Archives for April 2019

You can save time in sales by getting two decision makers in the room at the same time. That is much more efficient than seeing them one at a time. But it is not always the most effective way to handle a sales call. Suppose the two decision makers, both senior VP’s, are being considered for the position of CEO and you get them in a room to discuss your project which is a new software installation. Do you think either one of them will want to open up and tell you all the problems they are having with their rival sitting there listening to every word? I think not. What if I added the HR VP to the mix? In that case it is even less likely for them to open up. You are more likely to get posturing and platitudes than any true expression of the pain they might be in. I had it happen to me. The CEO was willing to move ahead with any training that either one of the VP’s felt they needed. He then called them both into his office together and asked them what they thought the biggest problem with their teams was. One of the VP’s asked if I could meet him privately and the other stated he had no problems that he could think of. The CEO then proceeded to say, “I’ll tell you what the problems are …” and listed several things the VP and his team were not doing. That VP pushed back and got into an argument with his CEO. He was so embarrassed he never wanted to see me again. That’s when the other VP asked to see me privately and he signed up for me to train him and his team. I learned my lesson and never let myself get in that position again.

You can transmit information by email. You can answer a quick question which does not require a complicated answer by email. And you can even submit a proposal by email. But you can’t find pain by email. One of the primary reasons is that people are reluctant to admit to emotional issues in writing unless it is in a diary and most of those are not meant to be seen by anyone. Another reason email pain finding does not work is that you cannot read the tonality and the body language of the prospect in an email. You cannot see how the prospect reacts to tough questions in an email and you cannot be sure that the answer you get by return email was crafted by the author and not by a colleague they conferred with. You are limited by how much you can say (that the prospect will read) in an email and you cannot insert your own tonality into the words to either soften the delivery of a tough question or to imply assuredness or any other modifier to the words you transmit. There are many other reasons but those mentioned herein should be enough to get you to pick up the phone and call the prospect.

Thoughts you have reflect your beliefs. And Beliefs you have affect your success on sales calls. If you are thinking that “this sales call is not going to go well”, then, it probably won’t go well. The question I would ask is “why do you think the sales call will not go well”. Too many sales managers attack the wrong end of the problem when debriefing a sales call. They focus on what was said and not said and on what was done and not done on the call. What the sales manager should do is focus on the thought process of the salesperson which will uncover what the self-limiting belief of the salesperson was at the time of the call. Once the belief is corrected the right words will get said with the appropriate tonality. And the right actions will take place on the sales call. Salespeople who want to accelerate their growth should analyze their thought processes after the call for the very same reason. If you get your beliefs in line the words will take care of themselves.

If you are not having fun on your sales calls you are not being as effective as you could be. Yes, you need to follow the sales process. And yes, you need to ask questions and gain commitments. But let your natural personality come out. Don’t be such a slave to the process that you can’t laugh and joke with the prospect at the appropriate times. A sales call is nothing more than a directed discussion with another human being. If you put too much pressure on yourself you won’t have any fun and you won’t be as effective as you could be. This is a short paragraph because the message is simple – Have Fun and you will make more money.