One of the most frequent areas that I get asked to consult on is sales team ‘performance’, or lack thereof…

In many sales teams what I observe is a small percentage of sales stars shining and the rest making up the numbers. This conundrum I call ‘The Law of Lesser Equals’. This law propounds: All men and women are created equal, yet when compared in competitive environments some underperform, not just marginally, but resoundingly. Many team members have the same training, similar backgrounds and experience, but some get the results, while others struggle. Is that a result of luck, experience or natural talent, or is there a more substantial explanation?

A few months ago, I coached a team of 12 experienced medial liaison offers. This group consisted of a mixed bag of personalities: outspoken directors, reserved thinking types, socialisers and relaters. As I facilitated the session, I observed the behaviours and engagement levels of each participant and it soon became evident who would get the most out of the sales training content. By the morning break, even without viewing individual sales performance records, I could tell who the top sales performers were and why. How?

(more…)

Sharpen your focus and target small groups of people you are confident you can contribute to most.

Your existing (best) customers will provide the clarity you need to establish this.  Less is more, work in a narrow pipe and leverage each call by communicating with benefits, specialised knowledge and commonality ― this helps build rapport and develops foundations of trust.

Cold-calling is as much about process, support and leverage as it is about dealing with rejection and maintaining enthusiasm. You have to work to a structured plan and initiative contact as you would a warm referral, i.e. I know who you and your competitors are ― and the reason for my call is to help you, just like I have helped others in your space.

(more…)

Your reason for contact, either cold-call or warm referral, must be of substance and not just another random-act-of-selling.

I also encourage people to take the time (prior to making initial contact) to understand who your calling and how you can contribute to them most, and make that the sole reason for your call.

I encourage people to cold-call by coming from a place of ‘contribution’ first; I call this approach ‘buying-in’. In highly resistant sales executions, like cold-calling, you have to buy-in before you can successfully sell-in because the mass of cold-callers that have gone before you, have trained your customers to ignore you.

(more…)