Fernando

Sales Training and Consultation

Don’t Be a One-Trick Pony

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Growing up in Louisville as a 10 year old boy in 1959, I discovered a device called a crystal rocket radio, named ‘rocket’ because of its shape. As a Kentucky boy I was naturally drawn to basketball, and began an interest in the UK Wildcats. I began to check the sports section of the Courier-Journal regularly to see if the ‘Cats won.

When I learned how the crystal radio worked, and that I would be able to listen to WHAS AM 840 and hear Cawood Ledford call the games, I HAD to have one. It took me a while to cobble together the $1.69 from doing chores at home and “picking up sticks” in my grandpa’s back yard to be able to buy one. When I got up the money, I walked to Lintner’s drug store, about a mile from my house, and made my purchase.

The radio had three components; a metal clip, one earpiece, and the rocket body with the plunger on top. I don’t know how it worked, but when I attached the clip to anything metal (lamp over my bed), and stuck the earpiece in my ear, while slowly moving the plunger, I could pick up radio stations. I fiddled with the plunger until AM 840 came through loud and clear. Once I heard his voice it felt like I was court side in Lexington nearly 100 miles away.

As I listened to game after game over the next several seasons I found myself paying the most attention to the names I heard Cawood call out most often. Naturally these were the top scorers each season; Vernon Hatton, Bill Lickert, Cotton Nash, Larry Purciful, Charles Ishmael, Larry Conley. That’s when I decided I wanted to play basketball for my school. I began to practice regularly at a grade school basketball court very near my house. Whether alone or with a couple of like-minded buddies I would shoot baskets for hours, over days, weeks, and months on end. I became proficient shooting the ball, from the top of the key, out on the wing and from the corner.

When freshman basketball team tryouts came around in the fall of 1963 I was excited… initially. I quickly discovered that being able to shoot the ball well was only one component of a well-rounded player. By spending all my time practicing shooting, I neglected to master dribbling, passing, picking, rebounding, and playing defense. I was abruptly cut from the team by Coach Cooksey at the end of the second day of tryouts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then and Now

60 Years Later

Why have I blabbered so much about this long ago personal failure? Very simply, I was a one-trick pony on the basketball court like you may be on the sales court. It’s not good enough to be a “good talker” who is able to sit down with prospects and present products and services. In order for you to make a really good living in this profession don’t overlook your need to be good in all key categories of selling.

My book, containing 116 different selling-related topics (none longer than 3 pages), could be a big help to your career. It’s titled Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word  and can be ordered with FREE SHIPPING right here. Prospecting is explained in Chapter 3 and maintaining a great attitude in Chapter 1. Questioning, listening and uncovering pain points are found in Chapter 4. Chapter 6 focuses on handling customer concerns and objections. Chapter 8 teaches how to expand your business among your existing customer base, including networking. Closing sales calls and gaining new customers through solid follow-up, is detailed in Chapter 7. Altogether, there are 274 pages of relevant strategies!

Hall of Fame basketball great Rick Barry has a great quote. “You must be great at a few things and good at all the rest” to make it to the top. Salespeople, begin that journey today if you haven’t already!

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Three Words That Can Save Your Life

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Doug’s note: Today’s post comes from an interesting book, An Embarrassment of Riches, by Alex Green. Although it is primarily a book on great investing ideas, it contains some of the secrets to a life well-lived. Here is one of them…

Talk about a model prisoner… In 1985, Fleet Maull began serving a 14-year sentence for drug trafficking. During his incarceration, he completed a PhD in psychology, authored a well-received book, became an ordained priest, founded a prison hospice program, and launched the Prison Dharma Network, a non-profit organization that supports prisoner rehabilitation through contemplative spirituality.

Today, Maull works as a peace activist and personal effectiveness coach, lecturing at leading universities, in corporate boardrooms, in high-risk areas like Rwanda and the Middle East, and in what he calls “the forgotten world” inside our jails and prisons.

Maull has plenty of wisdom and experience to share. But he sums up his core message in a single phrase: Radical Responsibility… Maull believes we create everything that’s happening in our lives, good and bad. It’s only when we accept complete responsibility that we take the giant step from childhood to adulthood. Self-responsibility is the key to personal effectiveness in every sphere of life. Yet many choose to embrace the psychology of helplessness and victim hood, preferring to explain all their struggles in terms of the actions of others.

Like you, I meet many middle-aged men and women who are still grumbling and complaining about earlier unhappy experiences, who are still blaming their problems on other people or “the breaks.” They’re angry with their parents, fuming at an old boss, or still simmering over their ex-spouse. They’re trapped in the past and can’t get free. Yet the great enemy of success and happiness is negative emotions. Fear, self-pity, envy, jealousy, and anger hold us back, tie us down, and suck the joy out of life.

Studies show that there are four root causes of these emotions. Once identified, one can begin to banish them:

  • Justification. You can be negative only as long as you convince yourself that you are entitled to be angry. Unhappy individuals will always be found explaining and elaborating on the profound unfairness of their situation.
  • Rationalization. Rationalization is self-deception, an attempt to create a plausible explanation for a socially unacceptable act. (As in, “If I turn this in six weeks late, no one will care anyway.”)
  • Blaming. There is no quality more closely associated with unhappiness than the habit of blaming others for our difficulties.
  • Poor self-esteem. Low self-esteem is generally characterized by a hypersensitivity to the opinions of others. No one wants to lose the respect of others, but conscientious people don’t need to fret about what other people think.

Management consultant Brian Tracy points out that there’s a simple antidote to these factors that create negative emotions. You need only say three words: I am responsible.

————Recommended Link————

I received a very special handwritten Thank You note from a client recently. In part it read; “Doug, thanks for taking time from your retirement to help make us better.” Look here to see what Doug did that caused him to be so thankful.  

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Whether your problem is joblessness, addiction, overspending, obesity, or a damaged personal relationship, you move closer to a solution the moment you say, “I am responsible.”

It’s impossible to say these words and still feel angry. The very act of taking responsibility short-circuits and cancels out negative emotions.

As Tracy says, “Every time you blame someone else or make excuses, you give your power away. You feel weakened and diminished… Without the acceptance of complete personal responsibility, no progress is possible. On the other hand, once you accept total responsibility for your life, there are no limits to what you can be, do, and have.”

Yet many would rather train for the Boston Marathon in three feet of snow than say these words. Why?

Psychologists say human beings have a natural propensity to accumulate pride and shun regret. Whether we recognize it or not, we tend to take responsibility for the positive developments in our lives and attribute unfavorable developments to others or circumstances.

This is not to say there aren’t times when our lives are significantly influenced by outside forces. Maybe you’re a great worker who lost her job due to a corporate downsizing or the poor economy. Maybe your parents really were poor role models. But victims don’t create change. It’s only when you choose to focus on what you can do and how you should act that you gain power.

Businesses and other organizations today are looking for people who are willing and able to think, who are self-directing and self-managing, who respond to problems proactively rather than merely waiting for someone else’s solutions.

A study done in New York a few years ago found that people who ranked in the top 3% in every field had a special attitude that set them apart from average performers in their industries. It was this: They chose to view themselves as self-employed throughout their careers, no matter who signed their paychecks.

These are people who set goals, make plans, establish measures, and get results.

Radical responsibility changes everything. It means you own your thoughts, impulses, feelings, and actions. You are accountable for the consequences they bring and the impact they have on others. This is not a burden, incidentally. It’s a privilege and an honor to take ownership of your actions. It creates freedom and control. It gives meaning to life. Self-reliance is the great source of personal power. We create ourselves, shape our identity, and determine the course of our lives by what we are willing to take responsibility for.

Want to change your life and begin to solve your problems, starting today? Say 3 simple words:

I AM RESPONSIBLE

 

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

In the Beginning…

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From time to time I’m asked about how I got into the sales profession. In this post I’ll take you back to the beginning of this journey. It originated on a hot July day in 1960 when, as a fifth grader, my mother handed me a brochure. It had arrived in the mail from a greeting card company. Its purpose was to entice me to sell their Christmas cards. In turn I could earn various prizes from their catalog. I didn’t know why it came addressed to me, but I flipped it open and looked inside.

Photo credit-pinterest.com

As my eyes scanned the colorful pages of the brochure, there it was. Green with gold pin stripes and a three-speed shift on the handlebars. It was the English racer bicycle I often thought about, but knew was more expensive than Dad could afford. But the catalog stated it could be mine for selling only 35 boxes of their Christmas cards…to somebody. I didn’t know anything about selling, but my desire for that shiny bike overshadowed my fear of knocking on doors and showing those cards to as many people as it took for 35 of them to say yes.

When I showed the picture and shared my goal with Mom, she surprised me. She said, “If you really want that bike badly enough, I believe you can do this.” When my Dad got home from the factory and heard my scheme, he was less optimistic. However, he told me he wouldn’t stand in my way if I chose to try. In the same breath, he gave me a warning. I had to do it all on my own and shouldn’t ask him or Mom to help.

Over the next six weeks, I knocked on most of the over 400 doors in my modest subdivision. These were tract homes in suburban Louisville where we lived. I quickly found that discussing Christmas cards in July was a real oxymoron. Additionally, those cards were not the dime store variety, but very nice, maybe even a bit pricey for my neighborhood. But each time I began to get wimpy, I reminded myself to keep my eyes on the prize.

I won’t dwell here on some of the colorful things I heard through screen doors during that hot summer, but I think what is important to share was the exhilaration I experienced returning from school one late October afternoon. My mom pointed to a large cardboard carton with my name on it that arrived by delivery truck earlier that day. Glancing at that narrow cardboard box, my excitement exploded when it hit me what was inside. As the green fenders appeared from the shipping crate, the fruits of my labors were realized!

At that moment, the dozens of people who either said no, no thank you, you’ve got to be kidding, or simply just didn’t answer their door, although I could hear their radios and televisions through open windows; faded from my memory. The ones I remembered were those 35 who became customers by saying ‘yes’ to my rudimentary sales pitch.

Fast forward seven years, I graduated high school, having been awarded the senior superlative designation of Best Personality from the Class of ’67’. That fall I became the first one on either side of my family to enter college. Three years later I was also the first one to drop out of college. At the time it wasn’t a good fit for me, and I didn’t see the career payoff of a college degree. But during those years I often heard friends and fellow employees say, “You would do well in sales.” For the first time I began to think seriously about giving that a try.

After a break for military service in the Army Reserve I was offered my first job as a sales rep. I became convinced that I could make a better living than on a traditional job. I visualized a level of freedom my college educated friends who worked in office building cubicles didn’t have. On the flip side, my wife and other family members were less than excited, and frankly embarrassed over my new found career.

Photo source-Doug’s website

Since then, 45 years have elapsed, and during that time I’ve sold personally, both as a captive employee and on a self-employed basis in several different industries. I have been a sales manager for multi-state sales teams, a successful corporate sales trainer in a training center environment, and a sales coach for several hundred reps in a blue collar services industry. Today I’m semi-retired and own and operate a sales coaching practice.

During my working life I won’t brag that I was #1 in every position I held, because I wasn’t. I will state that I consistently resided in the top 20%. In the process I discovered there is no such thing as a natural born salesperson. Frankly selling, like anything else, can be learned. God has given everyone the free will to attempt and accomplish virtually anything they desire. They must possess the willingness to obtain the required training and exercise the necessary work ethic to pursue their dreams.

By performing this necessary function in society, I also discovered that I was right in my thinking that I would be able to earn an above-average income while maintaining my integrity. I realized that selling is something you do for and with someone, rather than something you do to someone. I was careful to weave those components throughout the book I wrote and published in 2012, entitled Sell is Not a Four Letter Word.

————Recommended Link————

There are 7 super-short videos located here where Juliana, Keith, Shawn, Jeff, Paul, Tony, and Michael share something they learned from Doug and his publications that helped them increase their sales and income. They would like for you to take a look and see what they are excited about.

                                                                                                                                                                               

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Provide Solutions Not Just Price Quotes

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Paul Tomlinson (pictured below), a friend of mine shared the following true story. Paul, who lives in Rush Limbaugh’s part of Missouri, is Regional Manager for a multi-state consumer services franchise. The following experience he shared with me is important for you to hear. I am recounting the event as Paul told it.

I went to a local battery shop in search of some hard to find power cells. As I waited for the items I needed, an older man came in carrying a white plastic bag. He sat the bag on the counter and pulled out a Black & Decker® 18 volt battery, and held it up in front of one of the clerks. The old man asked if the shop carried such a thing and the clerk told him that they didn’t stock that battery, but that they could rebuild that one for him.

The old man replied, “Well how much would that be?”

“That battery would cost $58 to rebuild,” the clerk said. The man immediately grabbed the battery, stuck it back inside the bag and said, “I can buy two of those at Wal-Mart for that price!”

Almost apologizing, the clerk tried to provide an explanation as the man headed toward the door. All he got out of his mouth was, “I totally understand, but with those new ones you will only get half the battery power.” The old man didn’t even acknowledge much less stop to listen.

As I sat there on the stool seeing this unfold, it really sparked my interest. I watched as a $58 sale simply walked out the door. Now I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know anything about batteries, so to me one is just like another. For the clerk to tell this guy that it would cost him $58 to get a “used” battery rebuilt, when he could buy two new ones down the street for that same amount of money, raised my curiosity. Either there was something different, maybe even special, about that particular battery, or the clerk was just responding with a sour-grape, cheap shot to the old man’s backside on his way out of the shop.

So, being an inquiring mind, I decided to ask the clerk to tell me what he meant by saying that the old fellow would only get half the battery power from new ones at Wal-Mart?

Over the next couple minutes I discovered that this guy was extremely sharp, at least in battery-land. He sounded to me like he knew everything there was to know about them. I heard all kinds of technical terms during his explanation that just blew me away. I learned a lot about batteries that day and after hearing his explanation, it made perfect sense.

To sum it up, batteries off the shelf have 1300-1800 milliamps, while rebuilt batteries have 3000 milliamps. As the clerk explained it, the more milliamps, the longer the charge lasts. That means the rebuilt ones provide about double the run time!

In addition, rebuilt batteries are designed to withstand the “memory” that a NiCad battery develops over time. Boiling it down to the lowest common denominator, the rebuilt battery will last much, much longer. In fact he said they guarantee the battery for 1 full year! If it doesn’t hold a charge, they will rebuild it again for free. It didn’t take me long to do the math and sell myself on the rebuilt version. But as I sat listening to this clerk, I kept thinking about the old fellow who walked out the door without hearing the whole story and all these relevant benefits.

What I saw was $58 that just up and left the shop, basically because the clerk gave the price prematurely. He obviously knew his stuff about batteries. However he didn’t verbalize the features and benefits of the product he was selling before stating the price. Blurting out the price before the explanation was almost like apologizing for the cost of the rebuilt version. Then again the value registered with me primarily because I listened to the story.

Immediately I had a flashback to the sales team I am responsible for. I told myself that they are all professionals and would NEVER do anything like that…or would they? It sure gave me something to think about.

Photo credit-unsplash.com

Then it dawned on me that I’ve done it myself. The old, “they won’t be able to afford this” or “nobody will ever buy something that expensive,” echoed through my mind. It reminded me that our job is to help the customer buy, when there is a need, regardless of our price. That day I recommitted to coach our team to present solutions to problems rather than just price services without the value. Shame on us!

————Help Can Be On The Way————

By the way, Doug’s book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word addresses 116 topics like this one just discussed in this post. Check it out here. (HINT-FREE SHIPPING)

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 ©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Don’t Fall for Stalls

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Whether it comes at you as, “We need to think about it,” or “We’ve got to sleep on this,” or “This is something we need to noodle over;” it’s still a flippin’ stall.

Salespeople wilt when hearing this because the only thing they can think of is, “Well OK, here’s my card. When you sort this out and are ready to go, give me a call.” That’s weak as water! You’ve got to be bold or your pending pile of proposals will be taller than your kids.

Most often when you receive TAI’s they come at the end of your presentation, after hearing your price. Assuming you’ve just heard this, here’s my suggestion in order to really gauge what their TAI response means. As soon as this comes out of their mouth, come back with this:

“Hey, I get it. This is an important decision and your home is your most expensive investment. While we’ve been talking my phone has been blowing up, (Stand up and move toward the door) so I’ll tell you what. I’m going to slip outside and return a couple of these calls, which will give you a few minutes to sort everything out, and then I’ll come back in and answer any questions and hear your decision, fair enough?”

If they don’t stop you on your way out, a few minutes is all they need. Maybe they need to talk privately about whether to take money out of saving or finance. Maybe they want to ensure both of them are on the same page about your offering. Regardless, people don’t particularly want be discuss private matters like these with you sitting at their table staring at them as if you were watching a tennis match.

Photo credit-offspring.lefehacker.com

On the other hand, if they stop you when you grab the doorknob and say something like, “Hey Sparky, that’s not what I meant when I told you we needed to TAI. We are going to need longer than a few minutes.” When you hear that simply turn around and fall on your sword, apologizing for misunderstanding, and return to the table. Ask them about how long they will need in order to finalize their decision. Regardless whether they say two days or a week, simply respond by requesting another meeting on that day ‘to answer any final questions they might have and listen to their decision.’ That will put you in front of them again, so if they agree to let you come back, odds are you will win the sale on that day.

When you begin using this strategy you will be surprised how many homeowners will make their decision following your intermission. Of course, there will be other times when you face protracted stalls. For details on strategies to use in these instances, you can read my thoughts from previous articles I’ve written over the past six years here and here. There is also a two-part article I penned that can be found here and here.

————Nice Work, Doug————

Doug, I am thankful for your influence and sharing. I really enjoyed your online coaching format, and loved how you kept all engaged. It appeared they all had done their homework.  Ed Donoghue, Orkin Director of Sales

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

I Took My Garage Back, Thanks to ORKIN!

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My attached 2-car garage stayed super-hot in the summer and really cold in the winter.

Then, ORKIN home environment specialist Cody Evers came to my house and evaluated the situation. This company is not your father’s ORKIN. They don’t just kill bugs & termites anymore. Talk to Cody and see! 229-231-0976.

He recommended a radiant heat barrier for the inside of my garage door. (That is a layer of reinforced aluminum that reflects heat radiation and reduces heat transfer.) Service specialists Andrew and Caleb came and professionally installed the radiant barrier on the interior of the garage door. They were on time, respectful, and left my property spotless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEFORE – June 4 – 112⁰

AFTER – July 11 – 89⁰

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23⁰ Difference, a 20% Reduction in Temperature

I can’t wait to see how much warmer my garage is this winter!

And NO, I didn’t receive any compensation for this testimonial, I’m just a happy homeowner!              Doug Robinson, Albany, GA.

Toxic Prospecting Questions

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Photo credit-yelp.com

It’s July and every blue collar services professional salesperson and technician is as busy as a one-arm wallpaper hanger! This is also the season when the neighbors of your customers may just have the same problems and issues as your customers. This means they may be more receptive to a door knock and a short introduction than at any other time of the year.

Therefore my suggestion is to invest an extra ten minutes at the conclusion of every sales call and attempt to make contact with the neighbors on the left and right of where you are. Then go across the street and repeat with both of those neighbors.  If you happen to have additional time while in the field, why not canvass the entire street?

In this post I don’t want to put words in your mouth on what to say, because that’s not sanitary; but my focus today is on what NOT to say. Many questions salespeople ask are inane and turn potential customers off. Specifically, quit asking the following five questions, (followed by my comments).

1. Have you ever thought about buying a ________________ service? No! Assume interest and just quickly give them reasons to listen. For example, if you are selling pest services; “With all the bugs in our area I’m sure you have a pest control service. Who did you go with this year?” This is a helpful way to start a conversation, and will provide you needed information for what to say next.

2. If I could help you save money on _______________, would you be interested in talking to me? It’s your job to create interest. You’re already there, so assume interest. Instead say something like, “I’m sure you are like most people and are always looking for ways to save money on services…”

3. Have you heard of my company? What’s the value of asking this? If they have positive or negative feeling or impressions about your company they will chirp and let you know. Skip this and quickly deliver your message before you wear out your welcome.

4. Have you seen our trucks in the neighborhood? How does that add value to your approach? If you feel compelled to include this in the conversation, change it to, “I’m sure you’ve seen our trucks around…,” and tie this into something that adds value to what you’re selling.

5. Is this something you’re interested in? This is the annoying, worn out question often asked after salespeople deliver their message. Stop it! Your job is to generate interest, so do it and close the sale. Be positive and finish with something like, “Your approval right here on this service order will ensure your startup on Monday when our install crew is scheduled to be in this neighborhood.” Their response to that assumptive closing statement will tell you whether they’re interested!

Photo credit-yelp.com

An activity like this will definitely help you pick up some additional sales and increase your footprint in your territory. As you press the flesh and chat ‘em up remember that people buy from people they like and trust. Additionally it’s important to be conversational and consultative, rather than “salesy,” as you interact with residents.

Regardless how you feel about this activity, once you succeed in selling one or two, your outlook and attitude about this endeavor will definitely spike!

——–Do You Receive Selling Point?——–

“Great Article Doug! – I always look forward to your insights for growth and improvement. ” Ron Ayotte, Sr. Account Manager, Invision Technologies, LLC. If weekly articles like this would be helpful in your business, subscribe FOR FREE to Doug’s Selling Point newsletter.

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 ©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Serve or Suffer

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Serve or suffer is my word of caution to all businesses that provide customer service. When service is poor or nonexistent it’s doesn’t end well. Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott cites three examples of companies that didn’t listen to their customers and ended up paying the ultimate price.

Ignoring customer service

Prior to US Airways being purchased by America West in 2005, the airline slashed its customer service budget, and outsourced most of those functions. This resulted in the company failing to address many complaints and mishandling others. This angered customers to the point that no amount of cost-cutting could make up for the fact that passengers just didn’t want to do business with them any longer, eventually forcing the airline to file bankruptcy.

Believing customers are wrong

W.T. Grant was an American retail institution for 70 years until 1976 when the company filed for bankruptcy. During the 1960s and 70s, the company failed to recognize that middle-class Americans were moving to the suburbs, but most of its stores were in downtown locations.

The chain responded with marketing gimmicks, such as offering free store credit to everybody. This plan backfired, since Grant’s customers simply wanted to be able to shop close to their suburban homes. W.T. Grant refused to adapt, effectively telling customers they were wrong. When the W.T. Grant bankruptcy was filed it was the second largest in U.S. history.

Exhibiting customer hostility

The third example is Blockbuster, the once dominant video rental chain that shut down half of its stores and then was eventually auctioned off to Dish Network in bankruptcy court. The main reason for Blockbuster’s demise was that video streaming made them dinosaurs and the company refused to adapt.

To hasten their extinction, Blockbuster came to be seen as a giant corporation that charged outrageous sums for late fees and cared little for what its customers wanted the most. Even after Blockbuster attempted to compete directly with Netflix, consumers had decided they didn’t want to give Blockbuster their business.

————-Tell ‘em Gene————

“Doug’s weekly online sales meetings are an effective, relevant, and very convenient way to conduct sales training. Salespeople benchmark against peers, learn new techniques, and get motivated!” Gene Hilger, Bloomington, IN. See for yourself, HERE.

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Whether the economy is performing poorly or booming, smart companies understand that the demand for customer service never declines. These companies are likely to prosper and dominate their competitors.

So if you are a salesperson, sales manager, or the business owner, author and business expert Andy Hanselman offers these suggestions to deal with customer disappointments or get out in front of them.

1. Acknowledge It

A business that acknowledges that it got things wrong and deals with it effectively, can often turn ‘Disappointment’ into ‘Delight’. In other words, just because things go south doesn’t mean you’ve lost that customer. Acknowledging the problem can demonstrate that you actually care, and many will respond positively.

Photo credit-brittneysly.wordpress.com

2. Empower For It

The best businesses empower their people to make things right on the spot, without wasting time getting approvals up the food chain. When this approval process is necessary customers typically get angrier and less likely to be mollified.

If your company doesn’t have an empowerment policy, including limitations, often your customers will feel unloved and leave you for someone who will do a better job of care and feeding.

For example, Chick-Fil-A (who by the way hires the best quality people to begin with) teaches all employees a “second mile service.” It simply means doing whatever it takes to keep patrons satisfied and feeling special.

Ritz Carlton Hotels allows every employee the authority to spend up to $2000 to resolve a customer’s problem or deal with a complaint on the spot, without having to get permission from a manager. Now, THAT’s empowerment!

Costco employees are empowered so as to not require a receipt for customers unhappy with a purchase. They also have no time limit for a return, and happily offer exchanges anytime customers prefer that option.

3. Prepare For It

What are the things that typically create disappointment in your customers? Why not get your people together and identify the typical problems and concerns, and then develop ideas and solutions to overcome them. Provide training and put systems and procedures in place to deal with potential disappointment.

4. Look For It

Instead of just having to act like a cat in a litter box and dig out from disappointed customers, get out in front and find them! Frankly, when you are proactive you may even get more complaints than others because your people are basically asking for them. It might seem weird, but the easier you are to complain to, the more customer focused you’re likely to be!

5. Just Deal With It

Now you know it makes sense, so quit hiding in the shadows and deal with it!

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 ©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

How Many More Birthdays, America?

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This week I’m letting freedom ring away from my normal sales-related messages! The older people get, the more often weird thoughts, memories, and even songs flash through their minds. I know this because I’m old and it happens to me.

Five times each week I walk two miles for exercise, and my route includes trekking around and through a hospital parking lot. During one of those outings last month, while passing the front of the hospital, I glanced up and noticed the American flag waving in the spring breeze. Out of the blue it flashed through my mind and then automatically out of my mouth for anybody nearby to hear…

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

I started reciting that pledge as a first grader in 1955; so although I might have forgotten what I had for lunch yesterday, I don’t stutter when I reel off that one long sentence that defines our nation.

So, as we devise a plan of how to blow out the 243 candles on America’s birthday cake, I have a couple of concerns I want to share today about two specific disconnects with our Pledge that could limit how many future birthdays we may have the opportunity to celebrate.

“One Nation under God” – I am sad to say that this pillar of our pledge is no longer true. I’m not naive enough to believe that Americans were ever totally in unison with one another and in lockstep as God-fearing believers, but our spiritual condition as a nation has definitely declined.

According to recent polls and surveys by the Pew Research Center, barely 50% of Americans state they absolutely believe in God, without any doubts. The other half shared shades of indecision from “fairly certain” there is a God to “really not sure.” These also reveal that in addition the percentage of staunch atheists has doubled to about 10% over the last 10 years.

I’m not here to preach to you or attempt to influence you about any particular faith. But I know that every nation that has turned its back on God has eventually fallen. This principle is mentioned over and over in the Bible, and here is just one example:

Job 8:11-15 “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water? While it is yet green and not cut down, it withers before any other plant. So are the paths of all who forget God; and the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, whose confidence shall be cut off, and whose trust is a spider’s web. He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure.”

If your response is that you don’t believe in the Bible, well I guess you just confirmed the point I’m making. As Americans we brag and boast about our lifestyle, our wealth, and the security our military provides us. We are the country everybody wants to inhabit. Every day thousands risk their very lives and pour over our borders illegally, in an attempt to get a taste of life in America.

But our nation is quickly deteriorating from the “promised land” everyone thinks it is. This decline parallels the independence from God we are demanding. Look around at the addictions, relentless severe weather, lack of respect for unborn and newborn human life, and hatred resulting in violent crimes; just to name a few. The answer to our dilemma is readily available, but requires action on our part that most people don’t want to consider:

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Now is the time for us to act, before we go any further down this slippery slope.

“Indivisible” – Secondly I’m alarmed how far we have moved as a people from being inseparable. We have always had differing viewpoints about everything from athletic teams we cheer for to political parties we support. We have preferences about city or rural living, marriage or the single life, and on and on. I won’t blabber on about things we’re partial to, but that’s not the problem, that’s diversity.

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However, we are more divided than ever over core issues that have never been up for discussion in our history. Socialism, “free” everything, hatred of leaders that is greater than love of country, open borders and abortion on steroids expanded even to legally kill live-born babies. I’m not intending a political rant, but we must stop these insane trends, before America as we know it, disappears.

I don’t believe we can negotiate or legislate or deregulate our way back to indivisible. The dilemma we have mired ourselves into is now beyond our human capacity to resolve and restore harmony. The only solution I conceive working in our fractured nation are “heart transplants for all,” as opposed to all the proposed “programs for all” currently being bandied around. These transplants are available to all as outlined below:

Ezekiel 36:26 “And I will give you a new heart—I will give you new and right desires—and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love.”

So, there’s my two cents worth for America on her birthday. At my age she will probably outlast me, but I harbor grave concerns for what my adult children and grandchildren will face. How about you?

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Why Rebuff Resigning Employees?

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Recently I read a statement from an employer who lost a solid employee. Here’s the gist:

My employee RESIGNED. He got a great opportunity elsewhere. Here is what I told him: “Know this, I will miss you, tremendously. It is not just your talents, it is also your amazing sunshine attitude, your dedication, and your positive influence on me personally. Whoever hired you is one lucky person. I am sure they will appreciate you as much as we do. I am so grateful to you for all the difference you have made. You will do very well, no good luck wishes are needed. All the best, and perhaps one day, I will have the privilege of working together again with you.”

As opposed to what you just read, why is it that when employees resign most of the time they are treated like traitors? To be clear from the outset in this post, I am NOT talking about resigning employees who actually should be terminated. There are bad hires, panic hires, situational hires that regularly occur in businesses where breakups can’t and shouldn’t be avoided. I’m talking about good, solid, valuable employees who decide to move on of their own volition.

It would seem to make better sense for employers to congratulate them on finding what they feel will be a better opportunity. I am in the minority camp of folks who believe that when a good employee resigns owners and managers should:

-Thank them for their contribution to the team and for all the good they have done.

-Tell them they would be welcomed back if they change their mind.

-In word and deed treat them with respect, like you would anybody else.

Businesses often fail to consider that ex-employees are their ambassadors for life. They will be sharing their employment experiences wherever they go, whether positive or negative. If your company always has openings it can’t seem to fill, or keep filled, maybe your reputation has preceded many qualified candidates.

Here’s an example from my own family of what we’re discussing. After graduating college as a construction engineer in the mid 1990’s, my oldest son Adam, joined a large design-build construction firm as a field engineer. He learned quickly and gained favor with upper management at that company. Four years later as a married man starting his family, he began to feel the crush of more month than money. Long story short, he was recruited away by a competitor offering a larger paycheck to perform basically the same role.

Upon giving his notice of resignation, the President of his company spoke to Adam about his value to the company, and warned him about making a mistake, imploring him to stay put there and be patient. My son, in what he calls his “young and dumb” stage, ignored this advice and jumped ship. Thankfully, key people at the company continued to reach out and “touch” him once or twice a year as time went on.

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Four years later Adam realized he should have stayed put with his original company. Fortunately for both parties, leadership there had not alienated or “career shamed” him when he defected. They were able to woo him back eleven years ago, and he remains a happy camper who plans to be there until retirement. Since returning he has progressed from Field Engineer to Superintendent, and currently is

Project Manager. Adam is a respected and valuable member of the team and in no way has become an engineering version of Hester Prynne with a scarlet letter around his neck at the office.

Managers and owners: Stop cutting off your noses to spite your face!

————Don’t Miss This————

“If you are in sales the book, Sell Is NOT a Four Letter Word is a must have. The author, Doug Robinson has helped thousands of salespeople improve over his many years. The book is easy to read and understand and will sharpen your sales skills.” Jen McGinnis, AZ. You can order it HERE with FREE SHIPPING.

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“Multiply” Your Market Leads

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“He who see most, make most” (Chinese proverb), so let’s multiply your market leads.

Calling all blue collar services salespeople! Whether you sell HVAC, security systems, termite/pest control, replacement windows, whatever; you are in peak market lead season.

Company provided market leads are now more plentiful than at any other season of the year. You must also realize that rarely will you receive enough of them to fill a day, and peak lead season only lasts a few months. Therefore I’m suggesting you work daily to “multiply” your market leads.

Piggybacking a few self-generated activities and contacts on top of each market lead is both natural and productive. It’s natural because you choose people to contact who have some sort of relationship or connection to your company or to another customer. It’s productive because this additional activity reduces windshield time and generates “more revenue per mile” for you and your company.

Wisdom says to have various types of customer lists with you in either electronic or hard copy format when you are in the field. These lists will help you fill scheduling gaps, replace “busted appointments,” or simply focus your prospecting efforts in a tight geographical area by calling/texting/touching people while you are nearby.

Picture This Scenario…

This morning you were assigned two market leads for services you sell, but that’s all you have on your daily schedule. Whether you sell those leads or not you should have at least a couple of hours to invest in other activities. To help “multiply” those two leads for a more successful day, consider some of these collateral prospecting activities:

Multiplier #1

When you finish your first market lead appointment, canvass the neighbors. At a minimum go to the ones adjacent to and across the street. That’s at least four new prospects for future potential sales. For the “not homes” leave your literature packet with your card on the doorknob. Look up their address in a reverse phone directory and get their name and call for an appointment.

Multiplier #2

Carry a copy (paper or electronic) of current customers of your company. Find some near the address you’re working now and canvass these neighbors too. This customer becomes an anchor to name drop in order to generate additional appointments.

Multiplier #3

Certainly your company has some version of a complaint log. Stuff happens, so reach out to those on the log who live in proximity to the market lead where you currently are. Call and or stop by and perform a QA visit to ensure their satisfaction. Canvass those neighbors and attempt to secure some referrals or a testimonial from this customer who had a bad experience that was made right.

Multiplier #4

Carry a copy (paper or electronic) of a cancelled customer list showing ex-customers in the vicinity of where you are working today. Drop by while you’re nearby and attempt to have a conversation that could lead to re-selling a previously disgruntled patron.

Multiplier #5

Carry a list of commercial customers and stop by all that are near where you are working today and get permission to place some employee discount POS in their break areas. Certainly your company offers discounts to employees of your commercial customers for your services at their residences. Make sure your contact number is on this POS so any future calls come back to you.

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Multiplier #6

Using your iPad or similar device, locate new homeowners in the area you are working by using Zillow.com. Enter the zip code you are working in and then simply open the For Sale box at the top and click on SOLD Then deselect (unclick) all the others.

Sold homes will appear for that zip. Scroll back in time for a desired date range. Click on a house you want to investigate and you will have the street address. Click on “neighborhood” and you can isolate addresses of neighbors as well as other recently sold homes nearby.

Jump over to whitepages.com and secure the names and phone numbers for all the addresses you chose. Then stop and introduce yourself and your business. For “not homes,” leave a door hanger or business card and call them if they don’t call you.

Multiplier #7

From a new customer list stop by recent installs/start-ups in your target area. Verify the new customer is satisfied and explain your referral program and attempt to secure several. Make an effort to get introductions provided to these referred friends to “up the odds” of gaining appointments.

Multiplier #8

Always have unsold/pending proposals with you from the last 12 months. For those that live in your target area, stop by and “touch” them. It’s not at all unusual for people to be slow to make buying decisions. I hear stories every week about sales being made to folks who were initially proposed 6 or 9, even 12 months earlier.

By multiplying your market leads with these strategies, you will have fuller sales activity days and no doubt increased success. Additionally this will help you create a larger “footprint” in your sales territory.

Remember that the sales profession is a numbers game, so don’t get discouraged when people show no interest while working these multipliers. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. Simply smile, give them 3 business cards (one for them and two to give to their friends), and don’t ever forget that:

Some Will, Some Won’t, So What, Who’s Next?

————Fan Since 1995————

“Doug, my friend, you teach this old sales dog new things as well as remind me of things that I have forgotten or not used in a while. Thank you for all you do.” Tony Iverson, SLC, UT. Meet Doug here.

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Listen with the Third Ear!

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What does it mean to listen with the third ear?

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Somebody shared with me the saga of a salesperson who was canvassing a middle-class neighborhood one day. She was hoping to talk to residents about a new product she was introducing. As she approached one home a young boy was sitting on the front step. She asked the boy if his mom was home, and the boy replied that she was. The lady rep knocked on the door but got no response. She knocked again, this time a bit longer and stronger, but again there was no response. She looked down at the kid sitting on the step and said, “I thought you said your mom was home.” The boy said, “She is, but this isn’t where I live.”

Another fellow I heard about came home one night to a dark house. After flipping on a couple of lights he finally saw a note on the refrigerator door that read, “This isn’t working. I can’t take it anymore. I’m leaving and going to my mother’s house.” He opened the doors and saw ice cubes in the top and found his beer was cold in the bottom. “I don’t get it. What the heck is the problem,” he said as he shrugged his shoulders, grabbed a cold one and closed the doors, heading for the remote.

Virtually every time I ask salespeople if they are good listeners, they say yes. However I assure you, after dealing with sales folks for over 45 years, I’ve stumbled on very few who really are. It takes both time and effort to break poor listening habits, but for those who do the rewards are significant.

One of the most common obstacles to good listening occurs when you start framing your next question in your mind or planning what you’ll say next, before they finish responding. When doing one or the other you miss what the prospect is saying in response to the prior question. My advice here is to stay focused on your prospect and mentally echo what they say, in real time.

Body language and other forms of non-verbal communication are actually more important than what is said. Therefore if you listen but don’t look, you miss part of the message. Eye contact also lets people know that you’re paying attention, so listen with your eyes as well as your ears.

Realizing how critical listening skills are; read the following questions, one at a time, and jot down the first answer that comes to your mind, without trying to analyze them. You should answer all 8 questions in about 30 seconds.

Ready… Set… Go.

  1. How many four-cent stamps are in a dozen?
  2. The average man has how many birthdays?
  3. Some months have 30 days; some have 31; how many months have 28?
  4. I have in my hand 2 coins that total 55 cents. One is not a nickel. What are the 2 coins?
  5. Is it legal if a man marries his widow’s sister?
  6. Do they have a 4th of July in England?
  7. How many of each animal species did Moses take on the Ark?
  8. If you had one match in a room where there was a kerosene lamp, an oil heater, and a candle; which would you light first?

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Now check the answers below to see how you did and determine if you really are a good listener.

1.A dozen is twelve, regardless of what you are counting. 2. One, the day you were born. 3. All of them…some just have more. 4. A half-dollar and a nickel. 5. If she is a widow then he is a dead man and, therefore, probably couldn’t marry anybody. 6. Sure, every country’s calendar contains July 4th. 7. It was Noah. Moses was the Ten Commandments guy. 8. The match.

If you missed any it was probably not due to lack of academic knowledge, but rather poor listening skills. Start working on your improvement plan now!

————Something for Nothing————

Would a positive, relevant, informational boost be helpful to your sales activity and intensity? Every week Doug writes and publishes articles of interest perfect for salespeople and managers. This newsletter is called Selling Point and you can subscribe for FREE here! As a bonus you will have FREE access to over 300 articles and posts from the Selling Point archives dating back to 2013. WOWZA!

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Objection Fallback Responses

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Ron Carlson, ex-professor at Cal-Irvine and short story writer, gave an interesting talk to a group of people one day. He asked this group to recall when they first hit adulthood. What did they think their lives would be like and what was their Plan A at that time? He followed by asking how many of them were still operating on Plan A? Of this group of about 100, only one 23 year old, the youngest person in the room raised her hand. Everybody else in the room was already on their Plan B.  So since most everybody is living out their fallback plan, wouldn’t it make sense for blue collar salespeople to have several objection fallback responses in their hip pockets for surprises from prospects and customers?

Think about the last time you mimicked a “deer in the headlights” as a result of a sales objection that came out of left field. Did you stutter a few times, or just glance up toward heaven searching for an intelligent answer? Tucking several fallback responses into your brain means you’ll never be at a loss for words again.

Whenever you receive an objection that catches you off balance and you don’t know quite what to say, try using one of these. They will keep your prospect talking for a few moments so you can collect your thoughts and maybe gain some additional information. At least this will buy you a little time to contemplate the best way to continue and have a good shot at closing the sale.

Imitate the objection

When you imitate, or question an objection, you simply repeat the objection back to the prospect in the form of a question. There is no objection that can’t be responded to in this manner. For example:

  • My price is too high?
  • You want to think it over?
  • Get other bids?
  • You want to hold off on it for now?
  • No money?

Just make sure to contort your face into a confused look and put a question inflection in your voice. A salesperson’s two best friends are questions and silence; and this response has them both. The key to this technique is the silence that follows the question. During that silence, one of three things will occur:

  • The prospect may talk themselves into buying.
  • They’ll respond to your question and subsequent silence by telling you what needs to occur if they are to buy.
  • It doesn’t work, meaning you need to try something else.

Remember, the key is not the question; it’s the silence after the question.

Invert the Objection

This technique consists of responding to the objection with the question, “Isn’t that exactly why you should do this now?”

For example, let’s say they realize they need to get the work done but they give you an excuse that they’re too strapped for cash right now.

Invert the objection by responding, “Isn’t that exactly why you should do it right now?”

That may sound totally inappropriate, but often the prospect will engage in a back and forth that will reveal a specific comment that will provide you with a way to break through. Again, your silence following the question inversion is the key. Make the words come out of their mouth!

Illuminate the Objection

This is the old-school “feel/felt/found” strategy, but it is still effective. Whenever an objection is heard the salesperson responds with something like this:

“I certainly empathize with how you feel.

Many of my existing customers have felt just like you.

But at the end of the day what they found is…”

For example when someone says they want to get other bids, you might say this:

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“I can understand how you feel and I’ve had some other customers who felt the same way. But in the end they found (insert your specific response, i.e.) nobody wants to spend hours of their precious free time dealing with multiple salespeople coming in and out of their homes, and having to listen to high pressure sales pitches. When the smoke clears they are more confused than anything else.

They realized that having me handle the work for them was their best choice, partly because my customers say I am trustworthy and likable. Additionally they will tell you my solution is the least expensive over the life of the service and saved them time, which is so important in this fast paced world.

So can I go ahead and call my service department and get this work scheduled for you?”

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Remember, I’m not saying these objection responses are totally appropriate for every circumstance. What I’m saying is that these are good to use anytime you get caught off-guard by a concern that you aren’t immediately prepared for.

————What a Friend————

“Knowledge is thinking one is pretty smart. Wisdom is knowing that you are aware you have a friend who is smarter than you. That is what Doug is to me. If you are blessed enough to be in one of his training sessions, you might want to pay attention.” Gary Starr, Albany, GA. His training sessions?

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Funambulism: Sales Manager Requirement

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I’m guessing that before your eyes moved from the title of this post, you began googling the word funambulism, right? So now you know it is a long winded word for tightrope walking. Sounds like a sales manager’s job description to me.

There is no doubt that sales managers have one of the most difficult jobs around. If they make or exceed sales budgets, they are merely doing their jobs. If they miss, they are failures, at least in the eyes of their boss or business owner.

Most managers are familiar with the day-to-day “administrative” functions of their role. This includes helping prepare proposals with salespeople, compiling and reporting on weekly sales progress, measuring daily activities, and managing up. However, there’s another sales management arena that many aren’t well-versed or comfortable with, and that is coaching and training.

Before you SM’s out there close your browser and mumble that I don’t know what I’m talking about, let me clarify what I mean. Most managers do provide product training, target market insight, intelligence on competition, etc., but not specifically assistance related to selling skills.

Salespeople are silently screaming for help and coaching with skill sets like prospecting, cold calling, relationship building, objection handling, negotiating, and closing. I think many companies believe their sales reps should already be proficient in these areas. I hate to break the news to them but that is just naive and untrue.

I firmly stand in the camp of folks who believe that effective coaching on topics like face-to-face communication skills will vastly improve sales performance while decreasing sales turnover. Areas such as identifying and mirroring prospect temperament, improving likability, displaying empathy, never assuming, and learning to ask information-gathering diagnosis questions on the front end of prospect meetings are critical.

After a 40 year career in sales, sales management, training and coaching I’ve encountered these gaps in skill sets over and over in several different industries. As a result, when I wrote and published my book in 2012 much of its content was focused on these soft skill areas. It’s these basic skills that need to be honed and improved by all sales people.

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Traditional classroom training has been the vehicle in years past for sales skill improvement of all types. There are a lot of good vendors and providers out there, but this approach can be expensive. When employers begin to heap travel, lodging, meals, and lost productivity onto a trainer’s tuition, costs can runs from 2%-10% of payroll.

To alleviate these financial negatives, along with other drawbacks, my coaching practice consists of live, 30 minute video conferencing, weekly sessions. Assignments and study materials are provided a week in advance so discussions, Q&A, and role play can be included during each session, ensuring these are not boring lectures! This type of coaching is also ideal if your sales teams are remote.

Find a coach that is a good fit for your market segment. My niche is working with blue collar sales teams, so I recognize where I’m effective and where I would be unqualified.

So sales managers everywhere, if you need to improve your expertise at funambulism, find an experienced, dynamic, inexpensive sales coach who understands your industry and put them to work.

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Rock the Recognition

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Bear with me while I introduce today’s topic, but meanwhile remember this. Everybody on the planet has an invisible red flashing sign on their chest that says, “Make me feel special!”

In late March my wife and I, with another couple of besties, traveled to extreme southwest Georgia, to the hamlet of Colquitt. It’s not the end of the world but you can see it from there. The population is about 2,000 in a county of 6,000. Our journey took us to Cotton Hall for our second visit to Swamp Gravy.

Swamp Gravy is Georgia’s official folk-life play, where stories about family, community, and life and death are portrayed. 2019 is the 26th season for over 100 everyday folks from the surrounding area to dress in period costumes and entertain all comers. For two hours per show a converted cotton barn becomes a playhouse, and the bragging rights for this rural community. Each show is repeated eight times over two weekends, and then the players return to the drawing board to prepare and practice for six weeks for the next production.

To clarify, swamp gravy really is a thing. It is a stew-like dish made from “fish drippings,” left after frying fish. You add tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and whatever else you might have left over. It’s served to family and guests with the fried fish, cornbread, and of course, sweet tea to wash it down.

Before I continue I really need to comment about the first time my crew and I journeyed 1½ hours to Colquitt for a play. Although there are constantly dozens of men, women and children performing, my friend and I, both septuagenarian grandfathers, immediately noticed a young girl, maybe 10 years old, performing in the cast. She was precious and reminded us both of one of our granddaughters. She didn’t have a leading role, nor a supporting role. Because she didn’t have any lines I can’t even describe her as a bit player. I guess she would have to be called an extra, although that in no way does her performance justice. Her smile, her moves and hand gestures, and her mastery of every word during group singing was simply electric. She totally dominated our conversation during the intermission and captured lots of our attention during the second half of the show.

Fast forward a year to this current Swamp Gravy production. As the four of us found our seats and waited for the play to begin, my friend leaned over and said, “I wonder if that cute little girl from last time will be in this play.” Up until that point I hadn’t really thought about her, but I shrugged my shoulders to him, and immediately started surveying the playhouse.

As the play began there she was, in a blue dress with her hair in pig tails, singing her heart out. Although this was a completely different play from the first one we attended, she was again an extra. Call her what you like, she was in her element. I am no thespian but she is good! At her age and stage in life, I know she must spend the lion’s share of her time at school, with family, friends and just being a kid. In spite of all that, she executed her role in this play flawlessly, as if she focused on the songs, movements, interactions, and facial expressions for 12 hours every day. As crazy as it may sound, I found myself watching her in each scene more often than the speaking actors who headlined the production.

Now for you sales manager subscribers to this newsletter, here comes the point you need to snag and internalize. Immediately when the play ended, I worked my way down to the floor of Cotton Hall in search of that girl. I approached her and said, “Excuse me,” and she turned and looked up at me, immediately sticking out her hand to shake mine, as she had probably been instructed to do. I didn’t shake her hand but rather put both my hands on her shoulders. I looked her in the eyes and this is what I said.

“This is the second time I have come here from Albany to see a play. I remember you from a year ago and was very impressed. This time I am even more amazed. This may sound goofy but you are my favorite character out of all 100 people in the production. I can tell that you absolutely love doing this. I REALLY see that you love it. I believe one day you will be an actor.” I then hugged her and she incredulously looked up at me smiling and said, “Thank you.” I walked away and headed for the parking lot.

I “Rocked the Recognition” for two reasons. First, selfishly it feels awesome when I lift up someone else and attempt to make them feel special. Second I wanted her to know that somebody absolutely noticed and admired her performance, and that her hard work is paying off. I would never want her to get exasperated and frustrated and give up before she eventually reaches her personal objectives.

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded – 2 Chronicles 15:7. 

This entire time I didn’t know this girl’s name or anything about her. My wife received a playbill from an usher but I never looked at it. After I got home that night I sat down and took time to look through it. Inside were photos of each participant along with a mini-bio. Here is what was written about this little gal I’ve been gushing over.

“Harlieanne Williams is an outgoing 11 year old who loves dancing and acting. This is her 5th Swamp Gravy production. Harlieanne hopes to be on Broadway one day.”

When I read that I was so glad I spoke to her and gave recognition about two things that happened to be important to her. I told her twice I could see that “she loved it.” I also shared that I believed she would grow up to become an actor. BTW, is Harlieanne a great name or what?

You Sales Managers out there; divide and conquer… and recognize!

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—————It’s Up to You—————

The contents of Doug’s book are exactly what every sales person needs. He knows face-to-face selling from being out there doing it for many years. You should get a copy of Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word. Peyton Willis, Comfort Consultant, Cooper’s Heating & Air

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Questions To Assess Your Company Culture

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Over the past few months I’ve heard comments from a couple of my customers that caught my attention. One client lamented about having too much sales turnover in his enterprise. Another responded to a question I asked about one of his consultants by saying he didn’t know. He followed that by stating he didn’t really care what went on in the personal lives of employees. Therefore he didn’t want to know anything outside of work.

You may have a similar perspective to these at your company. So here is a portion of an article by Keith Rosen, author and global authority on sales and leadership. If you’re interested, check him out at www.keithrosen.com.

Does your company culture reflect your people and their personal values? Are your people a reflection of your culture? Does the attitude and behavior within your organization reflect your desired culture? Does your culture reflect not just your corporate vision but your team vision? If companies are honest, the answer for most is, “Not even close.” Here are 15 questions to assess your company culture, as well as your leadership and coaching effectiveness.

What if one of your sales or service employees was rushed to the hospital after suffering a heart attack at a prospect’s house? An hour later the hospital called to share the devastating news that the employee died at the hospital. When the hospital asked for the name and number of the next of kin would anyone on your management team have the answer?

Think about your company. How much do you really know about your folks personally? How much time and attention do you invest in fostering connections with people?

Trust is built, not assumed. No one is obligated to give trust until it’s earned. 

Keeping HR compliance in mind, do you really know the people you work with?

I can’t think of anyone who would want to work at a company like the one above. The sad truth is, there’s a good chance most people already do.

When Company and Personal Values Clash

Companies and leaders with good intentions struggle to break free from the monotony of their current business because they face the daily pressures of metrics, performance expectations, quotas, deadlines,—the list runs on.

Inevitably, the reversion to a dysfunctional culture is a byproduct of driving results.

15 Questions to Assess Your Culture and the ROI of Coaching

How would you describe your workplace? Healthy, supportive, collaborative and fulfilling, or is it more of a result-driven, report-obsessed, fear based culture, where results are more important than people?

Do you define a great manager by their results and the color of their scorecard? Or is a great leader defined by the positive impact they’ve made on other people, while developing the future leaders of the organization? Does your company operate under the belief that by putting people and processes first, they realize the byproduct is a top performing culture?

These 15 questions will assess your company culture and your leadership and coaching effectiveness.

  1. Do you have more turnover than your industry average?
  2. Do you struggle with departmental silos or creating a cohesive team?
  3. Are your managers spending 70 percent of their time putting out fires or developing, observing, and coaching their people that generates consistent, measurable results?
  4. Is everyone on your team achieving their quota and business objectives, and not just the few top producers who managers rely on to hit monthly goals?
  5. Are your direct reports seeking out coaching from you, coworkers and peers, both in and outside of your department?
  6. Do you view your team as direct reports or peers and coaches? Do you seek out coaching from others, regardless of their position or tenure?
  7. Is everyone in your company learning how to effectively coach and leverage a proven coaching framework through a formalized coaching program?
  8. Are your salespeople authentically coaching rather than selling to your customers?
  9. Are you effectively developing a talented bench of future leaders? How do you know?
  10. Do you work in a safe, transparent, and trusting environment fueled by innovation and positivity, or a fear-based, result driven culture?
  11. Are you retaining your top talent?
  12. Are you consistently crushing your sales targets, gaining market share and growing at your desired pace?
  13. Do people come to work happy and fulfilled because you all want to be there?
  14. Do you work from a place of intention or reaction? Do your company priorities seem to be changing daily?
  15. Is everyone committed to holding themselves and others accountable to coach, sustain and reinforce the culture you want?

These 15 questions will help assess your culture and the impact great coaching makes, so you can be honest with yourself about the type of leader you are, the type of leader you want to become, and the culture you’ve created among your team.

Photo credit-silenceandvoice.com

Choose a Culture of Intention or Reaction

Sadly, when results are the priority, regardless of the collateral damage that follows, most company cultures develop in a reactionary way. Creating a great culture requires conscious intention, focus, and a clear vision that’s created by your people, not HR or a marketing team.

This vision now becomes the blueprint and guiding light for your organization. Now this becomes a vision that everyone feels a part of because they contributed to crafting the vision they want to create, rather than one they were told they need to buy into.

Instead of having your culture define your people, have your people define your culture.

It is up to every leader to make a choice every day. Rather

Photo credit-silenceandvoice.com

than acting as the Chief Problem Officer, effective coaching can become a choice and the consistent habit that aligns with the way people collaborate, engage and positively communicate with one another to achieve business objectives.

When this becomes the new normal, that’s the sign that a healthy coaching culture has emerged.

——————Please Read Before Leaving——————

“Doug has been really good in helping my reps successfully make prospecting calls and appointments. Not only is he good at what he does but he coaches reps online for a fraction of the cost of traditional workshops requiring travel, meals, and overnight rooms. My team is definitely performing better as a result of his coaching.” Mandar S. – Lafayette, LA. Come to Doug’s website and learn more, then decide if he could be the missing piece for your company.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Knowledge vs. Wisdom

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Knowledge is knowing history well. Wisdom is learning from it, so as not to repeat its mistakes.

Knowledge is knowing it is a one-way street. Wisdom is still looking both ways before crossing.

Knowledge is knowing Frankenstein was the doctor. Wisdom is knowing that Frankenstein was the monster.

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.

Knowledge is being able to clone a dinosaur. Wisdom is asking if that is really a good idea.

Knowledge is knowing that your wife is wrong. Wisdom is deciding not to argue with her.

Knowledge is knowing the ingredients. Wisdom is knowing the recipe.

Knowledge speaks. Wisdom listens.

Recently my 38 year old son asked me an interesting question. “Dad, how does it feel to be 70 years old?” I started telling him about needing a twenty minute nap in the afternoon and not clearly understanding all the words, even when I heard somebody say something.

He stopped me and said that wasn’t what he meant. He wanted to know about things like how I felt about my life experiences and how they compared to my expectations. I thought that was very insightful, and he was definitely the first “young” person to even act as if they cared to hear my opinion about much of anything.

I had a quick flashback in my mind to when I was a young teenager in the early 1960’s. I recall my dad getting aggravated at my ready-fire-aim perspective on life. More than once I remember him reminding me I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was. He would shake his head when he could tell I didn’t really want to hear his opinion, or want to know his experience about “life stuff.” Within five years he and my mom both passed away. It dawned on me that I would have really liked to know how dad re-wired the kitchen toaster that shorted out. I wish I’d paid attention to mom when she mixed up the ingredients for homemade ice cream. I could hand crank the freezer, but don’t know what all went in there.

I began to become more humble, asking for help and advice. Whenever there was something I really cared about, I would find a mentor and interrogate them about how to do it. Whether it was my grandpa or my boss, I started asking for specific instructions and then I’d follow them.

I remember more than once, seeking out successful people and saying to them, “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to achieve what you have accomplished. Please show me exactly what I should do and I promise to do it over and over as long as it takes until I win.”

Photo credit-leaderly.com

I told my son that decades later I’m now that guy who has accumulated enough knowledge to distill some wisdom. I’m no Solomon, but feel that I have “broken the code” in several areas of life. I answered his question by telling him I’m wondering why younger folks aren’t “bugging” me to help them find the blueprints, like I did years ago. How will they learn to be successful investors and achieve financial independence? How will they become successful entrepreneurs, and avoid punching a clock on a job for the rest of their lives?

Regardless what they seriously want to achieve, how will they learn the ropes?

I’m thinking that folks don’t want to sit and listen to old men and women bloviate and show what they know. I think they would rather Google it or watch a YouTube video, hoping to get some usable information without having to leave the house or talk with another human.

So, that’s how I feel about being 70. I progressed in life by multiplication and not addition, by standing on the shoulders of successful people who preceded me. Whatever you’re interested in mastering in life, find someone who’s done it well and copy them. Don’t reinvent the wheel; just roll with it!

————Whoa Joe!————

I was in an audience where Doug was speaking about ways for salespeople to improve their communication skills. He was spot on. He was interesting, witty, to the point, and made suggestions that I will definitely share with my employees. Joe Kirshner, Huntington, WV. Meet Doug HERE.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Coaching “Sherlock the Sales Rep”

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Today rather than providing a tip or strategy for the “new crew” in your sales room, let’s look at your omnipresent sales guy that I’ll call Sherlock. Certainly you are thankful for this senior, albeit anal, anchor member of your sales team. Come on, you know who I’m talking about. Holmes is the laser-focused, analytical rep who’s always researching everything, while working Sodoku puzzles. Interestingly, he also seems to always know where all the bodies are buried. You know who I’m talking about; the one you secretly dubbed “Wiki.”

Visitors to your sales room know he’s at work when they hear the sucking sound coming from his cubicle, as he absorbs all the information in the selling universe. He stores this treasure in a secret underground lair he accesses at will, or when one of his colleagues (your other sales reps) needs to be rescued from a selling box canyon. By default this makes him the perfect go-to advice-giver in your shop, especially considering he views the majority of situations differently than most any other mortal.

It’s weird, like he almost looks at the world through a window nobody else has access to. He has the ability to meticulously reassemble Humpty Dumpty. If you watch him work you would be reminded of the ‘70’s TV homicide detective, Lt. Columbo, or his 90’s counterpart Adrian Monk.

An added bonus with a guy like this is that he can find and uncover customer problems as well as solve them. Sounds like a seller you might ask Santa for, right? Well maybe, but there is a flip side. Managing a guy with this temperament and behavior is a lot like herding cats, so here are some suggestions to keep Columbo on the bus and coach him to achieve his potential:

  • Realize boredom may set in quicker on Holmes-type salespeople. Alter his territory occasionally, encourage him to sell using different techniques, and change up training opportunities to keep him sharp and on the “cutting edge.”
  • Let your P.I. show off his expertise in front of others. Consider assigning him a portion of your sales meeting or let him contribute to the blog your company just started. His chest will swell with pride when he’s in position to wow his peers.
  • Include the gumshoe in regular brainstorming. He will make some helpful and unique contributions, and this creative thinking will keep him pumped.
  • Remind Sherlock to keep an open mind. His personality will naturally cause him to organize, arrange, practice, and prepare. But you still need to remind him that, assuming makes an “ass” of “u” and “me.”
  • Insure your detective doesn’t overwhelm buyers with his “buffet.” Rather than confusing buyers with countless options, myriad choices and endless possibilities, help him boil it down to a manageable “gold, silver, bronze” type decision process.
  • Discourage your sleuth from calling it a day after simply introducing a masterful initiative. Confirm with him that he must instinctively follow up, understanding that closing means agreeing on a logical next step and not just signing a sales agreement.
  • Remind the bloodhound to decelerate. Since his mind processes ideas so quickly, he needs to slow down and recap by asking questions to ensure the buyer/customer stays with him.

After looking over these ideas, be careful not to characterize this guy as a one-trick pony. He is a unique mixture of talent that should be coached with all these strengths and weaknesses kept in balance.

————Kudos From a Young Sales Rep————

“Doug’s weekly one-on-one coaching is the perfect kick in the rear to help me finish each week strong. Anything he asks you to do, I can guarantee is in your best interest. His live video chats are just like he is in the room with me.” See more for yourself HERE. Peyton W., HVAC sales consultant

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 ©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Follow the Yellow Brick Road…

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Photo credit-web.mit.edu

♪ Follow the yellow brick road. ♫ Follow, follow, follow, follow; follow the yellow brick road.

I would find it hard to believe there is anyone who is not familiar with the Wizard of Oz. In this classic 1939 movie, a tornado transports Dorothy from her home in Kansas to, “somewhere over the rainbow.” It deposits her and Toto, her dog, in a very strange place. She is led to believe the only person who can help her get back home is the Wizard of Oz. He is the monarch of the Emerald City, a day’s journey from where Dorothy and Toto landed.

Along with three newfound friends they are told by Glinda the good witch, to “follow the yellow brick road.” It would take them to Oz where they would get the help they need from the Wizard.

Although there are differences between your customers in appearance, temperament, and behavior, people do seem to have one thing in common, and that is how they make buying decisions. Whether buying a battery charger or a Dodge Charger there are several questions virtually every customer subconsciously asks and answers. These are a normal part of their purchasing process. I call this progression the “yellow brick road,” since they typically follow it to reach the destination they seek.

1. Can I trust you and do I like you?

People buy from those they like and trust. In order to become likeable and trustworthy it’s important to make a solid first impression. A neat appearance, pleasant voice and smile, and a helpful and positive attitude are all critical. By exhibiting these attributes, most folks will at least give the benefit of the doubt and listen to recommendations.

2. Do you really care about me?

Everybody on the planet has an invisible sign on their chest that reads, “Make Me Feel Special.” In order to accomplish this, you need to ask lots of “W” questions; What, Why, Where, Who, When and throw in How with the “W’s.” As prospects respond to your probing, actively listen to their responses. Making eye contact, responding both verbally and non-verbally, and occasional paraphrasing their responses ensures you understand their intentions. This helps the homeowner feel special and won’t cause them to think you are simply a hit and run salesperson.

3. Do I really have a problem?

Sometimes the prospect is aware of issues and sometimes they aren’t. Make sure to describe every problem and concern, and verify with photos or video before making your recommendations. Remember that “surgery without a diagnosis is malpractice.” Always put into perspective the value of preventative maintenance to help avoid unnecessary home repair expenses. As you do, always treat every customer like you would want your own mother treated. No scare tactics, under any circumstances.

4. What can you do for me?

Continue the conversation by offering your solution, showing what your product or service will do for them. Remember that features tell, but it’s the benefits that sell, as you give your explanation. As a reminder, benefits come in two flavors; logical and emotional. Logical benefits tell how the feature works, while emotional benefits tell how the customer will feel once they have them. In addition, whenever possible, demonstrate your solution to help your customer see it come to life.

5. Is this a good business decision?

Assuming you’ve sounded reasonable to this point, their next subconscious question will be whether it makes sense financially. It’s critical at this juncture to qualify your company as the right one for the job. Cite differences between you and competitors that will reduce risk to their most expensive investment; their home. Show them you provide the lowest overall cost over the life of the service, even when your upfront price is higher.

6. Do I want it and should I take action now?

It’s normal for folks to hesitate prior to pulling the trigger, even when they know they need what you are offering. Don’t be surprised if objections surface, but attempt to bring up and answer the most common ones yourself, prior to them raising the concern. This way you take away objections that could surprise you when you attempt to close transactions. As you respond don’t ever forget that “nobody wants to be pushed but everyone likes to be led.” Avoid selling pressure and maintain your professional integrity with everyone.

Remember that selling is not something you do to someone, but rather something you do with and for someone.

Customers that are sold this way tend to remain loyal for the long term. Additionally they are more likely to refer and recommend others to you and your company. That’s important for your job security as well as the reputation of your company.

How about that? You didn’t need to see the wizard after all!

 

————I’m Blushing————

“Doug came to our company and created a selling structure stressing systems and procedures and team synergy. Both components have changed the way we approach business on a day to day basis. He has encouraged our creativity to bring more life to the organization. Doug provides a “big brother” feel that lets us know when we are doing a great job and when “we need to pick it up a bit.” I appreciate this knowing he cares about the results we get and that our sales remain healthy.” Check out his website here. – Jay Carpenter, Alarm Detection Technology (ADT), Albany, Ga.

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 ©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Common Sense Laws of Nature

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Today is Tax Day 2019, so in observance I am shifting gears from the traditional Selling Point-type article I usually write. In its place I’m sharing something I stumbled upon that you will no doubt find interesting. As readers of this newsletter, I suspect most of you are middle class, hardworking, freedom loving Americans. I also suspect you are as concerned as I am about the America our kids and grand kids will inherit.

What I’m sharing was written by William J.H. Boetcker (1873–1962), who was born in Germany but immigrated to the United States as a young man. He was ordained as a Presbyterian minister soon after his arrival in America and became known publicly for his eloquent and inspiring speaking style and content.  Many consider him to be the forerunner for today’s motivational speakers and coaches.

In 1916 he produced a booklet of maxims, taken from his lectures, which eventually were codified and became known as The Ten Cannots. When I first read these I was shocked to see they were penned over 100 years ago, since they could have easily been written last month. Every child in our public schools should be exposed to these pearls of wisdom.

These 10 Cannots are great examples that there are no new ideas under the sun, and they apply today just like they did back then. They are not laws in the sense that they’ve been passed by a legislative body, but rather that they are common sense laws of nature. Boetcker’s cannots are in bold, followed by my (Doug’s) personal comments.

  1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift – Although this statement makes perfect sense, our government overly taxes our income, savings and retirement funds, thereby reducing everybody’s ability to provide for their future retirement prosperity.
  2. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong – This is a consummate socialist mantra we are currently hearing over and over. They preach for people not to achieve, but rather drag the achievers down, spreading the misery among everyone.
  3. You cannot help little men by tearing down big men – Our last president included the, “You didn’t build that” statement into his speeches, while a large percentage of Americans disrespect “The evil 1%.” You know the drill, so I won’t waste your time reciting any more of the liberal’s rhetoric.
  4. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer – Capital goes where it is treated well. When job creators/wage payers are mistreated they take their money and their jobs elsewhere, and that’s often outside the USA.
  5. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich – Although it sounds so simple the progressive populists continue to include this as part of their talking points and their political rhetoric.
  6. You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money – As a nation we have borrowed and owed over $10 trillion before the past administration took over in January 2009. When the new president took office in January 2017 that debt was over $19 trillion. That’s nearly as much new debt in 8 years as the previous 230 years. Today it’s $22 trillion and climbing. Neither party gets a pass on this travesty.
  7. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred – Making the rich into scapegoats for society’s ills unites the left. This group divides the country between rich and poor much more than they divide it between good and evil.
  8. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn – In the first quarter of this year the government took in $1 trillion, but spent $1.2 trillion! How long could your family stay afloat if you earned $50K but spent $60K year after year?                                                                              -What does $1 trillion look like? (First, a bundle of $100 bills is less than 1/2″ thick with $10,000)   -$1 million dollars would be 100 of these $10,000 packets.                                                                         -$100 million would fit neatly on a standard pallet stacked about 4 feet tall.                                             -$1 billion would be 8 pallets that same size.                                                                                                   -$1 trillion would be 50 pallets wide and 100 pallets deep, DOUBLE-STACKED (in $100 bills)               -For perspective, look at the guy standing at the lower left corner of the pallets!                                                                                                                                    
  9. You cannot build character and courage by destroying men’s initiative and independence – 21 percent of Americans (1 in 5) participate in one or more of 79 separate government programs. These entitlements provide a “fish for today,” but saps their initiative by not “teaching them to fish.”
  10. You cannot help permanently by doing for people what they can/should do for themselves – The natural human desire for self-support is being tamped down by the liberal policies of the government. If you ever read scripture, look at Galatians 6:9 at Paul wrote. “Let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up or quit.”

————Doug’s Common Sense————

Doug Robinson’s book, $ell is Not a Four Letter Word, coupled with his online coaching sessions are the perfect combination for any sales professional. Whether used as a weapon against low pricing competitors, or as a tool to qualify proposals to customers, Doug’s “common sense” techniques deliver sales and profits! Thank you Doug for all that you’ve helped me accomplish!                                   -Chad Johnson, Comfort Consultant at Cooper’s Heating and Air.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

 

Attitude Controls Altitude

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A great definition for attitude is “the way you look at life, and the way it looks back at you.” The best way to explain this is for me to share the true stories of two men whose attitudes were 180° apart.

The first fellow worked for a Russian railroad and accidentally locked himself in a refrigerated boxcar. He was unable to get the attention of his co-workers in order to escape. Soon he just gave up and decided he would die there. He began to write his thoughts on the boxcar wall that entrapped him, scribbling that it was terribly cold. He stated that he was having trouble breathing, and that these would probably be his last words before he died.

Within a few hours he expired as he predicted. The weird part was there was no medical reason for his demise. The refrigeration mechanism was not even working, and the boxcar had plenty of ventilation, so he certainly didn’t suffocate. He couldn’t have died from hunger or thirst, since his body was discovered the very next morning. He was apparently simply a victim of his own negative thoughts.

The other fellow made medical history in Romania. He survived eleven days without food or water, after an earthquake buried him under an annihilated ten story apartment building.

Following his rescue from the rubble, people asked how he managed to survive. He slept a lot, but told himself he would get out alive, when he was awake. He believed the rescuers would find him alive, and he was correct.

Until hearing these two vignettes, did you consider that attitude could determine life and death?

Positive attitudes lead to good health and reduced stress, according to many psychologists. That’s beneficial because statistics say we get bombarded with eighteen negative statements for every positive one that comes our way. As weighty as attitude is in everyday life, it is also one of the determining factors for success in your sales career. You are known by your attitude and will always be remembered for it. It is more important than your skill sets, work ethic, and values.

Positive salespeople, those with healthy attitudes, generally outsell their negative counterparts. Negative reps sell less and are poorly connected to customers and fellow workers.

One of the key elements of a positive attitude is optimism, because it enables you to make an attempt when there’s no convincing reason to expect success. Like our friend buried under the rubble, optimism seems to inject a dose of renewed energy that even banishes fear. But all too often salespeople are notorious for being fearful of things that might happen. They fail to realize that the things they fear the most almost never occur.

Optimists just push on through, remembering that the word fear is an acronym for; False Expectations Appearing Real. Additionally, in the Bible the word fear not appears over 100 times. That should help nudge your attitude in the right direction!

Sadly, on the other hand, fear stops pessimists. It encourages them to throw wet blankets of negativity over the atmosphere in sales rooms everywhere. They offer up sniping comments such as:

“Without knowing for sure whether they have good credit, you think I’m driving all the way out there?”

“It’s gotten so bad that every two hours he texts me to see if I’ve sold something.”

“Is she crazy? She should know people don’t have extra money for buying right now.”

By comparing the two, it’s easy to understand that the optimists are out in the field selling, while the pessimists are hanging around the office whining and complaining.

Here’s one final comparison. Following a sizable snowfall a few winters ago, I snapped the photo you see on the left of a mountain home we owned at the time. I showed the picture to an acquaintance who said, “That’s beautiful; you should use that photo as your Christmas card.” Later I showed it to another person and her response was, “I get the shivers just looking at that picture. Whatever made you want to buy a house in a remote place like that?” Perception is reality after all, isn’t it?

Remember that every moment of every day you are the one who decides how you feel, think, and act. It is your own personal choice and one of the few things you have total control over in life. Make sure you choose to feel terrific about who you are and embrace your capabilities. Make a conscious decision to attain and maintain an attitude that attracts success, because attitude IS everything!

————Doug’s Giddy About Gaddy————

As you journey thru life there are rare opportunities to encounter and interact with individuals that really make a significant impact on your profession. They also alter your view of integrity and class. Doug Robinson is that individual that I’ve been fortunate enough to meet. It’s fair to say that being coached by him has made me even more polished than before. His vast knowledge of business techniques and strategies makes him a diamond at teaching high level performance. He is not only an awesome teacher and coach, but I’m happy to call him friend.  You should meet him too…HERE. Michael Gaddy, Sales Consultant Tuscaloosa, AL.

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 ©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

What Gets Measured Gets Done

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Photo credit-salesdevelopmentexpert.com

All too often, as a manager or business owner you spend most of your designated sales-related time measuring performance. Realizing that “what gets measured gets done,” you should spend some time measuring your management performance.

Most sales managers aren’t held accountable for their own leader metrics. Typically their only concern is hitting the organization’s sales goal each month and/or quarter.

Here are several benchmarks to help these managers not only achieve sales budgets, but reduce sales turnover as well. Business owners, start holding them accountable.

  • Fieldwork.Most managers allow every imaginable item on their To Do lists to supersede working in the field with their salespeople. They don’t realize that nothing replaces putting eyeballs on live interaction between salespeople and their prospects/customers. This personal attention is “to die for” with every salesperson in your employ.
  • Pre-call planning.Just like a military operation, where strategy is discussed before an attack, sales pre-call planning is a big deal. It’s critical for reps to prepare for both the routine and the unexpected. You would be smart to cover the “what if’s” prior to leaving the office. Prepare your reps for circumstances such as the following:

What if the appointment turns out to be a one-legger?

Is it possible to not uncover any real needs or pain?

Are you prepared for the homeowners to tell you they can’t afford your solution?

The better prepared they are, the better the chances of working around unexpected circumstances and still make sales.

  • Post mortems. Making or missing a sale is not where the discussion should stop. As the manager you should have a checklist of debriefing questions to determine what was overlooked or not addressed properly. On the other hand high-fives should be given for good outcomes.

Ask the reps, if they could rewind the tape, what would they do differently? Listen to their input and then share your thoughts. Be careful not to overload salespeople with deficiencies, and always use a worst-first format when seeking improvement.

Photo credit-salesforcesearch.com

  • Weekly personal coaching.The best oasis managers can provide is for them to meet face-to-face with their salespeople every week. The topics discussed aren’t as important as the fact that reps get some personal time with their manager. It gets lonely out in the field and ego’s get dinged when appointments end poorly. Salespeople need to vent, brag, and laugh on a regular basis to their managers, and time needs to be carved out for this to happen.

Even where there is a really good group of salespeople, it’s easy for them to get distracted from executing the right selling behaviors when weekly coaching sessions are skipped. Smart managers realize everybody is human and performs better with consistent support and accountability. Likewise, managers not treated the same way are not served well. In fairness, they must be measured too.

“If you don’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”

 

————An Offer You Can’t Refuse————

I’m obviously not Don Corleone, but I am going to make you an offer you can’t refuse! Well, of course you could refuse it, but why would you? My book and leader guide aren’t FREE, my online sales coaching isn’t FREE. But each week I write a Selling Point article and email it to all my subscribers for FREE. I write on topics of interest for outside salespeople, phone sales reps, selling technicians, and sales managers. Use it anyway you see fit. Don’t refuse, subscribe right here.

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 ©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Overlooked Opportunities

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“Life may be full of missed opportunities, but it is the next opportunity that is the most important!” – Adrian McGinn

Overlooked opportunities are everywhere in our environment. Sometimes we don’t see them because we are not looking. Other times it is because we choose to ignore them. Heck, occasionally we fail to realize there is even an opportunity available to us until it’s too late. I’ll be the first to admit that sales opportunities have flashed before me but I failed to pursue them. These are teaching moments that help us expand our horizons as professional salespeople. Moments like these show us how to add more tools to our tool boxes. They may even cause us to hang our heads and swear we won’t let that happen again.

Sometimes opportunities are subtle but an overwhelming number of them seem to be plain old low-hanging fruit. For you blue collar readers out there, some of these may sound familiar.

-It looks strange that only one house in the cul-de-sac has no snow on its roof after yesterday’s storm.

-When I glanced up there was a trail of black ants marching up to the top of the picture window.

-I noticed the double-pane picture window on that corner house is fogged up.

-There was a cloud of flying insects hovering around that garage door after that rain shower today.

-Boy, it seems there are lots of places where water is standing at that tan-colored house.

-During that last thunderstorm I noticed water just pouring off that roof, creating a muddy mess.

-Even from the street I can easily see that bright green mildew all over their foundation vents.

Whether you sell pest control, attic insulation, gutters, moisture abatement, termite treatments or replacement windows; these are all opportunities! The ones I described above are all low hanging fruit that a teenager could notice. What do you think you might see when you really begin to LOOK for opportunities?

Once you notice them you must take action. Go knock on the door and point out what you see and attempt to have an, “I can fix that” conversation. If nobody is home, write a quick note on the back of your business card stating what you noticed and ask them to call. Since many folks won’t call, jot down the address and do a reverse lookup on whitepages.com and call them in a couple of days and chat ‘em up.

I’m sure some of you reading this will say, “That’s just not my personality to do something like that.” My answer to that kind of thinking is…CHANGE!

Photo credit-thebalance.com

How many opportunities are you missing, week in and week out? What percentage of these would become new customers if they were approached? How many of these new customers would recommend you to a friend or family member, leading to even more sales? How many of these new customers would be satisfied enough to submit a Google review and become what I call a goodwill ambassador? Opportunities are everywhere. Slow down, open your eyes and start taking advantage of them. Capiche?

————Something for Nothing————

You normally get what you pay for, but when it comes to my Selling Point weekly newsletter, it’s absolutely FREE! If you SUBSCRIBE HERE you will also receive a FREE GIFT, a one hour audio talk on communication skills that I gave to a large group of business owners in West Virginia. BTW, your weekly copy of Selling Point will automatically be delivered to your email inbox, rather than having to remember to snag it from LinkedIn, or Facebook, or my website. What’s not to like?

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Dynamic Duo of Disappointments

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If you were to ask me to name the top two deal killers for residential salespeople I would immediately respond with one legger appointments and folks needing to think about it. These are the dynamic duo of disappointments. Often, the training and coaching received for these two situations occurs as a post mortem. In today’s article I want to provide some advice on these issues by dealing with them both, before heading to the appointment.

Residential salespeople will rarely get great results on lead sales calls where one of the decision makers will be absent. They are difficult to close either because the missing person really needs to be there or the absence becomes the excuse for not pulling the trigger.

Too often salespeople are assigned leads and rushed out of the office hoping to be the first one there. Why be first if you end up handing your estimate to a teenager who is home sick from school? Why spend over an hour completing an inspection and proposing, if only half of a married couple is there to listen to your findings?

Administrative (call center) personnel should screen leads and determine who the decision makers are. That information ought to result in scheduling the appointment when all the stakeholders can be there. If this is not happening in your shop, you must take the responsibility to make confirmation calls yourself, prior to going.

If our roles were reversed, I would want you to give me the following talking points for a confirmation call.

Avoiding Disappointment #1 “I am reaching out to you to confirm a couple things my dispatcher sent me. She said our appointment was on ___________ at _________am/pm at your home; correct?

I know when my spouse and I need to make big decisions about our home, we always look at the options together and make a joint decision. I’m guessing your family does the same? (Assume you hear ‘yes’). So then both of you will be there for my visit, right? (If no, continue with this).

I’m asking this because any recommendations and options I may make should be heard by all the decision-makers. So please help me pick a day/time when I can meet with all the deciders together, OK?”(WFA)

If this is impossible then leverage technology in order to bring the missing player(s) together. FaceTime or some similar video conferencing app will work well and help you avoid hearing, “I need to talk to ________and get back to you.”

Photo credit-revenueconsultant.com

Avoiding Disappointment #2. “Secondly, I’m wondering how many estimates you’re planning on getting before making your decision? (WFA)

How many do you have now? (WFA)

Is it OK with you if I be last in line to come to your home? (WFA)

(If they ask why) Well, my company provides the lowest total cost of ownership over the life of the system/service. This will be much easier for you to see if you listen to what the other companies have to say first. Heck, if I just wanted to sell you my system/service, wouldn’t I ask to be first?”

It’s been my experience that when salespeople position themselves this way that homeowners will be very curious. So much so, that they won’t buy from a competitor before hearing from Mr. Last in Line. This strategy will make the sale his to lose. It’s not a panacea but will reduce the number of times when “think about it” is heard.

In both cases, these are examples of handling objections PRIOR to them surfacing. By you bringing them up, they are taken away from your prospects, and are less likely to be used on you later.

I’ve always been a fan of the TV series, The Middle. I remember one episode where after returning home from a shopping trip where Frankie told the salesperson they would “think about it,” Brick asked his mom when they would be going back to get the item they had been looking at.

Frankie responded by saying, “Everybody knows when people say they are going to think about it, that they’re not going to think about it at all. Think about it always means ‘no.’” Keep this in mind.

————I Thought I Was Retiring————

I left the corporate world 8 years ago and signed up to receive my monthly ration of social security and pension funds. Since my bucket list included writing a book, I spent the next 18 months authoring and getting it published. Things blew up after that and today I conduct 30 online sales coaching sessions each month for blue collar companies. I doubt if you can convince me to conduct a new online session for your company, but I have developed an inexpensive regimen of DIY sales coaching you can conduct for your sales folks and technicians while I’m playing with my grandkids.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

17 Essential Sales Assumptions

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Recently I read a post written by Jill Konrath, accomplished author, speaker, and sales trainer. For everyone who sells in the B2B marketplace, her thoughts here will be every important. I am re-posting her article here in its entirety from www.jillkonrath.com.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————-————Dianna Geairn and I were musing about some of our big sales wins. As we talked, we realized our underlying assumptions—about prospects, our roles and factors that could hinder success—were crucial to our performance. In very short order, we identified 17 sales assumptions and why making them helps you win more deals. Faster. With less competition.

WHAT YOU MUST ASSUME

Assume everyone is overwhelmed. Focus only on what’s relevant, actionable and valuable to your prospect. Minimize complexity.

Assume your prospects are pretty OK with what they’re doing now. If they weren’t, they’d have already changed. Your job is to help them see why it’s worth doing things differently.

Assume prospects don’t like change. Crazy-busy people don’t want MORE work. Help them envision how your solution will get them to their goals with greater ease.

Assume it’s your responsibility to pique curiosity. Experiment with creative ways to get people to say, “Hmm. That’s interesting. I’d like to learn more.”

Assume your ideal prospects have a lot in common. Leverage what you already know about your customers to ask better questions, deepen conversations and establish credibility.

Assume prospects want to deal with experts. Demonstrate familiarity with your prospects’ business, processes, industry, issues and challenges to set yourself apart from the competition.

Assume responsibility when you fail. If your prospects buy from another vendor or decide to do nothing, analyze what you could have done differently. If you don’t learn from your mistakes you’re guaranteed to repeat them.

Assume 50% of your forecasted deals won’t close. (That’s about average.) To exceed your goals, ruthlessly inspect your pipeline to eliminate “hope” and fix lurking deal killers. Clear out “dud” opportunities to make room for real ones.

Assume prospects act in their own self-interest. If they can’t see how they will win by making a change, they won’t take the risk. Ask them how they’re evaluated. Explore how your product/service helps them achieve their goals.

Assume prospects will struggle to get buy-in. Arm them with the tools they’ll need. Prep them about the common obstacles. Help them facilitate change conversations with internal stakeholders.

————Please Help Us————

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Assume you’ll hit the world’s worst traffic snarl on your way to a big meeting. Give yourself ample (2x) time to arrive stress-free. Get there early. Review your strategy. It’s the only way to be at the top of your game.

Assume technology will fail. Have Plan B ready to go. Have handouts to support presentations. Prepare to jump on a white board to facilitate a conversation … Hey! That might even be a better idea in the first place!

Assume people will use devices during meetings. Think about how you’ll get them so engaged that they won’t want to.

Assume buyers won’t remember anything. After a phone or in-person conversation, follow up with a summary of key points and next steps. Take the burden off of them.

Assume your top accounts are at-risk. Bring fresh ideas, insights and information to help your customers achieve their goals. It’s the single best way to keep your competitors at bay.

Assume buyers don’t know how to buy. Review typical hurdles your customers had to overcome at each phase of their buying process. Ask how “similar” decisions were made—from concept to signed contract.

Assume your contact will leave the company, get downsized or go on an unexpected medical leave. To protect yourself from a shake-up, make sure you have multiple relationships in an account. Never leave your future in the hands of one person.

©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Buy With Emotion, Justify With Logic

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Regardless what you sell in the residential marketplace, you have no doubt been indoctrinated with lots of features and functions about your service or product. You need all that instruction because prospects make buying decisions because they have carefully considered all your information, right? Wrong.

Buying decisions are always the result of an emotion that moves people one way or the other. While feature and functions you provide may help, their emotion is much more important than your product information.

Author and consultant Geoffrey James provided me the inspiration for explaining this concept. He preaches that when salespeople learn to understand temperaments and emotions, they will relate and sell better.

All buying decisions stem from the interplay of the following six emotions:

  1. Greed. “If I make a decision now, I will be rewarded.”
  2. Fear. “If I don’t make a decision now, I’m toast.”
  3.  Unselfishness. “If I make a decision now, I will help others.”
  4. Envy. “If I don’t make a decision now, my competition will win.”
  5. Pride. “If I make a decision now, I will look smart.”
  6. Shame. “If I don’t make a decision now, I will look stupid.”

Every successful sales discussion either creates or magnifies one or more of these six emotional states. When one of these emotional states is present, a buying decision becomes inevitable. You job is to identify it and use it as leverage when necessary.

————BAMA Weighs In————

“Doug’s online training sessions have been a valuable addition for our sales training. The subject matter includes all facets of the sales process and helps eliminate the isolation effect of single operations by allowing participants to share success stories and ideas across multiple markets.” Dwayne Hazel, Pest Control Franchisee – Tuscaloosa, AL.

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Understand Your Customer’s Belief Perspective

The prospect’s perspective within these emotions is what determines how each emotion plays out.

For example, if a homeowner is considering upgrading their insulation, they need to know the potential energy savings. If they happen to be a GREEN or a RED temperament it’s likely their greed will then kick in. Proof that this upgrade will pay for itself in only three years may be the reward that triggers the purchase.

On the other hand another homeowner considering an insulation upgrade may be a BLUE or YELLOW temperament. By highlighting and emphasizing that your insulation offering is a green product that is kind to the environment, the emotions of unselfishness and altruism may emerge. This homeowner may see himself helping others as he does his part for the environment in addition to saving money himself.

Photo credit-blogs.salford.ac.uk

Therefore if you’re going to reveal the emotions that drive decision-making, you need to know some of the beliefs that folks hold and use for evaluation. A better understanding of temperaments will be a big help.

And that means observation and evaluation. The more you learn about your prospects, the more likely you’ll be to determine how their emotions will guide and frame buying decisions.

Folks have heard me say “the facts don’t count” time and time again. This is a good example of what I mean. I realize it sounds crazy but emotions are the engine while facts are the caboose. More often than not people go back and “remind themselves” of the factual basis for a purchase, while the decision was made previous to this from a nudge to their emotions.

©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Sales Coaching Works!

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As a long-time sales coach you would expect me to continually repeat the mantra that sales coaching works, and I do. But my “voice crying in the wilderness” may not resonate with you. Since everyone feels better about things that are backed by documented evidence, I gathered some to share with you in this post. Here are ten facts about the effectiveness of sales coaching, compiled by LevelEleven. Each one is source-verified with links provided.

Sales coaching statistics managers & business owners should consider

1. 74 percent of leading companies cite sales coaching and mentoring of sales reps as the most important role front line sales manager’s play. (Source)

2. Less than 20 percent of the average manager’s time is spent on proactive sales coaching. (Source)

3. Effective sales coaching can drastically improve closing rates by as much as 25 percent. (Source)

4. No other productivity investment improves rep performance better than sales coaching. (Source)

5. 31 percent of sales leaders coach each of their reps for less than 30 minutes each week. (Source)

—————My Actual Coaching Results—————

“At Cooper’s we have used Doug Robinson’s online sales coaching services for the past five years.During this time frame our company has tripled in revenue and Doug has been an essential part of that. Doug conducts weekly online sales meetings and activity accountability sessions with our three outside salespeople. We email Doug their activity reports daily, so he knows what they actually did, not what they say they did.

Additionally he conducts weekly online coaching with our service manager. Doug helps him teach the service techs best practices for replacement sale leads. These provide excellent revenue sources for the sales team.

Doug, thanks for always adding more value. You are a very important part of our team; thanks for everything you do.

If you are serious about growing and improving your company you should contact Doug. He is worth every penny we have paid him. He always delivers more than is asked, is very consistent and comes well prepared for each session. If you have any doubt that contracting with him will cause you to reach your sales goals faster and with less effort reach out to me personally by calling my office. Also check Doug’s website https://robinsontrainingsolutions.com.“

Tony Cooper, Owner Cooper’s Plumbing & Air, Bainbridge, Ga. & Tallahassee, FL.

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Photo credit-salesandcoachinginstitute.com

6. Overall quota attainment for a company with an informal coaching process is 84.7 percent. But companies with a formal coaching process see 91.2 percent of overall quota attainment. (Source)

7. Companies with reps who receive 2 hours of weekly coaching have a closing rate 30 percent higher than those who don’t receive coaching. (Source)

8. A 5% improvement in productivity across the middle 60% of sales performers would yield greater than 70% more revenue than the same improvement among the top third of producers. (Source)

9. A formal coaching process helps more salespeople achieve their quota (by 10%), and closure rates are improved even more. (Source)

10. Almost 75% of sales organizations waste resources due to random and informal coaching approaches, and only about one-quarter leverage the huge performance potential of formal coaching. (Source)

Sales Managers, if you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. If what you’re getting isn’t cutting it, contact me and ask for help.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Stop Giving Lip Service to Referrals

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Over the years Selling Point has written about and discussed the topic of securing and contacting referrals several times. The main reason for this is that between one-half and two-thirds of all buying decisions are based on recommendations from family and friends. This makes referrals the very best lead source for salespeople. Frankly they are even better that “office leads” generated from company marketing/advertising.

Today I want to once again talk about referrals, but this time from the other side of the table.  Why would a customer want to give referrals? WIIFT? (What’s In It for them?) If salespeople better understood the customer’s thinking about referrals, they should be able to secure more of them, leading to a greater number of “no sweat” sales. Referral sales rarely involve multiple competitors submitting bids and estimates, muddying the selling waters and lengthening the selling cycle.

As I prepared to write this post I put on my customer hat so I could see from their vantage point. I uncovered several reasons satisfied customers would recommend a salesperson to folks in their inner circle.

The “hero” factor. Your customers have an opportunity to be “heroes” to family and friends. If a particular salesperson greatly satisfied someone, they can look good by exposing their circle to their representative. As you mull that statement remember the number of buying decisions triggered as a result of referrals and recommendations.

Referrals guarantee better service. It’s natural for salespeople to run a little faster and jump a little higher for the customers who provide referrals. Somehow it’s in customers’ DNA to realize that principle. Referral-providing cushions against becoming a marketplace orphan.

They like you and trust you. I continually yammer that people buy from someone due to likability and trust. We just don’t buy from those we don’t like. Therefore if people like and trust a seller, they probably also would want to help them. It makes sense that customers get pleasure from helping their guy or gal become more successful.

Some customers may also respond to incentives you offer. Most companies have some type of referral program where customers are rewarded when they provide them. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that incentives drive referrals. If customers weren’t “wowed” a “spiff” to motivate a customer to send a rep to their friends isn’t the answer. The last thing customers need is to hear a brother or neighbor call them and say, “For the love of Pete, why did you send that schmuck over here to me? Thanks a lot.” Incentives may provide a nudge, but all things being equal, they alone don’t produce quality referrals.

With those four motivations in mind, salespeople securing referrals must prepare. They must deliver the same level of service that brought them the referral in the first place. Think about it. Would you ever recommend a restaurant to your mother that doesn’t know medium-rare from medium-well? Would you tell a friend to go to a retail store where checkout clerks are rude?

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Even when salespeople are great at their jobs, some customers will be reluctant or even unwilling to give referrals. To that end here are some common reasons this occurs that should be considered in advance.

  • They may like what they were sold, but might not like and trust the seller enough.
  • Customers don’t want to “sic” someone they perceive as pushy on a friend.
  • People might “pre-qualify” their friends according to “perceived need” or lack of, and never recommend and introduce.
  • They may be fearful that referring might mess up a good relationship.
  • Client states they can’t think of anyone now, however they might later.

To prepare for these contingencies, think through them and establish a counter for each one. This improves the chances of securing quality referrals, thereby reducing the times when “the agony of defeat” wins the day. Referrals are good for the salesperson, good for your customer, and good for the new prospect. Everybody benefits from referrals.

 ————Doug-isms?————

“Filled with what the author calls “Doug-isms”, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word takes a unique approach in providing the golden nuggets of sales training with today’s salespeople in mind. Separated into 8 chapters entitled, Enthusing, Essentializing, Engaging, Exploring, Elaborating, Encountering, Executing, and Expanding, “Sell” consists of 116 short standalone segments, each offering a tidbit that exposes an element of the sales game.” Carlton Fletcher-Albany, Ga.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chapter 12–Don’t Blow It

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You are at the caboose rather than the engine. If you want to start at the front of the train (Art Williams’ inspirational book, All You Can Do Is All You Can Do), read the Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, and Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10 and Chapter 11 before reading this final piece.

As Art Williams wraps up with the final chapter of AYCDIAYCD, he reminds us that we have heard a lot of fundamentals, all designed to help us win. Following them may lead to financial and worldly success, but if your priorities aren’t straight, you will still fail.

It’s not worth the effort to win in your business life if you fail in your personal life. You can’t overlook your spouse, kids, and other personal relationships.

Here are four “don’t blow it” warnings to be aware of.

 Warning #1 – Don’t compromise your integrity

Everybody faces temptations every day that call for compromises. You might say that “everybody does it” or “nobody will know,” but eventually your discretions will surface.

Over the years I (Doug) have seen many successful salespeople fired as a result of integrity issues. Most companies terminate employees quicker for these than for business mistakes, even when those screw-up’s cost the company more money.

Warning #2 – Handle your money wisely

You will also blow it if you aren’t conservative with your personal finances. You would be wise to adopt a philosophy of being “lean and mean.” Remember that the sales profession is deceptive. During the first 18 months you will ride a roller coaster of good streaks and deep slumps. The worst thing you can do is to go make major purchases or financial commitments after only a couple of good sales months with above-average commission checks.

Don’t get sucked in by the “fake it ‘til you make it” mentality just to impress your friends. It’s not important to try to make them think you’re a big deal in the company. Don’t forget that people can smell a phony a mile away, so live below (not within) your means and SAVE YOUR MONEY. Establish an emergency fund equal to 3-6 months’ income, because believe me; you will need to tap into it. Commission sales is a business of momentum with more up’s and down’s than the stock market.

————Busby Backslap————

“I’ve been in sales for over 20 years and have attended many seminars and read lots of sales books. Doug’s book not only provides great sales techniques, but the stories that accompany them give them true meaning in a humorous way.” Gary Busby-Atlanta Preview the book Gary’s talking about

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Warning #3 – Guard against being selfish or self-centered

Avoid catching the self-itis disease. Don’t view other people’s success as a threat to yours. Replace saying “me,” “my,” or “mine,” with us or “the team.” Don’t forget that there is a law of giving that says; the more you give, the more will be given to you. I realize it sounds corny and maybe even biblical but it’s true. As you help other salespeople around you it will come back to you. Support your sales team and management and your stature will grow as a team leader. Be a mentor to the new reps that join your company, and mysteriously good things will begin to happen for you. I don’t pretend to completely understand the principle behind this, but it happens. Finally when you give of yourself, give to help and not to get, because your motive is critical.

Warning #4 – Have the right priorities

Successful salespeople know the secret of living a balanced life. You must stay physically healthy in order to enjoy your business success when it comes. To accomplish this take time to exercise and pay attention to your health.

Many salespeople take their families for granted but, your family won’t take care of itself. Even if you have business success, you won’t have anyone to enjoy it with if you lose your family. Give family the same attention to detail that you devote to your working life.

As success comes many salespeople grow arrogant and begin to take credit for their accomplishments, rather than crediting God. Regardless of your beliefs, ignoring your spiritual life robs the inner peace and strength needed to get through tough times. Spirituality also keeps your head clear so you can make the right choices and decisions.

Art concludes his book by reminding us that from this point forward your life is a blank page. Fill it with the spiritual, family, and health principles mentioned and your success will be one hundred times more enjoyable.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chapter 11–The “Do It” Principle

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You are really late to the dance. This is the next to last chapter of Art Williams’ inspirational book, All You Can Do Is All You Can Do. To avoid missing a lot of good stuff you should go back and read the Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, and Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9 and Chapter 10 before jumping in here.

Art Williams devotes chapter 11 of AYCDIAYCD to his 40 year old “Do It” principle. There is something inside most people that won’t let them be average and ordinary, which is one reason books like this get published and read. Most salespeople still procrastinate before taking action, but a select few will finish the book and go “do it.” Everybody talks a good game, but all the good ideas in this and other books will be worthless if they are not acted upon.

You are probably asking yourself what is the “it” in “Do It?” The answer is simply, whatever it takes for you to win, and that’s obviously different for everyone. Everybody’s circumstances are different. A book like this can make it easier, but no book can “do it” for you. In every sales room there are winning reps that talk about how they “do it.” They all respond differently when you ask what their “it” is. Your “it” is probably something completely different. But until you get sick and tired of being average and ordinary you will never figure “it” out. Consider the following as you begin your journey toward “do it.”

Competition is one of the best things that can happen to people. When competition is present, it’s much easier to motivate oneself to “do it.” The main reason world class companies are where they are is because there are lots of solid competitors that continually try to copy them and undercut their prices. This environment helps folks stay focused on their “do it.”

Many people don’t “do it” because they never learn to deal with fear. Fear paralyzes and sucks up all your energy, draining your batteries. Fear creates imaginary difficulties because most of the things we fear never happen. You should stop imagining difficulties you think MIGHT occur, because chances are they won’t. Fear spreads like a disease. It multiplies and is sensed by those around you, causing them to think they should be fearful too.

Going back to the book referenced several times in this series, Think and Grow Rich, author Napoleon Hill said, “Do the things you fear, and the death of fear is certain.” Art recommends making a list today of the ten things you least desire to do, but will help your business the most, and do them!

————Thanks, Doug————

“Doug came to our rescue at just the right time! We were not meeting our sales goals and were desperately in need of sales management training. He implemented a sales management system for us that was simple, effective, and most importantly; doable. He met with our sales staff once a week for sales training using his book. He also met one on one with each of our sales reps using his “fix the worst things first” strategy. Within two months we exceeded our sales goals. At the time of this writing it has been seven months since we hired Doug and every single month we have exceeded our goals. Even our most seasoned sales rep with over 30 years of experience loves the training Doug provides. I recommend Doug to anyone who wants to increase sales.”  Jay Pollock, INVISION Technologies

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Here are 5 DO’s for “doing it” to strongly consider.

DO adopt the “little bit more” principle, meaning you do everything you are supposed to, and a little extra.

DO pick one specific thing to go for, because common sense says you can’t be great in every area.

DO learn to be flexible, since change is constant and the only way to grow is to realize and accept it.

DO find yourself a hero by reading biographies of people you would like to emulate. George Washington, Winston Churchill, Tony Dungy, or maybe “Bear” Bryant. Everybody needs inspiration along the way.

DO always “play scared” realizing that “gotchas” pop up when and where you least expect them. You must be positive, but if you don’t “play scared,” you’ll eventually get caught in a bad place.

Finally, don’t sit around waiting, because nothing great comes without a price. Don’t spend your sales career time just dreaming about “doing it.” Here is how Art ends his famous speech.

“A lot of salespeople will try to “do it”

Many salespeople will want to “do it”

Lots of salespeople will almost “do it”

But winners will “do it”

What will they do?

They just do it and do it and do it

They do whatever it takes to get the job done!”

The following link will take you to an 18 minute YouTube video of Art Williams giving his famous DO IT speech in front of a live audience in 1987. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxS8c0swJ88

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chapter 10–Never Give Up

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By noticing that today’s post focuses on Chapter 10, you night guess you’ve missed a lot of something. We are discussing Art Williams’ inspirational book, All You Can Do Is All You Can Do. To catch up with the rest of us how about going back and reading the Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, and Chapter 9 before joining us here.

“When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stone cutter, hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it – but all that had gone before.” Jacob Riis

In this chapter, Art reminds us to never give up and tells us how to ensure that doesn’t happen. Anybody can quit, in fact most people do. If this were not true, the winners circle would be a lot bigger and far more crowded. If you hang on and refuse to give up, you dramatically increase your chances of winning.

Here are two good reasons not to quit; the first is that losing, like winning, is a habit. All quitters are good losers. If someone keeps losing a second and then a third time, quitting becomes a way of life.

The second reason is that, assuming people have the desire to be somebody, if they quit the opportunity to achieve their dream is lost. Chances are, if somebody quits once, they won’t ever bounce back and will remain average and ordinary for the rest of their life.

—————Relevant—————

The face-to-face skills I discuss are rarely emphasized in sales training programs. Based on my 45 years in the selling universe I know how critical these basic skill sets are. A quick look at the Table of Contents of Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word will confirm my belief about this.

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I (Doug) want to tell you a story about a guy named Gary who came to work for a services company in Orlando after answering a newspaper employment ad. The manager told him that he needed to hire three people by week’s end. Gary was breathing pretty well so he was hired. He went home and told his wife he accepted the sales job, although he didn’t think he would succeed there. Since the job provided a 3-month income guarantee he decided to go for it.

Gary was a sponge, soaking up everything he was taught, although he didn’t sell much during that the probation period. He wanted to quit most every day and endured lots of rejection. More than once he was ready to throw in the towel, but his wife encouraged him to stick it out.

He finally found his niche, working with service employees to generate sales leads. By the end of his first year he qualified for the President’s Club sales incentive trip offered by the company. He is still there and is a perennial top producer for that company. Where would Gary’s family be, if he had quit during those first few months?

Failure is only the end if you allow it. Gary often says that “failure is the halfway mark on the road to success.” Many salespeople get discouraged and go into a career death spiral. Others, like Gary, double and triple their efforts and press on. They don’t stand still and watch their dreams collapse around them. They keep pushing!

When you bump up against tough times, Art suggests three strategies to aid in “hanging tough.”

Use the magic of thirty days – Set specific short-term goals. Little victories can mean the difference between giving up and experiencing enough hope to hang on until things get better. When you feel like quitting, make one last surge with a 30-day goal. Thirty days is short enough to see an end in sight, and long enough to build some momentum and improve.

Use a reward and punishment system – If you achieve your weekly sales goal by Friday night, reward yourself and take the weekend off and relax. If you come up short on your weekly goal by Friday night, punish yourself and work Saturday and possibly Sunday to set some appointments to ensure you get back on track.

Give your efforts time to compound – Often people quit when they are close to breaking through but just don’t realize how close they are. The issue may be impatience, where they haven’t failed, they have just not succeeded fast enough.

Art continually reminds people that winning is never easy but it’s always worth it. He adds these three caveats, which are tough to take, but he believes in “telling it like it is.”

You never get used to rejection – Just because you may love what you’re doing doesn’t mean that everybody else loves it too. When you face rejection, listen to that little voice inside that says, “I know I’m right and I refuse to let anything stop me from succeeding.”

Things are never as good as they seem or as bad as they seem – When things are going good, don’t ever assume you’re home free. When things are going badly, don’t assume your career is over. During the good times, don’t get complacent, and during the bad times, don’t count yourself out.

Before you can be good, you’ve got to be bad – Most people have to slug it out and go through a learning process. Things usually start out crappy, but eventually they get better.

Before you can be great, you’ve got to be good.

Before you can be good, you’ve got to be bad.

But before you can be bad, you’ve got to try.

Art Williams concludes with some advice on how to make it easier to stay “up” most of the time.

Don’t compare yourself to others – Wherever you are on the road to winning, even as a rookie, be proud of where you are and who you are. Don’t apologize for anything.

Don’t get discouraged – One day the devil decided to go out of business, and he decided to sell all his tools. He displayed them for potential buyers to see. There was malice, hatred, jealously, greed, and deceit. But the tool with the highest price was discouragement. The devil said it was worth more because with it he could pry open a person’s consciousness so the other tools could do their work. The point is to keep your dream alive, and never, ever give in to discouragement.

Don’t almost do enough –

Most people almost work hard enough to win

Most people almost hang in there long enough to win

Most people almost have enough determination to win

Don’t do almost enough. Somebody is going to win and it might as well be you.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chapter 9–Treat People “Good”

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By now you must realize that we are in the midst of summarizing the twelve chapters of Art Williams’ inspirational book, All You Can Do Is All You Can Do. This is too good to miss so catch up with us by going back and reading the Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 before jumping in on this post.

In this chapter Art Williams shares some sage advice that many salespeople overlook. You can possess great desire, a big dream, have a crusade along with a great attitude; but still fail. How? By not understanding human nature.

You absolutely have to believe in the goodness of people, and most folks don’t. They have been disappointed and hurt by others to the point that they simply believe everybody’s out to get them. Those beliefs just won’t work if you plan to build a large customer base.

Remember that most people feel the same way you do, including your customers and other salespeople. That simply means that everybody is wary of everybody else. The only way that will change is for you to begin to understand people and treat them the way you want to be treated.

Art says one of the best kept secrets is praise. When results are noticed and praised, people work much harder. Whether you realize it or not, adults are no different than kids. Everybody wants love and praise. Business studies continually reveal that people want more from a job that just money. That’s why it’s so important to “catch people doing something right.” Additionally when you give praise, always do it in public. If you really want your praise to be meaningful, give some memento of recognition.

More than once as a sales manager, I (Doug) was in situations where I had no budget for recognition. I Applied Art’s principle by buying a sack full of assorted candy bars, choosing those where the name held some sales significance. Whoppers, Payday, Mars bars; all these can be used for a great recognition moment for a sales accomplishment. You see it’s not what you give someone that’s important, but what you say about them when you give it. A carton of Whoppers malted milk balls coupled with a heartfelt thank you and a verbal reiteration of their “whopper” accomplishment in front of peers, can have the same effect as a plaque costing 40X more.

You can never get too important or make too much money that you don’t want to be praised and appreciated. Whether it’s an overnight stay at a nice hotel or simply a note saying, “You’re doing a great job, keep it up”; people love recognition.

There is another side of praise. Just as people will do almost anything to be praised, they notice when they don’t get it. When people perform poorly, instead of criticizing, just praise somebody else. There is only one comment Art Williams makes about criticism…don’t. Withholding praise is 10X more powerful than criticizing.

——————Doug Says…——————

“There are only two things that are consistent from client to client regarding sales training. Everybody wants effective and relevant training that will light a fire under the sales team and increase sales, but nobody wants to pay much for it.” As a blue collar sales coach, Doug understands both concerns and is committed to offering common sense economical sales training and coaching alternatives that will more than exceed expectations. Take a look at them here.

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To wrap up, here are some of Art’s principles for helping people become a master motivator like him:

  1. Praise people for everything; attitude, ideas, as well as sales. Nothing is too small.
  2. Use peoples’ first names. That in itself is strong motivation and is a form of recognition.
  3. Make sure everyone hears your praise.
  4. Have fun with praise and be creative, even with a small recognition budget.
  5. Use approval, not criticism to get results. Commend the ones doing it right and the others will get the idea and get on the bus.
  6. Applaud people when they are hurting to telegraph to them that they’re special.
  7. Praise must always be sincere because everybody can smell a phony a mile away.
  8. Newsflash! Don’t forget to complement at home. Make your spouse and kids feel special.
  9. Don’t stop praising, because everybody travels at a different rate of speed and may need to hear more of it than others.

When all is said and done, it’s not really the products and services of your company that win for you. It’s the people that win. So treat people good and they’ll respond with a new kind of commitment and enthusiasm that can be the tide that lifts all boats.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chapter 8–Always Be Positive

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Better late than never! Not so much. If you’re just now showing up for this series go back and read the Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, and Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 before continuing with this post.

In this chapter of AYCDIAYCD Art Williams addresses the need to Always Be Positive. He says, “You can do 99% of the things right but not possess a positive winning attitude, and you will fail. A PWA is not for sale, you can’t inherit it, nobody can give it to you, and you can’t go to college and get it.”

This thing called a positive winning attitude is the chief weapon for combating failure messages that are continually flashed your way. The difference between being “great” and being “average and ordinary” is so small that it’s almost too scary to talk about. So a PWA is one of those “little edges” that can make the difference between winning and losing.

I (Doug) would like to tell you about a guy on the west coast of Florida that went to work as a location manager for a services company after losing his VP job at a construction company during the great recession ten years ago. He became the manager of a branch in one of the hardest hit areas of the country, according to USA Today. His new location ranked next to last in technician sales out of eight in his region.

This manager began to build a little pride by buying new uniforms for his team and putting a fresh coat of paint on the building. He worked with them in the field to show them a picture of what winning looked like. He continually encouraged them and offered incentives. Less than two years later that branch sold 5 times the dollar amount than when he took over. The five top selling techs in the region were from that branch. John in Ft. Myers knew that or things to get better, he had to get better. He lived by Art’s principle to Always Be Positive.

When John made the conscious decision to change the tradition there and build a sales culture, things began to happen. Those Techs wanted to believe they were special, but they needed somebody to believe in them.

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Where are your residential and commercial salespeople, selling technicians, and call center employees receiving instruction and coaching on critical topics like Goal Setting, Buyer Temperaments, Off-season Appointment Setting, Likability, Over-Talking Prospects, Active Listening, Avoiding Weasel Words, and Prospect Apathy, to name a few? Find Help Here

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Art cites four fundamentals for developing and maintaining a winning attitude:

1. Always be excited – There is no trick to winning; it’s an everyday, all-the-time attitude. A major part of having a positive attitude is excitement. When things are going great excitement comes easy, but when things are going poorly it’s much more difficult. So if you want to win you have to get excited and stay that way; regardless. Deal with the negatives and continue to stumble forward, and you will start to achieve success.

In Art’s words, “More than 90% of winning is being excited, especially when you don’t feel like being excited.” Nobody can motivate you but you.

2. Stop making excuses – An important part of a positive attitude is refusing to accept reasons for not doing it. You must avoid negatives, and pursue positives.

Several years ago I (Doug) had conversations with two solid performing sales reps that both relocated to new areas with the company where I conducted sales training at the time. One rep told me how great things were in her new area. She said if she’d known how lucrative it was she would have moved there a year earlier. She even called it the “promised land.” The other rep struggled and spent time telling me how “different” the people were in his new location. He spoke of how hard it was to convince them to buy from his company. I wouldn’t embarrass either one, as both are great sales people, but “it’s the man and not the land.” People are people everywhere across the country.

“Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it.”

3. Always be “up” – Although everybody gets down and discouraged, you must make a decision to always be “up” about everything and everybody. It’s always easier to be negative than positive, because worrying is a part of human nature. You can beat it if you work at it. Additionally, you must also realize that most of the things you worry about will never happen.

There are a couple things you can do that will help you accomplish this objective:

Don’t let the criticizers and complainers change you and influence you to give up. Insulate yourself from these folks and don’t give them permission to dump on you.

Pass negatives up and positives down. When disappointment and frustration comes your way, tell your manager. He or she handles it much better than your peers. Once you stick your sword in the sand and establish these tenets, the negative chatter will begin to subside.

4. Make a total commitment – If you’re committed to win, you have a completely different outlook. Your only recourse is to turn negatives into positives. A wise man once said, “If you have something to fall back on, you are guaranteed to fall back.” As reckless as it may sound, once you burn your bridges, your subconscious will find a way to help you succeed, and it begins with total commitment.

Art ends this topic with another quote, “Attitude isn’t just a little thing; it’s everything.”

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chapter 7–Dream Big but Keep It Simple

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Maybe you’ve managed to fiddle around and miss the first half of the game (12-part series). You’ll be better informed if you STOP NOW! First read Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, and Chapter 6 before continuing with this post.

In this chapter Art Williams discusses a topic called Dream Big but Keep It Simple. This is something he is better at relating than anyone I know. He often quoted a smart man who once said, “Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.” It seems that more times than not people think something is better when it’s bigger or more complicated. Just look at the 2700 page healthcare legislation our “genius” Congress gave us! It just seems with all the advances in technology, we have lost respect for all things “simple.” Complex may work for fiber optics, robotics, or artificial intelligence, but not so much for people.

In 1973 a young, Harvard business graduate decided to start his own business. He asked his grandfather, a Wall Street investor, to be his adviser. After a couple of weeks they met one day for lunch, and the grandfather asked how many customers he had. The grandson replied, “None yet. I’ve been very busy hunting for just the right accounting system.” The grandfather replied, “Son, until you have customers, you don’t need any systems, or an office or even a desk. YOU NEED CUSTOMERS.”

Thankfully the young man listened and put aside his “strategic planning” and went to work gaining customers. The business took off and in 2000; Cadbury Schweppes acquired the Snapple Beverage Group. Since 2006 Snapple has been a part of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. His beverages are sold all across the nation, but to this day he still has no office or desk. When asked about it his response is, “Because you can’t sell anything to a desk.” That’s a great story because it reminds us to keep the main thing the main thing and keep the focus on what generates income.

As you consider ways to “keep it simple,” Art Williams suggests you include the following steps to ensure your business takes off. He said, manage activity, create little successes, and not get bogged down in paperwork. Let’s look at each one individually:

————I Don’t Want to Hire Doug! ———

Well join the club! Using Doug for live online coaching sessions doesn’t fit most company’s training plans, so consider ordering and using his materials and DIY. That’s why Doug developed a Leader Guide to accompany his book of sales training segments. Look them over for yourself HERE.

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Manage Activity – If you are going to succeed in sales you have to take action. You can’t sit in the office “thinking” or “planning.” Your office is a very poor place to prospect.

A great example of this principle is an insurance company in Chicago that called a marketing firm to analyze what was wrong with their business. The company was averaging only 2.5 sales per agent per month. They had tried everything they knew to do but kept getting these poor results. The marketing firm quickly established that their number one problem was that the agents weren’t seeing enough people.

This was just too simple for the company to accept, so to prove it the marketing guy did an experiment. He chose 20 agents randomly from across the company, and provided them a one-sentence presentation. “You don’t want any life insurance, do you?” was all they were to say. The agents were instructed to repeat that message to as many people as possible each day. As they did, nearly everyone responded with, “You’re right, I don’t, get lost.” But, one out of every sixty people responded with, “Yes I do. I’ve been thinking about getting some (or some more) insurance.” The agents were able to give that message to about sixty people a day, and began to average a sale per day. The company’s business took off and its viability was saved. ACTIVITY REALLY IS THE KEY!

Create Little Successes – Often when you look at your sales goal, it can seem overwhelming and cause you to give up before you really even get started.

When I order a sizzling medium-well steak at Longhorn, I don’t pick it up and gnaw at it until I consume the whole thing. I cut it into small bites with a knife and eat it with a fork. That’s what Art suggests you do with your sales goals.

You can’t close it until you propose it, and you can’t propose it until you find a prospect with a need for it. Rather than agonize over closing sales, concentrate instead on the activity that is necessary to produce those sales.

Instead of selling $X a month, shift gears and just think about selling 1/20th of $X every day. If you normally close 1 of every 4 you propose, make sure you propose 4 each day. Since you don’t get to propose everyone you see, be sure to see at least 6 today. Since you only get in front of about a third of the people you make contact with, be sure you call or knock on the doors of about 20 each day.

Now instead of frantically trying to sell $20X a month, change your focus to contacting 20 people a day, and let the law of averages produce the sales for you. $1X a day is a much better and less stressful way to reach $20X each month. By creating these little successes, your confidence gets a real boost and some of the fear of failure is eliminated.

Don’t Get Bogged Down in Paperwork – Nothing will get you in trouble quicker than taking your eye off the ball. At most companies the fastest way for that to happen is to drown in paperwork. I understand you can’t complete a sale or get paid without mucking through a certain amount of administration. Do the minimum but keep the main thing the main thing.

When I (Doug) was a corporate sales coach, a rookie salesperson asked me if I would tell her which contract to complete for a particular service. I asked her how big the sale was. She said she hadn’t made one yet, but wanted to get be knowledgeable about the paperwork before she proposed one. I responded by telling her to go create the problem and find somebody who wanted that product. Then she would need to know how to write it up.

Every communication is better when you simplify it and make it brief. People today are afraid to write in short, simple language for fear that others will think they’re dumb. That’s DUMB! I assure you if your message is clear nobody will want to know where the big impressive words are. It’s almost always true that the shorter the message, the greater the effect. Advertisers know this too. These one-liner slogans automatically reveal the names of the following products:

The Ultimate Driving Machine (BMW)

I’m Lovin’ It (McDonalds)

Just Do It (Nike)

You Can Do It, We Can Help (Home Depot)

Eat Fresh (SubWay)

Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands (M&M’s)

Art’s message rings true; Dream Big but Keep It Simple

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chapter 6–Have a Crusade

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By now you should realize that you are part way into a 12-part series. You’ll be better informed if you STOP NOW! Go back and read the Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, and Chapter 5 before continuing with this post.

Everybody knows money doesn’t buy happiness, although most of us still want to give it a shot. Think about all the wealthy rock stars, actors and athletes that became addicted to drugs and alcohol. Many had more marriages than could be counted on one hand. They had dreams, worked hard and paid the price long enough to fulfill their dreams. But when they got to the top, they still weren’t happy.

Here Art Williams demonstrates that people who are crusaders have the highest quality of life. This is in addition to achieving their financial dreams. Here are two reasons for this:

Crusaders add meaning to life – People need to be a part of something bigger than them and need to be active participants in some great event. Life is always richer when it reaches beyond our own doorstep.

Crusaders die hard – People on a crusade have an edge in life. They have inner strength and toughness that can’t be manufactured any other way. A dream backed up by a crusade is virtually an unstoppable combination. A crusade is a cause bigger than you and has an impact that reaches beyond your own wants and needs.

A good example of this principle in the business world was Henry Ford. During his lifetime automobiles were a luxury and only available to the rich. His crusade was to produce them cheaply enough so that every American family could own one. Today, most American families have two.

A powerful non-business example of a crusader was a middle aged woman in Montgomery, AL. She decided that having to give up her seat on the bus simply because she was black, was unfair. So she took a stand for the equality of all people. Every one today realizes the impact that Rosa Parks’ stand for human rights had in changing the course of history.

Hopefully your company is continually looking for crusaders to recruit as future employees, because crusaders stand for something. They believe honesty and integrity are priorities. It’s just not good enough to take a job simply because it’s a good money making opportunity. You must be willing to want to really serve your customers. This involves providing honest advice for the problems they encounter that your company addresses.

After you complete your diagnosis, if people don’t need your service or product, you must tell them.  Even when it means “no sale” you must put them ahead of your selfish desires. Remember you can achieve anything you want in life if you help enough other people meet their needs and wants. The key is to make sure you help them get theirs first. That philosophy must drive you from the time you wake up in the morning until you go horizontal at night.

Steve Bartkowski, Atlanta Falcons quarterback from 1975-1985 said, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” You must have a crusade to always do what’s right for your customers and prospects, regardless what you sell or service.

Often when you take an unwavering position, you become controversial. It’s not unusual for you to endure shots from competitors every day. These critics would love to work for a company with name recognition and a reputation like yours. But rather than do that, they just snipe from the sidelines. Similar to the old western movies; as a wagon train slowly came through town, the dogs would keep barking. Regardless, the wagon train continued moving without paying any attention to the dogs or the noise they made.

In business today the only way not to be controversial is to settle for being average and ordinary. Everybody who wants to win knows that’s the last thing anybody wants to be labeled.

Once you find your personal crusade, you will never be the same again. From that point on it will be much more than a job. Sure, you will work hard, but you won’t mind since the cause is bigger than you. When discouragement occurs, just go talk to a satisfied customer. Listen to their positive feelings about what you did for them and how it improved their life. That will pump you up and get you ready to head back into the battle once again.

I (Doug) have heard Art say so many times that the best part about a crusade is that it motivates you to reach higher and farther. It makes you get out of bed in the morning and go when you really would rather just sleep in.  

I’ll admit I don’t know anybody who grew up playing the role of a helpful business crusader because that was their mission in life. Most kids played cowboys and Indians. But there are thousands who have come to find a workplace with a cause worth fighting for. Additionally, as a result of helping by being crusaders, they have done very well financially for their families as well.

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————WOWZA————

Doug Robinson has been a large part of my sales success in the pest control industry. His book and leader guide are simple and effective sales training tools to increase sales and it would be well worth your time to check out his website and material. He also has a FREE weekly sales newsletter that is informative and fun. Greg Cosgrove, Owner Cosmo Pest Solutions, Doniphan, MO.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chapter 5–Become a Dreamer Again

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Hey You! If you’re been binge-watching Arrested Development on Netflix and have yet to read any of this 12-part series, STOP! Go back and read the Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and Chapter 4 before continuing with this post.

For the next few minutes Art Williams wants you to stop thinking with your brain and become a dreamer again. To accomplish this you must think with our heart. Believe it or not this activity is the inspiration to winning. You might ask what dreaming has to do with success, and the answer is simple. Dreams are the most powerful success tools you have. Frankly, if you don’t have a big dream, you’re done. The Bible says it this way; “Without a vision, the people perish.”

In an earlier chapter Art referenced Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. From studying successful people he discovered the common thread running among them was a dream they had cherished for a period of time. If you are still capable of dreaming, you still have a chance to accomplish something big. Better yet, you can begin to see the change occur in just 30 days!

A Dream Becomes Success

Here’s a glimpse of a success story that began as the simple dream of a pair of college students. As you read it you probably won’t believe something like this could happen to you.

The names Larry Page and Sergey Brin probably don’t ring a bell. In 1997 they were students in their early 20’s who dreamed about organizing information on the Internet. They thought people might have a need for what we now call a search engine. In 1998 a business man who noticed what they were doing thought they might be onto something and invested $100K into their venture to help get them going. They opened a bank account in the name of GOOGLE, and the rest is history. Market capitalization of GOOGLE is now over $700 Billion and their stock currently sells for over $1,000 per share. Again, these were just a couple of guys with a dream.

Brothers Dream Before Winning

In the late 1920’s most people in America were living from hand to mouth and would soon enter the Great Depression. Two brothers, Roy and Walter had a dream of creating entertainment for young and old people alike. Long story short, we have all laughed, smiled and contributed financially to the empire known as the Walt Disney Company. Although Walt Disney has been dead for over 50 years, this giant company is still growing and is currently worth $160 billion, with earnings of $12 billion last year. Just a couple of brothers who dreamed about providing people with some happiness.

Okay, so I’m sure you don’t believe you could become mega-millionaires like these folks, but think how they must have felt when they began. But even if you don’t reach levels of success like these people, you can absolutely participate in the American Dream and secure financial independence for your family, regardless whether you are an employee or an entrepreneur.

Success means different things to different people, but it’s very hard to substantially help others if you are in debt and financial bondage. Your dreams may give you the desire to help your own parents or assist other family members pay medical bills. You may dream about contributing substantially to secular charities or religious missions, or provide a legacy for future generations.

Visualize

Once you have a dream you can strengthen it by visualizing. You must be able to see yourself in the role of a successful person. One way is to place photos of your dreams in your environment where you will regularly see them. Your bathroom mirror, in the car, or on the refrigerator door are places where you can’t avoid seeing those dreams.

Visualization causes your subconscious mind to engage and begin to figure out ways to make your dreams become reality. In addition to visualizing you should share your dreams with a spouse or partner. When you both see things from the same perspective you will be impossible to stop, unless you just quit.

Finally, start hanging out with like-minded people. It’s much easier to accomplish your goals if your friends share your positive attitude and are also working toward their dreams. It’s almost impossible to win if you spend your time with negative people that continually throw cold water on every positive idea and thought you have. Do you want to “soar with the eagles” or “cluck around in the barnyard with the turkeys”?

Art says to become a dreamer again, because whatever you dream about you can become!

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————Kudos to Chad————

Today I want to shout out Chad Johnson, an outside sales consultant at Cooper’s Plumbing & Air. 2018 was Chad’s first full year and he sold $1,065,087. That’s not easy especially for a rookie. I’m proud of Chad’s performance and the opportunity to provide online sales coaching to him and his teammates every Wednesday.

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©2019 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chapter 4–There is No Free Lunch

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HEADS UP: If you’re late to the dance (this 12-part series), you really should go back and read the Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3 before continuing with this post.

Thomas Edison said it this way: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

Here Art Williams shares the simple formula for winning. I said simple, not easy:

You beat 50 percent of the people at your company by working hard.

You beat another 40 percent by being a person of honesty and integrity.

The last 10 percent is a just a plain old dogfight as you jockey to become #1.

Anybody that tells you selling success is a make-money-fast proposition also has also some swamp land to sell. Selling success takes hard work, probably harder than you have ever done before. The good news is the potential income is probably greater than you’ve had a chance to earn before on previous jobs, so it will definitely be worth it when you get there.

Art reminds us that believe it or not, work isn’t fatal! People die from stress, worry, and fear, but not hard work. No matter how hard you work or how many hours you put in, you can just keep working because before you die, you will pass out. God wired you that way. When you come to, take a hot shower, eat something, get some rest and you will be ready to show up and go at it again tomorrow.

Most people don’t give themselves enough time. You’ve got to work hard for several years, not months. Throughout my career I (Doug) always hated to see salespeople that I trained or coached do pretty well early on. Most ended up giving up and leaving for that mythical “good job” when they realized it takes a couple of years to succeed at the level they desired. They typically took another job that ended up offering less opportunity, but the grass always seems to look so much greener from where they were at the time.

I remember a sales guy from a company where I conducted sales training. Following his initial training he did well for almost a year. But he gave up on his goal too soon and left to be a service writer at a local Ford dealership. He had been “sold” on what a great opportunity it would be. He was recruited under the guise of a regular income, as opposed to living on commission.

For the next couple of years I would see him when I would stop in for service on my company vehicle, but each time his attitude seemed head further south. Promises made to him weren’t being kept, and the green grass income level hadn’t materialized. I tried to convince him to come back but his pride wouldn’t let him do it. What a shame, as one day he disappeared from the dealership, a political casualty of an ownership change there.

Not only do you have to work hard, you must also master the fundamentals. Too many sellers are searching for a system that guarantees success, but the system isn’t the key. Football is a good example of this principle. Different teams use different formations but still win. Some win with a “pro set,” others with the “wishbone,” and still others with an “I-formation.” So it’s not the system that brings about the victory. The team that wins does a better job of blocking and tackling and is in better physical condition that their opponents.

While I am referencing football, although I grew up in Kentucky my Big Blue loyalty only extends to basketball season. During football season, since 1972 when I moved to Birmingham, I’ve been an Alabama fan. I remember well legendary coach “Bear” Bryant, and saw him coach a game in the fall of 1973 at Legion Field. That year he led the Crimson Tide to one of his six national championships.

Bear coached at four colleges, Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Alabama. Each of those schools had a losing record when he went there. He started with the same players, the same facilities, and the same alumni as the preceding coaches. At each school, almost immediately things began to improve and the teams began to win.

Most people automatically assume Coach Bryant was a football genius, but that’s not really true. Those close to him knew that where other coaches coached football, Coach Bryant coached people, and the techniques he used were always wrapped around the fundamentals of the game.

Your personal selling success will unfold one step at a time just like it did for Coach Bryant’s players. That’s why one of my favorite slogans is, “inch by inch it’s a cinch, but yard by yard it’s hard.”

Recently I (Doug) interviewed a sales guy who qualified for his first corporate incentive trip after six years at his company. He was the first seller to accomplish this from his location. He said he used to think it was just impossible, although he always made a decent living. But he just kept applying the fundamentals, inching his way along, and logged the following annual sales increases that put him over the top, during the four years of the Great Recession: +11%, +17%, +6%, +14%. He finally accomplished “the impossible,” and he and his wife had a great time at the week-long all expenses trip at a western Canadian resort.

That’s why it’s crucial to master the fundamentals that will lead you to your personal championship. You can’t just read about them and then go on to something else. You have to apply them to your business life and think about them every day. Sometimes you will be like a juggler with too many balls in the air, and will drop a fundamental. Reach down, pick it up, work on it one more time, and eventually you will get there.

Art closes this chapter by saying, “I hope you realize nobody’s going to strike an oil well in your yard. You are the one who has to change. If you don’t, the person in the mirror will be the same one you’ll see five years from now. The difference will be some additional pounds, wrinkles, and more gray hair.”

Art’s advice: There is no free lunch so get fundamentally sound and stay fundamentally sound.

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Chapter 3–The Secret to Winning

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REMINDER: This 12-part series began on January 3. If you’ve missed something go back and read the Introduction, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2 before continuing.

I mentioned once before that if you were to look at the photos and videos that come from your company’s annual winner’s trip, whatever it’s called, you would quickly realize that the secret to winning is not looks, talent, degrees, or pedigrees (privileged background).

Here in chapter 3 Art Williams reveals the real secret to winning. The secret to winning is desire, the will to win, or you may just call it basic “want to.”  You can have all four of those components mentioned above, but if you don’t have desire, you will still fail.

I have always been an avid reader, especially non-fiction books that feed my mind. I have used reading as one way to always be a “student of the business” in every industry where I’ve worked. Years ago I read a short book written by Napoleon Hill, called Think and Grow Rich. In that book Hill documents his study of successful people, sharing common denominators they possessed. In the book he lists a simple six-step plan that goes like this:

  1. Have a specific goal
  2. Set a specific time in which to achieve your goal
  3. Write down your goal
  4. Develop a plan to achieve your goal
  5. Decide the price you are willing to pay
  6. Think about reaching your goal every day

Regardless what position you hold at your company, these six steps can’t be overlooked. I know first-hand they work, and they will work for you. Your success won’t happen overnight, but if you want it bad enough, you can become somebody special.

Let’s look at this concept of desire, in order to understand why it’s such a powerful force.

Desire gains strength when it has a concrete form

That’s why I advocate setting sales goals at the beginning of each month, because it forces the construction of a game plan for achievement. When you apply your company’s activity system of appointments, proposals and closes against that goal, you have a solid game plan.

Desire becomes obsession

Writing it down, reading it over and thinking about it constantly ensures that your goal becomes a part of your daily life. This is the exact process young athletes follow on their path to becoming Olympic gold medalists.

Desire becomes a commitment

At this stage you go beyond thinking and dreaming and devote your time and energy to achieving the goal. Art says that everyone that’s done this typically has gone through three stages before reaching the final commitment level necessary to see things through to the end.

The first one is The Lying Stage. This is where deep down you really don’t think you can do it so you walk around lying to everybody you talk to. You tell everybody how you are going to really do something great, but when you look in the mirror at night before turning off the light, you say to yourself, “Who are you kidding?” You really do want to make it bad, but you don’t believe you will.

That stage is followed by The Quitting Stage. After fighting through the lying stage and working like crazy for months, you hit the wall and go into a sales slump where everything you touch goes south. You finally tell yourself that you’re not cut out for this and you begin to look for a “good job.” It doesn’t take long for you to realize there aren’t any “good jobs” out there. So you suck it up and re-double your efforts only to hit another wall a few months down the road. After repeating this vicious cycle several times you eventually make the final commitment to do whatever it takes for however long it takes to achieve your goal.

That third phase is The “DO IT” Stage. This is where you turn the final corner and begin your real road to success. Talk to anybody who has been there and they will tell you these three stages are as real as death and taxes. They are quite normal for folks who are obsessed with doing something big.

Desire then becomes endurance

This component is that extra ingredient ensuring victory. It also requires realizing that succeeding is a marathon and not a sprint. Regardless where you work you might as well plan on everything possible happening negatively. I can name countless salespeople who have been “shooting stars,” doing really well for two or four or six months. Regrettably, they get washed out of their business after a sales slump rocked their confidence. Because they had no endurance, they never made it a full lap around the track.

One of the best examples of endurance is the most successful international golfer of all time, South African Gary Player. He is the only golfer that won the British Open in three different decades. He’s also the oldest player ever to make the cut at The Masters (1998 at age 63).

One day at a tournament a man came up to him and said he would give anything if he could hit a ball like Player. Usually a very polite person, Player looked the man in the eye and said, “No, you wouldn’t. You’d give anything to hit a golf ball like me if it was easy. But to be able to hit the ball like me you’ve got to get up at five o’clock in the morning. You’ve got to swing at golf balls until you’ve hit a thousand. When your hand starts bleeding, you walk to the clubhouse, wash the blood off and slap a bandage on it. Then go right back and hit another thousand golf balls. That’s what it takes to hit a golf ball like me.”

So if you are really looking for the secret to winning, it’s not a secret at all. It’s right here in front of you. The secret to winning is desire. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

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Chapter 2–Warning: Failure Message Ahead

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REMINDER: If you didn’t catch the beginning of this 12-part series, go back and read the Introduction and Chapter 1 before continuing.

Don’t let anybody rain on your parade! Art Williams begins the second chapter of AYCDIAYCD by reminding us that the incoming negativity never stops. He asked a rhetorical question about the number of hours of social media, TV, and talk radio you absorb each day. He wonders how much of that sends negative messages… MOST OF IT! So it’s natural after deciding to “go for it” and become somebody, to “hit the wall” of negativity. Don’t overlook the fact that everybody builds these walls. Here are three examples of what they might sound like to someone who makes a personal decision to become a salesperson:

“So you are going to leave here and make your fortune selling what?” (Co-workers)

“What makes you think you can make it in sales?” (Friends)

“What am I going to tell my parents when they ask me if you’ll be selling door-to-door?” (Spouse)

Add that heartburn to the nagging negativity of the illegal immigration dilemma, the constant military threat from bad actors around the world, and the $21 trillion US debt. All these worries plus not knowing if or when you will ever get another raise at your current job.

Another failure message people receive is getting “dissed” by employers or co-workers for not possessing a college degree, or a master’s degree, or the right “pedigree.” Seems like everybody wants to give you the 3rd degree! No wonder most people are “cooked in the squat” when they decide to get moving in life.

It’s critically important that you realize that artificial things like these aren’t the secret. The key is what’s inside you, your character and your people abilities. Don’t let anybody rain on your parade.

It’s funny, but at my (Doug’s) 40th high school reunion over ten years ago, almost all the popular people, crowned “most likely to succeed” in 1967, didn’t. Most of my classmates who ended up owning businesses or achieving notoriety in other ways were the “middle of the road” students back then. They were not super popular and didn’t garner tons of attention.

I felt some satisfaction that night because I wasn’t one of the real popular guys in high school, nor was I one of the big jocks. But as I reunited with my old classmates, many who intimidated me then, I had zero feelings of  inferiority. I felt really good as a financially successful, debt free entrepreneur member of that graduating class. Additionally, I was a guy who didn’t finish college, but rather decided to jump into life and become a salesman!

This brings up an important coaching tip from Art. You must choose to ignore failure messages heard from all those around you, even those from friends or family. Remember, these people aren’t going to make your house payment or educate your kids so why listen to them?

Put your blinders on and keep pressing. Become a student of your business, never quit, continue to build your character, and accept responsibility for everything that happens. All the while, maintain a positive attitude.

Don’t Let Anybody Rain on Your Parade.

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————Don’t Settle for What You Got in 2018————

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Chapter 1–Everybody Wants to be Somebody

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If you missed the introduction to this new series of posts last Thursday, catch it here before reading on.

Art begins All You Can Do Is All You Can Do by relating how everybody want to be somebody and grows up with the feeling they are special and different. My (Doug’s) generation watched Art Linkletter’s show on TV, “Kids Say the Darndest Things.” He regularly asked children what they wanted to be when they grew up. Kids would answer all over the map with everything from President of the US, to movie stars, Olympic gold medalists, astronauts, and Super Bowl MVP’s.

It never occurs to kids that there are obstacles and barriers to their dreams. And why should they, because at this point in their life they are constantly encouraged and surrounded by family members that tell them how special they are. This usually lasts until kids graduate from school and then they come face-to-face with the “big bad world.”

They marry, have kids and take on increased responsibilities. They go to work for companies that promise but don’t deliver.

Their level of frustration goes through the roof as they wake up one day thinking that life has passed them by and that things will never work out like they thought they would. Instead of juggling choices and options, they begin to take on an attitude of simply accepting what life dishes out. Childhood feelings of excitement and enthusiasm wane, replaced by feelings they must just be average and ordinary, like everybody else.

I (Doug) know because I’ve been there. Born the first child and grandchild in my family, rhetoric told me I was smart and special and would be a superhero when I grew up. Then life began to close in. My mom died of cancer at age 36 as I began my senior year of high school. Following that tragedy my dad drowned on a beach vacation in Florida. I had to take a full-time in a grocery store to work my way through college. And then to my surprise, there wasn’t a long line of companies fighting to be the highest bidder for my services.

Within a few years, marriage, children, and several multi-state relocation’s told me this was survival on life’s treadmill. This same story occurred to pretty much everybody else in my circle. I decided not to live the next 40 years of my life that way and decided to make some changes to ensure that wouldn’t happen.

Art defines it by saying that you have to fight for whatever you want, because life has a way of slapping you around and beating you up if you let it. If you will accept being unhappy, or broke, or being an average Joe; that’s exactly what life will give you.

In the book Art describes four principles people must burn into their brains to turn the corner in life:

The first one is that you’ve got to demand happiness and success because nobody is going to just walk up to you and give you something.

Second he states we must learn to dream again like we did back in high school. By the way, that is probably the last time most people really did any big thinking.

His third principle is that everybody has got to compete. You have to see yourself winning and then continue to slug it out until you work your way up through the food chain and reach YOUR objectives. Yes, it takes time; but what’s 5-10 years if your family can eventually “live like nobody else.”

Whether you believe it or not, your company probably has an environment where you can compete. Take a look at photos from your company’s past annual “winner’s” incentive trips, whatever they are called at your firm. You will see people who look just like you, warts and all, with similar backgrounds and abilities. The difference; they decided to compete and are now winning; many earning six-figure incomes. Decide to go be one of them!

I’ll bet you’re familiar with this sequence of events that actually happened to a great American:

1831 – Failed in business

1832 – Defeated for legislature

1833 – Second failure in business

1836 – Suffered nervous breakdown

1838 – Defeated for speaker

1840 – Defeated for elector

1843 – Defeated for Congress

1848 – Defeated for Congress

1855 – Defeated for Senate

1856 – Defeated for Senate

1858 – Defeated for Senate

1860 – ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

Abraham Lincoln just kept competing until he won, although he had an unbelievable pattern of failure that would cause most people to just give up. His saga lasted for 30 years. But the principle stands that if you’re tough enough and compete long enough, you will win!

The fourth principle Art shares is that you must realize you can change. Your friends, relatives and even spouse may not believe in you, but if you believe in you, nothing else matters. What about these “losers”:

Henry Ford – Went broke 5 times before founding Ford Motor Co.

Bill Gates – Dropped out of college and started a business that failed before birthing Microsoft.

Albert Einstein – Didn’t speak until he was 4 or read until he was 7. Later expelled from school.

Thomas Edison – Was told by teachers he was “too stupid to learn anything” and unsuccessfully attempted to invent the light bulb 1,000 times before succeeding.

Winston Churchill – Failed 6th grade and lost every election until he became Prime Minister at 62.

Oprah Winfrey – Endured an abusive childhood and fired as a reporter as, “unfit for TV.”

Dick Cheney – This former vice-president of the U.S. flunked out of Yale…twice.

Jerry Seinfeld – Froze in front of a comedy club and booed off the stage.

Charles Schultz – The author of “Peanuts” had every cartoon rejected that he ever submitted to his high school yearbook staff and later in life was rejected for a position with Walt Disney.

Elvis Presley – Fired after one performance and told to “go back to driving a truck.”

Just think for a minute what the world would have missed if these folks would have listened to those external voices and quit, instead of their own internal voices to persevere. Art Williams says to keep stumbling forward and constantly improving!

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Best Inspirational Book You’ve Never Read

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Needless to say, over my 45 year career in the selling-related universe, I’ve read a lot of books. I think this is a necessary activity, regardless of vocation, to balance the negativity that bombards everyone, every day. It’s critical to continually feed your mind and sharpen your ax. This equips you to play above the rim regardless how you feed your family.

I would like to “serialize” my next dozen posts by reviewing the 12 chapters of the best inspirational book you’ve never read; All You Can Do is All You Can Do.  It was written in 1988 by Art Williams. He was an ex-high school football coach who became a financial services entrepreneur and billionaire.

Over all my years in business, this man has been the most positive and highly motivating figure I’ve ever met. I was fortunate enough to be indirectly mentored by him for several years, and the recipient of his wisdom and admonition to simply “be somebody.” I’m sure I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t crossed paths with Art all those years ago. I might also add I am the proud owner of an original, personalized, signed copy of AYCDIAYCD.

In order to give you a peek under the tent of what to expect during the next six weeks, below are the titles of the twelve chapters of Art’s book that we will be exploring together:

  1. Everybody Wants to be Somebody
  2. Failure Messages Ahead
  3. The Secret to Winning
  4. No Free Lunch
  5. Become a Dreamer Again
  6. Have a Crusade
  7. Dream Big but Keep it Simple
  8. Always Be Positive
  9. Treat People “Good”
  10. Never Give Up
  11. The DO IT Principle
  12. Don’t Blow It

Considering all of Art’s endearing characteristics, the one I’m most fond of is the what-you-see-is-what-you-get, simple and direct writing style he exhibits. He goes out of his way to use as few words as possible to deliver his message in a way that is impossible to misunderstand!

If you decide you want a copy of Art’s classic, you can jump on Amazon and order it in hard copy, paperback, or for Kindle here .

For this series, I’ll write a blog-length post summarizing each chapter of Art’s book. I’ll be adding some editorial comments to his content, and updating and modernizing some of the original examples he used back in the 1980’s. During this special series I will posting from this classic every Monday and Thursday through Valentine’s Day. It should be fun, as well as informative and inspirational, so let’s get started.

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Prospects vs. Suspects

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Photo credit-pest-pros.com

Before we look into the dilemma of prospects vs. suspects, let me introduce the post with this.

One morning the manager strolled into the sales room and just stood there with his arms crossed. One by one the reps began to take notice of him resulting in all of them stopping what they were doing and looking in the boss’s direction.

The manager looked directly at one of the reps and asked, “Marconi, do you believe in life after death?” 

“Yes, sir,” Marconi responded.

The boss replied, “Well, then, everything is just fine, because after you took off early to go to your grandmother’s funeral yesterday, she came here to the office to see you!”

Frankly, lying has gotten so pervasive that there is now a website that will make up convincing lies for people. I remember reading an article about this service that provides elaborately constructed “excuses” for its clients. This company charges $75 for a simple untruthful phone call, up to thousands of dollars for big time lying, to spouses and bosses. Furthermore, there is a $75 annual fee to join this liar’s network.

Now Back to Prospects vs. Suspects

Every afternoon about 80% of all salespeople head home beaten down and defeated. This is partially due to spending too little time with prospects and too much time with suspects. The suspects of course, will never buy, or at least never from them.

The other 20%, the top producers, determined that if non-serious people won’t respond to questions and requests, they simply refuse to pursue them. Winners realize they can’t afford to waste time with suspects.

Today I want to focus on the need for salespeople to ask for commitments. This is a task that should be repeated early and often during every sales call. As a result, following that path will not only improve your closing numbers and reduce your frustration, but will also save you time.

Think about it this way. If prospects are unwilling to comply with even the smallest request, how serious are they? Based on that thinking, the more commitments they are willing to make, the more they’ll be invested in the deal. Additionally they will be less likely just to walk away from that investment.

Commitment is a two-way street. Therefore the seller has as much right to ask prospects to comply with reasonable requests as the buyer does. If you’re not getting reciprocal commitments from prospects, you’re insuring your place among the 80% mentioned earlier.

Consider Disqualifying Questions

To help determine which buyers are all show and no go, why not devise some disqualifying questions to use when you start getting red flags. These will help to determine how committed your buyer is and how much more time and effort you should invest in them. Here are several examples of what I mean:

  • “Since I found something you agree needs to be replaced, what would stop you from moving forward with me and my company to resolve it?”
  • The next time you hear, “Just leave me a brochure or something to look at,” your reply should include a commitment request. Consider something similar to, “Gladly, and to make sure you have ample time to look over the recommendations I’ll make, is Thursday or Friday better to continue our discussion?”
  • When a prospect says, “You’ve really given me something to think about,” reply with, “I’m glad to hear that. What is your timetable for taking action?”

Listen closely to how prospects answer these commitment questions because the answers you get will be pretty much the same ones you’ll hear on future follow-ups when you discover you have lost the sale. Sure, I know it sounds harsh, but would you rather know sooner or later if you’re entering a black hole?

Maybe you’re reading this and it dawns on you that you are currently deep in the weeds with a couple of suspects, who are starting to moonwalk. Assuming that you didn’t get any commitments like we just discussed, it’s time to probably go ahead and draw a line in the sand by asking a question like this:

“If you don’t mind my asking, what is your real level of interest about my service?” Let’s say you hear something pretty wimpy; try this for a follow up:

“What haven’t I addressed that would move your interest level higher?” or “What’s causing you to hesitate?”

Sometimes you will have a serious buyer with legitimate concerns, although most of the time they would rather climb a tree and tell you a lie than stand on the ground and tell you the truth. It may be time to make a let-them-off-the-hook statement and cut your losses:

“If you have no intention of doing business with me that’s okay, just tell me now. That way if you’ve already decided not to proceed I won’t bug you anymore.”

Asking commitment questions early-on will help determine the next steps you should take with prospects, resulting in needing to cut the anchor rope less often. Consequently, you’ll be less frustrated, make more sales, and increase your income.

—————————————Why Not Start Off 2019 with a Bang———————————————————————–

Check out Doug’s Book containing 116 lessons for the salesperson, along with an accompanying Leader Guide for the manager. With one click your weekly sales meetings are set. FREE SHIPPING! 

https://robinsontrainingsolutions.com


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 ©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

 

Believe!

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Photo credit-spsp.org

Every year about this same time, participants of my coaching practice and subscribers of our newsletter read my pleadings about the importance of self-generating their own sales leads.

Here’s the Outline

  • I first write and lecture about determining for yourself what your creative prospecting system will be during the winter months. Then comes a buffet of ideas, but you must winnow down the choices and adopt your personal strategy or system.
  • These ideas are followed up with reminding salespeople how critical it is to actually being a “doer of the word and not a hearer only.” It does no good to know how to accomplish something and then be unwilling to execute the plan.
  • Along with this sales folks are implored to be persistent, realizing that “Some will, some won’t, so what, whose next?” Your success rate may very well be lower than at other times of the year. The bottom line is that you must slug it out to ensure that, “Your take-home pay will take you home.”

Regardless, you might have a great system, a superior work ethic, and maintain a tough skin to withstand the “no’s. But if you don’t believe in who you are, what you sell, or the importance of your service to society; you will fail. I’ll conclude with this short story.

There was a lawyer arguing a case for his guilty defendant, who was on trial for murder.

The one challenge in the prosecution’s case was that the body had never been found. However, the abundance of expertly presented circumstantial evidence was more than compelling. Everyone in the courtroom, jurors included, knew that the man was guilty—so in his closing argument, the clever defense attorney decided to go for broke.

He pointed grandly toward the courtroom doors and declared, “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury: In exactly 60 seconds, the so-called corpse, the man you believe to be dead, is going to come walking in right through those very doors. We can begin counting now.”

The time ticked by: 3 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 45 seconds, 55 seconds, …and then, at exactly the one-minute mark, in walked…nobody at all. Certainly not the corpse.

Photo credit-bettinapickering.com

The lawyer addressed the puzzled jury: “Ladies and gentleman—I apologize. I told you something that obviously did not come true. However, the mere fact that you looked at the doors as you did showed me—and shows you—that you had some measure of doubt. And of course, if you have any doubt, any doubt at all, you must— return a verdict of Not Guilty.”

And with a triumphant flourish, he returned to his seat.

The jury went into deliberations—and just five minutes later came back out to render their verdict. The foreman stood up, faced the judge, and said they declared the defendant…guilty!

The defense attorney was enraged. “How could you?!” he demanded. “I saw all of you watching that door!”

The foreman replied, “Yes, sir, you are correct: We were, in fact, watching the door. But we were also watching you and your client—and you did not watch the door. Your client did not watch the door, not even for a moment. And that’s because you both knew there was not a chance in the world that anyone would be walking through it.”

The lesson? Don’t expect anyone else to believe something you don’t believe yourself!

————Perfect Blue Collar Sales Help————

“Doug, I really enjoyed every chapter of your book, and believe everyone who reads it will really benefit. I placed an order for 15 more copies to use as prizes to give out for good performance to my sales folks following local sales contests.”
Shaun Gilman – Area Sales Manager, Memphis, TN. Check it out for yourself, here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Leadership is a Choice, Not a Position

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Whether you are a service manager, sales manager, or business owner, you have chosen to lead. Leadership is a choice, not a position, so make sure you learn how to rock it! Here are a few leadership quotes to begin our conversation.

  • “Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let the results surprise you.” George Patton
  • “Leadership has been defined as the ability to hide your panic from others.” Lao Tzu
  • “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he/she wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” Theodore Roosevelt
  • “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because they want to do it.” Dwight Eisenhower

In order to be successful once you’ve chosen to lead you must be a creator not a processor. This requires vision to see what “can be” along with inspiration to attract others to help you to achieve your objectives. A mental image comes to mind of an orchestra conductor creating an environment where musicians want to work together harmoniously to produce the musical masterpiece you see in the vision.

This may sound simple but it’s not easy. There are many skill sets to continually tweak and fine-tune. Great leaders all share common characteristics which make them successful. I could discuss many realities which under-gird the behaviors and actions of leaders, but I’ll limit this post to five.

Inspiration Jump-Starts Motivation

Nobody can motivate someone else. Motivation comes from within a person. All the strategies and techniques in the world will fail if the folks aren’t jazzed up over the ideas being sold to them. Both the head and the heart must be in agreement. That’s why great leaders know the importance of inspiration, and that it can lead to motivation.

Collaboration Produces Results

Great leaders are wiser than to attempt to be a one-man-band. They inherently understand the team concept and that the best results come from pooling strengths and resources. Final solutions are always better supported when multiple participants have “skin in the game.”

Speed of the Leader Determines the Rate of the Pack

If you want your employees to behave a certain way and display particular skills, then you must be willing to show them a picture of what that looks like. People respect leaders who have and model principles and values. Old Chinese proverb says, “If you show people what you want them to do, it greatly improves the chances they will do it.”

Leaders Believe Their People Can DO IT

Believing in the potential of people is critical when you are a leader. You must trust your employees to be competent in order to provide their piece of your organizational puzzle. When you believe, they will excel, if they are the right kind of folks.

Leaders Should Look in the Mirror

Before you grab the flag and charge the hill in your business, make sure you know who you really are. Shakespeare penned a line in Hamlet that’s relevant for all leaders. “To thine own self be true,” means to operate consistently by your own inner compass. You also need to recognize what you can and can’t do. By understanding yourself and your emotions, you will be a stronger leader for your team.

————SINAFLW on Amazon?————

Most people purchasing Doug’s book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word, get their copy from his website. But don’t forget Amazon carries both new and used copies of this good read available right HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Sell-Four-Letter-Word-above-average/dp/0578108283/

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Sales Tips for Introverts Who Are Salespeople

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I (Doug) often hear from self-admitted introverts who are salespeople or have a sales responsibility with their job. Recently the following excellent article caught my eye as it will relate to all selling introverts. It was written by international sales expert Grant Cardone and I’m sharing his article in its entirety. After reading the article you can follow Grant here: https://grantcardone.com/blog/.

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Meet me at a party and I won’t have a lot to say. Sit next to me on a cross-country flight and I may not say a word to you the entire trip.

I am an introvert.

It has never been easy for me to start a conversation with people I don’t know. But you wouldn’t know it if you saw me on a Google Hangout, in a TV interview or at one of my sales seminars. When I got out of college I was terrified to go on a job interview until I realized employers weren’t going to come to my house and hire me. At 23, I sold cars for seven years and never got comfortable saying hello to a customer. Yet I still figured out how to reach the top 1 percent of all the salespeople in the auto industry.

We can all be introverts or extroverts, depending on the situation. I know people who would be viewed as extroverts at a party they host, but when they are guests at a party where they know no one, they appear to be introverts. As a professional speaker and educator, I become extroverted in order to deliver information, but when I attend seminars I am much more introverted.

So, how do you become extroverted in a sales situation when you are not naturally comfortable with it?

This is what I do to step out of my comfort zone:

Get passionate. I become so excited about what I’m selling that I have to share it with the world. Becoming passionate about your product or service makes you less interested in how you are perceived and more concerned about showing excitement about what you have to offer.

Do one thing a day that you fear. It’s very important for me do the things that make me most uncomfortable. You need to be courageous and make a point of facing your fears, no matter how big or small. The single scariest thing for me was visiting my customers or prospects in person. So that is exactly what I did first thing every day to get over my fear. It instilled courage in me, belief in myself and changed my focus from limitations to possibilities.

Be so persistent you get criticized for it. In life and in business, especially sales, you won’t become successful if you never get criticized. Follow up on customers so much that they actually complain about it, and once they do, keep following up until they admire you for your persistence. If you believe in your product, company and yourself, then you will be willing to insist—and risk being criticized for it.

Say hello to everyone you pass. I refuse to walk past any person without acknowledging him or her. I force myself to look everyone in the eyes and say hello. This builds a muscle enabling me to decide at will when I want to be extroverted, whether in a sales call or other situation.

Observe people for their differences. After a series of failed sales calls, you may start to see all prospects as likely rejections. What you need to do is take a moment and observe how people are different from one another. This will stop you from thinking that everyone is going to respond the same way your last few prospects did.

Force yourself to be in public. Step out of your home and office often so you can socialize with people. When I move to a new city, I will go to the same place over and over until I am comfortable and know everyone there. I have done this same thing with my children, bringing them to the same grocery store every morning until they could talk to the people working there as family.

Deliver public speaking engagements. The only way to become comfortable speaking to people is to get in front of audiences. Join a supportive group such as Toastmasters International where everyone is learning how to speak in front of others.

Stay busy. When you’re constantly on the go, you don’t have time to be uncomfortable. You have to ask for help, get help and talk to people because you are running from one sales meeting or event to the next. So, get moving.

Help other people make sales. Anytime I go a few days without making a sale for myself, I immediately offer my help to other salespeople because it’s a great way to get outside yourself. After several failures to close, a salesperson can become introverted and anxious. But by working with someone else’s prospective customers and having nothing to lose yourself, you will feel more relaxed and regain your confidence. Once you score a sale for someone else, it’s back to your own prospects again.

————Extrovert or Introvert? ————

“Doug’s online temperament training has really helped my sales team. He made it so simple and understandable. Now they are able to make a quick read and then mirror the temperament they identified. This has helped their confidence and their closing rate.” Earl Moody, Sales Manager- See how Doug can help you here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

“I Can Get It Cheaper From…”

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I hear salespeople regularly ask for help with prospects who incessantly respond with, “I can get it cheaper from…” The best way for me to respond is to compile a list of nearly 20 quotes for readers of this newsletter from the archives. Start sprinkling some of these into your presentations and proposals and see if they don’t help your effort.

⇒”It is unwise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money; that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It just can’t be done.”

⇒“There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man’s lawful prey.”

⇒“Would you order a steak from a restaurant menu that only costs $3?”

⇒“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.”

⇒“Good quality is cheap; it’s poor quality that is expensive.”

⇒“The bitterness of poor quality and service is remembered long after the sweetness of a low price has faded from memory.”

⇒“We offer three kinds of service: ‘GOOD-CHEAP-FAST; You Can Pick Any Two.’ Good service cheap won’t be fast. Good service fast won’t be cheap. Fast service cheap won’t be good.”

⇒”Buying quality items is one of my top ways to save money. Paying more upfront for an item that lasts longer makes financial sense.”

⇒”Overall, I tend to spend more on items to get better quality, more comfort, and extra longevity and durability.” The upfront costs might be higher, but over time, a more expensive purchase can pay dividends by serving you better and lasting longer.”

⇒“Being frugal doesn’t just mean saving money—it means spending your money wisely. That also means some things may be cheap now, but actually cost you more in the long run, while other times it makes sense to spend more now for a better, longer-lasting experience.”

Photo credit-hinthacks.com

⇒“I tend to go for the cheap things when it comes to things I don’t care about, or when it comes to things that are of comparative quality regardless of price. For things that vary greatly in quality, I tend to come down on buying the quality item instead. After all, just because something is cheap, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s frugal. If the cheaper item wears out before it’s time you’re going to be spending more money to replace it.”

⇒”When you do find companies that make quality products and support this mindset, invest in them. It shouldn’t be difficult—many are proud of their commitment to quality, even if it means their prices are a little higher. Companies that generally put quality first are usually proud to say it, and their customers are usually proud to back the statement up.”

⇒“Good work ain’t cheap, cheap work ain’t good.”

⇒“Where quality is the thing sought after, the thing of supreme quality is cheap, whatever price one has to pay for it.”

⇒“Buy best and you’ll only cry once.”

⇒“I’m not so rich that I buy cheap things.”

⇒“Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.”

⇒“Quality, quality, quality: never waver from it, even when you don’t see how you can afford to keep it up. When you compromise, you become a commodity and then you die.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

————I’m Flattered————

In response to last week’s Thanksgiving post, I received this from Mike Jones-Rollins Region Mgr.:

“Happy Thanksgiving Mr. Robinson! I am thankful for people like you in my life that have been great examples and mentored me. Thank you Doug!”

Get to know Doug here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

My Attitude of Gratitude

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Thanksgiving Season

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Today begins “Thanksgiving Week” in our nation, so this post will be void of selling-related material and strategies. I want to step back from those activities that are important but not urgent and share my attitude of gratitude.

I am thankful to be an American. It is great to be a citizen of a nation that allows me to proclaim a message like the one I’m publishing today. With all our “warts” Ronald Reagan was right when he said, “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.” Although being born here was none of my doing, I feel extremely blessed to partake in American exceptionalism.

I am thankful for generations of Robinsons’, originating in Great Britain, who understood they were the handiwork of the Creator. My attitude of gratitude extends back through all those generations who held fast to spiritual truth. This ensured that those embers remained hot and bright for me to experience. The Apostle Paul was certainly correct when he wrote; I couldn’t be surer of my ground—the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what He’s trusted me to do right to the end.

I am thankful for physical health although I’m a heart attack and a prostate cancer survivor. For His purposes I’ve been allowed to survive these events. I am blessed at age 69 to be able to walk 10-12 miles every week as my exercise regimen to stay physically active.

I am thankful for stable mental health and reasonable intelligence, along with the gift  of written and oral communication. This is attested to by thousands of salespeople who read my written words or attend my online workshops. I recognize I’m incapable of even drawing a breath by myself, therefore my attitude of gratitude extends to these gifts. I plan to ‘burn out rather than rust out’ as long as I am able.

I am thankful for my wife of 40 years for loving me, even when she doesn’t like me. She is an awesome partner, mother, and grandmother. Three months ago she was diagnosed with uterine/endometrial cancer and is currently receiving chemo following major surgery. I am currently functioning as her caregiver, but she deserves so much better. By the time she finishes her treatment and Christmas rolls around, my attitude of gratitude will certainly be evident through her renewed health. I can’t wait to see her sweet smile return once again.

I am thankful for my children, now adults with families of their own. They are all physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy, for which I take no credit. All four, ages 35 to 45, have earned college degrees and hold responsible occupations. To turn out as well as they have is proof once again that grace has been at work. I sure am thankful and proud of who they have become and the families they have built.

I am thankful for my six grandchildren, Alexandra, Cameron, Cade, Colton, Jackson, and Emery, ranging from age 16 to 5. If I had known they were going to be so much fun, I would have skipped the kids and had them first! My attitude of gratitude definitely applies for their physical, mental, and emotional characteristics.

I am thankful for solid finances. Over 35 years ago a mentor taught me the principles of financial independence. Because of this and my awesome spouse, we are completely debt free. This enables us to give generously to causes and organizations we believe in, while maintaining ample resources for our retirement.

I am thankful for my role as a semi-retired sales training coach and author. I very much enjoy working with salespeople and passing on tips, techniques, and attitudes I’ve learned over the past 45 years. There is a solid feeling of accomplishment to witness improvement in the performance of those I coach.

I am thankful for my spiritual life. When all is said and done this is the only aspect of life that will endure. I’m fortunate for my exposure to many mature Christians who have modeled a true relationship with God rather than just “religion without reality.” I responded to what I experienced by placing my trust in Him and His promises, which are available to all who will believe and trust in Him. As a result I am confident in spending eternity with Him when He decides my life here on earth is finished.

What are you thankful for? Try sneaking off to a quiet place for a few minutes this week and think about the things that will trigger your attitude of gratitude. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Riches and glory come from You, You’re ruler over all. You hold strength and power in the palm of Your hand to build up and strengthen all. And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to You, praising Your splendid name. 1 Chronicles 29:12-13

Give Thanks To The Lord

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————Berta is Thankful for Me! ————

“I appreciate the knowledge and advice you share that inspires me to improve.” Berta Britton, CIC Personal Lines, East Ellijay, Ga. Look HERE to help you understand what she means

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Earn the Benefit of the Doubt-Part II

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If you have not read Part I of this longer-than-usual post, Earn the Benefit of the Doubt; STOP! Go back and read Part I here: https://robinsontrainingsolutions.com/earn-the-benefit-of-the-doubt-part-i/ Once you do I’ll continue and conclude the story.

Upon arrival at their home Mrs. Car Buyer came outside and immediately commented that she really liked the car, saying that it looked new. She immediately said, “Let’s take a drive.” I got into the passenger front seat and off we went. I mentally identified her as an extrovert, so I wanted to remind her the car was an LX trim package. She needed to realize why the vehicle did not have every available bell-and-whistle.

I was glad I did, as she began a non-stop interrogation. Some were “How do I…” questions and others were “Does it have…” questions. I patiently demonstrated how to operate, engage, open and close everything she asked about. When her preface was “Does it have…” I reminded her again it was an LX and wasn’t equipped with that. This Q&A session continued for the entire 30 minutes we were on the road. Finally she pulled back into her driveway, smiled at Mr. CB and told him she really liked my car. Although he wasn’t thrilled with her outward emotion, she verbalized that it was the nicest one they had seen.

He thanked me for my willingness to spend time with them. He also told me they would sleep on it and get back with me the next day. Before I could finish telling him that was fine, she interjected asking if I would hold it for them. I simply responded saying I couldn’t do that. He chimed in that a car like this wouldn’t last long and that he understood they needed to decide quickly.

Here are the results

Mr. CB did call the next morning saying they wanted to buy the car and would pay my asking price. (BOOM!) He asked me to meet him at his bank with a bill of sale and the title. Oddly, we banked at the same place so he simply transferred the funds from his account to mine. I signed both the documents and our deal was completed. On the way out the door he smiled and said I should do that for a living. I smiled back and thanked him for the kind words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s compare notes and see if you noticed what I believe helped earn the benefit of the doubt:

  • After paying for detailing, I went back and still touched up minute things that most people would never notice. This helps remove the tendency of a buyer telling himself he will offer less than asking price because of…
  • Asking several diagnosis and timetable questions on the front end helped me determine the seriousness and quality of Mr. CB.
  • I went above and beyond by not only mentioning that service records were available, but by including copies. These were in chronological order with a typed recap, kept in the vehicle for viewing. You might say, “Seriously,” but I simply ask, “Do you seriously want to get your asking price?”
  • A Carfax report to verify everything I said, as I wouldn’t expect buyers to believe my statements.
  • A printed KBB pricing report for a private party sale, so buyers knew how I came up with the asking price, which was set in the middle of their suggested range.
  • Photos of everything conceivable, beyond what is expected. Seeing is believing and helps remove doubt.
  • The description did not simply list features, like a window sticker, but included logical and emotional benefits. These helped to personalize the vehicle for potential buyers.
  • Absence of any hard selling actions, coupled with confidence that I knew my vehicle was a premium offering.
  • My willingness to “go the extra mile” by investing time and effort to satisfy potential buyers questions and curiosity.

I suggest you apply these principles to what you sell to help you earn the benefit of the doubt. When you do there will be fewer objections, stalls, and awkward questions, leading to more closed sales; sooner.

————My Pleasure————

“Thank you Doug for all your hard work in helping all of us become more successful. You are such a wonderful asset. To be able to count you among my friends makes you even more valuable.” Tony Iverson, Combo Sales Manager, A.C.E., Salt Lake City

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Earn the Benefit of the Doubt-Part I

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Selling is a difficult profession regardless what you market. Your job becomes somewhat easier if you learn to break the code to earn the benefit of the doubt with your prospects. Let me share a personal selling experience involving this very principle. As you read this unfolding story highlight the things you notice that might earn the benefit of the doubt.

Recently one of our neighbors died, leaving behind a legally blind widow. After the funeral when we asked Sue how we could help, she smiled and asked us to sell their car. It was a mid-size SUV similar to one of my vehicles. It was four years old, in pristine condition with only 15K miles on the odometer. Mine was five years old with 75K miles. Long story short I decided to buy her’s and Sue and I were both thrilled. Now I was the guy who needed to sell a car.

Here’s my strategy

That process began with a detailing job, although the car was garage-kept and normally very clean. The next step was staging a series of photos of the car, not 7 or 10, but 19. I snapped them from every angle, inside and out, making sure of no glare or shadows. One pic even showed an open manila folder of the service records with a typed chronological recap from the day I bought the car.

I wrote a short description of the vehicle and included why it was for sale and the fact that it had no mechanical issues. This bio, confirmed an accident-free history, verified by a Carfax report. It also stated the car was a non-smoking vehicle that always garage-kept. I also printed the KBB private party pricing report, which I used to set the asking price. An ad was then placed on Craigslist, Cars.com, and Facebook Marketplace, consisting of all this information.

The very next day I got a call from a man who asked if the car was still available. He wanted to see it ‘as soon as possible,’ so we agreed to meet 30 minutes later at a neutral site. I made sure the service record folder was in the passenger seat as I backed out of my garage.

Mr. Car Buyer’s first words were, “After seeing your online ad and now the car, I’m curious to know if you are a car salesman.” I responded with, “Today I am.” He smiled and began a walk-around to size up the vehicle. He stated he was looking for a car for his wife and this nameplate was one she liked. I then asked several questions to gauge their seriousness and timetable for purchasing. His answers quickly convinced me he was prepared to buy as soon as the right vehicle came along.

He told me he was 63 years old and had never seen a used car for sale with the level of transparency for potential buyers as this one. Following that he added that he had also never seen a car as clean inside and out as mine. After one look at the service recap I compiled he only said one word, “Wow.” When he noticed the name of the automotive shop I use he smiled again saying, “I use them for my vehicles too.”

I held out the key for him to drive it and he said that wasn’t necessary. He stated that it checked all of his boxes and that his wife needed to see and drive it. Before I could say anything else he asked if I could follow him home for that purpose. I agreed and he immediately called her to say we were on the way.

Next time in Part II I’ll finish the story and compare notes with you to earn the benefit of the doubt.

——————-Recommended Link———————–

How long has it been since you holed up for a while and read part of a book that would increase your income, but was also enjoyable? I thought so. Well take your bad self to my online man cave and check this out!

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Exposing Stumbling Blocks

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Those of you proposing and selling in the commercial marketplace need to excel at exposing stumbling blocks (deal killers). You should be as effective at this as you are identifying and influencing the players (deal makers). All sellers have been coached over and over on strategies to get face-to-face with the latter group, but probably have not been given much help with the former group. On pages 153-156 in Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word, I discuss the categories of buyers and influencers, and will quickly mention them here for context. (The titles for these four groups were conveyed by me)

  • There are Funnels, who functions like coaches although they don’t approve deals. Their role is to open doors and “break the code” to expose you to key players within the enterprise. Examples might be a Security Officer or an Instrumentation Technician.
  • Fiscal Buyers are “Mr. /Ms. Big.” They are the final authorities, regardless of title, for purchasing services and products, and closing deals.
  • Function influencers weigh in to determine the impact of what you’re selling on the job performance of employees. They are also umpires on the day to day operation of the facility. Examples of this group might be Maintenance Engineers or Department Supervisors. The larger the business the more of these may be embedded throughout the company.
  • The fourth group are Formula authorities. These specialists match products and services to company specifications and requirements. The more complex the business, the more of these folks there will be. Examples can include Quality Assurance Managers and Purchasing Agents.

Focus Your Attention Here

When exposing stumbling blocks it’s crucial to focus on the last two groups above; the Function and the Formula influencers. Although neither group can say yes, they can and will say no. They will regularly screen out products and services they determine don’t meet specs. They also focus anything causing too much heartburn to incorporate into their operation.

These stumbling blocks may also feel your solution might point out deficiencies in their portion of the kingdom. They may worry that you are casting doubt on their ability to perform their jobs. This may occur even when your intent is to help productivity and achieve better results. Remember, stumbling blocks may have bad tastes in their mouths from sellers who previously didn’t deliver what was promised.

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The best way to identify these deal killers early and often is to realize that questions are your best friend. Here are some of my solid ones to ask, in order to avoid being involved in boardroom “train wrecks”:

  • Who are the people that you know I should be aware of, that I don’t know?
  • In what areas will I get the most push back to changes my solution might suggest?
  • What department will probably feel like my recommendation is a bad idea?
  • What job positions, if any, do you anticipate eliminating as a result of these changes?
  • Can you think of a time when your company stalled while trying to implement a change like this? What caused that?

Start seeking out the stumbling blocks in companies you are attempting to work with. Once identified, try to understand their positions and concerns. This is a great first step to eventually gaining their blessing. The deal killers you are struggling with today could become important deal making influencers tomorrow. Start assessing and asking!

————This is Good Stuff!————

Doug, after your online video coaching session about comparison checklists I really focused on the homeowner questions for contractors and closed 8 out of the last 10 jobs I’ve gone to! Tyler Payne, Barineau HVAC Get to know Doug here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Handwritten Notes; Seriously?

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Suppose you’re the planner who extended the invitation for me to speak at the annual conference of your company. Which of the following thank you notes would you rather receive from me following the event?

This: Thank you for your business. I really appreciate it and look forward to working with you again soon.

Or this: Thank you so much for inviting me to speak at the annual conference. I really appreciate your attention to detail. You responded to my questions promptly this past month and were gracious throughout the planning process. You are a sales trainer’s dream client!

I’m guessing you picked the second one, along with everyone else on the planet. Only two things would improve that note. One is to hand write it with pen on paper, including the envelope. Secondly, put a stamp on it and drop it in a mailbox.

Personal handwritten notes have become rarer than albino alligators. The latest Postal Service annual survey reports that folks only receive a personal letter or note about once every eight weeks. For comparison purposes it was once every two weeks in 1987. It’s not news that there is a constant evolution away from written communication and toward more email, texts, and tweets. People are quick to say they have no time for stationary and stamps. However  there is value and importance in handwritten notes that should be considered.

Recipients of handwritten notes instinctively know that they cost the sender more, in time and materials. Electronic communication costs essentially zero and we all send and receive hundreds of them every day. This means they are rarely notable, whereas handwritten notes are unusual. I assure you each rare note or letter you’ve received means more than all of the electronic drivel clogging your inbox daily. If you don’t believe me, show me the stack of emails you cherish. Are they kept in a drawer for safekeeping or is it handwritten notes and letters that are there? ‘Nuf said!

Why Salespeople Should Listen Up!

In the selling world handwritten notes are normally messages of gratitude and appreciation that go beyond just a thank you. Readers of my newsletter should remember the missive about legendary car salesman Joe Girard who sent a handwritten message to all his clients once a month. These notes contained one simple sentence every time. For January the note read, “I like you, Happy New Year.“ For November it would say, “I like you, Happy Thanksgiving.” Joe believed these simple notes were one of the reasons his clients stayed so loyal to him over the years. What a great way to remind others that you value your relationship with them.

Photo credit-blog.pensaki.com

In your selling world notes and cards can be used for many occasions and reasons: To confirm an appointment, to thank a buyer for meeting with you, to memorialize the anniversary of a client business relationship, or even to cite something personal, such as a congratulatory note for a sports or academic accomplishment by a customer’s child. What better way to show the people who matter to your business that they are important to you.

Finally, physical notes are memorable. Whether the customer is commercial or residential, it’s not unusual to see notes and cards displayed on desks, refrigerators, or mantles. This is never done with email. So yes, they cost you something to create and send, but they mean so much more. They tell your customers how much they are deeply appreciated.

————WOO-HOO!————

“I want to give a shout out to Doug for his Selling Point newsletter. Most bloggers just tease readers with tidbits of information, but Doug provides a complete lesson on each topic he writes about. Every week I look forward to reading his posts and applying his ideas in my business. Who says you can’t get something of value for nothing?” Rob D. – Lafayette, IN. Subscribe for FREE here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

First Impressions

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Today let’s talk about first impressions. It was Yogi Berra who said, “You can observe a lot by just watching.” And when you are selling, rest assured, you are constantly being watched. All my life I have heard the phrase, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Many folks try to argue that statement from both sides. Those who know have documented that approximately eleven decisions are made about a person during the first four to six seconds they are together with someone! That’s first impressions on steroids.

President Ronald Reagan understood first impressions and also knew the power that humor brings to communication and bargaining. Prior to his first meeting with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev at the SALT talks with the Soviet Union, there was a great deal of tension. This created a considerable coolness in the initial stages of their meeting. This was no surprise, since Reagan had often referred to the Soviet Union as the Evil Empire, so he decided to melt the chilly atmosphere at the meeting by telling Gorbachev this joke:

Moscow had been having a terrible problem with people speeding, so the local police were given strict orders to give speeding tickets to everyone caught driving over the limit. One day Gorbachev was late getting to the Kremlin, so he said to his driver, “You get in the back and let me drive. We’ll get there faster.”

They sped by a couple of motorcycle cops, and one of them took off after the car. He came back ten minutes later, and his buddy asked, “Well, did you give him a ticket?” “No, I didn’t.” “Why not, who was it?” “I don’t know, but his driver was Gorbachev.”

Reagan made a positive first impression on Gorbachev who loved the joke, and from that point on tensions eased. Additionally, considerable progress was made in their negotiation process. The shared laughter facilitated a more positive climate for debate between the two leaders.

Whether you agree or not, as a salesperson you are judged by things like your diction, vocabulary, body language, tone of voice, your walk, slang terms you use, and accents you may have.

Photo credit-geek-craft.com

Suggestions to Consider

Since all these and more are evaluated in such a rapid-fire manner, you must be prepared for virtually anything, so here are some tips to consider that will help you through these close encounters:

  1. Arrive on time; preferably early.
  2. Smile, offer a firm handshake and make direct eye contact.
  3. Project confidence and relax.
  4. Display friendly (open) body language.
  5. Pronounce your buyer’s name correctly and then use their name during the conversation.
  6. Dress professionally, but not above your prospects’ level of attire.
  7. Don’t make any apologies related to the prospect making time to see you.
  8. Use acceptable language and grammar, while avoiding controversial or divisive topics.
  9. Minimize small talk, as your prospect isn’t looking for a new best friend.

Now mentally put yourself on the buyer’s side of the desk and evaluate what he/she observes according to this list. I’m guessing that by doing these things, you will be given the benefit of the doubt more times than not by your buyers. Selling success always boils down to likeability and trust, so keep those two objectives at the forefront of everything you say and do.

Heck, even though they were miles apart on ideology, not only did Gorbachev soften, but Democrat Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill liked and developed a close friendship with Republican President Ronald Reagan!

————Two Thumbs Up————

Doug’s book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word really rang my bell. Over a hundred sales related topics and none were longer than 3 pages each! Concise, relevant, and sprinkled with humor. If you sell in a blue collar world you’ve got to get a copy for yourself! Dirk S., Port Orange, FL.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Confirmation Bias

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Just so you won’t be guessing from the beginning of this post, confirmation bias is defined as interpreting information in a way that confirms what you already believe. You see what you’re looking for and hear what you’re listening for. Confirmation bias causes people to seek to confirm existing beliefs rather than challenging them, regardless what information is presented.

My closest friend and his wife attend a church where, after 30 years at the helm, their beloved pastor retired. He was the only church leader most folks in that congregation had ever known. My friend was asked to serve on the pastor search committee and soon thereafter they found and vetted a great candidate. This fellow happened to have been a former missionary. He was invited to come and preach one Sunday and meet the members of the church. He was also asked to bring his family for an opportunity to size up their potential new home town.

All went well except that one member of the search team kept mentioning that the retiring pastor always said that “former missionaries don’t make the best pastors.” He couldn’t get that (confirmation bias) out of his mind and began to have sidebar conversations with various members prior to the church-wide vote. When the votes were counted, you guessed it, the candidate failed to get the required majority. This tragedy was due to the negative lobbying efforts of this one man.

Sales reps too, fall victim to confirmation bias when they ask prospects loaded questions as they search for specific answers. For example, if a rep thinks a prospect could benefit from additional attic insulation he might ask the following question. “Would you like to save money on your energy bill each month?” Of course the answer will be yes. The rep immediately responds, “Then you should add a six inch cap of insulation in your attic.” The problem is that without an energy audit/inspection there’s no way to confirm the additional insulation is actually needed.

While it’s helpful to have research-backed assumptions prior to talking to a prospect, reps need to remember to be open to new information and be ready to admit their “educated guess” might be incorrect.

Confirmation bias also impacts your buyers, both residential and commercial in several different ways. If people on the buyer’s side of the table already have a preferred vendor when you come along, the chances are great that they will interpret whatever you say as positive in favor of your competitor. This will happen regardless how convincing you feel your presentation is, meaning you lose the competitive scrum.

This bias can also cause them to prefer a highly advertised solution over yours, even if yours is objectively better. This is due to the tendency of the human brain to believe information encountered early over information encountered later.

Even if the person researching your solution is open to your ideas, confirmation bias can cause snags later in the process. This occurs when a higher level decision maker or influencer has a strong preconceived preference for a competitor. Those people may interpret your information in a way that confirms their bias, rather than considering your solution on its own merits.

Googling the Internet for information has made this bias even stronger. It causes opinions to be formed about products and services prior to ever coming face-to-face with salespeople. This now occurs so frequently and impacts sales so often that salespeople must counter it.

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To have a shot at overcoming this bias I suggest using a circular strategy, with four simple steps to help bring prospects and buyers around to your point of view:

Empathize along the vein of agreeing before disagreeing. Empathy encourages cooperation and relationship-building, rather than confrontation which acts like a magnet for reinforcing confirmation bias.

Explore using open-ended questioning that can lead buyers to discover the “warts” in their current thinking. This process makes them more likely to consider your thinking and your solution.

Encounter their existing beliefs by connecting discomfort and pain with the path they are currently traveling. If you succeed you may be able to nudge their thinking in your direction.

Execute by making your alternative suggestion attractive, positioning it as the path of least resistance back toward their comfort zone.

This is a tough one so it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

————Much More than Basics————

My initial choice of words was “getting back to basics” when reading Doug’s book. But after finishing, it is so much more and I have already learned some new things!  Plus, I love the funny stories and examples throughout the book. Tina Mabry, Lifetime Member, Million Dollar Club Realtor, Georgia

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Battling the Status Quo

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As you attempt to schedule appointments, realize that your biggest competitor is battling the status quo, the path of least resistance that your buyer is currently travelling. At times this trajectory can be extremely costly, as detailed in the following historical example:

In Montana, during the hot dry summer of 1949, Wagner Dodge and a dozen other firefighters were battling blazes in the Mann Gulch area. Suddenly the winds reversed course and drove the flaming inferno towards them. Knowing that they could not get to the river before the fire overtook them, Dodge stopped and ordered his men to do what he did. Dodge lit a fire in the grass around him and created a small circular area of burnt grass. Then he lay down on the ground and stretched a wet handkerchief over his head. Instead, his men panicked and in “status quo” fashion, kept moving. On the other hand, in that moment of severe stress, Dodge was still able to think of a creative solution. That decision enabled him to survive as the fire burned around and past him. Of the twelve men from his crew who panicked, only two survived.

When one of your prospects becomes anxious about something, the thing they need the most, imagination, is often paralyzed. This action causes them to be unable to visualize creative solutions. So keep in mind that most buyers think they are happy with what they’ve got. If this were untrue, they would be calling you, right? Hence, the status quo controls.

Therefore, here is the antidote and some selling food for thought:

  • About one third of your sales will occur regardless of your technique. This points toward your need to constantly contact enough needy prospects so that some will always be buying.
  • Regrettably, the second third will never buy, no matter what you do or say. These people will either do nothing, or buy from one of your competitors. Sometimes they simply adjust priorities at their companies when changes alter things internally (promotions, illnesses, relocations). Either way, you won’t “ink” that group.
  • The final third is the group that’s up for grabs. That said the more prospecting and proposing you do, the more of that third-third you will ultimately sell.

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Many people will not respond favorably to your first appointment request, but don’t let that deter you. You can often salvage a meeting by attempting one of the following “…get together anyway” responses:

  • Regardless what they say, respond with, “Oh well, that’s OK. Why don’t we get together anyway?”
  • You should also learn to establish a foothold for any negative response, by simply asking a question related to that particular comment; followed by suggesting to “get together anyway.”

As an example assume during an appointment setting phone call your buyer says, “We don’t make decisions like that here locally.” Respond by asking, “Oh, where are those decisions made?” After he/she answers, respond with, “That’s fine, but to help me gain a better understanding of your operation why don’t we get together anyway?” Often this will turn a prospecting conversation into an appointment.

  • To regain your footing following a negative response, try answering with, “I’m just curious,” and then ask another pertinent question. Regardless of the response you receive, answer with, “Interesting, why don’t we get together anyway?”
  • When someone says, “I’m the wrong person to talk to,” simply say, “Gee, what do you do?” If they really are the wrong person, say, “Well, who is the right person?” Unless they are openly obviously the wrong person, just say, “Oh, then you know what, we should get together anyway.” Often they will end up being somebody who can help you secure an appointment and maybe even help get a deal done, although they are not a

Realize that 65% of your selling success is finding people willing to talk and then explaining what you do. It all begins with a conversation that can lead to an appointment that may lead to a new customer.

————Here’s a Tip————

“Doug, your book is a great tool that is helping me with my team in the sales room. It is very practical and easy to read and comprehend.” Get you copy here with FREE shipping. Chris Watring-South Carolina

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Selling More by Talking Less

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When it comes to closing sales we often bloviate way too much in our effort to help homeowners and commercial buyers make informed decisions. Well I hate to break the news to you, but that additional yammering doesn’t really work, so today let’s focus on selling more by talking less.

Now stay tuned in as I share some really wacky sounding comments in the next two paragraphs that originate from Charlie Greer, a fellow sales coach. He presents a different perspective than you’ve probably considered before.

With all due respect the vast majority of the folks you are selling to are not PHD’s or Mensa Society members. They are just regular folks, probably near the median intelligence level. Besides that, many of the people that you are calling on, are part of that huge group of U.S. citizens who take more prescription drugs than the rest of the world combined. Sadly a high percentage of those drugs are antidepressants.

These prescription bottles have stickers on them that say, “May cause dizziness or drowsiness,” and many of them are prescribed to people with ADD or ADHD.

So you’re probably wondering why this sounds like a pharmaceutical lecture, but when you’re selling to the public you’ve got to realize who your prospects really are and adapt your approach to them.

That’s why simple is better when communicating while selling, or selling more by talking less. Everybody has heard the acronym K.I.S.S., which of course means “Keep It Simple Smiley.” Why provide such detailed explanations on everything you’re recommending, and then wonder why most folks can’t seem to make a decision. Ever known anybody who has taken a course on decision-making? Of course not, so why not give this a try:

—Keep it short, as most people don’t have the time or attention span for long explanations.

—Keep it simple, since a confused mind always says, “No.”

—Don’t take bunny trails, stay on message, keeping the conversation business-related.

—Since folks taking medication probably won’t get the punch line and may even get offended, don’t try to act cool and use a lot of humor.

—Cover the basics, give them a price, and then ask them to buy.

—If they don’t buy, drop back and tell them a little more, and then try again for a decision.

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Before you speak, ask yourself these four questions:

Who really cares? If the answer was no one but you, don’t say it.

Can I sell without saying it? You can always say more, but you can’t un-ring a bell, so weigh your words.

Will this cause them to like and trust me more? Your job is to persuade folks to feel good about buying from you, so if your words won’t accomplish that, swallow them instead. Always consider what you would want to hear if your roles were reversed.

Is what you’re saying something a person trying to spend the least amount can relate to? Your objective is to show the homeowner or buyer how to spend the least amount of money over the life of the product or system. Everybody wants a bargain, so create that feeling in every feature you discuss and stress the long-term savings.

You can’t hold people hostage long enough to educate them to the point that they know everything necessary to make a knowledgeable decision. They won’t devote that amount of time to you. What they will do is buy with their heart (emotion) and not their head (logic). THE FACTS DON’T COUNT…basically. They are unlikely to remember the details of what you said, but there’s a good chance they will remember how you made them feel.

The old maxim holds true, “They don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Often, what’s left unsaid, says it all! Just make sure they feel that you’re looking out for their best interest. When that occurs people will want to be your customers.

—————Less than 6₵ per Page? —————

You should be excited to learn how simple and inexpensive Doug’s 274 page sales coaching tool is in helping to increase and improve the sales results of you and/or your team. Would you believe less than 6¢ per page? See for yourself here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

One-Legger Presentations

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Salespeople already know that appointments where one of the decision makers is absent from the discussion are called one-legger presentations. I’ve written and spoken early and often that sellers should do everything possible to identify all the players and then make every attempt to schedule appointments when all these folks can attend. This minimizes one-legger presentations and maximizes selling success.

Recently I heard a very successful career salesperson express his perspective that he doesn’t wig-out when he’s forced to propose to one-leggers. His perspective related back to the way he was raised as a child, where he was used to his mother making virtually all the business decisions for his family.

He recounted that when making purchase decisions, the only time she said she needed to talk to her husband was when she had no intention of buying what was being discussed. From those experiences he feels it’s very natural that in traditional households more times than not the female handles the financial affairs.

Those comments piqued my interest because I realize that “attitude is everything,” and that includes one’s mindset on one-leggers too. That tells me that a sales rep who admits he would divorce his wife if she spends any money without asking, probably will have trouble selling something to female one-leggers.

So the bottom line is, even when a one-legger balks, by stating a need to talk it over with somebody, they can still be closed as long as they want what you’re selling.

Roughly half the time you will be told they can’t make the decision alone, and that the other decider is unable to be reached at that time. Realistically, when you hear a response like that, it doesn’t add up. If the product or service being discussed is really important to that family, wouldn’t you think the other decider would find a way to be available to weigh in, if not in person at least by text message, or on a phone call?

Reality and experience reminds me that when a salesperson doesn’t close the sale on that visit, he or she rarely hears from that prospect again. Truth be told, what that means is the decision WAS made by the person the rep talked to. Apparently the salesperson failed the job interview and wasn’t hired.

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If you’re going to win more of these tough encounters, it’s important to recognize that most folks would rather climb a tree and tell you a lie than stand on the ground and tell you the truth. Most are four-square against a face-to-face confrontation, so quit buying into this smokescreen or you will join the ranks of the unpaid entertainers.

Here’s the deal. In order to get decider #1 to verbalize their opinion of your proposal, why not just ask how they feel about it, or what they plan to tell decider #2 when he/she returns?

If the decider you’re in front of wants what you’re recommending, give him/her a little sales coaching. Remind them of several benefits they should recite to their other half.

If they are willing to call their spouse and have you talk to him/her, make sure you have asked and received permission to state, “it is okay with him/her if it’s okay with you.”

When you talk to the missing spouse, start by reciting that sentence and you may not need to say much else.

If you do, why not utilize technology and take a photo of your key figures or summary notes and text it to decider #2 so they can discuss it with the spouse over the phone while looking at it, which should really simplify the conversation. Your role then becomes to excuse yourself and step outside to “return calls/respond to messages,” allowing them some privacy.

So, although you’re much better off when both deciders are sitting in front of you (and you should work hard trying to arrange that), don’t give up when that doesn’t happen. Talk to everyone as if they have full decision-making authority, and with the suggestions discussed here, I’m betting you’ll close more sales. Equally gratifying is avoiding some of the accompanying frustration you’ve been experiencing.

—————Thanks, Jim!—————

“With the publication of ‘Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word,’ Doug has completed a bucket list check-off. With this offering he strives to help salespeople join the ranks of the top 20 percent who seem to always close 80 percent of the sales.” Check out the ToC of this book here. Jim Q. – Leesburg, Ga.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Chat ‘Em Up Prospecting!

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As a sales rep many years ago, I remember coming into the office one rainy and foggy morning with absolutely no sales appointments on my calendar. Remembering the old Chinese proverb, He who see most, sell most, I knew I had to get creative and do some chat ’em up prospecting to turn nothing into something for that day.

I fought off all the normal excuses for not hitting the bricks, and soon headed toward an area of the city with plenty of strip centers. I set a goal that I wouldn’t break for lunch until I had canvassed two of those centers, comprised of roughly 30 businesses. I reminded myself from the outset that the most important thing that day was to relax and have some fun, while engaging in as many prospecting conversations as possible.

Several hours later I ducked into a diner to grab a sandwich and inventory my results from pressing the flesh that nasty stormy February day. I don’t remember most of what was said, but I do remember I was able to schedule four firm appointments and got permission to call back four other businesses. That burst of prospecting conversations paid off handsomely for me in new sales over the next 60 days.

My purpose today is to translate the appointment setting process I just described into simple steps that can lead you to that same prospecting success. You may be the smoothest presenter on the planet, but if you don’t have an appointment with a qualified prospect, you can’t sell anything.

Regardless whether your prospecting conversations are in person or by phone, there are really only four components to obtaining the appointments necessary to achieving your sales objectives. I’ll use my sales coaching business to provide you with examples of what I might say to generate an appointment, as a way to help you sharpen your own prospecting ax.

1. Communicate

This is more common sense than anything else. Start by identifying yourself and providing a one sentence description of your business:

Example:

“Mr. Kapoor, I am Doug from RTS. We specialize in providing economical sales coaching designed to improve prospecting productivity.”  

2. Collaborate

Attempt to develop interest by trying to uncover what might be keeping this person up at night. After making a connection, provide a reason for continuing the conversation. In simple terms, describe a benefit for agreeing to meet with you.

Example:

“If your company is like most I work with, sales productivity is not where it should be. That’s said, I’d like to spend a few minutes with you to determine specifically what you’re facing. Then I can provide a brief overview of the proven strategies we advocate to improve sales productivity. May I ask you a couple of questions to see if we have anything in common?”

If you receive a negative response or sense you may have caught the prospect at a bad time, ask permission for a day/time to re-contact and withdraw.

3. Cultivate

Assuming a willingness to move forward, ask open circumstances questions relative to what your business does. Drill down on responses with why questions to establish need(s), which may open the door for your product or service to help eliminate the pain.

Example:

“What one thing concerns you most in regard to your sales force?” (Too few sales appointments)

“Can you tell me a little more about that?” (My people seem fearful, but my boss says they are just lazy)

“What have you done so far to improve that situation?” (We’ve started conducting two sales meetings a week instead of just one)

“How’s that working for you?” (I’ve seen no change, except for a bad attitude about the extra meeting. Something needs to change)

Follow your line of questioning by verifying the need and to show you were really listening, which should help you at least get an appointment.

“I agree with your concern. If salespeople are costing you money due to too few productive sales calls, you can’t afford to keep them on your staff. Eventually results like this will reflect on your performance too.”

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4. Consolidate

As you ask for an appointment, remind them why they need to meet with you. Confirm the appointment and thank them for agreeing to meet.

Example:

“Based on your concerns and my experience, I really feel it would be worthwhile for us to get together and discuss your productivity issues in greater detail. What about Friday morning or next Tuesday afternoon; would either of those fit into your schedule?” Great, I look forward to meeting with you then.”

There you go! One sales appointment down, many to go. Conversational and consultative. Rinse and repeat.

————WTG Zach————

“I am a PC technician and want you to know I just started reading your book and it’s very motivational and useful. I’ve only read a couple of chapters but it’s truly helping me as today I sold $1,000 of pest control. Thanks for your words of wisdom and I’m excited to find more ‘secrets’ in your book.” Zach Shaw, Sikeston, MO.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Networking:You Never Know Who They Know

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In selling, the definition of networking is meeting people who can be of help to you and reciprocating by offering help to them in the arena of referring and providing introductions. Here is an example:

I heard about a financial advisor who was on the receiving end of lots of new business because he networked with a landscaper on the Alabama Gulf Coast. This landscaper had a pretty wealthy clientele of people who owned summer homes on or near the beaches.

He told the financial advisor that he was positioned to provide him with referrals, but the financial guy couldn’t figure out how this could be possible. After all, this fellow worked with his hands in an unsophisticated profession. The financial guy had trouble understanding what kind of leverage and credibility this guy could possibly have with wealthy potential clients, but he agreed to work with him, hoping to gain some new contacts.

Since the wives usually made the majority of the landscaping/gardening decisions, this fellow was able to build relationships and have extended conversations with them. Here is a sample of one of those:

“You and your husband are obviously very successful, so I’m guessing you have a financial advisor for your investments. If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you for some advice. I met this financial guy in my networking group who uses article 32.3(e) of the I.R.S. code in a unique way in order to pay far less tax on gains. He said dozens of his clients have saved thousands of dollars this way. I suppose your financial guy does the same thing for you, so I’m curious if that strategy really works as he says?”

The wife responded with, “Gosh, I’m really not sure; I’ll have to ask my husband about that one. What is this fellow’s name again?”

Although it might not seem to add up that a landscaper would be a referral source for a financial advisor, this story is a reminder that, you don’t know who they know; or how well they know who they know.

There are many ways to network and various resources to use, but today I’ll highlight two:

BNI (Business Networking International)

With roots back to 1985 and 8,000 plus chapters currently, BNI is the largest networking organization in the world. BNI offers opportunities to share referrals, ideas, and contacts. To find your nearest local chapter visit bni.com, where you will find the associated costs of membership and details to determine if this is a good networking option for you.

Although referrals are BNI’s focus, when you ask participants about their BNI membership, responses include comments like:

  • I’ve developed long term friendships.
  • I was able to improve my presentation skills immensely.
  • The environment at BNI helped me overcome my shyness.
  • BNI has taught me to be a better listener.
  • Meeting day is the best day of the week for me.

Two consultants that sell for one of my weekly coaching clients attend separate BNI groups in their city. They tell me they receive multiple leads every month that convert to sales at a high closure rate. They give BNI “two thumbs up.”

Why not mention BNI to your manager and ask how you go about being sponsored?

Trade Association Gatherings

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Trade associations are organizations devoted to improving, protecting, promoting and supporting their particular industry. Virtually every company you want to sell belongs to an association affiliated with their particular market segment.

All these groups have regular luncheons/meetings for their members and are continually looking for interesting guest speakers to address members on topics relevant to their group. It’s not difficult to network yourself onto the agenda of association meetings where you think there is sales potential for what you market. The key is to NOT give a sales pitch, but rather only share interesting information pertinent to that particular industry. The sales appointments will follow soon after your willingness to go and share with these groups.

In the late ‘80’s, when I was marketing mutual funds and other investments, I learned from my accountant that many of their clients wanted investments with a reasonable yield but with little risk. I briefly explained the mechanics of U.S. Government Securities funds to him, and he was very receptive. About a month later he called and asked me if I would speak about those funds at a luncheon of a newly-formed trade group that his firm helped sponsor earlier that year. It was great exposure for me and filled a learning void for them. Over the next year, I gained more than ten new clients as a result of referrals from those accountants.

Simply Google trade or industry associations if you need help locating these groups and get started networking.

Once you begin, as discussed in this post, it won’t take long to realize that you never know who they know!

————The Wizard of Cos Speaks————

“Doug Robinson has been a large part of my sales success in the pest control industry. I have personally watched several managers, salespeople, and technicians step up their game with the help of Doug’s material. His book and leader guide are simple and effective training tools to increase sales and it would be well worth your time to check out his website and material. He also has a FREE weekly sales newsletter that is informative and fun.” Greg Cosgrove, Owner Cosmo Pest Solutions, Doniphan, MO.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Deal Appeal

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Deal Appeal

As a typical everyday consumer, you may have trouble routinely determining the price of many products and services purchased in today’s economy. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to determine whether you’re getting ripped off, so most people really dislike having to navigate this topic. It breeds mistrust, and gives folks a lousy feeling about the entire process. Here are some examples and pet peeves to many consumers:

When it comes time to buy or lease a car, dealers seem to go out of their way to hide the actual pricing numbers. That experience is scary because it is virtually impossible to determine the true price of a vehicle.

I also cringe when trying to make a decision about where to buy my Internet and TV services, because they don’t seem to have firm prices at all. It’s like arm wrestling or playing Let’s Make a Deal with the sales rep, just to try to figure out what I’ll end up having to pay.

It’s the same routine with financial stuff. The last time I got a mortgage, they started by offering me one rate, but then they said if I did thus and so they would change it to another rate. Then there was a caveat that could alter that one to even a third rate. There were so many variations that it seemed as if I was blindfolded, trying to hit a piñata. That totally frustrated me and caused me to be unsure of what to do.

I really wish sellers would just lay out their best price, and let the chips fall, period. Tell me how much it is and I’ll make a buying decision one way or the other. I know how to compare the pro’s and con’s, but I really don’t relish complicated, tennis-match style negotiating conversations, where I feel like I’m being nibbled to death by a duck over every single option offered. Just give me your best price.

It should be pretty easy to feel my frustration as you read these comments. As a salesperson, you need to be aware that a large percentage of consumers and virtually all your buyers harbor many of those same feelings.

Buyers want the best, at the best price, but even when they find the deal acceptable they almost always question something just to double-check the deal. For that reason alone, you shouldn’t expect to complete a sales call without some resistance. You just need to realize that not all questions are objections and not all objections are a deal appeal.

Sales Objections

Deal appeal is how buyers are reassured before making commitments, so make sure you are able to recognize them when you hear them, for example:

You: “Mr. Throckmorton, it appears the service and warranty I’ve presented are what you need, right?”

Throckmorton: “Yes, this looks like a good solution.”

You: “Great! With your signature approval, I’ll call my service department and get an installation day and time locked down for you.”

Throckmorton: “Okay… (hesitating), but I’m just wondering is this the best price I can get?”

You: “Yes sir, that’s why I wanted you to work through my company’s pricing protocol with me so you could see the numbers for yourself. The only way I could discount below that is if you also bundle at least one additional service, but you already said you didn’t want to do that at this time.”

Throckmorton: “Yeah, yeah, I remember now. That’s fine. OK, where do I need to sign?”

This is deal appeal, just a checking question from your prospect and not an objection. Just make sure you respond to every price question with a value or benefit statement, like the example above, or a deal appeal could easily grow into a full-blown objection.

————Have You Heard These Facts? ————

Employees who have been consistently coached:

Outperform their peers by 27%, are significantly (25%) more engaged, are 25% less likely to leave, are 11% more promotable, apply 18% more effort, and retain four times the amount of information after training. To help your salespeople attain improvement like this, Doug has some very inexpensive coaching solutions you can learn about here.

Sources: Sales Executive Council, Gallup, Hay Group, Harvard University, Goleman & Boyatzis

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Ousting Occupying Opponents

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Ousting Opponents

Every B2B salesperson has more than one company in their funnel they want to sell, but can’t figure out how to oust the opponent, who is the incumbent vendor. When you have attempted to break through, all you get is the same old jazz, “We’re satisfied with the company that services us now.”

Knowing that if you keep doing what you’re doing you will keep getting what you’re getting, why not try a different approach in order to have a shot at a different result. Here are several ideas:

Are you sure who the bullseye is on the target? If you don’t know specifically who the occupying opponent is, it’s going to be very hard to know how to oust them. Once you know for sure, and if you have done some mystery shopping like I continually recommended, you will be able to cobble together a solid proposal and expose gaps in their service without ever mentioning the competitor’s name.

With that established, it would be entirely appropriate to mention in your opening statement that lots of your clients felt they were basically happy with existing vendors, but were at least open to looking elsewhere due to changing demands that current vendors were struggling to fulfill and successfully complete.

Go for the heart before you go for the throat. You should never forget that people buy with their emotions and then justify their purchase with logic, so even when they realize your company provides a superior service, they probably have an emotional connection to the current provider that will be difficult to overcome. Go ahead and get the 800 pound gorilla out in the open and begin to deal with it. The buyer knows all is not well with the existing service but may feel like a Benedict Arnold to even consider changing from a company that has been with them for a long time, to buying from one they’re not sure will deliver.

Get ahead of these feelings by admitting that if you were in their shoes you would be wondering if this outsider can really deliver, and also has a valid plan of action for when things go south. An empathetic statement like that will help level the playing field and go a long way toward separating you from all the other over-promisers in the marketplace.

No more sales pity parties

Above all, avoid personal pity parties. It is commonplace for sales reps to look in the mirror and convince themselves that they won’t be able to win over prospects that are long term customers of other providers before the opening bell has rung, and often they act wimpy or retreat.

Start thinking differently and you will begin to act differently. As Yogi Berra used to say, “Hit it where they ain’t.” The vendor you are attempting to replace may have been in place for a long time but may not be able to provide everything they need.

You job is to determine the gaps in service offerings and pursue them rather than dwell on the part your prospect is most worried about giving up. Gain a foothold into the enterprise by this fork in the road and then work hard to climb from vendor to credible source, to problem solver, and eventually you will become a trusted advisor and will earn ALL their business. Sometimes you must be willing to start small and “earn your stripes.”

Ousting opponents is not easy. To succeed you must learn to get out of your own way and avoid becoming a suicide bomber. Then be willing to live by the principle of delayed gratification as you create and build value for your buyers and customers.

————Kudos from the Gem State————

Todd Sawyer, owner of the Orkin franchise in Boise, ID. sent me this note; “I want to thank you again for all you offer in our online weekly training meetings. The techniques and strategies we talk about every Tuesday will make a huge difference in the success of our employees and our company, and you are an important part of our team.” You Can Do This for Yourself

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Do You Acknowledge the Butterfly Effect?

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Butterfly

At the outset of this post I want to introduce you to Edward Lorenz, a meteorologist and mathematician who defined the Butterfly Effect in 1963 as “a tiny change in the initial conditions of something that has enormous long-term implications in its outcome at a later time.” He was theorizing for a way to better predict worldwide weather and suggested that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world begins a chain reaction that results in a typhoon in another part of the world at some point in the future. I don’t know what I don’t know about that, nor am I a weatherman, but here are a couple of examples of from history embellishing this concept:

During the construction and testing of the Hubble telescope’s mirror in the late 1980’s, a microscopic chip of paint flaked off a measuring rod that was supposed to make sure the mirror was the right shape, rendering the Hubble unable to take clear photos. As a result, after it was launched into orbit in 1990 it started giving false readings and the mirror wound up being off by four microns; 25 times smaller than the width of a human hair. It took 5 space shuttle mission costing billions of dollars to fix the mirror.

In 1862 a Union scout found a box of cigars at an abandoned campsite. Wrapped around three of those cigars was Special Order 191, issued by General Robert E. Lee. That order contained detailed descriptions of the movements of every army in his brigade. Stonewall Jackson distributed copies to all his commanders, one of whom was General Daniel Harvey Hill, who wrapped his copy around his cigars and forgot about them. That mistake greatly attributed to the South losing the Civil War.

I would like to compare this slow, intensifying progression of events to recurring sales coaching. Obviously sales coaching means different things to sales reps in different industries. I don’t want to pretend that I am a coaching expert in every market segment, so let me clarify that my 45 years of selling, managing, training and coaching has been primarily in blue collar service businesses. So if you sell environmental services like pest and termite control, or HVAC systems, or home security products, or replacement windows, etc. etc.; this article may be very important for your financial future.

Although the benefits of sales coaching are indisputable, many businesses are still hesitant to invest in this recurring training activity. I don’t intend to provide a long laundry list of reasons for sales coaching here, but I will emphasize a half-dozen advantages that clients of my inexpensive weekly online 30 minute sales coaching sessions typically receive, culminating in the following results:

1. Improves Communication Skills

When coached properly salespeople will learn face-to-face soft skills that will help them increase revenue and commissions. In my coaching practice I cover topics such as empathy, temperament-centric conversations, likeability, active listening skills, and avoidance of weasel words; all of which help salespeople who want to move up the vendor pyramid toward eventually becoming a trusted adviser.

2. Increases Sales Revenue

Prior to discussing the assigned coaching topic for each session, we spend the first 5 minutes reviewing an online scoreboard where each sales rep has posted the dollar amount of proposals and sales from the preceding week. This public focus on activity acts as a “rising tide that lifts all boats” and helps to stir the competitive juices of the participants. This is a side benefit, albeit an important one to my topical coaching.

3.  Invigorates Manager Involvement

Managers are asked to attend coaching sessions with their sales teams so that they can reinforce what is covered. They are asked to follow up during the week with discussions, role play sessions, and Q&A’s with their folks. This multiplies the effect of the abbreviated amount of time spent with me.

4.  Inflates Average Size Sales

Sales coaching not only helps your team close more business, but instigates larger sales as well, due to the increased confidence that salespeople gain. Additionally, by emphasizing the bundling of multiple services, average size sales tend to ratchet upward as customers are better served by more competent reps who are unafraid to propose everything prospects actually need.

Coaching

5. Instills Prospecting Strategies

Because I work with blue collar sellers who typically are responsible to self-generate their own leads for several months of the year, my coaching is structured to be season-specific to ensure the participants are totally supported both curriculum-wise and emotionally. Over-wintering the sales folks is critical to maintaining low turnover during the off-season.

6. Integrates Ideas from Non-Competing Reps

As an example, one of my online coaching groups consists of 14 reps from 7 franchises of the same nationwide company, located in 5 different states; which provides a grouping of sellers with no head-to-head competition among its participants. That said, these folks are much more willing to share ideas and strategies with one another during discussions, realizing it won’t cost them any commission dollars; and so what comes around, goes around. There’s that rising tide again!

Relating back to the introduction to this post, as the sales coach I continue to flap my butterfly wings each week for 30 minutes at a time, as the participants improve, morph, and change into stronger, more productive commercial and residential salespeople that eventually become unrecognizable from where they began.

————————A Franchisee Speaks————————

“When running small franchises you have to wear a lot of hats, so by having both my locations participate in Doug’s weekly sales coaching sessions, based on his book Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word, I stay focused on one of the most important parts of the business. I also enjoy listening to the folks from other states share what they are doing to become more successful in sales. So both Doug’s book and his weekly coaching are well worth the time and money.” Bill Wert –Tallahassee & Gainesville, FL.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Is Their Perception Your Reality?

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Perception vs Reality

Let’s pretend that your neighbor, Joe America, is putzing around in a 10 year old 2008 mid-size vehicle with nearly 200,000 miles and breakdowns are starting to pop like popcorn. He realizes it’s time to look for a new vehicle. (Just so you know, although Joe hasn’t been to a dealership yet, the average mid-size in 2008 cost about $20K and that same vehicle today in 2018 would set him back about $30K).

However, Joe has seen a few typical “bait & switch” commercials that makes him think he can replace his old car for about the same amount he paid for it when it was new 10 years ago. Heck, he even saw an Internet ad for a new 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage ES Hatchback subcompact for $14,290! But somehow I doubt he realizes yet that it comes with a manual transmission and only 78 horsepower, but it is a new car for under $15K!

With that mindset one can only imagine what Joe’s reaction will be when he finally discovers the drive-off price for a new mid-trim-package equipped vehicle. It will take some serious price conditioning to bring Joe back to earth.

Now shift your focus to a homeowner who bought a new air conditioner for his home in the year 2000 for $2,200, but now in 2018 it has breathed its last and is blowing hot air on these current 90+⁰ summer days. This guy certainly knows prices have gone up over the last 18 years, but does an Internet search and discovers that a 4 ton unit and evaporator coil can be had for $3,350 installed. With that mindset he rings up an HVAC comfort consultant and asks for an estimate.

You know better than I that when selling blue collar products and services, price is not normally discussed until value has been built through a presentation/proposal. Having said that, I’ve got a theory that when folks only replace stuff every 10-20 years, there will be push-back and sticker shock with current prices. If I’m right, salespeople should implement some price conditioning early in the sales cycle to prep their prospects.

Homeowners usually have a price expectation in mind for expensive purchases they are considering, and when there is a big disconnect between expectation and reality, the human mind gravitates toward “no.” Often expectations are unrealistic, as the actual price may be double or more of the expected amount. That means that the seller can’t possibly build enough value to offset the difference, and the homeowner’s brain won’t be able to compute, and so typically the sale will be lost.

Therefore when a realistic price range is established early, the following happens:

• Prospect stress is reduced as they start wrapping their brain around a new-normal price range.

• Trust in the seller improves as expectations become clearer; sooner in the process.

• Additional time to “marinate” will have an impact on the need and willingness to spend more.

For example, let’s say a homeowner realizes this is the year to finally have their air conditioning replaced or maybe a crawlspace encapsulation completed to eliminate severe moisture problems, or a new roof put on their home. When the consultant/salesperson arrives and engages in conversation, the discussion gravitates to other bids. The owners admit they have already received two other bids, but haven’t pulled the trigger because both were too expensive. It seems the lowest bid was $6,000, and even that was more than they were ready to spend.

At that point, the consultant realizes that the homeowner’s budget is not reality, since he immediately knows his lowest option will cost more than their budget. Typically the consultant would just continue with his assessment and presentation, waiting to give his out-of-the-budget price until he has finished with his selling proposition at the end of a presentation. But this time, instead, he decides to try price conditioning.

He informs the owners that to properly take care of a home like theirs could run as high as $15,000, but he could do the bare minimum for as little as $8,000, but that more than likely they will probably be looking at around $10,000 to adequately solve the problems. He tells them that he will know the exact amount after completing his inspection and assessment. Immediately it becomes obvious that the homeowners are frustrated and disappointed hearing this news. He continues by reminding them that an important part of his job is educating homeowners, so since he is already there that day, he wants to at least complete his due diligence and then educate them about what will work best, so they will have the necessary information to make the right decision down the road.

That approach immediately reduces the pressure of budget from their minds and allows them to focus on learning about the various solutions, and provides time to “soak” on the value with a clear mind. When he finishes presenting, of course they want an exact quote, which is almost $10,000.

Fast forward a few minutes and this same homeowner ends up spending $9,700, and when the work was completed, they were very pleased. What made the difference for this consultant was the upfront price conditioning.

Price Conditioning

Price Conditioning Principles

-Do your level best to conduct your selling conversation with all decision makers together.

-Ask about the homeowner’s experience to this point in gathering estimates for what they need.

-Since price conditioning is more of an art than a science, choose carefully when to bring up price, but make sure it’s early enough to give them ample “incubation time,” simply meaning the homeowner realizes they may have to spend more than they originally planned.

-As you present the price ranges, start with mentioning the high, and then state the low, and conclude with what’s typical for homes similar to theirs (as you read in the example above). In doing so, make sure your voice sounds confident and sincere; as well as empathetic, but never apologetic.

This is a very reasonable optional strategy for those of you who continually lose sales to low bidders, or no decisions, after working your butt off and investing lots of your precious time!

————WOWZA!————
“The sales coaching sessions are working! Sales have increased tremendously plus David said they really enjoy being in with the Arizona group.” Mary Paine, franchise owner, Dothan, AL. Learn how your sales folks can experience results like this too.
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Carnegie’s Clue for Confident Closing

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Win Friends Influence People

DALE CARNEGIE (1888-1955), became famous by showing others how to become successful. His book How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936) has sold more than 10 million copies and is still very popular because of his illustrative stories and simple, well-phrased rules.

Every salesperson has trouble closing sales from time to time, so today I’m pulling some guidance from Carnegie that will no doubt be helpful, even though we no longer speak as he did 80 years ago when he wrote this. His advice is,

“Arouse in the other person an eager want. He who can do this has the whole world with him; he who cannot, walks a lonely way.”

Carnegie continues;

“Why talk about what we want? That is childish, even absurd. Of course, you are interested in what you want. You are eternally interested in it. But no one else is. The rest of us are just like you: we are interested in what we want. So the only way on earth to influence other people is to talk about what they want and show them how to get it.

One time I rented the grand ballroom of a certain New York hotel for twenty nights in each season in order to hold a series of lectures. At the beginning of one season, I was suddenly informed that I should have to pay almost three times as much rent as formerly. This news reached me after the tickets had been printed and distributed and all announcements had been made. Naturally, I didn’t want to pay the increase, but what was the use of talking to the hotel about what I wanted? They were interested only in what they wanted. So a couple of days later I went to see the manager. “I was a bit shocked when I got your letter,” I said, “but I don’t blame you at all. If I had been in your position, I should probably have written a similar letter myself. Your duty as the manager of the hotel is to make all the profit possible. If you don’t do that, you will be fired and you ought to be fired.

Now, let’s take a piece of paper and write down the advantages and the disadvantages that will accrue to you, if you insist on this increase in rent.” Then I took a letterhead and ran a line through the center and headed one column “Advantages” and the other column “Disadvantages.” I wrote down under the head “Advantages” these words: “Ballroom free.” Then I went on to say: “You will have the advantage of having the ballroom free to rent for dances and conventions. That is a big advantage, for affairs like that will pay you much more than you can get for a series of lectures. If I tie your ballroom up for twenty nights during the course of the season, it is sure to mean a loss of some very profitable business to you.

“Now, let’s consider the disadvantages. First, instead of increasing your income from me, you are going to decrease it. In fact, you are going to wipe it out because I cannot pay the rent you are asking. I shall be forced to hold these lectures at some other place. “There’s another disadvantage to you also. These lectures attract crowds of educated and cultured people to your hotel. That is good advertising for you, isn’t it? In fact, if you spent five thousand dollars advertising in the newspapers, you couldn’t bring as many people to look at your hotel as I can bring by these lectures. That is worth a lot to a hotel, isn’t it?”

As I talked, I wrote these two “disadvantages” under the proper heading, and handed the sheet of paper to the manager, saying: “I wish you would carefully consider both the advantages and disadvantages that are going to accrue to you and then give me your final decision.” I received a letter the next day, informing me that my rent would be increased only 50 percent instead of 300 percent. Mind you, I got this reduction without saying a word about what I wanted. I talked all the time about what the other person wanted and how he could get it. That is so simple, so obvious, that anyone ought to see the truth of it at a glance; yet 90 percent of the people on this earth ignore it 90 percent of the time.”

Pro Con List

So the point of this week’s post is to realize that your buyer’s and homeowners don’t care what you want, but will often agree to outside-the-box suggestions if they lead them to what they want.

—————Here’s Another Good Book—————

“I would highly recommend Doug’s book to everyone who wants to sharpen their selling skills. His weekly sales coaching is also very relevant and a great value for all four of my locations.” Terry Woods – Sikeston, Imperial, Columbia MO., and Paducah, KY.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Pesky Pillars of Premium Priced Products

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Selling Premium Priced Products

An acquaintance of mine with a similar work background told me that recently he and his wife were shopping for a graduation gift. They found an attractive ladies’ watch and decided to buy it. After telling the store salesperson they wanted the watch, the clerk violated a selling no-no. He volunteered a 30% discount although they didn’t ask for one, and had already told him they wanted the item.

This surprise discount made my friend curious how much more he could get the price reduced, with a little work on his part. He started into the role of a grumpy customer with second thoughts and told the salesman they wanted to look a bit more before making a final decision. Automatically the clerk responded by taking another 20% off, which came to a 50% discount in less than 60 seconds!

Now he was really curious to see how low the clerk would go, as his wife started feeling uncomfortable, knowing what was coming next. The guy continued to object and argue with the sales rep, and yes, every time this employee responded with an additional discount.

They finally walked out of the store with the watch, having paid only 35% of the list price! He said he thought he could have even done a little bit better, but was getting the hairy eyeball from his better half, so he thought he’s better call it a day.

If you sell premium products or services, routinely priced at double the amount of your competitor’s offerings, this should be an informative piece for you to absorb. I’ll bet many of you regularly whine about major pricing variances, although I’m sure your sales manager has provided repeated training on overcoming this hurdle. I’ll skip what you already know and go straight to the importance of these three pillars; pesky because if you omit one, you’re probably done!

1. The Credibility Pillar – Your prospect has to believe, without question or doubt that you believe you’re going to get your asking price for what you’re selling. Staying with a wristwatch illustration, for a jeweler to be able to sell a Rolex he must be loaded with credibility. He will talk about aesthetic value, beauty, design, style, color, and balance. He will elaborate on the mechanism and conclude by talking about the platinum and gold.

Circling back to what you sell, you need to embellish your offering in the same manner. Along with emphasizing your years of continuous customer service and the generations of customer satisfaction your firm has provided, you will need to relate what it is that makes your brand the most successful name in your industry.

To succeed as a credible premium seller, you can never knowingly misrepresent anything, because people won’t pay top dollar for excuses. Why should they? If you want to sell at a premium price you can’t have delivery problems, and you certainly can’t ever lie about ANYTHING. Otherwise, your prospect is finished with you, because your credibility pillar failed to hold up.

2. The Comparison Pillar – Just because your prices are higher than the competition doesn’t mean they are too high. If you feel they are you may need to be working somewhere else, because you will end up exaggerating whether you realize it or not.
You must be prepared to sell value, which is what buyers receive for the price they pay. Emphasize features that are either unique or exclusive. You must know that you know you are providing the best customer value in your industry.

Quality vs Price

3. The Consideration Pillar – When people pay a premium price they almost always know it, so don’t ever take them for granted and think they are stupid. Buyers in that league have a different set of expectations, and you cannot afford to test or frustrate them.

Your prospect doesn’t want to hear that one of your installers or technicians didn’t come in this morning. They don’t care if somebody forgot to gas up the truck, resulting in your team arriving an hour late at the job site. All they want to hear is, “You need it when? No problem.” Remember, excuses don’t count in the big leagues!

As a premium provider, you must quickly learn to play above the rim, and your admin support people, service department and management team must be right there to back you 100% of the time. If any one of those three pillars is weak or missing, you have no business attempting to sell premium priced stuff, because you will absolutely fail.

—————How Rare is This?—————

Upon returning from his mailbox one day, Doug opened a piece of mail bearing the return address of a long term client. It turned out to be a handwritten thank you card that read: “Doug, thanks for taking time from your retirement to help make us better. It was good fortune and God’s providence that connected us at just the right time. Thanks again.” I (Doug) am humbled…get to know me here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Demonstrate as You Elaborate

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Sales - Paint a picture

A picture is worth a thousand words is a phrase everybody has no doubt heard all their lives. Today I want to add to that phrase that a demonstration is worth a thousand (or possibly thousands of) dollars.

Your offering may contain many differences and advantages, but if you don’t demonstrate them to your prospects, how will they ever know and remember how superior it is? Additionally, it might not have occurred to you, but insightful demonstrations will also reduce the frequency of hearing, your price is too high! Here are three examples you have no doubt seen in the past.

The photo above is a SodaStream 3D demonstration depicting the volume of wasted plastic and can material that can be saved by a typical family over a 5-year period by using their device instead of purchasing beverages in bottles and cans. This one sits permanently at the Tel Aviv airport, graphically strengthening the product’s value proposition without making a sound.

Dawn dishwashing liquid ran ads that demonstrate how the product was used to clean ducks with oil embedded in their feathers after the 2010 Gulf Coast Oil Spill. It’s brilliant because this demo powerfully illustrated how effective Dawn is at removing grease, while at the same time showing how gentle it is at protecting these delicate creatures.

Febreze embarked on an ingenious challenge campaign during the 2012 London Olympics by sponsoring the Azerbaijani Olympic Wrestling Team in the smelliest sport possible. They sprayed sweaty jock straps and wrestling boots of team athletes with Febreze, and then dangled them in front of the noses of random blindfolded Londoners while asking them to guess the smell. Videotaped guesses included “strawberry milkshake,” “passion fruit,” “citrus,” and “floral bouquet.” The demonstrations were highly memorable and convincing that the product was extremely effective.

The good news is, since many of your competitors are too lazy to stage demos, by providing them you will stand alone as the rep who illustrates what your product or service really can do.

Sales Demonstration

Here are some tips to help effectively demonstrate your product or service:

  • Choose aspects of your product to demo that are relevant to your buyer’s needs.
  • Decide in advance what you will say about the item your demo, and then discuss it from the buyer’s perspective, needs and wants.
  • Choose demonstrations that will produce a WOW and involve the largest number of the buyer’s senses.
  • Plan ahead to ensure you have everything needed and double-check that all the components work properly.
  • Make sure your demonstrations are completed in as much of a controlled environment as possible, so as not to leave anything to chance.
  • If possible, involve the prospect in the demo. If they try it, they’ll buy it!
  • Hold a demo dress rehearsal, including any planned comments that will make it more effective.

About five years ago my wife and I were watching TV when a commercial began for a brand-name water filtering system where not one word was spoken. In pantomime fashion, a guy poured like amounts of red wine into two containers of water and then ran them through competing filter systems.

What blew us away was how only the featured filtration system produced completely clear water. That really brought on a WOW since red wine is pretty hard to hide. It was obvious to us from this simple silent demo that the 5-stage filter system did the job, so that item immediately went on our Christmas list!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a demonstration really is worth thousand(s) of dollars.

—————Read Joe K’s Comment—————

“I was in an audience where Doug was speaking about ways for salespeople to improve their communication skills and he was spot on. He was interesting, witty, to the point, and made some suggestions that I will definitely share with my employees.” Joe K. – Huntington, W.V. Preview Doug’s DIY sales training.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Stop and Think, then Get in Sync

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Sales Interview

I talk a lot about how important it is to conduct an interview to establish a diagnosis to determine the pain points and needs of buyers early in the process. That of course begins with identifying and mirroring your prospect’s temperament, but maybe I haven’t been clear enough about how to conduct the mirroring. I say that because folks often tell me they understand that mirroring is important, but don’t really know what to say. It’s important to note that folks typically put up natural barriers to salespeople when they are approached by them, so let’s look at some examples of what I’ll call temperament-centric mirroring during initial approaches with unfamiliar buyers.

I’ve included a temperament review for you here including two audio posts and a printable pdf chart:

https://robinsontrainingsolutions.com/what-if-1/

https://robinsontrainingsolutions.com/what-if-2/

Remembering that people buy from those they like and trust, it’s very important for salespeople to begin every new buyer meeting by making them feel special and encouraging them to talk about themselves early on. After reviewing the temperament types it’s easy to see that Greens are doers and achievers, Reds are friendly and social, Blues are security oriented and are not risk takers, and Yellows are task oriented and perfectionists. That said, your approach should be designed to encourage each type of buyer to talk about themselves in the light of their temperament, for example:

REDS – “What do you like to do when you’re not working?”

“What are your plans for vacation this summer?”

“What do you enjoy most about the people you work with?”

YELLOWS – “What’s your trick for being so focused?”

“What’s your preferred technique for dealing with problems?”

“How did you get so organized?”

GREENS – “What are some secrets you’ve learned to get where you are today?”

“How do you juggle all your responsibilities?”

“How do you manage your time to ensure everything gets done?”

BLUES – “How do you remain so calm with so much going on around here?”

“How did you ever learn to do everything you’re responsible for?”

“How in the world do you keep this facility secure?”

Sales MeetingHomeowner

You can readily see by reading through these sample questions that likeability and trust should occur much easier and quicker as you “speak their language.” To put this process in outline format for every first meeting with a commercial buyer or residential homeowner my suggestions are:

1. Upon meeting a prospect quickly determine his/her temperament through verbal, non-verbal, and environmental observations.

2. Ask a couple of temperament-centric APPROACH questions in order to reduce any awkwardness and stimulate them to talk about themselves. Once this is accomplished;

3. Transition to INTERVIEW questions in order to uncover the pain, while you encourage the prospect to verbalize needs and desires, and then formulate a DIAGNOSIS.

4. Only after completing the above should you take a logical next step and proceed with a physical inspection and eventual PROPOSAL of your solution that meets the buyer’s needs.

By properly investing only a few minutes on the front end of sales calls, relationships can be forged that will lead to long term loyal customers for your products and services.

—————Horse, Meet Water—————

Are you a service manager who would love for your technicians and installers to sell more of your services, but either don’t have time or don’t know how to plan sales meetings to teach them what they need to know? Recently Doug put together an inexpensive tool you can use to help. It’s a Leader Guide for you to use providing open questions for each of the 116 training topics Doug wrote about in his book. It eliminates managers having to plan and organize training sessions, so you really should check it out here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

People Who Say These 5 Words Have Very Low Emotional Intelligence

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low emotional intelligence

For today’s issue of Selling Point I am reprinting an Inc.com article from June 12, 2018, written by Bill Murphy Jr. I’ve chosen this piece because I have written and spoken over and over about how “cheesy” it sounds when a salesperson responds to a prospect or buyer with the old standby, “I understand how you feel.” Murphy really embellishes this, so I hope you will enjoy the read and sharpen your ax with it.

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The words hit me like a hurricane: “I know how you feel.”

They mean the exact opposite of what you think. But only emotionally intelligent people understand why.

They’re right there on pages 80 and 81 of my colleague Justin Bariso’s  new book about emotional intelligence. They’re simple words, and real–and yet as Justin writes, they’re also absolutely the wrong thing to say to those who confide in you with their problems or fears.

These situations are tough, sometimes. You’ve been trusted. You want to develop rapport. You want to act the way somebody with real emotional intelligence would act.

You want to help.

Yet, rather than creating a connection, “I know how you feel” and other phrases like it build a wall between you and the other person.

The phrase suggests that you don’t truly understand what the other person feels at all. (Really, how could you?) It suggests that you feel the need to turn the conversation toward your experience, not his or hers, and that ultimately you don’t really care about that person’s concerns after all.

In other words, this five-word phrase sends a message that’s 100 percent the opposite of what you intend.

So don’t say, “I know how you feel.” Here’s what to do instead.

Shift vs. support

If you’ve read this far, I suspect you really do care about people. But like me perhaps, you don’t always realize the true effects of your words.

The solution, as sociologist Charles Derber suggests, and Celeste Headlee summarizes, is to gauge your responses in real time, and ask yourself whether you’re offering a “shift response” or a “support response.”

What’s the difference?

A shift response involves an attempt to guide the conversation toward your life experiences, and away from the experiences of the person you’re ostensibly listening to and perhaps even trying to help.

A support response sets aside your ego, and instead keeps the focus on the other person’s feelings and experience.

sales support response

Conversational narcissism

A few examples will make this very clear. In each case below, just imagine that a friend or colleague opens a conversation with the highlighted statement. Then think about how each response would make him or her feel.

1. “My boss doesn’t respect me.”

  • Shift response: “I went through the exact same thing last year. I wound up leaving and finding a better job.”
  • Support response: “I’m sorry to hear that. What makes you feel that way?”

2. “If I could just get organized, I’d have the world on a string.”

  • Shift response: “I know–I have the same problem.”
  • Support response: “What do you think stops you from being organized?”

3. “I’m so sad since my breakup.”

  • Shift response: “You just need to get back out there and start dating again.”
  • Support response: “What do you think stops you from being able to move forward?”

Derber calls the whole phenomenon, at least the part in which well-meaning people shift the discussion to their own experience, “conversational narcissism.”

Is that a $20 phrase to describe a $1 problem? Maybe. But it does make it clear.

“I can imagine…”

As Justin puts it in his book, the successful strategy to communicate effectively and leverage emotional intelligence requires avoiding phrases like these:

  • “I know exactly how you feel.”
  • “I’ve been through this before.”
  • “I completely understand; or, I get it.”

And replacing them instead with things like the following:

  • “I’m sorry that happened.”
  • “I can imagine how you may feel.”
  • “Thanks for sharing this. Tell me more.”

Actually, I might take issue even with “I can imagine how you may feel.” But we’ll leave it in.

Just remember that the whole point here is to acknowledge how hard it is to really put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and instead make clear that you have empathy.

You’re trying to understand–even as you acknowledge that full success might not ever be possible. The true connection that you’re both looking for comes with the well-communicated attempt.

————More on Emotional Intelligence————

If your sales team needs help in the area of EI, you need Doug’s book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word. You’ll find help with Buyer Temperaments (page 19), Likeability (page 26), Empathy (page 30), Body Language (page 99), Active Listening (page 113), and much MORE. Preview all 116 topics from this book’s Table of Contents on Doug’s website HERE.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Don’t Cross That Line!

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Sales Manager Evaluation

Over 80 years ago Dale Carnegie related a story about how Charles Schwab had a steel mill manager whose people weren’t producing their work quota. “How is it that a manager as capable as you can’t seem to make this mill turn out the amount of steel it should” Schwab asked him?”

The manager replied, “I don’t know. I’ve coaxed the men, I’ve pushed them, and I’ve sworn and cussed. I’ve threatened them with damnation and being fired. Nothing seems to work. They just won’t produce.”

This conversation took place at the end of the day, just before the night shift began. Schwab asked the manager for a piece of chalk, then, turning to the nearest man, asked:

“How many heats did your shift make today?” “Six.”

Without another word, Schwab chalked a big figure six on the floor and left the building. When the night shift came in they asked what the big “6” meant. “The big boss was here today and, he asked us how many heats we made, and we told him six. He chalked it down on the floor,” the day people said.

The next morning Schwab walked through the mill again. The night shift had rubbed out the “6” and replaced it with a big “7”.

When the day shift reported for work the next morning, they saw a big “7” chalked on the floor. So the night shift thought they were better than the day shift, did they? Well, they would show the night shift a thing or two. The crew pitched in enthusiastically, and at quitting time that night, they left behind an enormous, swaggering “10.”

Things were stepping up. Shortly this mill, which had been lagging, was turning out more work than any other in the plant.

Schwab said, “The way to get things done is to stimulate competition and the desire to excel by throwing down the gauntlet; an infallible way of appealing to people of spirit!”

Selling against a competitor is tough, but it is something you must learn to do because you will face it every day. As you prepare to compete, you realize there are no formal courses offered in school to provide the information you need to slug it out successfully in the marketplace. Since there is no readily available silver bullet, here are few suggestions that might just cause your competition to break out into a sweat.

Exhibit confidence – Motivated competitors put doubts and challenges about your product or service in the minds of your buyers, in the hope that you will get rattled. Being prepared to counter the competition with information that is important is only part of the equation. You must be confident, like the night shift in Schwab’s steel mill, to the point that you are motivated to compete. There is a quote, whose author is unknown, which reads, “Insecurity will always rent the space it occupies, but confidence will own the building, and any other room it steps in.”

Endure counterpunches – When a competitor is involved, make sure you can effectively oppose their weaknesses with your strengths. When you understand the identity of the competitor, what the pain is, what the buyer wants, and which features your buyer likes best; you have what you need to move forward. Use the old Ben Franklin, side-by-side comparison method to trump your opponent unabashedly. Also, be prepared to discuss several of your strengths that haven’t surfaced yet, as reinforcements for your cause when the competitive battle heats up.

Eclipse bashing – Emotions rise and livelihoods are on the line, so sometimes salespeople hit below the belt, making the temptation to hit back overwhelming. Remember that customers don’t respect extreme bashing, so take the high road and beat them professionally.

Let your rivals dig their own holes, as you continue to focus on the buyer’s issues and the capabilities you offer. Most prospects will see through the smoke and mirrors and eventually lean your way.

Sales Manager Techniques

Photo credit-knowyourmeme.com

Explain solutions – Maintain your focus on the customer and solving their problems, rather than bloviating and nitpicking over minor competitive details. In the end, the customer will go with the rep that appears to best understand their problems, and employs sound methods of solving them. Not being distracted by the competition will really annoy the enemy, and that’s the best way to counter the opposition.

Extrapolate comparisons – A good way to be able to pick and choose your battles is to obtain and maintain a rap sheet on your toughest competitors. Mystery shop them and use this information to construct a comparison checklist, focusing on the areas that appear to most interest the prospect. This is a great confidence builder for you and will ensure you are armed and dangerous, ready for every question and concern.

Remembering that practice makes better, employing these and other strategies will make you stronger and more successful under the competitive pressures all salespeople must face.

——————Here’s a Question for You———————

What do the following articles in the Albany CEO Business News, Ellijay Times-Courier, Lee County Ledger, and Albany Herald have in common with each other? Now, to see the point of all of that, take a look here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Do You Like Me, Yes or No? – Choose One

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Sales Lesson

Up until that particular day in Mrs. Barnes 5th grade class, I really hadn’t paid much attention to girls, but that all changed that late October afternoon. I was sitting in my school desk, daydreaming, when I happened to look to my right and for the first time noticed Charlotte. Had she actually been sitting in the desk beside me since the day after Labor Day?

Her hair was so silky-looking, and then she turned and looked at me. Her smile just froze me in time, until Mrs. Barnes voice interrupted my short vacation. The next thing I heard was, “I need everyone’s attention up here at the front of the room.”

My head snapped back front and center, but I couldn’t get Charlotte’s smile out of mind’s eye. I decided to make contact under the radar, so I scribbled a, Do you like me, yes or no note, and folded it over about six times and slipped it to her when Mrs. Barnes started writing something on the board.

When I unfolded Charlotte’s reply, she had checked yes. Two months later her Dad’s employer relocated the entire family to Houston over the Christmas holidays. I never saw Charlotte again, except occasionally when I would close my eyes and think about her silky hair.

I’m sure many of you have sent or received a note like this during your grade school years, but, I wonder if you realize that you are still sending them as adult salespeople today, without the pencil and paper, of course.

Nobody wants to fiddle around wondering whether a buyer likes you or not, but sometimes it’s awkward, just like the way you felt in grade school. I know from experience, rejection sucks, but you just have to learn to shrug it off and keep stumbling forward.

However, it is just plain nerve wracking waiting for a buyer’s phone call or a response to an appointment follow-up request. Wouldn’t it resolve the dilemma if you were to simply pass a note? I suppose it would be more profitable to send an email or text message asking, “Would you like to see me again, Yes or No? – Choose one.”

Probably that’s an elementary suggestion, so how do you build rapport, considering it’s one of the most important qualities sales people need.

Confidence Level

Since people buy from people they like, I believe it’s more important to build rapport and be likeable than it is to be a great closer or objection handler. That said, as you learn to build rapport, here are a few suggestions that will speed up the process, once you learn to use them:

  • Begin every encounter with a firm handshake and a smile.
  • Telegraph respect continually.
  • Portray energy and enthusiasm, since nobody likes wimps.
  • Project self-confidence so buyers won’t think it’s your first rodeo.
  • Develop the ability to make others feel comfortable.
  • Remain conversational & consultative.
  • Use some self-deprecating humor.
  • Be well-intentioned, well-informed and well-mannered.

Prove your interest with eye contact, relevant questions, and employing active listening habits.

Think about some of the people you most enjoy being around; how many of those characteristics do they possess? These are a great jumpstart to get yes checked on your next prospect request!

—————Read This Slowly—————

“Doug’s Blue Collar Training approach speaks a language that our technician-based sales force understands by addressing real situations they face every day. These sales training sessions are the most energetic and interactive we’ve ever had.” Joe Johnson, VP American LubeFast Get more details HERE.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Lagniappe – Part II

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In case you were out of pocket as a passenger on the latest SpaceX mission and missed Lagniappe-Part I last week, please stop and read it HERE before continuing.

Mobile Phone

I’ll be the first to tell you I was very pleasantly surprised when Joe’s email concluded with a request for sales and customer service training. Here is the email reply I sent that same day.

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Mr. Johnson,

Thanks so much for the under the hood description (pun intended) of what your company is all about.

I could brag to you here about how much I can help your company but, frankly, I’m a firm believer that surgery without a diagnosis is malpractice. Having said that I would love to meet with you and learn about some of the sales-related issues that keep you and Mr. Embry (owner) awake at night. Only then can I tell you if I can be a helper.

I hope this comes across properly, but the Lord has blessed my wife and me enough so that I don’t have to take on more clients just to keep a roof over our heads. What that means to you is that if I don’t feel I can add value to your enterprise, I’ll look you in the eye and tell you that, and we can part as friends. But to get to that fork in the road we need to meet. I will be in the Atlanta area and can meet with you on either Tuesday September 15th or Thursday the 17th.

In the meantime, I would like to send you a signed copy of my book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word. Additionally, if you go back to my website and sign up for my FREE weekly Selling Point newsletter, you will also receive a bonus; an audio recording of me speaking live to a group in West Virginia which should help you determine whether I might be a good personality fit for working with your team.

I look forward to hearing back from you,

Doug

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A few minutes later I received this response:

Doug,

Thanks and I look forward to reading your book and the weekly newsletter. Let’s plan to meet Thursday September 17th at 10:00 AM if that works for you. Our office address is xxxx and the best number to reach me is my cell xxx-xxx-xxxx.

Look forward to meeting you,

Joe
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I made that round trip to Atlanta and spent two hours (unexpected) diagnosing and evaluating how my skills matched this company’s needs and desires. In order to help you with your future prospects, I’m listing the “interview” questions I developed and asked during this appointment with the VP and the owner of this firm.

  1. What specifically triggered your interest and willingness to talk with me?
  2. How are your people currently being trained to sell your products and services?
  3. What role are your DM’s playing in this process?
  4. How would you rate the current state of your people’s sales performance?
  5. What do you want them to do that they aren’t doing now, or what do they need to do better?
  6. What type of sales training/coaching help do you need?
  7. Are you considering a one-time training event or some form of ongoing coaching?
  8. What is your timetable for starting a training initiative?
  9. Have you ever used online video chats for training purposes?
  10. Do you want “train-the-trainer” sessions with your DM’s, or direct training with front line managers?
  11. Who are your primary competitors?
  12. How do these companies conduct sales training?

Long story short, at the conclusion of our visit that day, both principals seemed visibly impressed that I spent time truly consulting with them to do the right thing for their company, and we jointly agreed to begin a new training partnership on the spot. Because I provided “lagniappe” by publicly recognizing a positive customer service experience in my FREE online newsletter, this new training assignment lasted two years, helped the client achieve their objectives, and was financially rewarding for me.

When will YOU start a “give to receive” strategy of lagniappe?

—————Then There’s That—————

“As a National Account Manager challenged with business development, existing account penetration and account management, I have utilized many of the techniques and philosophies gleaned from Doug’s Selling Point newsletter. Keep the informative, practical and useful info coming, Doug!” Gary A.-Chicago Subscribe for FREE right here.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Lagniappe-Part I

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lagniappe

I relocated to Mobile on the beautiful Gulf Coast in the mid 1970’s and one of the first “new words” I learned there was lagniappe. It is a wonderful concept and an ingrained part of the phenomenal culture of the entire region, but most famously in New Orleans. Lagniappe is the 13th beignet (fritter) when you buy a dozen in the French Market, or the unexpected afternoon basket of biscuits and syrup at your Bed & Breakfast, the extra praline in your box at the local candy shop, or even finding a $50 bill in the trunk of a new vehicle purchased from an Acadiana automobile dealership!

I want to suggest that you consider lagniappe as part of your sales and marketing strategy, as it’s always good business to give something away or do something for free in addition to your normal revenue producing activities.

In my business it is a FREE weekly newsletter called Selling Point. Every week I write and publish an article, averaging 750 words, providing valid sales ideas and strategies, customer service stories and tips, or sales management approaches. It’s my way of giving back after 45 years in the selling universe. It is absolutely FREE, with no strings attached, and there are several ways folks can access it. They can subscribe, meaning it will automatically be delivered to their email each time a new issue is published, https://robinsontrainingsolutions.com/blog/, or they can access it on my personal LinkedIn page, https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-robinson-blue-collar-sales-coach-08354955/, or on my business Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/robinsontrainingsolutions/.

By outlining my game plan here, I hope you can easily see how big of a footprint you can achieve in the marketplace, regardless whether you start a blog, provide an introductory offer for a product or service, or do a giveaway of an eBook or a podcast related to what you sell, etc.

Today I want to provide an example of how something financially lucrative often happens as a result of offering “something for nothing.” This particular example began when I wrote and published a 2-part post on 8/17/2015 and 8/21/2015 following a personal customer service experience.

Here are the links to those posts for you to read before I continue my story:

https://robinsontrainingsolutions.com/well-done-better-than-well-said-part1/

https://robinsontrainingsolutions.com/well-done-better-than-well-said-part2/

To be clear, there were two specific reasons I wrote those posts; first I thought this manager deserved a public attaboy for turning a bad customer experience into a very positive conclusion, and I doubted his superiors would ever hear about this unless someone chirped. The second reason is that salespeople and managers continually need a steady diet of good and bad customer service stories, regardless of industry, to keep them sober as to their real purpose in the marketplace; and this event provided one.

What happened next was very interesting as you will see below. This is the actual email I received from this company’s VP a few days later which I cut and pasted here.

Customer Service Email

Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash

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August 26, 2015

Mr. Robinson,

Thank you for your email and story recognizing Allen’s outstanding effort. I really loved the title. As you are in the customer service business, you know how important and gratifying it is to hear from customers like you when great service makes such an impression, as there is nothing better than reinforcement. We train for and preach the message of great customer service continually, some really get it and some just never will, Allen gets it. Our goal is to deliver beyond, as you mentioned in Part 1, an “uneventful and routine” experience. What we do isn’t flashy or something our customers look forward to so our opportunity lies in how we treat our customers in making them feel important, that we truly care about their vehicle and that they are appreciated. Your wording in Part 2, “then he really wowed me”…is so very significant to us as you can see below.

purpose-values-mission

Our Purpose speaks to our stewardship responsibility. The Core Values are meant to be the principles that filter all our actions towards each other, our customers, vendors and anyone else that comes in contact with our company. You can find this hanging in all 52 of our waiting areas.

I spent some time on your website and would be interested in meeting with you. We are always looking for training opportunities. We have a big need for sales training. Many of our people are young and lack the confidence needed to present themselves as knowledgeable and credible. They know the products and services but many stammer and stutter or come off as they are trying to push something that is not needed. Please let me know if you feel that you have something that would work for us.

Thank you again for taking the time to write about Allen and I look forward to hearing from you.

Joe

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Next week, in Part II, you will see my response and what happened next. Don’t miss it!

—————W-O-W—————
“I want to give a shout to Doug for his Selling Point newsletter. Most guys like him just tease readers with tidbits of information but Doug provides complete lessons on each topic he writes about. Every week I look forward to reading and applying his ideas in my business. Who says you can’t get something for nothing!” Rob-Lafayette, IN. Subscribe for yourself HERE.
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Yada, Yada, Yada

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Yada Yada Yada

Who doesn’t remember Seinfeld, the wacky “show about nothing?” In the episode noted above, a newly-minted phrase became famous when Marcy, George’s new girlfriend, talks with George and Jerry Seinfeld, and the conversation goes like this:

MARCY:  You know, a friend of mine thought she got Legionnaire’s Disease in the hot tub. 
GEORGE:  Really? What happened?
MARCY:  Oh, yada-yada-yada, just some bad egg salad. I’ll be right back. (She gets up) 
JERRY:  I noticed she’s big on the phrase “yada-yada.” 
GEORGE:  Is “yada-yada” bad?
JERRY:  No, “yada-yada” is good. She’s very succinct.
GEORGE:  She is succinct.
JERRY:  Yeah, it’s like you’re dating USA Today.

As the episode proceeds, almost all the characters start using “yada-yada-yada,” which came to be known as Seinlanguage and is just a way to gloss over and shorten descriptions of things. It is much like people using “et cetera, et cetera” or “blah-blah-blah” or “and so on, and so forth.” This drivel.

After thinking back to the banter from that sitcom for a few seconds, I hope you agree how ridiculous it would be for you to come across sounding like those characters as you conduct sales calls. To avoid running the risk of being an unpaid entertainer, I want to warn you against dominating selling conversations, like those Seinfeld characters habitually did, so listen to these statistics.

If you were to randomly drop in on a typical sales call, 80% of the time the sales rep would be talking, which is four out of every five minutes that buyers and sellers are together. That’s a horrible statistic, but what’s worse is the fact that 80% of the 80% the rep is making statements rather than asking questions.

If that’s not scary enough, 80% of those statements aren’t related to the buyer’s needs, but rather to the features and benefits of what is being sold, whether the buyer wants to hear them or not!

This means that if your prospect/buyer grants you a thirty-minute appointment, the time would be spent as follows:

  • The salesperson would talk for about 24 minutes.
  • About 19 minutes of the 24 would be statements and not questions to the buyer.
  • About 15 minutes of the 19 would be unrelated to the buyer’s needs.
  • The buyer would have the remaining 6 minutes to voice needs and/or answer questions.

It should come as no secret that it’s impossible to talk and listen at the same time. Consequently, when you are the one talking, you’re not learning. So if you are one of the 80%’ers, it’s time to have an altar call and alter how you conduct your sales appointments, before you become a selling casualty.

Blah Blah Blah

You probably wonder why sales reps talk so much; especially since it costs you and your company so many lost sales. A group of sellers was surveyed with that very question and here are the top five answers they provided:

  1. “I was hired to tell them about what I’m selling.” – This seems to be based on the assumption that every buyer actually needs your offering, and non-stop yammering makes that point. If that were true, why not just send a recorded sales pitch to buyers and eliminate the sales force?
  2. “The buyer usually wants me to do the talking.” – This is a great excuse for not probing to determine buyers thinking, needs, and wants, and don’t think for a minute they really want to listen to you drone on and dominate 80% of the conversation.
  3. “I feel more comfortable when I’m in control.” – Folks, talking has no correlation with control, but many sales reps continue to believe this fantasy.
  4. “At times, I’m scared to hear their answers.” – I’m having a flashback to the Emperor’s New Clothes story my mom used to read me as a child. You avoid questions because you are afraid you might not like the answers and just live in a dream world of thinking you are smartly dressed, when in actuality you are sitting across from your buyer in your boxers or briefs!
  5. “Talking requires less planning.” – Of course it takes less time to parrot a bunch of features and benefits than to customize a list of questions that will lead to uncovering needs and opportunities. Who said this selling thing was going to be easy in the first place?

Now you should better be able to understand “Yada, yada, yada.” You would be wise to retool your ground game and spend the lion’s share of your face time asking questions and listening to buyers. You wouldn’t need as much time to discuss your offering, because your diagnosis would reveal what is relevant to the prospect, and you could then focus your time and effort there.

—————What Can You Get for $16?—————
You could buy: Pair of “Poop Emoji” slippers, a Wallet Ninja 18-in-one tool, Package of Brooklyn Bamboo washcloths, a brown Rubberific 36” Tree Ring, or Doug’s book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word, with FREE SHIPPING, containing 116 different sales coaching topics. Which one would be your wisest investment?
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Neighboring and Canvassing

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Canvassing for SalesFrom time to time, everybody puts off doing things because they “don’t feel like doing them.” Over the Christmas holidays you promised yourself you would start exercising as soon as the ball dropped. Then you committed to getting a jump on your taxes as soon as the W-2’s arrived, rather than doing an all-nighter alongside a stale pizza and a bitter pot of strong coffee in mid-April. But you didn’t do either one, along with many other chores and projects on your radar screen.

As a salesperson when this happens maybe you should transition into a Vulcan. How many times did we hear Spock tell us to ignore our feelings because they just get in our way.

The point I want to make here is that the concepts we’re going to discuss will probably be as distasteful as the scenarios just described. However if you convince yourself to spend a fraction of your time on these two strategies, your dislike for them will decrease, and your sales results will pleasantly surprise you.

I realize that sales solicitation isn’t allowed in every community, but when employed in unrestricted areas, it is a great way to meet people and create lots of sales conversations.

With that said I want to explain neighboring and canvassing, so that you will understand them and begin to see them as I do. The key is to avoid sounding like a stereotypical door-to-door salesperson, who nobody wants to talk to. Just relax and remain conversational and consultative.

Neighboring is contacting people in the nearby 4-6 homes adjacent to and across the street from, where you are selling or doing customer service follow-up’s.

The best time to do your neighboring is during the installation of your product or the establishing of your service. Curiosity will increase as the neighbors see a service vehicle or hear a worker making noise, which will help get the attention you desire.

Since it’s human nature to want to keep up with the Jones’s, it makes sense to attempt to talk to the neighbors, especially if the same situation or need may exist at their home (need for roof, fencing, termite control, lawn service, etc.). Your odds for success will also increase if you can convince your original customer to introduce and recommend you personally to these neighbors, automatically changing the contact from a cold call to a warm referral.

Neighboring steps are simple and basic:

  • Offer a complimentary checkup, audit, etc. to determine a need and desire for what you’re selling.
  • Provide some type of written report to the homeowner on the findings.
  • Follow with a proposal/estimate highlighting any discounts you may be currently offering.

For not homes, leave a business card and call back from a reverse phone book to share why you were in their neighborhood, and attempt to set an appointment.

Canvassing is neighboring on steroids, basically a wide-spread attempt to meet prospects in housing developments who may become interested in your product or service. Canvassing also works well when you are introducing or rolling out a new product or service. In order to make contact with the largest number of residents consider devoting a couple of hours to basic old-fashioned door knocking campaigns between 6-8pm (summer) or late on Saturday mornings (any season).

Since most salespeople aren’t really excited about canvassing, it will help if you have an accountability partner. As you work in pairs, determine in advance how you will divide any jointly-made canvassing commissions, in order to avoid misunderstandings on payday.

Although it might not be the most loved activity you do as a salesperson, once you get out there and loosen up a bit, it’s not nearly as awkward as you’re thinking it will be.

When picking areas to canvass, choose neighborhoods that fit the profile of what you are selling. For example if you sell roofing you wouldn’t want to waste your time in a neighborhood where the homes were just built last year.

Here is an idea for you to chew on from a canvassing event that I participated in while helping an environmental services company roll out a new offering.

  • The sales team assembled at the office at 5pm for a pep rally and some basic instructions. (Reps were given several hours off earlier that afternoon to avoid fatigue)
  • Reps were paired together and assigned areas to cover. A rollover contest with cash/prizes was announced, and sales commitments were publicly solicited and logged on a marker board.
  • Reps were told to call the office as sales were closed, to determine if their transaction triggered pre-set rollover levels, qualifying them for cash/prizes.
  • Admin was asked to text message the sales results to all reps in real time to maintain excitement and create heightened competition.
  • I demonstrated a short role-play of what to say and do, followed by the reps performing a similar dress rehearsal.
  • We all hit the streets with instructions to reassemble at 8pm for a cookout, grilling steaks on site.
  • The group reassembled and posted the board with results, then awarded prizes and ate, followed by lots of bragging.
  • Management was very happy with the results, and after all sales follow-ups were complete, that office exceeded their sales budget by nearly 20% that month.

Canvassing

Canvassing will always work if you do, but you’ve got to make it fun or you are done!

—————This Customer Sees Value————–

“Doug’s online training sessions have been a valuable addition for our sales training. The subject matter includes all facets of the sales process and helps eliminate the isolation effect of single operations by allowing participants to share success stories and ideas across multiple markets.” Dwayne Hazel, Tuscaloosa, AL. Click here to see how it works.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Boosting Tech Lead Activity

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Lead Generation

Earvin Magic Johnson’s basketball career achievements include; three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA finals appearances, twelve NBA All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular season assists four times and remains the NBA’s all-time leader in assists per game with an average of 11.2. Johnson was a member of the Dream Team, the U.S. basketball team that won the Olympic gold medal in 1992.

Additionally, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, followed by enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. Finally, he was ranked the greatest NBA point guard of all time by ESPN in 2007. You may be curious why I would lead off this post talking about Magic Johnson when the topic is tech leads. Well it relates to what Magic did best, which was assist, or get the ball to others on his team so they could shoot.

For grins and giggles let’s say you sell HVAC products and services like a couple of my clients do. Let’s also say that the typical lifespan of an air conditioner is about 12.5 years. Basic math says your technicians should produce a replacement lead on 8% of the systems they service.  If you go back through your service records I’ll bet your techs aren’t “assisting” your sales department at a Magic Johnson clip.

I’ve mentioned before that techs are wired to fix things and pride themselves on doing so. To get replacement leads requires that you keep it on their radar screen and continually provide training and incentives. After some coaching, for every 25 calls they run during a week, each tech should produce 2 leads.

If they eventually don’t, you’ve got to remember that you can either change the people you’re around, or you have to change the people you’re around. Make sure that sales lead generation is included in your recruiting process and stand firm on not hiring any that aren’t willing to participate and produce.

I don’t want to get into your business but you need to establish a transferable process to get these leads to your sales consultants without any of them getting “lost,” and this process will probably require the involvement of your admin folks and should include some role play, because practice always makes better.

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Here are some talking points I helped one of my clients develop in order to help their techs build confidence and competence in this area.

“Homeowner, I’ve completed inspecting and assessing your unit and the problem is with the ___________. I realize that’s not good news as the cost for that repair is $XXX.

But before you get too anxious, let me put this in perspective; the average lifespan of an air conditioner/heating system is around 12 years, so when one gets to be more than 10 years old, like yours, you should at least seriously consider replacement, as it just isn’t a good investment to put a lot of money in a unit that’s close to the end of its lifespan. So as a rule of thumb, when repairs cost $800 or more, and the system reaches this age, the experts suggest you bite the bullet and replace it.

I realize that it costs money to do that, but today’s systems are more energy efficient due to changes in industry standards over the past few years, and that alone will save you 20-40% on your electric bill, which is a big consolation.

Now I’ll do whatever you want me to, but if this were my home I would first talk with our Comfort Specialist. His job is to help you determine all your options along with an exact quote for a new system, so you can make a wise decision; fair enough?”

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Sales Rewards

The final piece of the tech lead puzzle is establishing incentives, because what gets rewarded gets done.
Once you establish a budget for these, you may need to experiment to determine whether cash, gift cards or trinkets turns on the troops. Why not ask them?

————Lookie-Lookie————

A couple of months ago 4,000 owners, executives, managers were surveyed by LinkedIn for the 2018 Workplace Learning Report and overwhelmingly agreed that soft skill training ranked as the most important ability their employees needed to learn. Manager involvement was selected as a critical ingredient to increase employee engagement during their learning. Additionally 94% of employees themselves said they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career.

Well lookie-here: 94% of your salespeople and 100% of company leaders should be excited because the sales coaching I provide is 100% soft skill communication strategies, and it’s my policy for managers to attend my sales coaching side-by-side with their sellers or I don’t agree to take them on as clients. Lookie-here for a FREE flyover.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Don’t be a Schmuck, Get Unstuck

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Don't be a schmuck. Get unstuck!

Jennifer Calfas, a reporter for Time Magazine, wrote the following on April 3, 2018: Immersed 11 feet underground in Los Angeles’s sewer pipeline system, 13-year-old Jesse Hernandez prayed he would survive.

“I was just praying to God to help me and to not die,” he told NBC News, speaking publicly for the first time after he was rescued following 12 hours trapped in a sewer pipe.

He couldn’t see anything down there, he said. It was dark and quiet as he griped onto the sewage pipe, leaving handprints behind. “I was scared,” he told NBC News.

Those handprints, however, helped rescuers save the teen who fell into the sewer system when a plank broke over an access tunnel while he was out with his family on Sunday. He fell 25 feet down into the sewage moving at 15 miles per hour, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

“The water took me,” Jesse said.

He then moved through a pipe that was just four feet in diameter and was stuck there for more than 12 hours before rescuers found him. More than 100 members of the L.A. Fire Department and other officials conducted the search with the City’s Bureau of Sanitation, Engineering and Contract Administration. They were aided by a robot with a camera and the light that had the ability to crawl and float through the sewer system. The camera helped rescuers spot Jesse’s handprints, and sanitation workers opened a nearby manhole at around 4:55 a.m. on Monday.

It was then that Jesse cried for help and the rescuers lowered a hose for him to grab onto. He was taken to a hospital and released the same day.

“He has tremendous inner strength,” said Brian Humphrey, a spokesperson for the L.A. Fire Department, according to the Associated Press. “It’s obvious he’s not a quitter.”

One of the most common problems in sales is dealing with prospects who get paralyzed into not making a decision, causing you to be stuck. Needless to say, you want to hear a “yes”, but if they would at least just say “no” you could move on to another prospect rather than spending an inordinate amount of time and energy with little to show for it.

It’s also important to realize that getting stuck not only occurs when you try to close sales, but also when trying to set initial appointments, establishing logical next steps, and when your buyer attempts to convince his or her boss to buy your solution. So here is my suggestion to help you get moving again; or to know when it’s time to move on. It’s a three piece strategy:

  1. Agree
  2. Clarify
  3. Project

The process is respectful, only taking a couple of minutes, and here are three examples:

“Send me more information”

It’s hard to know what prospects mean when they tell you this and so the only way to find out is to ask.

  1. Agree: “I’d be glad to send you some information.”
  2. Clarify: “To help me know what you need, what specifically are you looking for?” If they respond using action-oriented words, there’s a good chance this is a genuine opportunity, such as: “We’re looking to achieve … fix … solve …avoid … improve….” Listen for “needspeak.” But if they say, “Just send me whatever you have,” it’s probably not a real opportunity, and may be time to move on.
  3. Project: Verbally move through the decision-making process, for example, “I’ll get the information to you by Monday. Assuming you like what you see what do you legitimately see happening next?” The answer will give you a clearer sense of whether it’s worth the time and effort.

“I need to talk it over with …” or “We need to discuss this,” or “I need to think it over.”

  1. Agree: “Of course. That’s certainly normal. How long should I give you before I follow up?”
  2. Clarify: Ask a clarifying question such as, “Are you feeling good enough about this to recommend it to him/her?” If the answer is anything less than an enthusiastic “yes”, you need to suggest a joint meeting to give you a better chance.
  3. Project: Try to establish where they stand, such as; “Just so I can be sure I’ve provided everything your people will need, can you tell me specifically what you feel your boss (board, team leader, etc.) needs to hear?” Just be careful how you ask this question to avoid buyers thinking you are trying to put words in their mouth, which is unsanitary.

 

Call Me Back

Call me back in a month, or next quarter, etc.”

  1. Agree: Attempt to set a specific time for a return call to demonstrate that you are not discouraged by this postponement.
  2. Clarify: “So that I can be prepared for my next call to you, can you tell me what will be occurring between now and then?” (Find out why the discussion will be more relevant in a month.) If they can’t give you a good answer or won’t commit to a specific time for the call, chances are they’re not serious.
  3. Project: “When we meet again next month, realistically what do you see happening?”

By using a simple process like I’ve described in these examples, you will be able to apply the Kenny Rogers principle… “Know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em,” which may just keep you from taking up residence in Pendingville!

—————ATTENTION: Sales Managers——————

Need to change the way you do sales training? Get back to basics with Doug’s 274 page book of short lessons to help improve: likeability & trust (page 26), not assuming (page 43), countering apathy (page 77), probing/questioning for needs (page 102), emphasizing benefits over features (page 137), navigating objections (page 175), reducing think about its (page 188), wowing while closing (page 210), increasing referrals (page 244), and much more. Look for yourself.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Playing Dodge Ball in Your Best Accounts

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Chevrolet BiscayneIn the spring of 1967, shortly before I graduated from high school, Dad acquired the Biscayne. If that doesn’t ring a bell with you, you’re probably just too young. The Biscayne was the low-end model of the Chevrolet nameplate. This one was a 1963, stripped down, 3-speed on the column model in baby-poop brown.

I had never driven a stick-shift before, so Dad decided it was time for another series of driving lessons. After several outings with him, he said I needed to pass a final exam to prove I had mastered the clutch. He told me to head for a STOP sign on an incline at a nearby railroad crossing for the test. I was nervous enough sitting there revving the motor, rocking back and forth, trying to hold the car steady with only the clutch pedal; but when I looked up and saw that red pickup pulling up behind me, I almost wet my pants.

Of course, he just had to pull up close to the rear of the ‘Cayne; and then it happened. I accidentally popped the clutch and killed the engine, and the car rolled backwards and bumped into the truck’s front end.

But for the grace of big chrome bumpers, I would have had my first insurance claim. Fortunately, after sheepishly groveling and apologizing, neither of us could find a scratch on his truck. As if he had been there before, he looked at me and just smiled.

I quickly cranked the car again and shot over the tracks, as my dad began to recite his responsibility speech and carp about me not yet being ready to go solo in that vehicle.

Your client base is another place to avoid missteps, as you work to ensure your best accounts continue to be happy with your performance and continue buying from you. To avoid blunders similar to mine behind the wheel, here are a few suggestions to peruse and evaluate:

1. Cash in on the potential that big customers provide by making sure they are aware of every product and service offered on your company’s menu. It’s entirely possible your customer doesn’t realize your firm sells something they currently buy elsewhere or are contemplating buying.

2. Be careful not to bet the farm on customer relationships alone, but rather ensure you are competent in providing value and results for your customer. Strive to go beyond the entry-level role of vendor, eventually become a trusted advisor to your customer and their enterprise.

3. Don’t be impatient. In your personal life, Honey didn’t want to marry you after one date, so likewise you must romance your clients for a period of time, as well. Think back to things you did that wowed Honey and duplicate those with your clients (minus the romance).

Effective Sales Techniques

4. Make sure to keep the main thing the main thing as you evaluate the ongoing needs of your customers. Keep their objectives on your radar screen and always under-promise and over-deliver as you serve them. Remember “there are no traffic jams along the extra mile.”

5. Learn enough about your clients business to make it easier for them to sell to their customers. This strategy alone will help eventually elevate you up the great pyramid of provider relationships.

6. Continually inform and educate your customers about everything in your company’s pipeline, in order to preclude any and all surprises down the road.

Regardless whether it’s new products, upgrades, or even price changes; these heads up’s can help you attain hero status with your customers.

Below are descriptions of the 8 chapters of my book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word. It is 274 pages long and covers 116 specific coaching topics. It is $16 and I ship it FREE. Got it? Get it here!

————Special Links————

  • Enthusing – Attaining and maintaining the upbeat outlook and point of view required to survive the rough terrain of the selling profession.
  • Essentializing – Applying the basic principles you need to be familiar with and apply, to ensure you stand out on the selling landscape.
  • Engaging – Sorting out suspects and prospects to determine who to approach, and then developing an agenda to initiate a sales conversation.
  • Exploring – Uncovering, by probing & questioning, the pain, needs, & desires of prospects & buyers.
  • Elaborating – Providing information about your product or service as the antidote to the pain you discovered during the exploring process.
  • Encountering – Determining and resolving concerns that always surface during sales conversations.
  • Executing – Reaching agreement on logical next steps in order to close sales and gain new customers.
  • Expanding – Ongoing collateral activities to help grow your business & ensure long term sales success.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Hooray for Home Shows!

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Home Show

The following story was submitted as an entry to the annual funniest home improvement story contest conducted by Today’s Homeowner.com by Bob Sill of Concord, New Hampshire. Sounds like Bob should go to his local Home Show and find a contractor to complete his next project for him.

“When I set out to add a deck to the back of my house, I started by digging a series of holes for the concrete post supports. Being in New Hampshire I wanted them eight feet deep to keep frost heaves from ruining my new deck. This required lying face down on the ground, and shoving my posthole digger as deep as it would go.

About the third hole in, it started pouring rain. I was soaked but determined. The final hole was about six feet deep when the water soaked edge gave way, and I fell face first into it. So there I was, face down in a hole with only the soles of my shoes showing. I yelled for help, but was too deep in the hole and dirt was falling into my mouth. The hole was starting to fill with water, and I was panicking.

After about half an hour, my face was at the waterline when I suddenly felt several pairs of hands around my ankles. I was pulled out of the hole and came face to face with a group of firemen who were laughing hysterically. Thankfully, my wife heard me and called for help.”

If you sell in a blue collar industry, you probably look forward to participating at least once a year in a local or regional home show. That’s a smart choice since event surveys reveal that 94% of attendees are homeowners, and 76% attend with a spouse, meaning both decision makers are available. What’s not to like! So today I’m offering up a few suggestions to help make your participation more productive as folks make their way toward your booth.

Seek out Prospects: Make folks feel welcome as they come near your booth with a simple greeting and a sincere smile, while making good eye contact. Regardless whether you sell HVAC systems, termite and/or pest control, metal roofing or replacement windows, ask a couple thought-provoking questions to determine the need and interest level of each visitor.

Remember there is a big difference between suspects and prospects. As you profile each one be careful to remain polite, professional, and respectful. My point here is not to take too much of your time or theirs by introducing them to the features and benefits of your product or service if they really aren’t a serious prospect. “Surgery without a diagnosis is malpractice.”

Speak and Listen: Once you have determined you have a prospect, ask a couple open questions to identify needs and qualify the visitor. Listen carefully to their answers and attempt to establish their purchasing timetable. Be careful not to appear aggressive or get in their grill as you converse.

Set an Appointment: Once your prospects recognize that a visual inspection/assessment of the current state of their home is necessary, follow on and set an appointment to culminate in a presentation and proposal. Ensure that all decision makers will be present when you come so that an intelligent decision will be able to be made once all the facts are in hand.

Home Show

Lastly, here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider while you are working your booth:

DO

  • Be enthusiastic and smile to ensure a good first impression.
  • Use mouthwash and be properly groomed, wearing comfortable shoes.
  • Keep moving in the booth.
  • Keep the booth tidy and appealing.
  • Ask and use prospect’s names in conversation.

DON’T

  • Sit and/or read in the booth.
  • Eat, drink or chew gum in the booth.
  • Ignore any prospects in the vicinity.
  • Talk on the phone if prospects are nearby.
  • Act like you’re on patrol waiting to pounce when folks enter your jurisdiction.
  • Talk, or huddle, or yuck it up with fellow salespeople.
  • Display product literature openly as people waste it without reading.
————My Pleasure, Kyle————
“Doug, I needed your article today! How wrapped up in this crazy busy world we can become! Thank you for simplifying my day and reminding me to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). Appreciate you.” Kyle Lovell, V.P. SunTrust Bank. See why a bank VP follows Doug HERE.
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Massage the Mindset of Your Sales Team

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Attitude is everything

One of the most important things a sales manager can do is attempt to improve the attitude of the sales team, because salespeople with positive attitudes sell more and customers tend to buy more from positive salespeople. This conclusion is not a guess but rather a fact based on many surveys and polls of sales managers who continually respond that performance problems among sales teams are overwhelmingly a result of poor attitude rather than lack of skill.

That said, I’ll offer a few suggestions to help improve the attitude of sales team members in order to regain and maintain high sales productivity:

1. Dare sales team members to develop and abound.

As you work alongside your sales folks, put additional emphasis on helping them see and react to chances and choices that are new, and help them break the code to get into unfamiliar market segments, opening up new accounts and additional revenue sources. Continually ask thought provoking questions and challenge them to see things in a different light by using novel perspectives. “How can you not only win the account but work on a strategy to become a trusted advisor to the customer,” is an example of a good question to pose to your rep. Get them to think bigger and deeper.

Just like spending time with your kids’ shows your love for them, time spent with your sales team members proves you really do care for them and want them to become winners on the sales field. Think maybe these types of actions will help attitudes improve?

2. Deepen their confidence.

Sales managers are familiar with the old “skill or will” dilemma. Salespeople who are performing poorly in certain areas, such as self-generating leads, sometimes get accused of having a bad attitude toward this function, when it may very well be that they just don’t know how to do it.

Don’t make that mistake and automatically bring attitude into the situation. Determine first if it’s a confidence issue because possibly the rep doesn’t Mindsetpossess the skills. If that’s the case, show them a picture of what it should look like; that’s what leaders do. Afterward, conduct some test driving with the rep and chances are their confidence will quickly increase, unless it doesn’t. If it doesn’t move following that, then look into the attitude side of the issue.

3. Dedicate time for coaching.

You must be the advocate and instigator for sales coaching. Don’t wait for your reps to beg for training because they might not ever do it since most salespeople have a disease called “the all-seeing, all- knowing syndrome.” This simply means they think they know enough stuff and will rarely cry uncle for more sales training.

Whether they request help or not, be proactive in observing weaknesses and providing training fixes for them. When you do this, both skill and will head north.

4. Discuss dilemmas with your “Difficult Dynamos.”

Some managers have an ongoing wrestling match with salespeople who produce well, but always get a “D” in “works well with others” on their report card. Your problem with reps like this is that others in the sales room look to this guy or gal as their hero, and want to grow up to be like them because they sell a lot.

When this occurs don’t wait for it to clean itself up, but rather cut this rep out of the herd and have a personal meeting with the Grinch. During this meeting don’t go in with guns blazing, but rather “lead the witness” with a few open questions to try to get them to see for themselves the havoc they are wreaking among their peers. More than likely it won’t take long for it to dawn on the rep that the negativity is coming from them, and they will probably fall on their sword and change their behavior.

In conclusion, aside from the suggestions above, you may need to look in the mirror and consider a check-up from the neck up in management style. A little 360⁰ feedback may give you some ideas that may help you keep everyone on the “happy place,” bus, where turnover is not a major problem.

————Good News from Huntsville————
“Doug, I would like to thank you for your weekly newsletters I’ve been getting since I’ve been with Orkin. I started in Mobile and transferred to Huntsville. I’ve only been with Orkin 2.5 years and I am the #3 home sales inspector in the Gulf States region. In 2017 I sold $280,346. Again I would like to say thank you for your training.” Matt Pate, Huntsville, AL. Subscribe for your FREE weekly issue of Selling Point HERE.
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

 

Photo Credit- http://www.vijesti.me/

Folks, It’s Showtime

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Consultative Sales

According to NFL statistics, 75% of the teams who score first go on to win the football game. Similarly the NHL tells us that hockey teams in the lead at the end of the first period win 72% of the time.

In sales, there is a similar correlation between actual annual performance and early achievement of the sales plan. Industry research shows that sales teams that get off to a fast start by meeting or exceeding their sales plan in the first and second quarters, are twice as likely to achieve their annual sales plan than those teams that do not. So it seems to make sense to work quickly when selling, in order to achieve the first burst and score some points with your prospect.

Prior to that, while scheduling an appointment make a solid attempt to identify the decision makers and ensure they will all be present for your meeting, since peg leg presentations (one-leggers) rarely culminate in closed sales. When you propose to less than all the players you are inadvertently tasking the buyer in attendance with presenting your offering to those who are absent. Any way you slice it, that’s risky.

Whether you begin your presentations with a humorous story, a serious story, or a joke of some sort, it seems the most important thing is to ensure you get moving quickly, rather than agonize over a particular presentation format. That said, here are some suggestions designed to help improve your results as you sit with residential prospects and begin your presentations:

  • When its show time, position yourself across from the buyer(s), rather than next to them, in order to improve eye contact. This also increases your chances of successfully reading facial expressions and body language.
  • Be consultative and conversational and avoid scare tactics or hard sell techniques in your delivery.
  • Unless you’re sure the prospects are anal and want to know everything, begin your presentation by stating you will only address the need to know, not the nice to know. It’s also a good idea to leave collateral material with homeowners that will function as a memory jogger and a silent salesperson after you leave.

Salesperson making proposal

Salesperson making proposal. Digital image. November 18, 2015. https//freedigitalphotos.net

  • It’s a plus if you state from the outset a timeline for the presentation. When that length of time expires, you should stop and remind them that you are a person of your word, even if you didn’t finish. Prospects that are seriously interested, will more than likely allow you to continue, which would be a buying signal.
  • It’s also a good idea to position your proposal material (tablet or brochure) so that it faces the prospect, and use your pen as a pointer. This will help focus attention and reduce eye-roaming as you talk. Since people think much faster than you can talk, your pen becomes a speed bump to slow their eyes and increase the odds they remain engaged.
  • Avoid speaking too slowly, as a crisply moving presentation is normally received more favorably than one given at a snail’s pace.
  • Each time you discuss one of the prospect’s pain points, connect it to a solution you provide, along with the benefits that makes it unique among your competition. This improves the chances your buyer gets the answers they’re seeking.

Since it’s unsanitary to put words in your mouth, I trust you will accept these pointers as purely suggestions, simply meant to help you improve your face time with prospects and buyers as you attempt to cross the sales “goal line.”

————Hit the Hooray Button————
Doug, I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for the online video training and coaching you are providing to us. Every time I hear your voice, your personality and demeanor gets me pumped up and ready to go sell! Also I can’t thank you enough for the life experiences you continually share that are so helpful with situations I face every day. Now I’m able to conquer them due to the knowledge you are sharing. Tyler Payne, Comfort Specialist, Barineau Heating & Air, Tallahassee. If you’re curious, look HERE.
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

KIA: Crickets Instead of Service

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Kia Poor Customer Service

As regular Selling Point readers know, I share actual customer service stories in addition to the sales training ideas and strategies I write about. If you’re not familiar, one auto manufacturer uses a slogan that reads; KIA, the Power to Surprise™. Today’s customer service story proves that “surprises” are not always positive, and this particular one happened to me.

In June of 2014, following the recommendations of two acquaintances, I purchased a 2014 Kia Sorento which I still own. It currently has 72,000 miles and I have been pleased with it, until a series of events that began on October 10, 2017, when my automatic door locks quit working. I took my Sorento to Miracle Kia, my local dealership in Albany, Ga., where I was told I needed a front door latch assembly, which was replaced at a total cost of $244. That seemed kind of weird to me but the technician told me, “It happens more than you think.” I swallowed hard, paid the bill and went on my way.

One month later on November 9, I got in the car and discovered that the radio, UVO, Bluetooth, and backup camera all were inoperable and my screen was dark. I went back to the dealership where a shorthanded service department was unable to diagnose my vehicle that day. To his credit, the service writer did ask a technician to come out front and perform a quick fuse check, hoping for a simple fix. The tech found the fuses to be all good but told me the battery sounded weak and that I should replace it soon. (That wasn’t surprising as the battery was nearly 4 years old).

I went back inside to schedule an appointment for an electronic diagnostic to determine the cause of the audio malfunction, and when I went back outside and tried to start my car, the battery was dead as a brick. (I guess I should get that tech to buy my lottery tickets!) So I told the service writer to go ahead and install a new battery, but he quickly discovered that the dealership had no batteries on hand. (A dealership service department with no batteries for sale…Hmmm.) So I was jumped off and drove to another shop and purchased a battery.

When I returned to the dealership a couple weeks later the diagnostic test revealed that I needed a complete new radio/audio system at an out-of-pocket cost to me of $2,500! OH REALLY!!! I asked how common it is for a radio to go out in a vehicle less than four years old and he said it was definitely rare. I left the dealership without scheduling the work and, as you might guess, was pretty grumpy about these domino-like electronic problems. It just seemed mathematically improbable to me that two expensive electronic repairs totaling nearly $3,000 could possibly happen to a vehicle in its prime.

I determined to stay calm and make a sensible and professional written appeal to the General Manager of the dealership, explaining my situation and asking for him to intervene. In my letter I stated that I understood the vehicle was out of warranty and I didn’t expect something for nothing, but this dilemma was simply unsatisfactory and KIA should take some responsibility. I concluded the letter by stating that I wanted to remain a satisfied Kia customer and be able to continue to speak favorably about the nameplate and the dealership, but that I needed his intervention to be able to maintain that posture. That letter was mailed to his attention at the dealership on December 12, 2017, and to this day I have heard nothing but crickets. Basic customer service and common decency says that I should have received a response of some type, right?

After 30 days I determined that Mr. GM didn’t intend to respond so I moved up the food chain a notch and found an online Kia Customer Service point of contact and sent them an email on January 16, 2018, along with a copy of the letter I sent to Mr. GM, asking for a response and some help with my situation. I emphasized my frustration over being totally ignored by the local dealership.

“The power to surprise” continued when there was no response to this second request from KIA USA Customer Service. On February 1, 2018 I continued my lonely quest by mailing a third letter to KIA Motors Corp. Customer Care Service in Irvine CA., and of course enclosed copies of my two previous communications to the local dealership GM and to the online customer service liaison. Believe it or not, after sending that letter 8 weeks ago I’m 0 for 3, and the sound of the crickets is deafening!

Poor Customer Service KIA

Photo credit: http://hinessight.blogs.com/

Following is the customer service object lesson I want Selling Point readers to understand and internalize:

Good customer service would have looked like this:

1. At the time of the original diagnostic test in early December 2017, the service manager should have automatically intervened and gotten approval from the GM to split the cost with me by asking me to pay the labor while the dealership furnished a replacement multimedia unit. They could easily demand and receive a refund from their supplier for the defective unit (less than 4 years old!) Why would they want to run the risk of me telling everybody I come in contact with that the dealer takes no responsibility on issues and completely turns its back on customers?
2. In the absence of #1 occurring, the GM should have taken the action described above upon receiving and verifying my letter of December 12.
3. In the absence of #2, KIA Corporate Customer Care should have instructed the local GM to perform #1 above upon verifying my claim.

Therefore I’m beginning my chirping by writing and publishing this post, and will also become vocal every time I get an opportunity to enter an automobile conversation. BEWARE!

©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Photo Kia Sorento – Doug Robinson

Play Ball!!!

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Yogi Berra

This Thursday, March 29, is opening day for the 2018 major league baseball season, so I want to “tip my cap” to one of my childhood heroes, Yankees legendary catcher Yogi Berra, who died at age 90 in September 2015. He was an 18-time All-Star and appeared as a Yankee in 14 World Series, winning 10 of them.

Yogi’s contributions to MLB are incalculable, but he is equally remembered for his countless memorable expressions, called Yogi-isms. Today I’d like to pay tribute to Yogi’s memory by sharing 50 of these often quoted sayings:

1. When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
2. You can observe a lot by just watching.
3. It ain’t over till it’s over.
4. It’s like déjà vu all over again.
5. No one goes there nowadays, it’s too crowded.
6. Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.
7. A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.
8. Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours.
9. We made too many wrong mistakes.
10. Congratulations. I knew the record would stand until it was broken.
11. You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.
12. You wouldn’t have won if we’d beaten you.<
13. I usually take a two-hour nap from one to four.
14. Never answer an anonymous letter.
15. Slump? I ain’t in no slump… I just ain’t hitting.
16. How can you think and hit at the same time?
17. The future ain’t what it used to be.
18. I tell the kids, somebody’s gotta win, somebody’s gotta lose. Don’t fight about it, just try to get better.
19. It gets late early out here.
20. If the people don’t want to come out to the ballpark, nobody’s going to stop them.
21. We have deep depth.
22. Pair up in threes.
23. Why buy good luggage, you only use it when you travel.
24. You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.
25. All pitchers are liars or crybabies.

———–Head’s Up!———— 

Did you know Doug conducts scheduled online video sales coaching each week for companies in the HVAC and Pest Control industries? Should your sales reps and technicians be getting sales support like this too? Take a stroll through Doug’s website and look for yourself. 

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26. Even Napoleon had his Watergate.
27. Bill Dickey is learning me his experience.
28. He hits from both sides of the plate. He’s amphibious.
29. It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much.
30. I can see how he (Sandy Koufax) won twenty-five games. What I don’t understand is how he lost five.
31. I don’t know whether they were men or women fans running naked across the field. They had bags over their heads.
32. I’m a lucky guy and I’m happy to be with the Yankees. And I want to thank everyone for making this night necessary.
33. I’m not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did.
34. In baseball, you don’t know nothing.
35. I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I just blame the bat and if it keeps up, I change bats. After all, if I know it isn’t my fault that I’m not hitting, how can I get mad at myself?
36. I never said most of the things I said.
37. It ain’t the heat, it’s the humility.
38. If you ask me anything I don’t know, I’m not going to answer.
39. I wish everybody had the drive he (Joe DiMaggio) had. He never did anything wrong on the field. I’d never seen him dive for a ball, everything was a chest-high catch, and he never walked off the field.
40. So I’m ugly. I never saw anyone hit with his face.
41. Takeit with a grin of salt.
42. (On the 1973 Mets) We were overwhelming underdogs.
43. The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase.
44. Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.
45. Mickey Mantle was a very good golfer, but we weren’t allowed to play golf during the season; only at spring training.
46. You don’t have to swing hard to hit a home run. If you got the timing, it’ll go.
47. I’m lucky. Usually you’re dead to get your own museum, but I’m still alive to see mine.
48. If I didn’t make it in baseball, I won’t have made it workin’. I didn’t like to work.
49. If the world were perfect, it wouldn’t be.
50. A lot of guys go, ‘Hey, Yogi, say a Yogi-ism.’ I tell ’em, ‘I don’t know any.’ They want me to make one up. I don’t make ’em up. I don’t even know when I say it. They’re the truth. And it is the truth. I don’t know.

Yogi Berra 2015

©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Photo Credits – mlb.com archives

Live by the Presentation, Die by It

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Focus on Sales Presentations

I was once a new resident in a rural community and was talking to my neighbor, who was a great guy and a WWII vet. I asked him what the best route was to the interstate highway. He told me, “Go down to the main road and turn left, when you get to the end of the stone wall there’s a road on your left that’ll take you past Wilson’s farm, there’ll be a Shell (used to be a Gulf) gas station on the right, then some condos and in 2 miles you’ll see the general store. Don’t take that left. Instead, keep going down the main road and you’ll see another left just before the drug store. That’ll bring you past the library, the middle school and after you pass South Meadow Pond you can take the right that’ll bring you to Town Hall. You don’t want that left either…“ He went on this way for a while but I’ll stop as I suspect you get the drift of today’s topic. This is a perfect example of NOT using the KISS method.

Twenty years ago I was a sales trainer for a company where the training philosophy was to devote the lion’s share of new employee classroom training time to learning, memorizing, and perfecting delivery of a sales presentation brochure. That was very important to this company because they invested a fortune in their marketing department who spent most of their time developing very sophisticated and lengthy sales brochures for every product and service they offered to the public.

From the day new reps were hired, they were convinced that if they could only get a prospect to sit down and listen to their presentation they would be able to sell enough to make a good living. There was a very high daily accountability in “How many proposals did you give today?” Don’t misunderstand, I realize that you can’t close it until you propose it, but there was little time and effort invested in an assessment or diagnosis before a presentation was attempted. This company wasn’t convinced that surgery without a diagnosis is malpractice.

Well, as you might imagine, this firm suffered from high sales turnover and low sales closure. By the way, I don’t work there anymore, as that philosophy made me break out in hives.

Conventional salespeople are probably squirming while reading this because many consider their presentation the death ray of their sales arsenal. It is their comfort zone, their security blanket, and the last thing they want to surrender. Unfortunately though, most of the investment and effort put into sales presentations end up being lost on customers.

Sales Presentations

I can think of three reasons sales presentations are not the bomb:

  1. Presentations are lectures – When boiled down to the lowest common denominator the sales rep is the teacher, and the prospect is the student. Aside from the fact that most people don’t want to be lectured, the big problem is that only about 30 percent of what people hear gets remembered. That’s why trainers typically produce salespeople with marginal results, after using the lecture method in their classrooms.
  2. Presentations don’t focus on prospects – Rarely is more than 10 to 20 percent of a presentation focused on buyers and their current situation. Those reps spent most of their effort on the solution and not enough on the pain throbbing in the customer’s home or business. At the conclusion of the presentation, the prospect may be impressed with the offering, but don’t know why they should buy it.
  3. Presentations aren’t unique – The main reason you don’t get any more mileage from presentations you deliver is because competitors use the same strategy. When all is said and done, what is basically gleaned from each proposal by the buyer is that each rep’s offering is positioned as the only answer.

Since this tactic makes it harder for the customer to understand what the presentation was really about, they retreat to the one thing they think will level the playing field, and that is the price. This attributes more than anything to the knock-off mentality most buyers have of your offering. So it seems to me the best advice is putting your diagnosis firmly in the pole position, and moving your presentation back to the second row.

I’m reminded of Dr. Gregory House, and his team of diagnosticians on the TV show, House, M.D., who worked feverishly on each episode to uncover medical problems and conditions that nobody else could seem to solve. Before each episode concluded, patients were fully aware of their medical situation along with their options. Fortunately for them, most were then able to experience a cure at the hands of House’s dream team.

Likewise, in the sales world, only when you function in this manner can you justify making professional recommendations rather than just sales presentations. This approach is what helps differentiate you from your competition.

————Don’t Close that Browser————
If you liked this post you will love Doug’s book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word. It contains 116 topics like this one you just finished reading. Only $16 and FREE SHIPPING…Whaaat?
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

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How About a Career Conversation?

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Career Conversation

There’s an old story about a dog food company that went to great lengths to do market research to find out what kind of packaging would be most effective in selling their dog food. After months of research they came up with a package design that turned out to be very effective. Consumers bought that dog food by the ton. Then, a funny thing happened. Shortly thereafter, sales dropped dramatically. No one could figure out why. After months of research they finally concluded that although the consumers bought the dog food because of the package, the dogs simply would not eat the contents. They made a fundamental error. They forgot to ask the dogs.

Get inside your people’s heads occasionally to measure their internal motivation by conducting a career chat, not to be confused with a performance appraisal. Why? To help employees grow.

Managers/Owners should consider holding these dialogues every six months, to assess changes in goals, objectives or attitudes, possibly triggered by a shift in territories, a death in the family, divorce, birth of a child, or a marriage.

For new employees I would recommend three of these conversations in the first six months; one after a few weeks on the job, when issues with competition, peers, or management may have developed and the rookie needs some positive input from you to get back on track.

A second meeting would be good at the end of the first 90 days, after the shine has worn off the job and they have a solid feel for their strengths and weaknesses.

The third get-together would fit well after six months, when salespeople think they know it all and begin to feel bullet proof. At this point it is important for you to let them know how important they are to the company and its overall growth.

Logistically this meeting should be conducted in a private setting with a relaxed atmosphere, where openness can be encouraged. Managers would be better served if they come empty-handed to this session, which should naturally help foster honesty with each other.

So, to kick-start the get-together why not just say something like: “Clyde, what I’d like to accomplish here is to get some important feedback from you and share some ideas that will help us communicate and perform better as a team.”

If you need a nudge to ensure a successful conversation, here are a few open question topics to bring up to stay on message and keep things engaged:

  • Something along the lines of what the employee likes and doesn’t like about the job.
  • Ask how he or she feels they can improve on the job in the short term.
  • How about throwing in a question about what the salesperson would like to achieve in the next year, to include any other jobs or aspirations they may have?
  • You might also inject a question whether there is anybody in the company that the rep feels he/she struggles to get along with, and why.
  • Ask what they feel has been their greatest contribution during their employment.
  • Maybe even a question about areas of personal improvement they are participating in to increase their value to the company.

After the meeting you can jot down some notes for yourself so that you can follow up and help the employee to achieve his or her goals. Based on how things went you probably also want to ask yourself if you think the sales rep is in the right job and comfortable within the organization. Since these reps represent your company to the public you probably should assess their attitude. Do you feel that you have a better understanding of what makes them tick? If not, schedule more fieldwork time. A major objective should be if you think that they will now feel more comfortable talking to you in the future when things aren’t going well.

Effective Sales Training

Instead of reading 100 management and marketing journals trying to figure out how to get more out of your sales team, spend the next week doing career conversations with your sales force. They’ll give you all the answers you need to increase productivity, performance and profits.

Spend the time to protect your investment. If you add up training, recruiting and opportunity costs, your investment in one salesperson can run anywhere from $5,000 and up, so take the time for these conversations as often as necessary.

—————Need a Tweak?—————

If you want to be a better sales manager, Doug can help whether you need assistance with recruiting, motivating, training, or recognition. Hit him up here.
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

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Simplicity Rocks

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Sales Simplicity

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My most significant mentor during the years I made my living selling personally was an incredible man named Art Williams, who followed his dream and built a huge national sales team of entrepreneurs in the financial services industry. In his book, All You Can Do is All You Can Do, But All You Can Do is Enough; Art devotes a chapter to dreaming, on which he excelled. He states that a smart man once said, “Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.” It seems that more times than not people think things are better when they are bigger or more complicated. It just seems with all the advances in technology, people have lost respect for simplicity.

Art shares the story of a young Harvard business graduate who decided to start a business in 1973. He approached his grandfather, a Wall Street investor, and asked him to be his advisor. After a couple of weeks his grandfather wanted to know how many customers he had. The grandson replied, “None yet. I’ve been busy deciding on an accounting system.” The grandfather replied, “Son, until you have customers, you don’t need any systems, or an office or even a desk. YOU NEED CUSTOMERS.” Thankfully the young man listened and went to work finding customers. The business took off and today Snapple beverages are sold throughout North America as part of the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. This story reminds us to keep the main thing the main thing and focus on what generates income.

As you consider ways to keep things simple in your sales job, Art suggests you include these steps to ensure your results will be positive; manage activity, create little successes, and don’t get bogged down in paperwork. Let’s look at each one individually:

1. Manage Activity – If you are going to succeed in sales you have to take action. You can’t sit in the office all day “thinking” or “planning.” Your office is a very poor place to prospect.

A good example of this principle is an insurance company that asked a marketing firm to analyze why they were averaging only 2.5 sales per agent per month. They quickly established that the agents weren’t seeing enough people.

To prove it, the marketing group conducted a test by choosing 20 agents at random and provided them a one-sentence presentation; “You don’t want any life insurance, do you?” The agents were told to repeat that message to as many people as possible each day. Nearly all of their contacts responded with, “You’re right, I don’t, get lost.” But, one out of every sixty people responded with, “Yes, I’d like to talk about that as I’ve been thinking about it for a while.” The agents could speak that message to about sixty people a day, and quickly began to average a sale per day. The company’s business took off as they realized that ACTIVITY REALLY IS THE KEY!

2. Create Little Successes – Often when you look at your sales goal, it can seem overwhelming and cause you to give up before you really even get started.

When I order a sizzling medium-well 18oz. steak in a restaurant, I don’t pick it up and just gnaw away at it until I eventually swallow and digest the whole thing. I cut it into small bites with a knife and eat it with a fork. That’s what you should do with your sales goals.

You can’t close it until you propose it, and you can’t propose it until you find a buyer with a need for it. Rather than agonizing over selling, why not concentrate instead on the activity that is necessary to produce those sales.

Then, instead of selling $X a month, shift gears and just think about selling 1/20th of $X each day. If you normally close 1 of every 4 you propose, make sure you propose 4 today. Since you don’t get to propose everyone you see, be sure to see at least 6 today. Since you only get in front of about a third of the people you make contact with, be sure you call or knock on the doors of about 20 people today.

Now instead of frantically trying to sell $20X a month, change your focus to contacting 20 people a day, and let the law of averages produce the sales for you. By pacing yourself this way, your confidence gets a real boost.

Sales Paperwork

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3. Don’t Get Bogged Down in Paperwork – Nothing will get you in trouble quicker than taking your eye off the ball. At most companies the fastest way for that to happen is to major in paperwork. I understand you can’t complete a sale or get paid without mucking through a certain amount of paperwork. Do what’s necessary but keep the main thing the main thing.

When I (Doug) was a corporate sales coach, a rookie sales lady asked me if I would tell her which contract to complete for a particular service. I asked her how big the sale was. She said she hadn’t made one yet, but wanted to get squared away on the paperwork before she proposed one. I responded by telling her to go create the problem and find somebody who wanted that product, and then she would need to know how to write it up and could ask someone.

Every communication is better when you simplify it and make it brief. People today are afraid to write in short, simple language for fear that others will think they’re dumb. That’s DUMB. I assure you if your message is clear nobody will miss hearing the big, impressive words. 

———-Heads Up———-
Doug’s Selling Point archives contain 265 articles, all FREE to access, share, and use. These are complete training lessons and not short teasers like most are. Go get them right HERE on Doug’s website. While you are there, why not subscribe to Selling Point for FREE so each new article will come directly to your inbox?
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Avoiding Credit Rejections

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Avoiding Credit Rejection

Graphic by Doug Robinson

Today’s post will be relevant for those of you who offer financing as a payment option for your services and/or products. I realize it’s always a heart-breaker when your prospects are so broke they can’t pay attention, and can’t qualify for your payment plan. You’ve done your job successfully but you don’t get paid.

We have all heard lots of wild excuses from broke folks like these classics:

“We decided to pay off our credit card debt so we stopped making our house payment for a year.”

“I stopped making credit card payments and filed bankruptcy so I wouldn’t have any debt while buying a house…I should get approved, right?”

“I pay late fees every month, so won’t that get me a better credit rating.”

“My car broke down so I stopped making payments. I wanted them to come and get that lemon.”

“The construction workers moved my mailbox and we couldn’t find it for three months.”

“I thought she was paying it and she thought I was.”

“The bill was always due at a bad time of the month.”

“I make all my payments on time…to the collection agency.”

“The stamp apparently fell off my payment envelope.”

Sometimes a salesperson runs a call that was pre-screened and properly qualified and then executes a flawless need assessment and presentation process, closes the sale, and completes a credit application only to have the prospect rejected for credit approval. This is a real kick in the teeth and can take the wind out of any salesperson’s sails, affecting morale, attitude, and personal income.

What can you do to protect yourself against this? Here is a 6-pack of Plan B suggestions:

1. Assuming your local sales team has a hand in available financing options, the wisest thing to do is to offer more than one program, providing low rates for well-qualified customers on the one hand, and also much-needed financing for poorly qualified customers on the other, albeit with higher rates and more stringent terms.

2. If you are mandated only one source of in-house financing consider seeking out and setting up a relationship with a secondary financing source. It is a good defensive move to establish a more lenient and aggressive lender that you can send your rejections to for consideration. If they are accepted it simply becomes a cash job to you after they receive their approval and funding.

3. Suggest an equity line of credit or second mortgage to pay for your service and remind the customer that the interest may also be tax deductible.

4. Ask the homeowner to get a co-signer who has a better credit history.

5. Ask the homeowner if they can borrow the money from a friend, family member, credit union or bank that may be familiar with their past credit situation but willing to loan the money based on their current status.

Blue collar sales - avoid credit rejections

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6. If credit rejections occur frequently, consider pre-approving over the phone (if your state allows.) Your admin folks can easily be trained to mention up front that you have convenient in-house financing and can save the customer time by pre-approving now. Cash customers will automatically identify themselves so you will know they won’t have problems, and the finance customers who can’t pre-qualify can be coached by you about the Plan B suggestions just discussed during a confirmation call prior to going to the home. If you’ve been disappointed enough over time you should be tough enough to not schedule the appointment until after you know their credit-worthiness.

These ideas will help salespeople go into calls with a good attitude and confidence that they will get paid for their efforts when the customer says, “yes.”

—————-Help with Closing?—————-
In Doug’s book, Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word you can find closing help on page 205, You Gotta WOW ‘Em to Close ‘Em, and on page 210, Scoring in the Red Zone, or page 213, I’d Like a Second Opinion. Order it here and I’ll ship it FREE!
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Need to Motivate Your Sales Team? – Part II

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Sales Manager Motivate Team

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If you missed last week’s Part I of this post, please stop now and catch up by reading it HERE.

Now to continue with my suggestions for providing motivation for your sales team:

Zombify your email and try paper for a change – Email is commonplace; but a handwritten note tells people you took the time to communicate in a personal manner. You will see notes and cards displayed on the desks of salespeople, but probably never an email.

Zone in on crediting family members – Hard working salespeople put in long hours and at times need to entertain clients after hours. Why not recognize the spouse and kids who make the sacrifice of giving up time with family by sending a thank you note, along with maybe a Chick-fil-A gift card.

Zonk the team by allowing salespeople to coach – This is another form of public recognition, so when one of your salespeople performs excellently, don’t keep it a secret. Assign a portion of your sales meeting to him/her, asking them to teach and train on best practices. This way the salesperson is recognized for their expertise, and the message usually means more when it comes from a peer. It also motivates fellow team members to become an ‘expert’ so they can help lead future sales meetings.

Zap performers with immediate feedback – Don’t wait until you have time to give compliments or feedback. Two weeks after a good performance won’t generate the same response as giving immediate recognition for selling or problem solving. How confused would your dog be if you were to wait a week to give him a treat after performing a trick?

Zigzag your recognition to something besides sales – How about recognizing a salesperson for things other than sales results, such as a great attitude, or problem solving, or customer testimonials. Every sales team has folks who show up to meetings early, mentor rookie reps, or make other contributions that ensure the sales department operates smoothly. Establish a special award or designation for that individual. Catch ‘em doing something right!

Sales Success

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Zoom in on sales success symbols – In golf there is the Green Jacket and in football it’s a Super Bowl ring. The rings are huge and very awkward and where could you actually wear that jacket, but these are symbols of success. Does your company have some symbols of success for your folks to shoot for? The item is usually not that important; it’s the recognitions associated with them that counts. Whether they are inexpensive, such as certificates, plaques, or blazers; or pricey such as golf club memberships or company trips to distant resorts, every company should establish prizes like these for the sales team to shoot for.

Zip up the corporate recognition food chain – Praise shouldn’t come from just the first line sales manager. Ask the Region or Division Manager CEO or Owner to make a congratulations call. The farther up the ladder the kudos come from the more valued they will be. This ensures someone “out there” really noticed the accomplishment.
To wrap up what we’ve discussed during the last two posts; motivate your sales teams by observing, appreciating and recognizing good behavior. It’s not always easy; just simple!

————-Seeing Is Believing————-
If I were to write about why you should become a Robinson Training Solutions customer, you wouldn’t believe me because my name is Robinson. So how about glancing at some of these short video testimonials from several of my clients, and BTW I didn’t put the words in their mouth, because that would be unsanitary. Now don’t be scared…
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Need to Motivate Your Sales Team? – Part I

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Motivate Sales Team

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Once there was a shop owner who placed a sign above his door that said: “Puppies for Sale.” A boy saw the sign and asked the owner; “How much for a puppy?” The store owner replied, “$30,” as he opened the kennel door and out came five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind, so immediately the little boy singled out the limping puppy and said, “What’s wrong with that little dog?”

The shop owner explained that puppy didn’t have a hip socket. It would always limp and would always be lame. The little boy became excited and said, “That’s the puppy I want to buy.”

The shop owner said, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog but if you really want him, I’ll just give him to you.” The little boy got upset and pointed his finger at the store owner and said;

“I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I’ll pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.”

The shop owner countered, “He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.” To his surprise, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the shop owner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and this little puppy will need someone who understands!”

At the risk of over-simplifying, just like the puppy salespeople need someone who understands them. As the manager or business owner you must realize there are two proven principles that work well in motivating your salespeople: recognition and appreciation. These principles often are overlooked because they require time and attention. Sam Walton, the Walmart founder once said, “Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and worth a fortune.”

Here are ten simple suggestions for motivating your sales team:

Zero in and be specific – It’s easy to say to your comfort consultant, “good job with the Schmecklmans,” but what does that even mean to that salesperson. If you really want to scratch their itch, be more specific about what “good” means.

How about, “That was so awesome the way you applied the temperament coaching we did and how you mirrored their behavior so well. SCHWEET! By being specific, your sales folks will realize you really do notice the great things they do.

Zing multitasking when complimenting – Stop whatever you’re doing, look your salesperson in the eye, and concentrate on the kudos and nothing else. You’ve got to realize that you will get more bang for your blessing if you are not checking your email, verifying service tickets, or texting your sister in Arkansas at the same time you’re high-fiving a salesperson.

Zither your recognition in public – Salespeople live for recognition, so don’t be a secret agent and back slap in private. Shout them out in front of colleagues where all can hear. Additionally, whenever you get positive feedback from customers, ask them to write a short testimonial or record a 45 second video selfie. This creates a win-win-win. The appreciation felt by your salesperson is the first win. The second win is the important feeling the customer gets. And finally, the third win comes when your salesperson gains a new customer as a result of the testimonial.

We will pick up next time in Part II with more suggestions for motivating your sales team.

————-Seeing Is Believing————-
If I were to write about why you should become a Robinson Training Solutions customer, you wouldn’t believe me because my name is Robinson. So how about glancing at some of these short video testimonials from several of my clients, and BTW I didn’t put the words in their mouth, because that would be unsanitary. Now don’t be scared…
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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Limbo Selling

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Your Value as a Salesman

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I can name that tune in…

Some of you may recall a game show called Name That Tune, where contestants won points for being first to name a song after hearing an orchestra begin to play it. I was always amazed how quickly some people could recognize a song and guess its name. As the final game on each show the host would provide a clue to a song and the contestants would then bid on how few notes they needed to identify the song. It was crazy to watch as contestants continually bid a lower and lower number of notes. I remember once watching when a fellow correctly guessed a song with the clue and only one note! This final round was the last game of the day and determined the winner of that show’s match. That’s why the selling profession reminds me of this gameshow as reps and consultants try to go lower and get cheaper in order to win new customers.

Have you ever wondered how loyal your customers are to you personally? Why not survey them to determine if they would move their business with you if you were to change companies and go to work for a solid competitor? If that customer survey only nets a small percentage of folks willing to look to you as their “pied piper,” it reveals that you must not be providing as much value as you thought you were. The problem relates to the fact that both you and your competitors give good service, have been in business a long time, and have competitive prices. So the thing is when companies are similar in all areas of the package they offer, the real variable is YOU, the salesperson.

Recently a survey was conducted among the customers of two Fortune 500 companies where they were asked how much value their sales reps brought to the dance. When tabulated it was discovered that more than one third (35%) of the value these customers received came from the sales folks they did business with. That’s a pretty healthy number and one that salespeople might want to reflect on to see if they are delivering at this level. So assuming that you can’t argue that your service or product differentiation is superior, and you can’t sell at a lower price; how do you answer the prospect’s question concerning why he or she should buy from you?

The answer to that one can only be found by looking in the mirror and reflecting on your performance. Here are three things you can do in order to make your stock go up in value in the eyes of your buyers:

Three Sales Techniques

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Explore – Become a lifelong student in your profession. Learn everything possible about your services and products, your company and marketplace, your customers and their customers. You will become so valuable that buyers MUST have you and your expertise working for them.

Follow-up – Buyers of every ilk continually complain about “hit and run sellers,” so build into your presentation your commitment to answer questions, demonstrate and confirm, hand-hold where needed in order to earn the sale. At the same time reassure them of your ongoing support and schedule for QA follow-up visits along with your accessibility and response promise, accompanied by testimonials from other existing customers who have already experienced your support.

Continually Prove Your Worth – Go out of your way to show again and again that you are worth more than you cost, and re-create value in everything you touch. Work as hard to keep them as you did to initially earn them.

If your head is screwed on right, you now get it that YOU are the secret weapon and are worth more to customers, even though your price probably isn’t the cheapest.

———Wisdom———

Zig Ziglar often said, “Timid salesmen have skinny kids.” My FREE SHIPPING will start you on a new path and help your kids get back to their fighting weight.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Failing in Plain Sight

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Photo by Doug Robinson

“What can I do to get more appointments?” This is a common question asked by many blue collar outside salespeople who are experiencing a winter slump. It is hard for many to understand why appointments are an issue when many of these businesses have tons of Google reviews with stars out the wazoo and a great web presence that produces high-traffic. Many also have commercials playing on their local cable stations being seen by legions of potential customers.

As your humble blogger I would suggest nosing around the front office and listening in on a few incoming phone conversations is a good way to search for answers. If you already automatically record these types of communications at your company it will be even easier to do. When I have done this in the past I have heard everything from monotone grumpy-pants admin employees who sound as if they don’t want to be bothered, to know-it-all service managers who bloviate about what they know but stop short of scheduling an outside salesperson to actually show up and put a pair of eyeballs on the problem in question.

I’ll bet you a dollar to a donut that if you changed up the responsibility over the phones and livened them up with an energetic personality and customer friendly tone of voice, you would automatically experience an appointment spike resulting in increased sales, even during the slowest, worst weather seasons of the year.

Before you close your browser thinking this post doesn’t apply to your operation, consider the volumes of data that state there is a 96% chance your company is dropping the ball during the phone process. You might be saying, “OK, I’ll play along; what can I change about my front office phone call handling that will improve my company’s performance all that much?”

Mandate smiling – Over 20 years ago, as a sales training specialist in the services industry, my company purchased thousands of small tent mirrors, like the one in the photo at the top of this post. Its purpose was to simply sit by the phone at every work station and provide a reminder to every employee as they glanced at it that they must SMILE when talking to callers. Why you ask? Because you can hear a smile over the phone!

Don’t forget that only 7% of your communication with others is the words you speak, while nearly 40% is your tone of voice and inflections, so when you speak to callers with a smile on your face, you send a positive message that can cause them to choose you over a frowning competitor. So when you listen to your employees phone calls, can you hear the smile? Why not make that one of your company policies?

Sales Communication

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Asking for and setting an appointment – The purpose of the inbound phone call is for you to invite one of your salespeople to a caller’s home or business. A customer with an appointment is three times more likely to make a purchase than one without an appointment. For Pete’s sake, don’t make them take it away from you!

Imagine you notice a couple of shingles peeled up following a storm and call a roofing company to ask about it. They probably wouldn’t say: “Sounds like you need a new roof which is $7900!” As much as they want to help you over the phone, their priority would be to make an appointment for a consultant to come check out the problem and then make a diagnosis.

So, there you have it. If they can hear your smile, and you schedule an appointment so that an accurate diagnosis can be made, you will have answered the question about staying busy and increasing your company’s footprint in the marketplace. These two actions will position you for an improved 2018.

———Ready to Stop Struggling? ———

Whether you want to hire Doug, or you prefer to do it yourself, you should check out Doug’s website to see his suggestions for your customer service and sales dilemmas.

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Most Yardage Doesn’t Ensure Victory

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Sales Techniques

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Matthew Stafford has always been one of my favorite NFL quarterbacks, beginning with three solid years as a Georgia Bulldog from 2006-2008. He went on to the Lions as a first round draft choice and is today the highest paid NFL player. Stafford recently broke the NFL mark for the most passing yards in a quarterback’s first 100 games with 27,890 yards and 177 touchdowns.

That said, in an October Sunday night game this year they marched down the field repeatedly against the Steelers’ defense, but the bad news is those marches all ended short of the end zone. The Lions ended up losing 20-15 to the Steelers after gaining 482 yards of total offense but achieving no touchdowns, rather just five field goals. They became the first team in NFL history to gain at least 475 yards of offense, not have multiple turnovers, and still score less than 20 points.

The Lions were also just the second team in NFL history to gain 480 yards, hold their opponents to less than 21 points, and lose. And they were just the third team in NFL history to gain more than 480 yards and fail to score a touchdown.

I begin with this analogy as a setup for spending a few minutes discussing negotiating when closing sales. Those awesome yardage statistics cited above didn’t equate to victory on the scoreboard. They ran up and down the field and got all hot and sweaty, but didn’t close out the Steelers. Selling is very similar. You may have racked up lots of yardage (yes answers to checking questions and lots of positive body language and facial expressions), but that doesn’t translate directly to signed agreements.

So here’s the thing. Selling and negotiating are separate activities. Even when your efforts have been successful and buyers want what you’re offering, they still typically “deal check” and nibble at you over terms and pricing, even after they’re “sold.” My point is that you should not begin negotiating until the selling is finished, and conversely not return to selling once you’ve begun negotiating.

————Negotiation————–

“I (Doug) can’t reduce the price of Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word, but I will pay the shipping for you.”

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Here’s a recent example where I was the buyer. During October I decided to replace my 10 year old car with something newer and dedicated the biggest part of a week to working with an independent auto broker who sells mostly current year, super low mileage certified vehicles (Although I can afford to pay for them, I just don’t buy brand new cars, as I would rather let somebody else take the big drive-off financial hit). So this broker guy “puppy-dogged” a different name plate vehicle home with me each day during that week.

Sales Negotiation Techniques

Photo by Doug Robinson

My favorite ended up being a current year version of the old one I was replacing, with only 5,600 miles, although it wasn’t my preferred color choice. Regardless, I decided that was “the one” and planned to take him a check the next morning and finalize the deal.

That night I happened to see an Internet ad depicting a vehicle equipped exactly like it with two differences; it was brand new with zero miles, and it was MY color. Since this was a year-end closeout vehicle I decided to take a shot and sent an email requesting information. I received a call first thing the next day and immediately told the salivating salesman I lived 100 miles away and didn’t need anything but his best drive-off cash price if he really wanted to sell that particular car. He assured me he did and promised to call me back in a few minutes. He came back with a surprising price that was several hundred dollars less than the slightly-used local car, verified by a hard-copy offer arriving in my email as we spoke. At that point I immediately decided I wanted that car, so the selling was over and I transitioned into negotiation mode. I thought while I was on a roll I would try to trim a little more and turn a great deal into a tremendous one. I told him I would bring him a cashier’s check for “$X,” which was another $235 less that his “great deal price,” and would pick up the car the following morning. After a bit of expected whining, he folded like a cheap suit and I ended up getting the exact vehicle I wanted for $900 less than its used twin brother with 5,600 miles. That should help you grasp my stated difference between selling and negotiating.

I’ll close by mentioning two keystones of negotiating:

— Never give up something without getting something of equal or greater value in return. If you do, you just get steamrolled.
— Establish and maintain a list of concessions that are prudent to use as negotiating tools. For example:

  • A certain number of referrals with introductions or a video testimonial.
  • An email blast testimonial to a local group of potential customers.
  • An advance annual payment or an additional contract year.
  • Buying a bundle of multiple services/products.

Assume a buyer tells you she wants the thing you are selling but thinks the price is a bit high and wants a discount. You might respond by saying,

“The only way I can reduce the price is if you were to bundle it with another service. If you do I can discount both items, saving you $XX.” OR

“I can’t just cut the price but I will give you a 10% good neighbor discount if you introduce me to 3 of your neighbors and recommend my services to them.”

That’s much more professional and productive that just rolling over for buyers and saying, “Yea, I can do that for you and give it to you for that.”

©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

First Things First-Part 2

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Iron Sharpens Iron

Graphic courtesy of www.sethrexilius.com on Compete4Christ Blog, March 15, 2014

If you haven’t read the introduction to this article, please go HERE and read Part I before continuing.

1. Be sold personally before you can sell others – Your first sale must be to yourself. It is key that you first master your own self-worth, self-image, and self-belief, or all else will fail. It may sound corny, but you must sell yourself on yourself. It’s also crucial that you be sold on what you sell and the value you deliver to customers. You’ve heard me say it before, but people can smell a phony for miles!

2. Be sold knowing that, without prospects, you will fail – Prospecting is the key to your sales career and the single biggest reason most reps don’t succeed. Most don’t tell their story to a sufficient number of qualified prospects. It’s critical that you approach your job as a creative salesperson who occasionally gets leads rather than a lead driven rep who rarely gets around to creative prospecting; whether that’s true or not.

3. Be sold on the fact that being trusted is more important than being liked – I’ve always said that people buy from people they like and trust, but trust trumps likability. If all you do is chit-chat about the customer’s antique car collection, stuffed fish, or framed autographs, you’re not inspiring much confidence. Buyers want to believe they will receive everything promised in exchange for a fair price. Sadly, if you’re just a positive, friendly salesperson your trust-meter isn’t rising very rapidly.

4. Be sold that the key to selling is in the questions – The sales process is all about what you ask not what you say. Unfortunately, most salespeople don’t realize that fact and eventually the wheels will fall off of their selling efforts. There are questions for virtually everything that should occur in the selling process and the quicker you master them the quicker you win.

5. Be sold that selling is about providing solutions – It doesn’t really matter how much you like to hear yourself talk, your job is to identify and eliminate pain. It’s simple, but never easy.

6. Be sold that you can minimize stalls and objections – Normally your buyer will object or stall when you haven’t built trust, asked the right questions, or listened to their responses. They also balk when your solution is wrong or when you try to move them along too fast. They might also object if you failed to create enough value to overcome high price perception or if they don’t believe your claims. That’s a lot to digest, so start chewing.

7. Be sold that closing is not just using closes – No agreement equals no sale, turning you into an unpaid entertainer. Most reps want more training on closing techniques, but that’s not really what they need. People don’t like to be sold, but they like to buy. Learn to make them happy and teach them to buy.

8. Be sold that whatever you promise, you should deliver more – Always under promise and over deliver, realizing that you are the face of your company. Therefore, when things go right you’re a hero. When things go poorly, you’re a heel and must stand in the gap and take the heat.

I sure miss my conversations with Jay. He endured so much, and accomplished so much more.

—————Welcome to 2018————–

Don’t forget that, “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.” Since most of us aren’t satisfied with that, why not start your new year with a new perspective on sales coaching for your people. Why not look at Doug’s suggestions HERE?

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

First Things First-Part 1

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Go up and never stop!

Photo by Fab Lentz on Unsplash

Some years ago I conducted platform sales training for new blue collar sales employees at a large nationwide services company. During that multi-year assignment over 5,000 sales employees cycled through my classrooms. I certainly don’t remember most of these workshop participants, but I do remember Jay Swearingen from Sarasota, FL., who joined that company for a second career after retiring from another industry. He performed well in my 5-day new-hire sales school, but really struggled to get traction after returning to his west Florida sales territory.

A few months later Jay contacted me wanting to discuss his poor performance situation. I could immediately tell that he was overflowing with desire, but just wasn’t selling well. Since he was so coachable and always displayed such a humble spirit, I just couldn’t refuse his recurring requests for help, and so we became friends in addition to business acquaintances.

He maintained a great attitude and always attempted every sales strategy I would suggest during our phone coaching sessions. Very quickly his performance began to improve, and within a year he became the top seller in his branch location and quickly rose to regularly being one of the top three sellers each month in his region, consisting of about 30 reps up and down Florida’s west coast.

One day he informed me that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of terminal pancreatic cancer, but he continued to produce big sales numbers. Every few months Jay would go to Houston for special treatments, but upon returning home would always reclaim his top spot on the sales leader board. Most people in a similar situation would seek either a less strenuous job or retirement, but not Jay.

This guy was tough and refused to participate in pity parties. I remember him telling me about working one full month, in and out of residential crawl spaces and attics, with a catheter bag strapped to his leg! He told me how glad he was to be alive and able to help his branch team serve their customers. He worked long past the time when a normal sales person would have stopped working.

Jay was one of the most courageous men I’ve ever known, and when I received word that he passed away, I shut my office door and just wept for several minutes. I had been impacted so much by Jay’s life and touched by his death.

In the second part of this post I’d like to share some of the things discussed by Jay and me during our mentoring sessions over a two-year period. As Jay came to realize, he had to first sell himself in each of the areas I’ll discuss, before he would effectively be able to sell his products and services to buyers and customers. By the time you finish reading the eight things I’ll discuss in Part II of this article, I hope you will come to the same conclusion as Jay, and I hope your sales career will be as successful as his was.

—————Welcome to 2018—————

Don’t forget that, “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.” Since most of us aren’t satisfied with that, why not start your new year with a new perspective on sales coaching for your people. Why not look at Doug’s suggestions HERE?

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©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC  

Salespeople Need a Sense of Urgency

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Sales People Need Urgency

Pres./Mrs. Carter. Digital Image. March 25, 2016 http://www.habitat.org/lc/hw/archived/stories/forging-new-future-Haiti

Have you ever had to say, “I wasn’t prepared for that;” or “I didn’t see that coming?” I see you nodding your head up and down, using the universal sign for yes, because unexpected situations and circumstances pop up like whack-a-moles on an all-to-regular basis. Here’s one that happened to my wife and me.

We were returning to our mountain home from the courthouse eight miles away after early voting during the mid-term election in 2014. As we passed through the stone entrance to Walnut Mountain we encountered three men on foot, and one was signaling for us to decrease our already slow speed on that narrow 2-lane winding road. I complied, coasting alongside this guy as our vehicle crept around the first curve. I lowered my window and asked him what was going on. I expected to see a fender bender or part of a vehicle dangling above Turniptown Creek but all I saw was an old man and woman walking single-file along the shoulder of the road up ahead. He pointed to them and said, “I wanted you to slow down because I didn’t know whether they were going to cross the road or not.”

I said OK, and turned to my wife and said, so who is “they?” We looked again and rather than just two old people, there was 90 year old ex-President Jimmy Carter in overalls, and first lady Rosalynn, getting their exercise for the day, while being closely watched by the “three guys,” who were obviously secret service agents. As we inched past the ambling pair I respectfully spoke from the car window, “Hello Mr. President.” He glanced toward us and flashed that ageless toothy smile while responding with his own, “Hello”. That encounter was made even more unusual considering that my wife and I were returning from voting against his grandson who was running for Governor of Georgia. That was certainly a black swan event we didn’t see coming!

We were aware that, for 50 years, the Carters’ had a getaway cabin on Turniptown Creek (inaccessible to the public) near where our mountain home was located, and they both have been and are still avid trout fishermen. I’ve heard stories that as President he entertained many world leaders there in the beautiful north Georgia mountains.

My point in sharing this short story is to remind you to prepare, as much as possible, for surprises that all too often pop up on your prospecting and selling horizon. I don’t mean far-fetched improbabilities like being hit by a meteor, but simply devoting some time toward thinking through a self-made what-if list of common sense contingencies; for example:

  • A prospect who responds to your initial approach by saying, “We used to do business with your company until we caught your service guy stealing printer cartridges from one of our storerooms.”
  • “Our current vendor for handling the stuff you sell is my brother-in-law, Zach.”
  • “Where did you get that ‘wheel of fortune’ price?”
  • “Decisions like you are asking about are all made by our home office in WhoShotJohn, TX.”

Although your list might vary from this one, the point is that prospect and buyer responses similar to these must be processed and responded to intelligently AND immediately. In addition, you will need to be prepared with some questions of your own in order to remind them if and why they’re unhappy or dissatisfied.

I could provide you with a ton, but I think you’ll get a pretty good idea from these few I’ll share here. You might want to burn these into your brain for quick recall:

  • What problem do you need to solve? The buyer might be focused on a different pain point than you. Use this question to determine the right track, as sometimes buyers try to address symptoms rather than causes.
  •  Have you had this problem before? This will help determine just how chronic the issue is.
  • Does this problem affect lots of people? If they haven’t yet considered it, this could get your prospect thinking how widespread the effects are, and therefore the seriousness of it.
  • How would solving this problem affect you personally? Knowing the buyer’s individual motivators might make or break the deal, such as a commendation or raise, vs. a demotion or a decreased bonus check.
  •  What happens if you keep doing what you are doing? The status quo is always easier than making a change, so the purpose here is to get them thinking about the dangers of ignoring the issue.
  •  What one thing could we do quickly that would have the biggest impact for your company? Once you’ve pinpointed a major opportunity to help, urgency will follow much more quickly.
  •  How does this problem affect your revenue and profitability? This question highlights the larger implications of what’s going wrong and will help you focus on the right issue.
  •  How quickly must this problem be solved to avoid negative impact on the business? This answer provides you a firm deadline for the purchase, and may help you during the selling process if you hear a “Think about it,” or “The buying committee needs to look further…” You know where the goal line is.

The more you are prepared for off-the-wall comments and questions, the less frequently you will feel those bright headlights shining into your eyes!

————HAPPY NEW YEAR————

As you swap your old calendar for a new 2018 version, let me recommend two new habits to ensure your sales performance continues to improve: Subscribe to this FREE weekly newsletter and have it sent to your email inbox every week, and then read it and apply it. Order your copy of Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word using this link and then read and apply 2 (of the 116) coaching segments from the book each week during 2018. Enjoy your commission increase…You’re welcome!

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©2017 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

“I’ve Got a Guy”…

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Dealing With Complaints

Computer Keys Spelling: Complaints. Digital Image. October 30, 2013 http://blog.qazzoo.com/

For two years during the last century, I was sales manager to twelve reps at a branch location of a national services company that sold to both commercial and residential customers. Although most salespeople run from anything that has the words customer complaint attached to it, one day Alan, our top selling rep, came to me out of the clear blue sky asking if I would allow him to be the point man for all complaint calls, and route them to him for handling.

This guy was already the top seller there, but recognized that most people with customer service issues would love to have their own internal advocate. He knew that “everybody wants a guy,” for their vehicle, their home repairs, their landscaping; well you get it. Alan knew that if our customers ever needed anything else we sold, they would be more likely to buy it from someone who previously solved problems for them in the past.

This turned out to be a very smart move, as it provided him lots of additional prospects, and his problem- solving activities generated additional sales each and every month for the balance of the time I was there as his manager. By the way, after Alan began to have some selling success as “the tip of the spear,” there was lots of carping from the other eleven reps who were jealous because “Alan got all those extra leads each month.”

Whether you volunteer to do what Alan did or just handle your share of the complaints assigned to you by management, every time you step into that role you are presented with a chance to solidify a relationship. If you handle complaints successfully, these ex-grumpy customers will have a tendency to buy more stuff and recommend you to other potential customers.

It’s important to realize that everybody on the planet is walking around with invisible flashing signs on their chests that say, Make Me Feel Special. It’s always important to attempt to resolve complaints that will not only put a smile on the face of the customer, but may also prevent the problem from recurring. To that end, here are a few suggestions to help you earn a reputation as the go-to guy at your firm, like Alan was for my team.

  • Consider beginning by stating that whereas most companies hide from customer problems, your company has appointed you as its customer satisfaction advocate to quickly address concerns.
  • Take responsibility without blaming others or looking for a scapegoat. This is huge because it’s common for customers to get passed around and told, that’s not my job, when they complain about something.
  • Verbalize that you understand how they feel, and empathize by citing a similar event you may have endured. It never hurts to tell customers you get mad too.

  • Service Sales Meeting

    Talking to salesman. Digital Image. 15May2010 http://golocalprov.com/

    Listen to their whole story without interrupting, and always take notes. Then ask questions to better understand and determine what it will take to satisfy them.

  • Be a diplomat for your company and tell the customer you will personally shepherd the issue toward a resolution quickly, because people want and expect problems to be fixed immediately.
  • Use some humor where appropriate, since laughter helps people relax and puts them at ease.
  • Come to agreement on a solution and confirm what you plan to do, and then DO IT. Once the situation is resolved, include a follow-up contact to ensure their satisfaction was achieved, and make the words come out of their mouths.
  • Afterward, attempt to obtain a video testimonial recommendation citing satisfaction over resolving their concern. This will be helpful with future sales prospects who want to be convinced that you will stand by them if things go south, and a testimonial like this will be the gift that keeps on giving.

You will be amazed at what happens when you handle customer heartburn this way. You will become the customer’s new best friend, and will be able to discuss other products and services with them that they wouldn’t even look at otherwise. Since people buy from those they like and trust, customer advocates are always liked and trusted more. I remember Alan telling me about one customer who was so delighted with her resolution that she asked him if there was any service he offered that she didn’t have so they could discuss it. That led to an additional sale, rather than a lost customer.

Referrals, with introductions, that seemed impossible to obtain before you began focusing on customer service, now begin magically to appear for the asking, as customers gain proof they will be treated fairly.

Why not adopt Alan’s attitude and become your company’s problem-solving advocate, in addition to being a world class salesperson? What’s not to like?

—————Help for DIY Training————

“My small business is not connected to any other locations like franchises are, so getting into one of Doug’s online training groups wasn’t practical. But I’m very happy conducting my own weekly sales training using his book for each of my employees and the study guide for me. It cuts my lesson prep time to near nothing and gives me the confidence I need to hold a meaningful discussion on each topic I pick.” Ted H., Findlay, OH. See what Ted got jazzed about HERE.

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©2017 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Do Your Training Sessions Resemble Hostage Situations?

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Services Sales Training Session

Whether you are the business owner or the sales or service manager, you have a responsibility for the care and feeding of you staff, specifically in the area of training. After learning from my own mistakes as one who occupied both those roles, today I want to make a half-dozen suggestions that will be helpful to you concerning your training meetings.

Start and stop when you said, Ted – If your topic is important enough to conduct a training meeting about, then announce in advance the start and stop times and live by them. It is very annoying when five of your six team members are there ready to begin but you hold up the start of the meeting for the missing one, “just knowing he will be there in a couple more minutes.” START ON TIME. Otherwise you are sending a message that it’s OK to be late. That said, on the other end of the meeting don’t leave your reps or techs wandering when the session will be over. END ON TIME. Don’t forget that your employees work by appointment, so take that into consideration, and by the way if you were to occasionally end the meeting five minutes early, I promise you nobody will be angry.

Have a plan, Stan – Make sure that your folks know you have prepared for the meeting. Being prepared shows them that the session is important and this will raise the value level they assign to your training sessions. At the beginning of each session describe the agenda, and this doesn’t require a printed handout. It can be as simple as jotting a few bullet points on your whiteboard; just a basic outline to help avoid surprises. The needle on your trust meter will go up when they are aware of something as simple as knowing what to expect during each session.

Make training fun, Sebastian – A training session with no fun is boring, as a little playing is a welcome component of learning. Here are a few ideas to liven up your training sessions:

  • Give out tickets for a raffle at the end of the meeting; 2 tickets for those arriving prior to the meeting time, 1 to everyone that is there by the scheduled start time, and 0 to anyone who is late. This will help you build a culture of punctuality and improves the odds of winning whatever inexpensive prize you use for the drawing for those who are on time.
  • Insert cash in balloons ($1’s, $5’s, and $10’s) and blow them up to use for correct answers to a quiz during the meeting. Call on someone to answer a question or recite something you covered, and if they are correct give them a dart to throw at the balloons and tell them they get whatever is inside the one they pop. Do this several times throughout the meeting.
  • Everybody who volunteers to role play a technique you think is important could be given a ticket. At the end of the meeting draw out one and give a gift card to a popular eating place.

Use your imagination and do things that are quick and easy, with the objective of getting them to participate more during your training sessions.

Service Sales Training Participation

Ask your folks to help with the show, Mo – Don’t make them just sit there and endure your bloviating, assign part of each meeting to several of your employees. Pick something for your folks that they need to improve on, as they will definitely pay closer attention to what they are responsible to present, which will automatically help them improve in their weak areas.

Less is more, Salvador – You know what they need the most help on so focus on those items. Use the worst-first concept I often speak about. Don’t try to cram everything into each session. Remember, you eat an elephant one bite at a time.

Test drive when you’re through, Lou – Practice makes better! Training isn’t training unless your folks are doing it. If you don’t include some role play on the topic you are covering, your session only consists of education; and I’ll bet they don’t really need more education. Just make sure you never set them up for failure, and don’t allow any other employees to be snipers and undermine these test-driving practice sessions.

————-Need More Service Sales?————-

Are you a service manager who would love for your technicians and installers to sell more of your services, but either don’t have time or don’t know how to plan sales meetings to teach them what they need to know? Doug created an inexpensive tool you can use to help. It’s a Leader Guide for you to use providing open questions for each of the 116 training topics Doug wrote about in his book. It removes all the planning and time commitment, so why not check it out here.

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©2017 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me

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On Saturday evening’s, beginning in 1969, many in my generation watched a feel-good country music variety TV show called Hee-Haw, direct from “Kornfield Kounty,” near Nashville. Each week at some point in the show, Buck Owens and Roy Clark would do a humorous bit of one sort or another, and then sing a chorus they wrote that went like this:

Gloom, despair, and agony on me.
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery.
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.
Gloom, despair, and agony on me.

Salespeople too, especially blue collar residential reps, experience a lot of “gloom and despair” during the lead-lean offseason. Much of that “agony” stems from “apathy,” as homeowners exhibit indifference toward salespeople who contact them for an appointment or attempt to conduct a sales conversation with them. Several reasons come to mind why a majority of the buying public reacts this way when they are contacted:

They don’t believe they have a problem and therefore, don’t want to be bothered.

They think you want to try to sell them something they probably don’t need.

They may have some version of what you are offering and feel satisfied with it.

With that level of complacency facing you out there in the wild, you’re likely to hear responses similar to these:

“Sorry but we’re just not interested.”

“Thanks, but I don’t think I have that problem.”

“Look, if I decide I need you in the future, I’ll call you.”

So when you hear a reply like one of these, you should respond instantly, since in the prospect’s mind he is through with you. The simple strategy I recommend is certainly not a “silver bullet,” but it is a good Plan B and will give you a shot at reversing the “No” you just got hit with. Your objective is to achieve a change of perspective and hopefully a response like, “We hadn’t even thought about it that way.” It will prolong the conversation and some of the “No’s” will change their mind and set appointments with you. For illustration purposes of this strategy, let’s assume you are an HVAC comfort consultant making phone calls to homeowners during the winter to set appointments, and one of your prospects, Mr. Panichi, has responded with, “We’ve never had any HVAC troubles here during the entire 15 years we’ve owned this home, so thanks but no thanks.”

Agree initially with their point of view in order to quickly disarm them, since they are certainly thinking you want to sell them something unnecessary, and they just want to get you off the phone. Maybe you respond with something like this:

“I’m really glad you haven’t experienced any trouble up until now.”

“I don’t blame you for not wanting to talk about this.”

“Most people don’t think twice about this until their unit quits blowing warm (or cold) air.”

Ask for permission to ask a question, hoping to change their perspective.

“I’m really not trying to give you a sales pitch, but is it OK if I just ask you a couple of questions that could help me learn how I might serve you in the future?”

Photo by Helloquence on Unsplash

 Assess their situation quickly by using a pre-planned analogy to uncover circumstances that would have a negative impact on the prospect, which would in turn lead to an opportunity for you. Share a consequence of inaction and then ask if they are willing to act in order to avoid it.

Here’s what that might sound like once you have permission “to ask a couple of questions:”

You: “Since you obviously want to keep your system running trouble free as long as possible, let me play “what if” for a minute. Mr. Panichi, what would you say if someone you know had an older car with high mileage that was beginning to need expensive repairs, but the owner kept pouring money into it instead of replacing it with a newer vehicle?”

Panichi: “I’d say that would be a mistake.”

You: “What do you think would happen if say, his transmission went out and the cost of a rebuilt one was more than his car was even worth?”

Panichi: “He would lose either way.”

You: “If he could have a do-over, do you think he would have replaced that old car sooner?”

Panichi: “Sure, who wouldn’t?”

You: “Well I shared that story because your HVAC system is one of the most expensive components in your home, and if it is over 12 years old, it could be a real mistake to spend a lot of money on it when it breaks down, and it will. That said, would it at least make sense to get a FREE assessment and energy audit, so you will know where you stand now and what options are available to you in the future?”

If you get a YES in any form, set an appointment. If you get a NO, remember this strategy was a Plan B to try to turn around the negative response you received initially, and it only required an additional one to two minutes. This might just reduce the amount of gloom, despair, and agony on YOU.

REMEMBER: Some Will, Some Won’t; So What, Who’s Next?

 

——From the Grand Canyon State——

Thanks Doug! At our franchise here in Arizona we all appreciate the online coaching you are giving us, and our sales team has flourished since we began.

Jen McGinnis

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©2017 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

To Be, or Not to Be … Humorous

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Sales the choice is yoursVictor Borge, a renowned 20th century Danish comedian (affectionately known as the “Clown Prince of Denmark”) was famous for saying, “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.”

Many salespeople make the effort to use humor in ways that will improve their ability to sell. There is no argument that when used effectively, humor can be a positive tool for your sales toolbox. On the other hand, when it’s used improperly, humor may stop the sale from ever happening.

The good news is that there have been many social science studies that have analyzed how humor can be used to positively change behavior. This research discloses how salespeople can strategically use humor to improve sales effectiveness, as well as when and how not to use humor during the sales process.

The bottom line to these studies shows that when salespeople use humor effectively it enables them to more easily accomplish the following outcomes:

Improves Likeability – I regularly preach that people buy from folks they like and trust and humor boosts feelings of likeability, which naturally increases rapport. Conversely, your sales prospects rarely buy from salespeople whom they dislike, so add a bit of well-placed humor as a way to lower the invisible wall that typically exists between buyers and sellers.

Increases Smiles – It is fairly common knowledge that humor triggers smiles, and smiles are known to nudge people to be more receptive to persuasive appeals. To be a little anal for a second, scientists have completed many studies that show when people smile they enter a more optimistic, energetic and productive emotional state.

Inflates Sales Results – Humor can help salespeople increase their average size sale. Everybody knows that at the conclusion of a proposal many prospects become tense as they are asked to buy. This can have a negative effect and hinder the sale, so often a well-timed humorous comment can relax the prospect and produce a more positive mindset.

As mentioned earlier, although humor can aid your sales success, it must be used judiciously. The same studies that say humor is helpful also tell us there are certain ways, situations, and times when reps should back away from using humor:

When Key Points are Being Proposed – The experts tell us that humor disrupts critical thinking and distracts one from the message of a persuasive argument. That said, salespeople should be careful about the timing of using humor while presenting critical value propositions containing logical and emotional benefits that need to be embraced as part of the decision-making process. Remember that humor should never cause the sale to be sidetracked, so keep your focus on where you want the interaction to go.

When Contemplating Self-Deprecating Humor – Although self-deprecating humor generally increases likeability and attractiveness, there is also evidence that it decreases the perception of competence. Salespeople should only use this type of humor only if their prospects believe they are an expert. Until you are perceived as an authority, self-deprecating humor will be counterproductive, as it will erode trust, and trust is one of two reasons people buy from you, so be careful.

When I use it, I make fun of my appearance or other personal characteristics NOT related to my competence. For instance, while working in a corporate training group, a satellite TV training network was established, but I wasn’t chosen to be the talking head for that job. When asked I would tell folks that “I had a face for radio.”

Sales: Perception is reality

When Humor Might be Sarcastic or Offensive – I know I’m preaching to the choir on this one but I want to remind you once more that “perception is reality.” When your prospect thinks something you say is out of bounds, it’s out of bounds.

About 15 years ago as a corporate sales trainer, I was conducting a B2B workshop in south Florida. One of the participants was vocally negative and acted like a sniper, chirping against much of what I said while facilitating the class. I finally had enough of his annoying interruptions and told him I didn’t appreciate his Nazi-like behavior and to please knock it off. Well, although I got a few chuckles and one amen, this guy immediately called the HR Dept. on the next break and reported me for “calling him a Nazi.” He said he was of Eastern European heritage and was highly offended. Upon returning to the home office following the workshop I had to grovel to the HR folks, apologize to this participant, and attend sensitivity training, just to keep my job for this verbal gaffe in that classroom. Oh yeah, and of course that annoying snowflake left the company about a month later. I hope this example makes my point.

Selling is all about relationships, which is why salespeople will always be needed to interact with buyers in the marketplace. I always try to remember my grandfather telling me to, “Weigh your words because you might have to eat them.” Humor in sales is like most things in life, it can produce both positive and negative outcomes.

———–2018 Is Almost Here————
If your results in 2017 fell short of your goal, why not change things up a bit? Start with subscribing to Doug’s FREE weekly Selling Point newsletter. You will receive prospecting, selling, and customer service ideas that will help you perform a little bit better. What have you got to lose?
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©2017 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Thanksgiving Wishes from Selling Point

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Thanksgiving SeasonToday is the kickoff of “Thanksgiving Week” in America, so I’ve decided to pull back from writing sales-related drivel in order to devote today’s post to simply being thankful.

It’s certainly not overkill to call a timeout occasionally and take on an “attitude of gratitude,” and for me, the Thanksgiving season is one of those times. So today is not a traditional sales lesson, but rather a few minutes during which I share ten things I am thankful for, from my heart rather than from my big mouth.

I am thankful I came into this world in the USA, although I had no control over where I was born. As angry as I get sometimes at our nation’s leaders and politicians, and as many “warts” as our nation has, I count it a blessing to reside here where I still have the freedom to live my life according to the beliefs and principles I choose to follow.

I am thankful for my parents and grandparents, all now long dead, who loved me enough to steer me in a direction to ensure I became aware that I was here as a result of an eternal creator who not only expects me to live a life of integrity and personal accountability but also loves me in spite of me.

I am thankful for physical health although I’ve undergone a heart attack and prostate cancer during the last few years. I’ve been allowed to survive these serious events, and other than the normal aches and pains 68-year-old men typically have, I continue to be blessed with pretty good health.

I am thankful for my mental health as I have been given a reasonable amount of intelligence and an ability to communicate with people in ways that even amaze me sometimes. Please understand, I take no credit for the abilities I’ve been gifted with but will continue to use them to help others as long as I’m able.

I am thankful for my wife of 40 years for loving me, even when she doesn’t like me. She has been a great partner and companion as well as mother and grandmother. She is able to do something that few women would be willing to do; put up with me and my off-the-wall temperament, helping to balance me and keep my feet on the ground and my head out of my…well you know.

I am thankful for my children, now adults and away from home. (I changed the locks because I heard they could come back and bring more). They are all physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy, for which I take no credit. All four, between the ages of 34 and 44 have earned college degrees and are homeowners, and are all on sound financial footing with little debt other than their homes. All four are quite different from one another, but still, show me love and even act like they are glad to see me when we are together. I again credit this to grace rather than anything, in particular, I have done as their father.

I am thankful for my six grandchildren, Alexandra, Cameron, Cade, Colton, Jackson, and Emery, ranging from age 14 to 4. What a joy they are to be around, and if I had known they were going to be so much fun, I would have skipped the kids and had them first! When I’m with them I take every opportunity to sew into them the same solid values that were passed down to me.

I am thankful for being on a solid financial footing, as over 35 years ago I was exposed to a great financial coach who taught me the principles and building blocks of financial independence. Because of this and an awesome spouse, we are completely debt free today and are able to give freely to causes and organizations we believe in, while having ample funds available for our retirement.

I am thankful for my role as a semi-retired sales training coach and author. I very much enjoy working with salespeople and passing on tips, techniques, and attitudes that I’ve learned over the past 45 years to help improve their performance.

I am thankful for my spiritual life, and for being exposed to those more mature than me who have shown me how to have a real relationship with the Creator, rather than just participating in “religion without reality.” As a result, I have placed my hope in Him and His promises, which are available to all who will trust in Him; and I look forward to spending eternity with Him when my life here is completed.

Riches and glory come from You, You’re ruler over all. You hold strength and power in the palm of Your hand to build up and strengthen all. And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to You, praising Your splendid name. 1 Chronicles 29:12-13

How about getting away to a quiet place for a few minutes sometime during this Thanksgiving week and really thinking about the tangible and intangible things you are grateful for. This activity really helps me put things in proper perspective, and I’ll bet it will help you to do the same. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Give Thanks To The Lord

©2017 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC

Planning and Executing Off-Season Creative Selling Days

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Selling During The HolidaysEvery year about this time I encourage outside salespeople by discussing and reminding them of the dozens of creative selling sources and prospecting methods available to them. These are all designed to help sales folks become armed and dangerous with resources to help remain productive during the lean lead months. Today I want to look into some behind the scenes logistics to help make that happen.

Based on all these resources, the objective of salespeople becomes scheduling full workdays containing various combinations of these assets, while remembering two of my favorite slogans: “Selling is kinda like shaving; if you don’t do a little every day, you’ll soon become a bum,” and an old Chinese proverb, “He who see most…make most.”

The typical person you will be attempting to reach for an appointment is very difficult to catch by phone during the day. Most are at work, and therefore hard to connect with. So although this won’t be welcome news, if your location doesn’t have a scheduler that sets appointments for you, you probably need to plan to conduct some outbound calling sessions in order to catch folks after their workday ends. I know successful salespeople who do this twice weekly; on Monday evenings, to schedule for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday; and then again Thursday evening, to schedule for Friday, Saturday (if working) and the following Monday. Two calling sessions like this each week should provide you at least a few “anchor appointments” to build onto, giving you some warm places to go in order to jumpstart your selling days.

As you begin to build a creative sales day around these scheduled anchor appointments, remember that you won’t connect with everybody you call. Many just won’t answer the phone and will, therefore, need to be contacted in person, as a drop-by. Examples of this would be like, returning to a recent install/completion/start-up to discuss some collateral services, or stopping by to attempt to secure referrals and a testimonial from a customer, or even annual contractual checkups/inspections with existing customers.

As an idea, you might consider using technology to help you reduce your windshield time and generate “more revenue per mile,” by creating a Google map from a spreadsheet of customer addresses/names downloaded to your mobile device, or you might choose to secure one of the dozen “map apps” available that will do the same thing (i.e. Waze, InRoute, Scout, etc.). You could create a second map of unsold proposals addresses/names so that you can use it in the field to navigate around and “touch” folks until you are able to bring them on as customers. Both of these mapping examples will help you route yourself to fill scheduling gaps or replace “busted appointments,” which should never be a surprise.

Putting forth this extra scheduling effort can make the difference between you keeping your sales up and becoming a “Starvin Marvin” during the offseason.

Putting all this together, here is a scenario to help you visualize what a creative selling day looks like:

Let’s assume you’re facing a typical fall/winter work day and you only have one “anchor appointment;” let’s say a homeowner you sold that is being installed today. Since you committed to return when the work was scheduled to be done, to ensure the homeowners are satisfied with what you sold and promised to them. In order to build around this “anchor” and salvage the balance of the day, you might want to consider trying the following:

  • For starters, while at the home you might want to jump in and provide some help to the service tech. This will accomplish a couple of things; impress the customer by showing cooperation between sales and service, and strengthen your relationship with the service employee, increasing your odds of more and better future service/tech leads.
  • When you get confirmation that the customer is satisfied, make an attempt to secure some referrals with introductions, remembering that a referral without an introduction is really just a cold call.
  • After leaving the customer’s home, but while still in the neighborhood, canvass/cloverleaf 4-6-8 homes nearby, attempting to set appointments, by either speaking to the owners in person or leaving a door hanger if they aren’t home. (Make notes of the “not home” addresses and call them from a cross directory or reverse phone book website during your next outbound calling session.)
  • It’s always a good idea to have a current customer list with you in the field (and better yet mapped onto your device), so you can locate customers near to where you are working and drop by and attempt to set an appointment to discuss collateral services they may need. For those not home, employ the same process mentioned above. Again, canvass/cloverleaf around those customers as recommended earlier.
  • Employee DiscountsFinally, if you maintain a commercial customer list it will be easy and convenient to stop by and place some flyers detailing employee discounts in the break areas or near the time clock. Do this for any commercial customers that are in the footprint of where you are working that day. Make sure to explain to the owner or manager that this is a FREE benefit for his employees, for being a customer. You will eventually get some phone calls as some of these employees develop a need for some of your services at their homes.

From this scenario, it should be easy for you to see how many contacts can be made, by just using some of these creative selling sources, even when your schedule has only one scheduled appointment.

Please understand that none of these activities alone will produce all the revenue you need, but when you combine all of them together you will really be surprised how full your days will be and how many unplanned offseason sales you might make. It’s the most effective way to ensure your message gets out to large numbers of potential customers.

As you work creatively, commit to yourself not to get discouraged when most of the people you try to talk to aren’t interested in what you have to say. Just smile, give them 3 business cards, and then tell them what to do with them (keep one and give two to friends), and don’t ever forget that:

                        Some Will                            Some Won’t

                        So What?                             Who’s Next?

 

————Media Coverage for Doug————
Question of the day: What do the Albany CEO Business News, Ellijay Times-Courier, Lee County Ledger, and Albany Herald have in common with each other?
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© 2017 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC