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Less of...

Yes, it is possible to do LESS of something!

It seems counter-intuitive to look at what we might do less of following a blog that focused on
MORE!

Maybe we could have talked less or talked less about things that were unimportant to the buyer
and only important to us. Or have spent less time on an interaction that was ineffective
(combine that with talking too much – ouch). Or we might have spent less time on non-sales
actions that kept sales actions from happening.

Or brought less resista…

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More of...

In an earlier blog, we looked at ACTIONS – since actions are the only things that produce results. Actions are also measurable and observable so we can see if they are working.

When we evaluate performance, we need to look at the specific actions we took and the quantity of those actions. Did we take ENOUGH of them?

Or, did we need to take more impactful actions? Did we do things that were easier or more comfortable or more familiar – that didn’t work – instead of actions that would have bee…

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Evaluation

As the year starts to wrap up, we have addressed finishing strong - and the actions associated with that – so that we can carry this perspective into the end of the year.

Progressing further into the final quarter, and in preparation for setting goals in December, we want to take a hard look at the year – what worked and what didn’t work – so that we can effectively and objectively evaluate actions that did, or did not, produce results.

Objectively evaluating performance can be tough – we want…

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Don’t Let Up Until You Finish

You are almost there. It’s almost over. 

Stay with the process and keep at it until you have crossed the finish line…and resist the temptation to lighten up as the end nears.

This is when others will give up…they will say ‘it’s close enough’…or that making goal is overrated…or some other disempowering belief that makes giving up seem reasonable. You might have done that in the past, too. But this is a new reality, and you are building a new set of skills that will serve you to consistently…

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DISC – Steadiness Style

I use DISC as a core competence for sales professionals. Last week I focused on the Influencer style. This week I'm focusing on the Steady style.

Steadies are accommodating and conforming and find the opinions of others important in their decision making. They smile when you look at them, have gentle expressions, and will not usually initiate conversations. Comfort matters to them – both physical and emotional - as evidenced by their casual dress and their use of words like “feeling, understa…

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Observe the Calendars of Your Sales Team Members

Now that your calendar is set with recurring actions and appointments, you can start connecting the dots (for yourself) of how that level of organization is contributing to the results you are achieving. 

And you can be the example for your team to follow.
Your example and expertise will allow you to coach your team on HOW to organize their time and HOW to plan for appointments so that they can begin to experience that level of organization for themselves and connect their own dots of struct…

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Take the Actions That Create Appointments

Actions are the only things that produce results. When appointments are the target, there are specific actions to take, in a sequence, that will get them on the calendar, get them accepted via invitation, and get the result intended – namely, the sale.  Here they are in chronological order:

  • Organize your calendar to schedule 8-10 appointments per week – at times YOU set.
  • Enter EACH customer interaction INTENDING to accomplish a sale or an appointment. 
  • Recognize when an appointment WILL be …

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Be Organized BY Appointment

Last month my blogs were about ‘leading by example’ as a sales manager: to demonstrate Sell it or Schedule it with a guest, to coach a sales associate from Sell it or Schedule it, and to use Sell it or Schedule it as an operating system for interactions and intentional outcomes. 
The same goes for being organized - by appointment. 

When one is committed to making appointments and sees the value in making them, they will organize their calendar accordingly, with slots dedicated to appointment…

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Sell it or Schedule it…or “You Do You.”

If you manage a sales team, your role is to have each of them make their goals and improve their performance… and if they do, then you make YOUR goal, which is the SHOWROOM goal.

(Yes, the showroom goal is YOUR goal.)

And to do that, you need structures and actions and a methodology to teach from, or you will be managing your team from your own behavioral preferences and your own selling autobiography.

That doesn’t mean that what you did when you were a salesperson was wrong or deficient, esp…

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June is…the end of the first half of the year.

Here we are…halfway through the year. At the completion of June, it’s a good time to review performance for the first six months and see what worked and what didn’t work… or was missing from your strategy. 

Since the first half of this year has been different from the first half of last year, what has changed that you need to adapt to? The trend that is driving this year is different from last year – and we can adapt and build a new strategy or we can complain and bemoan the changes. The choice…

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