Sales Blog from Sales expert Trent Leyshan

Archive for the ‘Sales Team’ Category

Do you have to like your customers?

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

LipsThe short answer is, no. However, my experience suggests the better you get along with your customers, the more meaningful the relationship becomes. 

One this is for sure, if you dont like your customers, you must at the very least share a likeness with them. And the best form of likeness is: their best interests.

“I dont really like you, but I still really care about you.”

Is a powerful mantra I embed into service based businesses.  Even if you don’t like some of your customers’ ― you still better service the pants off them, and enjoy doing so. Is that ‘idealistic,’ you bet! But in today’s hyper-competitive market, anything less is settling for mediocrity and we all know how that story ends.

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Is your sales team in Fabricated Harmony or Genuine Conflict?

Friday, December 4th, 2009

When you get a bunch of ‘Type A’ personalities together who are driven and outcome focused, two types of team states commonly form: ‘Fabricated Harmony’ or ‘Genuine Conflict’.

‘Genuine Conflict’ is when team members don’t get along but willingly live with their differences in exchange for a pay packet. There are no team values or value in the team. Sometimes team members align but it’s usually short lived as the competitive forces and jostling for rewards and recognition takes priority. Attrition is high, but players’ dont seem to mind, as it means one less internal competitor and is part of the game. Managers reward sales success above all else, even at the detriment of other team members and even some clients.

‘Fabricated Harmony’ is when team members’ dont like each-other but pretend they do to avoid conflict. In this type of environment team members seldom engage in meaningful conversations; are afraid to show real emotions; rarely challenge the opinions of stronger personalities, preferring to see how the penny drops and not be accountable when something goes wrong. Team values are stated, but not clearly communicated and demonstrated. When business is good, the values are forgotten. When times are less prosperous the values magically appear as leverage to dismiss poor performers.

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