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Managing a Sales Team

sales teamFor sales managers and sales leaders, everywhere           

Although my sales process “Sell it or Schedule it” is designed for salespeople, they are not completely responsible for executing it to mastery. The inclusion of their sales manager is critical to the implementation and ownership of this process.

I just finished a 90-day sales management coaching agreement with Sherry Kollar of Furniture Warehouse Design Gallery (FWDG) in Beaufort, South Carolina.  Our engagement was for HER training and …

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Leadership: Your Team Is a Reflection Of You

Team

For all leaders, everywhere

I recently had an impromptu conversation with one of my favorite leaders. She was talking, with frustration, about a couple of people on her leadership team who had not produced their most important deliverables for this time, this year.

As I listened intently, I asked myself – what is in the way of this happening? Where are the obstacles – tangible or intangible? I asked her if I could ask a couple of questions, which she agreed to – after a deep sigh. I asked if th…

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High Impact Actions

For sales leaders, everywhere

Many retailers use statistics to measure performance and results, and there are some constants that all retailers measure: Traffic, close ratio, average sale.  All are measurable, all matter, and all have specific actions to increase them.

There are retailers who add another statistic – sales per guest/dollars per opportunity/performance index. Whatever you call it, they all measure the same thing: Total revenue divided by total traffic. It is a combination of close…

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A Measure of Relationship Value

For everyone, everywhere

I once had a customer who was a bit of a maverick in his marketplace and in the industry. He has since passed away, but Chuck Forcey was a character. When he was in the military, he flew planes and was on an elite fighter team…and he brought his irreverent ways with him.

Fortunately, he had a commander who was tougher and more focused than Chuck was and while he respected and appreciated what Chuck brought to the team, he refused to let the team be defined by one of its me…

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What do we really think about “Just Browsers”?

For showroom sales professionals, everywhere

 In a recent coaching call I was startled by the simple articulation of how one of the salespeople/designers viewed people who say that they are “Just browsing” and those people she’s been unable to connect with: “I think they are killing time and wasting mine.” Wow. I asked her to explain more about this…and it was more about her perspective, which unknown to her, was furthering her inability to connect with browseincoming customers.

Consider this: what do y…

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This Equals That

For Sales Managers, everywhere
I  love Sales Managers, especially selling sales managers. I love that they love to sell and engage with the customer and that they are interested in developing their team members for greater achievement.  managers810
You know that I believe the sketch is the Holy Grail for the salesperson and the customer. Those salespeople who sketch and take notes during the interaction and gather great data that they use in their sales presentation have a higher close ratio, higher ave…

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Ask Questions vs. Just Answer Them

For sales professionals, everywhere.
When I roleplay/practice with salespeople and play the part of the salesperson as a way of demonstrating the behavior I want them to follow, I am very conscious of my intention and behavior in the interaction: I am focused on what they are saying, use voice and body match, listen deeply and reframe their words and recreate their emotion, and ask more questions in response to what they say. These are all teachable actions and they all require repeated practic…

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“Helpful” is Not an Outcome

For sales professionals, everywhere
 
I had a great call today with the sales leadership of Interiors Home in PA. We have been working together for a couple of years and discussing how to break some habits and create new, more effective ones. One of the actions we were discussing I have mentioned Handshakebefore: Sales managers interrupting sales/customer interactions on the sales floor to help the salesperson to overcome concerns and to help them to close the sale (or get the appointment).
Today we dis…

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