Morning Minute: 8/08/23
“How You Achieve Sales Excellence!”
In analyzing salespeople who achieve excellence in their industry, we find there are two successful, but different success paths.
There are Master Closers, and Relationship Sellers. We will examine each.
First, allow me to dispel some myths about great salespeople.
1. “They are great talkers!” Great salespeople spend much more time asking questions, and listening to what their clients are saying, than talking. They take notes, then ask more questions to better understand their client’s objectives.
2. “They are fast talkers!” Great salespeople will mirror the speed and speech of their clients. This mirroring allows clients to share more, so the salesperson may help them accomplish their objectives.
Master Closers have a very high opinion of their ability to close deals and make sales. They have mastered the art of selling by following their ABCs: Always Be Closing. They display great self-confidence, knowing that they can sell to anyone given enough time. Their self-confidence has them asking either/or questions, as they assist their clients to make small decisions leading to the big decision to buy. Having mastered numerous closing techniques they use these to get their client to desire what they are selling. They know that if they get enough “Nos,” eventually they will get a “Yes” and close the sale. Having sold, they move on to the next prospect.
Relationship Sellers have the ability to sell their clients, by creating long term relationships which lead to repeat business. These sellers desire first to make a friend, then make a sale. Their first objective is to determine their client’s pain, problem, or opportunity. By isolating and understanding the client’s objectives, they can provide several options to solve their pain, problem, or opportunity. While selling the client, they create the basis for a long-term relationship. They stay in touch through social media posts, newsletters, emails, and follow-up phone calls. The majority of their sales come from repeat clients and referrals.
Both Master Closers and Relationship Sellers achieve sales excellence by updating their product and service knowledge as they stay abreast of market changes; client needs and desires. Like all professionals they practice regularly to stay sharp. The Master Closer sells creatively and moves on to the next opportunity. The Relationship Seller sells by creating a relationship with the client, selling them, and selling to client referrals.
In your quest to achieve sales excellence…
Will you be a Master Closer? Or, a Relationship Seller?
Or, Both?
That is today’s morning Minute!
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Morning Minute: 8/11/23:
“Their Accountability (or) Your Responsibility!”
They ARE related.
They are NOT the same.
Let’s examine each separately!
When an individual is ACCOUNTABLE for their actions, or the results of those actions, they own both the actions and the results. They are accountable to themselves, to the team, and to everyone affected. Take for instance, a telephone operator at your business. This person in the electronic front door of the organization, tasked with being polite, helpful, and professional. This operator is trained to quickly transfer the caller to the team member requested, or to the best person to assist the caller. The operator is accountable to the caller, to the other team members, and to themself.
As the leader, you are RESPONSIBLE for achieving your organizational or team goals. You accomplish this by ensuring that the actions required for success, are accomplished properly, and in a timely manner. Whether the team achieves or misses these goals, the responsibility falls on your shoulders. When the team wins, the leader praises the efforts and successes of the team members. If the team loses, the responsible leader must first examine what he or she could have, or should have, done to achieve success.
Let’s look at the previous example.
The telephone operator was trained to answer the phone before 3 rings with an enthusiastic greeting: “It’s a great day at ABC company, how may I direct your call?” However, the operator answers saying: “Thank you for calling ABC company, how may I help you?” Then the caller stays on the phone with the operator, explaining their problem, for 5 minutes instead of being transferred to the appropriate department. The result is 9 other calls went into voice mail and 1 caller hung up. The process was not followed resulting in 10 negative results.
· You, the leader, are responsible for the actions of the operator.
· The operator, and the person who trained the operator, must be accountable for the process being followed.
Your team members must be accountable for their own performances as they work within organizational guidelines. Being accountable means; they own their actions and their results.
You, the leader, must be responsible for the performance of the team and every team member. You are also responsible for achieving your organizational goals through the performance of those team members.
“Their Accountability (or) Your Responsibility!”
(Question: Why is the operator usually the youngest, most inexperienced, member of your team?)
That is today’s Morning Minute!
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