Sales Success is … Within Your Power

My parents were each raised in a family of ten children, my father, the oldest and my mother the youngest. Having been raised with three younger brothers, I can’t imagine what the dinner table would have been like if  I were the youngest of ten. Perhaps there is some truth to the connection between your success and your birth position in your family. At some point, one must simply decide to demand your fair share. However, there is much to learn before you reach out for that very last drumstick.

It is interesting that the challenge I have coached new managers on most often is just that. They fret and worry over what to say and when to say it. Then, devoid of results, they become silent and settle for leftover crumbs. Being at the table does not necessarily assure that you get to eat. So let’s look at a few reasons we go hungry even when we are invited to the table.

Why are you there?

At mealtime, you are there to enjoy food prepared for you. In some homes, there is a mediator;someone who ensures that each person is treated fairly. This may be achieved by Mom preparing plates for each person. It may be handled by Father at the end of the table barking orders to assure an even distribution. In some cases, it may be a free-for-all; the strongest and loudest receives the most. It is no different at the corporate table. The first rule for new managers is to be truly present, observe intently and listen closely.What is the culture of this table. Who speaks and when? How often do people speak and who listens? Do people speak in turn? Is there order or chaos to the discussions?  What is the reaction of others at the table? Is there a mediator? How does the mediator ensure fair discussions…or not?

Are you a guest, presenter or decision-maker?

When you are invited to dinner at someone else’s home, a different scenario usually unfolds.  Everyone  may be more cordial; the father may not need to make a sound instead flashing  a look or simply clear his throat will effect change.  As a guest, you may not see the true dynamics.  A new manager may need to consider this for a few meetings. Are you considered a guest? Are you there to make a formal presentation or to help the group come to a consensus? If so, the dynamics will be just under the surface. As an invited manager, you must be vigilant in your observation. As you present, notice slight shifts in attention. Listen carefully to where and from whom the questions emerge. Carefully assess the groups reaction and response to those questions. The reaction of the group is as important as your response to the question.

Who else has been invited?

When you show up for dinner and the entire extended family has been invited,what is the message?  It most often signals “importance”.  It may be a result of your attendance or it may be that something much bigger is going on. It most families, a simple question will provide the answer. Not so, at the corporate table. Once again, a new manager’s ability to observe and read the room comes into play. Who else has been invited?  What level of seniority are they? Are they decision-makers, finance gurus or operations focused? The answers to these questions allow the manager to understand  better what role he or she should play in teh ensuing discussions. The more important the unexpected guests, the more important the menu.

What is on the Menu?

Ah, the menu. There are so many signals in the menu. Did you know what was on the menu before you arrived? Is it the same menu every time? Is the menu designed to support one persons needs or desires? Has the menu changed drastically? Is this a Thanksgiving-type menu or a simple  appetizer? In my experience, the corporate menu rarely changes. So the slightest alteration is a signal. It is in a new managers best interest to determine before you arrive if the menu(agenda) has changed. It is your first clue that others may be invited; changes are on the horizon; an announcement is imminent; a decision is pending.  You will rarely know(as a new manager) what is about to take place. However, you will be prepared and steadied in your response.

In conclusion

Listen, observe  and be silent until you understand the dynamics. As you become more proficient, you should develop mentors and champions to lead you through the mine field. They are invaluable in maneuvering at the corporate table. The ability to exude professional presence while gaining a clear understanding of the corporate culture is a trait of a strong leader. Maintaining composure under fire while showing restraint will allow the meal to be served without you as the main course.

Next Time: Demanding Your Place at the Table

Oh no…not another new buzz word? That’s right. Several companies have started using this acronym for “Being in front of the right person at the right time with the right message.” No, it isn’t really new. IMPACT sales has had this as one of the primary principles for years. What is new however, is the technology. The automated system which allows a sales person and a manager to track the progress or lack thereof on a specific customer makes the process more effective than the traditional spreadsheets.

The system is clearly aimed at the “C” level of organizations using phrases such as “shortened time to revenue”. “shorter time to market” and “shorten time to profitability”. They talk about providing an edge for savvy businesses and maximizing team selling time. As a company moves away from commodity selling, it focuses on team selling. savvy sales organizations understand that it takes a team to identify the right clients, uncover their specific wants and deliver the products in a professional and targeted way. Any system that creates a more effective and efficient method to achieve this should be seriously considered.

The downside of a technologically advanced lead scoring system is the same as it is for the excel spreadsheet system. It removes the sales manager from the field. It provides one more reason to work from behind a desk. It gives top officers one more report, study and analysis to request. Let’s face it, as a manager, who wouldn’t prefer to work from the quiet warmth of their home office or their well-equipped regional office? The alternative is frankly more work and often requires more travel . But the real reason managers shy away from field work is none of these. To be a fully-engaged manager,one must know the market, know the sales person’s strengths and weaknesses, understand where he or she is in the sales process and have the confidence to take on the customer and coach the sales person.  On a snowy, blustery winter morning which task would you prefer?

The answer,of course is that great sales managers love what they do every day. They thrive on developing their people to stardom. They relish putting themselves out there. They do more demonstration calls than ride alongs. Why? becasue they understand that they are the expert and that their most valuable role is to pass that knowledge on to their sales force enabling them to rise up and become better. They will shine when each and every person they coach becomes better. That is how regions and divisions outsell others. It has very little to do with reports and analysis.

The decision for every manager is about how to achieve that balance. How much in-process coaching can I accomplish while providing post-process reporting  to those in leadership roles. Reports and analysis that are truly needed and effective in strategic decision making.

It is quite clear that we usually know the right thing to do. It becomes more about the choice we make when we ignore that which we know. Recently, I was whining to my family physician that my only problem was my inability to shed the pounds. Her response was  to ask if I would like to speak to the nutritionist on staff. My response? “I know what I am supposed to do; I just don’t do it.”

I got me thinking about why it is difficult to do what we know is the right thing to do. Often, it is not a question of right or wrong. Rather, if we make a choice to do something we know works, it will provide us with success. Yet, for some unknown reason, we still continue to knowingly practice the less successful action.

We know that if we eat Chicken, Fish and Vegetables, we will manage our weight. Why is it that Macaroni and Cheese, Bar-B-Q Ribs and Hot Fudge Sundaes end up on our plate?

We know that if we spend time in the field riding and coaching our sales people, they will succeed. Why, then do we find ourselves creating power points, excel spread sheets and handling coaching over the phone?

We know that if we follow a linked sequential sales process that we will will close the sales almost twice as often. Why then do we  show up ill-prepared, talk too much and close too early?

A few years ago, I learned this lesson first hand. As the AVP of sales, I was charged with creating an innovative sales training. I hired a firm to create training tapes using their sales staff in the videos. During the day of taping, it became clear that the sales people selling the sales program were not comfortable using the system. Had they been using the sales system they were promoting, it should have been second nature.

There are of course many reasons for this but the most obvious is it is hard, very hard to make the right decision. It is easier to stay in the office, to eat what we like or to slide back to our old sales systems. It requires dedication, discipline and focus to do those things that everyone else will not do!

Unlike in my personal life, the holiday season in healthcare sales is just plain dreadful.   Well, here it is again! It is quite understandable that holiday marketing is pushed to the back burner. Everyone has their hands full with family, friends, gifts and parties. Is it any wonder that the planning is glossed over to just “Get it done”? We are all just trying to make it through the endless Christmas parties to the New Years Eve bash!

But Holiday Gift Giving for your customers is important; it is costly and it is so often an exercise in a waste of money. Let’s look at a few problem areas and few solutions.

The When Problem: It is December 1st and we must decide about holiday gifts. It is too late!

The Who Problem: Gifting is focused on attending physicians and discharge planners. Wrong

The What Problem: Cookie trays, Bakery Muffins, Calendars and Mugs filled with Hershey Kisses. Really?

The Why Problem: Because everyone else does! Wrong again!

The solutions are simple but not easy. They require time and focus. Firstly, the process should begin just after the past holiday. How were the gifts received? Did we choose the right people? Did we give the gifts for the right reasons? Will they be remembered throughout the year?

If we start with the end in mind, the focus becomes about the customer. Who should we present with gifts and why? Is it a thank you for business during the year? Is it in hopes of new or continued business? Is it name recognition? Do we have a new service to tie into the gifting? This makes our task of creating the list a bit more focused.

When we understand the why and the who, the what becomes more clear. This is not because everyone else does it so we should not give what everyone else does. Be innovative and creative. Give something memorable!

I often wonder when I became obsessive about preparation. When did the project work start months before the due date? When did design work overcome the delivery? As I think back, I can squarely place the cause for my obsession on the broad shoulders of my father. My first recollection is that of my Dad sitting on the sofa with me standing directly in front leaning on his knees. This particular night I was struggling with recalling the times tables but there were many other nights. Once when I re-sited the prepositions from front to back, delivered (with feeling) my rendition of “Old Ironsides” and named the capitals of every state. I’m still  not sure I even really know what Old Ironsides was and I certainly don’t remember the capitals. The years flew by; I often think of how difficult it must have been for him to come home after a long day, sit down to dinner and then immediately join me at the dining room table to check my homework. How much he must have wanted to sit in his over-stuffed chair and watch his favorite TV show. My Dad was a big (not tall) just big chested German man who wasn’t blessed with a huge dose of patience and now I understand why. He would crinkle up my paper at the sight of an eraser mark. Heaven help me if I had overlooked a mistake. He would send me scurrying back upstairs if I hadn’t reviewed the upcoming History chapter as well as my current assignment.

My Dad was the one who signed my report card, who went to school when a young teacher lost it and smacked me (which I richly deserved). My Dad was the one who came and found me sitting on the school steps when I got my first “C”. It was in Home EX for a poorly sewn apron. But, I was still afraid and embarrassed to go home. We never said a word; we didn’t need to. So, when I scrunch up a draft for the 50th time, I think of my dad. When it seems to take me forever to get the words just right, I think of my dad. But when I deliver that powerful presentation that is right on target, I thank my dad.

As a new manager, you have an 85% chance of failing. Those are not good odds. So let’s look at three pitfalls and how to prevent them.

1. The I’ve made it mentality

As a new sales person, I recall watching and listening carefully to my manager. I was in awe. At first, I simply wanted to succeed but soon I wanted to be her. How did she do it? I observed her style in running meetings, giving direction and handling disagreeable tasks. I made a decision that I wanted to be a sales manager and that I would work hard to achieve that goal. Sound familiar? Of course; we set our sales people on the path that success equals management. If the reward for succeeding in sales is becoming the sales manager, is it any wonder that once we don our name tag indicating SALES MANAGER, we believe we have arrived? Nothing could be further from the truth. This is the number one pitfall. Many new managers immediately “settle in”. You have made it and you can sit back and enjoy time with the sales people who, like you will work hard to succeed. After all, what do you need to learn? You know the sales job and were successful at it. You know the players, often having developed strong relationships with those in a matrix management line. The product is easy; after all, it was your ticket to the promotion. 

So, why doesn’t this work? Simply put, you have been promoted to a new position, one which requires unique skills. The skills you learned in sales are pretty much useless. Why? because, you are no longer the focus. You must start over, building lasting relationships up, down and across the management matrix. They are watching every decision you make to see if you have the right stuff. Days will begin earlier and end later; weekends belong to your team.  Your prior success was based largely on your ability to get things done; to identify the right customers and to close the deal. You practiced your approach, improved your questioning and gave it 110%. But now you must lead a team, a team which you have inherited; some have great self direction,some not so much. This will take more focus,more dedication and more work than you ever imagined. You have been promoted to the job from hell. But, if you succeed in leading and developing your people, it will be the most rewarding work you will ever do.

The next blog we will discuss the other two pitfalls. If you are or have been a sales manager and would like to participate in a new study, please go to the www.ledgerocksolutions.com website and complete the 10 question survey.

2. The I’m so lucky to be here mentality

3. The Now I’m the boss mentality

See you next time

There are literally hundreds of books written on sales, sales techniques, sales do’s and don’t and sales secrets.  Book store shelves bulge with management books. Many provide tips from famous management gurus such as J.Edward Deming, the father of management. Modern day management geniuses such as Jack Welch and Stephen Covey offer tales of their successes. Coaches have much to offer as well with lessons from Lombardi and Wooden finding there way into management sections at Borders and such. And I believe I have read them all!

But I am not a CEO of a Fortune 500 company nor do I coach a team of challenging tough football players. As much as I admire and try to emulate Deming and Covey, I found myself  searching for substance.  Philosophy and proclamations are fascinating and thought-provoking but it was the gist I needed. As I discuss the challenges facing today’s sales managers I am hearing this same general theme from them.

Therefore, I suggest that there are three absolutes to succeeding as a sales manager. Are there other attributes,systems and behaviors that will move one along the success trail, of course. But, if one can master these three absolutes, doors will open, conversations will occur and more successes than failures will dot your horizon.

Know Thyself; Hire Flawlessly; Coach Meticulously. Let’s discuss only the First Absolute today.

Know Thyself

Before you can attempt to lead others,you simply must know who you are, what drives you, what do you value,what are you simply no good at doing and what do others think of you.  Since most people believe that they do know themselves, I recommend this quick test. Take out a sheet of paper and use a stop watch to time yourself. Ask first, “What are the three areas in which I excel?” You have 30 seconds. Write them down and time yourself. Now, do the same exercise with this question, “What are the three areas in which I am not good?”  To complete an even deeper study, Ask the same questions of someone who knows you well and compare your awnsers with theirs. In many cases, we have difficulty identifying those areas where we are challenged and in some cases, others see us completely different than we see ourselves. How can you manage people with this conundrum?

What are your thoughts? I would love to know.

There is something to be said for the old adage that a man who acts as his own lawyer is a fool. It’s the same lesson I learned when I tried to fix my computer. No one told me I couldn’t do it. But, it was a terrible idea which resulted in hiring an outside vendor to clean up my mess.

So, as I tepidly started down the road of owning my own consulting firm, the list of requirements grew longer. There was the office, of course, equipped with phone, computer, fax, printer, speakers,web-cam, desk lights, paper, ink (lots of ink), pens, pencils, sharpeners, file folders. and on and on. As the list grew, the expense budget grew as well. The initial plan was to complete the office with minimal supplies.  Let it be said that I never got to the display boards, LCD projector or professional memberships before I realized that something had to give. It would be prudent,I concluded, to be a minimalist until revenue started flowing.

It was at this point that I began to research websites. It was essential to have a website; everyone said so.  “How hard could this be?” I had been working with computers for years now. I began to research Do-It-Yourself sites.  They were bright, colorful and seemed easy to use. many had step-by-step instructions. I put one toe in and realized that I was the same person who crawled under the desk and took one look at the maze of wires and collapsed in a heap of tears. At least I was smart enough to cry “Uncle” at the very first direction that read,” to maximize your SEO, be sure to install automatic pinging and add the URL”.

I immediately called my son, a recent college graduate for tech-advice. He provided the name and email address of a young man just starting his web-design business. I spoke with him and he gave me several web addresses he had designed and the names of his clients as references. I liked his work and his clients had glowing comments about him. So a deal was struck!

Four months later, I had my website. Since it was my first website, I was quite impressed. It looked bright and attention-seeking. It moved easily from page to page and the links all worked. What more could I expect? Considering the price was reasonable and within my limited budget, I was pleased.

Fast forward another four months and here are the questions I should have asked?

                  1. What happens when I need to make changes or additions; how long will that take and how much will that cost?

                  2. How do I receive the incoming email responses on the contact page? I have to do what?

                  3. Will I be one of the top two or three sites on the Internet when someone is searching for my business?

The fact is that I can not make changes and I am at the mercy of the web designer and there is a cost for each change. I must jump through at least a dozen hoops to retrieve my email responses and I do not appear even fifth or sixth on an Internet search. But, I was assured that there is someone else who can do that for me for an additional charge.

LIVE AND LEARN!

In the beginning… let’s see when was that? When did I consciously decide I wanted to be in sales? My first job during high school was as a waitress. Was that it? Did I think I was selling dinner? I think not; I was more interested in who was sitting at the counter than in what they ordered. I progressed to working as a soda jerk after school. Let me clarify for those who are unclear about a soda jerk . There was a time (in the 60′s) when you went to the local drugstore to hang out or get ice cream or a quick lunch. It was usually a long counter near the back of the store with bright cushioned stools that twirled and a few high back booths. I worked there frying hamburgers and making banana splits until I graduated. It was fun but I don’t recall ever thinking,”I’m in sales. I forgot to put the banana in the banana split as often as I didn’t. I wasn’t worried about the product; it was all about the fun. “During college, I worked in the city library and I know I wasn’t in sales there. I was constantly being told,”Shh”.

My first real experience in a real career choice was with an employment agency. They took about 3 minutes with me and sent me to a large department store to apply as a “girdle-fitter”. The attractive young man interviewing me sat back in his chair and laughed. “Do you even know what a girdle-fitter does?”. After my look of terror at his detailed explanation, he promptly offered me a position in the ladies blouse department. I was a sales lady! No training, no orientation,no clue! It was a salary/commission job and I was completely unprepared for the competition that existed among the sales ladies. It was cut-throat and I learned fast. The rules were clear; keep constant vigilance for anyone who steps on the carpeted area; talk to as many people as you can and never, never talk to a customer who has spoken to another sales lady. The last one was an unforgivable sin and punishable by screaming humiliation.

The second career choice was mine. I decided to become a real estate agent. After balancing three children and months of courses, I  passed the California realtor boards. I was a full fledged salesperson. However, one never claimed to be a sales person or to be in real estate sales. When asked, our response was, “I’m a realtor” and proud of it. Real estate sales in Southern California in the 70′s was a blast. Orange County was booming and I did well. It didn’t hurt that this time ,I had a mentor. Mr. Harry Edwards owned Golden Oak Realty. Harry was an unlikely mogul. A small man with bushy eyebrows and ill-fitting suits; he would stalk around the office saying very little. Mrs. Edwards made them a perfectly matched pair. She occasionally careened through the office, no make-up, a black berea’ cocked off to the side and a bright mismatched scarf around her neck. He had one requirement for the job. I needed to drive either a Cadillac or a Mercedes.

Imagine my surprise when one morning Harry grabbed my shoulder nearly pulling my shoulder pad off indicating I was to follow him. From his office he could see ‘the floor’ where about 12 desks were lined neatly in order. Each with a phone and a desk pad. He pointed to the eight salespeople seated at their desks and said almost in a whisper, “See those agents out there?” Before I could answer, he whispered, “They won’t be here in a  month.”  He looked me dead in the eyes and asked, “Do you want to be a successful salesman? Will you do exactly as I tell you?” With my nod in agreement, we took his new grey Mercedes through the streets of Riverside until we identified my ‘farm’. This would become the development which I would work every day to produce business. His requirement was to knock on 50 doors a day, write 20 letters and make 10 phone calls. In today’s world this is called prospecting and the lack of it is still the number one reason new businesses fail. When I left California four years later, I was his number one sales person.

Years later, as I prepared to retire after 25 years with a Fortune 400 company,  I looked back to those days and wondered when I decided I was a  sales person. But, at some point, I did.  Much of my time as the VP of Sales Management was helping our sales force to believe that they were sales people. No acronyms, no euphemisms, just sales people.

The lessons I learned pointed me in the right direction. First as a soda jerk I learned about product integrity( the banana must be in the banana split).  The kind young interviewer taught me to wait for the right position(not girdle-fitting). The experienced sales ladies instilled in me to talk to as many customers as possible and Harry’s lessons to get out from behind your desk were reinforced with every knock on my 50 doors.  But at some point, I did what I asked of my sales people. When you get up in the morning and you look in the mirror, do you say,”I am a sales person?”

“He could sell ice to an Eskimo.”

Why do we think that the propensity to talk equates to the ability to sell? By the very virtue of the process, the ability to listen is the natural gift that transcends the good to the great. Without that basic skill, the sales person has no foundation upon which to build his presentation.

In my years spent on the customer side of the table, I have had only one sales person meet my expectations of great. We’ll call him Mark. Before we get to meet Mark, lets talk about the twenty years of sales interactions before he walked into my office.

If you manage sales people, no matter your title, Manager,Director or VP, your tasked with setting sales goals, coaching your team to excellence and assessing progress. That is why I  am still  amazed at the number of sales people who miss the mark.

There is the initial contact, usually by phone or letter. Eventually it became a sort of game for me, in which I would become an unwilling participant. The phone rings; it’s an outside line; a good clue it’s a sales person. “Good afternoon. Mrs. Fogelman?” Yes. “My name is Needa Closs. I’m with ABC Company and we are doing a survey. Do you have a few minutes to answer a some questions?” No. Or my personal favorite, ” Hi, Veronica, Dave here. I understand you are the woman in charge.” Really? “Yes, and I’m the one who will help you save the day.” click. I wasn’t aware my day needed saved.

The unsolicited mailing can be equally offensive because it makes assumptions. Even though they may be true, I was perturbed that I had no input into the decision about what I needed. It usually went in the trash.

However, the most regrettable was when the person actually gained the appointment and had an opportunity to sell to me. They were so often ill-prepared and tried to wing a sales call. This usually led to me asking all the questions and ended in frustration for both of us. Even worse was the over-confident person who came with the problem identified  and solved. This usually ended with me creating the next blog in my head while they pompously displayed full color service brochures  in which I had no interest.

Then one day, I received a phone call that went like this:

Ann: ” Roni, there is a man calling who would like to speak to you when you have a few minutes. He is from Strategy Inc.; he talked to me for a few minutes to see if I thought you might be interested. I like his style; he is genuine. Wanna talk to him or shall I schedule a better time?”    ( He went through the most trusted confidant-my secretary)

Me: “Put him through, Ann.”

Mark: ” Mrs. Fogelman, thank you for taking my call. My name is Mark Smith from Strategy Inc. Ann said you have a few minutes; I promise to only take 5 minutes. Is that OK?”                               (He thanked me,identified himself and promised a timeline)

Me: ” Thats fine Mark. What can I do for you?”

Mark: “I understand that in your role at XYZ Company you have implemented a new sales training and a new hiring system that has been fully integrated throughout the company. At my company that is exactly who we want to work with…successful sales teams that have the support of operations.” ( flattery will get you everywhere)

Probably no need to go on…you get the point.

When Mark came in for his sales appointment  he asked me so many questions, that I felt he was a part of our team. Not insignificant questions; questions that were built on my answers. In that way he swiftly developed a picture of our culture, our successes and our challenges. He never pulled out anything other than a small pad to take notes, for which he asked my permission. In  what seemed like ten minutes, he asked if he could make a few suggestions, pulled out his small pad and began to draw. Only now did he begin to talk as he drew his simple diagram. It clearly depicted our challenges with structure and he introduced his services to create how their team could help us solve the problem. I have never forgotten how skillfully he directed the questions, did not over sell or over promise. The science of a skilled sales system moved him through the process and the art of a talented communicator created a memorable sales experience.

I have moved on from that company but still carry Marks card with me and when the opportunity arises, I will call him and hope I handle it as well.