Jonathan Farrington’s Blog

I first began to recognise the need to be able to benchmark sales performance more objectively and more rigorously over twenty five years ago.

The motivation to do this was strong because I knew I was wasting thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of pounds on sales skills training programmes, which were not providing me with a proper return on my considerable investment. But I needed to prove my theory because without an accurate analysis of my requirements, I would continue to abdicate that responsibility to the training providers, most of whom had only their own interests at heart.

So with this quote from Drucker, “The most effective way to manage change is to create it” firmly in my mind, I set about my task, a task that became a journey, which began in 1981 and is still ongoing.

By taking an analytical approach, I arrived at the following equation:

Attitude + Skills + Process + Knowledge = Success.

My initial reasoning was this: Attitude is fundamental to any achievement because individuals with the right Attitude are far more likely to embrace the essential Skills, recognise the control that Process brings and have the desire to continually expand their Knowledge.

Skills are the ‘tools of the trade’ and have to be developed on an ongoing basis. They also need to be specific, because too much time can be wasted over-burdening employees with inappropriate and irrelevant skills without any identifiable plan for their future requirements.

Process brings organisation, efficiency and control, both for the individual and for management. Effective process provides objective analysis and indicators which can be benchmarked and accurately measured.

Then, there is of course a need to build in Knowledge and that must include knowledge of products, industry, market sectors, competitors, business, own company and last but not least, self!

So, there you have it - it really is as simple as that - Attitude + Skills + Process + Knowledge = Success.

Today’s News:

I  finally made contact with Krishna De this week, something I had been planning to do for quite a while after I noticed that we were “sitting” next to each other on last year’s Blogger 2K project. Krishna is a branding, marketing and leadership expert and a pretty amazing person - amongst other achievements, she was the first female and youngest ever member of the Guinness board. She has an excellent blog which you will find here and I am really looking forward to collaborating with her. 

The more observant of you will notice a new JF banner at the foot of this post - it is actually an avatar, designed by my good buddy Jeb Blount of Sales Gravy, and by clicking on it, you will arrive at my weekly Sales Leadership blog - cool stuff, eh?  

Tomorrow: I am busy preparing the first JF Journal, my monthly newsletter, packed with informative articles, interviews and business tips - if you haven’t subscribed yet, may I urge you to do so here - you will receive a FREE copy of my “Negotiating To Win” e-book, as a bonus

Wherever you are, have a great w/e and I will be with you again next week - JF

The JF Guest Author Spot

Independent, tech-savvy, social, and optimistic – why are these “kids” so hard to manage?

The New Millennial’s, people born after about 1981, are now entering the work force en masse. Even seasoned sales managers are having challenges helping these people become productive. They have a different approach to life, which greatly impacts their ability to sell effectively. Understanding them and some key events that took place during their youth will help you get a handle on their outlook on life in general and work in particular.

While they were growing up there was a technology explosion. Their every day reality included video on multiple devices, mobile phone, computers, and iPods. They have been bombarded with marketing messages that are constantly changing. School violence and global terrorism (specifically 9-11) have made them wary about the world and helped them develop a global perspective. For the most part, poverty is something that they have seen on television. Watching their parents get downsized in the 80s and 90s has caused them to question loyalty to the company. Reality television, MySpace, Facebook, Second Life and Google have caused them to believe (and experience!) that information is available for the asking so being “transparent” (putting everything out there for all to see) is the way things should be.

While I often hear comments about their lack of work ethic, those are the same comments that were leveled toward Generation X and Baby Boomers when they first entered the work force. Neuro research now tells us that the prefrontal cortex of our brain continues to mature until about the age of twenty-six. So Millennials may continue to be a little irresponsible until they’ve been on the job for a while. It’s neurological, not attitudinal. So make life a little easier on yourself and cut them some slack.

What is different is their work style, motivations and view of the world, especially the corporate world. These individuals do have loyalty, which is focused on their social network and specific managers and members of the team – not on the company.

Generally they have an ability to find information about anything at a rate that far exceeds expectations of management.

What they lack is discernment about the accuracy of the information. If it’s on the Net they tend to believe it must be accurate. They can instantly communicate this information to their social network via Blogs, Instant Messaging (IM), personal Web pages and cell phones. Some companies have found out the hard way that their management mistakes are common knowledge within days, if not hours.

Many of these people had parents who hovered over them during every waking hour, giving birth to the term “Helicopter Parents.” With probably hundreds of possible activities, from soccer to music lessons, Millennials have been over-committed and over-scheduled. They also have been smothered in praise with constant reinforcement about how great they are: blue ribbons for the entire team, there are no losers, etc.  They expect recognition for everything, even the most mundane activities. They may not know their own strengths and weaknesses because there have not been many opportunities for self evaluation or honest, constructive criticism.

This creates your greatest management challenge. How do you help them understand that there are indeed losers as well as winners in the sales world? How do you provide constructive criticism without devastating their psyche?

Keep in mind that these people will tend to look at you as a parental substitute. I know that makes most sales managers more than a little uncomfortable. Nonetheless, since their parents didn’t wean them, you get to do that. And, generally, this is going to be a shock to the Millennial. You’ll need to teach them basic decision making by coaching and guiding them step-by-step, before you tell them, “You decide.” Don’t be surprised if they’re calling you constantly asking the simplest questions.

Here’s a four step process that can be helpful in guiding them in decision-making (this process may take two to six months total):

1. The first time they approach you, work with them to think through at least three options. Then make the decision for them. Having them consider options is the first step of developing the ability to reason.

2. After this, when they want your input, make sure they come in with the three options already thought about. Then help them understand the consequences of each option. Add in other options if they haven’t considered all of the consequences. Then, you make the decision.

3. The third stage is that they come in with three options, understand the consequences and a recommendation for the course of action. Either agree with their course of action or make suggestions. Essentially they will be making the recommendation which you are approving.

4. The final stage is to cut them loose and have them handle a situation on their own. However, also have them provide a written report (IM or Text message is OK). The report needs to tell you what the situation was, the options they considered and the decision they made. This step won’t last that long as their need for independence will kick in and they’ll just stop coming to you with every little situation.

Keep in mind that these individuals are going to need much more coaching than their predecessors. The good news is they are used to being coached. After all, many of them have been on soccer teams since they were four or five years old.

Like all previous generations they’ll be coming into the work world thinking that they have all the answers and know how to do the job better than you do. Once we turn about 35, we begin to realize that we don’t have all the answers and things may not be as they seem. Developing mastery at work requires us to listen intently, understand the history of each situation and gather the different perspectives of each of the players involved. However, growing up protected and interacting with others largely through technology, has created a generation whose people savvy is very limited. Their ability to read a person in a face-to-face situation (and almost all selling is face-to-face) will tend to limit their success, especially when selling to people of a different generation. Help them understand the nuances of body language, the uniqueness of each person’s office and what the contents of that office reveals about the customer. (Shameless promotion: Our book, PeopleSavvy for Sales Professionals covers these points in detail.)

In your coaching efforts with Millennials, your focus and approach may need to be different from others you have worked with. You’ll need to provide structure and give information in bite-size pieces. Praise for what they do is important to their self-esteem. If they’ve messed up you’ll need to present it as a development opportunity. Course correction instead of scolding or brow-beating is a better approach.

Millennials generally have short attention spans, so keep your coaching sessions short. If you go beyond about 20 minutes you will lose them. Use technology freely before and after the session; they’ll come in to the session better prepared and will actually appreciate the follow up. If you’re not comfortable using IM, it’s time to learn. Their mobile phone is like a third arm and gives you more access to them than you’ve probably ever had with anyone.

Have frequent coaching sessions. Remember they’ve been sitting in front of video games knowing instantly what their score is and how they compare with others. Waiting to give them feedback at their annual performance review won’t work. In fact, without feedback, they will probably be long gone before that performance review happens.

Provide the rationale behind your coaching. This generation is hungry to learn and if they feel they’re learning from you, they will be loyal—to you. If they feel like their skills aren’t being developed, they’ll leave.

In some ways you’ll need to teach them patience. They’re used to instant gratification. On the plus side, their impatience for results can be a bonus in the sales world. On the negative, they can be easily frustrated when they don’t get immediate results.

Work/life balance is important to Millennials. One of the biggest challenges to Baby Boomer managers is that Millinnials don’t want the same life style. Many Baby Boomers were brought up in sales to believe that if you were working from 6 AM to 6 PM, you were still only working half days. Millennials want “time and flexibility” often before financial compensation and benefits. No other generation has had “time and flexibility” in their top three drivers.

And finally, transparency or confidentiality is often mismatched between Millineal and manager. It is not unusual that a private discussion between a manager and employee becomes public. You’ll need to teach your Millennials why discretion is important, and it may be difficult for them to understand. If your entire life is on the Web for anyone to see—even pictures in a drunken stupor at a college party—they just won’t understand why someone wants to keep something private or would be embarrassed about it being public. Be patient and explain why it’s to their benefit. In other words, you may need to sell them on the idea.

Smart managers that focus on developing Millinneal’s people savvy and who understand flexible work roles and effective virtual teams while leveraging technology will help them become a valuable asset sooner rather than later. Managers who meet the challenges of working with, not against, this generation will reap the rewards that come with shorter ramp times and more rapidly gaining some very valuable sales professionals.

Dr. Greg Stebbins is an internationally recognized authority on Sales Psychology with an emphasis in individual and organization transformation. He is the President of the Stebbins Consulting Group 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. www.peoplesavvy.com

Greg is also a senior member of the Top Sales Experts team and you can read more about him here

Today’s News: A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that my Elves had got their hands on David Bain’s new product, “The 26 Week Internet Marketing Plan” and were highly impressed. So impressed were they, that I decided to make some time to have a look through it myself, as a complete novice, always anxious to expand my “online bandwidth” and be able to hold my own when the Elves start getting “geeky” down the pub.

I have known David for almost two years now, and he is someone that I respect and admire for his wisdom and plain talking, no-nonsense style.

So what is this course all about then? And who’s it aimed at?

Well its aimed at marketing managers, business leaders, entrepreneurs and anybody who is looking to make an impact online and is serious about it.

The 26 week Internet marketing plan contains 4 DVD’s, 8 Multimedia CD’s and 4 ring-bound workbooks; plus a wall planner and 10 step quick start guide. It is written in a no-nonsense, pragmatic and conversational way – this is a reflection of David’s clear understanding and experience in the Internet Marketing community.

To give you an idea on its depth and breadth, this is what is provided out of the box.

Phase 1: Website Structure
Business Strategy
Keyword Research
Site Architecture
Conversion Rates
Viral Coefficient
Visitor Tracking

Phase 2: Automation and Launch
Blogging
RSS
Email Updates
Blog Communities
Blog & RSS Directories
Press Releases
Pay Per Click

Phase 3: Broaden Your Base
Major Directories
Industry Directories
Local Directories
Article Marketing
Competitor Backlinks
Forum Interaction
Blog Comments

Phase 4: Broaden Your Horizon
New Website
Social Networking
MyPage Marketing
Podcasting
Video Marketing
Visitor Analysis

As I mentioned the workbook writing is hype free, clear, easy to read; but most importantly littered with examples that make the content easy to read and understand.

But whilst the four workbooks form the core of the 26 week Internet Marketing Plan, they really are just the tip of the iceberg. And that leads me to the next great thing about the package. It’s loaded with MP3’s of interviews, documented transcripts and .pdfs which really help to contextualize what you can learn in the core workbooks.

Contributors include: Me and Yaro Starak by the way.

And finally what I really like is the overriding candid, honest, hype free approach that David has taken in producing this package.

There are numerous starter courses that prospective Internet Marketers could take - seminars, courses, training sessions etc. The trouble is they’re slick, polished but ultimately forgettable.

For £399 (about $795) I would be amazed if you could spend your hard earned money more wisely. Highly recommended- you can find out for yourself here

Tomorrow: I endeavour to send you into the weekend with some thought provoking commentary regarding decision making

One of the first exercises I carry out before commencing a new assignment, is a rigorous audit and profiling session to identify the current strengths and limitations of the team - sales, management, or whatever.

You know the thing that I find, more often than not? It is the considerable length of time since the individuals received any formal training, coaching or counselling - is it any wonder that around 80% of all front-line sales professionals are not working at optimum performance levels? 

During the seventies, eighties and nineties, it was common for large corporations such as Hewlett Packard, IBM, and Compaq etc to put their new sales recruits through a twelve to eighteen-month training programme. Today, salespeople consider themselves extremely fortunate if they receive an initial two weeks of induction training or product familiarisation workshops.

So what has changed? Have companies discovered that training is not necessary? On the contrary, training appears to be even more important today than it was thirty years ago and it is becoming more critical all the time.

Lower Training Budgets But Higher Expectations:

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.

Today’s News: When I first set out on the road with the primary objective of establishing the JF brand, I was advised that writing articles was definitely something I should consider doing - that was long before the same visionary advisor suggested that I should write a Blog Here we are, almost two hundred articles later and I always remember one particular article community CEO, who helped me enormously during those early days (and still offers advice and support freely) His name is David Bain, the site was (and still is) buildyourownbusiness.biz It’s very much a niche site and successful because of it.

However, since our first meeting way back in May 2006, like many of us, David has been forging ahead with a number of successful initiatives and has quickly established himself as one of the leading internet marketing experts in the world with his company Purple Internet Marketing 

His “Thirteen Pillars Of Internet Marketing” tour was a sell-out in virtually every major city in the UK last year and now he has produced something even better - if that were possible.

It’s a twenty- six week internet marketing programme and it launches next week: My elves have been all the way through it last week and they could not praise it enough, here are some of the comments I got back from them:

Hi JF, here is a first analysis

“Extremely comprehensive”
“Very well constructed”
“So easy to follow”
“Excellent value for money”
“Covers everything you are ever likely to need to know - and so much more!”
“Even get a free t-shirt!!”
“Bonus cd’s included - and there’s an interview with you :-)” 

I will share my personal findings over the next couple of weeks, but if you or your company do not realise the importance of getting your internet strategy right, then you are missing out! You can register your pre-launch interest here

Tomorrow: Most of us who regularly write articles (although it is confession time; I have been very much distracted lately and as a consequence, haven’t written much) - agree that some of our work passes the “Mmm, yep, I like that and I am proud of it, test” whilst not unaturally, we are less proud of some other pieces, because we are perfectionists (Isn’t it strange that some of the work we produce and are not satisfied with gets read the most?)

I digress; tomorrow my guest is Jill Konrath, my “Crazy Buddy” currently on vacation and climbing things in Utah - she has yet to write something I didn’t enjoy and tomorrow’s post is superb - trust me.

The JF Guest Author Spot

Your salespeople are the center of your business. Nothing can happen without them. Too often, especially lately, business owners fail to see the value of their sales force. Maybe their sales force is ineffective. Maybe the leadership hasn’t set up and enforced realistic goals and expectations. Or maybe the company leadership doesn’t realize how the sales force impacts their business.

As I work with salespeople and business owners around the country, I hear the same messages. The owners are saying ‘I’m paying my salespeople too much.’ And the salespeople are saying ‘I don’t get any support, assistance, or resources to help me succeed.’

What in the world is going on? For starters, business owners have decided that they aren’t getting value for their dollar from their salespeople. Well, unless they are paying them a really high base without any sales goals or quotas, I doubt that’s true. Think about it – without salespeople, you don’t have customers. If you have a reasonable compensation plan in place, for every dollar you pay your salesperson, you should be getting at least two dollars. So, in reality, the more money your salespeople are making, the more money you are making.

Most business owners have never tried to sell, or have failed miserably at it. Sales is hard work. You have to constantly pursue new business, have a very tough skin, enjoy the hunt as well as the conquest, excel at matching the prospect to the product, and be able to start up a conversation with complete strangers. Wow! How many people do you think can do all of that confidently and successfully? Not many. That’s why it should pay well.

It’s basic economics. The demand is high and the supply is low. When this occurs, the compensation must be high to attract the appropriate people. Now, I don’t believe that high compensation includes a high base salary. When you have a high base, you run the risk of employing people to do sales who merely pull their paycheck – without results to show for their efforts. The reason is this – when the base salary is high, there is no real incentive to produce. Conversely, when the base is low and the commission structure is fair and attainable, your salespeople will be eager to sell. They are earning a base to take the worry away. At the same time, the real money is in the sale. So, they have a vested interest in selling. The more they sell, the more they’ll make. That’s the ideal program.

There are three steps every business owner should implement with their sales force to ensure results are being realized.

1. Establish a reasonable, fair, attainable pay structure with a small base salary, quotas, benchmarks, and commissions based on margins not sales dollars. The commissions should be significant enough that your salespeople can earn a good income from their efforts. **If you are in an industry that is highly competitive and commoditize to the point where margins are extremely low, you may want to offer a higher base and year-end bonus plan.

2. Create a system for gauging quotas and benchmarks. This system should be clear and easy to follow. The consequences for poor and good performance should be spelled out. The end result should be a program that your salespeople can easily follow so they can monitor their own performance and are aware of the consequences of their actions. Measurability is key to the success of any sales program.

3. Work the system constantly. More often than not, the place where there is a breakdown between the ownership and the sales force is at the monitoring stage. For some reason, the ownership fails to effectively monitor the performance of their sales staff and communicate consistently with that staff regarding their results. To achieve success, the ownership has to consistently monitor their sales staff’s performance and implement the consequences. Open, consistent communication helps keep the program working and no one feeling resentment.

Business owners owe it to themselves, their staff, and their clients to make sure they are working their sales program effectively. And they should have no doubt that it is up to them to make sure the program is followed. When there is a reasonable, effective program in place that everyone has opted onto, the business will grow at a great pace and everyone will feel that they are winning.

Copyright© 2008 Seize This Day Coaching

Diane Helbig is a Professional Coach, and the president of Seize This Day Coaching. She works one-on-one and in groups with small business owners, entrepreneurs, and salespeople to help them create successful business development strategies. As a team, they embrace the possibilities. Diane’s website is http://www.seizethisdaycoaching.com and her blog is http://www.seizethisdaycoaching.blogspot.com

Diane is also one of the most recent recruits to the Top Sales Experts team and you can read more about her here

Today’s News: This week I received an invitation to join a fantastic new site, dedicated to networking sales professionals, AccountMaven.com. Membership is by invitation only, but because you are reading my blog, I am going to invite you myself - you can register by following this link I will take the time to complete a tour in the next few days and report again in the next two weeks - enjoy!

And here is a very special message from a very special friend:

Good Morning,

Today you can make a difference in your personal and professional development.

As an Unleash Your Potential subscriber, I hope you have heard of, or maybe have a copy of, my book Remarkable Leadership.

Whether you have a copy or not, action you take today can make a difference in your success and results in the future.

Let me explain.

If you don’t have a copy, and buy one now, you will have the opportunity to take advantage of some gifts from me and some colleagues. Each of these gifts can accelerate your progress as a leader – both on their own and in tandem with the book.

One of those gifts is one full month in our Remarkable Leadership Learning System. Learn more, or make your purchase, now.

If you already have a copy of the book, you will benefit too. As you will receive the same gifts available to all who buy their book today. I’m very excited to be sharing these gifts with you, especially the full month membership in the Remarkable Leadership Learning System.

I’m not going to say anymore – as this page says everything you need to know.

I hope you take me up on this offer – and when you do I look forward to working with you during the entire month of March to help you accelerate your progress towards Remarkable.

You are Remarkable!

Kevin Eikenberry
Chief Potential Officer, The Kevin Eikenberry Group
Bestselling Author, Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time

p.s. Make sure to check out the added bonuses for those who buy multiple copies – this is a perfect chance to get all of your leaders a full month of training plus some additional gifts!

Tomorrow: I am on to negotiation skills again and give you my tips for preparing for a successful outcome.

Not enough companies have learned how to employ sales training as a strategic tool. Those that have are leaders in their industries, offering their shareholders maximum return on investment, are able to quickly adapt to changing market conditions, are respected by their customers and provide consistent sales performance. The sales people that work for those companies are motivated and stay in their jobs longer.

Quite often sales managers and executives don’t have the time and experience to do this correctly. Companies with internal training departments often provide guidance, but sales training is quite different from designing and delivering training to other constituencies within an organisation, such as customer care, engineering, or human resources.

The first step for any company deciding to make a change in their sales approach is always an assessment of the situation. What processes and methods are currently being employed by the company? What has their sales performance been? What percentage of sales people are delivering against plan? What are the biggest obstacles to success? How dynamic or stable is the company’s environment? What are the practices and expectations of the buyers? These are only a few considerations.

Designing or adopting a sales methodology is critical. Without that methodology in place, training is a tactical attempt to fix a larger problem. The selling methodology must be developed based upon the company’s unique situation—their market, their customers, how those customers buy, the complexity and price levels of the products and services the company offers, competitive pressures, reporting requirements, the participation of partners, the skill level of their current sales people, etc.

The primary objective of creating an individually tailored Organisational Development Programme has to be: “To achieve consistently superior results through the performance of every key individual“, after all, our people are our most important and indeed expensive resource, it therefore makes sense for us to want to see a full and proper return on that investment.

Specifically, we should seek to achieve optimum performance levels via a process and an all encompassing framework for defining performance standards. This involves assessing, appraising, developing, implementing, reviewing and providing continual feedback on performance.

Emphasis is placed on creating an environment in which the ‘can do – will do’ mentality thrives and becomes the norm – success and achievement are expected and as a consequence are much more likely to happen.

This total approach enables forward thinking organisations who are committed to looking ‘outside the square’ and who are not afraid to mentally cross bridges that that their competitors have not even identified, to enter the land of “me – first” rather than the land of “me – too”. It also offers the opportunity to develop excellence in the performance of the company’s teams and build the capabilities necessary to consistently over–achieve short, medium and long term objectives.

Today’s News:

I know I have many female readers and I have no doubt that most of you will be interested in a site that was recommended to me last week – why aren’t there sites for men like this? Ostensibly, it is aimed at today’s modern business woman

It’s called Coutts Woman and I can tell you it is what my mother would have called “very upmarket” but then again, that is to be expected as Coutts has been the bank of choice for the “very well heeled” for many years. However, that doesn’t really do it justice.

My first impressions were very favourable: The site is modern with clean lines and it is so easy to navigate around – I should tell you that my own technical team were also impressed and that doesn’t happen very often!

All of the sections which include: Features, Travel, Money Matters, News, How to…are extremely well written, informative and relevant.

So, if you are a woman in business or a woman entrepreneur, heed my advice and take a look at Coutts Woman

As we wrap up the week and indeed the month, I am delighted to introduce yet another Top Sales Expert Cheryl Clausen. Cheryl is another recent recruit to the team and you will no doubt have enjoyed her work here on The JF Guest Author Spot. You can read more about her here

Tomorrow: I have a very arduous schedule between now and Christmas, beginning with a trip to the UK for two weeks but I will be posting here as usual, so have a great w/e and do make it back here on Monday. - JF

The JF Guest Author Spot

“Why Training Fails” by Kevin Dwyer

If the objective of training is for people to apply that learning in the workplace and make an observable difference to an organisation’s results, then almost all corporate training fails to achieve its objective. In a 2000 study, the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) reported that only 3% of training reached Kirkpatrick’s “level 4” of training evaluation “results” where there is an impact on the organisation. In contrast, 95% of training reached “level 1” where the participants liked the training. A further breakdown of the study revealed that 37% of training reached “level 2” where participants learnt the material and only 13% of training reached “level 3” where participants applied the learning in the workplace. There are several failures, which lead to this significant waste of training dollars.

When training is not related to the organisation’s objectives, strategies and management’s day-to-day behaviour, training is ineffective in delivering the desired results. Generic “off the shelf” training which has not been designed for a specific purpose with people from a known organisation in mind may increase an individual’s knowledge, but it does not increase their ability to apply the knowledge. Even if training is devised specifically for an organisation, it will still be ineffective when the training does not relate to the day-to-day life at the “coal face” of managers, supervisors and shop floor personnel. Understanding the “coal face” before commencing training is the most important preparation a trainer can do.

An organisation spending considerable money on training should insist on the trainer having that understanding. The first utterance by the trainer which results in a response from their audience, “That does not happen here” is the moment that the trainer begins to lose the trust of the audience. When trust is lost, so is value and significant parts of the audience stop listening and participating. The worst part of it is that, most times, the response is silent and the trainer may well continue unawares. A further cause of wasted training dollars is the use of methods, which are not designed to achieve the change in behaviour, skills or knowledge that is desired. For example, lecture style methods used to change behaviour are inappropriate as they are best used to transfer only knowledge.

To change behaviour, the training is best to be of an experiential type and must be supported after the training is completed by coaching and a structure of formal and informal rewards. If the method used to train is useful for achieving the required change theoretically, it is still at times inappropriate for the audience. For example, role-plays are effective for improving skills as it allows participants to practise what they have learnt. However, if the participants are unlikely to be comfortable with role-plays, then the method is still unlikely to be effective. The most significant waste of training dollars however, rests with the lack of thought in determining what training is needed. Training is seen as a classroom exercise rather than a combination of learning interventions, which in combination results in developing the change in behaviour, skills and knowledge required. The failure of mangers and supervisors to determine what needs to change and developing an intervention framework to achieve the change is common. The failure of trainers to insist on finding out before completing their instructional design is more common.

Behavioural change needs personal coaching of the individual and support by a strong framework of goal setting and two-way feedback, if not 360 degree feedback. Skills development needs coaching of a different kind, one where the emphasis is on demonstration and practise. The practise needs to be in an environment where mistakes can be made and learnt from.

Knowledge can be learnt from books, lectures and interactive CDs to name a few. However, knowledge needs to be used in context to breed confidence. Therefore, training in knowledge must be quickly followed by the individual being placed in an environment where it is used. The fact that training fails so often because of a lack of clearly understanding the changes we want to develop and developing a broader training intervention beyond the classroom is bad. Combine it with the habit of many individuals in Fiji to treat training as a CV builder, absorbing little but the most basic understanding of what was being taught and a recipe for systemic low productivity is created as the blind lead the blind. “Trained” individuals using the most basic of understanding learnt in a classroom to make decisions, implement projects and manage their people have a false sense of competence, which impacts, far beyond the classroom. It is the responsibility of managers, supervisors and most importantly, the trainers, to make sure that training does not fail.

Failure costs too much.

Kevin Dwyer is a pragmatic change management advisor and founder of Change Factory. He comes from an old school that experienced and led change first and learnt the theory later. Kevin’s interest in sales is in developing the reinforcing loops of corporate goal, strategy, marketing and sales tactics, KPIs, recruitment, career and competence development, coaching and counselling that influences more customers to move through their buying process with the selling organisation. Change Factory’s mission is to help organisations that do not like their business outcomes get better business outcomes through changing people’s behaviour. The Change Factory view of what is generally missing in sales development can be summed up by the phrase “Training is not enough”.

Personal Note: Kevin is one of the founder members of the Top Sales Experts team and has played a significant and enthusiastic part in it’s success. He also produces one of my favourite newsletters, “Winds Of Change” which I know you will enjoy too - you can subscribe here - JF

Today’s News: We are just hours away now from the launch of the Top Sales Experts site and you can gain access from midight GMT (7pm EST) www.topsalesexperts.com - let me know what you think?

Tomorrow: With the proliiferation of commercial networking sites, I am prompted almost daily to join someone’s network - so just how important are strong networking skills?

The JF Guest Author Spot

“Career Sales Training - You Receive What You Believe” By Cheryl Clausen

What beliefs are you holding, that are holding you back in your career sales training? Mr. and Mrs. Claus are found dead on the floor. They are found in a locked room. On the floor is broken glass and water. There is an open window and a table in the room. How did Mr. and Mrs. Claus die? What do Mr. and Mrs. Claus look like? Are you thinking Mr. and Mrs. Claus are rather round older folks with white hair wearing red velvet garments? That may be your belief based on your past knowledge and experience, but Mr. and Mrs. Claus are gold fish. The wind blowing through the open window knocked their fish bowl off the table onto the floor, breaking the bowl leaving glass water and Mr. and Mrs. Claus on the floor. What beliefs do you hold about sales that are keeping you from the sales success that is possible for you?

The whole point of career sales training is to help you to obtain improved results. Improved results require positive behavioral changes. There is something either you are doing now, or something you aren’t doing now that is preventing you from getting the sales success that you know is possible. You may be wondering if it’s possible for you. What are the things successful sales people do that you don’t, and what things don’t successful sales people do that you do? Make a list of these do’s and don’ts. How could you start doing the things that would increase your success and how could you stop doing the things that are decreasing your success?

What were the positive behavioral changes you identified as either dos or don’ts? Positive behavioral changes occur because of your attitudes, skills, and knowledge; and as a result of your ability to accomplish your goals. Do you have specific sales goals that you hold yourself accountable for on a weekly basis? You know successful sales people set weekly goals, and take the actions they need to make those goals a reality. Knowledge comes from knowing what to do, and skills come from knowing how to do what you need to do. Are you lacking knowledge or skills? If you are, reach out to those around you and get what you need. That information is readily available and accessible to you. Is it your attitudes that form as a result of your beliefs that are holding you back?

Your sales attitudes and beliefs developed over time, and you will need to make a concentrated effort to make changes to those long held attitudes and beliefs. Your attitudes and beliefs started when you were a little kid and the adults around you told you not to talk to strangers, and not to speak unless you are spoken to, and not to go where you aren’t wanted. Your beliefs are the engine that pulls your sales train down the track. Your sales will continue to suffer until you identify the beliefs you hold about sales that are holding you back, and make a determined effort to change those beliefs based on current facts.

Do you believe you can accomplish the sales you need to have a sustainable and viable business? A positive attitude is important in sales, but when you try to tell yourself things you don’t believe to be true, your inner voice calls you a liar and it’s actually more harmful than good. For example, let’s say that you are telling yourself every day that you are going to sell $X in revenue this week when it’s twice or three times more than you’ve ever sold in your life. When you don’t believe it to be true your inner voice says, “no you’re not, you’re a big liar”. You are out of integrity with yourself and your mind tends not to believe anything you say, and consequently you don’t hit your targets. Work on your beliefs first and then your attitudes.

Would you like to learn more about your sales skills? Try this Sales Skills Analysis and find out where your opportunities for improvement are.

Start your journey for success: Your journey starts here.

From my experience working with clients at certain points in your business you just get really stuck and you don’t know what to do to get you where you want to go. My purpose is helping insurance agents, financial advisors, and other service professionals to get unstuck and get going again.

If you’re hungry for insurance and investment sales success, if you want to master success to get you where you want to be, and if you want to develop the time strategies that allow you to live the life you want to live I can help you get there faster and more easily. Visit my blog to read a daily article to get yourself or your team unstuck and going again. 

Cheryl A Clausen - http://CoachingMegaAgents.com

Today’s News: It’s true, the Top Sales Experts team are appearing at four venues next June: London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh to deliver a series of two day master classes. I will be announcing the final line up a little nearer the time, as well as the names of a few very special guests. You can be assured, it will be the selling event of 2008.

Tomorrow: “The Complete List Of Success Factors In Key Account Management Revealed”

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 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

Not enough companies have learned how to employ sales training as a strategic tool. Those that have are leaders in their industries, offering their shareholders maximum return on investment, are able to quickly adapt to changing market conditions, are respected by their customers, and provide consistent sales performance. The sales people that work for those companies are motivated and stay in their jobs longer.

Quite often sales managers and executives don’t have the time and experience to do this correctly. Companies with internal training departments often provide guidance, but sales training is quite different from designing and delivering training to other constituencies within an organisation, such as customer care, engineering, or human resources.

The first step for any company deciding to make a change in their sales approach is always an assessment of the situation.

• What processes and methods are currently being employed by the company?
• What has their sales performance been?
• What percentage of sales people are delivering against plan?
• What are the biggest obstacles to success?
• How dynamic or stable is the company’s environment?
• What are the practices and expectations of the buyers?

These are only a few considerations.

Designing or adopting a sales methodology is critical. Without that methodology in place, training is a tactical attempt to fix a larger problem. The selling methodology must be developed based upon the company’s unique situation—their market, their customers, how those customers buy, the complexity and price levels of the products and services the company offers, competitive pressures, reporting requirements, the participation of partners, the skill level of their current sales people, etc.

The primary objective of creating an individually tailored Organisational Development Programme has to be:

To achieve consistently superior results through the performance of every key individual, - after all, our people are our most important and indeed expensive resource, it therefore makes sense for us to want to see a full and proper return on that investment.

Specifically, we should seek to achieve optimum performance levels via a process and an all encompassing framework for defining performance standards. This involves assessing, appraising, developing, implementing, reviewing and providing continual feedback on performance.

Emphasis is placed on creating an environment in which the ‘can do – will do’ mentality thrives and becomes the norm – success and achievement are expected and as a consequence are much more likely to happen.

This total approach enables forward thinking organisations who are committed to looking ‘outside the square’ and who are not afraid to mentally cross bridges that that their competitors have not even identified, to enter the land of “me – first” rather than the land of “me – too”.

It also offers the opportunity to develop excellence in the performance of the company’s teams and build the capabilities necessary to consistently over–achieve short, medium and long term objectives.

In my view, we should never lose sight of the following premise.

Premise 1: Whatever got you where you are to-day will not be sufficient to keep you there.

Premise 2: You can only succeed in business to-day if you understand what you are doing, how you are doing it and why you are doing it.

Premise 3: It is difficult to control external events if you do not have control internally.

Premise 4: Being competitive is an ongoing process not a single event.

Tomorrow: The JF Guest Author Spot welcomes Sandy O’Dell, last week’s Top 10 Sales Articles winner with “Top Five Things Not To Do when Cold Call Selling” - it’s an excellent piece!

This week only - your chance to win a signed copy of Andrea Nierenberg’s new book: Just leave me a comment sharing a networking tip, to be entered into the draw on Saturday - it’s as simple as that!