Sales Management Training - Protect Your Company From (Sales) Identity Theft In 3 Simple Steps

Business Development Officer? Business Procurement Specialist? Did you know these types of titles for salespeople can ultimately rob your organization?

As a Sales Management Training Consultant, I often notice business cards from salespeople with titles that require some effort to decipher. As I inquire further about their role, eventually it pops out - "I'm in sales". It makes me wonder, when did "Sales" become a five letter word that can no longer show up on one's business card? It gets deeper...

Building high performance sales organizations is my specialty. Much of my success is a result of a startling discovery made years ago - there is no proven correlation between Personality and Sales Productivity. This discovery enabled me to lead a team that transformed a $40B business unit into a $60B business unit in 18 months for a Fortune Global 500 company. How? We recognized anyone can succeed in sales despite personality. Sales is simple if you learn how to master sales behavior intelligence and develop your salespeople accordingly. Sales is about behavior and our proven sales system is built on the 25 behaviors that is proven to impact sales productivity - Sales Identity> is one of the behaviors we measure.

What is Sales Identity?

Sales Identity
measures a salesperson's pride of the sales profession. If a person views selling as noble, they are considered to have a strong Sales Identity. The opposite is true for those who view a sales position as something to be ashamed of, they are considered to have a weak Sales Identity.

Selling is noble, we all sell everyday whether we realize it or not. However, selling is often perceived negatively because of bad experiences. To some degree, society tends to cast a negative light on people in the sales profession. Due to the strength of society's misguided views, some sales professionals feel shame and are compelled to hide their sales position and adopt deflected titles such as, "Business Development Officers" or "Procurement Specialists". Such behavior is proven to be costly, read on...

Some people refuse to accept the notion of selling altogether, even though they are in fact trying to close a deal. A classic example...

Recently I was on a flight to a sales conference in Atlanta and I struck up a conversation with the gentleman next to me. Our idle chit chat led into a careers conversation. He shared with me how he worked for a major home improvement company in charge of the distribution centers in 4 states in the South and Southwest. After explaining my role as a Sales Management Training Consultant and how I help sales teams and salespeople. He immediately responded with "I could never be a salesperson!" We continued our conversation and he explained to me that he was preparing for a major presentation with the Executive Team of the company because he felt he needed an additional $3 Million allocated to his budget for the following year. He went on to demonstrate to me how the organization "would ultimately benefit from the additional spend with a better Return on Investment (ROI)..."

As he was explaining this to me, I began to smile and chuckle. Initially, he probably thought I was being rude. Then I asked him "So, you are trying to convince the Executive Team to give you an additional $3 million for your budget, correct?" "Yes." He replied. I then added "And you can support the benefits of doing so, correct?" "Yes" he replied again. "Are you sure you're not a salesperson?" He sat back in his chair and smiled, I could see the light bulb turn on. My point dawned on him. I eventually gave him some coaching on how to think more like a salesperson and improve his sales presentation.

Why Measure Sales Identity?

Measuring Sales Identity can ultimately save your organization a substantial amount of money long term. How?

Organizations all over the globe are challenged to hire high performance salespeople, not doing so can be costly in terms of sales results, hiring and training costs. Recent studies show, the average cost of hiring a poor performing salesperson has swelled to over $100,000/year. Think about it, how much are hiring mistakes costing you?

Research shows - salespeople with weak Sales Identity will under perform within 6 months of joining an organization and ultimately "self select" out of the sales profession within 18 - 24 months. In fact, we found people with weak Sales Identity prefer to apply for "sales" positions with deflected titles because they insinuate less sales accountability.

Unless detected, salespeople with weak Sales Identity will struggle and steal valuable resources from your organization via increased turnover, higher training costs and poor sales results. Here are 3 simple steps to protect your organization going forward:

Step 1: Remove the Identity Crisis

A surefire way to jeopardize long term sales productivity is to have your organization struggle through a sales identity crisis. If the role is a sales role - title it as such. Top performing salespeople absolutely love sales and prefer to be called - Sales Representatives. Having deflected titles attracts weaker performers who will struggle to get out of the ranks of mediocrity long term.

Step 2: Monitor Your "Motivational" Costs with Sales Reps

If you find your sales organization spending more time on motivating sales reps within the 6 - 24 month window of being hired, you may have a Sales Identity issue. Depending upon the severity, there may be hope.

Step 3: Know What You're Hiring, Prior to Making the Offer

Hiring mistakes pertaining to sales positions can be costly! Use an assessment tool that measures the Sales Identity of your candidates prior to hire.

Rod McKinnis, Founder of The McKinnis Consulting Group is a highly sought after Sales Management Training Consultant, specializing in doubling sales results in a matter of months. To learn more or to schedule Rod for your next sales event visit www.SalesisSimple.com.

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If You Comp Them, They Will Come: The Simple Way To Motivate Your Sales Force

In most companies, the sales force is the most loved and simultaneously feared organization in the company. Often perceived as the corporate "breadwinners," any attempt to change the behavior or process of the sales force is met with skepticism and trepidation.

"You just can't risk upsetting the sales force! Do you know how much revenue is at stake here?"

Any initiative or strategy that might change the way sales works, or perhaps more closely track what it is the sales forces actually does is perceived as a threat in all levels of a sales organization. New systems or processes mean only one thing to sales: a learning curve that means less time to sell, which in turn leads to lower commissions. Therein lies the simple answer to all change management challenges when dealing with a sales force: commissions.

Arguing that commissions are the key lever to influence sales may seem to imply that salespeople are a bunch of money grubbing capitalists, forsaking all else in pursuit of the almighty dollar. This however is largely untrue, rather the sales force is one of the few areas in most corporations where a very simple metric, and corresponding lever exist to manipulate behavior. Commissions are both a key part of compensation, but also a hard, numeric metric to indicate how well a particular person has performed. If Jane received higher commissions than I did, there's a very strong case that can be made that Jane is a better salesperson than I.

Whereas many positions have complex evaluations, peer reviews and other "soft" analysis, in sales, you either made the sale or you did not. At the end of the day, a customer needs to cut a check to pay for the sale, so you know exactly what that sale brought in to the company's top line.

At their most simple level, commissions give the salesperson a "piece of the action" they generate, and encourage a beneficial behavior: selling more products. This is where some level of sophistication enters the process. Rarely does a company simply give a salesperson a fixed percentage of each sale, rather higher margin deals usually receive a higher commission, or new product sales are rewarded more than sales of an older product to an existing customer. Combining your commission model with your process improvement strategy is where the magic happens. If your sales force is consistently selling products in a manner that creates extra labor and sunk costs on the backend, change your commission model to encourage sales that follow the new and improved process, and generate higher profit on the bottom line rather than big dollars on the top line. All it takes for the new commission model to be wholeheartedly embraced is for one salesperson to get a higher commission using the new model, or for a hard line rep to lose his ticket to the annual sales meeting in Hawaii before word will spread that the company is serious about change.

I'll never forget a discussion I had with an Operations Exec at a large office equipment company, which I'll call BigCo for the purposes of this article. He had recently assumed the new role, and was telling me of his first experience with Sales leadership. A SVP had come into his office the prior week and proudly announced that one of the sales reps was closing a multi-million dollar deal with one of the large overnight package handling companies. The sales rep had promised that BigCo would move all of their shipping to this carrier and hand wrote this clause into their contract, and the SVP was thrilled that this deal would put sales well ahead of its quarterly revenue metric.

The operations exec, who had just signed a multi-year deal with their current carrier, and recently completed a nine month project to optimize BigCo's logistics operation, was stunned. He did some analysis on the costs of switching carriers and revamping the systems and processes he had just put in place, and even with the million or so of revenue generated by the sale, the entire deal would result in the company losing two to three times as much. On their next meeting, the operations guy tore up the contract in front of the sales SVP, to dumbfounded silence. Even with the reams of figures showing how detrimental the deal was to the company as a whole, he still spent quite a bit of time on the sales forces' "Top Ten Most Wanted" list.

The moral of this story is that sales comp must be analyzed from a holistic perspective. What is good for sales may not be good for the company, and the implementation of new systems or new business processes is the perfect time to perform this analysis and determine an appropriate commission model. Make no mistake that this is difficult work, but once completed, getting the sales force to change is as easy as sending out an email detailing the new commission model. Old behaviors, which were not profitable to the company as a whole should not be highly compensated (if at all), and profitable deals, which use the systems and processes correctly should be the most valuable to the salesperson. As soon as reps realize the new plan is there to stay, more "good" deals will begin appearing almost overnight.

The magic here is the simplicity of implementing the change. Existing motivational structures such as compensation, bonus programs and free trips to an exotic location are already in place, the new commission model simply changes the focus from what is good for sales to what is good for the company as a whole. If a new CRM system is deemed as good for the company, the commission model should provide compensation if a deal is correctly entered into the new system, and reduced commission (or no commission) if the systems and processes are not used. If you want to get even more rigorous, you could track the time required for back office processing of a sale, and deduct compensation for difficult to process (more costly) deals.

Despite all the dire predictions on sales acceptance of a new system or process change, like any other employee most salespeople want to be high performers (if they do not, they should be shown the door, but that is a topic for another time). If you add systems and overhead without showing any benefit, in the form of commissions, your company will join the litany of those complaining about and fearing their sales forces. If your commission model is designed to reward use of tools that benefit the company as a whole, not only will your sales force rapidly accept the new systems and processes, but will be bringing in new business that provides the highest margin for the entire company.

Patrick Gray is the President of Prevoyance Group, the leading consulting company dedicated to helping companies ensure their large IT projects deliver organizational value on time and on budget. To find out how to increase the value produced by YOUR IT organization and become a hero in the C-suite, please visit http://www.prevoyancegroup.com/whitepaper for a complimentary whitepaper.

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Handling Sales Objections With a Simple 4 Step Process That's Making Money For Salespeople Everyday

Sales objections can be handled with a simple 4 step process that smoothly turns objections into sales for any product, any type of sale, and in any market place. No longer fear objections and become an expert on handling them. A major benefit many sales people have gained from using this process, is to start really enjoying selling because they have the confidence to overcome sales objections.

I'm a working sales manager and sales trainer for a major company. The process that my sales teams use for handling objections has to work in real situations, and achieve real sales results. My job, and my income, depend upon the results my teams achieve using this objection handling sales training.

The sales objection process

Define the objection

Gain agreement

Present the answer

Close the sale

Use these simple 4 steps as the basic framework for handling objections, and closing more sales, and add all your other sales skills and sales training to the process.

1. Define the objection

The first step is to define the real objections from the buyer's viewpoint. The sales objections they perceive may not be real. They could be based upon false evidence or beliefs. You have to be able to see the sales objections from their viewpoint, even if they are not real or are based on false evidence. Then you can handle the objections. The key is to understand what the buyer believes, and views or hears in their internal pictures and self talk. This is where the real objection lies, and where it has to be dealt with.

Imagine a customer that thinks your product is too expensive because they have seen what they believe to be a similar item at a cheaper price. The customer is comparing what they believe are the benefits of your product with the cheaper one. Maybe the product they are comparing it with is inferior. Although untrue, this information is real to the buyer and must be challenged to get past the sales objection.

With good questioning skills you should define the real objection as seen by the customer. You should also define the beliefs and evidence that the customer has used to form their objection. It is their beliefs and evidence that you have to challenge if you are to handle objections based in the buyer's mind. Many objections, concerns, and questions, exist only in the buyer's mind, but to the buyer they are very real and will stop the sale if not defined and dealt with.

2. Gain agreement to the definition

Many less experienced sales people would now go rushing in with a fantastic sales presentation to handle the objection. They then find that they haven't answered the objection as viewed by the customer, or another concern arises that could stop the sale. They have used their best sales presentation to answer the objection, and now there are more to answer.

There are two really important actions that many new sales people miss out. One is to gain agreement to the sales objections they have defined. The second is to ask if there is anything else that could stop the sale. Before giving a great sales presentation to handle the objection, you want to make sure you are answering the real objection, and that there are no more objections. If there are more, then go back to step one and define them until you have all the questions, concerns, and obstacles that could prevent you closing the sale.

3. Present the answer

You have defined the objection, and gained agreement to the definition, and to there being no more sale objections stopping the sale. Now you present your solution and answer the sales objections. If you have used effective questioning skills to define the objection the buyer has told you exactly what they need to see and hear to get past their objection.

As with the above stages, remember you are presenting to overcome sales objections that exist in the buyer's map of reality, not yours. Only present the benefits that will handle the objection, not a general presentation of all the features and benefits of the product. Answer the sales objections the buyer sees, and challenge any false evidence or beliefs they are based upon. Understand what they are thinking, and what they need to see and hear to change their beliefs and agree to a sale.

4. Close the sale

Now you can close the sale, or gain agreement to the next stage of the sale. There is no need for trick closes or clever manipulation techniques. You earlier gained agreement that you had defined their objections, and that there were no more preventing a sale. That is where the main closing of the sale took place. You have presented an answer to the objection that shows the buyer the benefits that will turn the objection into a sale.

Now all you need to do is ask two gentle questions to gain their agreement to the sale. The first question is to ask if the benefits you have presented have answered their concerns, their objection to the sale. If it hasn't go back to step one and re-define their concerns, and start the process again.

Once they have agreed that you have answered their objection, the second action is to use a simple direct question to close the deal. You can relate the question to what happens next. For example, you could ask, shall we complete the paperwork? Or, can we agree a delivery date? You have done all the major closing earlier when you gained agreement to there being nothing else stopping the sale. A gentle question to ask for the order is all that is now required to gain you the sale, and the commission payment.

Don't be fooled by the simplicity of this sales objection process. It is the easy to use sales training that gets results, and that sales people are able to use in real sales situations. This sales technique is proven everyday by the sales teams I manage and train.

To see how you could put this objection handling process into action today, open http://www.sales-training-sales-tips.com/sales-objections.html and then see if it's an objection handling technique you could use. Consider how easy it is to learn and put into action, and then decide if it will be of benefit to you in your sales, or sales manager, role.

Stephen Craine is a working sales manager and trainer for a major UK company. He uses his experience of sales, motivation training, NLP, and personal development coaching to achieve results for himself through the achievements of others in a sales environment.

All the sales training presented here, and on the 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. The aim is to help anyone looking to increase sales results, develop their career, and make more money.

For more free sales training or to contact Stephen Craine, visit the website at http://www.sales-training-sales-tips.com

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4 Simple, Yet Powerful Ways to Promote Your Facebook Fan Page

Facebook Fan Pages are the hottest thing on the web right now!  Business owners, movie stars, and even churches are finding how effective they can radically change the way they interact with fans.

Not to mention the viral marketing exposure they can deliver for a business!  Basically the more your "Fans" interact with your page, the more your page will be exposed to that person's friends!

However, promoting your Facebook Fan Page can be a bit challenging if you don't know what you're doing.

So I want to help you today by showing you 4 simple, yet powerful ways you can promote your Facebook Fan Page:

1)  Create A Custom Username

** NOTE **

You must have at least 25 fans of your Facebook Fan Page to be eligible for a custom username.

A custom username is now pretty easy to come by on Facebook.  And in fact, this strategy works great for your Facebook Fan Page AND your personal Facebook profile.

From a marketing perspective, a custom username (or custom URL) allows you to more easily brand your Fan Page on things like websites, business cards, documents, etc...

Also a custom username makes it easier for you to tell others how to get there (again, look at the 2 addresses above for example).

Create A Custom Facebook Username & URL

The way you create a custom username for your Facebook Fan Page (and also your personal profile) is by first visiting http:// Facebook . com / Usernames.

This page opens by default in the personal profile option.  Look below the shaded box and click the link that says "Set a username for your Pages."

You will then be able to proceed and set your custom username for your Facebook Fan Page. 

2)  Embed your Facebook Fan Box

If you visit your Facebook Fan Page, and then look under your the profile picture, you'll find the following link:

"Add Fan Box to your site"

Go ahead and click that link, and you'll be taken to the dashboard for your "Fan Box".  There are a lot of ways to customize this fan box, but you'll see 2 easy edits right in the dashboard and these are "Streams" and "Fans".

If "streams" is clicked, then the comments from your Facebook Fan Page will be included in your Fan Box.  And obviously, if it's not clicked they won't.

The same for "fans" - if it's clicked, then your default number of fans is 10, and if it's not clicked then you won't see any fans.

If you look at the right hand side bar of this site (just look right), you'll see my Facebook Fan box.  This is the standard box without "streams" checked, but with "fans" checked.

Once you're done selecting "streams" and / or "fans", there are options for embedding into your Blogger blog, TypePad blog, or other.  If you have a Wordpress blog, then select "other" and then highlight the code in the text box that will appear.  Then take that code and embed it into a sidebar widget, or wherever else you want to present your fan box.

3)  Utilize the new "Get More Fans With SMS" feature

A lot of people have yet to realize that Facebook now allows people to send a text and instantly become a fan of Facebook Fan Pages!  Go to your Facebook Fan Page, find the word "more" (it's in small blue print), click that and a drop down menu will open.  Look down that menu and you will see "Get More Fans with SMS".

But wait... there are a few restrictions on this feature - which are:

*  you must have your own custom user name (see #1 above)

That's really the only restriction.

If you have your own username, then you'll see this feature present.  You can start telling others about, and you can even put a quick note on your blog or website with instructions on how to text to become a fan.

Look at the top right of this blog for an example.

The only other thing to remember with the "Get more fans with SMS" feature is that text rates do apply.

4)  Add a custom Facebook Fan Page banner to your profile.

This one is my favorite!  It's been a point of contention since Fan Pages launched, and that is the owners had no way to promote their Page to their personal friends on Facebook.

The "Fan Box To Your Site" does not embed into a Facebook profile.  And without that, how else is someone suppose to promote their Facebook Fan Page to personal friends on Facebook?  People don't want to be emailing their personal friends all the time talking about their Fan Page - most would perceive that as inconsiderate.

** OUR SOLUTION **

We finally had enough people ask about "how to" make this happen that we decided we were going to find a way - someway, somehow, to make this happen.

If you'd like to learn more about this process, then call us today @ 706-363-0335!

Robert Holland is the founder of Social Media SEO, a leading technology and social media blog that covers news, tips, and information for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts! Visit us at http://SocialMediaSEO.net

Become a fan of our Facebook Page at http://Facebook.com/SocialSEO

For consulting, content, and customization services, you can call us directly at 706-363-0335.

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