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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!

Are you focused on “Base Hits?”

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

Are you focused on “Base Hits?”

Baseball coaches will consistently tell you that base hits win baseball games. Home runs are nice when then happen, and they look great on the highlight films. However, statistically speaking, they are much harder to hit. If you’re trying to hit a home run, you have a greater chance of striking out or flying out. Part of this is mental, but physically the baseball swing is also altered to hit the ball over the fence.

Base hits by comparison are easier to obtain, and multiple base hits in an inning tend to result in runs being scored. Coaches refer to this as “putting the ball in play” (line drive or ground ball). Fielders will also tell you that it’s easier to catch a fly ball then it is to catch a line drive or ground ball.

Converting this topic to sales has tremendous merit as well. Many smaller sales can equal a large sale. In my experience as a sales coach and sales manager, I have seen countless sales people struggle with this concept. They put “all their eggs in one basket” hoping for the “big one” to come through. If it does, they are rock stars. If not, they have nothing to show for their efforts. Concentrate on a balanced sales pipeline with all sizes of sales opportunities, but dominated by small and mid-sized opportunities. There are a lot more “base hit” sales out there, and the sales cycle may be considerably shorter than with larger opportunities. Additionally, building loyalty with these customers may lead to additional sales over time (both large and small). Some larger sales develop as a result of several smaller sales. The “home run” sales will come (sometimes when you least expect them), but don’t count on them to “make” or “break” your sales year.

Have a great sales week!

How to make your Networking efforts more effective

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

How to make your Networking efforts more effective

Networking expert Gelie Akhenblit offers her Top 5 Networking Tips:

1. Strive for a conversation that is 25% you, 75% them

2. Instead of leading with "Hi, my name is ..." ask a question that will allow them to give you a story... i.e. "So, what's your story?"

3. Lead with your "personal foot" instead of your "business foot." Meaning, try to find some commonalities as opposed to immediately talking about your business.

4. You want to get someone to like you? Remember their name! As soon as they introduce themselves, repeat their name in your head and out loud.

5. Not sure how to start a conversation? Stand in one spot and smile. Someone will come up and start chatting with you.

Thanks to Gelie for sharing! Try using these tips at your next networking event, and I’m sure you’ll engage with more people. By the way, Gelie’s NetworkingPhoenix Signature Event is Monday, April 24^th (details here).

Have a great sales week!

Ring Tones

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

Ring Tones

So, 95+ percent of the time my phone is on silent mode. Earlier today I had my ring mode on, and forgot to turn it off (rarely happens). During a meeting this afternoon, my phone rings (and my ring tone is the ASU Fight Song). I'm in a meeting with several UofA alums - oooops! I'm proud to be an ASU alum, but to recover, I had to share with them that I had picked UofA to win in my NCAA bracket. Go Cat's & make the State of Arizona proud! This is a reminder to always check your phone before entering a meeting... P.S. I am a die hard ASU Sun Devil - but since we're watching this tourney from home this year - Go Arizona Wildcats!

Have a great sales week!

 

What Sales People Can Learn from Kicking a Field Goal

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

What Sales People can learn from Kicking a Field Goal

A lot of moving parts are involved with kicking a field goal in football. As fans, many times we take short field goals for granted, calling them “chip shots” – and think & say “just take the easy 3 points.” It’s simple for us to say this as fans.

In addition to the offensive line providing exceptional blocking, 3 additional important steps must be executed perfectly to ensure success:

1. The Snap
2. The Hold
3. The Kick

The same overall mechanics are involved with kicking a 20-yard field goal as compared with a 50-yard field goal. The only modification is how the kicker connects with the ball (adjusting the connection point with the ball for kick distance and height).

If any of these steps are not executed perfectly, you may miss the kick. In some cases, this missed kick can cost your team the game.

In sales, we need to make sure we don’t take any short cuts or miss any steps with our sales process. Please don’t take anything for granted, and execute all steps of your sales plan perfectly to close the sale – the outcome of the “game” may depend on it!

Happy Selling!

What Sales People Can Learn From Freeway Construction

Sales Tip of the week from Mike Leeds- Pro Sales Coaching

What Sales People Can Learn From Freeway Construction

I respect that a lot of education, training and thought goes into designing and engineering freeways. However, this topic is coming from the frustrated commuter inside of me.

My issue... Why is a freeway built with 8 lanes, when everyone knows it's not enough to handle the traffic? The land is available, the zoning is approved - so what's the deal? I know it's probably budgets - but remember, I'm speaking as a commuter.

Then, a few years after the freeway opens - they put up barricades, reduce the traffic lanes and reduce the speed limit while they build more lanes. Even better, they need to widen overpasses/bridges (which is a real mess, and appears to be a major construction project). Okay, so lane expansion is one thing, but how about at least originally building an overpass for 12 lanes (thinking you may need it in the future). The freeway can still start at 8 traffic lanes, but it's easier to complete the expansion construction later. Adding lanes is a project, but the whole overpass/bridge thing is much more involved.

In sales, organizations should always be keeping an eye on what's ahead, as well as what's in front of them. Does the company have the capacity to handle future business? You don't want to overbuild your business, but you want to make sure the business is scalable and you have expansion plans in place to accommodate customer need.

One of my favorite sayings is that no matter how successful you are today, it does not guarantee how successful you will be tomorrow. I also like the quote from one of my favorite movies Field of Dreams - "if you build it, they will come."

Plan ahead, and make sure the infrastructure is in place for the short term, as well as long term future.

Happy Selling!

Creating Awesome Customer Loyalty

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

Creating Awesome Customer Loyalty

If you want to stay on top of your game, you need to know what your customers think of your company as well as the products and services that you provide.

Getting feedback from customers can help you understand future purchase potential, consider product or service enhancements, and help determine commission or bonus plans. Overall, when reviewing customer service levels, we find three major categories of customers:

• Highly satisfied customers tend to tell many people about their experiences, make recommendations to others about the company, and usually return for future purchases.

• Satisfied customers tend to tell a few others, but generally don't go out of their way to recommend the company, and may return for future purchases. However, other competitive offers may impact the amount of future business.

• Dissatisfied customers tend to tell the largest number of people about their unsatisfactory experiences, will make recommendations to others that they buy from different companies, and most likely won't return for future purchases.

Strive for highly satisfied customers who perceive your service levels as excellent. This ultimately translates to customer loyalty. In a competitive marketplace, satisfactory is not good enough. You need to stand out, and be considered excellent in your field. This will help build a loyal customer base that will continue to purchase from you, and be extremely valuable in regards to referring you to others.

Activities to consider when creating customer loyalty:

• Always exceed any commitment you make to a customer, be specific when discussing times/dates and be aware of your customer’s work hours/time zone.

• Ask for feedback early in the process so you can resolve any issues before it becomes too late.

• Create short surveys or feedback requests (5 questions maximum), and add space for specific comments. Scores are good, but customer comments will be more valuable to you.

• Let customers know why you are looking for their feedback; consider sharing some of the results of your findings, and any changes you plan on making. Be appreciative of their time and feedback, and most importantly, make this an opportunity to once again thank them for their business. 

Activities to avoid when creating customer loyalty:

• Don't over-survey your customers, but consider having a feedback link in your website to supplement input from your customers.

• Don't bribe all of your customers with a gift for completing a survey. This could slant the results, and could look desperate. If there is a drawing for a single prize, make it public so people know it's legitimate.

• Don't ask customers to submit their survey directly back to you. Consider an unbiased third party to collect the data for you. This helps your customers know your feedback request is both genuine and legitimate.

Asking for feedback is great; however, if you're not going to listen to what your customers have to say - don't ask. It's a waste of their time and yours. Be willing and prepared to implement changes in your business, and understand that inflexibility may lead to unsatisfied customers - and lost business potential. 

The goal of this topic is to help you keep your highly satisfied customers at that level, and move the other customers (satisfied and dissatisfied) up one level.

Have a great sales week!