Need Sales? Get Leeds!

If You Don't Care – Don't Ask.

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

If You Don't Care – Don't Ask.

 "How are you today?"

Sounds good – doesn't it? If the person asking really cares, it's great. However, I bet if you keep track of the number of people who ask you this question over a period of time, you'll find that they may not care about your response.

This topic has always been intriguing to me. I believe most people feel uncomfortable answering this question honestly when they don’t know the person who's asking. It's considered personal, inappropriate or not relevant to the topic at hand. (When we know the person, and have a relationship with them, this may be very relevant and appropriate.) It’s a "cheesy" way to break the ice when the caller is looking for an answer of "fine” and then hoping to move on to the next topic.

My goal is to make sure that people really care when they ask – or that they just don’t use this approach to start a conversation. As a salesperson, please think about this point when you don’t have an existing relationship with the contact.

When I receive calls from people I don't know, and am asked this question – I answer them honestly and with details. They may be looking for a "fine," but they may get a lengthy answer. For example… Question: "How are you today?" Answer: "Great. I got up early extra this morning, had a great workout at the gym. Then, I stopped by Starbucks and got some coffee. Normally, I have a grande size of their bold coffee of the day, but since they had Sumatra, I had a venti size (large). It was so good; I ordered a second one for the road. Then, on the way to the office…" You get the idea.

Another option would be "busy"- which can instantly kill a call.

Or, I may say "terrible" and give them some details. This normally will also kill a call; however, you may be surprised at the number of times this response gets no answer at all, or an answer like "great." In either case, it’s obvious that the person either doesn't care or isn't listening. Try one of these answers next time you're asked "How are you today?" from someone you don't know (live or on the phone).

If you're looking for an ice breaker, consider making a statement, like "I hope you’re having a great day" or just go into "the purpose of my call is…"

In either case, please keep this blog in mind before you ask "how are you today?"

Just one call a day!

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

Just one call a day!

That's approximately 250 calls per year. Good things will happen when you make 250 new prospecting calls per year (even better is 2 per day = 500 per year, and so on).

I have a client that no matter how busy they with their current clients, makes 1 ice-cold prospecting call per day. She calls it her "Random Call of the Day" and it usually is at about 9:30 every morning (when it's time to refill her coffee). So far for the year, she has converted 18% of these calls to clients, and another 13% are in the current pipeline. That's nearly one third of her total calls resulting in sales or future potential. These are excellent results for prospecting calls! The secret to her success is that she has no fear whatsoever making 1 call. She truly believes that the worse thing that can happen is that they say "no" or don’t return her call. That's okay with her, because the answer was already "no" before she made the call. "Anything I get is a bonus" she says.

In the words of Col. Hannibal Smith of the A-Team, "I love it when a plan comes together!"

Have a great week!

4 reasons why responding to emails in a timely way is good for business (and your karma)

Special post from Eric Miller and The Phoenix Business Journal 

4 reasons why responding to emails in a timely way is good for business (and your karma)

A very interesting perspective!

I suggest you at least try this for a period of time to evaluate its effectiveness. I’ve made a couple of intriguing contacts in the last week by actively responding – but it’s too early to see the results. However, if just one of these responses translates to business, it could be a major win.

Special thanks to Eric Miller and The Phoenix Business Journal for the following post!

“Too busy.” “I’ll get to it later.” “It is not that important.” “Too late now anyway.”

What is your excuse for not responding to those emails you ignored yesterday?

We all do it. I am not talking about spam or business inquiries from strangers. I’m talking about not responding to that class of emails we deem not worth the effort. Maybe it’s from that person you used to work with two jobs ago that is now selling a new product. Maybe it is a co-worker that wants you to review a proposal. Or, perhaps, it’s a question from an employee that you don’t want to deal with, and so we do not answer.

I did some travel recently and built up a large number of unanswered emails. This is rare for me, and one of my employees pointed it out. After I went back three weeks and tried to answer all the ones I missed as a form of penance, I came up with this list of four reasons why not answering promptly was a mistake:

(1)    You never really know where an interaction will lead

“If I thought the email was important, I would have responded.” Unfortunately, you never know where things will lead in the business world. A simple “hey, it’s been a while, what are you guys working on,” could be the opening comment that leads to discussion about a new technology that I didn’t know existed. You never know.

(2)    You lose favor points in the relationship

So much of business is about relationships and doing favors for people in your network. No one likes takers who do not give back. So, when I don’t answer an email I am losing favor points that could be used when I need something.

(3)    It really does not take that much time

When I read a subject line and decide not to click reply, it is usually because I have convinced myself I do not have time. But really, for most of the emails I leave languishing, the response will take only a minute, five at most. “No, we do not need any new Pixie Stix powder this month, but when we do, I’ll make sure the team reaches out for a quote. Thank you for thinking of us!” Simple, quick, and done. On to the next email.

(4)    Not answering violates the golden rule

The biggest problem with not responding to emails, and what prompted the writing of this post, is that I get upset when people do not answer my emails. I was in a sales meeting listing one opportunity after another where the prospect didn’t reply to our emails, and here I was with twenty or so I had just ignored. I was not treating people the way I wanted to be treated. This was a clear violation of kindergarten ethics, and it is bad karma. How on earth can I expect our emails to get answered when I was not answering emails sent to me.

Everyone has their way of dealing with email, find the one that works for you and shoot back a simple reply. A no is better than no answer. Your next big contract could come from an email you wanted to ignore. And who wants all that bad karma piling up on them?

See the Phoenix Business Journal post here

Have a great Sales Week!

Top Traits of Successful Sales People

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

Top Traits of Successful Sales People

Guest Blog from Charlie Ferrell, National Sales Manager – RB Insurance Group

1.  Set and achieve goals

2.  Continue to learn

3.  Stay focused and be positive

4.  Have passion for what you do

5.  Learn from your mistakes (and don’t be afraid to make them)

6.  Be persistent, follow-up and stay in touch (even if you didn’t make the original sale)

7.  Always be prospecting

Charlie developed this list for successful insurance agents, but I believe it applies to all sales professionals. Special thanks to Charlie and the RB Insurance Group!

Have a great sales week!

What Sales People Can Learn From 1st Responders

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

What Sales People Can Learn From 1^st Responders.

1^st Responders (Police, Fire, and EMT) spend countless hours training and preparing, so they can calmly and professionally handle situations as they arise. Sales professionals can utilize a similar approach to improve sales situations. Consider the steps below to assist your efforts:

 

1. Be prepared at all times – Have your “sales tools” accessible with you in the field. Consider using a check-list to make sure you have extra business cards, sales collateral pads of paper & pens, and any product samples with you (or in your car).

2. Always assess the situation before you react – Gather information and avoid knee-jerk reactions. Understand the emotional climate of the customer and realize that timing is everything.

3. Rely on your training, react accordingly and follow protocol – Most situations have some common denominator that you have either seen, or prepared for in the past. Always listen first and then follow your plan or process. This will help eliminate operating on emotion or adrenaline.

4. Stabilize the situation and escalate or call for back-up as appropriate - Escalate to a Subject Matter Expert or member of your management team for additional support (don’t wing it). An alternative would be to let the customer know you will find the answer for them and will contact them within a specific timeframe.

 

Have a great sales week!

Hit your Goal - and blow your Quota away

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

Hit your Goal - and blow your Quota away

We're halfway through the first month of 2018. Let's knock it out of the park this year! First, let's discuss some semantics…

Many times, I hear goal and quota used to describe the same number, when personally I think they mean different things. Managers and Sales Representatives - please consider these definitions when you are setting your numbers (and reviewing your performance) for 2018.

Quota (a.k.a. objective or target) is the minimum sales expectation for the year. This attainment could result in maintaining your employment status and meeting established compensation levels. All managers usually have their own team quotas and then set quotas for the sales team. If you work on your own, I still believe you should establish your own personal quota for the year. These numbers can be used to track your progress, gauge profitability, celebrate your success, and forecast future months.

Goal is more aspiration in nature, and is a number greater than the actual quota. This attainment could result in increased compensation and higher recognition levels.

For example, a sales representative that has a quota for 2018 of $1,000,000 in new revenue may want to have a goal of $1,200,000 for the year. If all months are the same (which they rarely are), this would mean the rep would hit their quota in October, and could use the last 2 months of the year stretching for their goal and making additional commission.

Many years back, I read that the Phoenix Suns had a goal of scoring at least 30 points in each quarter of the game. Their belief was scoring 120+ points per game should translate into a high percentage of wins (it did, but please note that defense is also important). Their minimum expectation (quota) was 25 points per quarter which they believed should still keep them in the game and give them a good shot at a win.

If you just aim for your quota and you miss, you may find yourself below the minimum expectation.

By shooting for a higher goal, you’re looking beyond the minimum expectation. If you happen to fall just short of your goal, you should still hit your quota.

Aim high in 2018!

Have a great sales week!

Watch What You Say and Where You Say It

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

Watch What You Say and Where You Say It

Note: I had another topic planned for this blog post, but had to delay it since I wanted to share this afternoon's observance with you in a timely fashion.

Today, I was at the Doctor's office waiting for my appointment. A medical supply sales representative and her manager came into the office a few minutes later and loudly made their presence known. The sales rep hovered around the desk while a patient was signing in (not cool), and then made her pitch to see her prospect.

While waiting for the Practice Administrator (Office Manager) in the waiting area, the rep and her manager openly discussed their strategy for the sales call. During this conversation, there were periods of laughter, updates on company gossip, as well as re-caps and opinions from the other Doctors they had visited.

None of the patients in the waiting area were amused by this humor and we weren’t interested in the inappropriate stories, gossip, and opinions of other Doctors. One thing was for sure – everyone in the room knew who they worked for, and probably had formed an opinion of their company. (If any of us knew the people they were discussing, it could've created additional issues.)

I've also witnessed and overheard very specific conversations in restaurants/coffee shops. For situations like these, I recommend you keep your voices down, keep your conversations general, and be careful with company names or contact last names. Better yet, some of these conversations should probably occur in private – or in some cases - not at all. As with life in general – be aware of your surroundings. We’ve all probably heard of people being burned in (or by) careless situations like these.

Prepare to be accountable for your actions – at a company as well as personal level. Always take the high road!

I hope you have a successful day!

Call Me After the Holidays

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

Call Me After the Holidays

If you haven't heard this comment from a prospect or customer yet, you soon will.

They may not want to see you until January; however, you certainly can try to set an appointment now for a future time in January.

Next time you hear this comment, instead of just calling back in January, consider a response like…            "I certainly understand. Can we schedule a time now for a meeting after the holidays?"

Having appointments set up for the first couple of weeks in January will help you start the year strong. Otherwise, you may not be able to see these people until late January or even February – losing valuable time. If you sell a product or service with a recurring, repetitive, or a trailing revenue stream, getting a fast start to your year is critical. Mathematically, the first quarter of the year can be worth as much as 42% of your annual revenue opportunity or potential.

Lay the foundation now for a great 2018!

Have a great sales week & enjoy the holiday season!

Ten Things That Require Zero Talent

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

Saw this at a client’s office, and had to share…

Ten Things That Require Zero Talent

1. Being on Time
2. Work Ethic
3. Effort
4. Body Language
5. Energy
6. Attitude
7. Passion
8. Being Coachable
9. Doing Extra
10. Being Prepared

I agree with this list. Some of the items may be redundant, but it stresses how important the things are that we all can easily control when at work. It's also why I'm a proponent of the saying "Hire for attitude and train for skill."

Happy Selling!

The Importance of the Fourth Quarter

 

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

The Importance of the Fourth Quarter

I believe the most important sales quarter of the calendar year is the fourth quarter.

In football, the fourth quarter is the quarter you need to keep your foot on the accelerator, and not let your competitor get back in the game. In sales, the fourth quarter is the one that may determine if you attain bonus levels of your commission plan as you end the year on a high note. Additionally, successful fourth quarter activities help establish the ground work for a fast start to the new year (in the first quarter).

Q - So what's my second favorite quarter?

A - The first quarter (just by a slim margin).

Start strong, and end stronger!

Happy Selling!

Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching

The Importance of the Fourth Quarter

I believe the most important sales quarter of the calendar year is the fourth quarter.

In football, the fourth quarter is the quarter you need to keep your foot on the accelerator, and not let your competitor get back in the game. In sales, the fourth quarter is the one that may determine if you attain bonus levels of your commission plan as you end the year on a high note. Additionally, successful fourth quarter activities help establish the ground work for a fast start to the new year (in the first quarter).

Q - So what's my second favorite quarter?

A - The first quarter (just by a slim margin).

Start strong, and end stronger!

Happy Selling!