A sharp salesperson doesn’t take “no” for an answer, but he knows he can’t just strong-arm his way into a sale, either.  He’s confident he can use his customized sales training to identify hidden needs and solve problems because he’s done his homework and understands the issues and needs involved. To get his foot in the door, he opts to approach the situation from a fresh new angle.

For example, I had been trying to reach one organization’s VP of Sales for months, to no avail. In a stationery store, I saw notepads made to look just like a $100 bill. I bought them and wrote a note to the VP: “Let’s turn this into real money for you and your sales team!”  I crumpled up the “bill,” threw it into an oversized envelope, and mailed it to him. The client got a laugh, and I got his business after a great meeting that really got a good dialogue going. Combining perseverance with inventiveness sparks interest in both you and your business solution.  

Jeff, one of my regular clients, came to me to jump-start his team with more sales management training. “Even when I have time to talk with my team face-to-face, they only give me lip service or blank looks,” he said. “I was hoping you could help me stir the pot so we can finish the year with a bang.”

Jeff was a good manager trapped in a labyrinth of accountability. He wasn’t getting the results from his team because they’d gone down the path of least resistance. I suggested a blended training strategy integrating our Sales Bridge Training Method and our Sales Management Training, suggesting some of the following...

1. Initiate meaningful dialogue with his team, setting up areas of responsibility, creating smart criteria for specific performance standards.
2. Remember that all members of his team are individuals with motivations as different as their work styles.
3. Respect and respond to those differences so his team performs above and beyond expectations.
4. Understand his employees, like he understands his customers.
5. Find out what each member of his team truly values.
6. Create a follow-up system to hold his people accountable.

You’ll lose your best team members if you don’t find ways for them to feel successful and accomplished in their positions. The best way to understand what people value is to engage. Talk with your employees, and really listen to what success means to them.