sales and service excellence - the guld …...become a customer for life. increase your referral...

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ExcellenceS A L E S A N D S E R V I C E

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F T E A M L E A D E R S H I P

NOVEMBER 2008

“Sales and Service Excellence is a phenomenalresource for sales professionals who want to grow andachieve more in their careers.”—TOM HOPKINS, AMERICA’S #1 SALES TRAINER

Michael GuldConsultant

ObjectionsKeys to Success

ObjectionsKeys to Success

Law of Expectations

Law of Expectations

Gold Medal

DisciplineGold Medal

Discipline

Seven PR

SecretsSeven PR

Secrets

S A L E S / S T R AT E G Y

come through, waiting for new assignedaccounts to come their way, and prayingthat economic conditions improve. But,only the doing part actually leads tosuccess. The biggest reason most sales-people fail is not for lack of knowledge.They lack consistency of behavior to dowhat they know needs to be done daily.

As in the case of Michael Phelps, acoach or a sales manager is crucial. A

coach is part visionary, part trainer, butmostly a developer of talent, bridgingthe gap between potential and perfor-mance. A manager is not there to moti-vate you, but to hire independentlymotivated individuals and challengeand inspire each one to reach peak per-formance. Their job is not to disciplineyou, but to hire self-disciplined individ-uals who will create good habits with-

by Michael Guld

WHEN MICHAEL PHELPSwas asked what

coach Bob Bowman didmost for him, Phelps said Bowmanencouraged him to “use my imagina-tion, to shoot for the stars, and to seethe future.” Bowman was also the onewho pushed him to the point ofexhaustion and beyond.

All kids dream of competing in theOlympics, or winning the Super Bowl,World Series, or Stanley Cup of theirsport. Few ever get that opportunity.But the ones who do are those whocommit themselves to a disciplined lifeof practice and training, understandingthat raw talent is not the only ingredi-ent for success. Thousands of talentedathletes do not have the drive, deter-mination or discipline to succeed as aworld-class athlete.

The same theory holds true in sales.The world is full of would-be salessuperstars. Most salespeople say theywant to be a top producer in the com-pany and make a lot of money—just asmany people want to lose weight andbe in shape. The problem is, there is nocommitment. Many salespeople spendtheir time hoping for the big account to

ExcellenceVolume 8 Number 11 The Magazine of Team Leadership November 2008

Go for the GoldL e a r n w i n n i n g s a l e s l e s s o n s .

S a l e s a n d S e r v i c e

out having to be micromanaged. Theirjob is not to instill passion, but to hirepassionate people who love what theydo and commit to being the best intheir given field.

Just as there are no guarantees forOlympic victory, there are no guaran-tees for triumph in the streets of sales.However, there are action steps that, ifimplemented, will greatly improveyour odds for success:

1. Focus on fundamentals and exe-cution. There’s an old saying, “If youspend all your time watching thescoreboard, the ball’s going to hit youin the face.” While the U.S. basketballteam was keenly aware of the score,their focus and energy was not on thescoreboard, but on the execution oftheir game strategy. Too often in sales,account executives and their managersbecome fixated on the scoreboard—their sales sheets. Instead, if they prac-ticed the sales fundamentals andexecuted their sales strategy, the score-board would take care of itself.

2. View sales as a marathon. If saleswere an Olympic sport, it would be amarathon, not a 100-yard dash. Themost successful salespeople take along-term focus on making their career,not just making their month. Look atdaily, weekly, and monthly billing as

GEORGE LUDWIG4th Quarter Sales Fix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3KURT MORTENSENLaw of Expectations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4JULIE FUIMANONo More Denial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4MARILYN MCLEODOwn Your Career Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5PATRICK MCCLURESales Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6DOUGLAS KLEINResiliency Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6PAM LONTOSSeven PR Secrets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

SHEP HYKENService Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8ROBERTA MATUSONGuard Your Hive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8WOLF J. RINKEThrive in Tough Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9BRENDA BENCEMaster Your Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10MICHAEL ANGIERDifferentiate Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10JIM CROSSReferrals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11DAN ADAMSNew Product Blueprinting . . . . . . . . . . .12

STEVE GIELDASales Simulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12PAUL S. GOLDNERFour Hard Objections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13RICHARD FENTON AND ANDREA WALTZFace Rejection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14GREGORY P. SMITHRecruit and Retain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14DAVE KAHLEKnow Customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15RALSTON MCCRACKENFighting Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16RON STRAUSSEconomic Slowdown? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

C O N T E N T S

games, and look at the year as the season.Play for the year! You cannot manage yoursales, you can only manage your time, focus,accounts, and selling strategies. When effec-tive, the sale will take care of itself.

3. Practice the right technique. To be a topathlete, little is more important than trainingwith the right technique. Practicing thewrong technique will do little to help an ath-lete’s career. The same is true in sales. Toooften, sales people attend a one-day session,leaving excited and fired up about all thenew tools and techniques presented, only toreturn to their offices to do the same thingsthe same way. They can hear all the theoriesand learn all the techniques, but as athletesknow, there is a big difference between see-ing the drills and learning the drills. Hearingwhat to do and seeing what to do does nottranslate to knowing what to do until you—as Nike suggests—“just do it.”

4. Practice those winning tech-niques daily. Sales training worksonly when a dedication to self-improvement is combined withdaily application and practice ofwhat is learned. While having apositive attitude is important,when it’s combined with positiveactivities you will finally see posi-tive results. As you increase yourcompetence, you will have anincrease in confidence. As your confidenceincreases, so does your activity. As youractivity increases your results will follow!

5. Feel it, see it, visualize it. MostOlympians agree their biggest competitionin their quest for the gold is not other ath-letes or the physical routines. Most likely, it’sthemselves. There is usually a direct correla-tion between their confidence level going into an event and their performance. If theyvisualize themselves nailing a routine, theirchances are much greater than if they begintentative and fearful of failure. The same istrue in sales. A confident seller coming offthe heels of a great sale will fair much betterthan those struggling with self-confidence.Visualize yourself achieving success andthen “fake it until you make it.” Imaginethat everyone is excited to talk with you.

6. Focus on your goals, not your obsta-cles. Whether you are going for Olympicgold or playing for “salesperson of themonth,” there will always be obstacles. Thebigger the goals, the greater the obstacles.But a billboard for Accenture said it best, asit depicts Tiger Woods trying to hit arounda tree, that reads “they are only obstacles ifyou cannot see around them.” Recognizeobstacles, but don’t let them stop you.

7. Recovery is part of the process. Rodeoriders know there will be times you getthrown off the horse. But they also know ifyou don’t get right back on, your confidencewill wane and fear will set in. The same is

Volume 8 Issue 11

Sales & Service Excellence is publishedmonthly by Executive Excellence Publishing, LLC (dba Leadership Excellence),1806 North 1120 West, Provo, UT 84604.

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Contributing Editors: Debbie Allen, CurtisBingham, Tom Hopkins, Dave Kahle, RichardIlsley.

Copyright © 2008 Executive ExcellencePublishing. No part of this publication may bereproduced or transmitted in any form withoutwritten permission from the publisher.Quotations must be credited.

2 N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 8 W W W . L E A D E R E X C E L . C O M

true in sales. The quicker you recover from alost sale or an unsuccessful appointment, thesooner you will be back in the game.

All would agree the Olympics were enter-taining, but were they inspiring? Did theyinfluence, arouse, or motivate a change ofbehavior that will produce a change ofresults? What the world experienced was theend result of many days, weeks, months,and years of disciplined hard work andtraining. Do you have what it takes? Younever know until you go for the gold.

Your Top 10 Triggers of GrowthIn sales, as in sports, there are key metrics

and “triggers of growth” to provide short-term benchmarks, leading to long-term suc-cess. Determine where you are today bysetting “baseline stats” with each of these 10items and then set mini-goals for the year.

Increase the size of your cus-tomer base. Use a combination ofsales, marketing and public rela-tions to develop new business.

Decrease your attrition rate.One of the fastest (and cheapest)ways to grow your billing is tostay close to your existing cus-tomers, reducing the chance ofdefection to a competitor.

Increase the number ofprospecting calls per week. Even

if you are in inside sales, you still haveprospects and previous clients you can call.

Increase your prospecting conversionrate. What if you could increase yourappointments from 1 out of every 5 calls to 2or 3? It’s a combination of the right prospect,the right approach, and the right message.

Increase your average number of salescalls each week. Obviously the more callsand face-to-face presentations, the better.

Increase your sales conversion rate. Doubleyour business by increasing your sales conver-sion rate from 20 to 40 percent. It’s a combina-tion of the right prospect, the right product orprogram, and the right approach.

Increase your average sale and averageannual spending per account. This involves acombination of suggestive selling andincreasing the frequency of customer visits.

Increase your average weekly sales. Breakdown your annual billing goals into weeklymini-goals to provide a manageable challenge.

Increase the lifetime of your customer.Your goal is not to make the next sale, but to“super serve” the next customer so they willbecome a customer for life.

Increase your referral rate. Your best cus-tomers can make an advance introduction tohelp create warm calls. SSE

Michael Guld is an author, speaker, consultant, and presidentof The Guld Resource Group. Visit www.talkingbiz.net, call804-360-3122, or email [email protected].

ACTION: Win sales gold.

your team will spend their scarcestresource, time. Be a time managementmaster. Master your time in three ways:

• Sort out your selling funnels and cre-ate a short list. Involving your salespeo-ple, evaluate each salesperson’s salesfunnel at the start of Q4 to determinewhich opportunities to pursue. Look atfive factors: the size/profitability of thesale; a realistic evaluation of where thepotential sale is in the sales process andthe odds of closing it by year-end; theresources and actions necessary to closethe sale by year-end; any adverse cus-

tomer behaviors or conditions that maypreclude them from being a hot-target-ed prospect; and any previous buyingpatterns the target has demonstrated asit relates to price, value, and purchasingurgency. Once you develop a short listfor every seller, have your salespeopleprepare a brief strategy position, assess-ing where you are in the process, foreach of the opportunities.

• Aim for the low-hanging fruit. Plan aQ4 selling promotion targeted towardyour current customers. In hard eco-nomic times, customers want to makesafe choices with their limited funds, sothey look to companies and productsthey know and trust. Team up the salesand marketing departments to offerone or more specific price promotionstargeted to hit the sweet spot of yourcurrent customers—those in the bestposition to purchase by year-end. Italso costs less and is considerablyfaster to sell to existing customers thanit is to acquire new ones.

• Grease the skids with quick commu-niqués. Save precious time in Q4 byreaching out to your customer andprospect database, especially youridentified targets, using a variety oftime-saving communication tactics.

Email, snail mail, faxes, and telephonewill all complement your direct salesefforts and keep you top of mind,which is extremely helpful when tryingto close business as quickly as possible.

Strategy 3: Coach your team to exe-cute the critical sales best practicesnecessary to still win the game. Coachthem relentlessly in three ways:

• Stick to your salespeople like glue. Donot let salespeople fly free. The entiresales management team should be co-traveling and coaching salespeoplethrough year-end. They should encour-age salespeople and ensure the compa-ny’s specific sales best practices arebeing executed with the customer atevery interaction. Coach and teach sales-people to improve skill-sets to ensureevery sales call ends with a positive out-come. This may involve a diplomaticintervention to help advance a sale thatwould otherwise be stalled or stopped.

• Help cut reluctant prospects loose. Ifyou think a salesperson is courtingsomeone who won’t sign on the dottedline this year, help him or her disquali-fy the target. Salespeople are optimisticand often need a gentle, caring salescoach to nudge them to move on to tar-gets they are likely to close in Q4.

• Keep a best practices checklist in frontof your salespeople. The best practicesvary from one company to the next.Still, this list outlines the most commonbest practices for accelerating salesopportunities toward closure: Is this anideal target for Q4 closure? Has the sales-person identified the pain or desire forgain the target is experiencing to adegree that closure can be facilitatedwithin 90 days? Does the salespersonhave a list of well thought out questionsdesigned to expand the relationship,establish credibility, diagnose the pain,and advance the sales process leadingtoward a Q4 closure? Does the salesper-son present and prescribe the product orservice in a way that creates a sense ofurgency? Does the salesperson repeland overcome objections in a way thatdoesn’t delay the sales process?

In the fourth quarter, sales touch-downs and a game victory are bothdoable, even in a recessionary economy.In fact, having a tight deadline energizespeople and helps them focus. Goodsalespeople love a challenge. Harnesstheir competitive spirit and channel itproperly. You’ll be amazed by what yourteam can accomplish by 2009. SSE

George Ludwig is an authority on sales strategy andpeak performance, a speaker, trainer, and consultant,CEO of GLU Consulting, and author of Power Selling(Kaplan Publishing). Visit www.georgeludwig.com.

ACTION: Finish the year with a strong 4th quarter.

by George Ludwig

IN THE FOURTH QUARTER,most sales managers are

anxious. Factor the tum-bling economy into the mix, and anxi-ety morphs into sheer terror and panic.If you’re behind on your numbers, it’snot too late to turn things around—youcan hit your revenue goals before theclock runs down. Sales leaders, likecoaches whose teams are behind at thestart of the fourth quarter, must retool ifthey want to win the sales revenuegame. Managers must adapt to the eco-nomic downturn and find the smartestroute to score big and score fast.

Focus on Three StrategiesFourth-quarter comebacks in sports

show that sales leaders can turn thingsaround, score big late, and win the rev-enue game. But you must focus, drill,and deliver in three areas:

Strategy 1. Make sure your salesteam has a positive mindset. Makebelievers out of them in three ways:

• Give salespeople your best “I have adream” speech. Pull everyone together(in person or by phone) and talk fromthe heart about your belief that thegame can still be won. Convince peopleyou can lead them to victory. Highlightall the specific beliefs that are necessaryfor success. It doesn’t need to be morethan 10 minutes long, but it must speakto the emotions and values of the teamand foster commitment.

• Reinforce the message with some one-on-one coaching. Encourage individualsalespeople to kick some serious bootyand take no prisoners in their pursuitof business. Look for the good in yoursalespeople, catch and reward themdoing things right, and keep the 4th

quarter a time when people feelabsolutely superb about themselves.

• Fire them up—but don’t fire them. Ifyou have a salesperson whose perfor-mance is dismal, don’t get rid of themjust yet. Wait until the first quarter of2009; don’t discuss it at all during the 4th

quarter. Right now you must keep thepositive energy at a peak level and haveyour salespeople emotionally commit-ted so they can sell, sell, sell in Q4.

Strategy 2: Focus on how and where

Fourth Quarter Sales FixY o u c a n t u r n a r o u n d a l o s i n g g a m e .

S A L E S / R E V E N U E

S A L E S A N D S E R V I C E E X C E L L E N C E N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 8 3

more effective when you engage theclient’s emotions. If you are selling carsand say, “You’ll love how this car han-dles in the mountains,” you shift thefocus away from the sale and create anexciting image. You also speak as if thecustomer has already agreed to the sale(he won’t be driving the car in themountains unless he buys it). You actlike the sale is a done deal—and themore you do this, the more it is!

Door-to-door salespeople use thislaw to their advantage. They ring thedoorbell, flash a big smile, say theyhave great news, and wipe their feeton the doormat expecting to be let in.This technique actually works! Thesalesperson hands the prospect his penin expectation of signing the contract.

Using expectations, you createimmediate reactions to stimuli. Often,prospects don’t even have to think—

they just go along with your proposal!They don’t even stop and think abouttheir response—they are already finish-ing the deal in their mind!

Use presupposition by putting it inwriting. People think that if some-thing’s in writing, then it must be true.We often go along with something wesee without questioning it, just becauseit’s what the directions say to do.

When people are aware of your highopinion of them, they want to live upto your opinions. If they receive praise,they want to be worthy of that praise.

Do you inspire others to achievemore? Your actions towards others willtell them how you feel or think. SSE

Kurt Mortensen is founder of the PersuasionInstitute, a negotiation, leadership, and sales researchfirm, and author of Maximum Influence andPersuasion IQ. Visit www.persuasioniq.com.

ACTION: Expect confidence; presuppose success.

by Kurt Mortensen

THE LAW OF EXPECTATIONSuses expectations to

influence reality and createresults. You tend to make decisionsbased on how others expect you toperform, fulfilling those expectationswhether positive or negative. Whenyou know someone expects somethingfrom you, you try to satisfy him or her.

People rise or fall to meet yourexpectations of them. You can expressan expectation of doubt, no confidence,and skepticism, and you’ll see negativeresults. If you believe in someone, showconfidence in them, and expect them tosucceed, you’ll see positive results.When you create expectations, youchange people’s behavior.

You communicate your expectationsthrough your language, voice inflec-tions, or body movement. If someoneintroduces themselves by their firstname, you do the same. If they givetheir first and last name, so do you. Youaccept cues from others regarding theirexpectations, and you act accordingly.Similarly, you send out your own cuesand expectations. The power is in usingthe Law of Expectations consciously!

The Law of Expectations dramaticallyinfluences performance. What peopleare told influences their perception andperformance. So adding the Law ofExpectations to your persuasive reper-toire can change your client’s expecta-tions of you, making you infinitely morepersuasive. The behavior you expect isthe behavior you get. And often yourexpectations are based on your assump-tions about people. Your expectationsbecome reality, a self-fulfilling prophecy.If you assume you are perceived a cer-tain way, you tend to act in that manner.

Are the assumptions and expecta-tions you have about yourself liberatingor victimizing? The Law of Expectationsis at work daily. Someone who thinksthey’re going to be fired suddenly expe-riences a drop in the quality and enthu-siasm for their work—and then they getfired! Their belief causes them to act acertain way, and those expectationsbring about the very thing that wasonly a figment of their imagination.

Presupposition: Assume the SaleThe power of suggestion is even

by Julie Fuimano

HAVING AN ELEPHANT INthe room is a metaphor

for living with a huge issueyou don’t see, or do see but do nothingabout. It is avoidance or denial.

Avoiding the ElephantYou know the elephant is

there; you can see it. But youdo all you can to avoid it.

If what you are avoidinglives at home, you might staylate at work, take on projects,or work overtime. You thinkthe pain of avoiding it is easi-er to deal with than facing it.

If the elephant is at work,avoidance brings poor morale, a nega-tive work environment, lots of “sickdays”, a lack of trust, low productivity,and the loss of creativity and innovation.

Maybe you’re minimizing an issue.You make excuses in an attempt todeflate its impact. You say, “It’s okay. Healways yells like that. It’s no big deal.That’s just the way it is. It isn’t so bad.”

In any case, the elephant needs to beseen for what it is. To eliminate the ele-phant, accurately assess the situationwithout prejudice or bias.

Denying the Elephant’s ExistenceWhen you live in denial, you don’t

even see the elephant. You may sensesomething isn’t right, but you’re just

not ready to see it. You are impris-oned, trying to navigate around thisbig obstacle. Until you remove theobstacle and tackle it head-on, you arenot free from its impact in your life.

How do you remove it? Becomeaware of how you feel, when you’reuncomfortable, or if you feel you haveno space. Look for areas of your lifewhere you are not free to do, think, orbe who you want to be. If you are notfree to choose, chances are there’s anelephant in the room.

Removing the ElephantWhether you are avoiding ordenying, destroy the elephantby facing it. Accurately assesswhat is going on withoutconcern about how to fix it oraddress it. Simply see what isreally going on. Accept “whatis” and be responsible.Empower yourself. Create alife that frees you to be and

do all you are capable of.Denying or avoiding limits and

drains you. Face everything and beopen to grow and develop yourself.Contribute more of your talents andabilities. Enjoy yourself more. What doyou gain by living the lie or by danc-ing with an elephant? It’s a great placeto hide your beauty, brilliance, skills,and talents but you’ll lose precioustime that can’t be retrieved. May youchoose to live and work in spaciousrooms liberated from elephants. SSE

Julie Fuimano is a coach and author of The JourneyCalled YOU. Visit www.NurturingYourSuccess.comor email [email protected].

ACTION: Get rid of the elephant in the room.


M A R K E T I N G / B E H AV I O R

M A N A G E M E N T / R E S O L U T I O N

Law of ExpectationsLeverage the impact of suggestion.

No More DenialR e m o v e t h e e l e p h a n t .

Spend some quality time with the peo-ple you most enjoy being around andlisten to them on their terms. Learnwhat they need, and from that per-spective start thinking about whatvaluable improvement in their livesyou can provide. A customer is moreinclusive than just the people you’rehoping will buy what you’re selling.Think about the people who supportyou—your co-workers and family.They have needs too and will be morereceptive to help if you’re interested inmaking their lives better first.

3. Seek and listen to feedbackabout your business. Regardless ofwho you are and what youbring to the marketplace, Isuggest you actively seekinput from others. Youcould save yourself signifi-cant time and money overthe long term. Once you arebetter acquainted withwhat makes you happyand what your customersneed, consider adaptingyour business model tomatch your market. Keep your origi-nal ideas on file. I find my first ideasare often inspired and it’s helpful toremember what they were when theright time finally does come around.Don’t expect yourself to be good ateverything. Find strategies or otherpeople to help you with the necessarytasks you don’t do as well. If it’s notnecessary, take it off your list.

4. Focus on tasks that are mostimportant. How well do you keeptrack of your time and resources? Doyou know what you do with eachhour? Or do you begin each day run-ning and just keep going until there’sno day left and you’re exhausted? Areyou spending most of your time onyour most important tasks? Create alist every night of the next day’s mostimportant tasks or priorities. If the listis too long, make it shorter or circlethe one or two items that will makethe most difference. Then schedule 20minutes to one hour of quiet, uninter-rupted time at the beginning of theday to focus on just those few items.Don’t multi-task during this hour.Just make progress on your mostimportant items. Do this every day,

the same time each day. Let peopleknow which part of your day you’reavailable, and which part of the dayyour door is closed and your phoneunanswered. You can create a systemin case there’s an emergency duringthat hour, but usually the world canadjust and allow an hour for concen-trated, focused work.

5. Sell your personal brand alongwith your product. For any business tobe successful, someone has to sell some-thing. If you’re managing your career,you’re selling your personal brand. Ifyou’re shy, join Toastmasters or getinvolved with a professional group.Practice talking with people. Thinkabout what you have to offer profes-sionally, and learn to convey this inbrief statements people will respond towith interest. How likeable are you? Dopeople trust you? Read What Got YouHere Won’t Get You There by MarshallGoldsmith and see if you can discover

ways to become more effec-tive in your interactions.

6. Ask how you aredoing and follow up. Resistthe urge to just keep goingalong the same track with-out asking your customershow they’re doing. Whynot ask? People like beingasked for their opinion. Itconveys respect and appre-ciation, which is what you

want your customers to feel whenthey think of you. There is so muchvaluable information to be gained byasking. Whether they are right orwrong, remember that you are listen-ing to their perception and they’re theones writing the check. Even if theyhave a negative perception, you needto know what they’re thinking. If youask the question, they can let youknow the problem, and you have thechance to fix it. If you can’t fix it, youcan at least let them know how muchyou value the relationship.

7. Celebrate and have fun. Life andbusiness are easier when you’re havingfun. People are more attracted to youwhen you’re light-hearted andinspired. Remember what makes youhappy, and include it as part of yourday. Think about what makes your cus-tomers happy, and spend part of yourday doing something fun for them youknow they’ll appreciate. That littleextra really makes a difference. SSE

Marilyn McLeod is a coach with Marshall Goldsmithbehavioral coaching. Call 760-644-2284 or [email protected].

ACTION: Own your career path.

by Marilyn McLeod

THE CURRENT ECONOMY IStough. Global competi-

tion is changing the work-place, so career advancement is morecompetitive. You need to take controlof your career and be proactive. Takesome lessons from those who havemade a career of branding their ownproduct or service, and taking it tothe marketplace as entrepreneurs.

I help people develop behaviors tobecome more effective as leaders indealing with their customers and otherstakeholders. Successful leaders acceptresponsibility for their lives andcareers; they put in the effort requiredand find creative solutions until theyget the important things done. Lesssuccessful leaders find someone toblame and tend to whine about notgetting the right opportunities. It’s notimpressive to blame others whenyou’re the only one calling the shots.

Take Seven StepsHere are seven steps you can take

to owning your career path and pro-fessional development:

1. Accept that you are the one whomust champion your new creation. Youmay think your product or service isyour starting point, but your key iscloser to home. You are the one whowill be putting in the long hours tobring your vision to fruition. You haveto be healthy to carry this responsibili-ty, and you have to be happy to carry itlong enough to make it work. Whatmakes you happy? What do you espe-cially enjoy doing, and who do youmost like to spend time with? What areyour values? What roles most appealto you? Define a role, career, productor company that matches who youauthentically are as closely as possible.

2. Adjust your goals, products orservice to suit your customers. Youmay have the greatest product ever, butif the timing isn’t right nobody willbuy. You must either sign up to create anew market niche, or consider adjust-ing your goals to fit your customers.This doesn’t mean there’s anythingwrong with your pet project. It’s aboutbeing realistic with current trends.

Own Your Career PathN a v i g a t i n g i n t o d a y ’ s m a r k e t p l a c e .


M A R K E T I N G / P E R S O N A L

the highest levels. Persuade them toadopt your goals or to fully supportthe corporate goals. You can pay thema salary to help you achieve yourgoals, and you will have some suc-cess. However, if they develop a pas-sion for achieving a goal that youboth share, results expand exponen-tially. When their goals and yourgoals are the same, miracles occur!

4. Your team needs to set attain-able goals, and agree to achieve them.Help your team be accountable forachieving the goals they set for them-selves or agree to. Don’t let them losetrack of their goals. They are account-able for achieving their goals, and youfacilitate this process. Managementmust lead the team to maximum per-formance. People give their best effortif they trust that you hold their inter-ests at heart and wish them success in

whatever they do. You can’t force peo-ple to perform at their peak. Train themto expect maximum results, and theninsist they do their best. If they’venever tasted victory at the level youwish to attain, they won’t know it’spossible. Prove to them the goal can beachieved. General George S. Pattonsaid, “Never tell people how to dothings. Tell them what to do and theywill surprise you with their ingenuity.”

By mastering a few basic principles,you can transform the way you sell andbecome more efficient, more effective,and more precise. You will find thatselling can become easier and more pro-ductive when done with precision. SSE

Patrick McClure is president of the Connexia Groupand a member of the Association of ProfessionalConsultants. Visit www.ConnexiaGroup.com.

ACTION: Master sales management and leadership.

by Patrick McClure

YES, YOU CAN MASTER THEart and science of per-

sonal sales to become moresuccessful, win new business, andgain more customers. But to takeyour team to the next level, you mustmaster the art and science of salesmanagement and leadership. So howcan you best manage and lead a high-performance sales team?

1. Lead from a position of joy. If youtake away a man’s joy and motivationin his job, you create a slave. Lead byexample. Show them how to do thetask, them coach them into doing it.Great leaders are servants of the peoplethey lead. The ancient term for warlord(Samurai) translates into “those whoserve.” Reward the achievers and youwill be rewarded with more achieve-ment. Isolate the non-performers,working to turn them into achievers.

The opposite of leading others froma position of joy is to lead withoppression, confusion, and interfer-ence. Never punish a member of agroup publicly, always encourage.Otherwise, you drive out incentive.

2. Simplify, streamline, and acceler-ate performance. Make their jobs easier,and then get out of the way! GeneralColin Powell said, “Great leaders arealmost always great simplifiers. Theycan cut through argument, debate anddoubt, to offer a solution everybodycan understand.” The wise sage Lao-Tzu wrote: “Why are people so hard tomanage? Because they have becomecomplicated. He who leads others witha complicated mind is a source ofcalamity. He who leads others withsimplicity is the source of blessing.”

3. Personalizing your motivation.People are motivated in many ways,and one of your most important tasksis to understand their motivation,articulate your own motivation, andthen ensure they are complementary.For instance, someone might be moti-vated to earn just enough money topay for their car and dine out. But youmay be motivated to dominate yourmarketplace, to become the #1 compa-ny in your industry! Do you see a pos-sible conflict here?

Team members must learn how andwhy to drive themselves to achieve

by Douglas Klein

EMPLOYEES’ ATTITUDES AREsure to decline in uncer-

tain economic times. Butmanagement needs to work throughthis uncertainty and these cycles byadopting effective strategies.

Take seven steps to formulate aResiliency Strategy:

1. Build a partnershipculture. Companies with apartnership culture consis-tently outperform their com-petitors during both boomtimes and downturns. Theyfollow hallmark values ofbasic trust, a long-term per-spective, joint decision-mak-ing, open communications, andfinancial sharing on a daily basis.

2. Create, communicate, andexhaust alternatives before downsiz-ing. An employer that treats itsemployees as partners makes everyeffort to avoid layoffs. Employeestrust management that is open, hon-est, and is doing everything it can tocushion the blow. When it doesbecome necessary to reduce costs,there are many alternatives to layoffs.

3. Focus on the local behavior ofimmediate supervisors and managers.Create an environment where every-one is respected, given timely recogni-tion, supported in their continueddevelopment, and provided coaching

and guidance. Leaders and managersshould understand their own and theirsubordinates’ reactions to stress, andhow to develop coping strategies.

4. Pay more attention to high-potentials likely to leave. Considerdeveloping a retention strategy forhigh- potentials that includes a strongfocus on career development. Givethem special projects to meet theirachievement needs, and make surethey are taking advantage of trainingand development opportunities.

5. Create ways for employees to con-tribute to company goals. One excellent

mechanism is gain-sharingefforts. As the name says, it isa method for sharing gainswith employees—the gainsthat employees themselvesachieve for the organization.These programs are verymotivating and truly exempli-fy a partnership culture.

6. Include employees toassist with possible solutions. Man-agement may keep plans and informa-tion secret during difficult times. Com-municating openly and asking for helpin developing actions to be taken helpsminimize feelings of powerlessness.

7. Perform periodic employeeassessments. Assess how anxious theiremployees and leaders are feelingabout internal and external issues.Monitor workers’ stress levels, theirperceptions of their workloads, and beon the lookout for burnout. SSE

Douglas Klein is President of Sirota SurveyIntelligence (www.sirota.com) and contributor to TheEnthusiastic Employee (Wharton School Publishing).Visit www.enthusiasticemployee.com.

ACTION: Improve employee attitude and morale.

M A N A G E M E N T / P E R F O R M A N C E

M A N A G E M E N T / A T T I T U D E


Resiliency StrategyKeep motivated and engaged.

Sales LeadershipP r a c t i c e f o u r p r i n c i p l e s .

inform the media you have somethingto offer. Press releases are also a goodmethod for getting your product orservice reviewed in publications.Watch the breaking news and if some-thing ties to your business, send apress release to the newspapers, radioand television shows, and magazinesoffering your take as an expert tointerview about the situation.

Give your press releases a profes-sional look by using a letterhead. Keepthem short (two pages maximum), anddouble space if possible. Direct it to aspecific reporter or editor to make sureit doesn’t get lost in the stacks, andalways use a slant aimed at the publi-cation’s or show’s audience. And don’tforget your contact information.

4. Develop a winning media kit. Asyou approach the different media out-lets, you’ll need to send them a mediakit. Think of your media kit as yourresume; it tells the media professionalsabout you and your business. A profes-sional media kit should include yourshort bio, a summary of your productor service, and your contact informa-tion. Also include sample questionsabout your topic that the writer or hostcan use during the interview. Put allthis information together in a profes-sional folder, and present it to mediaprofessionals before interviews.

5. Solve your contact’s problems.With stories, each reporter and produc-er has a unique personality and uniqueneeds. Figure out what they want andmake their job much easier. If youmake a media professional’s job easier,they will come back to you for morequotes and more interviews. Ask themwhat other stories they’re working on,and for what other publications theywrite. Ask how you can help them andwhat other topics they’d like to see. Letthe reporter, editor, or producer know

you care about their stories and theiraudience because in the end, you’llboth look good. Establish working rela-tionships with media professionals anddevelop strong contacts. Learn every-thing you can about the show or publi-cation, and about their competition, toreally make them shine.

6. Give a great interview. Do youknow what it’s like to talk to a boringperson? They drone on for hours abouttopics that don’t interest you, and allyou can think about is getting rid ofthem. Keep this in mind when you talkto the media. If you are boring, theywon’t want to talk with you ever again.But if you have energy and keep yourresponses on the topic, you’ll keep themedia professionals interested. Beforethe interview, take time to prepare threeto five main points you’d like to cover.Then if the conversation goes astray,you can revert back to these points withease. Also, don’t be pushy about whatyou want. They may or may not haveroom in their story to mention yourproduct or service. But if you ask nicely,you’ll have a better chance.

7. Follow up. Once you establishcontact, maintain the relationships andfollow up for more exposure. Avoidnagging with “did you decide yet”calls, but do ask when the article willbe published or when the show will air.Maybe you can offer a new bit of infor-mation in your follow-up call.Remember to reintroduce yourself,because reporters and producers talk tomany different people every day. Andbe sure to send a thank-you note. Theseadded touches of consideration let themedia professionals know that youappreciate them and make them wantto work with you again in the future.

Use the PR Secrets to SuccessA successful publicity campaign is

hard work, but it need not be excruciat-ing. Understand your customers’ inter-ests and target your products to theirneeds. Use a professional approach andmedia kit. Develop strong workingrelationships with media professionals.Give a great interview, then follow-upto show your enthusiasm.

Publicity is the key to increasingyour bottom line. You don’t have to bea PR pro to make the most of yourmedia exposure. With these sevensecrets you can maximize your PR suc-cess and secure free publicity. SSE

Pam Lontos is president of PR/PR, and author of I SeeYour Name Everywhere. E-mail [email protected], call407-299-6128 or visit www.PRPR.net.

ACTION: Use publicity to increase business.

by Pam Lontos

IS PUBLICITY REALLY THATimportant? Yes! The effec-

tiveness of your publicitycampaign will ultimately determine thesuccess of your business. It may be assimple as having a letter published inthe editorial column of your localpaper, or as dynamic as having afront-page article with your namesplashed across the headlines.

A successful publicity campaign ishard, but you don’t have to be a publicrelations expert to maximize results.Use the following trade secrets toincrease your visibility and sell more ofyour product or service:

1. Get to know your audience. Onesurvey reported the typical Fortune1000 CEO is more likely to havewatched The Simpsons than to havewatched all three presidential debates.What does this mean for your publici-ty? Don’t make assumptions aboutyour audience. Understanding youraudience and what appeals to them isimportant if you want to get noticed.Keep in mind that you have a varietyof different tastes that go beyond yourwork, and so does everyone else.Figure out what magazines your audi-ence reads and what shows they watch,then read and watch the same things.

2. Create news. Familiarize yourselfwith popular publications within youraudience to gain an understanding ofwhat issues are important and interest-ing to them. Understand what they findnewsworthy, and develop your publici-ty around these issues. Tie your topic tocurrent events and target your audiencedirectly when you pitch stories.

If your business focuses on homeorganization, you can reach a businessaudience for “Clean Off Your DeskDay.” Or, if you help businesses imple-ment time management strategies in theworkplace, you can reach an at-homeaudience with an article on how to tack-le the home improvements you start,but never complete. Don’t be afraid tostretch the boundaries of your topic.Remember to create news that interestsyour audience, not that interests you.

3. Send press releases. Press releasesare the easiest and quickest way toadvertise to a large audience, and they

Seven PR SecretsG e t y o u r b u s i n e s s n o t i c e d .


P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S / S U C C E S S

you and your company do on a day-to-day basis. It might be someone whosecar has a flat tire across the street fromyour place of business. How do youreact when they come to you for help?Do you tell them there is a pay phonedown the street, or do you pick up thephone and call for a tow truck? Solvingnon-business problems is a way of gen-erating good public relations. Younever know; this person could turn outto be your next customer.

4. Recovery. I don’t care how goodyou are. You can have a long-term, sat-isfied customer for years and as soonas something bad happens, you haveto recover. That recovery will be thecustomer’s final judgment on just howgood you really are. Remember, stud-ies have proven it is much less expen-sive to keep an existing a customerthan to get a new one. Do what you

can, not just to recover from a problem,but to give the customer a renewedconfidence to continue to do businesswith you again. Sometimes this meansgoing beyond just fixing a problem.Sometimes you have to get the cus-tomer back in the door. A restaurantthat had a problem with a guest’s mealmight not just remake the dinner, butalso give a complimentary appetizerthe next time the guest comes back.Not only did the restaurant resolve thecomplaint, but also gave an incentivefor the guest to come back.

These four examples of simple yetpowerful tools are the key to successin customer service and will createmany moments of magic! SSE

Shep Hyken is a professional speaker and author. Call 314-692-2200, email [email protected] or visit www.hyken.com.

ACTION: Make customer service your philosophy.

by Shep Hyken

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE ISnot a department—it is

a simple philosophy thatshould be practiced by everyone,regardless of position or title, and canbe broken down into four basic princi-ples. By understanding these four sim-ple concepts, you will create moremoments of magic for your customers.

1. Common sense. This means doingthe obvious. It is a little more than treat-ing your customers like you wouldwant to be treated—it is treating yourcustomers the way they would want tobe treated. What you would expectmight be different than what your cus-tomer might expect. For example, abellman may work at a five-star hotel.When he stays at a hotel like the one inwhich he works, he would neverdemand the same level of service andattention the hotel’s guests demand. Buthe still understands what they wantand desire, and he delivers it to them.

2. Flexibility. Rules and policies arenothing more than guidelines. Don’t let“company policy” stand in the way ofmaking a customer happy. However,there does come a point where youhave to take a stand. In spite of whatyou may have heard, the customer isnot always right; but they are alwaysthe customer. If they are wrong, letthem be wrong with dignity. Do whatyou can, within reason, to see that yourcustomer is always happy. I amreminded of the CEO of a major com-pany who told all of his people, “Dowhatever it takes to make the customerhappy.” They did, and almost put thecompany into bankruptcy. Trainingmust go along with empowering peo-ple to be flexible. If properly trained,the employee can deliver what the cus-tomer perceives as a “whatever-it-takes” attitude, without the employeesputting the company out of business.

3. Solving Problems. There are twotypes of problems to solve—businessand non-business. Business problemsinclude taking care of complaints andmeeting customer needs. Customers arecoming to you to either satisfy a com-plaint or have you help them with aproblem; you need to be there to helpthem. Then there are non-business prob-lems having nothing to do with what

by Roberta Matuson

AFARMER RECENTLYreported an attempted

hijacking of his honeybeehives. The attempt was unsuccessful,but the farmer could have lost hisability to cross-pollinate his crop oforganic vegetables. Unable to replacethe honeybees in time, his entire busi-ness would have been lost overnight.

Most of us were unawareof the integral role honey-bees play in our ecologicalsystem until they starteddisappearing. We now real-ize how dependent we areon this tiny sector of natureto fuel our food systems.

Your company has impor-tant resources worth protect-ing, too—experienced workers. Whatwould become of your organization ifthese people disappear? How manyyears would it take to replenish thisvaluable resource? If someone tried tosteal one of your most preciousresources, would your colony collapse?Could your organization survive?

Prevent PoachingPrevent others from stealing the

experienced talent you have workedso hard to cultivate in four ways:

1. Control the climate. Take yourorganization’s temperature so you canmake adjustments before you have a

mass exodus. Use climate surveys oremployee focus groups. Check in semi-annually or annually to track yourprogress as you work toward buildinga comfortable environment for all.

2. Reassure your talent. Older work-ers are often concerned they will bereorganized out of the company thenext time a wave of reductions hit, mak-ing it difficult for them to focus on per-formance. With your next lay-off list,make sure you are not sending the mes-sage that experience is no longer valued.

3. Don’t give them a reason toleave. Create an environment whereolder workers feel welcome. Ask expe-rienced people how to improve the

workplace so they feel moreengaged. You may not changeeverything overnight, but youwill send the message thatyou value their contributionand are willing to makechanges to retain them.

4. Make your workplacemore accessible. Offer pre-ferred parking to employees

who find it difficult to walk from theend of the parking lot to the employeeentrance. If a job requires standing forlong periods of time, supply anti-fatigue mats or chairs. Employers withlarge campuses could invest in SegwayScooters to allow older workers tomove about the campus more freely.

Protect your hive and be in positionto thwart off any attempts to steal yourhoney and your precious bees. SSE

Roberta Matuson is president of Human ResourceSolutions. Visit www.yourhrexperts.com, call 413-582-1840 or email [email protected].

ACTION: Value your experienced workers.

C U S T O M E R S E RV I C E / C O N C E P T S

M A N A G E M E N T / P E R S O N N E L


Guard Your HiveProtect critical resources.

Service PrinciplesC r e a t e m o m e n t s o f m a g i c .

the profitability. If you do that consis-tently, you will be promoted or ableto negotiate for an increase in pay.

Think of yourself as self-employed.Seeing yourself working for one com-pany for the rest of your career iscrazy. You need to see yourself as rent-ing your services out to someone else(your employer). Compute your dailycompensation and add about 30 per-cent for benefits. Ask yourself, “Have Icreated value today that exceeds mydaily compensation?” or “How am Icreating $____ value today?” Repeatthese questions every day.Keep asking, “How have Igrown in my job today?”Go to work each day with abriefcase of skills and com-petencies. At the end of theday, check your briefcase tosee if you’re taking home thesame things you brought in.If so, it’s is time to move onto a more challengingassignment.

Become a highly effective network-er in and out of your organization.When it comes time to find a newassignment, your network will deter-mine how fast that happens. Eat lunchwith different people three out of fivedays a week, sit with people youdon’t know at meetings, and attendconferences sponsored by differentgroups. Add at least one “mover andshaker” to your network every month.

Check YourselfAssess how well you’re achieving

a competitive advantage in this tougheconomy by asking yourself:

Am I learning? If you’re not, yourmarketplace value diminishes rapidly.

Am I being taken advantage of?Don’t sacrifice your long-term devel-opment to put out short-term fires.Don’t let your ego get the better ofyou when you’re told, “We can’t dowithout you!” No one is indispens-able. Never, ever, get caught in persis-tent short-term traps, at the expenseof your long-term development.

If my job were open today, would Iget it? Benchmark your skills all of thetime. Look at the want ads to find outwhich skills the marketplace is look-ing for. If you do not possess those

skills, invest more in yourself bybecoming a voracious life-long learner.

Am I adding value? If you can’tanswer this immediately and briefly,assume no one else knows how youcontribute value either. You are a likelytarget during the next downsizing.

Am I good at selling? You sell all thetime. You sell your internal or externalcustomers your products and/or ser-vices. You sell your boss on a raise. Yousell your team members on an idea.You do the same at home with yourspouse, children, and even your pets.So get great at it! Look for a qualitysales program and attend it this year!

Am I energized by change? Don’tfight or resist change. Change will con-tinue to accelerate at hyperspeed, sowelcome it with open arms.

Does my resume focus on contribu-tions? Get out your resume and check

how well it identifies spe-cific and ideally quantifi-able achievements, specificimpact on the bottom line,and variety and content ofwork, projects and leader-ship experiences. Are youimpressed? Would you hirethis person? If so, congratu-lations! If not, update yourresume now and get it cir-culated even if you don’t

need or want a new job.

Now, Take ActionThere is one more skill you need to

master. This one is more importantthan all the others. It’s the one skillthat, when all else fails, will determinewhether you will thrive in this tougheconomy. The skill is to take action!Action lets you know whether whatyou’ve tried works. If it does, do moreof it. If it does not, try something else.Start the process all over again, andsoon you’ll find yourself succeedingfaster than you have ever thought pos-sible. Whatever you do, avoid at allcosts fretting about having failed—there is no such thing, unless youmake the same mistake over and overagain. Action gets you away frombemoaning change and mourning thelack of job security. Action will liberateand empower you. Action will get youto grow, change and adapt. Action willprovide you with virtual job security,enabling you to achieve a competitiveadvantage and assuring that youthrive in this tough economy. SSE

Wolf J. Rinke is a consultant, speaker, coach, and authorof Make it a Winning Life and Don’t Oil the SqueakyWheel. Visit www.WolfRinke.com or call 800-828-9653.

ACTION: Analyze and improve yourself.

by Wolf J. Rinke

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY GONEthrough downsizings or

rightsizings, put yourselfin the driver’s seat of your career bydeveloping new skills that enable youto take advantage of opportunitiesand thrive in this tough economy.

Think projects. Work gets done pri-marily by three distinct specialties: 1)resource providers develop and supplytalent or money; 2) project managersensure talent and resources are orga-nized so the project gets done; 3) talentgets the job done. To thrive in a tougheconomy, master winning managementskills and perform well in the projectmanager or resource provider role.

Think global. Take advantage ofglobalization by increasing your cul-tural awareness. Seek employment ina multicultural organization. Apply toFortune’s 100 Best Companies to WorkFor or similar organizations. Learn aforeign language and travel to a coun-try that speaks that language. You’llbecome culturally sensitive and bringback great ideas to increase success.

Become an effective team playerand leader. A lot of work is beingaccomplished in today’s organizationsby teams. Learn how to empower oth-ers and master leadership and win-ning management skills. Be equallycomfortable and effective in a support-ive role as in a leadership role.

Focus on delivering exceptionalquality service. This is not an option;it’s a survival strategy. Remember, theperson you serve—an external or aninternal customer—is who providesyour paycheck. It’s not your boss oreven your organization. Look at lastweek’s calendar and find our howmuch time you’ve spent with yourexternal or internal customers. If youare not spending at least one third ofyour time with your customers, youare making a big mistake!

Become a problem solver. You canno longer expect to be compensatedfor time—only for results and prob-lems solved. Actively look for a prob-lem, then put a team together andsolve it. Then let the powers that beknow what a great job your team didand how much your team improved

Thrive in Tough TimesT a k e a d v a n t a g e o f o p p o r t u n i t i e s .


M A R K E T I N G / I N D I V I D U A L

are credible; prove you can deliverwhat you promise. It isn’t enough tosay you can fill a need at work; youmust show that you have the experi-ence and training to do it. Prove it withyour background, your education, andthe unique qualifications you bring.

Secret 8: Your personal brand isalways being built through what yousay and do. This doesn’t mean youcan’t make mistakes; means you needto think about behaviors that coulddamage your brand. Even whenyou’re not on the job, if someone seesyou drinking too much at the localpub, it could get back to your manag-er. Think before you act.

Secret 9: Be consistent in how youcommunicate your brand. Whatwould you think if Nike suddenlystarted encouraging you to be a couchpotato? Just as Nike is consistent in

promoting sports and fitness in all of itsadvertising, you must be consistent inhow you present your personal brand.

Secret 10: Don’t pretend to be some-one you’re not. You won’t be happy,and it’s hard to remain consistent witha fake personal brand. Find out whatyour audience needs, and align thoseneeds with your own unique strengthsand character traits. Your personalbrand will reflect who you are, bring-ing greater success and fulfillment.

Protect your brand. Take advantageof personal branding secrets that havehelped them reach their potential andapply them to your work and life toachieve your goals. SSE

Brenda Bence, branding expert and certified executivecoach, is the author of How YOU Are Like Shampoo.Visit www.HowYOUAreLikeShampoo.com.

ACTION: Apply these personal branding principles.

by Brenda Bence

PEOPLE LIKE SIR RICHARDBranson, Barack Obama

and Suze Orman have allbuilt powerful personal brands, pro-pelling them to the top. They took thetime to define, communicate, and pro-tect their brands. You can be sure theyfollowed these 10 top secrets to reachtheir great success.

Secret 1: You already have a person-al brand, simply by virtue of you beingyou in the workplace. Determinewhere your personal brand is strongand where it could use improvement.Make the necessary changes to make itas strong as possible.

Secret 2: Your personal brand existsin the minds of others in the way theyperceive, think, and feel about you. Ifthe public fails to perceive a corporatebrand as the best, it won’t be success-ful. So keep in mind your personalbrand is not what you think it is, butwhat others perceive it to be.

Secret 3: Personal branding is allabout your audience. Personal brand-ing is not self-centered and all aboutyou. Just as corporate branders mustoffer a benefit to consumers in order fora product to be a success, you must filla need your audience has in order foryour personal brand to be successful.

Secret 4: The only way to determineif your brand is successful is to findout how your audience perceives you.If there is a gap between what youraudience thinks and feels about youand what you want them to think andfeel about you, your personal brandshould be adjusted and strengthened.

Secret 5: Have a strong personalbrand; carefully define it. If your per-sonal brand doesn’t start with a crystalclear definition, it’s just a vaguepremise. A clear definition tells a mar-keter which consumers to target andwhere to focus advertising dollars.Your own brand should do the same.

Secret 6: The best brands respond toboth emotional and functional needs.If two accountants are equally quali-fied, the one with a stronger personalbrand will be the one who is reliableand precise. His audience can relax inthe knowledge that the work will bedone on time and well!

Secret 7: The best personal brands

by Michael Angier

COMPETITION IS GOOD.It’s good for the econo-

my. It’s good for customers,and it’s good for us as business own-ers and managers. It keeps us con-stantly improving our products andservices. It hones our skillsand stretches our imagina-tion. But just how can wecompete effectively?

The best way to competeis to differentiate our-selves—to stand out fromour competition with ourunique gifts and style webring to the marketplace.

Sometimes this can bedone by being first. Xerox did it incopiers. Kleenex did it in tissues. But ifwe can’t be first on the market, we’reforced to do something else. So howdo we do this? Here are two ways:

1. Know your unique assets—whoyou are and what you stand for. Thistakes some soul-searching. It takessome thinking. What do we do best?What do we love doing? Where havewe received the most tribute? Are wefaster, less expensive, more responsive,cleaner, lighter, hipper? Are we friend-lier or easier to do business with? Ifyou’re not any of these things, rein-vent yourself. Decide what you wantto be known for. But don’t try to besomething you’re not. This reinvention

should be a discovery of latent valuesand qualities—things that are alwaysthere but rarely exploited.

2. Take every opportunity to showpeople what you’re all about. Tell yourstory, tell it well, and tell it often. Getother people telling your story. Most ofthis is common sense—it’s just not com-mon practice. Southwest Airlines andJetBlue are about the only airlines mak-ing any money these days. What’s theirsecret? Southwest is known for lowfares, friendly people, and fun flights.Jet Blue is known for new planes, video

screens in every leather seat,low fares, and friendly service.They’re known for this becausethey deliver on this reputationday in and day out. Andthey’re good at telling their sto-ries well. There’s good buzzabout what they do, how theydo it, and how well it’s work-ing. People rave about theirexperiences flying on these air-

lines. No wonder they’re turning profitswhen others are declaring or trying toemerge from bankruptcy.

Few things are more important, inorder to compete effectively, than differ-entiating yourself. Do it with substanceand based upon your core values. Backit up with commitment. You’ll beknown for what you want to be knownfor. You’ll have more fun doing whatyou do best. You’ll serve your cus-tomers better. You’ll step up your prof-its and your fulfillment. SSE

Michael Angier, founder of SuccessNet.org, releasedthe New SuccessNet Resource Book. Visitwww.SuccessNet.org or www.MySuccessNet.com.

ACTION: Improve business. Differentiate yourself.

Differentiate YourselfShow people what you’re all about.


M A R K E T I N G / B R A N D I N G

M A R K E T I N G / I N D I V I D U A L I T Y

Master Your BrandHere are the Top 10 Secrets.

problems. How would you rate yoursatisfaction with this project?”

Client: “We are extremely happywith the implementation and lookforward to working with you more.”

Sales Rep: “I echo your sentiments.I do my best to deliver on expecta-tions and provide excellent customerservice. Based on my track record, doyou feel I’ve earned the right to askyou for some referrals?”

If you’ve held up your end of thebargain, don’t be afraid to ask for abigger piece of the pie. You said youwere going to do X, you did X, andthe customer is happy. Clients under-stand that asking for refer-rals is part of the process.

Two Types of ReferralsClient to Client: This

referral gives you the lee-way to take care of the per-sonal interest of yourcustomer. It is typically areferral to someone outsideyour customer’s compa-ny—perhaps an associatein the field but employed elsewhere.It is okay to offer a reward for a lucra-tive referral. Some sales reps pay amonetary amount to the client forreferring new customers. Or you cansimply get the referral because yourcustomer respects you and doesn’texpect anything in return.

Introduce yourself to the new client,and let them know you have a success-ful relationship with the mutual con-tact, and that based on your pastsuccess, the contact suggested you givethem a call. Be clear you are calling toearn business based on your previousachievements with the mutual contact.You are calling with the purpose of get-ting in the loop and earning business.They will thank you for not wastingtheir time with chitchat.

Don’t show up expecting to havebusiness handed to you. Remember,your old client’s reputation is on theline. You have to impress the newclient and to make your old clientsproud and confident in their decisionto give you the referral. Be humbleand honored to earn the new client’sbusiness. Be knowledgeable of his orher industry and business model.

And, be professional and respectful.Don’t talk about details regarding

your other client, except the profession-al relationship you have. A referralenables you to get your foot in thedoor, but the rest is up to you. Youcan’t expect someone to buy from yousimply because he or she met with you.Show credibility and earn his or hertrust just like with any new account.

Client to co-worker: This referralrequires a little more hand-holding. Youcan’t offer a bonus incentive because itcould be a conflict of interest. Have yourclient champion you into other depart-ments of the company based on theadded value you bring to the table. Ifyou have kept your end of the bargain,your client will want you to work withthe other departments and contacts.

Use the same approach: “Based onthis proven track record, do you feelokay with me offering my services toother areas of your company?”

Lunch meetings or jointconference calls are a greatway to do introductions. Beon your game and pre-pared to put your best footforward. Referrals don’talways have to be salesrelated. Prove yourselfwithout the customer evenmaking a purchase. Meetthe three criteria: you agreeon X, you deliver X, and

the client is happy with X. Even if theydon’t purchase anything from you, youhave executed and met expectations.

Referrals don’t have to be to a newcontact. Use the referral to expandyour offerings within the same contact.If you have met the three criteria, youhave earned the right to ask for otherbusiness from the same contact. Youare referring yourself into new busi-ness with existing contacts. If youhaven’t given them a reason to doubtyou, then why wouldn’t they give youa shot at more of their business?

Referrals are the low-hanging fruitto increasing your business. Don’t coldcall; have someone refer you into newbusiness based on past satisfaction.

Always remember to thank yourclient for any successful referrals. It iscommon courtesy to thank someone fora referral, regardless of the outcome.You will lose credibility very quickly ifyou forget to thank your existingclients for their helping hand. SSE

Jim Cross is author of Bacon & Eggs and founder ofThe Cross Corp. Visit www.thecrosscorp.com or call847-529-3724.

ACTION: Ask satisfied customers for referrals.

by Jim Cross

EVERYONE TALKS ABOUTreferrals, but few pur-

sue them. Referrals shouldbe the reward for a job well done—the by-product of excellent customerservice. The hardest part is asking forthem. You need a game plan and wellthought-out strategy. You’re askingclients to put their reputation on theline by recommending you to anotherclient or co-worker.

Approach referrals after your clienthas successfully implemented yourproduct or service. Since your client isbusy, pursue referrals after the close oftheir quarter, project, or busy time.View the referral as you would anyother sales pitch. You are pitching theclient on giving you a referral. Beforeyou ask, show them why you’veearned the right to a referral. Presentthe hard work and excellent customerservice you have given the client.

Assess your client’s needs and thentransition into your needs (referrals).Ask the customer for a lunch meetingor a conference call to review theaccount and get a status check. Presentthe client with something tangible—such as customer service reports,product breakdowns, returns, or pro-ject deadlines. Get the client thinking,“Yes, I have been pleased.”

If you can’t present a favorableoverview, you haven’t earned the rightto ask for referrals. Make sure yourclient is satisfied and happy with yourservice. Communicate three things tothe customer: You and the clientagreed upon X. You delivered X. Theclient is happy with X.

Here is a sample dialogue:Sales Rep: “Mrs. Customer, I want

to thank you for your business and geta feel for how things have been recent-ly. I’ve prepared a report outlining ourmost recent project and high pointswithin the project. As we discussed,you wanted XYZ implementation tobe up and running by XYZ date. Wecame in ahead of schedule and underbudget. You also said it was impera-tive there were no glitches, and every-thing seems to be running smoothly,and the project was delivered without

ReferralsG e t m o r e o f t h e m .


S A L E S / N E T W O R K I N G

Seven Steps of NPBStep 1: Market research. Sift your

potential opportunities early andcheaply using internet-based marketresearch and effective screening tools.

Step 2: Discovery interviews.Interview customers using techniquesthat uncover dozens of needs in depth.Enter the customer’s world to discoverand understand what will excite him.

Step 3: Preference interviews.Prioritize customer needs that aremost important and least satisfied.Replace your internal bias with harddata—and kill your project if cus-tomers are not eager for change.

Step 4: Side-by-side testing. Comparecompetitor’s products with your ownand attack their weak spots, avoid beingblind-sided, and optimize pricing.

Step 5: Product objectives. You havea wealth of outside-in customer andcompetitive data. Use this data to cre-ate a blockbuster product design, tar-geting specific customer needs andpredicting market reaction.

Step 6: Technical brainstorming.You’ve got the “what” (your productdesign), but must now consider the“how.” Brainstorming technical solutionsfrom inside and outside your company.

Step 7: Business case. Would a ven-ture capitalist fund your project? Driveout assumptions, bias, and wishful think-ing before you begin heavy spending inthe product development stage. SSE

Dan Adams is president of Advanced IndustrialMarketing and author of New Product Blueprinting. Visitwww.newproductblueprinting.com or call 330-715-8709.

ACTION: Learn to blueprint your product.

by Dan Adams

THE ONLY WAY TO WIN INtough times is to consis-

tently develop new prod-ucts customers want to buy and findclarity in the front end of the process.Then, fine tune it to a high-perfor-mance level by adopting New ProductBlueprinting. NPB enables you to con-sistently launch products that areeagerly embraced and to developproducts customers love, competitorsrespect, and stockholders applaud.

Five AdvantagesNPB is attractive for five reasons:1. Blueprinting lets you more effec-

tively harvest low-hanging fruit.Discover your customers’ needs—andthe needs of your customers’ cus-tomers. Hold customer interviews andhelp your client strengthen ties withtheir customers.

2. It prevents you from squanderingresources on unsuitable markets. Thefirst step in NPB is to target the bestmarket segments. You can’t afford towaste your time and money in pursuitof customers that won’t pay off.

3. It accounts for critical differencesbetween B2B and B2C customers.Engage a handful of buyers in theproduct development process. This cre-ates a customer base that is more savvy,rational, interested, and concentrated.

4. It helps you engage customers,treat them with respect and solicitinput. Never approach the customerwith cleverly-scripted questionnaires.Ask simple questions so they directyou to the areas they are most con-cerned with. Promote a respectful,peer-to-peer dialogue, and create anidea-generating atmosphere.

5. Avoid the selling stigma and thegreat solutions giveaway. You are inter-ested in results your customers want.Understand how you can deliver valuethat your competitors are missing.

Implementing NPB won’t be easy. Itmeans changing the DNA of yourcompany. But why be satisfied withgreat quality and productivity for mak-ing products customers yawn at? NPBrequires an investment in people and acommitment to do things differently.

by Steve Gielda

HOW EFFECTIVE IS YOURsales training? In

today’s market, sales repsmust not only be able to sell a competi-tive advantage—they must be a competi-tive advantage. Experienced salespeoplereflect a particular type of learner whoresponds to a specific kind of learning:

Fast-paced: A successful learningexperience must mimic thedynamic pace of their real-world selling environment.

Feedback-rich: A suc-cessful learning experiencemust give reps the opportu-nity to make mistakes andget expert feedback.

Challenging and compet-itive: The learning experi-ences must represent challenging andcompetitive situations that engage thesalespeople to strive for a win.

Team-based: The best learning expe-riences must be team-based so the par-ticipants can share best practices, pushback on ideas, and strengthen thinking.

Relevant: To deliver strong results,learning activities must be based onreal world situations.

Fun: The experience must create themotivation to learn.

Driving Business ImpactBusiness impact comes from mas-

tery of the fundamental skills—callexecution, presentation, negotiation,strategy development and others—plus

in-depth practice and feedback in theapplication and integration of thoseskills under real-world conditions.

Here are four good reasons to con-sider a classroom sales simulation: 1) tocreate a realistic environment to test“what if” scenarios and provide oppor-tunity to make mistakes in a safe envi-ronment; 2) to provide context, contentand process which are relevant, realis-tic, and directly applicable on the job;3) to shorten learning cycles because ofimmediate feedback; and 4) to drivebusiness impact through strategicapplication of critical selling skills.

Done well, simulations bring enor-mous benefits. Companies using only

traditional training pro-grams are wasting time andmoney by comparison. Sinceof our generation X salesreps prefer learning from acompetitive, game-like expe-rience, they will find it hardto learn from the experienceif it doesn’t relate to theirown business.

Classroom sales simulations shouldinclude the market conditions, trends,and competition your sales team facesdaily. They will experience failure andtriumph in a safe environment andlearn from their experiences, improv-ing their chances for success.

Many companies implement class-room sales simulations to help themapply critical selling skills to their busi-ness strategy—helping with marketchanges, company performance, a newproduct launch, and more. SSE

Steve Gielda is a Principal with Sales Momentum, asimulation-based sales training company. Visitwww.salesmomentum.com, call 703-266-7667, oremail [email protected].

ACTION: Simulates sales situations.

New ProductBlueprintingE m b r a c e i t n o w .


S A L E S / P R O D U C T

S A L E S / P R A C T I C E

Sales SimulationsThese drive business impact.

Four Standards ObjectionsI see only four objections in sales:

Price, Competition, Not Now, andWill It Work? Every other objection isa version of one of these four. Thereare many ways to say the same thing.

A customer or prospect may simplysay, “Your price is too high.” But theymight say, “The competition’s productcomes with free shipping or installa-tion.” By making the latter remark, thecustomer tells you your product, plusthe cost of shipping or installation, ismore expensive. Likewise, theprospect could state they are using thecompetition for the productyou are selling and they arequite happy with the resultsthey achieve. They couldalso say they handle theneed for your product orservice internally.

Handling ObjectionsTake these three steps:1. Listen fully and com-

pletely. It is crucial to under-stand what the customer is telling you.

2. Categorize the objection. Placethe objection you just heard into one ofour four categories; Price, Competition,Not Now and Will it Work?

3. Provide the category response.Because there are only four objectionsin sales—regardless of your industry,geography or job role (inside sales vs.outside sales)—you need not memo-rize thousands of responses. You needonly prepare one good response foreach of the four category objections.

We have already provided sampleresponses to the Price objection, so wewill focus on giving you representativeresponses to the other categories.

Competition: The customer says,“we use your largest competitor.”Respond by saying, “That’s fine. Theyare a good company, but what wehave found is that we can often be anexcellent supplement to some of thethings they provide.” Your responseis a function of the company and theindustry you work in.

Will it work? The customer says,“Have you ever done this in ourindustry?” To this you can state, “Ican see why that would be a concern

to you. I will provide you with threereferences of companies in your indus-try where we have already successfullyimplemented this solution.”

Not now: The customer says, “Idon’t have a need for that now.” Youcan respond by saying, “I can under-stand that you don’t have a need at themoment but as long as I have you onthe phone, do you mind if I ask you afew questions? This way, when you dohave a need, I will already have anunderstanding of your business.”

Here you are using open-endedquestions to find some unstated cus-tomer need you can act on now as abasis to get your face-to-face meeting.

In this situation, I recommend usingthree open-ended questions. If youcannot get a meeting after three open-ended questions, set up this prospectfor your next call to them a month ormore into the future.

Two Keys to SuccessWhen implementing our

approach to objection han-dling, use two keys:First, understand what keyphrases you should usewhen crafting each of yourfour category responses.The key phrases include:Price—Lowest total cost ofownership or greatestreturn on investment.

Competition—Supplement, compli-ment or in addition to.

Will it work?—Reference stories.Not now—Use three open-ended

questions to probe for additional rea-sons to meet when the initial reason youuse is not compelling to the prospect.

The second key to success is prepa-ration. Because there are only fourobjections in all of sales, there is noexcuse not to prepare a response foreach and to role play and practice yourresponses until you well prepared.

It’s important to understand thesefour categories of objections. Becomefamiliar with how they might soundwhen you hear them from the customerin the sales process and which keyphrases to use in your response. Learnwhere each objection is most likely tooccur in the sales process—telephoneobjections vs. face to face objections.And discover which objections are morelikely to come first in their respectivephase of the sales process. SSE

Paul S. Goldner is a noted entrepreneur, sales strate-gist, speaker, and author of the REDHOTSALES books.Call 914-232-4682, email [email protected], orvisit www.redhotsales.com.

ACTION: Make 2009 a REDHOT sales year.

by Paul S. Goldner

WHEN I LEARNED ABOUThandling objections, I

was taught a simple, fairlyeffective four-step process: 1) listenfully and completely; 2) show empa-thy for the customer’s or prospect’sposition; 3) provide your viewpoint onthe issue or situation; and 4) go for theclose, which usually means asking forthe appointment or the business.

These four steps provide a time-tested process for handling objections,but there is a better way!

Methods for Handling ObjectionsThere are some important objection

handling techniques. These include:Feel, felt, found. This technique is

quite effective when handling theprice objection. You could say: “I canunderstand how you feel. Many of mybest customers also felt that way. Butwhen they started to work with us,they found we give them a much lowertotal cost of ownership.”

Ask open-ended questions. The cus-tomer might say, “Your price is toohigh.” Respond with, “How did youarrive at that conclusion?” or “Whatfactors entered into your decisionmaking process?” Open-ended ques-tions enable you to gather more infor-mation about the customer’s concern.

Present a different alternative. Usea different perspective or method.“That is one way to look at the facts;my way is simply another—a differentalternative. If you consider the timesaving features of our product, youwill see that you get the best return onyour investment with us.”

Ask leading questions. Leadingquestions, if used correctly, can artful-ly cause your customer to considernew facts and circumstances. “Haveyou considered that our product willreduce the time it takes for you toprocess an order?”

Instead of telling the customer theyare making a bad decision by usingprice (instead of value) as their decisionmaking criterion, artfully ask them aquestion so they can gracefully changetheir answer or decision without hav-ing to acknowledge they were wrong.

Four Hard ObjectionsT a k e t h r e e s t e p s t o o v e r c o m e t h e m .


S A L E S / O B J E C T I O N S

life—along with what Harold saidnext: “The salesperson never decideswhen the sale is over—the customerdoes.” Then he looked me in the eyeand said, “Your fear of hearing theword no is the only thing standingbetween you and greatness.”

It was amazing. I had gone intowork that morning hoping to keep myjob, and I went home just two lettersaway from greatness: N-O.

I had been operating with thewrong model of success and failure. Ithought I was in the middle, with suc-cess on one end and failure on theother. I thought my mission was to doeverything within my power to movetoward success and away from failure.But that moment with Harold openedmy eyes. I realized failure was thehalfway mark on the road to success—not a destination to be avoided but a

stepping stone to get what I reallywanted in life. Most people get to thesign marked failure, figure they’reheading in the wrong direction, turnaround, and head back home. Theythink success is back the other way, butit’s not—it’s straight ahead!

The word fail is not a “four-letterword!” Failing is not something to beavoided at all costs. The best way todesensitize yourself to a word is to useit, and the best way to desensitizeyourself to an action is to do it!

It’s the same thing with the word no.Don’t let your natural sense of tenacityget drummed out of you. Don’t takerejection personally. Don’t let no standbetween you and greatness. SSE

Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz are founders ofCourage Crafters, and authors of Go for No! Visitwww.goforno.com or call 800-290-5028.

ACTION: Embrace the benefits of “no.”

by Gregory P. Smith

EMPLOYERS FACE MAJORchallenges when they

consider the increasing dif-ficulty of finding skilled people, ayounger workforce with different atti-tudes about work, and a growing pop-ulation of older workers. Your singlegreatest challenge is recruit-ing and retaining goodemployees and managers.

Improve your ability toattract, retain, and increaseproductivity by applyingthe five-step PRIDE process:

P—Provide a positiveworking environment. Youcan’t delegate the responsi-bility to create a positive work envi-ronment—it starts at the top. The mainreason employees quit is a poor rela-tionship with their first-line supervi-sor. Properly trained managers play amajor role in an effective recruitment,retention, and engagement strategy.

R—Recognize, reward, and rein-force the right behavior. People have abasic human need to feel appreciatedand proud of their work. Recognitionand incentive programs help meet thatneed. An effective reward and recogni-tion program does not have to be com-plicated or expensive. Creative waysto reward employees can have a big-ger impact than cash.

I—Involve and engage. People may

show up for work, but are theyengaged and productive? People aremore committed and engaged whenthey can contribute ideas and sugges-tions. Give them a sense of ownership.

D—Develop skills and potential.More than 40 percent of people saythey would consider leaving for anoth-er job with the same benefits if that jobprovided better career developmentand greater challenges. Skilled peoplewill not remain in a job if they see nofuture in their position. To eliminatethe feeling of being in a dead-end job,create an individual development plan

for every position.E—Evaluate and measure.

Measure attitudes, morale,turnover, and engagementlevel. Conduct an employeesatisfaction survey at leastonce a year. Initiate interviewsand surveys concerning thereal reasons people come toand leave your organization.

Improve your hiring process to create abetter match between the individual’stalents and job requirements. Provideflexible work arrangements for work-ing parents and older workers. Holdmanagers responsible for retention intheir departments. Start measuring thecost of turnover. Focus on the key jobsthat have the greatest impact on prof-itability and productivity. Examinethose departments that have the high-est turnover rates. Design an effectiveemployee orientation program. SSE

Greg Smith is a speaker, consultant, and author ofHere Today, Here Tomorrow. Call 770-860-9464 orvisit www.ChartCourse.com.

ACTION: Take PRIDE in your employees.

Recruit and RetainApply the PRIDE process .


S A L E S / S U C C E S S

M A N A G E M E N T / E M P L O Y E E S

Face RejectionD o n ’ t f e a r h e a r i n g ‘ n o ’ .

by RichardFenton andAndrea Waltz

THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO SUCCESS INmarketing and sales is the fear of

hearing No! The word No stands likea brick wall between you and yourgoals. The most important quality ofgreat salespeople is their willingnessto face rejection.

Consider this story:I had only been working at Dubin’s

for about a month when the districtmanager, Harold, was scheduled to doa store visit. I really wanted to impresshim. I wasn’t doing very well in sales,and I was worried that if my sales did-n’t improve, I would be let go. I wasnewlywed and needed the job.

Harold showed up about 9:30, andat 10 a.m. we opened the doors. I wasthe first salesman in that morning, andso I had first ups. In walks this finely-dressed gentleman who announces thathe wants to buy an entire wardrobe ofclothing! Within 30 minutes, I had mybiggest sale ever, $1,100. I was certainHarold would be impressed.

After the customer left, Harold saun-tered over and said, “Nice sale kid.”My chest puffed out with pride, butHarold didn’t seem overly impressed.Then he said, “I’m just curious, whatdid that customer say no to?”

“What do you mean?” I shot back.“That guy just bought a suit, sportcoat, three shirts, six ties, shoes, socks,a belt and underwear!”

Harold waited calmly for me tostop being defensive, then said,“We’ve already established what hesaid yes to. What I want to know nowis, what did he say no to?”

I mentally reviewed the sale, thensheepishly replied, “Nothing. Thatcustomer didn’t say no to anything.”

“So,” Harold asked, “how then didyou know he was done?”

I suddenly realized the customerhadn’t ended the sale, I had! Why? Thecustomer had hit my mental spendinglimit. I had never spent over $1,000 ona shopping trip, so when the customerexceeded my mental spending limit, Ifigured “Hey, he’s done!”

Learning that lesson changed my

and say when you are talking with acustomer, you can do nothing betterthan to ask a good question. It is yoursingle most powerful sales tool.

Of all the ways you can think aboutyour job, nothing comes close to formu-lating powerful questions to ask your-self, then answering them in writing.The question you ask yourself is yoursingle most powerful thinking tool.

That power springsfrom a simple principle:When you ask a question,they think of the answer.

In the case of askingthe customer, the ques-tion influences, shapes,and energizes the think-ing of your customer.Not only that, but thelanguage in the ques-tions you ask yourselfdirects and focuses yourown thinking.

The decision to buyyour product or service ultimately takesplace in the mind of customers. Andenables you to shape what takes placein their mind? A good question. Yourquestions can cause your customers tothink a certain way about you and yourproduct. That’s the power of a question.When you ask them a question, theythink of the answer. Imagine the powerof asking a series of significant ques-tions to direct and influence your cus-tomers’ thinking.

Suppose you’ve just made a propos-al or a presentation. What questioncould you now ask the customer tocause him to think more positivelyabout your product? You might ask, “Inwhat ways do you see yourself or yourcompany benefiting from this product?”This will influence the direction of thecustomer’s thinking. That’s the ultimatepower of a good sales question.

The power of a question to directthinking applies just as powerfully toyou. When you ask yourself questions,you direct, influence, and energize yourown thinking. Asking good questions isyour most powerful thinking device,shaping and prompting excellent analy-sis, great prioritizing, powerful creativi-ty, and excellent plans. Your ability tothink well depends on the language inthe questions you ask yourself.

I once sold for a distributor of hospi-

tal supplies. I was told by my managerto present something to every customeron whom I called. So, I prepared tomake a sales presentation on every salescall. At some point, I thought that if Icould increase the quantity of sales pre-sentations I made, I could increase thevolume of my sales. So, I asked myself:“How can I double the quantity of salespresentations I make in my territory?”

The answer to the question wasobvious: Take two things with me onevery sales call. While the answer wasobvious, it took me asking the rightquestion to uncover the answer and theresulting strategy. I did just that, andsaw my sales increase dramatically.

Some time later, I askedmyself a similar question:“How can I increase thequantity of sales presenta-tions I make in my territo-ry?” Again, the answerwas obvious: Take morethan two! But it wasn’tuntil I asked the rightquestion that I discoveredthe resulting strategy. Iagain implemented thatstrategy and saw my salesincrease.

I eventually askedmyself this question: “How can I increasethe quantity of sales presentations?”

Since I asked the question in a differ-ent way, it led me to a different answer,and a different strategy. The answerwas to influence the manufacturer’sreps who sold the lines I carried towork on my behalf in my territory. Ifone of them made a product presenta-tion in my territory, it would have thesame impact as if I had made it myself.So I identified and then worked with acore group of reps, with whom mycompany had exclusive relationships,and who I determined to be competent,honest and reliable. As a result of thisstrategy, I did five times the volume ofthe average rep in that field.

One reason I did that kind of volumewas because I created more opportuni-ties. And I generated more opportunitiesbecause I worked closely with a coregroup of reps and was prepared to showseveral items to every prospect or cus-tomer on every sales call. I implementedthose strategies because I arrived at theobvious answer to some questions Iasked myself. So, focus on gaining mas-tery in asking better questions. SSE

Dave Kahle, The Growth Coach, is a consultant andtrainer and author of six books, including QuestionYour Way to Sales Success (Career Press). Visitwww.davekahle.com or email [email protected].

ACTION: Ask yourself useful questions.

by Dave Kahle

THE BELIEF THAT YOU, AS Aprofessional salesperson,

are primarily a problem-solver severely limits your perfor-mance—and yet most sales managersand salespeople proclaim good sales-people are good problem solvers.

Yes, good salespeople are goodproblem solvers. However, they aremore than that. And if a salesperson ormanager focuses on just that piece of asalesperson’s job, it eclipses all othermore pertinent ideas and limits thesalesperson’s effectiveness.

Salespeople who see themselves asgood problem solvers naturally lookfor problems to solve, thus missinghuge opportunities to assist their cus-tomers in other ways. In fact, many ofthe best salespeople don’t look forproblems to solve—they create discon-tent in their customers by showingthem better ways to do things.

If you think of yourself as a prob-lem solver you tend to focus on thedetails of the customer’s problem. Inso doing, you miss what the customerwants. You might waste hours prepar-ing and faxing the quote, and thenwonder why you didn’t close the sale.You are prepared to respond to thetechnical specifications of the problem,but fail to understand what the cus-tomer really wants, and thus, have lit-tle chance of closing the sale.

To overcome the limitations andboundaries of this belief, you need toconsider yourself to be an accom-plished salesperson who can under-stand what a customer wants in a deepand detailed way—someone who canput together your products and ser-vices into offers that give your cus-tomers what they really want.

When you rid yourself of the limit-ing belief that you are a problem-solver and begin to understand whatyour customers need, you rid yourselfof the bonds wrapped around yourperformance, and unleash your capa-bilities for greater return.

Ask Better QuestionsBetter understand your customers

by asking better sales questions.Of all the things that you can do


Know CustomersA s k t h e m b e t t e r q u e s t i o n s .

S A L E S / P R O B L E M S O LV I N G

priate questions and gathering thenecessary details. It is vital to encour-age the caller to call again with moreinformation as it becomes available.Have the interview specialists create asystem of checks and balances, maybeby sending the report to both the HRDirector and the CFO—offering anadditional layer of investigation toensure proper follow-up.

Track the internal response toclaims. Use a database that combinesthe data from documented com-plaints with the investigation data inone central location. Such a systemshould include the case’s final out-come and a record of the correctiveactions. This streamlines complianceactivities and creates a clear docu-mentation trail for further review.

Make sure all stakeholders areaware of the hotline. Tell employees

about the reporting mechanisms andeducate them about expected behav-iors. Review and study feedback fromthe hotline. Reinforce hotline commu-nications awareness programs basedon the use or misuse of the system.Make clear the specific purpose andgoals of the hotline program. Reinforcethe message on every level of manage-ment to confirm the program’s validityin the minds of employees.

Anonymous hotlines have proventheir worth in detecting harmful activi-ty. When combined with well-plannedcommunication programs, documenta-tion, and tracking, hotlines provide avital component of any complianceprogram. SSE

Ralston McCracken is VP of sales and business devel-opment for The Network. Visit www.tnwinc.com.

ACTION: Utilize a fraud hotline.

by Ralston McCracken

FRAUD OFTEN ARISES FROMwithin the ranks, erod-

ing profits and investorconfidence. U.S. companies lose morethan $600 billion a year to fraud, andfighting fraud is now among the FBI’slist of top 10 priorities. While somecompanies are still in denial about theseverity of this issue, others are takingsteps to combat it through the use ofwhistleblower hotlines.

Hotlines are extremely successful atdetecting fraudulent activity and cur-tailing subsequent losses. This isbecause workplace fraud is most likelyto be detected through a tip, ratherthan by internal audits or other con-trols—especially in cases where fraudlosses top the million-dollar mark.Hotline and Web reporting systems canprovide a viable option for employeeswho are uncomfortable speaking up inperson or revealing their identity.Hotlines also have a dramatic impacton the bottom line. Organizations oper-ating without anonymous hotlines suf-fer an average of $200,000 a year infraud-related losses; fraud hotlines cutthose losses in half.

Anonymous hotlines can also helpyou obtain valuable insights into vul-nerabilities such as discrimination orharassment. You can document con-cerns from employees, vendors andother stakeholders. It also providesinformation needed to identify trends,target areas for improvement, andevaluate the effectiveness of ongoingethics and compliance efforts.

Operating a Fraud HotlineIf everyone isn’t comfortable with

the hotline—they fear being recognizedor incurring management interfer-ence—few viable tips and concerns willbe addressed. If this is the case, opt foran externally operated, third-party pro-gram, reducing conflicts of interest andproducing a comfort level.

Regardless, you must have a consis-tent and reliable method for takingreports. Train interview specialists toknow how to handle sensitive situa-tions, make employees feel safe andcomfortable, and gather specificdetails. A trained interviewer can helpa caller relax while asking the appro-

by Ron Strauss

PRUDENT BUSINESS LEADERSwill address the short-

term financial implicationsof a slowdown, but there are other,non-financial, long-term implications.For example, what are the implicationsof a slowdown to your brand reputa-tion among stakeholders?

Employees: Your employ-ees’ view of your companyand its reputation will bekept if you act quickly toshare with them the emerg-ing situation and the possi-ble actions everyone willhave to take—cut costs,freeze salaries, cut back ontravel, etc. Acting early you can engagethe employees in the best way to copewith the situation. Challenge them tocome up with alternative action plansthat will enable the company to comeout of any slowdown stronger.

Vendors: Create a win-win situationby proactively approaching your ven-dors, finding ways to put greater valueinto your relationships. Look at theactivities and steps your two organiza-tions engage in. If the added value isnot evident, see if that activity can beavoided, modified, or stopped. Whentimes get better, your vendors willremember working with you throughtough times, and your brand and rep-utation will be burnished as a result.

Customers: Be proactive. Tell yourcustomers what you’re doing and whatyou’d like to do to control or reducecosts and create more value. Have yoursales force deliver this message to yourkey accounts. Set up teams to diagnoseeach situation, develop proposals, andexecute. Measure the results and sharewith all participants. Step up your mar-keting activities to add selected high-margin new customers.

Investors: Keep the folks informedwho have an equity stake in yourbusiness—your employees, vendors,and members of the community who

own your stock through amutual fund or 401K plan.Communicate early and often-what’s being done to proac-tively meet the challenges of aslowdown, manage expecta-tions and protect your and thecompany’s brand integrity.

Community: Communityactivities and contributions are

the first victims of budget cuts. Shineby not eliminating them. The mediawill be looking for good news, and bykeeping these programs in place (albeitat a reduced level) you can get positivecoverage. Members of the communitywill think well of your brand long afterany slowdown has run its course.

Treat each stakeholder so theirexperience matches your brand’spromises. Maintain brand integrityand create value. Do what’s needed toprotect your brand, and you’ll get thebest long-term financial outcome. SSE

Ron Strauss is president of Brandzone and co-authorof Value Creation. Visit www.valuecreationbook.com.

ACTION: Protect your brand in a poor economic.


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