldschmidt’s superb TSE Masterclass last week – do join me

The JF Guest Author Spot

Nigel Edelshain
Most of “Sales 1.0″ was invented by the founder of National Cash Register (NCR), John Patterson. John moved the sales profession from the level of (almost literally) “snake oil peddlers” to the first professional sales force.

Many of us who have been in the technology business for more than a few years have probably heard, at one time or another, that IBM’s sales force is (or was) the benchmark for any other sales force to measure itself by. John Patterson of NCR hired Thomas Watson, taught him everything he knew about sales then let him start IBM. So it was really John Patterson who invented much of IBM’s famous sales culture.

So many of the sales approaches and tools we use today date back to John Patterson and the 1880’s. Meanwhile technology has changed the world around us in a dramatic fashion.

It’s about time for a change!

Sales 2.0 is about taking the sales profession to the next level.  I don’t believe this is just another “2.0 “ either I believe the sales profession really needs to step up a level. 

My background is as a microchip designer.  Microchips are designed in a very precise methodical way.  A huge amount of research is undertaken every year in pushing the envelope just that micron further.  It makes sense that all this research is funded by companies because the microchip industry is measured in trillions of dollars so there is a lot of money to made in making it operate just that bit more efficiently.

Now look at the sales profession.  How much do we invest in sales forces around the world?  Guess what?  Trillions of dollars also.  And how precise is our process?  How much research do we conduct?  How well do we understand cause-and-effect in selling?

My assessment: very poorly.

If there’s one key driver in the long-term evolution of Sales 2.0, I believe it is putting more science behind the way we sell.  Let’s get to a place in sales where we know for sure that “doing X will get us Y”, investing $A will get us $B back.  Right now sales is too full of qualitative “hand waving” assumptions that have little, to no, proof behind them.  That is not the future in my opinion.

The Catalyst We Need is Here Now

Sales people in 2009 are a lucky breed.  We have been handed the catalyst we need to start to make this shift to Sales 2.0.  At first we thought this catalyst was actually bad for us.  It seemed to give even more power to buyers and take power away from us.  But I am happy to report things are changing fast.  And soon this catalyst will at least “level the playing field” between buyers and sellers — and even “tip the playing field” to our advantage.  This catalysts is: the Internet.

Changing the Biggest Sales Bottleneck

The Internet is already starting to change the game for sales people as it has done in so many other industries and professions (I buy my groceries and my kids’ diapers online!) 

The biggest bottleneck in the sales process for most companies is right at the start: prospecting.  Some smart Web 2.0 companies out there have already brought out tools that really help sales people sell more.  These are not CRM tools that help managers with reporting on how sales are going.  These are tools that put more power in the hands of sales people to generate more prospects.

In our company we’ve taken a look at the factors we believe influence whether a prospect will let you in the door or have an initial conversation with you.  We’ve narrowed it down to six factors.  And within those six factors we’ve isolated three that we believe are the most enhanced by the Internet. 

Those three are:

1. Prospect Lists: who you call.  At the end of the day if you don’t call the right people, you will not make any sales.  You can have a great product and great message but if you are speaking to the wrong people, no sale.

2. Trigger events: when buyers are in status quo they don’t buy.  Change is our ally in sales as change causes buyers to have needs that can be solved by our product.  Typical trigger events are: changes in executives, new product releases and mergers.  Calling into the right person at the time of a trigger event is way more efficient than calling buyers who are in status quo.

3. Relationships: in “old school” selling, relationships were built on the golf course or in the pub.  Prospects (and sales people) today don’t have time for that any more.  We can use Web 2.0 tools like social networks to build relationships from our desk far more quickly than we could at the golf club.  We can utilize these networks to crack into target accounts through a referral selling approach, eliminating the need for “stone cold calling”.  Greatly changing our probability of success.

Some of the “Sales 2.0 tools” already out there that can help you in these areas are:

1. Prospect Lists: Jigsaw, Netprospex and Spoke
2. Trigger events: InsideView and Google News
3. Relationships: LinkedIn, Facebook and VisiblePath

I believe it’s time for a change.  It’s time for sales people to use the tools to “level the playing field”.  To make their jobs easier.  To hit their numbers.  To have some fun. 

If you think that sounds right for you, please join the “Sales 2.0 revolution!”

Nigel Edelshain is CEO of Sales 2.0 (LLC). Nigel sets direction for the company and manages the company’s lead generation team.

He delivers consulting and training that provides clients with sales improvements of 2-3 times.

Nigel has sold millions of dollars of IT solutions to major Fortune 500 firms. He was head of sales for the financial services vertical for Starpoint Solutions (a 600-person system integrator). Prior to Starpoint, Nigel worked for Platinum Technology (now CA) selling IT professional services.

Nigel is the chairman of the Wharton Business School Club of New York – the school’s largest alumni association. Nigel graduated from Wharton’s MBA program in 1993 and has an undergraduate degree in microelectronics (chip design) from Edinburgh University.

Companies work with Sales 2.0 (LLC) to:
• Crack into new accounts and markets
• Launch new products
• Reduce the costs of running their sales organization
• Hit sales goals with less resources
• Speed up their sales cycles

Their services include: consulting, lead generation and training. What makes them different is that they are experts in Sales 2.0 tools and techniques.

Today’s News: We are just about to publish the next edition of the JF Journal, and I thought you might like a sneak preview of one of my guest’s articles…

YADDA, YADDA, YADDA AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH
THE DOERS

“Boring, empty talk.

While many people have the potential for doing something of considerable consequence, something with measurable impact, there are far more of us talking about doing whatever it is, than those of us who are actually getting it done. Let’s call these two contrasting groups  “The Doers” and “The Yaddas,” shall we?

One day I was having a conversation with a British colleague about this very subject. Out loud, he wondered why we Americans spend so much time and energy on the conversation around our projects, rather than on completing the projects themselves.

I am witness to the remarkable volume of quality work he produces daily, and have been intrigued by his ability to say it, do it, and get on to the next thing.

Jonathan’s life looks much different than mine on the outside, which made it convenient, not too long into our conversation, for me to mentally drag out the excuses as to why he is so accomplished and I am so exhausted. More than once I’d observed that while he is working on his projects I’m over thinking mine. An example of this? I thought about writing this book for five years: I wrote it in three months.”

This is of course an extract from Nancy D. Solomon’s remarkable new book – details can be found over in the left -hand column - and you can read the full extract in the latest JF Journal, which will go out on Tuesday – not registered to receive it monthly? You can register here

Oh, and the smart “British colleague?” – no idea, sounds like my sort of  guy though:-)

The JF Guest Author Spot

Dave Stein

TO: Salesreps and their first-line managers  You have the right to be educated, trained, motivated, and prepared to leave the training session with improved selling capabilities, no matter how much experience you have.

I recently spoke with a colleague who is a partner in an outsourced telesales firm.  I know him from his past life as a salesrep.  He worked for some big name technology companies and was consistently the top performer.  He is a sales heavy-hitter if there ever was one.

We discussed sales training.  He said, “I can’t tell you how many sales training programs I’ve sat through.  Every major vendor.  The programs were too long, didn’t provide me with value, and frankly, they were an incredible waste of time.”  Here is what got me.  “I was offended that management would think so little of me to force me to sit through that.”  That was it for me.  I decided it was time to directly appeal to you, the sales professional and first-line sales manager, about the abuse many of you have been taking.
Does my colleague need training?  Sure.  He admits he does.  But the training he needs has to provide him with business value; it’s got to help him do one thing—sell more.

Here are some of those abuses:

• Being trained by someone who never sold.
• Being trained by someone who doesn’t know anything about how your buyers buy.
• Being trained by someone who clearly doesn’t understand how tough your competitors are.
• Being trained by someone who is more focused on entertaining you than helping you get your job done, so they get good marks on the post-program evaluation.
• Being trained by someone who tells you what to do, but not how to do it.
• Being forced to sit in a training class where 80% of what you learn is irrelevant to you.
• Being trained on a skill or a process only to find out after the program that there are no tools, no support, and management doesn’t know what you are talking about.
• Coming out of a class confused about what to do next.
• Not having any post-program support from your management or the training provider.

Why is this going on?

When abuses like this happen, there is generally plenty of blame to pass around.  But the blame rarely falls in the lap of the sales professional or first-line sales manager.  As I said, you have the right to be educated, trained, motivated, and prepared to leave the training session with improved selling capabilities, no matter how much experience you have. You have the responsibility of walking into a training program with an open mind, ready and willing to learn, share your experiences, and to do what it takes to elevate yourself and your team to the next level of sales performance.  You do not have the responsibility of having your time wasted and your experience and intelligence insulted.

Here are some possible explanations:

• Sales management picked a sales trainer out of the hat. More accurately they chose someone they engaged with before, in another job, or whose book they read (not that that is necessarily a bad thing).
• Training requirements were not formally defined. 
• There was no foundation methodology and related processes to be trained on, so the training had no foundation.  It was just training on a bunch of unrelated skills. 
• The training program content was not relevant to your job.  It may have come off-the-shelf, or have been designed for customers in another industry.
• There was inadequate or no educational design.  The content may have been relevant, but it was not delivered to you in a way that would promote effective learning.
• There wasn’t a strategic plan to get and keep you trained.
What should you, as a sales rep, or first-line sales manager, do?
If you saw the movie Network, you’ll remember the phrase, “I’m sick and tired of this and I’m not going to take it anymore.”  Even I’ll admit that getting your colleagues together and storming into your sales VP’s office is a bit extreme.  But there are things you can do.
• Understand that pragmatic sales processes and the training that supports their use is good for you, not bad.
• Understand that you were hired because you had a set of skills and traits that met the requirements for the job, but that professionals (think pilots, doctors, realtors, teachers, accountants, lawyers) need continuous education.  If you don’t think you do, you’re probably wrong.
• Provide management with a list of the specific areas where you and your team need formal processes. For example, if you are having trouble qualifying buyers or are told to cold call but don’t have a script, say so.
• Provide management with a list of skills in which you need training.  Strongly request that management take the time and effort to find the right vendor to provide that training.  It may not be one of the well-known providers.
• Request that a bit more work go into providing training targeted to different groups within sales.  Inside sales should have a program quite different from outside sales.
• Suggest that you and perhaps another rep or two be part of a steering committee to get this right, once and for all.
• Provide this article to your sales manager or appropriate executive.

To the Point

Getting sales training right is very tough.  It’s not like training someone to answer a support call or balance the books.  Many companies try, but get it all wrong.  Some have it totally figured out.  Take a leadership position in your company to drive a formal, funded sales training strategy.  If done right, you’ll make more money and have a company you’re proud to work for.

Dave Stein is the founder and CEO of ES Research, an organization that provides on-line, membership-based analyses of, and recommendations about, the sales training and sales performance and consulting marketplace and the companies that serve it.

He also writes a very popular and relevant blog

Today’s News:  If  you are based in the USA and you are involved in any kind of leadership role, this latest message from good chum, Kevin Eikenberry will be of great interest….

You’ve received many emails from me about leadership development. I try to give you immediately applicable ideas, tools, tips and techniques in every email.

You receive these messages from me because in one or more ways you have told us you are interested in Leadership Development.

Knowing that about you is why I write these messages to you, and especially why I write today.

Four or five times a year I lead a 2-day Leadership Training Camp. It’s largely promoted and marketed by a partner of ours, and it’s given many people a chance to really explore and work on their leadership skills.

I will be leading the last session of 2009 in Nashville, TN, at the beautiful Gaylord Opryland Resort on December 7-8.(You can learn more about the event and what you’ll learn during the event at the Leadership Training Camp registration site.)

I’m writing specifically to tell you, we have a few seats There’s still time in 2009 to build your leadership skills. And who better than you – a reader of these leadership updates – to receive a special opportunity to fill the rest of our remaining seats in 2009?

Your Opportunity

Between now and November 30 – that’s just 10 days from now – for every full price Leadership Training Camp registration, you will get a second registration at half price.

We’ve never made an offer like this before, and I doubt if it will ever happen again. This is the chance for you and I (and some of your colleagues – and some new friends) to learn together, face-to-face helping you become the leader you were born to be.

But it’s only an opportunity for you if you take action.

Ask yourself how you would benefit from two days of focus on, and growth of, your leadership skills.

Think about others in your organization, your colleagues in other companies and even your Clients (maybe your boss).

Think about anyone you know who would like to – or who needs to – build their leadership skills and let them know about this opportunity.

Register at the Leadership Training Camp site – and make sure to mention the special offer and use promo code EIKCL9 to assure your seats!

One More VERY Cool Thing

Just yesterday I received copies of my brand new book.

It’s called #LEADERSHIPtweets and it’s written to provide exactly what the subtitle promises: 140 bite-sized ideas to help you become the leader you were born to be.

It’s a unique book, and I’d love to sign one of the very first copies to you.

Here’s how: when your friends, colleagues, Clients or others decide to join me in Nashville, send me an email or call me at 317.387.1424  because when you take the leadership action of helping others develop themselves I want to honor your commitment to leadership.

I will send a signed copy of #LEADERSHIPtweets to the first five people who take advantage of this offer and let me know about it.

Remarkable leaders know a great opportunity when they see it. This is a great opportunity – for you and those you know.

I look forward to seeing you and/or your colleagues in Nashville.

Enjoy your day and remember . . .

You are Remarkable!

Kevin

P.S. Here’s the registration link again. Remember this offer is only available through November 30. Make sure to use promo code EIKCL9 when you register.