Sales Training Blog | Colleen Stanley

“My sales team is getting price shopped. The only way we get the business is to give a discount. Margins are eroding.” All of these statements are pains expressed in good times and bad. The current recession has added pressure to these pain points, testing even the most seasoned sales professional.

So how do you get beyond the price game? First, quit blaming external factors. Jim Collins, author of “How the Mighty Fall,” identified that companies in Stage 3 of failure blame other people or external factors rather than confront the frightening reality that the organization might be in serious trouble due to their own denial. The reality is your sales team might be the problem, not the economy. Here are three areas to examine, confront and change:

1. The Sales Activity Plan
This is all the activity that leads to an appointment. Many organizations make the mistake of measuring appointments, not activity, and end up working on a lagging indicator which often leads to empty sales pipelines. Put a number to each specific sales activity so your team knows if they are winning or losing; i.e. 4 networking events per month, 6 influence meetings, 5 introductions given for referral partners and clients. Empty pipelines always lead to desperation and discounting. The more robust the sales pipeline, the easier it is to execute good selling and negotiation skills. Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington shares what his Dad once told him, “Do the work so you can do the work you want.” Sales professionals still winning business at full margin have consistently done the work for years.

2. Does your organization deserve the business?
When is the last time you have done business with your company? I heard Diane LaSalle, author of ‘Priceless’, speak two years ago. She shared the case study of a spa that engaged her firm to help improve new and repeat business. Diane’s firm set out to determine if the spa deserved the business and documented every step of the customer experience with the spa. The first disconnect they noted was the difficulty in finding the spa. The sign was hidden and her team drove by it six times. (What do you think the frustration level is for the typical customer trying to get to their appointment on time?) The second disconnect came when checking in for their luxury appointment. The counters were extremely high, requiring most women to get on their tip toes to even make eye contact with the receptionist. Getting the picture? At your next sales meeting, run through a detailed discussion of each step of your sales process and rate the client experience on a scale of 1 – 10. Confront the reality. Would you do business with your organization at full price?

3. Your Teams' Ability to Persuade, Influence and Negotiate
Many sales managers make the mistake of focusing their time and energy on training sales skills. Then the salesperson gets in front of a professionally trained negotiator and buckles like a paper cup. The reason is not lack of knowledge. The reason is the salesperson’s mindset.

My first negotiation workshop was over 15 years ago. The number one thing I took away from the instructor was: “If you can’t walk, you can’t talk.” (By the way, it’s easier to walk with a full sales pipeline.) The instructor’s point was that you must be mentally ready for negotiations before any skill training has meaning. Mindset means checking into your sales team’s value of themselves or your services. You can’t give away something you don’t have. If a salesperson doesn’t feel they are of value, why should the prospect?

Once the proper mindset is in place, focus on skill training. Salespeople have a bad habit of trying to convince the prospect of the value of solving the problem. Stop! Put the responsibility of solving the problem on the prospect. People believe their own data and a good salesperson facilitates that type of sales conversation. “What value is the organization putting on solving this issue? Is solving this issue in the top five priorities for the company? What happens if we are having this same conversation in a year?

Take a hard look at the sales activity plan. Ask the tough question: do we really deserve the business? Get the right mindset and skill set to sell beyond price.

Examine and confront the reality. Is it the economy or your sales team?


Good Selling!

Colleen Stanley
CSO – Chief Selling Officer

PS. Pick up Jim Collin’s new book. It’s a good read.

Labels: "Sales Success" "price shopping" "price objections" "sales activity" "how to succeed in sales" "sales training" "sales training programs", sales

The pundits and economists are predicting we are near the bottom of one of the deepest recessions since the depression. One good thing about the bottom is that there is only one other direction: up. How well positioned are you and your sales team for taking advantage of the recovery? Some economists are predicting that it could take four to five years before we are ‘back to where we were.’ What does that mean to sales managers and sales teams? It means upgrading the sales team, getting creative and taking exceptional care of customers.

#1: Check Your Sales Bus:

The much quoted phrase from Jim Collins, author of ‘Good to Great,’ still holds true. “Get the right people on the bus in the right seats.” Getting the right salespeople on the team means looking at two emotional intelligence skills necessary for success in tough, competitive environments.

Flexibility is defined as the ability to adapt to unfamiliar, unpredictable and dynamic circumstances. (Does any of this sound like the last nine months?)

The internet, global economy and Sales 2.0 have created buying environments that are fast-paced and ever changing. Alvin Toffler says it best: “The illiterate of the future are not those who can’t read or write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” How adaptable is your sales team? How good is your sales manager at spotting new trends in the industry and quickly adapting strategy and tactics? The salesperson of the future must be flexible and have the ability to change course.

Impulse Control is defined as the ability to delay an impulse, drive or temptation to act.

Salespeople scoring low in this area often exhibit high levels of frustration. This is a problem in business environments where buyers have been burned, are cautious, and taking longer to make decisions. The easily frustrated salesperson may not invest the appropriate time in building relationships and trust. Low impulse control shows up in prospecting as well. If there is no immediate pay-off, the easily frustrated salesperson quits doing the activity and blames lack of results on the marketing department.

#2: Innovate and Renovate:

Sales teams poised to capture the recovery are done mourning the good ‘ole days. They are creating the new days by figuring out creative ways to close business. The Denver Post recently ran an article on a group of innovative realtors. These realtors changed up the old concept of an open house. One realtor partnered with an art gallery to create a gallery in one of his listings. Another held a charity event at one of her listings. Still another threw a tailgate party at one of his properties. They all used innovative ways to drive traffic to their listing.

Take time to study other industries. Brick and mortar companies can learn a lot from the e-commerce stores in the way of innovation. Zappo’s, an online shoe store, is a brilliant example of innovation. They advertise where they have a ‘captured’ audience: the security line at the airport. There is a Zappo’s advertisement at the bottom of the gray tub where you deposit shoes that are killing your feet after a long day of business. Then you go to the website and find that they address the two biggest e-commerce objections by stating: Free shipping both ways and returns 365 days a year.

Where is a new place that you could place your marketing message? What is the unspoken objection in your business and how are you eliminating it? It’s time to innovate and renovate.

#3: Send a love note to your clients: (okay, a thank you or appreciation note)

There is a great article in the May issue of Selling Power where they interview the CEO of the New Jersey Nets, Brett Yormack. He has taken an under performing franchise and turned it into one of the few that have sold 2,000 full season sponsorships three years in a row. Innovation is one of the reasons as well as exceptional care of the client. On Fan Appreciation Night, the New Jersey turnpike tolls at the stadium exit were paid for by the team for one hour. A nice way of saying thanks to the fans.

I recently experienced the extra mile with a store, The Pine Creek Clothing Company. I made a small purchase, a sweater, which was placed in a lovely canvas bag. The friendly clerk then handed me a water bottle noticing it was a hot day outside. One week later a handwritten note (yes, handwritten) arrived thanking me for my business. I have spent thousands of dollars on vehicles, sound equipment and other stuff with no note acknowledging the exchange of cash. Guess who is getting my repeat business?

Go green and capture the recovery with top salespeople, innovation and client care.


Good Selling,

Colleen Stanley
Chief Selling Officer

Labels: "client appreciation", "economic recovery", "emotional intelligence", "sales success", flexibility, leadership, sales