Posted: November 28, 2011 | Categories: Management, Sales

December is a good time to employ the 5P formula.  “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance” Priormeans before, and I’ve got news for you:  This is the last month before the new year.  What we do now can help ensure a strong launch in January.  Let’s plan…step by step.

Before we begin, we need to remind ourselves that December is also an important month for sales activity.  When I was in sales, some of my most high-producing months were in December.  Sure, things can taper off after the 20^th.  That still leaves a lot of selling days!
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Posted: November 18, 2011 | Categories: Leadership

Is a disagreement or conflict positive or negative?  Depending on how it is managed, it could be either one.  One of the most remarkable qualities of a good leader is the ability to turn a conflict of wills into a combination of strengths.  (See disagreeing without being disagreeable)
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Posted: November 15, 2011 | Categories: Management

J.C. Penney once said, “One of the biggest causes of business failure is the inability to delegate”

In the late 90’s, I was hired by a prominent graphic designer to help accelerate the growth of his business.  He had just completed a book cover for a high-profile athlete, and things were booming.  He had reached the point where he was doing too much himself, and he wanted to be a better delegator.  He talked about situations where he had assigned his team to meet with clients.   One frequent comment he heard was, “Jim, whenever you are not in the room, the value of your company is cut in half”.  I assumed he wanted to change this.  I was wrong.
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Posted: November 11, 2011 | Categories: Sales

A few weeks ago I was talking with a client who was working on his selling skills. He said, “I’m good at selling on the phone, but I have trouble getting appointments”…”One of my teammates is not good at selling on the phone, but is good at getting appointments.” He and his associate decided to put their thoughts together to find a way to create the best of both worlds. Here is what he discovered from their discussion:

When we are phoning for an appointment, what are we selling? The appointment or our product or service? Answer: We are selling the appointment. And since we are selling the appointment, we need to sell the idea that investing some time with us is going to be a good decision. How do we do this? Here are the fundamentals:

• Clearly introduce yourself and your company. Do it with pride and conviction. Just doing this takes away that question, ‘And who may I ask is calling?”
• Respect their time. Ask, “Can you take a moment to talk?” or “Is it convenience for you to talk now?” (They will appreciate you asking)
• Generate interest. Assuming they said “yes”, that means we have a very short window of opportunity to get their engagement. We need to make a statement that hits home, and makes them want to meet with us. For example, if a financial advisor wanted to get an appointment, they might say:“We are finding that there is much financial uncertainty today, and our clients tell us they appreciate how we partner with them to move from uncertain to confidence. My goal in calling you is to look at a time when can get together over a cup of coffee, understand your situation and what you are looking to do, and determine if there is some common ground….How does your schedule look for next week?”

You will note that throughout this track, there was no talk about product or service. The focus is on the prospect, and what we believe is important to them. Remember, the next time you pick up the phone to get an appointment, keep in mind what you are selling…the appointment.

Posted: November 8, 2011 | Categories: Management

Alright…I was just kidding.  People skills are important…but how important?

John D. Rockefeller, one of the most successful industrialists in the early 20^th century once said,

“The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee, and I will pay more for that ability than for any other under the sun”

Lee Iacocca gave us the Ford Mustang, and he also is credited with leading the Chrysler Corporation from the brink of bankruptcy in the late 70’s to strong profitability within five years.  In his autobiography, he talked about what he called the “kiss of death” on an application.  It was the phrase, “does not work well with others”.  He wouldn’t consider anyone with that on their dossier.
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