Memories of a Sales Manager:

In tribute to the many dedicated professionals who benefit from MTD Sales Training, I am starting a new series called, “Memories of a Sales Manager.” In this column you will find true stories from sales managers in the front line who lead by example. Some stories are funny, some serious, but each teaches a valuable lesson in sales, management, motivation and training techniques. So, enjoy the first contribution from sales manager John Landrine in the U.S. entitled, “King Kong’s got Nothing on Me!”

We sold outdoor, lighted advertising signs for independent businesses, and this happened one day while I was field training a new salesman. We worked door-to-door which made sense since we could easily see the current signage of the prospective business. The new sales person and I ended up in an area where vandalism was rather high, but since our signs where virtually unbreakable, this often provided good prospects.

We walked into an outdoor and immediately noticed the security glass surrounding the cashier’s booth which appeared to be bulletproof and surmised that this was probably not a very nice neighborhood. But with a new, extremely keen rookie sales person watching, fearlessly carried on. The owner, a huge, not-to-pleasant-looking man appeared behind the protective glass and instantly realized that we were not customers and said, “What the hell do you want?”

Undaunted, I began, “My name is John Landrine and we sell outdoor internally lighted signs for…” He interrupted, screaming at us how he had no need for a sign. “I don’t need no &*%$!!x*n$?!! sign!! I been here for 32 years; EVERYBODY knows me! Nobody comes in here because of %&^%$!!! Sign!! They come because of ME!!” I’m no saint, but this guy introduced me to a new segment of the English language. Undeterred, I challenged, “I have a model and some pictures of the sign in my car. I’ll show it to you, THEN, you tell me if you don’t need this sign!”

“Oh yeah! Well, go get the %:&^*$! thing then!” As we headed to the car, the trainee, literally shaking in his boots, suggested that we get in the car and leave as it looked obvious this guy would never buy a sign and he could be dangerous. However, I told him the first rule is never to prejudge who may and or may not buy a sign—you have to ASK for an order. Well, I quickly found that everyone did know the owner and my presentation was interrupted every two minutes with customers whom he would have long conversations with.

Since the trainee needed the practice anyway, I used this “downtime” to have him sketch a sign for the store. I noticed a mural on the wall outside that depicted a gigantic King Kong figure towering over the skyline of Manhattan, pouring huge bottle of champagne and in one of the floating bubbles was the face of the store owner. So, I suggested the trainee sketch that idea on a sample rendering on the least expensive sign we sold. I was determined to ask this prospect for an order, if it was the last thing I did. (Of course, I hoped it wouldn’t be the last thing I did.)

Just as I went to close, a utility worker came in and went into the back with the owner. But two minutes later, he came running out and flew out of the store in a state of terror, as the owner yelled, “They want $800, when I just gave them money last month!! They think I got $800 laying around here to give to any Tom-Dick-or Harry who walks in and asks for it!!” Well, in about 30 seconds, I was going to ask him for $1400!

As the trainee packed up and positioned himself near the door, I presented the sign and asked for the order. The owner said, “Ok. I’ll take it.” And turned and walked away. We didn’t know what was going on or if he understood the proposal. The thought came to mind that maybe he went to get a gun, but he came back with a check for the deposit! Now, normally I wouldn’t temp such good fortune, but I just had to know and asked, “Why are you buying this sign? I mean, what made you change your mind?” He answered, “All that crap about the sign bringing me in more business, I couldn’t care less about” All you had to do was tell me that you were going to put MY FACE on a big lighted sign…and I would have bought it at ANY PRICE!”

The lesson I learned was that I really didn’t believe in my own teaching. Because of his apparent disinterest, I proposed a sign that was half the size and one-fifth the price of what I should have presented. Though I taught the new sales person not to prejudge, that is exactly what I did.
Develop a solid sales model and process, and use it. You don’t always know, what in your sales integration, is the deciding factor for your prospective customer to buy, so don’t try to figure it out.

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Natural Born Sellers

Click here for my comments on Natural Born Sellers Episode III

Stop Press – for my comments on Episode II click here: Natural Born Sellers II

ITV launch a new reality TV circus this week in NATURAL BORN SELLERS.

With this a group of sales people replace an existing workforce each week for winner takes all stakes. Who will make the most money?

I sure hope that this programme will not show sales people in the wrong light?

Whilst this will no doubt be avid viewing it’s not going to make your job any easier as once again the sales profession is taken the piss out of. You will no doubt see the behind closed doors of “sales motivation”, “tricks and techniques” that will make me just puke.

Buyers will become even more suspicious of sales people just like you even if you have a whiter than white approach.

Natural Born Sellers starts this Thursday and I’ll be posting a weekly blog about the show.

Stay tuned for more!

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Truth in Selling

There is a big difference between what’s legal and what’s right. As professional sales people, we must hold integrity above all else, including the letter of the law. Honesty is key, misleading, deliberately confusing and bamboozling sales advertising, literature and talk is no more acceptable today than the old school smile and dial rhetoric of the past.

Here’s an example of what I mean.

A new car dealer was using this misleading statement: “Bankruptcy Sale”

Bank Owned Cars Must Go!

Over 300 Bank Reprocessed vehicles for sale to the public!

All Must Go!

Now, when you look at that, do you get the feeling the bank has repossessed cars from some unfortunate people who failed to make their payments and sold them on to the garage for profit and now the garage is off loading them at hugely discounted prices?

Well, look again and you may notice that it doesn’t say “repossessed;” it says reprocessed! I asked the owner what that meant, and he had no answer. Especially since the cars in question (only about 150) had all been on the forecourt for months. Also, what and who is the “bankruptcy” what’s that all about?

The owner, in an effort to defend himself, informed me that the ad was perfectly legal, to which of course I (quite emphatically) let him know that it wasn’t.

Let’s continue to restore the integrity in our profession by ensuring truth in advertising, honesty in selling and let’s finally put the BS to R.I.P!

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

7 Ways to Effective Sales Coaching

Want to become a great sales coach? Then include these golden rules:

Lead By Example: The “do as I say, not as I do,” theory doesn’t work. If you can’t do it, or have never done it, then don’t tell your sales people they can do it. If you can’t walk-the-walk, don’t talk-the-talk.

Care: All the sales coaching in the world and all you’re great wisdom and expertise, mean nothing if sales people don’t believe that you and the company believe in, and care about them. The old adage is true in that people really don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. If you always put the bottom line first, that’s all you’ll get; the bottom line.

Praise in Public: When you see progress and achievement, make it known and do it out loud.

Make Corrections By Group: You may have heard that you should praise in public and correct or admonish in private. However, don’t even admonish in private. Make such corrections, fix mistakes and problems by addressing the whole team instead of singling out the guilty party. You can bet that if one person is having the problem, others in the group are as well. Also, keep teaching positive at all times.

Ensure a Chain of Communication: Don’t allow management above you to communicate directly with the people you coach without your knowledge or involvement. Everything must come through you.

Remember the Spouse/Family: Remember these are people you work with, there not machines. You should know something about each person’s situation and always consider them as individuals.

Never, Ever Let Them go Home on a Negative: Have you heard that saying in Marriage ‘Never go to Bed on an Argument’ Well as a sales coach, never let your people go home with a negative thought. A bad day or month, lost sales, mistakes made; whatever the case may be, make sure you give the sales person something positive to take away.

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Confessions of a Gatekeeper:

Understanding the Guardians of the Gold

The Gatekeeper: A secretary, receptionist or any frontline person whose job it is to screen your call and prevent you from getting to the decision maker. Sales people have more problems with the gatekeeper screens sadly they don’t even know it.

While at one time, these gatekeepers (GK’s) were considered nothing more than pesky, low-level people with nothing to do but waste your time, the truth is that the GK today is a well-trained, educated, sophisticated and sales savvy professional who understands more about cold calling than most sales people.

Think about it; take an average GK who works for a small firm. That company could have three, four, five or even ten people who are decision maker (DM’s) for some area or department of the company. This one GK however, may answer the incoming calls for all of them. Over the course of a few years, this person will have been involved in ten, twenty or maybe even a hundred times more cold-calls than the average sales person. Who do you think has more experience?

In addition, understand that the GK of today may also have had specific training in sales or communication skills, has important responsibilities in the firm other than answering the telephone and usually serves as firstline public relations person for the company as well.

In the past, GK’s would often come right out and tell the sales person that they were not allowing the call through; they were not welcome and the DM would not want to take their call. Today however, since every company sells something, and the GK knows this, the GK will not alienate any caller, understanding that even the aggressive, obnoxious sales person may someday be a prospective customer for their firm.

Many GK screens today are so sophisticated that sales people don’t even know they are being screened; continuing to attempt to make contact with the DM, thinking the GK is actually trying to help them.

Underestimating and not understanding today’s GK has killed the careers of thousands, perhaps millions of sales people and cost sales companies billions in lost revenue every year.

At MTD Sales Training, I have devoted a lot of material to successfully learning how to identify and negotiate the sophisticated GK screen. However, I wanted to take a moment and take a different approach. Normally we look at the GK from only one point of view; the sales professional. Well, today I want to share with you the view from a professional GK!

Over the years, I’ve got to know hundreds of GKs. What follows is an excerpt of an interview I did recently with a high-level GK, who is an Executive Secretary I’ll call her Lisa (Not her real name.) Lisa currently works for a large project management company and talks to me about her career.

Sean: So Lisa, first let me ask you, how did you get into this profession in the first place? I mean was this your goal?

Lisa: Well, I started out studying business administration. I was in college and began working part time for a small medical office. I actually started working in file management. Everything was on paper and in folders back then and I’d had some training in administration and was a good typist.

Sean: How did you end up on the telephone?

Lisa: Ironically, I started out making calls to companies that supplied our parts. My Boss at the time asked if I would help out by contacting potential suppliers and see if I could negotiate a better price on some of the parts we were buying. So, I would call and see what kind of prices they were offering if they were competitive I would arrange for a Sales Person to meet with my boss.

Sean: So, you started out actually making outgoing calls—cold calling?

Lisa: Yes. Well, someone had to do the ground work and they chose me.

Sean: Did you get many incoming sales calls from some of those suppliers?

Lisa: Yes, but we would concentrate on one area at a time, so I didn’t have time to talk to all of them. But for the ones that fitted the criteria we were working on at the time, I would set up an appointments.

Sean: So would you sit through the sales Persons 1st presentation then?

Lisa: Yes, I would be the one to decide whether their prices and parts were worth taking to the next level.

Sean: How often did you do that? I mean, were you involved in a sales presentation?

Lisa: Oh, I don’t know. It was a lot, though. I would say, maybe two or three a week. I was in the department for a couple of years and even invited companies to come back a second time, too.

Sean: So, what happened next?

Lisa: I left that company after I got my degree…

Sean: In business administration?

Lisa: Yes, I have a BA in Business. Anyway, I went to work for a law firm and I still wanted to do research and begin my masters, but there was a job opening for a personal assistant for one of the executives. It paid so well, it was hard to pass up and I was qualified because of the telemarketing experience I’d gained with my previous company.

Sean: So as a Personal Assistant what did you do exactly and did you like it?

Lisa: I loved it. I ended up handling the calendars and schedules of several of the top executives and coordinated the workings of several departments. I helped in the design of the first email and scheduling software and systems the company invested in and I was basically in charge of all such things. Someone once called me the “glue” that held the whole company together. Which, I guess made sense, since many things revolved around me.

Sean: So did you get lots of telemarketing calls from sales people?

Lisa: Oh yes. They never stopped, sometimes 5 or 10 an hour.

Sean: And how did you handle them?

Lisa: Well, remember, I was in charge of schedules for most of the executives they were trying to reach and because of by position I had the authority and knowledge of all events and appointments which were important and off course what wasn’t. I knew exactly what they had time for and what they didn’t.

Sean: So, you could actually make an appointment for a decision maker with a sales person, without even speaking to the decision maker?

Lisa: Yes, but I didn’t do that very often. Only if I knew the executive was already looking for more information or to speak to someone in that field. Usually, if I really thought that the product or service was something the contact may want to see or hear about, I would put the call through.

Sean: What would you say was your biggest complaint about sales people? I mean, what is the one thing they do that aggravates you the most?

Lisa: I would say that most of them think I’m stupid. They treat me like a child or an automated switchboard or someone who doesn’t know what she’s doing or hasn’t any authority. That really irked me. I mean, I’ve been in this business for 19 years, and I get some kid on the phone who talks down to me like I’m an idiot. I really hate it when they think they can just start a casual conversation with me or butter me up and I’ll put them through.

Sean: How do you respond to that type of treatment? Do you hang up on them?

Lisa: Oh no, I’d never do that.

Sean: Why, because you want to maintain a certain image for the company?

Lisa: Yes. Well, that’s part of it. I hate to admit this, but one of the main reasons I don’t slam the phone down on those that really tee me off, is because if I did that, I know they wouldn’t call back any more.

Sean: Isn’t that what you wanted?

Lisa: No, not the ones who irritate me, I want them to call back and to keep calling back, over and over. I just play along with them and let them think that they are getting to me and let them think that there might be a big sale in it if they just keep trying. Some of them are pathetic and so desperate, I know they will keep calling and calling. Most of the time I put them on hold and do other things. Sometimes I’ll put them on hold just to see how long they will remain holding. (chuckle)

Sean: That’s a little harsh, maybe even cruel, don’t you think?

Lisa: Ha! I know it’s not very nice, but they have no business to treat me like they do either.

Sean: Do you ever worry doing something like that to an important person or a potential customer? I mean, what if you put a VIP on hold and left him or her there? Don’t you risk costing your boss and the company money and reputation?

Lisa: Oh, no. That doesn’t happen. I can tell the difference between those low type sales people and telemarketers; you know immediately the ones that don’t have any real say-so or position and the ones who might be important.

Sean: But how? How can you tell the difference from what you call a low-level telemarketer and a VIP?

Lisa: Um… I don’t know, really. I just can. I mean, they just sound like they are telemarketers who are at the low level, you know! I’m not sure exactly what it is, but I can tell almost as soon as they say Hi, there! Plus, I can tell when they’re reading from a script, even when they try really hard to make it sound like they’re just talking. I can tell.

Sean: So, as soon as you believe you hear someone who is the run-of-the-mill telemarketer, that’s it—they have no chance?

Lisa: No! I don’t do that to everyone…I mean, not without reason. When I get a call from someone for the first time, I always give them a chance. I know that they are trying to earn a living. I give them a chance. But then, when they start with the same old stuff, the same lines and little stupid jokes; that’s when I put them through the ‘you know what’ screen out.

Sean: So, you hear the same thing from lots of them?

Lisa: Yes! It’s exactly the same. Even some of the stupid little jokes…are the same. Calls will go like this, “Hi There! Lisa, is it? How are you today? So is there anybody else working over there today besides yourself, Lisa? Ha! ha!” Oh it’s sickening. Oh, you know what else I really can’t stand? When they try to act like they KNOW the contact, like they’re good friends with my boss. I can’t stand that. They don’t understand that I know these people and I’ve worked with them for years and I know the calls they get on a regular basis.

Sean: So, are there any actual sales people you actually put through to your boss?

Lisa: Like I said, yes. If I think it might be something relevant, someone or something important, not someone who will waste by boss’s time, I’ll let the call through.

Sean: Lisa, it sounds like you have a lot of time to talk to these sales people.

Lisa: It’s part of my job. I mean, I am charged with helping find new suppliers and companies that we may want to do business with. So, yeah, I’ll talk to them and ask some questions even if I think it’s a sales person or someone of interest to our company.

Sean: But how can you always know what may or may not be of interest to your company and what your company may need? Don’t you think you might screen out some sales people that are selling something that could be useful to your company? Or, something that maybe your boss might have wanted to know more about?

Lisa: I guess that could happen once in a while. But no matter what the company sells, if it is a product that we can use, they will usually start with me. And if the sales person is an _____hole, then we don’t want to do business with them even if they do have something we may need. Whatever it is, somebody else sells it, too. And like I said, I can tell the difference between one of those lower-level ones and a high-level professional person. I mean, I know the kind of business people my bosses like to work with.

Sean: Speaking about your bosses, do any of them tell you or give you instruction on how to handle calls or who to put through or something like that?

Lisa: Hey, I don’t tell them how to do their jobs, they better not even think about telling me how to do mine.

Sean: Do you ever put the sales person on hold and ask your boss if he or she wants to take a certain call?

Lisa: Yes, sometimes. If I know that it is something that may be useful or that won’t be a waste of time, then I will buzz through and ask my boss if he has a few minutes would he like to take the call. But, that only happens when I already feel that the sales person is at the level of professionalism that matches people we work with. Most of them, to tell you the truth, never get that far. For most people, not all, I’d say about 75% of people that call trying to get to one of my contacts; I know what I am going to do with that caller within the first few seconds after I hear their voice.

And here ends a GATEKEEPER’S story!

So, my Final Thoughts and Advice to SALES PEOPLE & TELEMARKETERS is THIS!

1. Qualify your leads – Know what products and services the company your calling use and need.

2. Don’t Script your spiel – be natural, polite and never patronise, an experienced gatekeeper will sniff out a patronising sales person within seconds.

3. And, if at first you don’t succeed – try and try again – don’t ruin your chances of ever doing business with a company in the future by being rude or slamming down the phone just because you can’t get past the gatekeeper – always leave the door open, the gatekeeper will!

Happy Gatekeeping (and Sales People keep trying… you’ll get past them if you learn how to play the game)

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Post Sales Follow Up

After-the-Sale Service Practices

The Return on Your Investment
One of the reasons so many sales people have trouble committing to after sales service and follow up is because they cannot see the return on their investment. Many people feel that once the sale is closed and the commission earned and spent, any further time allotted to the customer is a waste. After all, you are paid to make sales not to “hold a customer’s hand” after the sale is done. However, effective sales follow up will do more than patronise your customer; it will bring you more sales.

Follow up also doesn’t mean you must bend over backwards and “jump through hoops” at a customer’s whim. While you should always provide your clients with a value that is greater than the money they paid, you will still perform a service. Follow these three simple steps:

1. Continue to sell
2. Make yourself available
3. Become a liaison for everything

Continue to Sell
What happens to your enthusiasm for your product or service once you close the sale? Usually when the customer has signed the order, received the goods and paid the bill, the sales person discontinues the “selling.” At first glance this appears to make sense, because the customer has bought the product; the client has agreed to the service and therefore no more selling is needed. The sales person feels no need to continue to try to convince the customer, because the customer is “sold.” However, this instant “drop” in your enthusiasm for your product or service can have a detrimental “buyer’s remorse” effect on your customers.

From the client’s perspective, you were first very excited to get the opportunity just to speak to the client about your wonderful product. You and your company spent a lot of money promoting this product and securing an appointment. You jumped up and down about how essential the product was to your customer and pushed for the sale. You pushed the client to buy the product NOT because you needed the money but because you felt the customer needed the product. You assured the client that you had his or her best interest at heart. You insisted the prospect buy the service because he would benefit more than anyone. You emphatically claimed that your primary motive was to help the customer and the money was only secondary. Then, once you “got the money,” that was it. It all stopped and you disappeared.

If you are genuinely excited about a product, that excitement should remain with you after the sale, whether the customer makes a purchase or not. Also, it is after the customer makes the initial purchase that their doubt and second thoughts begin to creep in. It is after the customer has spent his money when his neighbor tells him that he made a mistake or the husband tells his wife she should not have signed the agreement. It is after the sale that the true “OBJECTIONS” arise. You have to continue to SELL your product to the customer almost as if the customer did not buy: continue to sell the product long after the sale.

As you visit the customer and continue to sell the product for which the customer has already made the purchase, it strengthens the buying decision in the mind of the customer and raises your level of professionalism. The customer realises that you are still selling even though there is no commission to be made. The customer realises that you actually believe in what you said. The customer’s trust in you grows and this is where the customer will begin to “open up” and inform you of their other needs.

Depending on the product or service you sell, this continuation of the sale, can be simple or very complex. If you sell services that interconnect, then this process will be ongoing and more detailed. You want to come up with three to five ways that you will continue to sell your product AFTER the sale. Here are a few examples:

A. Security systems sales person closes the sale for an alarm system with the business owner. Two weeks after the sale, the sales person visits and takes the customer some recent news articles about robberies in the area, reassuring the customer that his decision was sound and well timed. Another two weeks later, the sales person sends customer a letter in the post with some statistics that show that owners of their systems have never suffered a break in.

B. Car sales person sells new car. Four days after the sale, sends customer a news clipping that shows the car has won new awards for safety. Two months later, sends the customer a birthday card and a note that the demand for the car they bought has increased and pushed up the price and value of their car.

You want to have three to five after the sale “Selling” points for your customer. This can happen over a period of a few months or years due to the nature of your product. In either case, over the course of time, develop and deliver three to five selling points. You can use the form at the end this document to keep track.

Make Yourself Available
Let your customer know that you are “available” anytime for anything. Make an occasional telephone call or send a letter that tells the customer that you are “there” to assist. It is important NOT to sell on these occasions and you can combine this with your staying in touch occasions. Create three to five ways to inform your customer that you are available. Remember, these can be days apart or months apart.

Become a Liaison for Everything
One of the most effective ways to maintain account management and to follow up is to become a liaison for your customer to other services and needs. Become someone that the customer can call for ANYTHING that they may need even though it may not relate directly to your product or service. Become a “resource” for your customers.

For example, let us say that you sell executive training services and your client, Mr. Jones, is a happy customer. Of course, you will stay in touch with Mr. Jones in as far as providing him with additional training services. However, what of Mr. Jones’ other needs? You find that Mr. Jones is in the market for a new car. You do not sell cars, but one of your clients owns a dealership. You also have clients involved in technology, real estate, finance and insurance. You want to inform your client that before he goes to search the telephone directory to buy anything, to call you first.

Sales Person: “Mr. Jones, please remember that you can call me for anything and I mean anything. As I mentioned, I have a lot of customers in all types of industries in this area. They are all successful people just like you. So, when you need an estate agent or a lawyer, don’t pick up the telephone book, call me first…”

You then become a major resource for the customer; a super directory: a Super Sales Person. This networking will bring you a lot of extra business in addition to keeping your customers happy. Over the course of time, make three to five actions that inform your client that you are the conduit to all of his or her needs.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

As you probably know by now, I’m all for making your role a lot easier in terms of saving you time so it frees you up to sell more!

Well, I don’t know whether you are aware of this but there is a neat little tool called AutoText in outlook that could save you a shed load of time and at the same time provide you with some consistency in the way that you write and respond to emails.

Now if you find yourself typing the same old email messages when responding to prospect and client enquiries then the AutoText function could be your saviour!

AutoText is to your opening or closing paragraph (or any piece of text come to that) as your email signature file is to your company address, telephone number.

With the click of the mouse you can instantly insert some pre-written text into your emails without opening any other emails or copying and pasting from a word document or template.

Ok, enough of my ramblings. Here’s how to use the tool.

Now you might have different versions of Outlook and the screens may look different but you’ll get the gist of what I am about to cover.

So you’ve got some text that you would like to use at the beginning of each email when you respond to an enquiry.

Here’s what you do to set it up and then I’ll tell you how to use it in your emails.

THE SET UP

Highlight the text you would like to use:

Now if you are using an older version of Outlook you need to click on AUTOTEXT and then select NEW

Then, enter a name that you would like to call this piece of text. In the example below I have called it XTTG4 Reply so you know what it relates to:

HOW TO INSERT THE TEXT YOU HAVE JUST SET UP

Ok, so when you go to write a reply in the future you can call up your AutoText in two ways.

Firstly, if you just start to type what you called it i.e XTTG4 Reply and a box will appear above the text. Just click enter and WHAMMO! all of the text will appear!

An alternative way is to select AutoText from the menu bar and then click on AutoText and then select the name of the text you want to insert.

Job Done!

Now if you’ve got a later version of Outlook the function you need is called QUICK PARTS and you get to that from the INSERT tab on the menu bar after having opened a new email to write.

It’s a really useful tool to use. Personally I’ve got about 20 different messages set up and it saves me a ton of time and makes sure I send an optimised email reply that will give me the best chance of success.

Happy AutoTexting!!!!

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

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Know The Prospective Buyer

Understanding and dealing with different personality types

Buyer Traits
While every person is different, you will find that most prospective customers fit into certain categories. We will examine how to recognise each one, and then provide tips on how to deal with them. These tips, of course, are not concrete rules that apply to every personality and every situation. However, you will find that they provide a good overall view of commonalities in the different types of buyers. Some of these tips will also suggest that in some cases and at some point, you should terminate the sales process. You may feel that this is giving up or accepting defeat. No. This is about being smart and staying professional. You will not make every sale and you will not change the laws of psychics by sacrificing your time, money and dignity.

Different Prospective Buyer Types
1. The Assertive
2. The Paranoid
3. The Know-It-All
4. The Price Only
5. The Timid
6. The Jokester

The Assertive: – This buyer personality is often difficult to deal with. If you have been in the world of selling for any length of time, you have met this person. This is the prospect that interrupts you, is often rude or disrespectful, tries to antagonise you and seems to be someone who eats sales people for lunch. You need not too many tips on how to recognise this person, as it is usually quite clear. However, let us look at a few traits:

Assertive/Aggressive Buyer Traits:
1. Has overly firm handshake: This person usually puts too much emphasis on a handshake, grasping hard and long.
2. Maintains deep and constant eye contact: The person will stare you directly in the eye with unwavering penetration. It is almost as if he or she is testing you to see who will look away first.
3. Sits forward and upright: Usually will not lean back or take a relaxed posture.
4. Overly confident in self and accomplishments: Very sure of him or herself.
5. Will begin to interrupt your presentation: This person will often interject your presentation with objections long before they should arise.

Assertive/Aggressive Buyer Tips
1. Do not change your personality to match: be yourself. This includes your handshake. Allow this person to have the stronger hand. This person often wants some control and if you begin to change, you are allowing the buyer to control you. Be yourself.
2. Keep your eye contact natural. You should always maintain good eye contact with everyone, but don’t go overboard and force unnatural eye contact. Don’t be intimidated to the point where you are afraid to look away. When asking questions and closing, get close and maintain steady eye contact.
3. Sit back and relax. This is one place where you want to adapt. If you are sitting with the person across from a desk or table, as this buyer leans forward don’t lean forward too, this will cause unnecessary challenges and tension.
4. Don’t patronise. Be careful not to patronise this person with condescending, phony complements and agreeing with everything he or she says. If anything, try not to be overly impressed.
5. Patience – then continue. Once again, you do not want to patronise this person. Often this prospect will want to throw you off track or see if they can disrupt your normal flow. Address each question IF it is a question and continue with your normal sales process.
6. Don’t be overly friendly. This is the worst prospect to try to make friends with and try to get them to “buy you” first, false admiration and condescending comments are a bad idea at all times but will mean death with this person.

Summary:
With the aggressive and overly assertive buyer, you want to be yourself. Maintain your composure and do not be moved. You want to give the person respect, but you want him or her to know that you are a professional and will do your job.

The Paranoid – This person seems to be afraid of everything and trusts nothing and no one.

Paranoid Buyer Traits
1. Usually answers questions and comments with, “But…” As in, “I understand that, but what about this…”
2. Will see a negative possibility in almost everything
3. Wants proof and guarantees
4. Will have examples of bad experiences with competitors or industry

Paranoid Buyer Tips
1. Good question. Answer and move on. Let the prospect know that the question or concern is valid. Answer the question, and then move on. Don’t linger or continue to ask if the customer fully understands. Just answer clearly and continue.
2. Don’t try to alleviate unwarranted fears or phobias. Address legitimate issues, but don’t give too much time to fears that are completely ridiculous. If you fall into the trap of fighting ghosts and monsters that don’t exist, you will waste a tremendous amount of time and if by some stretch of the imagination, you happen to make the sale, this customer will be your worst nightmare. Such a customer will cost you far more money in unnecessary service calls, unwarranted complaints and imaginary problems than the sale is worth.
3. Address questions but don’t justify. With this personality, most sales people have the tendency to try to justify or prove everything they say. Answer questions clearly and completely but don’t try to justify your statements. Truth needs no justification and the more information you volunteer, the more this person will turn it against you.
4. Don’t bash the competition. This is a critical mistake. If the customer’s bad experience is something that you are aware of, then show how your company has risen above this problem. If the customer’s complaint is something that appears to be an isolated incident then DON’T JUSTIFY IT BY SLAMMING THE COMPETITION. Let the customer know that it’s an isolated incident and that you are shocked to hear of it. Defend the competition and the integrity of your industry.

Summary:
Don’t add fuel to the fire.

The Know-It-All
This customer can also be very frustrating to deal with. This buyer believes that he or she knows more about your product and company than you do and there is nothing in your presentation that provides any new information. This patient wants to tell the doctor what the prognosis and remedy is.

Know-It-All Buyer Traits
1. Will challenge or debate much of your claims
2. Will test your knowledge of details and industry information
3. Will claim to know more about your competition than you do, including prices

Know-It-All Buyer Tips
This buyer and the assertive/aggressive are similar. However, unlike the assertive buyer, this prospect needs the preverbal pat on the back. Let the customer know that someone as educated in the industry as she always buys your product and the easiest sale your company will make. .

1. Complement buyer on thinking
2. Congratulate buyer on ideas
3. Let buyer know that the educated consumer is best

The Price ONLY
It is very easy to describe this customer’s traits because all they want to know is how much your product or service will cost them. They are not interested in a sales presentation or any explanations of what you have or what you do. They just want to know HOW MUCH!

Price Only Buyer Traits
1. Will tell you they understand all the benefits and a sales presentation isn’t necessary
2. Will tell you they are ready to buy now. Just want a price.

Price Only Buyer Tips
1. Don’t fall into this trap—stick to your presentation
2. Inform the buyer of your pricing process. You should have a presentation that requires feedback and answers from your buyer so you can construct a proposal or a price. Let the prospect know that you have a process to come up with the best price and it is in their best interest that you follow your process.
3. When all else fails, put your foot down. When you have exhausted all avenues try this approach: “Listen, Mr. Prospect. I appreciate your enthusiasm and interest for my product and I sincerely appreciate your time. However, I am a professional and all of my customers became customers because they are able to make a well-informed, well-educated decision. So, unless you allow me to give you all of the information you need so you too can make a well-informed decision, then I am afraid that I can not allow you to make any decision at all and I will have to leave.” If the prospect allows you to continue after this point, you will almost always make the sale. If the customer continues in the same way, then keep your word and leave.

Summary:
Giving the buyer the price before they have all the proper information is a disservice to them.

The Timid
This can be one of the most confusing prospects and one that can cause you many lost sales. This person is quiet and doesn’t usually ask any questions.

The Timid Buyer Traits
1. Asks very few questions
2. Agrees with everything you say
3. Offers no definitive objections

The Timid Buyer Tips
1. You must pull information out of this person. You have to get them involved
2. Do not assume that the silence and the smile means that they agree or buy your service/product
3. Offer objections. Provide challenges to what you say—then overcome them

Summary:

Silence is not always golden.

The Jokester
This person will also cost you a lot of money if you’re not careful. This person is full of distractions that take you off course and out of the sales process. This buyer is usually overly nice, cordial and more like a good friend than a prospect. He or she wants to go to lunch with you, have dinner with you, and play golf with you and everything else except do business with you. Full of jokes and funny stories, this person will turn every serious conversation into a comic routine and avoid making a decision for as long as possible.

The Jokester Buyer Traits
1. Will avoid and put off questions
2. Wants to have a long meeting or lunch to talk about anything but business
3. Is afraid you are going to ask for the order

The Jokester Buyer Tips
1. Keep your cordial attitude, but stay firm on questions until you get an answer
2. Let the prospect know that you want to discuss other things, and will, AFTER you both take care of business.
3. This prospect thrives on the belief that you are too intimidated or afraid to ask for the order, don’t be. Do not make friends before you do business. Make friend AS you do business.

Summary: Stay focused and ask for the order with conviction.

Let’s put it all together.

Understanding and dealing with different personality types

Buyer Types and Tips be yourself
 Keep natural eye contact. .
 Sit back and relax.
 Don’t patronise
 Patience – then continue

Do not be too friendly

Assertive/Aggressive Buyer:
• Has overly firm handshake:
• Maintains deep and constant eye contact:
• Sits forward and upright:
• Overly confident in self and accomplishments:
• Will begin to interrupt your presentation

Pardoid Buyer
• Answers questions with, “But…”
• Finds negative in everything
• Wants proof and guarantees
• Has bad experiences with competitors

 Good question. Answer and move on
 Do not chase ghost and phobias
 Address questions but do not justify
 Defend the integrity of your industry

Know-It-All Buyer
• Challenges and debates
• Tests your knowledge and details
• Knows more than you

 Complement buyer on thinking
 Congratulate buyer on ideas
 You like educated consumer

Price Only Buyer
• Presentation is unnecessary
• Ready to buy now
• Just need price

 Stick to your presentation
 Inform of pricing process.
 Put your foot down

The Timid Buyer
• Has very few questions
• Agrees with everything you say
• Offers no definitive objections

 Pull out information
 Silence is not golden
 Offer objections, then solve

The Jokester
• Will avoid questions
• Wants long meetings or lunch
• Is afraid you’ll ask for the order

 Get an answer
 Will play AFTER business
 ASK FOR THE ORDER

Happy Prospecting!

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Setting Appointments

Executive Summary
It’s simple: Make efficient use of the telephone and set good qualified appointments and you will succeed. Fail in this one area and YOU fail. No matter how great your product, or professional your sales presentation or even that enticing offer you’ve just put together, if you don’t have a consistent stream of qualified prospects to listen to your story, you are doomed to mediocre sales at best.

It is essential for a professional sales person today to be able to get through to qualified prospects and set solid appointments. However, today’s consumer has changed. It has become increasingly difficult to pick up the telephone and set appointments.

To set an appointment, is to make a sale. You must “sell” the appointment as if it were a completely separate product or service. And, as with selling any product, you must have an effective and comprehensive sales process. Therefore, you must have a distinct and detailed selling process exclusively designed for setting appointments. This template will systematically lead you to design your own telephone sales process to set appointments in abundance. It does not matter if you need to set up meetings with Mr. and Mrs. Consumer in the dining room or Mr. CEO in the boardroom. Once you have the tools and, the confidence to pick up the telephone and create sales opportunities, you will begin to top the sales charts with consistency!

The Prime Objective
The most important issue in setting appointments on the telephone is to remember your primary objective: to set an appointment. While this focus may sound obvious, most sales people routinely lose this focus while making sales calls. You have to refrain from selling your product or service or from selling yourself or your company. What you are selling is the appointment. You must keep your focus on the one objective of setting up the meeting. It is during that meeting that you will sell your product, self and company—not before.

Sell the Appointment
As with selling anything, the basics of a sales presentation apply when selling appointments. To effectively sell anything, you need to:

1. Uncover a problem, thereby exposing a need
2. Present the solution to the problem to solve the need
3. Ask the prospect to take action now for a mutual benefit

However, before you can sell the appointment or anything else for that matter, you must get through to the prospect that has an open mind and will listen to your story. Before you get into your sales presentation to sell the appointment, you must develop an approach that will allow you to spend your time with prospects that are receptive enough to warrant your time as a professional sales person. To do this, you will “qualify” the prospect. You are going to screen all of the people you call so that you spend time on calls that you are reasonably sure will be worth your valuable time as a professional.

Get Rid of the Smile & Dial Mentality
One of the main problems sales people have on the telephone setting appointments or selling is the way they “sound.” When a “telemarketer” calls you, you can tell within the first three seconds that the caller is a sales person. There is a distinct sound affiliated with a telephone solicitation call that acts like a warning beacon to your potential customers. It is an abnormal tone of voice and pace of speech that is primarily due to a big phony smile and an unnaturally overenthusiastic attitude. You must get rid of the fake, forced, façade and sound like a normal person; like a businessperson. So first, lose the big smile and tone down your enthusiasm.

PULL, Don’t PUSH
Next, you must reverse the old cold-calling philosophy of the “push” or “pitch” mentality. Stereotypical cold calling methods and “scripts” teach you to force your telemarketing script on anyone who will sit still long enough to listen. The idea is that if you can keep the prospect on the telephone long enough, perhaps you can get to the “good part” before they hang up. The typical script is designed to suppress or smother responses from the prospect until much later in the call.

You do not want to push or force your presentation on anyone. Nor do you want to spend your time with people who sincerely do not want to spend their time with you. What you want to do is simply find people who are receptive and in a state of mind to listen to you when you call. If a person were truly unreceptive or too preoccupied to listen to you, then why would you want to spend your time trying to force him or her? Instead of pushing your story on unreceptive people, you are going to put all prospects through a short series of tests that will let you screen out calls that may prove unproductive. You might call these trial closes that you will use within the first few seconds of the call. If the responses to these trail closers are positive, then you move on. However, if the prospect exhibits too many negative traits, then the possibilities of setting the appointment are weak. Therefore, you can choose to terminate such calls before you invest a lot of time.

The Screening Process
You are going to create a telephone presentation that will screen your prospects during the first few seconds of the telephone call so that you spend most of your time only speaking with prospects that provide the highest percentage for setting an appointment. The following is the “structure” and outline for you to design your presentation. It is not a script. It is a process. Your actual words can and should change depending on with whom you are speaking. You are going to pre-qualify prospects before you invest your time in a full presentation and closing for an appointment. For those prospects that fail to qualify, you will terminate the call and go on to the next call. You can decide which people you will re-call at another time and the ones you will not. For those who pass your screening, you will move to set an appointment. With this process, you will save enormous amounts of time and set more appointments.

Time
Your first trail closes or tests for the prospect are to determine if you are calling at an opportune time. If you call someone at a time when they are legitimately preoccupied with something else, they may not hang up or even tell you, but you will not have their attention. In such a case, it is better to get off the telephone and call this prospect at a better time. Within the first few seconds of the call, you want to determine if the call is convenient for the prospect.

Attitude
Then, you want to determine if the prospect has the right attitude toward you, your company and the product or service that you sell. You want to find out immediately if the prospect may have any pre-existing reasons that may prevent them from setting an appointment with you. If the prospect has some preconceived negative feelings about your product, you want to find out within the first eight seconds, not after eight minutes.

Technical
Finally, you want to technically qualify the prospect as to your target market and specifications. Does the prospect need to own a home, a business or a new car? Must your potential customers have a certain amount of employees or earn a particular amount of money? Before you go any further, you want to be sure this prospect has the capability to do business with you.

Presentation
The prospects who pass those first three brief qualifying stages are the people you want to talk to. Now you will make your presentation as you will uncover the problem, expose the need, present the solution and close for the appointment.

Questions, Pauses and Stutters
To elicit these responses from the prospect you will of course ask a few questions. But you will also use deliberate, strategically placed pauses or stutters to give the person a chance to respond.

The Introduction: Time and Attitude Testing
First, listen intently from the moment the telephone begins to ring. You want to pay special attention to how the prospect answers the telephone. If you are going through a receptionist, then still pay close attention to exactly how the prospect answers the line. You can easily tell if someone is preoccupied, by the way they answer the telephone, if you just listen. Usually, the sales person is so concerned with what they are going to say to the prospect that they pay little attention to the first sounds and words the prospect makes. Listen for clues that reveal the prospect’s mental state. In your introduction, you want to test the prospect as to the convenience of the call and their response to your company name.

Prospect: “Bill’s Automotive. Bill speaking”
Sales Person: “Ah, Bill Johnson, please.”

Our sales person realises that the person is more than likely the owner, Bill Johnson. But the key is to elicit responses from the prospect. So, the sales person asked to confirm, thereby getting an additional response.

Prospect: “Speaking.”
Sales Person: “Yes, Bill, John Harris with ABC Life Insurance… (Pause)…how are you?”

You want to pause and listen intently to the prospect’s reaction to hearing your name and the company you work with. You also want to listen to the response to the question, “How are you?” This is not a rhetorical question, as you really want to know if the prospect is in a good mood. If this prospect has not offered any negative responses thus far, it is likely the call is relatively convenient for the prospect and so far there are no ill feelings about you or your company. Remember, you are giving the person as much opportunity to object if they have an objection.

Go to the last page of this document and design YOUR PERSONAL INTRODUCTION. You want to be sure to pause, giving the prospect ample time to respond to your name and the name of your company. Note, that if the prospect wants to engage in a little bit of friendly banter at this point, that is ok, but do not force it.

Introduce Product or Service – More Attitude testing
Now you want to make it very clear exactly why you are calling. Let the prospect know your purpose. You just want a brief statement that explains what you do and sell. You also want to make it clear that you work with other people similar to the prospect; you work with their peers.

Sales Person: “Yes, Bill, ABC Life, we work primarily with independent business owners like yourself on tax favorable insurance plans, and … (Pause)… or “do you have a quick minute?” And pause

Prospect: “Yeah, sure”

Pause again and allow the prospect the opportunity to raise an objection to the idea of insurance. You can also ask the prospect if they have a moment, though this is not always necessary. If the prospect still has not raised any negative feedback at this point, you can be reasonably certain that this person is at least open to the idea of talking to a life insurance sales person. This does not mean that they are guaranteed to set an appointment, but you did not run over the prospect. You allowed him time to offer a negative response or an objection and none came forth

Design your own INTRODUCTION OF PRODUCT OR SERVICE statement.

Sales Person:“Bill I am talking to all of the business owners in your area, are you the sole owner there, Bill?

Prospect: “Yeah. Well, just me and the bank”

The sales person uses a quick question for the final technical qualifying stage. Design your TECHNICAL QUALIFYING question now.

Now, that this prospect has passed the psychological and technical qualifying stages, you can go into your presentation. Remember the steps to a sale: Uncover a problem, present the solution and ask for action

Sales Person: “I’m sure you are aware, Bill, that often independent business owners usually end up paying too much money for their machinery and property insurance. The large corporations save money because they insure millions of dollars, but usually the independent business owner pays way too much, you know what I mean?”

Prospect: “Yeah, well it’s no walk-in-the-park anymore that’s for sure.”

The sales person presents the prospect with a problem. It is a problem the prospect will easily understand and recognise. It is also a problem that all of his peers share. The problem has to be one that all prospects in the peer demographic can relate to.

Design your PROBLEM STATEMENT now.

Sales Person: “Well, Bill we have a program that helps the independent owner like yourself save tens of thousands of pounds in premiums and offers tax savings as well. You don’t have to have a million pounds worth of assets to save 20, 30 or even 40%…(pause)”

Prospect: “Oh yeah?”

Sales person presents that he has the solution to the problem. Design your SOLUTION. Remember, your objective is to sell the appointment ONLY. Do not get into detail on your solution. You HAVE the solution to the problem, but a personal meeting is necessary for you to present it.

Sales Person: “Anyway, the reason I’m calling is that I am getting together with some business owners in your area next week, basically to introduce myself and to show you how I can help you save a little money….

Sales person: asks the prospect to take action now because he is seeing other “like” people who share the same problem, next week.

Sales Person: “Anyway, I’d like to get together with you Bill, say this Thursday, at 2:30, or would you have a couple of minutes around 4:00?”

Always use a simple “alternate of choice” to close for the time. Design your CLOSING QUESTION.

Prospect: “Well, I don’t really need any more insurance right now. I have plenty. Why don’t you send me some information in the post?”

If the prospect offers some objection here, don’t panic. Remember that you are NOT in an adversarial relationship. You already screened out those prospects that would have offered strong resistance in the beginning. You are speaking to someone who is open-minded. Do not hit him over the head. Most important, DO NOT TRY TO SELL THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE. Stay focused on the appointment only.

Sales Person: “That’s great, Bill. We only work with successful business owners who are ALL well covered. We’ll sit down for a few minutes and I’ll share a few innovate ideas with you. In itself, the information that I leave with you, will be of great value to you. Are the mornings good for you, we can chat over a cup of coffee Bill, or is it easier to get a short break in the afternoon?”

Also, remember to always end that objection response with alternative choice of close. Design your OBJECTION Answer. You may wonder how you can design an answer to an objection that you have not heard yet. Understand that any objection from the prospect at this point is going to be about buying the product or service. So, in almost every case, you can use nearly the same response to get back to focus on the appointment.

Prospect: “The mornings are out I mean it would have to be after 4:00.”

Sales Person: “No problem, Bill. Let’s say we get together this Thursday, at 4:30, will that work for you?

Now simply rap it up by confirming the date and time. Design and complete your presentation keeping in mind, that this is a process not a pitch. You want a presentation that is PLANNED NOT CANNED.

Your Personal Telephone Presentation Process for Setting Appointments

Your Introduction
Determine time, convenience of the call
Your Introduction of Product/Service:
Test Prospect’s Attitude
Technical Qualification Question(s)

Prospect is qualified—time to go for it!

The Problem: Peers all share this problem
The Solution: Not too much detail. You have the solution but need to meet
Your Closing Question: Alternate of choice
Possible Objection: You are on the same side—sell only the appointment

Confirm the appointment!

Happy Appointment Making!

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

Have you downloaded my latest report yet? “The Sales Person’s Crisis” has been downloaded by over 10,000 sales pros and entrepreneurs. Don’t miss this unique report that lifts the lid on modern day selling!

Click on the image below to find out why you’re very existence as a sales person is in doubt…

Finding and hiring good people is difficult in any industry.

However, recruiting top sales people presents a plethora of unique challenges for the sales manager not found when hiring any other employee demographic. The main reason is that it is extremely difficult to predict who will be a top sales person. History tells us that the best sales people do not always come in the form of job candidates who have the most experience or the people who have the best looking resumes.

The sales profession, like no other occupation, requires distinct yet often un-identifiable characteristics from those who are to succeed at the highest levels. Selling rewards hard work and perseverance in ways that no other job can and therefore success depends largely on the individual’s personal effort. In addition, because personal effort relies on how much the sales person believes in the product or service for which they sell, a sales person can fail at selling one product, yet be very successful at selling another and visa versa.

Ultimately, sales success depends as much on the individual’s personality and character as it does on experience and knowledge. Good sales people come in all different packages and recognising them is much like digging for diamonds in a coal mine. Therefore, when hiring good sales people, you must be able to assess the individual’s character traits and personality assets in addition to work history and experience.

You may have found that traditional hiring concepts and conventional assessment and evaluation strategies are not as effective when it comes to hiring sales people. The successful sales person possesses a unique set of personality characteristics and life experiences and therefore, to find, recognise and hire good sales people requires an equally unorthodox hiring process.

This template will give you some tips on how to better recognise people who may possess the variables needed to succeed in your business and a check list to help you make better hiring decisions on a consistent bases.

The information and advice contained in this document is compiled from more than 30 years of practical, real-world hiring experiences and not from scientific assessment testing or psychological theories. This information represents a study of hundreds of successful sales people and presents traits that are common in the majority of them.

This strategy is not foolproof, but it will help you find more of those people with the potential to become sales superstars in your field. Remember that a “diamond in the rough” first appears as a lump of coal.

How to Recognise Sales Potential
As mentioned, because a sales person has shown success with one company or product, does not mean that he or she will achieve equal results with your firm, which is why we use the term, “potential.”

First, we will examine some tips on how to distinguish signs of “success potential” in resumes and job applications. Then we will explore interviewing techniques and finally, we will present a checklist for you to use as you build your sales organisation.

The Resume or Employment Application
Often when examining the resumes of good sales people, issues that appear to be “red flags” or areas of concern may actually be positive signs.

Conversely, items that first look like positive traits may be clues to potential problem areas. So let us look at some suggestions on how to better discern sales potential from a resume and the logic and reasoning behind each.

1. Unstable or Inconsistent Job History:
A person with an unstable work history is usually the first applicant to pass over when making a hiring decision. However, this apparent negative trait for most jobs may be a positive attribute for sales people. With the exception of actors and models, entry-level sales people are the most victimised by unethical companies by misleading recruiting techniques and fraud.

Sales people, especially early in their careers, are easy prey for firms that make outlandish promises and use deceptive hiring practices, and recognising such companies takes many years of industry experience. Also, many entry-level sales positions, requiring little or no experience, offer a dead-end career path with minimal training and no potential for long-term growth. The result is that many sales people “bounce around” in the beginning of their career trying to find a quality firm, with a legitimate opportunity that delivers what they say.

This often means that the sales person, in spite of constant disappointment and failed attempts, continued to persevere, which can be a very good sign.

Also, realise that the sales profession involves the selling of thousands of products and services and while a person may change the product, they are still in the same profession. Someone who spent six months as a bookkeeper, then invested six months training to be a nurse, then worked for eight months training to sell property, is someone who has changed career paths multiple times and has no consistency.

However, a sales person who sold water purifiers for six months then sold air filtration systems for a year, then worked for a home carpet cleaning company, is someone who continued on the same career path of sales and in the same area of selling home improvement products. Often this is the only way for sales people to grow their industry knowledge and income. However, such a past will reflect badly on a resume.

Of course, this does not mean that someone with a stable employment history is a poor sales person. It simply means that you should take a transparent view into the resume of a sales person and do not be too quick to dismiss the candidate that has the “shaky” resume. Look for a consistent “theme” in the job history.

2. Income History and Requirements
You should always ask applicants to report past salary and earnings history as well as their present income requirements on their resume. Earned income is the primary common denominator in the sales profession.

Since products and services vary widely, the only true measurement of past success is income. A true sales professional is also aware of this and will openly and routinely state income and needs on his or her resume. Be careful of applications that leave out salary history, even though it was requested. Give special attention to those who not only display past earnings openly, but also break the earnings down into the percentage of commission verses base salary.

Contrary to popular belief, most sales positions do not offer an unlimited income. As a sales manager, you should know what ‘is an average’, what ‘is expected’ and what ‘is exceptional’. If a sales person requires an income that is beyond the capabilities of the position, the manager should make this clear.

Therefore, in addition to past income, you should ask applicants to include their income requirements on their resume or application. Be careful of the applicants who leave this out, people who have trouble stating what they need often have trouble asking clients for an order.

3. No Experience needed If you’re hiring for an entry-level position where sales people need no experience, here are a few things to look out for:

1. A good aptitude for math’s and numbers
2. A military background
3. Participation in organised sports
4. A history of reaching goals or winning contests and awards of any nature

4. Other Resume Tips

GOOD
• Positive reports of past employers
• Moving up, reasons for leaving
• Neat and well organised
• Very small gaps between jobs

NOT SO GOOD• Too much usage of I, me or my
• Negative talk of old bosses
• Dissatisfaction, problems, reasons
• Careless errors
• Long gaps or NO gaps between

Now that you have some potential candidates in mind, it is time to meet them and make some decisions.

Interviewing Techniques
You should view honesty and integrity above all qualifications when it comes to hiring sale people. You have to find people who will NOT do anything for money. You have to find people who CAN NOT and WILL NOT sell anything to anybody. Find people who are honest and believe in your product, company and mission, and you will build a strong sales team. Here is a process:

1. Sell the Sales Person: You must first sell the candidate on your company and product just as strongly as if they were a prospective customer.
2. Verify the Sale: When you have made your case, ask the applicant questions as to their belief in the product and company and industry. Ask the applicant if they can understand why customers NEED the product.
3. Executive Summary: Ask the applicant to give you a general overview of their past experience and history.
4. Ask Specific Job Qualifying Questions: Verify whatever technical qualifications the successful candidate must posses.
5. Ask General Questions: Ask many simple personal and job related questions:

• What were your responsibilities at ABC Company?
• Why did you leave?
• What didn’t you like about the product, company/management?
• When do you want to retire?
• How do you set up your daily/weekly work schedule?
• What is your favorite sports team?
• How do you set sales goals? Give some examples of personal goals you’ve set yourself?
• What was your goal when you graduated high school?
• Do you feel you have failed/achieved that goal?
• What is the last book you read

6. Truth or Dare: After the above process, the sales person hopefully will be more relaxed and confident. This is essential for the next phase. You want to ask a question or questions of an ethical nature. Pose scenarios or role-playing examples.

You do want a question that is “black and white” such as; ‘to steal or not to steal’. Rather than pose situations with more of a “gray area, like; ‘your customer believes that his three-year warranty has expired and is ready to buy a new three-year warranty. The fact is, the customer is mistaken and actually has one year remaining on his old policy.

Do you inform the customer that he still has one year on his current warranty and does not HAVE to buy a new one today, or do you make the sale anyway, knowing that you extended the customer’s coverage by an additional two years?

The Deciding Factor
In making your final decision for hiring a sales person, ask yourself this question: Would you take total responsibility for this person’s success or failure?

As a sales manager, you must take the success of your sales team, personally. If the sales person fails—YOU failed. Would you take personal and financial responsibility if the person you hire does not obtain at least average success with your company? Would you pay the sales person’s rent, food, and bills out of your own pocket if he or she cannot?

Of course, such things are not required of you. However, this is the attitude you should have when hiring sales people. You should only hire those whom you believe in your heart will be successful in your firm and take their success personally. If you follow this thinking, you will make very few hiring mistakes. Let’s put it all together.

Hiring Top Sales People – Your Personal Check List

Resumes and Job Applications

• Do not dismiss an unstable job history.
• Look for themes and links in past jobs.
• Ask for “Salary History and Requirements” on resumes
• Watch for those who omit salary history and requirements
• Look for those who break down history in terms of base and commissions
• For Entry-Level Sales Positions look for:
• A good aptitude for math’s and numbers
• A military background
• Participation in organised sports
• A history of reaching goals or winning contests and awards of any nature

Check resumes for:
• Team work, unity
• Positive reports on past employers
• Positive reasons for leaving last job position
• Neat, organised document
• Watch out for those who have long gaps no gaps between jobs: it is only natural for there to be small gaps between jobs. People who say they left job A one day and started at job B the next, could be dishonest or someone who takes any job that comes along without thought.

The Interview
• Sell the sales person
• Ask questions to ensure the sales person believes in the product & company
• Ask for personal history
• Verify technical qualifications
• Ask general questions, mixing personal and job related topics
• Ask ethical based questions or role play

The Hiring Decision
• Assume complete and sole responsibly for the new hires success or failure
• Only hire sales people that you believe in so strongly that you would bet your own personal income on them succeeding.

Happy Sales Hiring!

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Sales Training

Telephone:
0800 849 6732

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