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General Sales
Last Updated: May 5th, 2004 - 14:38:52
(Note: If you missed Gerry’s past teleseminar 10 Ways To Get Through The Gatekeeper And/Or Get Your Calls Returned, you can now get it on cd. For more information visit: http://www.salestrainingcamp.com/products_main_cd_download_gerry.htm)
I am a lucky man. As I write to you today, my partner, Jack Daly and I have just finished two days of great golf on two of the most incredible golf courses in the world in Bandon, Oregon. The weather for early February has been remarkably mild and rain-free and the courses are in impeccable condition!
The thing that has struck me most about the actual golf on this trip is that, although all of the conditions have been outstanding and I am striking the ball very well, I am having some difficulty scoring as well as I would like. Why?
The little things.
There is a popular series of books that have been out a couple of years called "Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff." In both golf as well as sales, I do not believe this philosophy applies. In fact, it is the small stuff the separates the winners from the average players.
So much is taught in sales about the “big parts of the game” such as the cold call, the pitch or presentation, the sales cycle, working a pipeline, overcoming objections, and closing. And yet, with all of this knowledge and training, the majority of salespeople still have difficulty managing the entire process through to the finish line enough of the time.
At the same time, you will find there is a small group of salespeople that focus on the things that most would consider to be the small stuff. What types of things are these? Here are a list of a few of the little things that matter in the profession of sales:
1. They schedule prospecting time every day! They realize that, no matter how hot and heavy everything happens to be in their pipeline today, it is the plowing (prospecting) at the top of the pipeline that opens it up for continued results.
2. They build and consistently use a referral generation process. They know that the best source of new business comes from existing clients and that by leveraging their existing relationships, they actually create a small sales force of their own that “keeps the leads flowing in.” They also realize that they need to 1) Ask for the referrals, 2) Earn the right to Ask, 3) Make it easy to refer, 4) And say “Thank You.”
3. They use target and personal marketing campaigns. They realize that, in business, it is not who you know, but rather who knows you that counts. They create a systemized “touch campaign” that not only reaches out to identified key prospects before they call upon them, but also continues to “whisper in their customer’s ear” regularly. The true pro realizes that value-add relationships develop loyalty from their customer base so they make sure that all of their touches are unique and value-add.
4. They Say Thank You—A Lot! Top producers sometimes go back and revisit the tactics used years ago and “dust them off” for use today. One such tactic is the use of Thank You Notes in the sales process. Too many salespeople rely on brief email notes and voice mail messages to express their gratitude for a sales appointment, a referral, a sale, or anything else. Although Thank You Notes were very common years ago, they are popping back up in the arsenals of those who wish to stand out today! By the way, can you say Thank You too much to your customers?
5. They do what they say they are going to do. Although this seems like a very logical, natural thing for all to follow, the sad truth is that we live in a world where the broken promise is the norm and the “under-whelmed” customer is most common. True sales pros focus on “managing the expectations” of their customers and adding value in the customer’s eyes by OVERPERFORMING on expectations.
On the golf course, it has been my putting game that has held me back on this trip from some great scores. While I hit the ball farther and more consistently sound than my partner Jack, I still find myself going into our final round considerably behind in our competition. (What, do you think that we don’t throw down a few bets? C’mon!) While I am struggling with the little things, Jack has excelled at them. As he has greater confidence in “the scoring zone,” it became my “nervous zone” and thus, where it counts, I have been beaten.
In the marketplace, I suggest that, as sales professionals, we need to make sure that we are focused on ALL of the things that are necessary for our success. The little things are what will separate us from the crowd. The good news is that, with a little work, you will build the confidence in your “scoring zone” to consistently achieve greater sales results. So…Sweat the Small Stuff!
As for me, I am heading to the practice green a little early today.
Copyright © 2004 Professional Sales Coach, Inc.. All rights reserved.
About The Author:
Gerry Layo is one of the nation’s most dynamic and sought after speakers offering world-class keynote addresses, seminars, and workshops throughout North America. Gerry offers his audiences 20 years of street-tested, no-nonsense business experience. Gerry comes from a fresh new perspective on the platform today. Gerry began a sales career 20 years ago in a business-to-business sales capacity. He has since co-founded and ran three companies, building sales organizations that grew into multiple offices throughout the nation. Before partnering in Professional Sales Coach Inc., Gerry was the VP of Sales and Marketing for publicly traded ITEX where he ran sales training efforts for over 75 offices worldwide, dramatically increasing growth and profits.
Contact Information:
Gerry Layo
Professional Sales Coach, Inc.
5842 La Jolla Corona Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037
1-888-298-6868
www.professionalsalescoach.net
gerry@professionalsalescoach.net
© Copyright 2003 by SalesVault.com
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