Your Sales Management Guru

I recently read an article about the enormous amount of money that is spent each year on sales skills training, yet the article discussed the shocking lack of success those costs have had when translated to performance. Normally we see a short-term boost of success and then a trend of sales falling back to past levels. In most cases, there is a 5-1/2 week half-life in sales skills training.

The salespeople begin to forget classroom training or find the techniques/concepts from the class are awkward, and they revert to using their old sales processes. The article went on to promote the need to make sure the sales manager is trained to reinforce the intended sales training. What I have found is, in most cases, these sales management courses are simply additional revenues by sales training firms to sell new training courses. 

The key for real sales leadership training is to cause change, and change comes from understanding the concepts around sales leadership and management, building reinforcement or coaching skills in the field and teaching the sales leader how to effectively build and run internal sales training programs independent of outside sales training firms. 

Besides sales training, sales management training courses requires: sales compensation, sales recruiting, management systems, leadership and marketing. Our free videos on Hiring Smart, Training Smart and Planning for Profit will begin your process. Find them at www.acumenmanagement.com. 

I’m just leaving Atlanta, where I spoke at the Information Technology Alliance Spring Conference on sales force compensation… I’ll see you at the next stop!

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It’s the fourth quarter for some (Microsoft) and Q2 for most of us. Nonetheless, challenging times means fewer sales opportunities, thus demanding better sales strategy and more effective sales execution. Let’s use this blog to focus on ideas, tips and tools that we can use to improve our won/lost ratios.

I will contribute a few thoughts, but I also would like to hear what you are doing to make your numbers. 

Three quick thoughts: 

First, I recommend that on most sales opportunities, you make sure the president or sales manager makes a face-to-face call early in the sales process, at step 2 or step 3. This will provide that person with an opportunity to 1) read the personality styles of the parties involved; 2) develop a relationship with the key players; and 3) provide better sales coaching/strategy as you work the sales opportunity. 

The most important benefit is rather than “bringing them in at the end to close,” at the end of the sales process the sales leader can comfortably engage in a meaningful sales conversation. 

Second, if you are not using Microsoft Financing, investigate it and use it. When money is tight, Microsoft Financing has many ways to help you answer objections and make it easy to move forward. Bring it up early as a benefit and tell your prospect about the “month ending” program. 

Third, if you haven’t attended the free Microsoft Business Builder Sales Clinics, do so. Next event is April 27; they run every two weeks until the end of June. Follow us and ask questions on Twitter.com/MSFTBizBuilder and register here and use the special Sales/Marketing Forum for an interactive experience.

Ken@AcumenMgmt.com

Posted in Sales Management, Sales Management Consulting, Sales Management Planning, Sales Management Systems, Sales Management Training, Sales Training | Comments Off

I am speaking this week in Atlanta at a national conference on the topic of sales compensation during challenging times. One of my beliefs is compensation must be strategic and aligned with the goals of the corporation. If your objectives are changing or because of challenging times you are still using the same compensation plan from previous years, consider several ideas:

1. Build in a team compensation model; where if the team exceeds a quarterly target, pay a bonus. The bonus is paid out based upon per/person contribution. This helps everyone work together to attain the ‘company’ number.
2. Build a sales contest now to increase pipeline values and activity to ensure you have a summer full of sales opportunities. Run it for May/June with the rewards non-cash incentives. Send me an e-mail for a free idea.
3. Create a year-long sales incentive contest based upon a quota for the salesperson to win. If they achieve 115 percent, then their spouse/friend can attend. (cruise/golf resort). All the winning salespeople would attend at the same time/location. Create a theme for the trip; this will give you a common message for the remainder of the year.
4. Create a companywide contest linking teams of sales/admin/technical teams together to compete for most leads, most sales dollars, most net new accounts. Get your entire organization charged up.

Competition can be fun!

Posted in Sales Compensation, Sales Management Systems | Comments Off