THAT'S WHY!
Because sales is personal.
Selling. I like what I get. I love what I give.
As we walk through this employment search together, let's continue with a few attributes.
V attributes. X ways to profit.
5 WAYS. FIVE WHY'S.
Ability
Yes. Yes, I can.
Willingness
Work like crazy.
Integrity
Unvarnished.
Experience
Mother wit.
Coachable
Be a Sponge (bob).
MINDSET.
"You become what you think about most of the time." Earl Nightingale.
How true. How simple. How direct.
It’s the 6” between your ears that separates wheat from chaff, and that’s exactly why talking makes sense – because I like what’s going on upstairs.
I like how I'm improving my neurotransmitters so I can;
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Consistently Be.
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Repeatedly Do.
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Automatically Have.
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SO, WHY ME ?
Getting to Yes. My case for support.
Think like an entrepreneur. Act like a professional.
After being in the trenches creating millions in profitable revenue for businesses like yours, I understand sales success has a recipe, and even though sales can chew you up and spit you out, I continue standing strong.
By mixing a strategic mindset with consistent actions creating better numbers is a given, not a risk.
I think that's a pretty good reason. Don't you?
More why's.
Front Wheel
Sales Know-How
I believe sales provides a platform to build high-trust partnerships.
Ask the right questions
Follow up each visit
Find key requirements
Take the lead
Use product/service malleability
Engage your audience
Back Wheel
Marketing Know-How
10 plus years selling Marketing & Communications
Database Marketing
Marketing Automation
Direct Mail
Loyalty + Rewards
Omni-Channel Media
Variable data printing
3 businesses 1 goal
Partnership Know-How
Initiated relationships with an ad agency and printer. Branded as "Direct Marketing Works". Designed to:
Maximize profits
Create Long-term value
Single-source solutions
Price vs Results. Results win.
Increase client spend
Emphasize ROMI & ROI
Rationale
Relationships
Revenue
3 POINT PLAN.
Tomorrow begins today.
Bring the future to the present and do something about it now.
Formed on three foundational pillars (including a go-to-market strategy), my plan is built on what I believe, who I am, including what I'll do to help people and businesses be better.
The End.
Rationale.
Be a Consultant.
Relationships.
People first.
Revenue.
Stop selling. Start helping.
Some specifics.
Rationale
Identify prospects by SIC, Vertical, Geography, Credit Rating, Revenue.
Call the office of the president. Bring your boss to get a new meeting. Find an internal coach
Develop scripting specific to industry or verticals. Practice and then practice some more—role play. Conduct internal presentations before going live.
Tell success stories. Use verified business cases from industry sources. Use testimonials—3rd party references and referrals.
Know your numbers. Sell ROI and demonstrate value by assisting everyone in the decision tree - Technical, User, Coach, Decision Maker. Use strategic selling if the company is complex.
Product knowledge will be essential, and I plan on blocking time in my day dedicated to knowing more. In addition, joint sales calls, conference calls will complement any formal in-house training. Continuing my sales training is also an important part of my plan.
Relationships
Treat every person well. Realize that to sell; you need help from finance, operations, marketing and administration. It's a team effort.
Offer recognition. Ask for help (most people like to help). Be aware of how sales effects the business model. Be cognizant of schedules.
Give leaders books - not business gifts. Acknowledge others with a business thank you. It could be lunch or something else. I guess it depends on budgets.
Once you get by the gatekeeper and you're in. Stay there. Visit, call, connect often because it's easier to keep clients than find new ones. It's a must. Can't grow unless you keep what you have.
HubSpot, Salesforce or other CRM tools play an invaluable role in maintaining critical business relationships. They're indispensable, and I can't imagine working without them.
Revenue
People buy on emotion and back it up with facts, so ensure you evoke emotion and tie that into the decision-making process.
Of the approximately 300,000 English words available, most people only use 1%, so listen carefully and use the words they do. Combine this with watching body language and your closing ratios will improve.
Feel. Felt. Found. A great sales tactic that helps better identify with each prospect. You could say - I understand how you feel; others like ABC co. felt the same way until they found how our company can do XYZ.
Go-To-Market.
How you go to market is as important as what you bring.
Someday. Tomorrow. Eventually. Three of the worst times to start understanding how strategic forethought can impact results but the day I decided to view my sales territory as a small business, I noticed a shift.
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It was fortune-cookie simple.
Today, like that day, this leverage keeps me motivated, keeps me focused, and keeps me answering that question- "what have you done for me lately?"
So as my tomorrow is mere days away, I anticipate outperforming your competitors by going to war with my strategy on point, bolstered by this tripod.
Strategy.
​A GTM approach has four buckets:
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Research: What does the market look like?
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Decisions: What types of businesses do we pursue and how?
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Mixture: What do we sell? Where do we market our wares? What's the price?
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Development: How do we sell it? How do we win?
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I may answer all these questions before starting a new territory or job, but it's a fluid process - sometimes monthly, sometimes not, but whatever my frequency - it's essential.
Method.
A Go-to-market strategy is akin to a marketing point-of-view. But I'm not launching a product, I'm launching myself. So, my perspective includes; market segmentation, pricing model, product positioning, sales messaging, overall strategy, territory planning, internal and selling processes and account development.
Motivate.
Motivation, like bathing, doesn't last, that's why Zig Ziglar recommends it daily. Practically, here's a few "to-do's"; Focus on activities that produce results. Give and receive recognition. Look at your destination, not the path. Embrace the challenge. Don't run from it. Write your goals down on paper.
Measure.
Know what's working and use it so everyone benefits from best practices. Turn data to dollars using red & black insights. The KISS theory works here, but just because you have more data, doesn't equate to sales.. It's been said, "complexity isn’t difficult to achieve, it’s difficult to resist". So, be wary of too much and too many KPI's
Process.
What some organizations do with their processes is more like a Hail Mary. It doesn’t have to be, especially with business changing so fast. There's a rush to be first, to shave every last penny or have more followers. At times, it almost feels like the Wild West, characterized by few standards, few examples, and perhaps, fewer success stories.
I believe that emerging from this gun-slinging is the need (for some) to hunker down and refine their processes like their livelihood depended on it.
For me; (as I search for new opportunities), I think tools such as a: SWOT analysis, an ROI product review, a competitive overview... or even better, get industry associations involved will be just what I need when I belly up to the bar because I'm positive my livelihood certainly depends on it.
With "eat or be eaten" a common mantra for many, it's not surprising that done right, having tight processes can cost-effectively be the right way to get and keep more customers, to reach target markets, to research, to service, and to grow.
Optics.
What's the market look like? Pretty or pretty ugly? What's the market temp? Cold. Warm. Hot? What types of customers are targets? Mom & Pop? SME's? Fortune 1,000? What do customers need? A better mousetrap? A sharper axe? A faster horse? Put your glasses on, and be sure your vision is 20/20.
Opportunities.
What businesses have the most profit/revenue opportunity? Young. Old. Big. Small? How can I partner with them? Sponsorship. Cross-Promo. Earned Media. PR? What characteristics are needed to attract them? Competency. Creativity. Longevity? Why these companies? Growth? Trouble?
Outcomes.
How do I/we go from being aware of to being legitimate to being a market authority? Where do I/we fall on the brand awareness spectrum? Good. Bad. Indifferent? How do I/we acquire, retain and grow the customer base? Better marketing. Better solutions. Better thinking. Better execution. Better hurry.
Sales Planning.
Lead yourself. First & Foremost.
Planning without action is futile. Action without planning is fatal.
When hunting for new business, I like targeting specific industries. I can learn what they want. I can learn to speak their language. I can tell relevant stories. I can use 3rd party referrals.
For example, I'll target my list of prospects until I get a yes or no, and I like using a customer plan template that's macro and micro.
Target marketing
Territory Management
Drip marketing program
SMART goals
Client & Prospect optimization
Personal development
Message creation
Sales training
Custom proposals & RFP's
Time management
Lead generation
Effective tactics
Sales Motivation.
Wake up. Get up. Dress up. Show up.
"Sales success is 80% attitude and 20% aptitude." Brian Tracy
Keep yourself positive, cheerful, and goal-oriented. That's what Brian Tracy suggests, and he's right on the money (pun intended). It's critical that sales pros stay motivated about goals, work towards them, and reach beyond by doing the little things in a big way.
My motivators have common elements within the profession but may differ in priority.
The challenge
Teamwork
Excellence
Personal growth
Builds confidence
Skill development
Financial rewards
Opportunity to create
Independence
Helping people
Emotional satisfaction
Fulfill potential
Sales Metrics.
What gets measured, gets managed.
Leverage. The ability to do more with less.
Leverage sales insights and focus on essential metrics to improve KPIs like; pipeline management, sales forecasts, and closing ratios.
Sales Cycle
Revenue (new vs existing)
Opportunity Win/Loss
Revenue (product/service)
Actuals vs Plan
Face-to-face meetings
Avg. deal size
Lifetime customer value
Activity sales metrics
Channel partner metrics
Lead generation metrics
Time management
"Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great." John D. Rockefeller