Posted by
Ron Prince on Sun, Sep 09, 2012 @ 08:20 PM
"That changes the game for the next 90 days for sure," I said to my client. He had just informed me two of his critical team members had just received promotions and would be leaving his team. Of course this happened in the midst of a corporate initiative, budget projections, and execution of two major projects.
He looked at me and calmly said, "After thinking through this, I have found several ways to make this a positive situation. First, instead of playing the victim of the corporation, I am proactively going to add some contract help to fill the gap until we can recruit full time. Second, another manager has agreed to loan me 25% of a coordinator's time and a marketing professional to do all our writeups. I am putting the change plan together and presenting in three days. I need your coaching help to put the presentation together."
WOW! How often does that happen? My client was savvy enough to put a change draft together and move on with an action plan without wasting days feeling like a victim.
Baseball is a favorite sport of mine. The pitching and batting gets most of the attention, particularly on the type of pitch thrown and the batter's reaction to that pitch. The Change Up is a pitch that is just that....something different than what you were expecting. More than a few time this season, I have seen a batter's knees lock up on that pitch and their whole body just did not know what to do or they did wrong thing and swung way too early. Change hits most people a change up pitch....it locks theirs knees and they get stuck at the plate.
Typically, we see change coming from three directions. 1)Change that is dictated to us, we have no choice but to execute it. 2) Change we initiate and lead, seeing the vision and communicating the need. 3) Change we facilitate from the group around us, not knowing what it is going to be but open to the process.
Many people in leadership positions get stuck in waiting on the dictated changes, living the role of victim and waiting for the next incident. Great leaders, emerging leaders, and productive followers search for opportunities to initiate change and to facilitate it within their groups.
Change happens, as they say. Do you let it get you or do you capitalize on it? What does your team do? The success of leading change can often be tied to the emotional intelligence and change skill set of a leader. In addition, the individual contributor or follower in some cases, has the ability to demonstrate a positive impact through change with or without a good change leader.
A sales professional know how to evaluate change opportunities and lead clients to success. Leaders and individual contributors find the options and opportunites to accelerate through the value process.
If you would like to schedule a free 10-45 minute phone conference with Ron Prince to discuss a change you are currently working through, need to start, or a sales opportunity you want to evaluate, please, click on the red button. Prior to the call, you will be sent an precall prepartation so you have pertinent information available during the call. At the end of the discusssion, you will be asked three questions: Was this helpful? Is there anything we could have done differently? Is there anything you would want to do more of?
Posted by
Ron Prince on Wed, Jul 25, 2012 @ 02:32 PM
Four things sales reps love to hear from the customer:
- "I like it, it will look good in our showroon."
- "Fine. We can reach our goals quicker that way. When can you start?
- "Bob and Alisha both liked it and I think we can get the team on board."
- "It adds up. The cost are in line and the data indicates we are making the right choice by using this."
Why did your customer buy from you? Or better yet...How did your customer buy from you?
Sales reps sell differently. Some are more assertive than others, louder and faster. Some are more emotional than others, facially animated and use of hands. Buyers buy differently, following the same style patterns and his or her buying style. This buying style may be recognized as the decision making style of the buyer. Buying decisions typically revolve around four basic motivators: 1) Being Right, 2) Fast and aligned with goals, 3) Impulsive, exciting, and 4) Agreement with others or concensus.
What would be the impact of your entire sales process if you knew in advance what decision making style your customer used? Suppose you learned how to match your sales process with more than just your own style?...how much relevant information would you gather on the first meeting?...would you match your presentation with that style?....what would happen to your closing opportunities? your sales goals? your income? your company growth?
Sales professionals have been using style techniques for centuries to increase sales, improve performance, and build customer rapport. The techniques involve basic observation skills and empathy. Many sales professionals double their income and blow their goals out of the water using style and managing the sales process.
The idea is simple: Know yourself and control yourself in the sales process, all steps. Know your customer and match their needs in your interactions with them. Plan your call around the customer's style, ask questions and make statements to help them make a buyer decision with his or her buying style. Sales skills are like any other, they need introducing, practice, execution, and refinement. These techniques, added to basic product knowledge and true empathy, turn beginners into winners and winners into champions.