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for
Becoming a
Top Producer!
by Doyle Slayton
Sales
Blogcast .com
Copyright 2009 by SalesBlogcast.com - All Rights Reserved
Table of Contents
Title Page
Sales Snipers 4
The Shield 6
Sincerely,
Doyle Slayton
Sales & Leadership Strategist
SalesBlogcast.com
© Copyright 2009
SalesBlogcast.com
All rights Reserved
Sales
Blogcast .com
Copyright 2009 by SalesBlogcast.com - All Rights Reserved
15 Rules for Becoming
a Top Producer!
Rule 1: Build a strong foundation.
Rule 13: Sell your prospects the way they like to be sold.
Rule 1
Build a strong
foundation.
INTEGRITY
“Choosing to be a person of integrity is a lifelong
commitment. Throughout your journey, you will
face daily opportunities to choose between right and
wrong. Credibility is built one decision at a time.
Those who understand this principle know that each
decision made, in either direction, makes the next
one of similar nature that much easier. Over time, it
will spread across your entire life. It becomes who
you are, and everyone can see it.” -Doyle Slayton
Rule 2
Block out negativity
from outsiders.
Sales Snipers
You have probably heard me say it before, “Figure out what works… and
do it over and over an over again.” The top sales pros find ways to make
slight improvements along the way… but over-tweaking can be dangerous.
Everyone gets into a little slump once in a while. It is during these slumps
that reps want to make wholesale changes because they think, “What we
were doing isn’t working anymore.”
Almost every time that happens, you have to check yourself to make sure
you didn’t run into a “sniper” recently. Let me explain. You have multiple
prospects that say, “You are the best sales person we have ever worked
with!” They thank you for being sincere and tell you that the main reason
you got the deal was because of your persistence.
Then suddenly, out of nowhere, you get blind-sided by a "sniper" who has
a different opinion of you. This “one” prospect tells you that you are too
pushy and that your techniques are that of a blah, blah, blah… all of it bad.
They are not interested in what you have to offer, and they request to be
taken off your list. You begin to question your persistence. “Am I too
pushy?” you ask… and then you start to back off. Deals start falling
through the cracks and going to your competitors who seem to have all the
momentum.
As with the previous example, you have a little “breakdown” in the action.
You call a prospect on Monday who jumps all over you about NEVER EVER
calling them on Monday! This "sniper" gets you thinking… second guessing
yourself for all the wrong reasons… and then your Monday call volume
begins to slowly drop off. You begin to find “administrative” things to do
on Monday.
Success Principle: Never let a sales "sniper" bring you down. You are
better than that! We are halfway through the first quarter. There is still
plenty of time to exceed our goals. You know what works… go do it… over
and over and over again!
Rule 3
Crush negativity
from insiders.
The Shield
The great ones are talking shop, creating strategies, and role-playing
techniques that will make them more successful. They are sharing
product knowledge and developing industry expertise. These high
achievers are encouraging each other and looking for ways to build
on strengths!
Then there are those who are huddling up to share in each other’s
misery. They complain about change, fairness, and various forms of
rejection.
One of two things will happen. Either they’ll follow you… or they
won’t. Both scenarios are a win! You can join forces with those who
agree to think and behave like top performers, while parting ways
with those who won’t be around long anyway.
Rule 4
Learn to love that
which produces the
biggest results.
Speed – I can go as fast as I can, and take on the attitude of, "There
is somebody out there who is ready to do business with me… I’m
gonna find ‘em!"
Keeps Me Humble – All great sales people can get a little cocky
sometimes. No matter how good you are, you are going to have
days when you get beat up on the phone. A little humble pie is a
good reminder that we can always get better.
Hidden Prospects – There are prospects out there that have a need
and are ready to buy. Nobody knows about them until the cold caller
finds them!
Willing to Do What Others Won’t – I love cold calling. I tell myself that
everyday. In fact, I make it a point to walk into the office, turn on my
computer, and dial my first call before I do anything else. It sets the tone for
the rest of the day.
I can’t help it… this stuff gets me fired up… let’s go build some
business!
Rule 5
Don’t give your
prospects an
easy out.
Let me start by sharing why this technique doesn’t fit my style, and
then I’ll tell share my thoughts on how I might recommend using the
technique as an appointment scheduling tactic.
Decision makers are often difficult to reach. When I get them on the
phone, I’m going to take advantage of it! Asking them if it’s, "a good
time to talk" allows the prospect to tell me "no" and puts me in the
same position as if they hadn’t answered the phone at all. If it’s not
a good time… believe me… the prospect will tell me. At that point, I
will be respectful of the situation and request a more appropriate
time to follow-up in person or on the phone.
If I were to ask the question, "Is this a good time to talk?" it would
be for one purpose only. Knowing that the odds were against me and
that the most likely response is "no," I’d actually be hoping for it! In
other words, I would ask the question for the very purpose of having
the prospect say, "No, this is not a good time." At that point, I would
go for the appointment. "No problem. I want to be respectful of
your time. Instead of running the risk of catching you at a bad time
in the future, let’s schedule a time to meet when you are expecting
me. Let’s compare calendars and find a time when I can visit with
you for about 20 minutes this week."
There are four things that could happen at this point. Three of them
are good. Now the odds are beginning to swing in my favor!
Response 1: The prospect will ask, "What do you want to meet with
me about?" This opens the door to have a short conversation! All of
a sudden the prospect has given you room to ask a few qualifying
questions and create some value. Be efficient and take advantage of
this opportunity!
Response 3: The prospect will reaffirm that they don’t have time to
talk and request that you call them back on a future date to compare
calendars at that point. You have their attention, potentially some
interest, and have a warm follow-up call to make in the future!
Response 4: The prospect will reiterate that they are busy and have
neither the time, nor the interest in talking to you.
Rule 6
Focus on the
right activities.
“So tell me Doyle, what do you think about cold canvassing /good old
fashioned door knocking businesses - I reckon there's nothing better
for building buyer relationships that last - I go out for 2 hours a day
in my local area promoting and its made me a lot of money - also any
hints and tips for improving - new strategies / thoughts for this style
of presentation?”
Answer: Let me start by saying… If it works for you, and you are
exceeding plan… then keep doing it. If you are good, it can be an
effective activity for those selling in certain industries.
I’ve seen a lot of sales people fall into this trap. Being “on the road”
makes them feel productive and busy. Mixed in with all the
prospecting come stops at the Starbucks, Exxon, a quick run to the
post office and suddenly the day is gone with very little to show for it.
Then there are those who decide it’s a great way to get familiar with
their territory. I see it differently. The best way to get familiar with
your territory is to set a ton of appointments… on the way in and out
of the building… look around and figure out who you are going to call
on next. That is a lot more efficient.
Rule 7
The more, the more!
Quality: "I only want leads that are going to convert within the next 30 to
90 days."
Volume: "As long as they are qualified, I’ll take leads that that will convert
now or a year from now."
Appointments
Quality: "I only attend appointments with prospects that I’ve diligently
pre-qualified."
I’m a big believer in the concept of both… in other words I like to say that
"We need to work on ‘Quality Volume.’" That said, I have a strong point of
view as to which direction I would lean if I had to choose one.
When I read through the two examples (listed in the previous post), I
choose the volume approach on both.
New Products and Offers – There will be times during the year
when your company comes up with a new product or offer. Sales
reps who have the biggest pipeline have a strong foundation to start
from. It is much better to call on prospects you already know and
say, “Guess what… I have the solution you were looking for!”
Success Principle 2: The more prospects you face, the better you
get!
Rule 8
Your pipeline is
your lifeline.
Rule 9
Leave
single-mindedness
behind.
Success Principle:
Sometimes new sales reps will ask their managers "this or that"
questions to determine what activities are most important in their job.
You may also hear these questions coming from veterans who are
struggling to achieve their goals. They are very important questions
because they open the lines of communication and create teaching
opportunities for developing your people. Here are some examples of
these "or" type questions.
Question: "Is it more important that I hit this goal or that goal?"
Answer: "You need to hit all of your goals."
Question: "Do you want me to go for the quick sale or build a long-
term relationship?
Answer: "Let’s do both!"
Copyright 2009 by SalesBlogcast.com - All Rights Reserved
26
The next time you are faced with one of these questions… take it up a
notch and ask, "What will it take for me to accomplish this goal
"AND" that goal?"
As a manager, you are not off the hook. If your people are asking
these types of questions, it means you have some work to do. It is a
part of your team culture, and you represent the core of how the
team thinks, behaves, and performs.
Create a belief system for your career and your business that builds
on this "and" mentality. Get to the point where these questions are
no longer a part of the conversation. Decide what you want to
accomplish. Build a plan. Make it happen!
Rule 10
Cold-calling trumps
Networking.
I guess what I’m saying is… I’m keeping an open mind. If I'm ever
going to promote networking as a successful activity for sales people,
I need to find a step-by-step process or methodology for turning
networking into results.
Rule 11
Master the art of
uncovering needs.
The next time you go into a corporate appointment, give it a try. You
high five a decision maker by talking to them about...
2. Goals & Measurements - "What are the most important goals and
measurements that you need to exceed to achieve success?"
4. Challenges - "What are you struggling with the most? ...what's not
working?"
5. Apply Features & Benefits - At this point you can begin to tie in
the features, benefits, and solutions that your company or product can
offer.
One of the most important keys to this 5 step process, is that you are
taking your time with each step... probing for further information and
clarification. You must be patient, and resist the urge to start offering
solutions and pitching your services. Take notes and have a goal to
develop the conversation until you have a minimum of 3-5 "target
points" that fit into your product offering. Once you have those targets,
you can proceed with statements and questions like, "This has been a
great conversation... and I have some ideas. Maybe you and I could
come up with some solutions that would help with (state your "target
points"). Would you be willing to discuss some ideas and work together
on creating some solutions?"
Wait for the big "YES"... and begin to tie in the appropriate products,
services, features, benefits, etc. to the most applicable "target
points!"
Best Practices:
Let the Client Do the Talking - Make the conversation about their
message, not yours. An ideal appointment with a decision maker has
you talking mostly about the decision maker's goals and initiatives,
and very little about "your company."
You've got it... that's the High Five! Your prospects are
waiting... Go get 'em!
Rule 12
Be a hardcore closer
without being pushy
or unprofessional.
Leverage – Closers know how to create value by asking the right questions,
uncovering the most pressing needs, and creating urgency to buy now. They
have positioned themselves intelligently and leverage everything they’ve learned
about the client’s motivation, challenges, and budget. They apply just the right
amount of pressure, at just the right time, to make the deal happen.
Opportunity – Closers can see the deal from a mile away. They know how
to paint a picture and create a win-win opportunity. They spend their time
wisely, with the clients that are most likely to buy.
Strategy – Closers are like chess players. They have the skill and the talent
to think three to four moves ahead. Each action builds upon the last... and
keenly sets up the next move. They have been executing their strategy right
from the start. Everything they say and everything they do has a very specific
purpose.
Expertise – Some people have told me this isn’t important. I disagree. The
best-of-the-best build their expertise. Closers understand the problem, the
solution, and the deal… backwards and forwards. Nothing throws them off. Let
me put it in perspective. Put two closers head-to-head with the same exact
closing skill… the only difference is that one is more of an expert than the other…
who wins?
Relentless – Closers are relentless. They are oblivious to stall tactics and
unsubstantiated rejection. They build a huge pipeline, with multiple deals
waiting to be made… so there is never a sense of panic or desperation. With
high integrity and class, they do whatever it takes to make great things happen!
Rule 13
Sell to your prospects
the way they like
to be sold.
Lately it seems like the most common approach I have been seeing
and hearing about comes in some form of the soft-sell. Why is that?
Well, I think it’s because everyone is worried about being that pushy
sales person who turns people off the minute they start talking. You
know that person… the one who sees you as a number rather than a
"human being."
I think it’s the same reason people use other job titles, like account
executive and account manager, rather than putting the word SALES
PROFESSIONAL in big bold letters on their business card. It’s all
about relationships, and selling takes time… right?
Rule 14
You’ve got to
have a scoreboard!
Scoreboards and stack rankings are the name of the game. They let
you know whether you are winning or losing. They put you in a
position to make adjustments and achieve desired results.
Top Gun – Having a visible scoreboard brings out the best in your
top performers. They have a mentality of, "I want to know who’s
winning… I want to know who’s got game… I want to be victorious…
In fact… I don’t care about just winning… I want to dominate!"
Coaching Tool – If I were only allowed one tool to track and coach
for sales performance, it would be a carefully crafted scoreboard.
The right measurements drive important discussions, feedback, and
decisions. You can shape behaviors by rewarding results within the
most important measurements.
Of course there will be situations where you have team members who
are struggling. A scoreboard allows them no place to hide. It is a
reality check. Although the numbers are public, leaders must handle
these individual conversations behind closed doors.
BEST PRACTICES:
It’s a Daily Thing – The scoreboard should be updated and sent out
daily. Create an environment where you expect to see the numbers
go up every single day. The longer you wait between updates, the
more room you allow for your business to run at a slower pace.
Work Ahead – Ensure that the scoreboard represents more than just
the current month. I recommend measurements that apply to a
minimum of two to three months ahead. This positions you and your
team to enter each new month with business already on the board!
Rule 15
If you are going
to win, Win BIG!
7 Essentials for
MASSIVE Sales Success!
Mind: We all know that we produce great results when our thinking is in the
right place. It isn’t hard to see when things are "headed" south. Flip-it-up and
keep your head in the game!
Action: Some people like to "think on things." Mull it over before getting
started. It’s the top-producers that get moving quickly. Champions master the
art of thinking while in motion. Sure… some mistakes will happen in the
beginning, but in time, it becomes an inevitable force of forward progress!
Strategy: When our mind is in the right place, and we are moving ahead
with positive forward action, we quickly begin to understand what works and
what doesn’t. Combine the things that work with the right resources and build a
plan to keep everyone on track.
Season: Develop a belief that you are always "in season." While others base
their success on the time of year, you come up with reasons why you can be
successful year round. Use your strategic plan to stay ahead, and find yourself at
the top month after month… year over year. Remember, your future success
depends on what you are doing right now!
15 Rules
for
Becoming a
Top Producer!
I sincerely hope you enjoyed the book. You
are invited to be a regular visitor on my web
site at SalesBlogcast.com. Become a subscrib-
er, contribute to our Sales & Leadership com-
munity, and in all that you do... strive for
excellence!
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Blogcast .com
Doyle received his Bachelor’s from Baylor University and his Master’s from
Syracuse University.