Prospects to Partners Blog - Prospects to Partners

Conflict Resolution in Seven Steps

Thu Oct 29 09:00:42 -0400 2009

As a leader or manager, there will be times when you’ll have to intervene between individuals experiencing conflict. This is when you can prove your worth and earn your pay. Keep the following seven things in mind:

1. What happened matters and what happened before that may matter even more.
In most cases, the event that brought the disagreement to the forefront was preceded by something that is actually the real cause of the conflict. It’s your job to ask questions and listen to ensure you’re discovering the genesis of the problem.

Q4 2009 Formula for Success

Wed Oct 21 15:28:26 -0400 2009

“Our best people see the most people.” Andy Streiter, an Area Vice President at Careerbuilder.com, said this in 2007 when asked what makes the best sales people in his organization. The phrase has stuck with me for the last several years. It’s simple sales math, right?

Talk to more people = MORE REVENUE

If only it were that easy... Don't get me wrong... Andy was right, in 2007 if you saw more people; you’d out sell your peers and your competitors. Fourth quarter 2009 is a little different.

Just Do It!

Wed Oct 07 11:52:01 -0400 2009

Many people, especially salespeople, are disgruntled. Only a few are gruntled, whatever that means. Primarily they’re interested in making more money and smiling more. Unfortunately, they believe these two areas are directly connected in that order. Many studies have determined, however, that smiling first leads to more money and not the other way around.

A majority of unhappy people would rather show their displeasure (vocally or by activity or inactivity) than do something about the situation. For some people, complaining is therapy. Seeking solutions, in their warped world, would diminish the value of the self-ascribed therapy. In summary, it’s easier to complain than do something about it. Talking is legitimizing.

The formula most people desire is:

Smile + $ + ZZZZ
Time

We want to be happy, make money and sleep better. And we want to do this over an extended period of time. That’s what we want, but we don’t always know how to do it.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Goal!

Tue Oct 06 16:00:00 -0400 2009

A goal is an end toward which you direct specific effort.

Why are goals important?
1. They establish the direction of your activity.
2. They identify your intended results.
3. They challenge growth.
4. They build confidence and reduce stress.
5. They force specific behavior.

I’m a big believer in goals. I’m always trying to better myself both personally and professionally. I do this by constantly challenging myself with new goals. As most of you know, I had my second son in June of this year. Like most women, one of my first goals after having the baby was to lose the baby weight. I set a goal to be back into all my work clothes by the time I went back to work (12 weeks after the baby was born). I shared this goal with my husband and friends, put it on my bathroom mirror and started my program.

Sell Value, Don't Buy Business

Tue Sep 29 08:33:00 -0400 2009

A year ago, Prospects to Partners conducted a survey to find out how often sales reps discount to get business. The results were surprising...67% of sales people offer to lower the price…without ever being ASKED!

The number is even more surprising when you take into account that The National Retail Association reports that only 14% of consumers buy on price. Why is it that sales people feel the need to offer a discount?

I posed this question at a recent workshop and had a flurry of answers…
-“It makes the prospect feel like they got a good deal.”
-“It shows I was taking care of them.”
-“It was a nice gesture.”
-“I didn’t want to have to negotiate price.”

"How Ya Doin'?"

Tue Sep 22 12:44:18 -0400 2009

Every sales person has done it. It just seems to come so naturally and why not? It’s an extremely polite thing to say, right? “How are you?” Seems harmless to ask… but it actually can make or break the rapport you’re building with a prospect.

When cold calling don’t ever start off your call by asking the prospect, “How are you today?” It seems nitpicky, but it’s a subtle change you can make in your cold calling that will provide quick results.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

Tue Sep 15 12:15:19 -0400 2009

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock… us Kansas Citians remember the infamous 2001 “tick tock” email sent out by Neal Patterson, CEO of Cerner. The email caused much controversy, both locally and nationally. The email should have never been sent as it wasn’t a good medium to express anger and push for change. However, the message was loud and clear: Be respectful of company time. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock….

Give 'Em Choices

Tue Sep 08 11:17:00 -0400 2009

Give 'em choices! That’s my biggest take-away from the summer. It’s a Sales 101 technique. Give the customer choices and you’ll reduce the number of objections you’ll get:

“Would you like your first shipment to arrive on the 15th or 20th?”
“Do you prefer quarterly or monthly invoicing?”
“Do you want it in blue or red?”

Live in The Moment. Offer Undivided Attention.

Sat Jun 13 07:08:00 -0400 2009

Several years ago, I attended a seminar on effective communication. I thought I'd share my main take-away which is all about undivided attention. Put this to work in your business and personal life - I think you'll notice a positive change!

Three Lessons of Leadership That Will Make You a Better Parent: Lesson Three

Fri May 22 10:36:00 -0400 2009

Thanks for stopping by to read the third and final lesson. The first lesson was on accountability, the second lesson discussed the importance of teaching your child to self-assess and the third and final lesson is regarding how to handle confrontation. Let's jump right into Lesson #3.

3. Always assume a misunderstanding

Lesson #3: Always assume a misunderstanding. This golden rule was taught to me about 8 years ago and has truly changed my life personally and professionally. I believe that people want to do right. People want to please and no one truly wants to fail someone else. Before you get upset and blow a head gasket over an issue... assume a misunderstanding.

Three Lessons of Leadership That Will Make You a Better Parent: Lesson Two

Mon May 18 09:44:00 -0400 2009

I hope you enjoyed Friday’s post on the first lesson I learned that has made me a better parent. Lesson One of Accountability is often a tough pill to swallow. Sometimes it’s easier just to “give in” vs. teach the lesson.

One of the replies I received was “Accountability is out of vogue, but critical!” This came from Shawn Kinkade with Aspire KC. If you’re finding it hard to hold yourself accountable to growing your business, or just not sure how to take that next step, call Shawn… he can help you (913) 660-9400 or visit his website at www.aspirekc.com

Moving on to the next lesson...2. Self-Assess

Lesson #2: Teach them to self-assess at a young age. To be successful in life we have to understand our strengths and opportunities for improvement. Think about your best sales rep. Do they truly understand their strengths and opportunities? As a sales leader, it may be easier dodge the “difficult conversations” and focus only on the positives. Jack Welch says, “once a month give them written feedback… tell them what they’re doing good and also where they have an opportunity for improvement.” If you haven’t read his book “Winning”, I highly recommend it. The bottom line is this: We must be a clear mirror to our people.

3 Lessons of Leadership that Will Make You a Better Parent: Lesson One

Fri May 15 11:16:00 -0400 2009

After spending years in corporate leadership, I learned many lessons that I have been able to apply to my personal life. I’ve had the good fortune of raising a beautiful son for the past 20 months, and my husband and I are excited to welcome another child into the world in a few weeks…yes I’m about to pop! The lessons I learned while in leadership are countless, but three have been the backbone of my parenting philosophies. Today we'll chat about the first lesson....stay tuned next week for lessons 2 and 3.

1. Accountability

Lesson #1: Take 100% accountability even if there are reasons why something did or did not happen.

How Effective Are Your Team Meetings?

Fri May 08 11:43:00 -0400 2009

It’s on every sales professional’s calendar… the weekly “team sales meeting”. The meetings are usually on Monday morning… bright and early at 8:00 am. Sales leaders think Monday mornings are a great time to hold a mandatory sales meeting because it’s first thing after a long weekend, the reps should be undistracted, recharged and ready to start the week. The meetings go one of two ways:

1. The meeting is highly effective and the team walks out engaged, entertained, educated, and motivated OR
2. Your team sits there, glazed over and unengaged. They sip their coffee and look at you like a deer in headlights.

I’ve personally attended and facilitated meetings with both outcomes. The deer in headlights is not an ideal situation. You leave frustrated because you don’t feel they are as motivated and committed as YOU are. As a leader, you wonder why your team is so unengaged. You wonder if they are the right people for the team, if they have what it takes to win, if they are still excited about the job… I know list seems endless. The list isn’t endless; it’s really one reason and one reason only: YOU WEREN’T PREPARED TO ADD VALUE.

Are you really motivating your people to win?

Thu Apr 30 13:36:00 -0400 2009

Sales leaders are constantly asking me, “How do I motivate my team to win?” I wish I had the “magic” answer to this question and that instantly you could motivate everyone on your team to WIN big. Unfortunately it’s just not that easy.

So I have good news and bad news…. I’ll start with the bad to end on a positive note. The bad news is this: YOU CAN’T MOTIVATE YOUR TEAM TO WIN BIG! Ouch, right? It seems like a very negative answer to a positive question. I’m sure many of you are thinking that you do motivate your reps to WIN BIG. Maybe you are… but it’s not because of YOU… it’s because of something that you said that is resonating with them. It’s a leadership 101 philosophy: you can’t be an effective leader if you lead the way you like to be led. It’s not about YOU, it’s about THEM.

Is Networking Really Working For Your Business?

Thu Apr 16 14:28:00 -0400 2009

Okay, so maybe this is a rant, but sometimes I can’t stand networking events. I attend them, but I don’t really enjoy them. Here’s why: I find that many networking events are an extremely unproductive use of time. I find professionals who network all the time in search of growing their business, but in truth, all they do is spin their wheels and waste their precious time. I’ve been to hundreds of networking events. Professionals come out in droves to networking events looking to effectively sell their business… It’s just not that simple. Most people aren’t there to learn about YOUR business, they go to tell you about THEIR business. So your 30 second elevator pitch falls on deaf ears… and the entire event is a complete waste of time.

Let me ask you this… What is one hour of your time worth? If you don’t know this you can figure it out quickly. Here is an easy formula (annual income divided by how many hours a year you work). Or better yet, what do you charge clients as an hourly rate? Let’s say your time is worth $100 an hour. An average networking event will take up two hours of your time. Would you PAY $200 to attend the event? If the answer is no, then you need to rethink your networking strategies. I GUARANTEE you that you will have a better chance of INCREASING SALES at your company if you spent that two hours appointment dialing.

How Clear is Your Mirror?

Mon Apr 06 18:13:00 -0400 2009

I use this phrase with my clients all the time, “be sure to use a clear mirror when you are looking at your own performance or those who report to you.” I have found this is much easier said than done. For some reason, sales people and sales leaders do not do a good job of self-assessing or accurately assessing their team members. Do you use a clear mirror? Do you self-assess? Of course you do... but do you self-assess accurately? People always say, “I’m my own worst critic...” but I don’t often find this to be true with sales professionals. Let’s take a short quiz. It is really short…. and will take you less than a minute.

Set Goals to Increase Sales

Mon Mar 02 17:43:00 -0500 2009

It's unlikely that any successful person or company operates without goals. They may have one giant or lofty goal. They may have a series of smaller goals leading up to the ultimate achievement but success is built upon goals. Goals accomplish many things. Three of the primary accomplishments are:

1. Goals energize people and energetic people achieve more.
2. Goals signal the direction of the company and sales team.
3. Goals measure the achievement of the organization.

Do you know how to establish reasonable goals? Follow this simple five-step plan to set goals to increase sales.

What's a sales culture?

Mon Feb 02 17:38:00 -0500 2009

Hopefully you've taken the time to clarify the roles of your sales team and sales management. It's a valuable exercise. Now you get to assess sales team strategy and culture. Regardless of your methodology half of your sales representatives currently perform below average. Fifty percent are performing below average! Think about that. This is an indisputable fact. So why even assess the team? Simply put, to sell more.

Fishing For Sales? Try New Bait

Mon Jan 05 17:24:00 -0500 2009

"And I'm feeling more and more like less and less." Those words sung by the rock band BoDeans may describe the malaise experienced by salespeople utilizing traditional methods in their sales efforts. This feeling is often found in salespeople working for companies that emphasize quantity ("dialing for dollars ") over quality in their endeavors.

Salespeople fail as a result of many flawed premises, priorities, beliefs and habits. There are two issues, in particular, that can hamper success.