A Winner’s Attitude

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What does it take to be successful in sales? Certainly effort, hard work, dedication and an excellent understanding of the sales process is important. But it’s more than that.

I recently worked with a group of sales people who, collectively, had an extensive amount of experience and, for the most part, they all boasted a pretty successful career. Even though they expressed some frustration that they didn’t close as many sales as they would like to, or that prospects didn’t always return their calls, they didn’t bitch, moan, whine or complain about it.

It was evident that this group of people possessed a winners attitude. And I believe that this attitude contributes to their success. So, just what is a winner’s attitude?

It is the ability to focus on your long-term goals even though your short-term results are not on track. It means resisting the temptation to blame the economy, competition, or current market conditions when sales are soft. It is accepting the fact that you won’t close every sale. It means learning from every sales interaction to improve your future results.

Ultimately, a winner’s attitude is a state of mind. Are you in the right state of mind?

Have a productive and profitable week.

Focus on What’s Important

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During a simulation in a recent sales training program several participants tried to instill their values on their “customer.” They believed it was important to tell their customer about certain aspects of their offering because, they, the sales person, thought those specific components were important. A subsequent discussion revealed that the majority of people in attendance felt that it was critical that they completely “educate” their customer about their products or services.

However, most customers don’t want or need all the information that you believe is important. What they want is a solution to their specific problem. What is important to you may not be important to your customer.

That’s why is so critical that we take time to really listen to our prospects and customers. In many cases, we can reduce the length of our presentations by focusing ONLY on what our customer/prospect wants. Far too often, we talk about aspects of our product or service that have little or no relevance to their particular situation. But, because we think they should know about those aspects, we tell them.

Remember, it doesn’t matter what is important to us. What really counts is what is important to our customer or prospect.

Quit Arguing

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I find it fascinating how many business owners, managers, and sometimes salespeople argue with their customers.

I recently asked the owner of a newsletter to remove me from their distribution list because I had never asked to be added which meant they were actually spamming me with their “events.” However, instead of simply removing me from her distribution list, this individual sent me an email questioning and challenging my decision.

In another situation, the manager of a local well-known coffee house, questioned me when I returned a coffee that had far too much milk in it. This individual abruptly stated that I should order it with less milk in the future. However, experience has taught me that when I make that request, I get too little milk.

What’s the point of arguing with a customer? To make them feel bad? In the customer service workshops I conduct, we focus on the importance of winning the war, not each individual battle.

I challenge you to examine your particular business. I suspect that there have been situations when you may have argued or disagreed with a customer in order to prove a point. And when this happens you run the risk of losing their business.

Lead With the Positive

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Here is a common sales blunder that can cost you money and you may not even know it.

During a recent conversation with a new prospect my contact mentioned several things that he wanted his sales reps to learn in a workshop. I knew I could help them with five of the seven or eight points but instead of saying that, I pointed out the areas where I couldn’t help. As the words spilled from my mouth, it dawned on me that I was making a fatal mistake.

I reflected on this situation afterwards and realized that it is common to focus on what we CAN’T do instead of what we CAN help a customer achieve. This type of situation happens when we know our product or service has a specific shortcoming. Instead of accentuating the positive, we concentrate on the negative.

I’m certainly not suggesting that you ignore any shortcomings of your product or service. However, you should not bring up those disadvantages early in the conversation. Instead, focus on WHAT or HOW you can help your client or prospect. It’s better to lead with the positive rather than the negative.

Have a productive and profitable week!

Do You Need An Oil Change?

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When was the last time you had an oil change? Figuratively speaking, of course. I have noticed that cars always seem to run better after an oil change.

I believe that all sales professionals and business owners need to change their oil on a regular basis. We often run full-tilt for months on end, and eventually, we’re going to run out of steam. This means we need to find a way to recharge our batteries and get re-energized.

This can mean getting together with friends, participating in some form of sport or physical activity, or simply kicking back and taking a few days to read a great book. It can also include attending a personal development workshop or conference of some nature. I believe that combination of all of these is important.

You wouldn’t expect your car to run efficiently if you didn’t change its oil every five-to-eight thousand kilometers (three-to-five thousand miles). As a busy sales professional or business person, it is essential that you change your oil too. It will increase your productivity and make you more efficient.

Cheers!
Kelley

Change Is Painful

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I recently started working with a trainer to help me get into better shape. And I have to admit that it’s painful. However, I know from experience that this initial pain will eventually disappear as my body gets used to the physical exertion.

It’s no different when you first implement a new concept or strategy into your routine.
Let’s face it. Most people become slaves to routine and changes to that routine take time to get accustomed to. One of the most common reasons people don’t improve is that they don’t work through the initial pain of incorporating that new technique into their daily routine. They attempt to use the new technique once or twice, and because they don’t get immediate results, they revert back to their normal routine.

Imagine telling a trainer that you would like lose fifteen pounds or increase your muscle mass by twenty percent in just one or two workouts. They would laugh you out of the gym. Yet, many people in sales expect similar results.

The key is to make small changes and stick with them until you become comfortable with them—in most situations, it happens within a week or two.

Change can be painful but it doesn’t have to be debilitating.

Last Impressions Count

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It’s interesting how one little incident can tarnish a customer’s experience with your company.
My wife and I recently celebrated our 28th anniversary by spending the weekend at a hotel. Our experience from check-in to check-out was very positive. The hotel was clean and the beds were comfortable. And the staff were friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, before we left the property, we encountered one last employee who didn’t leave a positive impression. Here’s what happened.

I called the valet service to retrieve my car and was greeted with an unintelligible response. The following conversation ensued.

“Hi, I’d like to have my car brought to the front, please.”
“What’s your ticket number?”
“12345”
“What’s the location?”
“61”

Click.

No good morning. No thank-you. No explanation telling me how it would take to retrieve my car. Nothing! Just a dial tone.

Even the housekeeping staff was more friendly than this person which caused me to think about the impact on the overall impression people would have of this hotel after dealing with this individual. While we can’t control the behaviour of everyone who works in our company, it is critical to recognize that even the slightest negativity from one person can adversely affect your business.

What are you doing to prevent this?

Have a productive and profitable week!