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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Posted: November 2, 2011 | Categories: Leadership

Legendary Football Coach Vince Lombardi believed in building on strengths.  When he became head coach of the Washington Redskins, one of the first conversations he had was with Sonny Jurgensen, the Redskin’s quarterback.  Sonny was reaching the end of his career, and his performance was slipping.  Coach Lombardi said to Sonny, “I’m going to build this team the same way I built Green Bay…around the quarterback.  That’s you.  Let’s get started”

That year Sonny had one of his best seasons.  When asked by a reporter why he had such a turnaround, he said, “Coach Lombardi made be believe in myself”

If we are genuine, specific, timely, and purposeful, we can make others on our team aware of their strengths in a way they can build on them – just like Sonny Jurgensen.Read More…

Posted: October 20, 2011 | Categories: Leadership

Think about someone in your life who made a positive difference for you.  It could be a parent, coach, teacher, boss, co-worker, friend, or someone else special.  My bet is that this person was in there with you as you navigated through your challenges and triumphs.
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Posted: October 19, 2011 | Categories: Team Building

Let’s assume you and your team are optimistic about your future, and mutual respect and trust has been built.  (See white paper on building trust).  You are now ready for a working agreement.  In the book, High Impact Teams, author Rachel Lewis talks about the importance of a working agreement:

“Teams excel when their members abide by a clear set of working agreements.  Working agreements define how the crew will work together and support one another.  Working agreements foster team progress by providing a structure to support the work of a team and to ease the entry and integration of new team members”
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