Increase Sales Revenue NOW! Seven Sales Secrets to Increasing Your Sales Volume, Even in a Recession

Marketing is a Science. After 23 years of recruiting sales people, training sales managers, building businesses, and reading hundreds of books, I have narrowed down the following seven (7) critical areas that need to be mastered, for sustained sales growth:

1. Positioning / Branding / Differentiation:

Effectively answering the most important question in the prospect's mind, "Why should I do business with you (and not your competitor)?" is crucial. So is, a strong "Sales Posture". Salespeople without a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) often have to resort to price cutting. Begging for business is not a viable sales strategy. Remember, the prospect's mind works on the W.I.I.F.M. principle ("What's In It For Me?).

2. Potent Sales Scripts:

Scientifically written, natural sounding and emotionally compelling scripts for Sales Prospecting / Pre-Qualifying, Sales Presentation, Objection Handling, Sales Closing, Following up and FAQs are vital. Good sales scripts will help your salespeople stay on track, ask the right questions, and "sail" into the Close! A written script can also help you train new sales people quickly, and convey a consistently professional image of the company.

3. Cutting Edge Sales Tools:

An "Info Kit" (PDF for emailing, snail-mailing and faxing) is often a must. It should be scientifically designed to push the right Emotional Hot Buttons, and incorporate a strong "Call to Action". Prospect Databases, a good Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, clearly defined "Steps to the Sale" with corresponding "Actions" logged in the CRM are also important. A good website is a big help.

4. Hire the Right Sales People:

Good sales professionals are very rare and often hard to find. The JOY Tests (tm) of Total Sales Ability (tm) from Dan Joy, Inc., can help you hire the best salespeople (Top 2%), retain them longer, as well as grow your sales! They can also help you avoid costly hiring mistakes. In the past, sales assessment tools were used primarily by large companies. Now, the fully integrated online sales assessment testing system of Dan Joy, Inc. has brought these crucial sales assessment tools within the easy reach of small to mid-sized businesses, but large companies can use them too. Dan Joy, Inc. offers 10 Free Sales Assessments to qualified businesses (see the link in the Author's Bio / Resource Box below).

5. Good Sales Leadership:

Selling is one of the hardest things. It is both physically demanding (long hours) and emotionally draining (facing rejection continually). Having your sales team report to someone who has never sold for a living is usually not a good idea. I have seen sales people report to a "non-sales" Plant Manager, CFO, Production Manager, Office Manager, etc., and that is often a recipe for disaster. Regular Sales Meetings (at least once a week), Role Playing (practicing the scripts, objection handling, etc.), Sales Training, Sales Goals expressed in terms of controllable actions (important), ongoing accountability, metrics, reward / correction, motivation / inspiration are all extremely important.

6. Continual Lead Generation:

Your salespeople must always have "several irons in the fire" so they don't pin all their hopes on just one sale coming through (or feeling dejected if it does not). Multiple sales should be "brewing" at all times. A good, consistent, ongoing Leads Generation program should be in place (Direct Mail, eMarketing, Advertising, Press Releases, etc). If you have a good product or service, get the word out proactively, in large numbers.

7. Acuity:

Observing what is working and what is not, and making ongoing course corrections is vital. Not to mention studying the competition, monitoring the markets, and innovating to stay ahead. Retaining good salespeople is sometimes harder than recruiting them, but treating them right and compensating them fairly would go a long way.

Conclusion:

You wanted to know how to increase sales -- this is what it will take. If you want to increase sales or grow a business long term even in a recession or down economy, you must master these seven critical areas. This advice and sales tips can help you increase sales revenue steadily. Growing a business requires hard work in addition to just smart work. The sales growth advice above applies to entrepreneurs, small businesses as well as large companies who wish to grow their sales, even though the scale of implementation might differ.

Businesses may receive 10 Free Sales Assessment Tests from Dan Joy, Inc. Dan Joy (BS Engineering, MBA Marketing) is a Sales and Marketing scientist. Employers may receive 10 Free Sales Assessment Tests at http://www.danjoy.com/

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Recession Proof Your Sales Team in the Next 90 Days!

The game has changed!

Listening to people across Australia, from the news to people on trains and buses, in the office and at social gatherings, "economic crisis" is on everyone's lips. Adding fuel to the hysteria are the dire warnings coming from the government. As the panic ensues, CEOs, managers and sales people, are sent ducking for cover.

So if you are managing a team of salespeople, what should you be doing right now? Should you,

batten down the hatches?
shrink your sales team?
wait to see what happens in the stock market this week?
get out of the office and go into the field - what good will it do anyway?

Whether a "recession" will spread itself across all industries, or whether it will remain localized to just a few markets, one thing you can be certain of... the game has changed! Once we shake ourselves out of our "deer caught in the headlights' reverie and acknowledge that the game has shifted, then we need proactively change our game plan.

There is no "silver bullet" solution

Whilst there is no "silver bullet" solution to achieving sales in a softening market, If you are reading this report then you have no doubt been wondering how you are going to dig your sales out of this "crisis economy" and get your salespeople to achieve their sales goals. Let me start out by asking you what on the surface may seem like a simple question If you knew better would you do better? Of course you would! Well, after reading this report you will know better. The real question is... will you do better? In other words, will you simply read the information below and dismiss it as being too simple? Or will you apply the knowledge herein with a definite of purpose for the next 90 days?

The simple sales leadership tool that delivers high speed results!

Sales productivity is all about "execution". Doing the activities it takes to bring home the sale. This report will illustrate how using one very simple and easily applicable, powerhouse leadership tool, can electrify your sales team's revenue production! "A bullet proof method for recession proofing your sales team's results in the next 90 days!" might sound like an exaggerated claim. Yet I have coached hundreds of sales managers in the use of this formidable tool, each with staggering results. In fact it never ceases to amaze me how, when the process you are about to learn is consistently applied, measurable sales increases take place.

I have even witnessed the system completely butchered by some sales managers and yet they have still managed to turn their sales around! This proven and disarmingly straightforward sales leadership process will work for you. It will work whether you are managing a sales team selling services, or products. The system is equally effective in wholesale, retail, in-home or in B2B selling environments. It makes no difference if your sales cycles are long or short or if you sell to key accounts or manage territories across vast areas.

This practical method will work for you whether your current sales production is way below par or right on target. (By the way I have even seen this system deliver results through independent sales agents). If you want to smash your current sales results then adopting this uncomplicated and yet high voltage sales management tool is an absolute MUST! You too can completely turn your sales generation engine around, no matter the economic woes in your market, if you will read and implement the information set out in this report.

Work this clear-cut system religiously for the next 90 days and watch your sales revenues blossom.

Watch out in the coming days for the continuation of this sales coaching article.

As one of Australia's leading authorities and coaches in sales management, Ian Segail has been involved in the coaching, training and development of sales managers and salespeople for over two decades. Drawing on 25 years of experience in sales, sales management and leading an HR and training team, Ian brings a strong dose of fiscal reality and practicality to his works as a Sales Performance Coach.

Engaging directly with business owners and both novice and experienced sales managers alike, across a wide variety of industries and selling disciplines, the focus of Ian's work is to transform sales results for companies by improving sales management practices. Ian is the author of "Bulletproof Your Sales Team - The 5 Keys To Turbo-Boosting Your Sales Team's Results" and a number of business articles, business reports and white papers including "The fish stinks from the head!" and "Why Sales Training Doesn't Work."

Ian has an insatiable hunger for studying selling and people management and has passionately pursued answers to the question "How come some people can sell and most can't?"

He can be reached via http://www.iansegail.com

Read Ian's latest free report - "The 7 Most Costly Mistakes Sales Managers Make" here http://www.bulletproofyoursalesteam.com [http://bulletproofyoursalesteam.com/free-report/7costlymistakes.html]

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Recession Proof Your Sales Team in the Next 90 Days! Part 4

Completing the "Week that Was" debrief

As the sales leader you need to encourage candid dialogue. You need to actively listen not just to what is said by the salesperson, but you must also read between the lines as to what is not being said. One of the goals of the "Week just gone by" debrief is to; where possible, have the salesperson self discover the answers for how to move each of their sales opportunities forward.

At the end of the "Week just gone by" debrief three outcomes should have occurred.

The salesperson should have an action list of items that they need to execute to move any outstanding activities forward. Who needs to do what, by when, how and with what recourses?
The salesperson should have been provided with the skills, tools or support to move the action forward.
The Sales Performance Coach must have an accurate idea of the progress on all the current sales opportunities the salesperson is involved with. This will greatly assist them when it comes to planning and forecasting.

There will be times because of time restraints that you will be unable to debrief every single sales activity. When this is the case, choose specific issues where you can either help the salesperson to pick up on any "low hanging fruit," or reflect on specific issues where you feel the salesperson requires skill coaching.

Once you have completed the debrief of the "Week just gone", you need to focus your attention onto planning in detail the week coming up. Together with the salesperson you will need to develop strategies and tactics to ensure the week to coming up is a deliberate success.

Planning, In Detail, The week Coming Up

Take a good look around you. Everything, and I mean everything, you see was at one point just an idea in someone's mind. From the concept came the blueprint or plan and from that, the item was created. With this in mind, your challenge as the sales manager is to strategize a successful sales week on paper with the salesperson and then allow it to purposefully unfold as planned.

Just as you did with the "Week gone by", debrief, so now you need to begin the process of strategizing and planning the salesperson's "Week ahead".

Here you will need to review each planned sales activity, in depth, to understand;

What is the result/goal they are hoping to achieve from the activity?
What is the current status of the activity?
What are the strategies and tactics that need to be employed to achieve the goal?
What support do they require to help them accomplish the goal?

As you listen to the salesperson explain how they intend to make their up and coming week a reality, you will uncover the various gaps in their selling strategy, tactics and skills.

Your role as the sales leader is then to tender appropriate advice and training using 'what if' scenarios where suitable. The salesperson must leave the planning session with a new vision or approach. They must have an effective and tactical approach to implement.

By the end of the "Week Ahead" strategy planning session, the following three outcomes should have occurred.

The salesperson should have an action list of items that they need to execute their strategies for the "Week Ahead". Who needs to do what, by when, how and with what recourses?
The salesperson should have been given the skills, tactics and support required to execute the week ahead.
The Sales Performance Coach must have an accurate idea of all the current sales opportunities the salesperson is involved with.

How long does the weekly coaching session take?

Whilst sales leaders can see the value in conducting weekly sessions, they tend to be somewhat reluctant because of the amount of time they perceive the sessions will take. When you first begin the process, the average session will take about forty-five minutes to an hour. As time goes by, these power-packed sessions tend to contract to around thirty minutes.

What you will discover is that, instead of debriefing each and every activity in the diary, you will choose one or two specific issues and use them to debrief and coach on.

I caution you not to get lazy with your weekly sessions.

Remember, the purpose of conducting them is more than simply for reporting purposes. These weekly sessions are as much a "touching base" opportunity for the salesperson to communicate one on one with you as they are a forum for updating you and an opportunity for you to conduct training and coaching.

Keeping it simple

As discussed earlier, the above process is really pretty simple. PLEASE DON'T DISMISS this very practical tool because of its simplicity.

Consider the UNIX model. Their philosophy is simple, "we'll give you a few tools and allow you to use them together well". Look at the success of Google - How simple is the front face of their search engine? We have been taught that the answers to the big business questions lie in complexity. Whereas the opposite in most cases is true. The twenty three word bullet proof formula is simple and is also relatively easy to do. It's also just as easy NOT TO DO!!

Last notes

My objective in writing this report wasn't to provide you with a highly structured and complex sales management process. Rather it was to cut through the clutter of complexity and ultimately give you one powerful, easy to use and easy to apply concept that you can implement immediately to increase both the productivity of your sales people and your own individual relationship with each of them. Try it once a week for 1 month. What could be more important than growing your salespeople to grow their sales?

The Challenge

The turbulent economic market means that even the best sales leaders will be challenged to find ways to improve their sales efficiencies. There is every chance that you will be called upon to achieve more sales from fewer numbers of salespeople. In this pressurized environment, inspiring the sales team becomes far more difficult as one's resources for keeping them motivated are dramatically reduced. To drive each individual sales performance to achieve their best and even thrive during rough times, sales leaders will need to be beyond the traditional fluff and puff of empty motivation methods. Building a highly motivated sales team begins by working collaboratively with each of your salespeople individually, to forge an effective tactical sales plan for the week ahead and help them to learn from their previous week's errors and successes. This powerful and simple one-on-one coaching methodology will prove to be your best armour for managing through this crisis and weathering the tough times ahead.

As one of Australia's leading authorities and coaches in sales management, Ian Segail has been involved in the coaching, training and development of sales managers and salespeople for over two decades.

Drawing on 25 years of experience in sales, sales management and leading an HR and training team, Ian brings a strong dose of fiscal reality and practicality to his works as a Sales Performance Coach.

Engaging directly with business owners and both novice and experienced sales managers alike, across a wide variety of industries and selling disciplines, the focus of Ian's work is to transform sales results for companies by improving sales management practices.

Ian is the author of "Bulletproof Your Sales Team The 5 Keys To Turbo Boosting Your Sales Team's Results" and a number of business articles, business reports and white papers including "The fish stinks from the head!" and "Why Sales Training Doesn't Work"

Ian has an insatiable hunger for studying selling and people management and has passionately pursued answers to the question "How come some people can sell and most can't?"

He can be reached via http://www.iansegail.com

Read Ian's latest free report - "The 7 Most Costly Mistakes Sales Managers Make" here http://www.bulletproofyoursalesteam.com [http://bulletproofyoursalesteam.com/free-report/7costlymistakes.html]

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Fight the Recession! Why You Should Consider a Career in Sales

Are you concerned about the outlook for your job? Are the prospects for the next 6 months to 1 year looking bright or are you in a sector that is been hit hard by the economic down-turn? Are you about to graduate and not sure where you should focus your job search? Now is the time to seriously look at your career path. As the bleak job news surrounds us and the economy slips further into a recession, there are sectors of the market place which offer continuing opportunities for growth.

Profit Magazine reported "Finding the right sales talent was one of the biggest concerns facing sales organizations today." The Manpower Inc. Annual Talent Shortage Survey reported "hiring sales professionals as a top priority for the past 3 years." Jobfox identified "Sales Representative/Business Development as the most recession proof profession career". Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) stated "Even with Canada & the US in a recession sales positions will continue to weather the effects better than most other careers. "Sales and marketing workers tend not to lose or leave these jobs.

Clearly, a career in sales is and will continue to be in demand. I am sure you may be thinking; "I could never become a sales person, I'm not....... "(You fill in the blank)! Many sales people never planned to pursue a career in sales. They usually just ended up there due to some turn of fortune. Once they become a successful sales person few would ever consider doing anything else.

Many quickly dismiss a sales career because of some common myths about sales people. I am sure you have heard them but you need to understand that they are not the truth in most cases.

o Sales people have to be able to talk a lot. Top sales people in their fields are not talkers they are listeners. They listen to your needs, your goals, and your problems.

o Sales people are aggressive. Aggression would turn off most buyers. It is more important to be sincere, helpful, empathic, passionate and knowledgeable.

o Sales people lack ethics. Any professional should always put their client's best interest ahead of their own. Trust is essential to building a successful career. It's never worth compromising your integrity.

o You are born a sales person. Was Tiger Woods born a great golfer? Great sales people are the result of hard work, passion, motivation to excellence and most importantly training.

o The internet is going to replace sales people! HRDC said it best; "The increasing use of information technology will likely increase opportunities in sales and marketing,"

Why Consider A Career In Sales?

Why do people pursue a career in sales? Personal satisfaction & growth, freedom from the office, unlimited income potential, financial stability, perks (car allowances, trips, prizes, awards) and you can be an entrepreneur without the usual financial risks associated with self employment.

Are you into career advancement? Did you know that over 85% of today's CEOs, Presidents and senior executives come from a background in sales & marketing?

How many jobs exist where you are truly paid on your performance? When everyone around you is receiving a 1% or 2% cost of living increase or worse losing their jobs due to economic conditions, sales people have been known to go out and make double digit increases in their annual compensation program.

If you want the ability to earn a six figure income then you should seriously consider sales. If you look at the average income for a Canadian you will find that sales people consistently earn well above the average for their age group and education level. According to HRDC, "Business service professionals, including those in marketing, earned well above average for Canadians. Sales, marketing and advertising manager earnings were among the highest for occupations in sales and service."

Whenever I speak to a group of people looking for career advice I always do this quick exercise I call: "So, You Want to Make A Million Dollars. Take your current career annual pay and divide it into $1 million dollars. This will tell you how many years you must work to earn your first million dollars. In sales you can often increase your income by 25, 50 or 100 percent from one year to the next. Your road to a million dollars can be very fast if you are successful.

Would you like to be your own boss? Do you want to take control of your life? Does the idea of financial freedom excite you? Do you have the self discipline to work on your own to achieve your goals? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you are surely a good candidate.

Can You Be A Successful Sales Person?

Do you have transferable skills, are you a coach, or have you planned meetings or events? Do you train people on the products or services you currently use? Have you worked in retail? Are you creative, honest, passionate, enthusiastic, confident, persistent and hard working? Do you have good communication and listening skills? If you answered; "yes" then you already have many of the necessary skills.

It's not as difficult as you may think to find out if a sales career is right for you. You can take a sales aptitude survey and see if you have the right personality and skills to be successful. These assessments and analysis tools require a few minutes of your time and are very inexpensive to use. Some assessment tools can even suggest what type of selling would suit you best.

Once you discover that you have the skills then it just a matter of training. Many companies hire "rookies" and provide their own training, or you can register for sales training classes. Many are offered over the internet or through sales training companies. Remember you may already have expertise in a field that can put you ahead of the game. Always use your strengths and focus on products or services that you know and are already passionate about.

If you are thinking of a career in sales, ask people you know to refer you to new and established sales people and ask questions. The motivation to take the first step towards a new career must come from you, not a school counselor, well meaning friend, family member or career counseling service. You must choose. A career in sales is a very important and noble profession but it is not for someone who is not prepared to make a commitment to the requirements at hand.

Remember the words of Henry Ford; "Whether you think you can or you cannot either way you are right."

Aim Higher!

Robert J. Weese

B2B Sales Connections Inc.

Robert is a managing partner in B2B Sales Connections Inc. He is a former broadcaster with over 25 years of experience in B2B sales & sales management, including extensive knowledge of alternative sales channel design and implementation. He has a proven track record of hiring and developing revenue-generating teams for B2B sales organizations. He can be reached at rjweese@b2bsalesconnections.com B2B Sales Connections - Canada's Premier Niche Job Board & Career Website Dedicated To Business to Business Sales Professionals! For more information, please visit www.b2bsalesconnections.com

Robert J. Weese is managing partner of B2B Sales Connections Inc. He has a proven track record of success, with over 25 years of direct sales, management and executive level business to business experience. Before co-founding B2B Sales Connections, Robert gained marketing, sales and general management experience in the business technology and office equipment industries. He also has experience in broadcast advertising and journalism. Currently, Robert provides revenue-generating consulting services to sales organizations and sales professionals in the business to business marketplace, including the operation of Canada's premier niche job board and career website for business to business sales professionals. For more information, please visit http://www.b2bsalesconnections.com, or contact Robert directly at rjweese@b2bsalesconnections.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Recession Proof Your Sales Team in the Next 90 Days! - Part 3

Unpacking The Formula

For many sales managers, communicating one on one with their salespeople takes place either ad hoc, on the run, in the car, at sales meetings or at performance appraisal time. When you think about it, truthfully, how often do you really actually sit down, one on one, with each of your salespeople?

The twenty three words solution demands that you get together with your salespeople, no less than once every fortnight. Ideally you will get together with them WEEKLY. Then, "In detail unpack the week just gone by and in detail plan the week coming up with each one of your sales people"

The "Weekly Debrief"

This regular session becomes your "Weekly Debrief." When distance is a hindrance, then complete the "Weekly Debrief" with your people via the telephone.

The "Weekly Debrief" is a discipline that both you and your salespeople MUST invest the time in. As the sales leader you need to make sure they happen and continue to happen indefinitely.

These one on one "Weekly Debrief" sessions will become the cornerstone of your sales leadership effort. Applied regularly, the results of this powerful weekly practice will absolutely stagger you. Apply the practice weekly for just one month and you will be sold on the benefits of doing it forever!

"But what about the weekly sales meeting?" I hear you ask.

The weekly sales meeting has become an institution with so many sales managers that many of them are reluctant to let them go. There is a place for the sales meeting...only it shouldn't be weekly. If you are holding "Weekly Debrief" one on ones with each member of your sales team, then getting your whole sales team together for a meeting once a month is more than sufficient.

Yes, there is still a place for the sales meeting. Your sales meeting should be used to recognize

individual performance and to celebrate team performance. The sales meeting also provides a great platform for corporate communication, guest speakers, group problem solving and brainstorming. Your sales meeting can be a terrific forum for sharing "stories from the trenches", competitor updates and industry news.

Experience has proven that the more you utilize the "Weekly Debrief" one-on-one coaching sessions, the less you will need and want to use the sales meeting.

To prove my point as to the true lack of value your current weekly sales meetings are providing, I suggest you take a really hard look at the following:

Observe the body language of the participants in your current sales meetings. Are they interested or have they switched off?
When you are debriefing an individual at that meeting, notice the rest of the group. Where are their minds? Are their lights on or off?
Ask yourself... who is the meeting really designed to benefit, you or them? If your sales team were your customers (which they are), would you keep going with your current approach?

Deconstructing the "Week Gone By!"

Meeting with each salesperson one-on-one weekly will allow you to cover off any pressing "corporate" issues first off and then get down to the business unpacking the details of the week just gone by and create detailed plans for the week coming up. Unpacking the salesperson's week that has just gone by requires that you go through each sales activity, in depth, to understand:

what happened,
what was said,
what was the result,
what worked and...
what needs work,
what could be done next time,
what are the next steps to move the sale forward?

Having listened to what transpired you will be able to determine the following:

Skills and performance gaps
Lost or wasted opportunities
Activity gaps
Remedial actions to get the salesperson back on track

By unpacking the week just gone by in detail, you are now in the greatest position to offer relevant feedback and training using real live examples as required.

Here is a dialogue example of unpacking a sales activity taken from my book Bulletproof your Sales Team - The 5 Strategies Guaranteed to Turbo-Boost your Sales Team's Results!

Example: un-packing the week gone by!

Sales manager: So your first meeting on Tuesday was with Bob Smith at ABC Co, how did it go?

Salesperson: Alright I guess, not as good as I was hoping for!

Sales manager: Okay, let's review, what was the goal of the call?

Salesperson: To get the Credit Application agreement signed.

Sales manager: So what happened?

Salesperson: Well as you know I'm still waiting to get it signed. I met with Bill, but he told me that his boss had been out of town last week and for most of this week and as a result he hasn't been able to get it signed off.

Sales manager: Just refresh my memory, why does Bill need his boss to sign the Credit App?

Salesperson: Well when I met with him last time he told me he wasn't authorized to sign it off.

Sales manager: Other than his boss, is there anyone else in the group who could authorize the App?

Salesperson: Not that I know of!

Sales manager: Meaning?

Salesperson: I never asked him?

Sales manager: (Silent)

Salesperson: I guess I should have asked him if there was anyone else shouldn't I?

Sales manager: Let's just review your last discussion with Bob. Looking at my notes from last week, when I asked you what needs to be done to get the application form signed. Last week you said that Bob had been given authorization to get the job done and all we had to do was to get the paperwork completed. What, if anything, has changed?

Salesperson: Nothing. Bob still wants us to do the job. Unfortunately, according to him, his boss is the only one who can sign the paperwork.

Sales manager: What are we talking about here? Are we talking about signing the order to go ahead or just filling out the Credit Application form?

Salesperson: Both

Sales manager: I understand how come the boss needs to sign the order, but why does he need to sign the Credit Application form?

Salesperson: Cause that's what Bob told me!

Sales manager: Well let's just look at this a bit closer for a moment. What is a Credit Application form?

Salesperson: The Credit App. allows us to capture all the details of the customer as well as trade references. Oh, and it also spells out our trading terms.

Sales manager: Correct! Why do we need it?

Salesperson: Because if they are going to open up an account with us they need to be aware of our trading terms, but mainly we need to check that they are a good credit risk.

Sales manager: OK. Do we need an order before we will open up an account for a customer?

Salesperson: (Blank look)

Sales manager: What I mean is, can a customer apply for credit with us without necessarily ordering anything?

Salesperson: I suppose so!

Sales manager: Ok, so let me ask you another question then. On a scale of one to five how sure are you that Bob wants us to do the job?

Salesperson: I would say a four but until I have the order signed by his boss I will have to say maybe three and a half.

Sales manager: So, if the Credit App. is only an Accounts Department thing and a customer can apply for credit with us without even necessarily ordering anything, why do you need Bob's boss to sign the Credit Application form?

Salesperson: Cause that's what Bob told me!

Sales manager: Of course that's what he told you. He doesn't know how we operate. My question to you is, does Bob know he can go ahead and apply for credit in the mean time whilst we wait for his boss

to come back?

Sales manager: (Without waiting for an answer) In actual fact his Accounts Department could fill in the Credit App. As a company we only need his boss to authorize the purchase. We don't need his signaturefor the Credit Application form. Do you get what I am saying?

Salesperson: In other words either Bob could have signed the Credit App. or he could have had me take it over to his Accounts Department to get it signed?

Sales manager: Correct! So let's assume you had gotten Bob to authorize the Credit App, or you had gone to the Accounts Department to get it filled out, how would you rate your chances of them going ahead with the job, on a scale of one to five?

Salesperson: I would feel much more confident, probably a four and half. Maybe even a five!

Sales manager: So having said that then, what's the where to from here with Bob?

Salesperson: Well, I will give Bob a call today and tell him that you and I have spoken and that he doesn't need to have his boss sign the Credit App. And that in fact if we can get the App. filled out before his boss gets back, we will be able to expedite his order a whole lot quicker. This will save him in both time and money, because it's costing them around $750 a day in excess packaging costs the way they are currently running their system.

Sales manager: Do you foresee any issues he may have with that?

Salesperson: No I am pretty sure he will go for it!

Sales manager: What if he doesn't?

Salesperson: Then I guess maybe I have read the whole thing wrong. Maybe he is not as sold on us doing the work as he has made out.

Sales manager: Which means what?

Salesperson: Which basically means I have more selling to do

Sales manager: What are the chances of us meeting with his boss?

Salesperson: If he turns me down on the credit app, I will make a plan to get in and speak to his boss.

Sales manager: Is there anything I can do at this point to help you further with this?

Salesperson: No thanks. If I can't get into meet with Geoff, his boss, I will ask you for some help. I really think Bob signing off on the Credit App. will bring this one home.

Sales manager: Before we move on, what exactly is the action step from here?

Salesperson: As I said, I will call Bob today and see if I can get over there on Wednesday when I am in the area to get the Credit App signed off.

Sales manager: Alright then, (Making a note on the coaching log) lets move on to S.A.F. Company, what's happening with them?

Note: Go back and review the dialogue above and make a note of the following:

o How much "telling what to do" was there from the sales manager?

o How many questions did the sales manager?

o What was the end result of the discussion?

o How did the sales manager finish up the discussion?

As one of Australia's leading authorities and coaches in sales management, Ian Segail has been involved in the coaching, training and development of sales managers and salespeople for over two decades.

Drawing on 25 years of experience in sales, sales management and leading an HR and training team, Ian brings a strong dose of fiscal reality and practicality to his works as a Sales Performance Coach.

Engaging directly with business owners and both novice and experienced sales managers alike, across a wide variety of industries and selling disciplines, the focus of Ian's work is to transform sales results for companies by improving sales management practices.

Ian is the author of "Bulletproof Your Sales Team The 5 Keys To Turbo Boosting Your Sales Team's Results" and a number of business articles, business reports and white papers including "The fish stinks from the head!" and "Why Sales Training Doesn't Work."

Ian has an insatiable hunger for studying selling and people management and has passionately pursued answers to the question "How come some people can sell and most can't?"

He can be reached via http://www.iansegail.com

Read Ian's latest free report - "The 7 Most Costly Mistakes Sales Managers Make" here http://www.bulletproofyoursalesteam.com [http://bulletproofyoursalesteam.com/free-report/7costlymistakes.html]

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.