You Can Win More Sales by Accepting & Working With Change Than Denying It

Change is part of sales both in hard cold coins and learning to adapt. So how good are at accepting change to win more sales?

Alan Deutschman in his book Change or Die indicated that his research revealed that only one in 10 people will change. Just think of that, 9 in 10 prefer staying where they are, doing what they have always done instead of taking a chance to change.

Sales professionals are probably no different. They continue to attend business networking event after business networking event hoping to win more sales. They continue to fly by the seats of their pants as Captain Wing It. Unfortunately, in many of these business networking events the key decision makers never attend. Sales Coaching Tip: Make sure you go where your potential customers go.

Having written sales plans supported by written and aligned sales goals is another anomaly. From my experience as a sales coach, having a written sales plan and written goals are changes that many sales professionals prefer not to take. They would rather continue with their "Spray and Pray" actions.

What about sales scripts? How many sales professionals use this proven tool to increase sales? Sales Coaching Tip: Effective sales scripts can shorten the sales process and earn you the sale much quicker.

Then how about a proven sales process to win more sales? Again, from my experience, at least half of the sales professionals that I have worked with do not have a plan because what I am doing now is OK. Yet, these folks want more sales?

How are your customer service skills? If you believe customer service is the responsibility of some other department, then your sales will eventually plummet to earth, crash, burn and die. How many sales professionals do not want to change and become that customer service person even though they are responsible for "earning" the sale." I guess after earning the sale, they believe that their responsibility has ended.

What changes have you made about your own professional development? Are you still selling the old way or have you decided to expand your sales skills? The world is changing and you must learn to know where the flow (change) is headed and how it will affect your bottom line. Have you kept up with all the changes that your customers are experiencing?

Yes, to win more sales demands that you, as a professional sales person, must be willing to accept change. Of course, not all change is beneficial. You must however have an open mind before deciding that this course of change will not increase sales.

Would you like to win more sales? Are you tired of coming up short with your monthly, quarterly or annual sales goals? Would you like to stop bleeding all the dollars from poor attitudes to unhappy customers? Then you may discover a possible solution through Triage Business Planning action plan where you can become one of the few to change and realize business success instead one of the many who continue to fight change and ultimately die.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, Chicago Sales Coach, helps small business owners to C Level executives from Chicago to Indianapolis to worldwide who are truly tired of struggling to unlock the sales and business results that they want. Call 219.759.5601 to schedule a free business coaching training or sales coaching strategy session to begin to quickly unlock tomorrow's solutions today.

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How To Make Sales People Change Their Bad Habits

The hardest part of a sales manager's job is perhaps getting sales people to change for the better.

In my Dec 2007 issue*, I mentioned that one of the root causes of poor price negotiation is sales people are poor, or lazy, in prospecting. Hence, they would rather give in to price pressures, than to prospect for more qualified customers.

Poor prospecting is just one of the many bad habits that sales people have, and the list may include:

1. Complaining too much and doing too little;

2. Talking too much and asking too little;

3. Not understanding customers' hidden needs;

4. Spending too much time on unimportant things;

5. Arguing with customers and badmouthing competitors;

6. Investing the entire relationship with the customers' organisation with just only 1 contact person; etc.

The challenge of sales managers isn't so much of identifying what bad sales habits that their sales people have. It's not even about coming up with solutions on how to break those bad habits. It's about getting their sales people to change those bad habits.

Why Sales People Don't Change Their Bad Habits?

Sales people stick to their bad habits for a variety of reasons. It's not purely because they are stubborn or resistant to change. It's more than that. Some of these reasons are:

1. They don't see a clear connection between changing those bad habits and better sales performances;

2. They are not given due recognition even when they change those habits (sales managers simply give recognition to the end result - sales, but seldom for improvements in the sales process);

3. They don't have anything to lose even if they don't make any changes (if it's NOT measured, then it's NOT done!)

First and foremost, sales managers would have to let their sales people understand why they will have to do something uncomfortable like making more phone calls to higher-level people, or to ask customers some sensitive questions or building more contacts within the client organisation.

To some people, especially those who are accustomed to some entrenched behaviours, making such changes can be a real pain. As such, sales managers can help by making them see the "brightness of the future", i.e. how making such changes will have some immediate impact on the closure or the profitability of the deal.

Giving Due Recognition

Traditionally, sales people are rewarded only when they close sales. However, the amount of sales closed is the result of the selling process of the sales person who had put into place prior to that.

Hence, if managers are convinced that by getting rid of certain bad sales habits, they will get better results from sales people, then managers will have to take a more active role in reinforcing the elimination of bad habits, and the adoption of good ones.

One way of doing so effectively is to give due recognition for any improvements made by sales people who have eliminated or reduce some of the bad sales habits. One thing to note is that giving recognition is NOT the same as giving someone general praises. The recognition has to be specifically addressing the positive change made by the sales person. An example will be:

"Sue, I have realised that you are having more appointments with key decision makers recently. I believe that if you continue this good work, and are able to find out what their real needs are, you are going to close some great deals!"

In this particular instance, the manager states specifically what the recognition is for, and also tells the sales person what else she needs to improve on, and what she can get if she makes those improvements.

Unfortunately, most managers tend to focus just on the negative aspects of what their sales people are doing wrong, and forgot about reinforcing what they are already doing right. This is not to say that managers should be "soft" on sales people; rather it's just to give recognition where it's due, and let he sales person know that someone is really watching over them.

What Gets Measured Gets Done

Ultimately, sales people are shrewd people, and will at times do something only if they know what punishment befalls onto them if it's not done.

Usually, sales people who complain too much and did nothing to help themselves tend to fall under this categories. Their complains include:

* "Our price is just too high";

* "If only we had more advertising";

* "Those key people would not want to see me";

* "You didn't teach us the 'perfect pitch' that will make any customer say yes";

* "I don't have the resources to provide those additional information in my proposal";

* "I don't have time to fill in customers' data into our database";

* "That's not my job"; and so on

Sometimes, some people complain just to vent frustrations. Others just find excuses of doing the things that need to be done.

If the latter happens frequently, it's usually a sign that the sales manager hasn't been putting in place certain measurements to measure sales people's behaviour (and not just sales revenue). If sales people would have to find out needs and justify value over price, then those behaviour would either be recognised more doing, or penalised for not doing. Leaving a desired behaviour to chance is not going to motivate any sales person to do what it takes to change for the better.

As such, there are times when the reason why sales people could not change their bad habits could be this simple - because the sales manager allows them to. Sales managers will have to be diligent and keep a good eye on what good sales habits they want from their team, and take appropriate action.

If you would like to find out how you can make your sales people change their bad habits, simply e-mail info@psycheselling.com or call +86-13671902505 or Skype: cydj001 and arrange to buy me coffee. All information shall be kept in confidence.

* See http://www.psycheselling.com/eNewsletter%20Dec%202007.htm for the December 2007 issue.

c.j. is an Affiliate with HR Chally Group in China. Founded in 1973 through a grant from the U.S. Justice Department, the HR Chally Group provides predictive and compliant assessment system for management, sales, technical, customer care, and administrative talents. Unlike other assessment tools that just conducts personality profiles, Chally profiles what is exactly required by specific job descriptions and responsibilities and predict if these talents can succeed. The resulting effect is you'll get:

* Up to 40% reduction in staff turnover

* Up to 30% increase in employee productivity

* 85%+ accuracy in identifying effective performers

Prior to this, c.j. was Asia Marketing Manager for a Fortune 500 logistics company, as well as Corporate Training Manager for Ringier AG, Switzerland's largest media group, in China, where he was responsible for sales team development, and helped increase the % of new hires to close their 1st sales within 2 months by 30%, as well as increase overall sales targets by more than 50%. Visit http://www.psycheselling.com for more info

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Sales Development Training and How to Learn Sales Skills That Could Change Your Life

Sales development training to increase your sales skills is a great investment. But if you just learn sales skills, and don't know how to put them into action, you won't get the lifestyle changes you want. To make it work, and get results, sales training needs a plan that's achievable, practical, and that has worked for others like you.

Do you see other sales people achieving more than you? While you're struggling to make your monthly payments they're buying new homes, expensive holidays, and great looking cars. Do these successful colleagues get attention and recognition from other people, people you would like to notice you? You have thought about learning sales skills to try and increase your sales results and your income. You may have downloaded some sales skill training, or been on sales training courses, but you're still stuck in a rut and struggling to earn the rich rewards that a sales career should offer.

Everyone in sales now has access to sales training and can learn sales skills that could change their lifestyle. The Internet is full of a wide range of professional sales training and free sales training courses. The effective sales skill training that does cost money gives you free examples and information on the training, so you can make an educated decision before buying, and the investment cost is very reasonable. For a few dollars you can download a sales training course and start taking actions today that could completely change your life.

Anyone with average intelligence, and the right attitude, can learn sales skills that can change their lifestyle. So how come there are so many sales people just plodding along, stuck in a rut, and running out of time to achieve their goals and live the lifestyle they want. What makes a difference to so many career sales people's lives is knowing how to put the sales training into actions. So when you decide that today's the day that your life changes, and you are going to get serious about sales development training and putting it into action, here's a sales development training plan to get you started on achieving your desires and dreams.

Find the sales training that's right for you

Click around the Internet and find the right sales skill training for you and your sales career. Consider if your customers buy because of their feelings and emotions, or do they make a buying decision based on logic. What's the value of your average sale? The sales process for a low value high volume product will be different to the sales techniques used for a low volume high value sale. Making money from repeat business sales will require different sales skills to a one off market. You want selling skills that are customer focused and avoid feelings of buyer's remorse to succeed in the repeat sales marketplace.

When you have a clear picture of your sale, the sale process, and how you close the sale, start clicking around the Internet. Look for sales development training that offers ways to increase sales by learning sales skills that match your style of selling. It's no good buying sales training on killer sales closes if your sales are based on repeat business from customers that feel valued. Retail sales skills are different to B2B sales techniques. Successful direct sales people use selling techniques that suit their market and their product. Look at free sales training courses and get all the information you can to decide which is right for you. Then invest in sales skill training.

Now start to use the sales skills to change your life

Once you've found the right sales development training, you have to use it to gain from it. It's no good just looking at it. You have to turn the sales training on the screen into actions. Take the sales skill training and transfer it into actions you are going to take. Write them in your diary and make them time bound. Have one sales action for each day, because you know you can complete that. Each action will build upon the one from the previous day.

For example, you start sales skill training to build a new sales introduction. The sales training says your first line should be an introduction of you, and your business. It must be short and to the point with no long winded speech about you or the product. This is your first action for day one. Write the new first line of for your sales introduction. Then day two could be to add a reason for seeing the buyer to your sales introduction. At the end of the first week you have a brand new sales introduction and you're ready to start work on the other sales stages. And you are not becoming bored with the sales training, or finding you haven't got the time to compete it.

The difference between successful sales people and the rest is not the sales skill training they receive, and it's not even their level of sales ability. It's whether they take actions or just sit back and let sales commission slip away. In most markets if you don't sell to a prospective customer some other sales person will. If you don't take actions today to increase your sales with sales development training, you are giving money to some other sales person. Perhaps it's one of those you have seen succeeding, and buying new cars and a bigger house. Join them now by taking action today. Look for sales development training now by clicking around the Internet, and go get that diary. Or, stay as you are and tomorrow will be the same as today.

Hi, I'm Stephen Craine, a working sales manager and trainer for a major UK company. If you want to see the sales training I present to my working sales teams then start your search for sales skill training at http://www.sales-training-sales-tips.com/sales-skills.html and click around the site.

All the sales training presented on my website has been tested and proved by working sales people in real sales situations. There are no acronyms, buzz words, or complicated techniques to market training courses. The focus is on practical sales training that achieves results.

On the website I offer pages on all aspects of selling techniques and sales skills. The sales information is free and gives you ideas and sales techniques to try out and use for yourself. You will also discover free sales training courses that will show you how to increase your sales and change your life through your sales career.

If you really want to make a difference you can invest in sales training, presented in workbooks, and easy to put into action. How much will these professional sales training courses cost you, open http://www.sales-training-sales-tips.com/sales-and-training-solution.html and find out.

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How Audiobooks Can Change The Way You Experience Literature

Audiobooks are CDs or even MP3s that permit users to listen to spoken word recordings of their favorite novels. At one time these were most commonly known as books on tape. It just does not make sense to call them that now that they can be played from an iPod or through a disc player. Though this type of media has always been popular in academic settings for people of all ages, it is now becoming a common type of "reading" for all variety of literature and all settings.

Audio books come in a few different formats. You can select the unabridged version or the abridged version. When a book is abridged it has been made shorter to make it a briefer read, and audio books are like this to shorten the recordings. Not everyone loves the abridged versions since they enjoy the story in its original glory and strength. Some say that the abridged story isn't missing much at all in terms of presenting all the major aspects of the story in proper detail.

Unabridged audiobooks are definitely the best choice among true fans of literature. These are full readings of the original text. Nothing is taken out of an unabridged version, so there is no argument about the necessity of removing details from a novel. The only real downside to unabridged audio books is the occasional extra recording costs. However, if you want to listen to the most accurate depiction of a book that is available in spoken word, then this is the route you need to take. Which version you are getting is generally displayed clearly on the front of the package.

Millions of literature lovers and casual readers alike have turned to this form of novel. It is especially popular with those who travel a lot as well as readers who may have weak eyes from age. Nearly all popular books are marketed this way now. Libraries, bookstores, music shops, as well as other retailers offer audio versions of your favorites. The newest way to get your audio books is by downloading them from the internet. Now you can upload a spoken word text directly to your MP3 player for easy access, no matter where you are.

Audiobooks are a fantastic option for busy readers who want access to their favorite pastime without having to sacrifice other parts of their life. Listen to your favorite tales from anywhere you are at anytime you choose. No matter how you decide to listen, everyone loves to be read to.

Many available mp3s to download at audiobooks or you may also visit: music downloads.

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