Just Say No-Pt. I (Dallas, TX)

November 9, 2007 · Filed Under Sales Training · Comment 

Phillip CrumJust say, “No”, hasn’t worked well as a tool in the war on drugs so maybe we can use it effectively in the war on commodity pricing. You don’t want a stable full of low-ball, price shoppers. My advice to you is to run; quickly and far.

Several weeks back Tyler and I were on an appointment that sounded like it had a lot of promise—the guy was interested in seeing us, said he had some forms that he needed to do and asked us to come over. Took about another two weeks to nail him down on a date and time so by the time we got there we had already made plans on how to spend the commission money. I waited in the car as Tyler ran the appointment—it’s a training thing—and hoped for the best.

Twelve minutes later he came out, looked at me and shook his head in disappointment. Getting in the car he said the guy was all about the lowest price and wasn’t interested in anything else. Didn’t care about any of our on-line capabilities, has no other locations, no sales force, no other needs he was willing to talk about. Just handed him a stack of things to quote and refused to even tell him what he had been paying. So much for a warm, new, relationship.

I suggested that he wasn’t the kind of account that Tyler wanted because he’s going to be nothing but trouble. He’s going to want everything for free and there’s going to be something wrong with all of it. And he’s going to want it yesterday and the guy’s rough attitude was probably all we’d ever see.

You could feel a sense of empowerment, and Tyler’s back-bone stiffen, as the stack of quote fodder sailed through the cab and landed unceremoniously in the back-seat of my car where it remains to this day. That was three weeks ago and we haven’t wasted another moment of our time on that bottom-feeder of a prospect. Why should we? There’s no money in it. The account contains problems just waiting to happen, and the “moral victory” of gaining the account is really no victory at all. Haven’t hear back from the guy, either.

Just say, “No”. That’s enough for now.

May God richly bless the whole lot of ya.

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“Feel Good” Appointments (Dallas, TX)

November 9, 2007 · Filed Under Sales Training · Comment 

Phillip CrumSales Manager to Sales Rep after an appointment:

“How’d it go?”

“It went great! She was really nice. Showed me around their facility and told me how long she’d been there. Introduced me to one of her co-workers and she was really nice, too. I found out that the second one used to work at the same place I used to work and her kid plays soccer with mine! They were glad to get the notepads and said I could come back anytime. I feel really good about this one!”

“<sigh>”

I get this a lot from newbies because a feel-good conversation is easier to have than one of substance. What do we really have as a result of the feedback above? Not much. The beginnings of a good personal relationship maybe but no indication at all that we’re any closer to making a buck from real work. In my all-seeing, all-knowing, crystal sales management orb, I see that her initial contact has a brother in the print business and she wouldn’t change that for love or money. She also likes to get three quotes on every job because her boss insists, so she’s happy that she just got her another quote producer for her stable of vendors she uses and abuses like so many cheap dates. Tag, you’re it. And the second gal is the first contact’s lunch buddy. The only thing she buys is a bag of Fritos everyday in the corporate cafeteria. But, we do feel really good about it all since no one was mean to us.

I think I’m gonna be sick. There are many months and countless dollars to be spent on this suspect before the truth becomes apparent to this sales rep. Please, kill it quick!

What constitutes a successful appointment? A clear strategy of discovery written on real paper prior to the appointment. For those that might need the extra little nudge, you have to take this piece of paper with you on the appointment. Okay. Get all the information you need to get your talking points addressed and answered, determine your next, best course of action and implement it at the appointment before you leave. In other words, promise to do something that includes your prospect’s involvement or set another appointment before you leave.

If you get to the front door and you haven’t set that next action in concrete, go back in and do it before you leave. If you reach the door with unanswered questions and you have no next action set despite having been told to do so several times now, take the elevator down, exit the front door, turn right and keep walking until you spy an Alphagraphics, Kinkos, or a Burger King. Apply; they need you.

This stuff is not difficult, it’s just scary but that’s why it pays better than other positions. That’s enough for now.

May God richly bless the whole lot of ya.

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How To Get Lucky Selling Shoes (Dallas, TX)

November 9, 2007 · Filed Under Sales Training · Comment 

Phillip CrumProspecting is not about wearing out shoe leather. Grandma used to say, “work smart, not hard” and I still like that but I think the truth is that if you do your preparation work in the smartest fashion possible then the real leg-work becomes more productive. For example, if I’m selling shoes I would do well to make sure that my prospect list is a group of people that all have feet, wear shoes, and preferably buy lots of them. There are people groups who don’t wear shoes.

So, if you prepare a prospect list full of folks that match the criteria above, you’ll sell a lot of shoes. Skip that preparatory step for any reason and you’ll waste a lot of time talking to the wrong people. And if you think you can talk some of those people into becoming customers, well you’re wrong.

That’s enough for now.

May God richly bless the whole lot of ya.

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