You might have been a star salesman; exceeded all sales quotas and alas have been forced to accept promotion as a Sales Manager. Are you ready for the role or are you just groping in the dark hoping your prowess as a super salesman will make you a success in your new role

                         

You might have been a star salesman; exceeded all sales quotas and alas have been forced to accept promotion as a Sales Manager. Are you ready for the role or are you just groping in the dark hoping your prowess as a super salesman will make you a success in your new role as a leader of the sales team

 Leadership means the responsibility of  developing and supporting others in your sales team to make a better career and a better life. Leaders’ help others develop problem solving skills, and help them to become contributors to the cause; home, community or family. Are you helping others grow, by challenging them; by delegating things that are of importance to them? Are you communicating to them that you trust them? You will experience firsthand that delegation with trust goes a long way to gaining immeasurable loyalty and support from others. Do you give your people the latitude to work and act independently?

 Many theories abound about leadership and their bases of power... some have called it position power (you become great because you sit on the throne) expert power( big daddy knows best) which today does not work since Gen X knows more than the grey haired! Then there was reward and punishment power which today is a mockery because if your increment at the end of a performance appraisal is unfair you sales team members send you their resign by a SMS message on  your mobile and lastly there was PERSONALITY POWER...this is an unimpeachable theory since the great aspect of a leader is humility, service, equality, fairness, collaborative not a autocratic approach,empower not controlling style and most of all message power the ability to propogate a cause; inspire passion and commitment ; give and receive feedback as part of follower-devlopment.

So the key quality of a genuine leader is the urge and obligation to serve... people who have excessive desire to domination; occupy positions of glory or wish servility and obedience from the subordinates  do not really have the  indicator of being a good leaders.. In moment of glory they might become despotic like Hitler or Stalin... Hence an apt remark  “...PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE IN POWER PROBABLY SHOULDN’T BE THERE AT ALL ...” My experience has been that those people who craved power, who had an inordinate desire to be in control, were the ones most likely to use power in unhealthy ways.

As I’ve pondered this point , the 3 biggest NORMS of leadership  have become clearer to me:

1. THE BEST USE OF POWER IS IN SERVICE TO OTHERS: Being a servant leader, rather than a self-serving leader, means giving away my power to help other people achieve their personal goals, the objectives of the organization, and to allow them to reach their full expression and potential as individuals. One of the paradoxes of leadership is that by placing others before ourselves, and using our power to serve, rather than dominate, actually brings us more power, respect, commitment and loyalty.

2. FOLLOWERSHIP IS THE PREPARATION PHASE TO BECOME A LEADER: Learning to be a good follower is an essential component of being a wise leader who uses power appropriately. A person who learns to submit to the authority of others, collaborate with teammates, and sees first-hand the good and bad effects of the use of power, will have a greater appreciation for how power should be used in relationships.

3. LOOK UPON POWER AS A ROLE OF TRUSTEE: The power I have as a leader is something entrusted to me, both from my boss who put me in this position and by my followers who have consented to follow my lead. This power is not mine to keep. I’m a temporary steward of this power as long as I’m in my leadership role and it could be taken away at anytime should something drastic change in the relationship with my boss or followers. We’re all familiar with “consent of the governed,” the phrase that describes the political theory that a government’s legitimate and moral right to use state power over citizens can only be granted by the consent of the citizens themselves.

PROFILE OF AN  GREAT SALES LEADER

1. LEADERSHIP IS BASED ON MESSAGE POWER 

Sales Leaders are those who can take the vision they have and communicate it in ways that their followers can easily understand, internal, and own. Then, and only then, can they carry it out! So focus on speaking and writing more clearly, and with the passion that you have for the vision you have. Use different ways of communicating, including different ways verbally and non-verbally. Above all, communicate often! You may have a great goal, but if you want to be an Sales Leader, then you will have to put a little zeal under your followers! This is the ability to inspire! Work at helping them to see the big picture, the great end results, and how good it is going to be for them and others. Above all, make it exciting. If it is a good goal, it should be exciting. If it isn’t exciting, then dump it and get a goal that others can get excited about!

2. VISUALIZE THE GOAL AND INSPIRE OTHERS
I feel a leades sees the shadow of coming events early enough to prepare even for for the worst! The true leaders  are always looking out ahead of themselves and their situations. Followers are worried about what happens today, while leaders are thinking about and strategizing about what they see for tomorrow. Be constantly looking ahead. Practice making projections. Get good at “seeing” the future. When you can do this better than others, they will look to you for leadership!

3. ABILITY TO DEFINE GOALS FOR SELF AND OTHERS: 

A true Leader works at clarity and definition of goals so that they can be internalized and acted upon by others. Work hard at this skill and others will follow! The ability to set meaningful goals will help steer your employees towards the objective you are trying to reach. Realistic goals, with the appropriate tools to reach them, will make everyone feel a part of the department’s success. Always solicit input from all of your employees as you plan new strategies to meet today’s ever-changing marketplace demands. As long as your employees feel like they have had meaningful input in creating new plans, tweaking old ones and implementing changes, any such endeavor will be more likely succeed.

4. ABILITY TO SET STRATEGY AND COURSE OF ACTION: 

What will you do to reach the goal? Many people can say where we should go, but it is the Sales Leader who can lay out a plan for everyone to get there! Work at laying out a plan for you and your followers. Remember that there are people with different skill and passion levels, and take this into account! Get good at this and when people want to get to their goals in a hurry, they will call on you to lead!

5. THE SALES LEADER IS A TEACHER A COACH AND TRAINER: 

One of the greatest leadership  principle is to share knowledge and experience This is always emphasized the need for current sales leaders to teach others. A great sales leaders himself spends what others would consider an Sales amount of time in the classroom teaching. But remember, he is an Sales Leader and he is developing Sales Leaders to follow behind him. Work hard at your teaching techniques, and be sure to use as many situations as possible for the opportunity to teach those who would follow.

6. ABILITY TO RESOLVE PEOPLE MANAGEMENT ISSUES FAIRLY:

The ability to treat all of your subordinates fairly will be a critical factor in your success as a sales manager; never play favorites. Always give credit to an employee who is due recognition; never take credit for someone else’s initiative.To become adept at conflict resolution is an area the new sales manager must master to be successful. Never loose sight of the fact that there are always two sides to every story. Never make a decision based on just part of the story and you will earn the respect of your employees, even if the resulting decision isn’t in their favor.

 7. HELPING OTHER GROW THROUGH ON THE JOB LEARNING  

An Sales Leader is rarely a person who is doing everything him or herself. Sales Leaders get there job done through others. They figure out the way, communicate the way, and inspire the followers to go that way, and then they get OUT OF THE WAY! Delegate to your people. Empower them! Set them free to soar! This is what an Sales Leader does. Leaders who do it any other way are just extraordinarily tired at the end of the day with very little to show for it!

8. BUILD  A COMMITED TEAM

Autocratic  managers usually are doomed to fail. Make sure not to isolate yourself from those that you directly supervise. No one can know everything, but as a sales manager you need to learn as much as is humanly possible about your department’s area of responsibility. Your employees will respect the fact that you know what their job really entails. But at the same time; don’t attempt to be buddies with your employees. The distinction between sales manager and friend needs to be clear-cut and meaningful. Never hesitate to roll up your sleeves to help, if the situation warrants your participation.

ACTION PLAN

What do you want your sales team members , your CEO or Marketing Director  and or other designated followers to think about you as their leader? These are all important questions to ask yourself. Like anything that is meaningful, you must have a vision; a goal; and a plan to assure you will reach the level or position you desire. Leadership is not necessarily all about positions in the workplace it is transformation of your self image from worker to leader and from power based leadership to service based leadership

Best of luck

Dr Wilfred Monteiro

Every sales manager should be made aware of the salesforce member lifecycle as a way of making sure that their work is targeted to the specific stages of an salesforce member's interaction with the company.

SALES MANAGER’S ROLE IN THE SALES TEAM MEMBERS'  LIFE CYCLE

Managing salesforce performance begins with managing the satisfaction of the sales team.The costs component of a company's Sales force can be as large as 80% for a market intensive company. A large proportion of these costs will relate to the hiring, firing and everything in between for the recruitment, retention and release of an salesforce member. It is important, therefore, to understand and appreciate the benefits of knowing and understanding the basic elements of an salesforce member lifecycle and how managing managing salesforce member satisfaction can help to create a winning sales performance

Although models and descriptions of an salesforce member lifecycle will vary, the most common terms that will be found include the following stages: recruitment, orientation, development, progression and departure. From this last point, the cycle will start over: a new salesforce member for the company, a new company for the former salesforce member. It is important to remember that different keywords may be used in examples of salesforce member lifecycles but the basic concept remains the same. From one company to another, it is possible to adapt the salesforce member lifecycle to suit the individual needs of each company and HR department.

RECRUITMENT

The beginning stage of the salesforce member lifecycle is, quite obviously, the recruitment stage. It is during the recruitment phase that the salesforce member-employer relationship is first established. First impressions are possible, introductions are made and, depending on how all stages of the recruitment are conducted, it becomes the starting point for the salesforce member lifecycle. In regards to the salesforce member lifecycle, the recruitment stage may cover more than just the traditional methods of hiring an salesforce member. For example, the first stage of the salesforce member lifecycle could also cover scenarios where the salesforce member is transferred to a new department or subsidiary company as the salesforce member process starts over from the beginning once more.

ORIENTATION

Once a decision is made to accept the transferral or hire a new recruit, the orientation phase begins. Alternatively known as the settling-in stage or the induction; this part of the salesforce member lifecycle is about allowing the salesforce member to familiarise themselves with the company and explore the responsibilities of the role. Decisions need to be made about the time for the orientation to last and how quickly to share information with the new salesforce member. It also important to strike the right balance between being involved in your salesforce member's induction period while also giving them enough space to find their own way in the company. My experience has  shown that the orientation can offer long term benefits in terms of company retention.

DEVELOPMENT

In order to increase the likelihood of salesforce member retention, it is necessary to invest time in the development of an salesforce member. Both personally and professionally, if a company enables its salesforce members to develop, it will be able to satisfy the needs of those salesforce members. This could range from allowing salesforce members time off to develop new personal skills or further any established hobbies or set time aside for professional training courses funded by the company as part of its commitment to the future of its salesforce members. Engaging the workforce by presenting them with a visible focus on their professional development will help to ensure that the salesforce members are invested in the success of the company as much as the managers are.

PROGRESSION

The future prospects for salesforce members will often dictate how long a person will spend with any particular company. Progression opportunities could refer to financial benefits (increase in salary, monetary bonuses, etc.) or to psychological success (supervisor title, managerial responsibilities, etc.). Most importantly, progression for the salesforce member lifecycle should reflect the tenure of their stay with the company and the educational qualifications that would make an salesforce member a good candidate for progression within the company. Other positive targets for progression could include rewards and similar forms of recognition that highlight their achievements and outline the future.

DEPARTURE

At some point, every salesforce member will leave their job. The only difference between salesforce members is the how, why and when that is involved in leaving the job and ending the salesforce member lifecycle. At this point, the salesforce member has gone full circle from starting out with the company, continuing along the chain and finally reaching the end stage. The relevance of this point is to minimise the risks on both sides. Where the parting is done on pleasant terms, the separation can be a positive opportunity for both company and salesforce member. The salesforce member will venture out into another part of the business world, while the company could gain from having someone who could forge new networking possibilities. This works both ways - the former salesforce member and the company should always remember that word of mouth is the strongest tool in promotion.

The journey of an salesforce member from the start of their relationship with a company right through to the very end is just one example of the most common lifecycles in the business world. It easily defines the contributions of both salesforce member and company to the success in the salesforce member-company relationship. Every sales manager  should be made aware of the salesforce member lifecycle as a way of making sure that their work is targeted to the specific stages of an salesforce member's interaction with the company.

With best wishes

Dr Wilfred Monteiro

The salesforce takes take of the customer and revenue generation... and who takes care of the saleforce??? THE GREAT SALES MANAGER

SEVEN PROVEN WAYS TO MAKE  A GREAT SALES MANAGER?

Don't make the same mistake many Marketing Chiefs make by automatically promoting your company's best salesperson to sales manager, unless he or she possesses the qualities necessary to manage, not just those qualities necessary to sell. The jobs are quite different.

 What made them all GREAT  is that they followed the same eight practices of the great sales manager:

·                 They asked, “What needs to be done?”

·                  They asked, “What is right for the enterprise?”

·                  They developed action plans.

·                  They took responsibility for their decisions.

·                  They took responsibility for communicating.

·                  They focused on opportunities rather than problems.

·                  They ran productive meetings.

·                  They thought and said “we” rather than “I”.

The first two practices gave them the knowledge they needed. The next four helped them convert this knowledge into effective action. The last two ensured that the whole organization felt responsible and accountable. The great sales manager, focuses on contribution. He looks up from his work and outward toward goals. He asks: “What can I contribute that will significantly affect the performance and the results of the company I work for?”

In addition there are some natural talents and some basic qualities that all good sales managers possess Fortunately, most can be learned.

Here they are; make sure that if your current sales manager (or someone you are considering promoting to sales manager) doesn't currently possess these characteristics, he or she is actively working on developing them.

1.   BE PASSIONATE & COMMITED TO YOU PURPOSE.

All the studies by leading research organizations in the field of sales success, indicate that enthusiasm is the number one characteristic for success in life. Enthusiasm breeds commitment. A committed sales manager will figure out a way to overcome adversity especially when the sales graph is low..  Commitment breed persistence nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. A great sales manager is committed to the success of the project and of all team members. He holds the vision for the collective team and moves the team closer to the end result. It's the great sales manager's commitment that pulls the team forward during trying times. “many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – THOMAS EDISON

2.   BRING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE.

If a sales manager is not people-oriented he or she doesn't have much of a chance of succeeding in this job. Treat people not as they are, but as they are capable of being. “our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson sales managers must care enough about their salespeople to help them reach their full potential. This is no easy task. A great sales manager must be skilled at slowly, but surely converting individual liabilities into assets. Give your sales force permission to grow through honest mistakes… that’s how you build a sales force. Don’t assume you are a genius who never made a mistake and you must have geniuses in the saleforce who will never fail. “it is amazingwhat you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” – Harry S. Truman

3.    CREATIVITY … NEW SITUATIONS CALL FOR DIFFERENT ACTIONS

Creativity is what separates competence from excellence. Creativity is the spark that propels projects forward and that captures peoples' attention. Creativity is the ingredient that pulls the different pieces together into a cohesive whole, adding zest and appeal in the process. Don't throw the same formula for every sales campaign. New situations call for different actions. If a sales manager wants different results, he  must have the willingness to try different things. Flexibility and versatility are valuable qualities in a great sales manager. Beneath the flexibility and versatility is an ability to be both non-reactive and not attached to how things have to be. Versatility implies an openness - this openness allows the leader to quickly change on a dime when necessary. Flexibility and versatility are the pathways to speedy responsiveness. “An ability to embrace new ideas, routinely challenge old ones, and live with paradox will be the effective leader’s premier trait.” – Tom Peters

4.   SEE THE BIG PICTURE CONCURRENT WITH MANAGING THE DETAILS.

 Excellent great sales managers see the big picture concurrent with managing the details. Small actions lead to the big picture; the excellent great sales manager is skillful at doing both: think big while also paying attention to the details. The context and structure we work within always have a set of parameters, limitations and guidelines. A great sales manager knows how to work within the structure and not let the structure impinge upon the process or the project. Know the structure intimately, so as to guide others to effectively work within the given parameters. Do this to expand beyond the boundaries.

5.   INTUITION…

Intuition is the capacity of knowing without the use of rational processes;. It's something that we all take for granted, yet is it not remarkable that somehow we can come to correct conclusions without having all the fact to hand and without using reason? It's the cornerstone of emotional intelligence How is it that we can form an immediate assessment of a person the first time we meet them and find that our initial insight is proved to be correct. And why is it that we can sometimes make a correct guess at a prospective customer and get it exactly right?  People with keen insight are often able to sense what others are feeling and thinking; consequently, they're able to respond perfectly to another through their deeper understanding. The stronger one's intuition, the stronger will be your ability to interview and select the right people for your salesforce.

6.   KNOWLEDGE …the cutting edge of effectiveness

A thorough knowledge base is essential. The knowledge base must be so ingrained and integrated into their being that they become transparent, focusing on the employee and what he needs to learn, versus focusing on the knowledge base. The excellent great sales manager lives from a knowledge base, without having to draw attention to it. Great Sales Manager are willing to see themselves as others see them. To be  effective they must be willing to ask questions about their management style and be willing to listen to feedback from both their sales force and their higher ups.

7.   DISCIPLINE/FOCUS…

Discipline is the ability to choose and live from what one pays attention to. Discipline as self-mastery can be exhilarating! Role model the ability to live from your intention consistently and you'll role model an important leadership quality. GET SMART AT DESKWORK (NOT ONLY FIELDWORK). Organization is the foundation of just about everything in life. For a busy sales manager- too field bound & prone to neglect his office desk, I strongly suggest that as a great sage said “It is never too late to be who you might have been.”

WITH BEST COMPLIMENTS

DR WILFRED MONTEIRO 

www.synergymanager.net

How you handle that negotiation will determine whether or not you close the sale and how profitable that sale will be.

NEGOTIATE

  LIKE  A  GRANDMASTER

How many times have you the master salesman have heard from a cleaver purchasing agent:

"You've got to drop your price by 10% or we will have no choice but to go with your competition."

"You will have to make an exception to your policy if you want our business."

"I know that you have good quality and service, but so do your competitors. What we need to focus on here is your pricing."

"I agree that those special services you keep bringing up would be nice, but we simply don't have the funds to purchase them. Could you include them at no additional cost?"

Every time you hear statements like these, you're in the middle of a difficult sales campaign. How you handle that negotiation will determine whether or not you close the sale and how profitable that sale will be.

Every salesperson eventually must confront the following situation: You want the deal badly. You need the business. You've been suspecting that your price is too high to begin with. So what do you do? You lower your price rather than negotiate.

Many salespeople are afraid to stand by their price structure because of a single mistaken assumption: "If I refuse to negotiate my price, I'll lose all my customers." The reality is just the opposite. If you aren't prepared to defend your price, your customers will lose respect for you. Here are ten tips that will help you to negotiate the price you deserve.

In order to give you a real edge every time, I have listed below some key points taken from my sales training seminars @ the Bombay Chamber, Indian Merchants Chamber, etc in the last ten years....

.

Don't Believe Everything You See and Hear

Part of a good salesperson's skill is to learn to read people and situations very quickly. However, when it gets down to negotiating, you have to take everything you see and hear with a grain of salt. Buyers are good negotiators, and thus they are good actors. You may be the only person who has what she needs, but everything she does and says, from body language to the words she uses, will be designed to lead you to believe that unless she gets an extra 10% off, she's going with the competition. Be skeptical. Be suspicious. Test, probe, and see what happens.

DEVELOP THE PYSCHE OF A NEGOTIATING-CHAMP

Finally, and most important, be patient. Sales is a high energy, fast moving business. Patience is one commodity that is in relatively short supply, but if you're impatient in a negotiation, you'll lose your shirt. If I'm negotiating with you and I know that you're impatient, I will hold out just a little longer, no matter how desperate I am to make a deal with you. As long as I know you're in a hurry, I'll wait.

¨      Do not underestimate your power. Most people tend to have more power than they think. Only by making a systematic analysis of power can you understand your strengths. Your base of power rests on a foundation of more than just competition or financial matters. Commitment, knowledge, risk taking, hard work, and bargaining skills are also real sources of power.

¨      Do not assume that the other party knows your weaknesses. Assume that they do not and test that assumption. You may be better off than you think.

¨      Don’t be intimidated by status. We are so accustomed to showing deference to titles and positions that we carry our attitudes to the negotiating table. It is well to remember that some experts are superficial; that some people with PhD’s quit learning years ago; some people in authority are incompetent; a specialist may be excellent in their field but without skill in other areas; learned people, despite high positions of power, sometimes lack the courage to pursue their convictions or have none. There is as much danger from having a “little-shot” complex as a “big-shot” complex.

¨      Don’t be intimidated by statistics, precedents, principles, or regulations. It’s 2010, some decisions are made on the basis or premises and principles long dead or irrelevant. Be skeptical. Challenge them.

¨      Do not forget that the other party is negotiating with you because they believe there is something to gain by being there. You may discover that this negotiation, no matter how small it is, is part of a larger framework in the other party’s objectives. This alone may provide you greater bargaining power than is apparent from the situation. Be positive in your approach. Assume that the other party wants agreement as much as you do. If they don’t, learn why.

¨      Don’t emphasize your own problems or the possible losses to yourself if deadlock occurs. In all likelihood, there are constraints on the other party’s action as severe as your own. Concentrate on their problems and issues. These are your opportunities to find routes to agreement.

¨      Most sales offers will require some concession making. Don’t set your initial demand near your final objective. There is sufficient evidence to conclude that it pays to start high. Don’t be shy about asking for everything you might want and more. Many times your demands may be too modest, or too easy to achieve. The other party may not know what they want or may have a set of values quite different from your own.

¨      It is a mistake to assume you know what the other party wants. It is far more prudent to assume you do not know, and then proceed to discover the realities of the situation by patient testing. If you proceed to negotiate a deal on the basis of your own untested estimates, you are making a serious mistake.

¨      Never accept the first offer—many people do. There are two good reasons not to: First, the other party probably is willing to make some additional concessions. Second, if you do accept the first offer, there is a chance the other party will have the feeling that their offer was foolish. They may find ways to spoil the agreement later. In either case, the negotiator who takes the first offer too fast makes a mistake.

¨      Never give a concession without obtaining one in return. Don’t give concessions away free or without serious discussion. A concession granted too easily does not contribute to the other party’s satisfaction nearly as much as one that they struggle to obtain.

¨      Get Something in Return for Your Added Value…What if you discover that the buyer wants to be able to track his expenditures for your products or services in a way that is far more detailed and complex than is standard for your industry? What if your account tracking system is set up in a way that you can provide that information at essentially no cost to you? Often the salesperson's overwhelming temptation is to jump in and say, "Oh, we can do that. That's no problem." Before you do, however, think about your options. You could throw it in as part of the package and try to build good will. Or you could take a deep breath and try something like, "That's a difficult problem that will require some effort on our part, but it's doable."

So be patient.Building the psyche of a negotiating champ takes time( even years)  Take the time that you need, don't rush to give in, don't show your anxiety, stay cool and don't panic. Negotiation is a process and a game. Use the process and play the game. You'll be astonished at the difference that it makes!

best of luck

dr wilfred monteiro

Most market leaders achieved their greatest success one step beyond what looked like their greatest failure.

HOW  TO RECHARGE   SALES  PERFORMANCE  IN  DOWNTIMES Half your job is keeping yourself and others in the right frame of mind. Cultivate your ability to keep the focus on the things that matter most. Become a person who can put everything in perspective for others. As tension rises, trust falls. Be aware of the ebb and flow of tension as the sale unfolds. Learn to reduce it when it gets in the way and to momentarily increase it to add urgency to the decision process.

Notice What Is Working & What is Not… Study yourself, your product or service and your company to know what is working now. Reinforce the actions and tools, which are generating results. Learn from your successes as well as your failures. Create a profile of the company’s Market Create a profile of the ideal market for what you offer. Define who they are, where they can be reached, what they care about, what they fear, what they read, whom they admire and more. Know them well. Check  & Redesign Your company’s Sales Reputation Determine today how you want to be thought of tomorrow. Specify the reputation you want within each group of which you are a part, and then work a plan to earn it piece by piece. Know Your company’s Competitive Advantage Study your company and your company’s products and services in relation to what your company’s competitors offer. Know where and how you stand out, and where you don't. Be prepared to discuss these comparisons at any moment. Use Pareto Principle to target Your company’s Best Prospects Best customers have patterns. We call it the Pareto Principle Most will fit the same pattern, so prospect among those who fit the pattern. Calling on people with similar needs, circumstances, and interests makes you more likely to create another best customer. Backyard Gold mining- Ask For Referrals from Satisfied Customers Tell people what your company’s ideal customer or prospect looks like. Ask them who they know who fits this description. Then ask them to take a specific action to help you meet the prospect; a telephone introduction, a testimonial letter, arrange a luncheon or coffee shop meeting, etc. More business exists around you than you know. Look among your friends, neighbors, existing customers, past customers, colleagues, competitors and coworkers for the opportunities that others overlook. Start a Backend Sales Campaign with Loyal Customers Know how to cultivate dedicated customers. A movie ticket doesn't just buy you a seat in the theater; it buys you the experience of enjoying the movie. What experience does your company’s product or service bring to people? Give them a way to sample that experience through your company’s presentation. Become competition-proof by delivering more than people expect. Overfill your company’s client's needs and be their business friend, even when they are not buying from you. Be the kind of person people rave about. Grow Your company’s Brand Identity Get yourself and your company known within your market area. Write articles, letters to editors, offer expert input for reporters and publishers, conduct surveys, provide free services to key people, donate your time to worthy causes, put your photo on your business card, share valuable ideas via email. Create a broad awareness of yourself as an authority on what you do. Build A Long term fund Of Good Business Relationships It is not only who you know that determines the value of your relationships; it is whether they know you as a valuable business resource. Define who you need to know today and five years from today. Start now to cultivate the relationships and the reputation, which will expand your possibilities. Design a Direct Marketing Approach That Uses Your company’s Sales Strengths Use the combination of online communication, in person calls, telephone contacts, trade show attendance, and public speaking, which allows you to shine. Build a mix of activities to diminish your company’s sales weaknesses and amplify your company’s strengths. municate with. Become a partner in problem solving, not a sales persuader. Train Continuously & Recharge your Sales Story & Techniques Use a checklist to prepare your attitude, appearance, customer information, company and product information and the selling environment, so you can be at your best on every call. The way you are perceived by your company’s customer determines how much resistance you will encounter as you sell. Learn to project a positive feeling among those you come in contact with. Write down specifically how your company’s product or service makes life better for those who buy it. Read this description every day briefly, to keep in mind the reason behind the purchase. It's not about buying; it's about benefiting from buying. Create an awareness of the psychological needs of your company’s prospect as well as knowing what their technical needs are. Sometimes the way someone wants to feel has more influence on their decision to buy than what they actually need. Sustain motivation in the Sales team With lower sales incentive the sales rep (even the best) doesn't find much meaning in what they do, they don't bring much value to what they do.