1. You need buy-in
2. It’s really about creating an opportunity culture
3. You need to reward people, that means everyone
4. “What gets inspected gets respected” – Trevor Greene
5. Move poor fits out quick, and hire the right people
6. Feed the monster – train and develop continually
7. Fix operations if they don’t support sales
8. Fix products and services that don’t meet needs or fulfill promises
9. It takes time, up to 18 months or longer before true leadership evolves

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Four Types of Prospecting:

1. Face to Face
2. Extended Personal
3. Community and Network Prospecting
4. Media Marketing/Prospecting

Make a Plan:

1. Have the intent to meet people wherever you go, be aware and focus on rapport
2. Book time everyday for e-mail and phone calls
3. Book time everyday for prospecting on Linkedin and listening/monitoring the web
4. Attend two target rich events per month and one major conference per quarter
5. Budget a percentage of your projected income or revenues and spend it every month on media and press releases etc.

What’s your prospecting plan look like?

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Bill Gibson Free Goal Setting Guide

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Questionnaire for Colombia Newsletter

Shane Gibson Social Media Speaker

Q: How are Social Media turning traditional marketing habits around?

A: In the past we could dominate the marketplace with advertising, direct mail, and other forms of traditional media marketing. Today consumers are much more powerful marketers than companies are, with their ability to publish information to the web, they outnumber us. Their conversations about our brand, company, products and services are now “branding” us. They can blog about our company, they can share their opinion on our product on Orkut or Twitter, and they can post a Youtube video praising or condemning us.

Marketers now have to not just broadcast, they have to listen to what conversations are going on out there, and then they have to connect and interact with the marketplace in order to direct the conversations about their brand.

Today the customer owns our brand.

Update August 31 2009 (Watch a 7 minute speaker video addressing this question):

Q: Do you think these tools will replace well-known Marketing complex software such as CRM, for example? Why?

A: These tools are changing the way sales professionals and marketers interact with the marketplace. In the past we would build a database of customers in our CRM and proactively drive the sales process through constant contact. Social Listening tools that allow you to track conversations about your company or what your target market is doing are allowing marketers to pinpoint customers at the very moment they have a challenge or need for what we sell. There is also a new breed of CRM tools called Social CRM (SCRM) software that is just beginning to be available in the marketplace.

SCRM will allow you to pull in all the information about a contact, based upon permission from them (they tell you what data you will get), and your sales process will become driven by the daily activities and events in the lives of the customer. SCRM will make your database come alive with by the minute updates on what your best clients and prospects are posting on social networks and publishing in social media.

Q: What are the main benefits of including Social Media in Marketing and Sales strategies?

A: Social media success is built through a series of genuine interactions with the marketplace. The key is to create valuable content, resources, build community and connect in personalized ways with your market. Unlike traditional marketing and advertising most of the best social media tools are free. They need a time investment, and you have to train your staff to use them, but after that you can generate results with a significantly lower on-going investment financially. Also if used right, you can turn almost any staff member in your company into part of your marketing and customer service team, all they need is a Smartphone or a computer with web access. Social media expands your customer service and marketing capabilities.

Q: (Any real life examples as to how much money companies can save you can mention?)

A: My co-author Stephen Jagger (Sociable! Book Site) runs a company called Ubertor which has several thousand clients. His clients are real estate agents who use his real estate software to drive their websites. Steve was originally a client of mine. He had 10 sales people, and over a dozen other staff including computer programmers, management and support staff and a very large office. In order to service these clients he also needed a lot of telecommunications tools and phone lines.

Steve and his business partner Mike over a period of time began to replace telephone customer service with Web based Live Chat service and Twitter. He then decided to use Meetup.com to hold events with guest speakers on social media and technology use for his target market instead of sending sales people out top real-estate offices (he no longer needs salespeople). The next step was to close the office and have staff work virtually. They moved their phone system to Google Voice, which is free and use Gtalk and a tool called Yammer to communicate all day with each other. Steve’s blog and his Youtube videos are used to communicate to his clients, and post solutions to problems and information on the software updates and functionality.

The result? Significant business growth with a significant decrease in business costs. Steve is saving thousands of dollars per month in business costs, far fewer staff and has actually improved his customer experience.

Q: What are the main obstacles firms face when implementing Social Media in their Marketing and Sales strategies?

A: One of the obstacles is techno-phobia or as I call it Social Media Phobia. A lot of people don’t feel confident in experimenting or trying to use these new tools. They’re also worried about negative comments or someone using their blog or FaceBook to attack their brand. The reality is this technology is new, and we are all learning. Now is the best time to experiment and get good at social media, while your competitors are still watching on the sidelines. In addition to this, the only way we can insulate our company and brand from negative comments or competitor behavior online is to get involved in social media. Build a community of raving fans around your brand. You need to get social to win.
Related Posts:
Social Media Seminars

Developing a Social Media Policy and Guidelines

Social Media Speaker Shane Gibson on Social Media Etiquette

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Here’s how 28 Days to Better Selling Works:

1)    A daily task that you can easily implement to improve your sales and business
2)    A succinct daily lesson to help you make the improvement

By the end of the 28 days you will have looked at 28 ways to fine tune and improve your sales process and business.  The daily lessons will be in written, video or audio format and will take less than 10 minutes each to review.

Day1  The ABC’s of Targeting

Day 2 Targeting the Right Referral Sources

Day 3 Prospecting in Person

Day 4 Networking Strategy

Day 5 LinkedIn Prospecting

Day 6 Investigative Prospecting

Day 7 Lead Nurturing

Day 8 Don’t Be A Boring Salesperson

Day 9 Listening in Sales

Day 10 Needs Analysis in Sales Part 1

Day 11 Needs Analysis In Sales Part 2

Day 12 Twitter for Sales Part 1

Day 13 Twitter for Sales Part 2

Day 14 Keeping Commitments

Day 15 Selling Benefits and Results

Day 16 Preemptive Objection Handling

Day 17 Sell the Price Different Not The Total Cost

Day 18 Vital Signs

Day 19 Preparing For a Sales Call

Day 20 Team Selling

Day 21 Just Thinking About You

Day 22 Team Players Make Efficient Sellers

Day 23 Day of Rest, Chill Out and Reflect

Day 24 Influencing Top Level Decision Makers

Day 25 Key Skills and Strengths for Selling Intangibles

Day 26 Reducing Anxiety and Worry

Day 27 15 Ways to Close A Sale

Day 28 Operationalizing Your Sales Process

Want to Close Bigger Deals? Buy the Book:

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Resources by Topic:

Why Blogging is An Important Part of Social Media Strategy [Video]

Integrating Social Media Into Your Sales and Marketing Process [Podcast/Blog]

Making Social Media Part of What You Do [Video]

Developing a Social Media Calendar and Implementation Plan [Podcast/Blog]

Sample Social Media Policy [Blog]

What is Social Media Etiquette [Video]

5 Ways to Build a Twitter Following Organically [Blog]

Twitter for Sales and Marketing [Video] Part 1 and Part 2

Social Media ROI [Podcast]

The Future of Sales and Marketing Social CRM [Podcast]

Slides from Today’s Presentation:

View more presentations from shanegibson.

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Have a listen to this podcast to hear my thoughts on the subject.

To Donate the the Vancouver Food Bank Click here or the image below. Every bit helps!

Blogathon 2009 for Vancouver Food Bank

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This is so basic, you would think everyone would be doing it. Not so.

I was sitting across the desk from the operations manager of the company for which I had worked a number of years earlier. We were reminiscing, and he told me this story.

In the time after I had left this company, it had been swallowed up by a large national company. Now, at number two in the nation, it was again being merged with number three. The government got involved, and mandated that every salesperson fill out a form for every account doing over $100,000 in annual business.

The operations manager described how he looked over the forms as he assembled them to send back to the government. As he did so, he got a sick feeling in his stomach. It seems that on many of the forms, the names listed were nicknames, and there was no title indicated.

He told me that he realized that his salespeople didn’t know the full name and correct title of the key contact people in their largest accounts!

While that may sound like an exception to you, I have since discovered that it is the rule, not the exception. The sad truth is that few salespeople have systematically collected and stored the full names and accurate titles of their key contact people. As a result, their proposals and correspondence are amateurish and they look unprofessional to their customers.

Such a simple little thing!

Yet, over and over again, it’s not the big things that separate the Top Gun performers from the pack. It’s the methodical, disciplined adherence to excellence in the little things.

I know there are thousands of salespeople who are reading this right now, thinking “I already know that.” Yet, most of them aren’t methodical and systematic in their execution of this practice. It’s not what you know that makes you into a Top Gun performer, it is what you do.

That’s why the best practices are called “practices.”

About the author: Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales training educators. Since 1988, Dave has worked with over 400 companies, helping them to increase their sales and develop their sales people. He’s been published over 1,000 times, writes a weekly Ezine (subscribe for free at http://www.davekahle.com/mailinglist.htm), and has authored seven books. Dave’s website is available at http://www.davekahle.com, and you can follow his sales blog at http://www.davekahle.com/salesblog.

To Donate the the Vancouver Food Bank Click here or the image below. Every bit helps!

Blogathon 2009 for Vancouver Food Bank

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You attract what you are not what you want. Who we have on our team says a lot about us. If you want to associate with great people don’t worry about finding them, work on who you are and they’ll find you.

Your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, and your habits become your destiny. Choose who you associate with wisely, your constant interaction with them will affect your thoughts and impact your destiny.

Most of us have goals and ambitions bigger than our resources, knowledge and assets that we posses. We need to collaborate with and partner with other people if we are going to succeed.  The people that we associate with are part of our success and we are a part of theirs.

This blog post is really about a simple message:

Choose your friends wisely, be the best friend that you can absolutely be, and never negate or neglect your friends and associates.  This can make the difference between being a huge success and mediocre entrepreneur.

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Here’s the Poll:

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1.    Tools

2.    Measurement

3.    Processes and Knowledge

4.    Maximize Selling Time

5.    Support and Accountability Structure

After you listen to today’s podcast your assignment is to:

1. List the 5 headings for operationalizing sales discussed
2. Fill in under each heading what actions or steps you are going to take
3. Once mapped out make sure you assign a specific time to implement the steps
4. Find someone you can be accountable to in the process.

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1. The Alternative Close
2. The Assumed Close
3. The Minor Decision Close
4. The Courtesy Close – “silent principle”
5. The Direct Close
6. The Urgency Close
7. The “Shut-up Principle” Close
8. The “Bonus” Close –
9. The Objection Close
10. The “Use of Terms” Close
11. The Third Party Close
12. The Summary Close
13. The Similar Situation Close
14. The Empathy Close
15. The Consultant Close

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Energy management in sales is just as important as time management. Worry and anxiety can be big energy drainers.  Your assignment today is to implement as many of the strategies outlined in today’s podcast as possible.

The following are some ideas, strategies, and tips to proactively help reduce your worry and anxiety:

1. Set a Specific Time for Worry
2. Move to Action
3. Try Exercise
4. Get Out of Bed Quickly
5. Post Good News
6. Surround Yourself with Positive People
7. Make Meetings Productive with the Worry Chart
8. Time Limit on Hard Work
9. Know the Value of the Present
10. Laugh at Yourself
11. Give Yourself Special Treatment

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Personal Brand of You
When selling intangible solutions, it really is about credibility and the relationship.  Because the solution is intangible, the purchase is largely based upon the believability of the salesperson.
Having a strong personal brand helps people understand who we are, what we are about, and it removes uncertainty.
Differentiation
People who are good at this type of sales often communicate what they do in a unique way. This means specializing and unique positioning is often necessary.
Passionate Evangelist/Industry Authority or Both
As an extension of our personal brand and our ability to differentiate, our passion and knowledge are critical in selling intangibles. Because the client cannot often experience the service or solution in a tangible way, their experience of you has to be credible and inspiring.
Clarity
“In communicating, your greatest enemy isn’t the noise around you – it’s the noise you create, un-wittingly” – Harry Beckwith, author of What Clients Love and Selling the Invisible.
Brevity and focus are key. If we focus on one or two core things we are good at and communicate those proficiencies really well, we can own a large portion of client mindshare and wallet share.
Value Builders
Because what we are selling cannot be seen, touched, or measured, we need to be good at building value. Your ability to articulate the real value in terms of return on investment is very important. Solutions must be presented in a way that solves a core client pain or challenge.

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The kind of tangible results that appeal to them are:

Raising Revenues:
Show them how their overall volume can be increased; in other words, an increase in sales.

Increase Efficiency:
If they see that their employees, or their equipment, or other capital  will be more efficient, then the chance of their buy-in is higher.

Keeping Shareholders Happy:
Top level decision makers are the ones who have to answer to the Board of Directors and to the Shareholders in a large corporation. Keeping the Board or shareholders happy is their main priority.

Lowering Cost of Production:
Lower costs equal better margins and bigger profits.

Increasing Market Share:
They are interested in advertising, marketing and business development strategies, tactics and methods to increase market share.

Higher Return On Investment:
Can you show them how they will get a bigger return on their investment for the money they invest with your services, products, ideas and concepts?

Dealing With Market Changes:
If you come with solutions for  market changes that affect them, then they will  take the time to explore the possibilities with you.

Intangible Results:

The types of intangible results that appeal to top level decision makers are:

Lower the Risk And Worry:
Anything that you can do to lower or eliminate the risk makes them feel better.

Personal and Corporate Pride:
Senior executives and top level decision makers are at the top because they have personal pride and are proud of the business results that they achieve.

Image – Personally And Corporately:
Yes the car they drive reflects their success level. The suits, the shoes they wear, the house they live in, the office address, and the image their marketing material portrays are all examples of personal and/or corporate image.

Retaining And Attracting Good Employees Who Work Beyond The Norm:
The top level decision maker knows that you win when you have exceptional people working with you.

Your assignment today after listening to the podcast is to:

1) Look at how many of these results your products or services can achieve for your clients.

2) Develop a unique way to present these results you produce

3) Memorize and practice presenting those core results statements that you will use with senior decision makers.

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This podcast is focused on the importance of connecting with and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders. Who knows, maybe the marketing team wants to know who your ideal client is!

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Today’s assignment after you listen to the podcast is as follows:
1)    Develop your own Edification sheet or elevator pitch for your team mates
2)    Get each of them to do that as well for you and then memorize each others “Edification Sheet”
3)    Develop a checklist for prepping for meetings that ensures that you:

a.    Know the key strengths and purpose of those people on your team
b.    Determine the meeting lead
c.    Warm everyone up for the call
d.    Debrief after the meeting  with the key questions:

- What went well?
- What didn’t go well?
- What could we do better?

`

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After you listen to today’s podcast here is your assignment:

#1) Brainstorm all of the possible objections you could get in your typical sales call and either pre-empt them or memorize your answers

#2) Be prepared for the worst case scenario, map out what those could be and how you will handle them.

#3) Be prepared for the best case scenario, what will you need to close the deal or negotiate with a key prospect on the spot?

#4) Map out key research sources you can review and confirm before heading to the meeting

#5) Build a checklist for this process and go through before each meeting well in advance

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There are two main questions you need answered before proceeding:

Question 1: “Mr. Client, when you say the price is too high, how high is it? And compared to what do you feel it is too high?

When the client answers this question, you know what amount you are dealing with. The important thing here is to separate that amount from the total amount. By the client telling you the amount, you know what they are happy to pay, so you do not sell them on that amount, they are already sold on it. Focus on the difference.

Example:

Client: “I am sorry, but the purchase price of that house is too much.”
Salesperson: “When you say too much, how much too much?”
Client: “About $20,000 too much.”
Salesperson: “So what you are saying is that $280 000 is okay with you, but it is the additional $20,000 that is holding you back?”
Client: “Yes.”
Salesperson: “Well, let’s take a look at what you get for that extra $20,000 or $250 per month in payments. For an extra $250 per month:

• You are just across the street from the elementary school, and you said you wanted to be close to the school.
• The area you were looking in is 10 miles further away from your office. You save yourself 20 miles of travel per day, and in gasoline and wear and tear on your car it translates into $5.00 per day, which is over $100 per month. That is almost half of the $250 per month.
• The house has a view and you really feel a view gives you a sense of freedom.
• You have a two car garage that is very secure.
• Your wife is in love with it.
• You reduce your worry about your children walking to school.
• You save time not having to drive or walk the kids to school.
• You are closer to the office and save time again.
• You end up with a view you want.

Salesperson:    “For a $150 a month on your mortgage I feel this one is the best option we have looked at today.” (You would not use the entire list but probable focus in on the top ones you would feel the client would relate too)

Note:     The salesperson does not say “for an extra $20,000 or for $300,000” which is the total price. The focus is on the difference and the lowest amount and then broken down to a monthly cost

Your Assignment today is:

#1) Look at which services or products you have where you have price objections

#2) Assess how much more they may be perceived to cost in comparison to similar products or services.

#3) Brainstorm all of the additional value financially and otherwise someone would get from paying the extra amount.

#4) Memorize your value added list.

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Your assignment today is to listen to the podcast and then:

1) Brainstorm a list of all of the objections that you get on a regular basis.

2) List unspoken objections that people will not mention to you but you know are there.

3) Develop a way to preemptively handle each objection up-front and turn it into a selling point

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Today’s podcast is about prioritzing client issues, focusing on your key competitive advantages and communicating in the terms of benefits and results to the client.

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1) Have you lost business in the past due to you or your company missing client commitments?

2) What are the most common areas in your sales and service process where commitments could be broken?

3) What could you do to improve your ability to keep commitments and exceed your client and prospect expectations?

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The core take-aways for this lesson are:

1. Never sell during the needs analysis.
2. Don’t finish the prospect’s sentences, allow them to explore solutions and challenges in their own context.
3. Get permission to sell at the end of the needs analysis to maintain rapport and trust.
4. Always get a commitment for the next step in the sales process.

28 Days to Better Selling Archive can be found here

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Your ability to be totally present during the sales process and to connect empathetically with the client can seperate you from your competition.  Clients often drop clues as to what they value and what they need if we listen closely enough.

Your assignment today is to be totally present and listen intently to everyone you interact with.

Download the listening self-assessment here

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Listen to today’s podcast and then do the following:

1) Make a list of all the mediums you could be using for follow-up

2) Ask the question: How could I make each application of each medium value added, unique, or innovative

3) Set a goal to follow-up your A category clients using all of the mediums in a creative, enagaging way that will differentiate you, your product, and your company.

If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:

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Your assignment today after listening to this podcast is to answer the following questions:

1) Do I have a structured process for follow-up over the life time of the relationship?

2) Is there anywhere in the process where I don’t have solid goals or book the next step?

3) Is there anything that is not client focused that needs to have more depth or be deleted?

If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:

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Today’s sales podcast is for Day 6 of The 28 Days to Better Selling. In sales your ability to find new opportunities and fill your funnel constantly is the oxygen your career lives on. Without prospecting continually your sales career will come to an abrupt end. Have a listen to today’s sales podcast. I’m looking forward to your feedback.

If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:

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Your assignment today is to connect with three prospects through Linkedin.

Step 1: Search for an individual using targeted criteria

Step 2: Click through their profile and select get introduced through a connection

Step 3: Send a non-pitch short introduction to connect and learn more about each other.

It’s one the easiest ways to make connections but it is very underused. Good luck!

If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:

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1) Make a list of all the possible lead and networking sources.
2) Pick the ones that have a high concentration of you’re A target or A referral sources
3) Join and or book yourself for some events
4) Book a morning once a month for the next 3 months to pre-plan your networking.
5) Get out there and start connecting

If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:

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Today’s assignment is:

1) Brainstorm all possible criteria for CIO and referral sources
2) Pick 5-7 top criteria
3) Make a list of existing and potential A category CIO’s and referrals
4) Book a meeting with at least 2 existing to say thank-you and share criteria
5) Share your thoughts and how you implemented this at http://closingbigger.net

If you haven’t signed up for the program you can join at anytime by signing up below:

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Tip #1: Doing business in Vancouver: Your meeting has a good chance of starting late.

Tip #2: Doing business in Vancouver: You will most likely talk about 8 non-related things before getting down to business.

Tip #3: Doing Business in Vancouver: Your meeting will most likely take place in Starbucks (via @robertaw99)

Tip #4: Doing Business in Vancouver: Your meeting may be bumped by something of little consequence until you learn Vancouver priorities (via @Bradinator)

Tip #5: Doing Business in Vancouver: Vancouverites are friendly but take time to introduce and endorse you. They take business personally.

Tip #6: Doing Business in Vancouver: Green is the new bling and being too busy is a sign of business weakness.

Tip #7: Doing Business in Vancouver: Not everyone in Vancouver is into doing business.

Tip #8: Doing Business in Vancouver: When you don’t get a call back right away don’t worry and don’t get offended. Follow-up again.

Tip #9: Doing Business in Vancouver: Everyone knows everyone, and many have done business with each other at some point. via @KontentCreative

Tip #10: Doing Business in Vancouver: It’s all about relationships and what networks you’re connected to.  Take your time getting to know who is connected to who. Join your local Board of Trade and corresponding Vancouver Linkedin and Meetup groups as a start.

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A number of you have asked for more information on the program. Here are the major topic areas that will be addressed in the 28-day program:

• The ABC’s of Targeting – How to fine tune and focus your sales process
• Master Prospecting Strategies – How to develop a step by step prospecting plan using offline, online and social media tools and processes
• Rapport – Tips, strategies and tactics for developing instant rapport
• Selling with Style – how to read and adapt to different types of buyers for maximum effectiveness.
• Social Selling – Social media and networking strategies to help you engage and develop business, using tools like blogging, twitter, FaceBook and video.
• Needs Analysis Selling – Using questioning to establish rapport, identify client pains and develop easy to sell solutions.
• Key Account Management – Approached to landing, retaining and growing high value clients
• Life Time Client Strategies – Using personal branding, social media leadership, relationship development, and pro-active service strategies to create a loyal customer base.

Each day participants will have the opportunity to share their success, applications and challenges with each other. I expect this to also be a good networking opportunity. (All this will happen at http://closingbigger.net)

If you are not already registered for the program you can do so below. (There’s no fee, no advertising, and you can start or quit at anytime).

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Today’s consumer has a lot of choice. They also have access to many points in the distribution chain that they never had before. This poses many opportunities for entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and anyone else involved in the value chain.

Marketing and sales has changed.

This is a positive thing for progressive marketers and sales people, but it also offers up many challenges for those who are selling like it was 1999. Have a listen to today’s sales podcast to find out the three key skills and tools necessary to engage today’s consumer and client:

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Special event:

28 Days to Better Selling Launches May 18th 2009:

Here’s how 28 Days to Better Selling Works:

1) A daily task that you can easily implement to improve your sales and business
2) A succinct daily lesson to help you make the improvement

By the end of the 28 days you will have looked at 28 ways to fine tune and improve your sales process and business. The daily lessons will be in written, video or audio format and will take less than 10 minutes each to review. There is no charge for this event and program.

To Register for the program please enter your e-mail address below:

Enter your Email

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If you want to improve your sales and have been too busy to put a plan into place you’re not alone.

I have had many people in the sales community including sales professionals, senior executives and high tech entrepreneurs and bloggers who are all looking for ways to convert connections into long-term clients and relationships.

Their challenge is that most resources available are either one time training opportunities, or extensive and over whelming programs that are tough to implement. This program takes care of all of this.

The 28 Days to Better Selling program is completely free and is 100% content and 0% advertising or promotions. All content focused on helping you.

This concept was inspired by a 31 Days to Build a Better Blog program that Problogger.com put on for 12,000 other bloggers. As a participant it was very helpful for me. The concept is simple:

Here’s how 28 Days to Better Selling Works:

1) A daily task that you can easily implement to improve your sales and business
2) A succinct daily lesson to help you make the improvement

By the end of the 28 days you will have looked at 28 ways to fine tune and improve your sales process and business. The daily lessons will be in written, video or audio format and will take less than 10 minutes each to review.

To Register for the program please enter your e-mail address below:

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Shamus Brown did a blog post called “Your Prospects are Human Lie Detectors.” It’s amazing that in this era of extreme transparency that sales professionals and business people still are missing this core lesson.

Simone Blum urged us to be Un Reasonable when it comes to business decisions and launching a new idea or product.

Alan Majer provided a great list of 21 things we can do to succeed in a carreer in selling.

The guys at Sales Roundup put together a good sales podcast on finding and prepping for a sales job.

The guys at the Advanced Selling Podcast did a great podcast on The Rules Tools and Attitudes needed to put more prospects into the sales funnel.

Brad Trnavsky at the Sales Bloggers Union did a good sales blog entry on The Primary Role of a Sales Manager.

Skip Anderson in his Selling to Consumers Podcast talked about the Essence of Selling. It’s all about helping the client make a decision according to Skip.

Lastly I found this sales cartoon from Count5.com and it reminded me of at least half of the sales people that call my office daily. Anyone else suffering from the same?

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20 Social Media Tips:

1. Focus on a specific theme in your social media for extended periods of time
2. Your blog is your home base, all social media should feed your home base
3. Social media is 90 % contribution and connection 10 % marketing and sales
4. Social media belongs to the people, they get to make the rules not the marketer
5. Have a social media policy for your company. Help your people be effective and on message
6. Promote other people’s dreams. It builds community, loyalty and brand for you
7. “Marketing is a process not an event”- @jaylevinson
8. Blog, tweet and talk about solutions to people’s pains and challenges
9. Social media tools like twitter are listening tools more than they are broadcasting tools.
10. Nano-cast to many small niches instead of broadcasting to everyone.
11. Learn to break up large blog entries into many smaller entries. It’s more user friendly
12. Take time each month to update your major social media profiles, use key words that your prospects would search for
13. Use social search like http://search.twitter.com and http://blogsearch.google.com to listen to your customers
14. Each social network has it’s own etiquette FaceBook type behavior doesn’t work on  LinkedIn
15. Answer people’s comments on your blog, or @ replies in Twitter. Social media leadership is about bi-directional communication.
16. Think twice, click once.
17. Take it off-line, book in person meetings or hold events for your online social media contacts
18. Use an assortment of tools, it geometrically multiplies efforts
19. Always be asking where are we going? What is the next Twitter or FaceBook going to be?
20. Use a mixture of content on your blogs, top 10 lists, photos, video, audio, guest bloggers, and polls…

Register for updates on Sociable! Shane Gibson and Stephen Jagger’s new book to be released in June 2009.

Social Media Seminars with Shane Gibson.

Related Posts:

• Twitter tips for Sales People
• Social Media Phobia Why Executives Aren’t On board
• Succeed in Tough Times with Social Media

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#1) This is actually a live feed of multiple sales bloggers from around the globle. The World’s Top Sales Bloggers List is a great place to discover new sales bloggers and podcast producers.

#2) Dave Kurlan put together a great sales management checklist of must have attibutes for sales leaders and managers.

#3) Kevin Eikenberry posted a good list of 5 ways to do some spring cleaning to your life.  Good tips for those needing to refocus.

#4) Paul Espinosa talked about how critical it is for organizations to get good ar hiring good sales managers in his post on “Sales Managers – The Real Role.”

#5) The guys at the Sales Roundup Sales Podcast put together a great show on “How to price what you sell.”

#6) George Petri from Symvolli posted a sales podcast on “B2B Relationships Don’t Have To Be Lost – Continuous Contact Doesn’t Mean Customer Stalking.” Great stuff on creative follow-up.

#7) Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale put together a podcast on getting to and dealing with decision makers.

#8) Rick Cooper: The Fortune Is In the Follow Up was another podcast that I enjoyed.

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I picked up my copy of Leadership Lessons of the Navy Seals today and it really got me thinking about how casual or loose most sales teams and organizations are. If I was to go into battle (so to speak) how many sales people that I know would I actually bring with me? Who could I count? Who can count on me?  Today’s podcast is about how sales management and sales professionals can learn from the leadership lessons of the Navy Seals.

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Some once said part of success is just showing up. To add to this it’s about HOW YOU SHOW UP. Have a listen (Be warned this one may offend those who don’t enjoy sarcasm):

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1. Become a constant prospector
2. Attend industry events twice a week
3. Blog everyday about solutions to client pains
4. Make new connections using Twitter
5. Ask for introductions through Linkedin
6. Share your ideal client profile with your entire network in the form of a distributed case study
7. Inform clients you’re looking for new business
8. Offer referral fees to non-competitive service or product supplier
9. Be newsworthy or launch a press release
10. Use seminar and webinar selling
11. (Bonus) Become a subject matter expert

Here’s today’s sales podcast on the topic:

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I have been working with the Academy of Learning for over a year to launch this program and it is now available through their network of 145 locations across Canada.

New Program Trains Sales Professionals Who Meet the Demands of Today’s Business World

Academy of Learning is pleased to announce the new Sales Professional Diploma program“ said Derek Hamill, President of LaunchLife International Inc., the franchisor of Academy of Learning. “Without sales there is no business. Academy of Learning wanted to deliver a first rate diploma program to guide and prepare graduates for top notch sales opportunities, and that’s what we did.

Academy of Learning, along with speaker, author and global entrepreneur, Shane Gibson, President of Knowledge Brokers International (KBI), designed the Sales Professional Diploma program with the goal to ensure that every student has the necessary sales knowledge and practical tools to succeed in a sales career.

This program is based upon KBI’s methodologies that have been implemented and used by leading business organizations such as SIEMENS, Old Mutual, The Certified Management Accountants of Canada, the Vancouver Board of Trade and dozens of manufacturers and leading financial services companies. Over 100,000 people in the last 10 years have attended KBI’s programs in Canada, USA, Southern Africa, South East Asia, the Middle East and South America.

This program will prepare graduates with the right skills to excel as a sales professional.

Some of the key courses and areas of focus in the program include: Principles of Selling, Business Presentations, Professional Selling, Business Negotiations & Contracts, and Business Law and Ethics. Graduates will be prepared with the right tools for lucrative sales careers in disciplines such as inside sales, outside sales, key account management, retail and large business to business sales careers. This program is ideal for individuals entering the workplace for the first time, re-entering the workplace, or current jobholders who want to upgrade or get formal recognition as a sales professional.

Labour conditions for the sales profession have remained consistent. Jobfutures.ca indicates that there is a broad variety of career opportunities in sales in fields such as advertising, wholesale, publications, hospitality, entertainment, travel, as well as in the telecommunication industry. Companies need to be competitive and that means having the right sales person who knows how to win accounts and maintain business relationships.

A labour analysis conducted by Academy of Learning shows sales positions are still key requirements in the workforce. Additional research relating specifically to the sales profession research found that:

• Graduates of sales related programs can expect a salary at a mid to slightly higher than average annual salary.
• The employment outlook in sales is at a good level for the coming year.
• The Globe and Mail newspaper stated that employers are having difficulty filling Sales Representatives positions.
• 72% of those with previous work experience found a job within one month of graduation.
• 45% of respondents in the Canadian Professional Sales Association study on “The State of the Sales Nation” stated that finding good sales people was very challenging.

According to Rob Simas, Director, Academic Division at LaunchLife International, “the labour market findings allowed us to develop a comprehensive and focused Sales Professional Diploma program, designed to meet the outcomes and objectives of program standards used by many of the community colleges, without sacrificing vocation and integrity.”

Mr. Simas concluded by saying, “We are pleased to provide a program to individuals looking for a well-rounded introduction to sales. We are confident that this program will open the door to entry-level positions within the exciting and rewarding field of sales.”

Contact the Academy of Learning

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It’s an interesting question. Falling into being transactional when things are going well or when things are not going well is a bad long term sales and business strategy.  Non-transactional selling is relationship based, focused, purposeful and customized for your client and market. I answered his question via podcast. If you have a sales question you want answered follow me on Twitter.

Here’s today’s podcast:

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If you could pull together your sales team for three hours, give them just three things to implement that would increase their efficiency by even 5% your Return on Investment over the next 90 days would be worth much more than the 3 hours they spent out of the field. In addition to this, I found the blog entry to be another one of many coaching versus training blog entries. Why can’t we all just get along?

Organizations that really have their sales performance strategy together will be driving forward with both training and coaching working synergistically. Each plays and important role in maintaining competitiveness, motivation and retaining star players. Have a listen to my rant on this topic:

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As a sales performance specialist, author, speaker, and someone who loves connecting people; I’m one of the biggest proponents of networking and socializing. Yes I’m referring to non-sterilized out from behind the computer connecting with real genuine people.  If that’s true then why defend social networking and social media? After all, most of my clients pay me to teach their people to teach them how to network, prospect, cold-call, present, handle objections, and then close the deal. I make money from promoting this way of doing business. I like this way of doing business, I’m good at it.

So why? Why defend or promote the medium?  I’m one of those people that is totally open to other people’s opinions, in fact rarely do I debate with or correct people, even if I feel they may be wrong. Unless of course what they’re talking about keeps them in an negative or unhealthy space, even more so if they’re affecting other people.

I have had several people forward me links to an article recently that I think presents a very one sided and one dimensional view of a very multi-dimensional tool and movement.  What I’m talking about is a recent article posted in The Register. It’s at best a one-sided article making an extreme interpretation of an article released in the journal of the British Institute of Biology this past February 2009.

The article in The Register blames social networking sites and social media including FaceBook, Linkedin, and Twitter for cancer, heart attacks, lupus, dementia and more.  Why not blame it for the recession as well? (The ironic thing is the article at the bottom encourages people to “share it on Facebook” or to “digg” it.)

There’s some really bad assumptions made. You can read the original article and the study (PDF) and judge for yourself.  Number one most of the data in the article and the studies cited were from studies conducted observing people for a period of years leading up to 1998! What a leap!

Connecting internet usage in 1998 prior to the advent of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Blogging, Youtube, Skype, Google was practically an unknown entity.  The study that most of these extrapolations were based upon came at a time of dial-up, slow-broad-band, and Yahoo Chat!, I almost developed an ulcer myself just waiting for the java applet in Yahoo! Chat to load as my Windows OS and first generation Toshiba Satellite creaked and groaned in protest.

Digging up and using old data to condemn platforms that have only existed for less than 5 years is a stretch. In fact a new study that just came out in 2009 out of Taiwan cites that blogging, may make you happier. (Study via Andrew Devine on Twitter) Doctor Ben Goldacre in a recent blog entry shared several counter studies from well known scientists that refuted the Register article as well:

Many of them do not support Dr Sigman’s theory. These are the ones he completely ignores.

For example:

1. Caplan SE published a paper in 2007 entitled: “Relations among loneliness, social anxiety, and problematic Internet use.” Dr Sigman did not quote this paper in his article. Why not? “The results support the hypothesis that the relationship between loneliness and preference for online social interaction is spurious.”

2. Sum et al published a paper in 2008 with the title: “Internet use and loneliness in older adults“. Dr Sigman chose not to quote this paper. Why not? I don’t know, although it does contain the line “greater use of the Internet as a communication tool was associated with a lower level of social loneliness.”

3. Subrahmanyam et al published a paper in 2007 called “Adolescents on the net: Internet use and well-being.” It features the line “loneliness was not related to the total time spent online, nor to the time spent on e-mail”. Dr Sigman ignored it.

What is interesting is these studies are done in this decade, not in the 90’s.  Overall this in my opinion is just an opinion and people are entitled to them. The study was a jumble of other studies mashed together. We all know that statistics can be spun in any direction to support just about any conclusion.  Another good blog and retort of The Register article can be found here by Mind Hacks.

Here’s what’s most dangerous about buying into far reaching claims that sending your Granny a video over Facebook will kill her: It will keep you from enjoying all of the benefits that are attached to using these tools properley.

Anything used to excess is bad. Yes MacDonald’s, Beer, Sunlight, all will kill you if you use them to excess.  Social Media and Social Networking if used properly can help you break the ice and make connections with people in your community or across the globe.  Most people on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin who really jump in and use them (not dip their toe in the water and condemn it but actually try it) will have most likely attended events, had lunch, done business and even collaborated to help a charity using the tools.

These tools don’t replace networking, from my experience they leverage your networking efforts if you use them well.  Before people blamed the internet for anti-social teenagers they blamed Metallica and before that they blamed Bob Dylan (as I digress).

In their book “groundswell” Charlene Li of Forrester Research and Josh Bernoff (Published by Harvard Business Press) state that “this movement can’t be tamed.  It comes from from a thousand sources and washes over traditional businesses like a flood.  And like a flood, it can’t be stopped in any one place.  Often it can’t be stopped at all. This is the movement we call a groundswell. And while you can’t stop it, you can understand it. You can not only live with it: you can thrive in it.”

Maybe people are just afraid.

I personally think I will stick with Forrester Research and Harvard for my data on the benefits of Social Media and Social Networking. Let’s bring this back to the beginning though; I love people, I love networking and building relationships, I make money teaching other people how to do that. I like these technologies because they can accelerate that process. I suggest that you do both, not one or the other.

Criticizing Twitter and saying it’s unhealthy is like saying “hammers are bad,” yes it’s true they have been misused, been responsible for many broken thumbnails, even murder. A hammer is just a tool, it’s how you use it.  Don’t fall in love with any of these tools. Use them to enhance your effectiveness.  I have met no less than 300 people face to face in that past 6 months that I first met through Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or Meetup. The founder of Builddirect.com Jeff Booth originally connected with me after reading this blog. Jeff and I see each other every week now in person, and we follow each other on Twitter.  How is that unhealthy?

I would really like to hear readers thoughts on this and any stats for or against my opinion.

As they say in Nova Scotia SOCIABLE!

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Networking Interruptus. Here is a very typical networking situation: Sam and Salima are talking and someone comes over, interrupts, and proceeds to talk only to Sam. You can picture Salima’s expression! What should have happened? Let’s start by saying that sometimes you do have to squeeze into the conversation. But barging in and completely ignoring the other person is not how to do it. Instead, the person should have entered the conversation by saying “Sorry to interrupt, but do you mind if I just have a quick word with Sam?” The interrupter should then remember to keep the circle open so Salima is not left hovering. Most conversations aren’t ’spy-worthy’ so everyone can be included. Besides, if it is highly personal it really shouldn’t be discussed at a networking event.

– Darcy, Gayle and Judy

Got a great networking tip? Share it with us at: info@workthepond.com We are giving away a copy of the audio version of Work The Pond! for the best one!

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This podcast talks about the difference between certification and qualification. It also talks about how we may want to select and mentor or coach in the future. If you like what I have to say or you disagree please comment, I would like your feedback.

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No. 265- February 22, 2009

Dive Right In. Let’s talk about the job market in a positive way. Yes, people are losing jobs, but they are also finding new ones, or getting promotions. Here is some excellent advice on one of the first things you should do when you get that new job. William C. Byham, chairman and CEO of Development Dimensions International, in Start Networking Right Away (Even If You Hate It) Harvard Business Review, January 2009 says, “Even if you have an aversion to networking – as many people do – it’s imperative to start forging deliberate connections within the first 30 to 60 days after a promotion, the period when people in a new division or company are making up their minds about whether you’re dependable – or a loser who should never have been hired.” To read the entire article go to: Harvard Business Review

– Darcy, Gayle and Judy

Got a comment on this article? Visit Darcy Rezac’s SHEPA Circle

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Careers in High-Tech and Web-Based Industries

For every successful technology company there are dozens that fail and leave behind an array of lost promises, disappointed investors, and stressed former employees.  This sector offers a highly engaging, and potentially lucrative career in sales. With that in mind, we must be willing to ask some hard questions about the company we are going to potentially work with.
The following are examples of questions and topics we need to address when seeking out potential employers:

1.    What is the basis for their technology? Do they have something proprietary or innovative that will allow me to build up a client base? Will this technology give us a sustained competitive advantage?  Or are we just another “me too” technology that can eventually be built better and cheaper by some other company?

2.    Is this technology proven, scalable, and have a track record? Many organizations make grand claims about their latest invention but cannot back it up. Remember, when you are out prospecting, presenting, and visiting potential clients, you are going to get some hard questions. Make sure there is something of substance that you can sell.

3.    Does the company have a solid infrastructure, quality control, technical standards, and sufficient resources for customer support? Too many start-ups lack this infrastructure and back-office support. What occurs is as we land larger clients and sell multiple instances of our software or solution, and the production side of the company fails to keep up. This results in delayed projects, poor customer service, and loss of clients, market share, and opportunity.  Make sure the company you work for has those key systems in place.

4.    Does the company have a proven executive team? Leadership and the personal motivation and drive of key executives are very important, especially in the initial stages of business growth. Has the CEO surrounded themselves with intelligent, competent division heads, or have they surrounded themselves with an entourage of “yes” people?

5.    One of the most important questions is: “Is this solution a cure to a pain or a problem?” If it is, creating a business case for people to buy it will be achievable. If it is one of the many technologies with no real market demand (i.e. just another interesting technology tool) it is not going to be a priority purchase for anyone.

6.    Does the company and solution have a defined, accessible market? If the target market is difficult to reach or is ambiguous, much of our initial tenure at the company will not be spent selling, it will be spent trying to define the market and through trial and error, learning how to access it. This is not a formula for large commissions.

7.    Does the company equip the sales staff with the right marketing and collateral materials as well as tools necessary to sell the solution? In addition to this, do they have a well-defined and potentially lucrative compensation plan that will reward me for my efforts?

If you find it hard to answer positively about one or more of these questions the reality is you’re probably not being offered a sales job of real substance in web or high tech based industries.

I know of several sales people who’s resume’s are full of 3 or 6 month stints at half a dozen of these companies. The time frame makes them look like flakey employees who can’t commit or be loyal. The reality is they were great sales people who worked for companies of no substance.

- Shane Gibson

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Following are the five key elements of Operationalizing sales:

1.    Tools

In order to operationalize our sales process and achieve our goals we will need the right tools to get the job done.  These tools include everything from electronic devices, research tools, business cards, marketing materials, software, and accounting and billing tools to name a few.  It is important to be aware of the core tools needed to effectively execute the plan.

2.    Measurement

What gets measured gets improved.  Without measurement there is no feedback, positive or negative, regarding our progress.  A goal helps us push ourselves in positive ways and fuels improvement, motivation, self-esteem and team spirit.

What gets measured gets improved.  Without measurement there is no feedback, positive or negative, regarding our progress.  A goal helps us push ourselves in positive ways and fuels improvement, motivation, self-esteem and team spirit.

3.    Processes and Knowledge

Once you have a goal, a measurement process, and the right tools needed to identify the process to follow, you can identify any knowledge or skill gaps that may affect progress.  Being a master at sales is a process of constant improvement, self awareness and personal growth.

4.    Maximize Selling Time

Your end goal is to build solid client relationships that result in sizeable amounts of revenue.  Using this as a core goal, we can  maximize the time spent doing the things that move us toward that goal.  Many sales people have failed because they became experts at paperwork, staff meetings, research, and a myriad of other activities that have very little to do with closing the deal or building relationships with the right clients.

Sales professionals need to have a process that supports the core goal and the courage to fight for the time needed to do these things.  This process is about delegating, automating or deleting these activities from our life that are not harmonious with our goals.

5.    Support and Accountability Structure

“One is too few a number to achieve greatness” – John Maxwell.

John Maxwell, leadership expert says it well in this quote.  We need a team to help us reach our goals; many of us will do more for other people than we would do for ourselves.  Having a set of checks and balances and a manager, coach, mentor or peer that holds us accountable is a key ingredient in driving sales results.

- Shane Gibson

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People and companies do not generally seek out technology; they seek out solutions to their pains or positive emotional states. Technology for the sake of technology is not a great marketing strategy. When our clients purchase from us, they are really buying outcomes, feelings, results, and solutions.

Too often those involved in the high-tech sector bury their prospects in endless streams of jargon, highly technical diagrams, and gratuitous numbers of acronyms. These terms and over-complicated descriptions often confuse the client, clouding the core benefits and failing to answer the basic questions: “What’s in it for me?” and “What’s unique about this solution?”

Some of the most effective sales professionals who sell these types of solutions are good at taking complex solutions and communicating their benefits in very powerful but non-technical terms.
The following example is a technically filled pitch for web development and marketing that contains a lot of unnecessary jargon:

Example #1: Technical Jargon

I would suggest that when we build your site that we use an open source CMS that has a WYSIWYJG editor built in. Drupal would suffice, in fact it is also very SEO friendly and can be formatted to have an RSS feed for each page. This will be important when we’re trying build you back links, as back links are an important part of the Google page rank algorithm.

This description really misses any opportunity to talk about value. It simply rattles off multiple technical terms. In this example, the salesperson most likely thinks they sound like an authority when what they are really doing is potentially excluding the prospect in the process.

The following example is a benefit-oriented pitch for web development and marketing:

Example #2: Benefit-Oriented

You said that you would be frequently updating your website and that you wanted to save as much money on doing the updates as possible by reducing the need for a web developer in the future. My suggestion is that we us a CMS called Drupal with a WYSIWYG editor.  The site will be constructed in a way that search engines like Google will give it a higher ranking on search results than some of your competitor’s sites. This will of course result in more traffic and business for you.

Drupal is free software that requires no on-going fees to be paid. A CMS is a Content Management System which basically allows you to make changes to the look and feel of your website, and even where information appears on your site without having to do a lot of expensive redesign.  A WYSIWG editor stands for “What You See Is What You Get” and what it allows you to do, without any additional software or understanding of programming, is to log into your site and access a page that looks much like a Microsoft Word document. From there you can create new pages and edit existing ones without the assistance of a technical guru.

This example takes and expands the technical terms, educating the client in an inclusive manner, and focusing on the core outcomes, results, and benefits of using the technology.  The bottom-line is when we talk over people’s heads, use jargon and lack empathy we don’t get the deal.  Keep it simple, include the client in the process, and position yourself as a resource and a coach.

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One sector that often comprises both intangible and complex sales is the high-tech sector. Many of the solutions are literally invisible—they run in the background and the majority of people are oblivious that they even exist.

Saying that someone is in the high-tech sector or industry is somewhat ambiguous in this era, as most organizations harness technology to make their businesses run. Everything from engineering solutions, to cars, cell phones, and legal services use technology as part of their offerings to the marketplace. So even if you do not consider yourself to be “in technology,” you will most likely be selling solutions that involve technology now or in the future.

Communicating the Benefits of Technology to Different Types of Buyers

We have to realize that there are often many types of people that are involved in the procurement of high tech solutions. For instance, if you were selling Customer Relations Management software implementation to a client, the following buyers may be involved in the decision making and evaluation process:

•    The CEO
•    Finance/Accounting
•    The sales staff who will use the software
•    The VP of Sales
•    The training department that will insure use and implementation
•    The IT department or team who will have integrate and support it once it is installed

Each of the buyers or contributors will need to have the solution communicated differently:

•    The CEO will most likely want to know the big picture, the bottom-line and how the  return on investment will be measured. They will not want to get bogged down in details and specifics and should not be asked questions related to those specifics.
•    Finance and accounting will be concerned about capital costs, warrantees, process management, risk and on-going fees.
•    The sales staff will want to know how to use it, how it will impact their ability to do their job, and the amount of  control others will have over them.
•    The VP of Sales and the training department will want to know about measurement, implementation, tracking tools, and how it will impact their ability to support the sales team.
•    The IT department will want to know specifics on programming, quality assurance issues, debugging, scalability, programming language security, and a myriad of other technical issues.

Most people are comfortable communicating with one or two of these types of stakeholder groups. Great salespeople in this sector have a strategy to address the needs of each of these groups, and they communicate the benefits in a way that is unique and applicable to each buyer type.

In addition to this, there are several other important attributes relating to great high-tech sales professionals as follows:

Knowing the Market

Understanding our target market and niche is critical. We need to understand the unique circumstances, competitive environment, and business processes of our target market.  In doing this research and preparation, we are better equipped to address the needs of our target market and identify what core business challenges our technology can address.

Knowing the Client

We need to go beyond the market and spend time getting to understand each individual corporation’s situation and circumstance. Each client will have unique business challenges and processes that need the support of technology in a customized way.

Factors that will affect the type of solution needed will vary depending on their stage of business growth, existing business processes, corporate goals, immediate and long term challenges, as well as management and operations philosophy.

Know All Applications and Limitations of Your Solution

In order to fully service the client and become a true resource and problem solver, we must understand all the applications of our products and services. In addition to this, it is imperative that we also understand our weaknesses and limitations.

At times clients have un-reasonable or un-defined expectations—by understanding our limitations and communicating them effectively we can dispel any misconceptions.
Why this is important is that a small misunderstanding early on could result in a largely off-target project or solution. On the positive side of course, by knowing all of the applications of our solution we make sure that we truly maximize revenues and client satisfaction.

Be a Problem Solver

This is an integral part of selling technology. Most new technologies evolve out of a client problem for which there is no solution.

Have Great Consulting Skills

Elevating ourselves from the status of order taker to trusted advisor can give us a real advantage in the marketplace. To be seen as a consultant, we need to have a thorough needs analysis approach, build our profile as a subject matter expert, have a high level of rapport with the potential clients, and look for ideal solutions—not just “our solution” to client problems.

Great Project Planning and Management Skills

Many large high-tech sales deals will require numerous people on our team to help us close the sale. There most likely will be a need to engage technical and support staff and then coordinate their interaction with key staff in our client company. Once we have the deal, there will be a need to continue to monitor these interactions to ensure that the promises we made to the client are in fact fulfilled.

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Risks:

Not Targeting
If we do not have a clear idea of who our ideal clients are (referred to as A’s or the 20 percent that bring us 80 percent of our revenues) then we can be spending a lot time prospecting the wrong companies and opportunities. It is often a large effort just to get in the door and if we are knocking on the wrong doors, it can be costly.

Not Managing Pipeline
Being organized with a clear game plan is imperative as there are so many details and variables in a complex sale the deal can easily get side-tracked. By being organized in our sales process and managing our pipeline, we can reduce the chance of losing the deal due to apathy or distraction.

Not Knowing the Buying Process
We need to really understand how the client assesses potential suppliers and what process they use to do so. Too often we push our own agenda at our own demise.  Spending time probing, asking questions, and researching is critical in helping us understand the likelihood of landing a deal. It also ensures that we do not miss critical pieces of information and steps that are important to the prospect.

Taking the Wrong Advice

We need to gather information from multiple sources to make sure that our approach is in line with the values of the key decision makers. If someone is blocking your access to the internal network of your client company, and all the information comes from that source, there is a good chance that your proposal will miss the mark.  Take advice and gather information from people without personal agendas.

Not Having a Bid Qualification Process
Just because a big company sends you a Request for Proposal (RFP) it does not mean you should apply. Many companies have failed because they won the wrong contract and went bankrupt trying to service a large client and/or one with unique and expensive specifications.

As big complex deal hunters, we need to know what a profitable deal looks like. More importantly, we need to know how we could lose money or burn up time on deals that are a misfit.

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The following provides a brief overview of some of the skills and strengths needed to be great at selling intangibles.

1) Personal Brand of You
When selling intangible solutions, it really is about credibility and the relationship. Because the solution is intangible, the purchase is largely based upon the believability of the salesperson. For example, a business coach sells a very intangible service. They are often evaluated by their own personal presence, ability to communicate, and by third party endorsements and certifications.
Having a strong personal brand helps people understand who we are, what we are about, and it removes uncertainty. There is so much information out there to process that it is almost impossible for a consumer to choose a service or product—instead they choose the right company or the right sales representative and leave the product selection up to them.

2) Differentiation
People who are good at this type of sales often communicate what they do in a unique way. This means specializing and unique positioning is often necessary. Thousands of people in Canada call themselves “financial advisors” and the minute we hear that term we mentally lump them into the same category as the last 100 advisors we met and lose interest. One of the top one percent of advisors at London Life/Freedom 55 Financial refers to himself as a “Wealth Management Specialist” and just by the nature of his positioning, attracts very affluent clients. Find a way to present what you do in a way that makes it memorable and creates a distinction between you and the rest of the people in your industry.

3) Passionate Evangelist/Industry Authority or Both
As an extension of our personal brand and our ability to differentiate, our passion and knowledge are critical in selling intangibles. Because the client cannot often experience the service or solution in a tangible way, their experience of you has to be credible and inspiring. In fact, their experience in dealing with you will determine if they purchase or not.
Passion is really about having a strong conviction and unwavering level of confidence in ourselves, our company, our industry, and our solution. It is also critical to be seen as an industry authority—consistently doing such things as writing articles for local periodicals, blogging, being a guest speaker for local business or community groups, maintaining a regular newsletter, and having endorsements from well known people in the community.  A combination of passion and being an authority increases our believability factor and takes away the fear of saying “Yes” for the client.

4) Clarity

In communicating, your greatest enemy isn’t the noise around you – it’s the noise you create, un-wittingly – Harry Beckwith, author of What Clients Love and Selling the Invisible.

Brevity and focus are key. If we focus on one or two core things we are good at and communicate those proficiencies really well, we can own a large portion of client mindshare and wallet share. Clearly communicating what we do, and not trying to be all things to all people, sets apart the high-paid specialists from the generalists.

Nick Usborne, author of NetWords makes an interesting distinction when he says that:

We’re not just writing to be understood, we are also writing in a way that insures we are not misunderstood.

Make sure the message about what you do is clear, focused, and void of any ambiguity. Focused, predictable service providers make clients feel safe.

5) Value Builders
Because what we are selling cannot be seen, touched, or measured, we need to be good at building value. Your ability to articulate the real value in terms of return on investment is very important. Solutions must be presented in a way that solves a core client pain or challenge. Describing our solution as innovative, leading, next generation etc. is not enough. These are weak business cases that are uninspiring. Look for client pains, fears, and challenges, and then talk about your solution as a pill for their pains. Back up your claims with research, data, client references, and proof. Help your clients measure what they cannot see.

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We can forget the ultimate goal is happiness, and that happiness is routed in truth.  The biggest truth happens when we are authentic and in line with our own personal values.

In our values reside that which we love, and that which we are good at, our talents and our personal gifts are very close to those activities, people, and things that we value the most. You can follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/shanegibson.

Today’s Podcast is about identifying and searching for our deeper purpose in business, community and life.

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Rodney and Stephen from Reachd Training

Last week I had the opportunity to do something I haven’t done in a while.  I had the opportunity to sit through 3 half days of training on social media and social networking facilitated by Reachd training. I asked Stephen Jagger co-founder of Reachd to meet with my client Builddirect.com and have a brief discussion with the executive team about how they go further engage their customers using social media and social networking.  After this initial discussion it was decided that Stephen Jagger and Rodney Bartlett would run a 9 hour ( 3 half days ) bootcamp with the team.  Because I’m working with the sales team I wanted to understand what they learned and how we could integrate it with the sales process.

As someone who has sat through a lot of training sessions and seminars I was impressed. The training was relevant and customized for the client. Here’s briefly what they covered:

Day 1 – Video Blogging

Although I already do some vidoe blogging this day re-inspired me to do much more of it.  In fact it opened my eyes to many other positive applications.  They covered everything from what good content is right through to how one can get massive distribution for their online video blogs.  We even watched a video of Ian Watt take his pants off on Tom Everitt’s show. Ian was named as a top 10 Real Estate Blogger by Inmann News, and I don’t think he did it by being safe

Day 2 – Twitter, Twitter and more Twitter

Great day.  Twitter is a micro-blogging and social networking / communications tool.  This day was focused on how to create valuable conversations with your clients, customer, partners and even the media using this tool.  Companies like Zappos and Comcast as examples have used Twitter to directly engage their customers online.  Mostly early adopters, thought leaders and of course chatter boxes of all types.  Steve and Rodney were great and outline clear strategies to use the tool to engage customers, increse blog traffic and offered revenue generating examples as well.

Day 3 – FaceBook for business and Blogging

FaceBook has entire blogging communities devoted to it’s mutiple uses.  In Canada in particular it has high numbers fo subcribers compared to MySpace and in the US it basically is tied in regards to the number of users.  Most people reading this have probably been on FaceBook for a year or more. So I’ll spare you “What is FaceBook” rant.  With that said Rodney shared innovative ways to use video, photos, the events function, groups and pages to engage and grow your client and fan base.

Blogging – This was a great overview of how to write to create a following and an engaged client base.  The core message was blog and blog often. Also focus on shorter posts with a single focus this also helps with search engine optimization and you don’t tend to lose the readers interest.  One other good tip was when people comment on your blogs, answer them back, even drop them a quick e-mail to let them know you replied, this stimulates levels of engagement and personalizes the interaction.

This was a very brief review (I have 9 pages of notes) from the training but it was comprehensive yet down to earth and easy to understand.

Related links:

Follow them on twitter: Jeff Booth CEO of Builddirect, Rodney and Stephen of Reachd, Builddirect.com Corporate and for Upcoming Reachd Training events

Follow me Shane Gibson on Twitter

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When this credit is pulled back, people reduce purchases; this creates negative news, bulging inventories, fear and panic.  In service businesses bulging inventory is people.  Lay-offs begin, purchases reduce, inventory is liquidated, and more bad news hits the marketplace and the fear multiplies.  The severity of this most recent downturn has been created by the evaporation of available credit due to the insolvency of so many major banks.  Eventually we hit a point of excessive pessimism in the marketplace. (I had to dig through the entire business section of the New York Times to find one positive article yesterday).

The question is: “What stops the economy from continuing its downward plunge?”  The answer is of course “Smart Money.”  We all can recite the phrase “buy low and sell high” and a few smart individuals begin to do just that.  The “Smart Money” is bargain hunting for everything from stock to real estate, and corporate acquisition targets stabilize the market, it creates the floor.  From there the tide begins to turn as optimism builds.

You as a sales person or entrepreneur don’t have to have Warren Buffet’s billions to profit from this environment, but you do need his mindset.  Realize that your competitors, not unlike today’s investors, do not see the real value of the market, and most are refusing to really play.  They are too busy hiding out by the water cooler and watching the stock ticker and the negative news on CNN.

So here are 7 tips on how to profit from today’s economic downturn:

1. Build a fence around your key accounts.  Of those clients that you are presently doing on-going business with, how many do you have really strong relationships with?  Make a list of your top 20% and immediately call them, if possible go visit them.  Not to sell them stuff, but to find out how you can better service them.  If things are really slow, take advantage of it, engage them more, buy them the lunch you never had time to when the economy was hot.
2. Harness physical and web-based networks in order to connect with positive people.  Most of us have goals and dreams that require resources beyond those that we possess.  By engaging your online and offline communities, sharing resources, ideas, and inspiration, you can collectively achieve greater things.  Now is not the time to go to less Board of Trade meetings, it is the time to really connect.
3. Reach out beyond your existing community with social networking tools such as Linkedin, Twitter, and FaceBook.  Recently as a resident of Vancouver, BC Canada I secured a new client in Asia through my blogging and activity on Linkedin, while some of my existing markets are suppressed, I am finding new ones across the Pacific Ocean using technology (free technology!).
4. Have a pro-active game plan for every day.  You have fewer competitors now, and the ones that are still in business are probably not that motivated.  This trend will continue until we reach the bottom of the downturn.  This is the time to gain market share.  Get to work an hour early, and plan your day out the night before.  It may take more calls to land the same number of clients, but also realize that you will be able to gain more market share due to less competition, or at least a mentally weaker competition.
5. If you have some cash reserves start investing in your business.  If you use advertising as a tool to attract clients you can now negotiate a better rate with publishers, and because competitors have pulled back their ad spend your message will have less noise to compete with in the marketplace.  Fuel prices have dropped and people are traveling less, this also means better rates for business travel to far-away markets.
6. Take control of your own mental economy.  The most expensive thing we can do as sales professionals and business people is have a day of negative thinking.  When we are focusing on what we don’t have, and we are wallowing in our own self-pity, we’re not thinking about creating positive business outcomes.  My suggestion is to commit to reading at least 30 minutes of positive news, or personal development books per day, find some great motivational CD’s or podcasts (iTunes has thousands that are free) and pro-actively seek out and associate with other people that are refusing to participate in the recession.
7. Be disciplined in your execution.  At the top of an economy when clients are abundant and optimistic, closing the deal is easy.  If you miss a deal because of bad follow-up, or a poorly written proposal there is always more opportunity out there.  Anyone can look like a rainmaker when things are hot.  When things slow down our bad habits become more evident.  When you do have a great prospect in your sights, have a sound sales process and follow the fundamentals of great selling obsessively.  There are no mundane steps in a sales process, treat every detail like it is the deal-maker, especially when prospects are fewer and more easily dissuaded to buy.

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle. ” – Abraham Lincoln

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Many years ago I was a top producing local radio advertising salesperson in the Twin Cities market of Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.

On the East Coast of Canada the harsh winters literally crippled automobile sales. In December, January and February it is not uncommon to have sub-zero temperatures and three snow storms in a month that range from a half metre to a metre and a half of snow. One early November day I called on John Gwynne-Timothy, the new owner of a small car dealership called Twin Cities Plymouth Chrysler. He told me that it did not make good sense to advertise in November, December or January because of the ferocious winters. Chrysler Canada had instructed him to put aside C$100 000 for each of the three winter months, strictly for losses. He was also told to cut back on advertising and save the money for peak season. I could understand their thinking – first you have to find the car under the snow before you can show it that time of year.

“The best time to gain market share is in a down economy” – Bill Gibson

My response to John was that with every adversity there is an opportunity and the best time to gain market share is in a down economy. I added that most of the competitive dealerships would also be cutting back on advertising and the buying of inventory during that period. The advertising noise level in the market place was far less in the winter months. This would make it easier to dominate the market with less spending. The other dealers also were not buying cars at the auctions and it would be the best time to buy.
Here was the strategy:

* He went to the automobile auctions and bought at low, low prices. (If you buy right, you can sell right).
* On Friday afternoons at 4 pm we cleaned out his huge service department and decorated it with colourful streamers, balloons and so on.
* We then brought into the service department many of the especially low-price used cars and new ones.
* On the Friday morning we hit with newspaper and radio advertising – all day Friday and all day Saturday. In the weekly and monthly magazines we advertised the Winter Sale Bonanza Friday and Saturday at Twin Cities Plymouth Chrysler.
* We had live onsite radio announcers and upbeat music playing in the service depart-ment on the weekends and we sold cars until 9 pm on Friday and Saturday.

The final result was that Gwynne-Timothy profited C$100 000 per month in December, January and February. He budgeted for a C$300 000 loss and instead made C$300 000. In actuality, he was C$600 000 ahead.

“You can gain market share in a tough economy if you take control of your own economy”

In February, the competition eventually tried to counter attack – after laughing at him for what they thought was a waste of advertising money in December and January – but it was too late. He already had momentum. This momentum carried over to peak months from March to October with astronomical sales. He had gained huge market share in the down months that positively impacted the best months.

Within a year Gwynne-Timothy sold his small dealership for a huge profit and bought the largest Ford dealership in Atlantic Canada. Today he is a multimillionaire, simply by being innovative and proactive in a down economy – in Canada during the winter months. The following graph shows that 20% of a smaller market can be larger than 10% of a big market. It is easier to gain market share in a down economy.

A few years later, as a consultant in Canada, I had another client named Terry Straker. At the top of the economy he was grossing C$200 000 a month with his bedding and bedroom furniture stores in Calgary, Alberta. The country went into a recession and competition got stiffer. Eighteen months later, at the bottom of the economy, Terry grossed over C$1 million in one month – a 400% increase.

How did he do it? He got innovative and aggressive. He knew cash was king so he negotiated hard when buying. He then increased his advertising in the right mediums that targeted his market. Through research he knew the best days and best weeks to advertise. He increased sales training to twice a week. He tied in with charities and ran innovative promotions.

Straker once ran a promotion called Mr Money, where he dressed his brother up in a Mr Money outfit, and on Friday he announced to the media that Mr Money was dropping C$5 000 from the roof of his biggest store on Saturday. The plan was to drop C$500 an hour in small bills for 10 hours. Ten thousand people showed up and he got massive publicity. He had the biggest day ever. The reason is that in a down economy people want money.

He used endless creative traffic building ideas. Among them was a promotion with Salvatore (Sal) Stallone, Sylvester Stallone’s brother. Rocky II had just opened in the theatres.

“At the bottom of the economy, Terry grossed over C$1 million in one month – a 400% increase”

Even though the economy was down, Terry increased his sales by 400%. I acknowledge that, yes, with the new credit act, increased interest rates, hikes in petrol and electricity prices and the power crisis there could be tighter times ahead for many businesses in South Africa.

The solution is to believe you can gain market share in a tough economy if you take control of your own economy and get creative, innovative and pro-active. Do not wait for others or external factors to do it for you. Take control.

About Bill Gibson

Bill Gibson lives in South Africa and is the chairperson of Knowledge Brokers International SA (Pty) Ltd. He is the author of the book Boost your business in any economy, and the writer and developer of several sales, marketing and entrepreneurial training systems.  Bill Gibson can be reached at +27 11 784 1720 or info@kbitraining.com

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I’m looking forward to your feeback on this new assessment.

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There are often other factors that help trigger the buying process. By spotting these factors in situations, you immediately become aware of a need, want, or desire. Within your industry, it is important to know what these factors or motivations are and how these factors could trigger specific buying motives.

Examples:
1. Someone just received a promotion
2. Money has just been won or inherited
3. There is an addition to the family
4. Just bought a house
5. Just moved
6. It is a birthday or anniversary
7. There has just been an amalgamation of companies
8. There is a new executive team
9. Someone has passed away
10. The market has gone for a dive and business is tough
11. Centralizing or decentralizing of a company
12. New budget year coming up
13. A land mark. A 50th anniversary or 21st birthday
14. A wedding
15. Move to a new building
16. Just secured a major contract or was awarded a huge project
17. Share price dropped
18. Has decided to start exporting
19. News headline that scares people
7-12 Principles of Selling
20. Special time of year – Religious Holidays, Summer Vacation
21. A heavy snow fall
22. A heat wave
23. A cold snap
24. A new face
25. A new law has been introduced
26. A change in government
27. A new growth trend
28. A market switching quickly from one item or system to another
29. Person or company reaching a different status level
30. A new competitor has moved on to the scene
31. Someone recently started a business
32. A new area is being developed
33. Someone recently got fit, lost weight, new look
34. A celebration, for example a big sports win!
35. A company has lost its position in the market place
36. A company has gained a higher position in the market
37. Government de-regulations of crown corporations (parastatals—a company
or agency owned or controlled wholly or partly by the government)
38. A natural disaster
39. A crime wave
40. A huge event … Olympics, Expo, World Cup etc.
41. An industry boom, i.e. tourism
42. Someone received poor service from a competitor

As a professional salesperson, it is important to have your “sales opportunity antenna” up at all times. This way you can take advantage of using the right timing. Right timing means you have caught the client at a time of high need, high want, or high desire. During these times, customers buy much quicker, and much more easily.

Bill Gibson is a motivational sales speaker based in South Africa who has addressed over one million people on stages in Canada, USA, Asia, and Africa over the past 30 years.

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Motivation
The successful salesperson who is motivated:
• desires to be the best.
• is competitive by nature.
• has the edge through customer service.
• turns problems into opportunities.
• moves, stands, and talks in a positive way.
• refrains from negative, pessimistic statements, and ignores those made by other
people.

Following is a break-down of these success qualities:

Precision
The successful salesperson is precise, focused and detail-oriented:
a) Focused:
• The ability to decide what is important
• The willingness to tackle unpleasant jobs
• The willingness to spend time convincing the prospective client that the car is right for them—therefore price may not be such an important issue
b) Detail-oriented:
• Doing the job consistently and systematically
• Planning and organizing
• Keeping notes of appointments, actions, reminders, and deadlines

Direction
The successful salesperson has positive direction.
a) Assertive:
• Tough-minded and confident in negotiation
• Believes in themselves and believes in the product and an ability to show it
• Handles negatives and insults well
b) Relationship:
• Builds rapport with prospects, customers and colleagues
• Understands that people buy from people
• Focuses 100% on prospects by listening and maintaining an acceptable level of eye contact
• Praises service staff and reception staff internally and externally

Flexibility
The successful salesperson is flexible. They possess the ability to:
• read people and situations and to adapt their behavior.
• get excited when the customer gets excited or be business-like when the customer is business-like.
• adjust their posture, volume, and tone of voice to match their client.

This study very quickly summarizes the many characteristics that most of us need to rise above average in sales and in business.

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Is deviance from truly ethical behavior appropriate or inappropriate, in the end? I kind of feel it is somewhat inappropriate.

This question was posed in context of my four part blog entry on ethics in selling.  Lets look at deviance for a moment.  Dictionary.com defines it as “One that differs from a norm, especially a person whose behavior and attitudes differ from accepted social standards.”  In my opinion deviating from social norms, politically correct pressures, or cultural traditions (including corporate culture) is not necessarily a bad thing in business and in life.  Alexander Graham Bell was seen as a deviant in many aspects, so was Martin Luther King.

For me Raul’s question made me think of the Dalai Lama’s comments on creating Karma.  For good or bad karma to be created he states, there are three elements. #1) Intent #2) Action #3) Result.  I think as we look at the result of our actions, in causing harm to others, or advancing at the loss of others with harmful or un-ethical behavior and succeeding in doing so then this behavior is absolutely inappropriate.  So in short, next time one feels like labeling someone a deviant the questions we must ask are “What was their intent?”…”Did they act upon this intent?” and “Did their actions cause harm or suffering to others?”

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Situational ethics relies on one principle—what best serves oneself at a given time or in a given circumstance. This person’s behavior rises and falls as they tend to justify the deviance from true ethical behavior based upon each circumstance. Comments from situationally ethical people may include:
• “If I didn’t take advantage of this someone else would!”
• “It’s just business, don’t take this personally.”
• “It’s only illegal if you get caught.”
• “They won’t know the difference between the old stock and the new stock; we can easily charge the same price.”
• “This is the only way to get ahead today…. Everyone else is taking shortcuts!”
These people blend into society and have the veneer (appearance) that they are just like you and I. Although they understand right from wrong, and often weigh the crime against the potential punishment, deep down their choice is unethical as long as their exposure to risk is low or non-existent. Even when caught, this fraudster will often justify their actions playing the victim of society or the mega-corporation for which they work. Their actions may have come from a feeling of desperation or being “caught.” When issues like addiction in the workplace (i.e. drugs, gambling, and alcohol) come into play, their recklessness or behaviors often become more risky as they look for a quick exit, or out of desperation are looking for more funds to fuel their habits.

The situationally ethical person is not without hope. Often this person has formed a false belief that they can only get ahead if others lose. They could also have low selfworth or self-esteem and not believe that they can achieve success legitimately. Taking some of the steps described in other modules around building self-confidence and associating with positive and successful people can be a first step to moving toward a more confident and productive mental picture of ourselves.

Association (people who we connect with over time) can also erode one’s moral compass. Another cause of situational ethics is caused by social or peer ethics. Who we socialize with, their conversations, personal beliefs and ethics can begin to warp our own outlook. In the instance of the Enron Scandal, many otherwise law-abiding citizens accepted and enabled the behaviors of senior management because it became a cultural norm or social ethic. The situationally ethical person can change their associations, find new positive peopleor organizations to work with and over time this new environment can help them develop a more accurate and healthy set of personal and business ethical boundaries.

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Those who hire unethical people often revere them for a short period of time as they tend to be results-oriented people. Without the confines of ethical, environmental, or legal restrictions, profits may appear in the short term. However, the company eventually suffers for collecting funds without a conscience, and inevitably lawsuits, government intervention, criminal charges, and consumer backlash all follow. There are a series of high-profile ethics cases in the United States where people are now spending a lifetime in jail, while the corporation sits in receivership (bankruptcy). One such case is the Enron Scandal.

Next Blog Entry “The Situationally Ethical” person.

This is Blog Entry #4 for the Vancouver Blogathon. A 24 hour blogging marathon for charity.  Please check out my charity the MSMF foundation and help us bring hope and prosperity to children in rural India.

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Intro to sales ethics:

What are ethics? Ethical behavior can be described as conforming to accepted standards of social or professional actions. Therefore unethical behavior is viewed as wrong, not conforming to accepted standards or professional actions, contrary to conscience, or morality, or law.

There is no such thing as “ethical selling.” You are either ethical as a person or you are not. The issue of discussing ethics in sales somewhat misses the global aspect of the concept of ethics. Whether we are in the office or at home, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, we are judged by our behavior. Our personal friends and community network and our business network are inseparably integrated. Ethics have no boundaries as we live in a globally connected world.

In the NHL (National Hockey League) if a player is convicted of drinking and driving, the league suspends them. Although the unethical activity occurred outside of work hours, the league understands the impact of a team member’s behavior on the sport. We are always representing our organization’s brand—even when we are not in uniform. Conversely non-business activities like volunteering at your local soup kitchen to help
feed the homeless, or with a local community group, positively affects your personal and business brand.

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The focus of the Complex Sales Training Podcast part 3 is on measuring and progressing our level of relationship development with our key accounts and understanding how that impacts our success in navigating large, complex and long sales cycle deals.

This program is now formatted and compatible for your iPhone!

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Complex sales is about 90% preparation and 10% perspiration. It’s not just about a pitch in the boardroom, complex sales people, or simply put people who are masters at closing bigger deals strategically map out their process and the battle field (so to speak).

Please have a listen to my podcast and post any comments or questions so I can address them in Part 3 of the Complex Sales Podcast Series.

Complex Sales Training Podcast by Shane Gibson – Copyright 1999-2008 Knowledge Brokers International Ltd.

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This complex sales podcast introduces you to the process by first defining what complex sales is and then moves into

part 1.  In Part 1 of the Complex Sales series we are introduced to the 6 major Power Players in a Complex Sale or complex business relationship: The Navigator, The Ruler, The User, The Protector, The Contributor and The Opposer.

Definition of Complex Sales (From Wikipedia):

Complex sales, also known as Enterprise sales, can refer to a method of trading sometimes used by organizations when procuring large contracts for goods and/or services where the customer takes control of the selling process by issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) and requiring a proposal response from previously identified or interested suppliers. Complex sales involve long sales cycles with multiple decision makers. Multiple stakeholders and stakeholder groups contribute to every complex sale.

Any product or service may become a complex sale. In some instances a complex sale occurs when the market is mature and the stakes high enough to warrant attention from a variety of stakeholders in the buying organization. In other instances a complex sales process is needed when the buyer has never had experience with the vendor, technology being sold, or if the solution is business critical or impacts the buying organization on a strategic level. The series of filters, purchasing steps, and stakeholders involved are designed to reduce the risks associated with making the wrong buying decision…

…often the sales person is required to have a set of skills that are more in line with a subject matter expert or consultant than a traditional sales person. This type of sales person can often be referred to as a Key Account Executive or Complex Sales Executive. (Full Definition here.)

The next few podcasts will hopefully help you develop an understanding of what core skills and strategies will be required to navigate and close complex sales.

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I also just joined another fantastic community called SelfGrowth.com. It’s a massive global expert data base on everything from sales to yoga.

Here’s my new profiles:

Shane Gibson Sales Speaker Profile on Top Sales Experts .com
Shane Gibson’s Expert Profile on Self Growth .com

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Often the prospect has a dozen good reasons why they should do business with you, they even admit it, but still no deal. There’s a hesitance, a pause, then more questions, a couple stalls and more meetings hesitations and stalls. What are they afraid of? Often it’s an undefined sense of uncertainty. It’s emotional intuitive issue, they don’t trust us, or they don’t trust a number of factors that influence their business that are related to the transaction.

“Sales is about creating an environment where an act of faith can take place.”

This act of faith us based upon trust and credibility. Trust is in my opinion the number one sales currency. Too many people think it’s a product, a pitch, a better deal, or a nice suit. These things are important, but all will fall short without trust.

Recently I surveyed a number of senior investment advisors with one of Canada’s largest brokerage firms and asked them a very straightforward and open-ended question; “What does is take to move a big client (along with their with money) from a competitor to your firm?”

Every single one of them, without exception, said “the relationship.” This relationship was built upon a series of trust building interactions, very few of which were related directly to immediate gains in stock picks or better brochures than the competitors. They described knowing the client personally through lunches, dinners, inviting them the VIP events and being very accessible and transparent in their dealings with them.

I asked “what about your great research, your name in the press, the brand, and of course your track record?” The response: “That will get them to open their account with you and allow you to send them the odd e-mail or prospectus.” To move a large lump sum of money for you to manage they told me “you need trust, a real relationship based upon it.”

I recently landed a fortune 50 client. I knew I was up against bigger competitors. After the RFP and final presentation was done I got the news. The deal was mine. When I asked the Senior VP of Sales for this company why I got the deal his answer was little surprising. He said “I don’t know, the other guys are well branded, they said the right things, but you just made us feel comfortable, you were open with us, I felt that our team would relate well to you.” Relate well? I thought. What about the results I’ve landed for other clients? Our great training modules? Our experience in their sector? Comfortable? They bought comfortable!? What kind if competitive advantage is that?!

What my broker clients and I experienced is the same thing.

Our value proposition, our branding, our stats and track record opened the door for us. To close the deal, and grow the client it was our ability to establish trust that was the deciding factor.

What is trust? Trust from a prospects perspective, is a sense of comfort, a belief that we’ll do what we say we’ll do regardless of a contract or what we’re obligated to do. Seems simple, but so many people today feign concern but don’t deliver. The truly empathetic sales person that is grounded and transparent has a huge advantage in the marketplace. Trustworthiness is a rare commodity, if we focus delivering it as out core value proposition we can lock clients in for a lifetime.

So how do we establish it? Here’s some quick concluding thoughts on the topic:

#1) Know your product and service capabilities, all of it’s applications and all of it’s limitations. Close deals that fit and be willing to walk away or refer them to someone else. Basically take on clients you know you can hit a home run with.

#2) Keep even the smallest commitment always, Even things like being on time are unspoken and implied commitments. If we can’t be trusted with minor details how can we be trusted with business critical issues?

#3) Never talk about other clients to prospects, unless you let them know that you have pre-approval. They’ll enjoy the story but then later wonder what you’ll say about them.

#5) Manage their expectations up front. Let them know what to expect, even in regards to product and service limitations. Our clients are grown-ups, they know there’s no perfect product or service and they’ll appreciate our candor.

#6) Have conversations that are broader and deeper than our competitors are capable of having. Do this by educating ourselves more, researching more, assuming nothing, and customizing every interaction with the client.

#7) This final point is by far the most critical. Be good at establishing genuine rapport. This happens by being totally aware, present and functional and having a highly developed capacity for listening and asking great questions. People will sense our level of empathy and sincerity more from the questions we ask then the stories that we tell.

Author’s Bio

Shane Gibson is President of Knowledge Brokers International and author of Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals. With 14 years as a professional speaker Shane is in high demand as a conference speaker and a sales training and sales performance specialist. KBI’s clients include organizations such as BMW, Siemens, Ford, Vodacom, the Vancouver Board of Trade and dozens of professional associations and corporations in Canada, USA, South Africa, South America and the Middle East.

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How to boost your sales skills

Globe and Mail Update

May 23, 2008 at 1:19 PM EDT

Success in business means being able to sell. You can have the best product, or service, or staff in the market, but if you can’t convince others to believe in you, or more simply, favour your brand over the others, it will all go for nought. This is true whether your trying to get hired, win a contract, secure financing or close a deal.

It’s for that reason we’ve asked Shane Gibson, a Vancouver-based sales expert and author of Closing Bigger: The field guide to closing bigger deals to provide insights and advice on how to improve your sales skills. Mr. Gibson combines a background in sales, new entrepreneur development and leadership coaching. His clients include CMA Canada, The Ford Motor Company of Canada, UBC’s Sauder Business School, Allied Van lines, and The Toronto Board of Trade.

Mr. Gibson was online earlier to take your questions. Read more

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Get focused, think bigger, and close bigger!

Shane Gibson

This sales podcast is presented by Shane Gibson.

Shane Gibson is the author of Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals and President of Knowledge Brokers International Systems Ltd. a leading sales performance and leadership development organization. Shane divides his time between his entrepreneurial projects, speaking at major conferences and mentoring salespeople and entrepreneurs.

Quick Links:

Sales Training Canada
Sales
Training South Africa
Sales Training Boot Camps Vancouver
Complete Sales Action System
Managing Complex Business
Relationships System

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Being nervous not kiss of death
MAKING A PRESENTATION: It’s OK if you have a few butterflies

Carla Wilson, CanWest News Service

Published: Sunday, March 25, 2007

Don’t worry if you’re nervous making a presentation. A few butterflies may actually help you.

“If I’m not nervous at all, I may be too relaxed and too uninspiring. A little bit of an edge and some passion can really pull an audience in,” says Shane Gibson, executive vice-president of Knowledge Brokers, which trains executives and managers on how to make more effective, engaging presentations.

Read more

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Download Shane Gibson’s Podcast Here

Subscribe in iTunes to this Sales Podcast

Get focused, think bigger, and close bigger!

Shane Gibson

This sales podcast is presented by Shane Gibson.

Shane Gibson is the author of Closing Bigger the Field Guide to Closing Bigger Deals and President of Knowledge Brokers International Systems Ltd. a leading sales performance and leadership development organization. Shane divides his time between his entrepreneurial projects, speaking at major conferences and mentoring salespeople and entrepreneurs.

Quick Links:

Sales Training Canada
Sales
Training South Africa
Sales Training Boot Camps Vancouver
Complete Sales Action System
Managing Complex Business
Relationships System

Click here to Tweet this Sales Blog Post to Twitter