Category: Sales Training

Why Salespeople Struggle with Trust

Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Training

Salespeople tend to be either the most undermanaged or overmanaged people in the entire company. In some ways, this makes sense because their roles and responsibilities require a lot of autonomy, judgment, and duties that are executed outside the view of management. Naturally, there are bound to be trust issues from both salespeople and management. Let’s not forget the intense level of stress and competition that exists for salespeople as well. Their opportunities are always under constant threat from internal and external forces whether it is a competitor or a production team that can’t deliver on the salesperson’s promises. Salespeople struggle with trust every day, and the more they struggle with trust, the more their performance and results suffer. 

 

Salespeople can develop trust issues with a variety of people they deal with. Co-workers, supervisors, production, and even customers at times. A salesperson that can trust the team they are assigned to can, and usually does, become a high-powered sales machine. One of the main reasons that a salesperson struggles with trust is that they believe that either no one really understands the issues they face, they don’t care, or they are unwilling to help. That’s just how salespeople are wired and, for the most part, they must develop their own coping mechanisms to deal with those issues. However, there are some issues we can mitigate for them to help reduce stress, create transparency and focus on their sales goals. 

 

Inconsistent & ineffective leadership – Make certain that whoever leads the sales team does so with integrity and consistency. Once salespeople stop trusting their managers, they usually start seeing everyone and everything else with suspicion. 

Lack of engagement – Don’t be aloof with your salespeople. Let them know that you are aware, interested, and understand their needs. 

Broken promises – Do what you say you are going to do and don’t play games with compensation. 

Micromanagement – Spend more time coaching the salespeople than managing them. Salespeople always respond better to coaching than management. 

Gossip – Treat your salespeople with respect and do not engage, foster, or indulge in gossip.

Inequality– Are you playing favorites with the sales team? Or is there a family member present on the team that appears to be getting special treatment? Be sure everyone is handled the same no matter what.

Mistreatment – Don’t be abusive with salespeople. Sometimes management sees them as easy targets because they are a front-line response to customer issues but stop taking everything out on them. Once a salesperson feels like they are being abused, they almost always stop performing for a period due to a lack of motivation and, in some cases, retribution.

Do Blind Squirrels Find Nuts?

Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Training

You have all heard the phrase, “Sooner or later a blind squirrel finds a nut” and we are all amused (or pretend to be anyway). I ask you, when have you ever seen a blind squirrel find a nut? For that matter, when have you ever seen a blind squirrel? Chances are slim to none. And why is that? Because blind squirrels die in the wild. And yet, we send our blind squirrels into the wild in the form of new salespeople figuring that sooner or later they are bound to bump into a sale. But what is true in nature is also true in sales. Blind squirrels die in the wild and ill-equipped untrained salespeople die in the field. Unlike the blind squirrel, this doesn’t have to be so for the salesperson. The question is, why is the squirrel blind, and whose fault is it?

 

If we want salespeople to be successful, then a partnership must be created in order to achieve that success. Almost all salespeople early in their careers need help whether they admit it or not. They want to find the acorn, in fact they want to find lots of acorns, but only a few are true naturals when it comes to sales. The rest of us have to work hard at our craft. So, instead of having a bunch of blind squirrels running around representing your company, products and services, here are a few key things you can do to help make them successful.

 

  1. Give them training – There are so many training platforms available that it’s hard to imagine an untrained salesperson, and yet the world is full of them. They are responsible for your revenue so make the investment.
  2. Give them process – What are the best practices for success in sales with your organization. Prevent salespeople from reinventing the wheel if you can help it.
  3. Give them goals – Sales people without goals will wander around aimlessly. How will you know if they are being successful and, more importantly, how will they know if they are being successful. The sooner you have goals, the sooner you will get results.
  4. Give them KPIs – What are the most important 3 things that your salesperson should do that is strongly linked to success? Is it meetings, phone calls, demonstrations, quotes? This is just as important as goals for the same reasons.
  5. Give them coaching – Coaching and managing are not the same thing. Coaching provides valuable skills, feedback and learning for the salesperson. Help them work through their issues and celebrate their victories.

Sales Suffering From Home Run Syndrome?

Business Analysis, Posts, Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Training

If a baseball player doesn’t hit a home run every time he steps up to bat, then what was the point of the swing? That’s a silly question for a number of reasons, but sometimes we adopt this mentality in sales. It’s called Home Run Syndrome. If we are not great every time we try, then the effort was a waste of time. For example, your team went to the trade show that was ill-attended; far from a home run. It was a wasted swing (strike). We spent a lot of time and got close to closing a nice deal, but they went with a competitor. We wasted a swing (ball) We landed a new customer, but it’s not a very big account. We should have put that effort into a bigger opportunity. A wasted swing (first base). No swing in sales is truly wasted if you learn from it, and if you don’t swing, then you learn very little.

 

Not everyone suffers from Home Run Syndrome, but if you have a sales manager who’s really pressuring you, or you are having a hard time achieving your goal, sometimes we don’t care about the little victories that get us to home plate and we assume no one else does either. But in sales, we have to swing the bat often just to get to first or second base. If you just sit and wait from the home run pitch, chances are you will seldom swing at all. The more you swing, the better you can become. Not everything in sales can, or will be a home run, so manage your expectations and continue to put in your time and effort. It’s worth it. Here are some helpful tips if you feel that you or someone on your team is suffering from Home Run Syndrome.

 

  1. More strikes equal more experience – A strike is, or at least should be, a lesson learned. But unlike baseball, you’re not out after 3 strikes. I know many salespeople who get countless strikes before they finally get on base. But once they are on base the first time, they increase and improve their odds of doing it again. Learn from what you are doing and make the experience your wisdom.

 

  1. More swings equal more hits – Your average and scores will go up almost by virtue of your effort. Now, that said, if you are really lousy at swinging, then you need to improve your technique. But persistence and perseverance go a long way in sports and sales. 

 

  1. Get to home plate one base at a time – What is the point value between a home run and someone who gets across home plate one base at a time? Nothing. In the end, the goal was achieved with or without the pizzazz (no I didn’t mean to say pizza). Home runs are great, but they don’t always win games. Getting across home plate as many times as you can is how the game is won. The same is true with sales. Keep swinging and keep getting on base. You will get there. 

B2B Cold Calling Made Easy

Marketing, Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Training

 

Cold calling for Business-To-Business sales is one of the most misunderstood opportunities for salespeople. Quite often anymore it feels like a tool that no one even has, or if they do, they don’t know how to use it. Many salespeople like to think that emails were the long-awaited coffin nail for actually picking up the phone. So now a wave of passive-aggressive sales tactics has washed ashore mediocre salespeople to flop around on the beach. I say flopping around because email oftentimes is a choice of quantity over quality for cold calling as we flop our message around the internet. Don’t get me wrong, emails can be very effective and they certainly have their place in the sales process, but despite what your open rates tell you, you don’t really know what’s going on in terms of how your message is received. 

 

All that said, salespeople most often overcomplicate cold calling when using the telephone. This is because they either forgot or don’t know the primary purpose of a B2B cold call using the phone. Don’t believe me? Just ask your salesperson, what is the desired outcome of the initial phone call? It is not to sell something or even to discuss your product or service at length. In fact, it’s much easier and simpler than that. The goal is to get the meeting. That’s it. The more direct and purpose-driven you can be with that goal in mind, the more you will improve the results of your cold call. But let me give you a play-by-play of a simple and effective B2B cold call using your phone. There’s also a sample conversation as well.

 

    1. ‘Did I call you at a bad time?’ – This is by far the best opener you can use. The prospect will always say ‘yes’ (which you want them to get in the habit of doing) and will immediately follow that with, “what’s this about”. They just gave you permission to sell without being aware that they did so. You’re off to a good start.
    2. ‘I assumed this was a bad time to call’ – No need to apologize, but let them know that the only reason why you called was to schedule a meeting with them to discuss how your product or service may be beneficial to them. 
    3. Head for the goal – Remember, every part of this brief conversation has to be to get the meeting. You won’t have a lot of time, so don’t go into a deep dive about what you’re offering and why it is so great. 
    4. Keep it brief – As I said, you already know you called at a bad time, so don’t disrespect the prospect by using this opportunity as your meeting. Answer any questions she or he may have and keep the conversation focused on getting the meeting.
  • ‘Can you think of any reason not to meet with me?’ – This is the best way to get a commitment. If they offer an objection then be sure to work through the problem, but if they said ‘no’ to this question, then they just said ‘yes’ to a meeting. Schedule it.
  • Always ask twice – Don’t be discouraged if they decline the offer to meet the first time. Empathize with their objection and ask at least one more time. You’ll be surprised how many times a ‘no’ becomes a ‘yes’. Persistence is powerful. 

 

Here’s a sample of how the phone call should go for you:

Salesperson – ‘Hi (customer) my name is (name) from (company). Did I catch you at a bad time?’

 

Prospect – ‘Yes you did. What’s this about?’

 

Salesperson – ‘I figured this would be a bad time, but that’s why I wanted to give you a quick call. I have been helping companies like yours to (reduce costs, increase profits, find more customers, improve efficiencies, recruit new talent, etc.). I wanted to schedule a 15-minute meeting with you next week to learn more about you and share what we are doing for our clients. Could we schedule a meeting for next Tuesday at 2:00 PM?’

 

Prospect – ‘Tuesdays are never good for me. What do you mean that you can (reduce costs, increase profits, find more customers, improve efficiencies, recruit new talent, etc.)?

 

Salesperson – ‘Well, basically we (*use one or two sentences to describe what you do) but I would need a little more time to really explain how this would work for you. Would Wednesday be better for you?’ 

 

Prospect – ‘I’m not sure this is something I would be interested in.’

 

Salesperson – ‘You know, all my best clients said that to me when I first met them. Let’s have a 15-minute conversation next week and, after that, if you decide this isn’t for you, I’ll respect that. But I have a feeling that there is something valuable for you and, at the very least, you can learn some of the options that you have. Can you think of any reason not to meet with me next Wednesday?’

 

Prospect – ‘No. I am very busy, but we can talk for 15 minutes. Let’s set an appointment for 10:30 AM. 

How To Deliver Bad News To Your Customer

Customer Service, Sales Coaching, Sales Management, Sales Training

Salespeople hate to deliver bad news. I mean – really hate it. Of course, no one wants to be the bad guy when it comes to customers, but salespeople especially hate it. Why? Because much of their career is based upon being liked and it isn’t easy to get someone to like you when you tell them something they don’t want to hear. This is made all the worse when your commission check depends on what information you have to share with customers. We’ll do everything we can to sugarcoat the message, delay sharing the message, and add a little prayer in hopes that the bad news will disappear quietly. But there is some good news about delivering bad news.

 

We create moments of truth in a series of actions with our clients to create an overall customer experience. Truth is the operative word and it’s not that customers want the truth; they want their truth. It’s up to you to bridge this gap between the two and when you do it successfully, you can strengthen the customer’s loyalty. Some bad news can be a deal-breaker, but oftentimes you can recover from bad news if you deliver it properly. So the good news about the bad news is that once you master the art of delivering it, you develop the reputation of being honest and trustworthy and, given the overall experience, the customer is more likely to do business with you anyway after you get them through this moment of truth about the bad news. Here are the best ways to handle delivering bad news to your customers.

 

  • Do not be afraid – Your fear will trigger fear in your customer if you are not careful. Stay calm and be ready to approach the situation with truth, understanding, and a willingness to listen.
  • Do not delay – You don’t have to rush delivering bad news when you don’t have all of the information, but don’t delay sharing once you do. It appears dishonest to the customer.
  • Be truthful – Altering or misrepresenting information will always make matters worse. I can understand if there are details you want to omit, and sometimes that’s okay, but bad news served with lies is never a good idea.
  • Acknowledge the customer’s feelings – Customers are more likely to be responsive to bad information once they feel that they have been heard and understood. If it’s a big deal to them then it is a big deal to you.
  • Offer solutions – There are always options, even if they aren’t optimal in comparison to what the customer originally wanted or expected. Delivering bad news without a solution is like pushing the customer out into the cold. Show them that you are thinking and working on their behalf and you stand a much better chance of retaining their business. 

Selling Means Never Having To Say I’m Sorry: How to Apologize

Customer Service, Sales Training

Capitulation is a really fun word to say, but it is not so fun to do. That’s often what an apology is; a surrender to the blame. That’s what we’re trained to do as salespeople; make the customer feel like they are always right (even when they are not). The more we say ‘I’m sorry’, the less confrontational we appear and the more people will like us, right? Are you really doing right by the company and the customer, or are you a professional pushover? When it comes to sales, you have to be very careful with your apologies because if you don’t use caution, you can give the customer more than they should have and set a precedent for future interactions.

Apologies can, and usually are, an admission of guilt when they are not worded properly. When an error occurs in the customer process, service or experience, you never want to admit guilt until the matter is fully investigated or gross negligence on behalf of the company is easily identified. For example, if a customer’s item arrives late, saying you’re sorry can be taken as an admission of guilt. ‘I’m sorry that our package didn’t arrive on time.’ makes it sound like you’re at fault, and maybe you are. But before you conclude this, did the customer give you the proper address?  Was there an error made by the delivery service? Did the package arrive and the customer didn’t notice right away? These are all common issues that can occur, but if the blame has been assigned or accepted too soon, it may be too late to reverse this. 

 

But apologies can also express empathy and, despite who is at fault, it can let the customer know that you are feeling what they are feeling. No matter how we apologize, our hope is always that it will deescalate the situation. Empathetic apologies can be very effective so long as they are not excessive. So, if you find yourself in a situation where an apology will help to calm the matter, but you are not ready to accept the blame yet, use an empathetic apology instead of a guilt apology. Remember, an empathetic apology acknowledges what someone feels and not what they perceive as facts.

 

Here is an example where a salesperson responds to a customer who states that the company’s customer service response time was unacceptable:

 

Guilt: “I am sorry that we didn’t get back to you in a timely manner.” This instantly accepts the blame. What were the expectations for the response time? Sometimes a customer wants an answer in an hour but you cannot get the information until the next day. Who’s to say that the response time wasn’t acceptable?

 

Empathetic: “I am sorry to hear that you feel that we didn’t get back to you in a timely manner.” This acknowledges the customer’s concern without accepting the blame. Most times the customer hears the apology and that’s that, but the liability has been sidestepped until further information can be gathered.

LEROY’S Method Of Managing Difficult Customers

Customer Service, Sales Management, Sales Training

Most of us know the legend of Leroy Brown from that old familiar tune. He was badder than this and meaner than that and quite possibly the last person you would want to cross paths with. But what happens when you suddenly have him as a customer and he is not happy. Whether or not you’re from the Southside of Chicago, you better figure out what you’re going to do when you encounter him. Otherwise, you’re going to have a whole lot of trouble. 

 

There are a lot of different reasons why a customer can be difficult or challenging. It isn’t because they aren’t a good person, and perhaps it is due to a mistake that we made. No matter what the cause is, they desperately need to feel heard and in control. You, on the other hand, can use L.E.R.O.Y.S. Method to work through the customer’s issue for a positive outcome. Disclaimer, no one named Leroy came up with this method, but the acronym works on several levels. It definitely comes in handy if you come across a customer who is ‘meaner than a junkyard dog.’ 

 

Listen – Be sure to get in the right frame of mind so you can listen to the customer without assumptions or judgment. Make sure you get all the facts and write down what is being said.

 

Empathize – Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and whether they or right or wrong, how would you feel? Normalizing their emotions can deescalate the situation and make it easier to relate to one another. 

 

Repeat – Repeat back the important facts that the customer has shared. Note that this is not the time for you to share your facts or your perception of the facts. Demonstrate that you have listened to the customer’s issues.

 

Ownership – Make it your primary directive to care for the customer’s concerns to the best of your skill and ability. Let the customer know that you can either fix the matter swiftly, work on the issue or pass the issue onto someone else who is predesignated to handle the matter. 

 

You ask questions – Always ask permission to ask questions first with the customer to demonstrate respect. When you ask questions it gives the customer a sense of control as they tell their story. This helps them develop the peace of mind that their issue is important. 

Solve or pass – Do you understand what the customer wants versus what they need. Can the customer be satisfied with your help? Determine either the solution or the best next step and set the proper expectation with the customer. 

A Customer Escalation Policy for Salespeople

Uncategorized, Customer Service, Sales Training

One of the biggest challenges for a salesperson is having a company, team, and process that backs up the promises they make. Sooner or later as a salesperson you will encounter a situation where you created an expectation with a customer only to find that production cannot or will not meet those expectations. This can be getting a quote out in a timely manner, responding to an operating issue, or dealing with some level of quality, delivery, and service. I will be the first to admit that sometimes salespeople are equally guilty of creating their own problems, but whatever the case, you have an unhappy customer and you’re the one that has to answer for it. 

Your first instinct is to shift the blame to someone else or pass the issue onto another department to handle, but how should you really be managing the issue? Chances are that your company needs a Customer Escalation Policy (CEP). This is a process that moves your customer through a series of steps to resolve their issue as quickly and efficiently as possible. Here are the critical elements of the CEP as well as an example to help you create your own so you can improve your overall customer experience.

  1. Make sure the CEP identifies the process a customer is taken through to resolve issues that they cannot, or will not, address on their own.
  2. The CEP needs to outline the chain of command and who handles what.
  3. It establishes clear lines of communication.
  4. The CEP helps everyone to create reasonable expectations.
  5. It is designed to create the optimum outcome for all parties involved; including your team.

 

Identifying Good, and Not So Good Customers Using The Challenge Chart

Business Analysis, Customer Service, Sales Training

Did you ever wonder why solving one problem for one customer while solving the same problem for a different customer can be a completely different experience? For example, one customer completely understands your proposal and quote and you can close the deal in twenty minutes. The next customer who, on the surface, is very similar to the last, can’t seem to make sense of what you are trying to help them with and the deal gets stuck in a series of follow-up emails, phone calls, and meetings. Did you do something wrong? Is there something wrong with the customer? Probably not. Customers come in all shapes and sizes, and so do their challenges. 

 

We want to make every sale that we can, but sometimes the buyer and seller are not a good fit for one another. In fact, if you have never brought on a customer that you later on kind of wish that you hadn’t, then you haven’t truly lived. The trick is how can we understand and manage these opportunities? The Challenge Chart is a good place to start. 

Basic  – These customers are no-brainers. They are your cash cows, lay-up shots, and gold mines. These customers are a dream to work with and you have exactly what they need. These customers are keepers.

 

Moderate –  Some customers are great to work with, but their issues may not be. Are you able to help them with their issue with a little extra time and effort, or is this something really out of your wheelhouse? Don’t be afraid to tell these customers ‘no’ if you can find a better solution for them outside of your existing services. 

 

Difficult – Perhaps you have exactly what the customer needs, but they are a headache to deal with. The real question with these customers is are you able to keep your sanity and profits. If you answer ‘yes’, keep them. If not, may it’s time to pass on this opportunity.

 

Complex – This customer makes your skin crawl, but you need sales so you listen to what they need. It doesn’t take long to figure out that this opportunity is riddled with more problems than you can solve. You may want to be the good guy and on paper, the sale may look good. However, this is nothing but trouble. Politely pass this one to another vendor, maybe a competitor that you don’t like too much if you know what I mean.

 

Addressing The 4 ‘Misses’ Of The Customer Experience

Business Analysis, Posts, Sales Training

The customer experience is as crucial to the identity of your company as is your brand. It is how we make customers feel in every way they interact with our company whether it is your employees, your website, your storefront, the billing process, and so forth. Some companies do a great job of deliberately designing their customer experience while others just form theirs organically. Often our role as salespeople is to deliver that experience as an ambassador of our company. Sometimes the customer experience does not unfold as planned and customers have a less than optimal experience. 

 

Most often when a customer experience does not meet the expectation of the customer, there is some level of grace where the issue is easily forgotten by the customer or they offer their forgiveness. These pitfalls are usually avoidable with good training and planning, but we are all human and aren’t always at our best. We find that there are generally 4 misses in the customer experience; Mistakes, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, and Misinformation. Once you have identified the issues, here are the best ways to address them.

 

Mistakes – We all make mistakes and, at the very least, they are embarrassing and sometimes expensive. The nice thing about most mistakes is that they are correctable. If a mistake is made, it is best to alert the customer as soon as possible and take ownership of both the issue and the solution. The sooner you do this the more forgiving the customer will be.

 

Miscommunication – Miscommunication is difficult because it has several variables including the possibility of the wrong message, wrong timing, wrong method, or wrong tone. The worst situation is when communication is absent or insufficient. Clarify the expectations of your customer and do everything you can to reasonably accommodate this need.

 

Misunderstanding – This happens when the wrong expectation is created. Perhaps things were not clear enough or someone made too many assumptions. Sometimes the terms were not discussed, agreed upon, or finalized. Take the time to figure out where things went wrong. The error could have been made by either party. Once the misunderstanding has been resolved, it is best to make sure both parties have the new understanding in writing to avoid future confusion.

 

Misinformation – We all can receive the same information in a different way and an honest error can occur. The wrong details were shared, the information was misleading or certain details were omitted or disregarded as unimportant. It is always best to give customers as much information as possible whether they want it or not. If necessary, highlight the details that, if not received, can cause the customer serious issues.