We half jokingly say that if you laid all the sales managers in the world end-to-end, they’d be more comfortable!

We find that over half rarely travel with their salespeople. They “direct” from behind their desk. Dishing out volume, quota, performance orders, but rarely spending mentoring time with their salespeople. Even when they do it’s from the “critical parent” perspective, punitive words or messages, even explicit threats about goals, targets, etc.

Ever consider how your leadership style affects your salespeople? Ever asked or measured its effect? In “First Break All the Rules” authors Buckingham and Coffman point out “that managers trump companies, and people join companies, but quit managers.” No where is this more true than the relationship of salespeople to their sales managers. Have your salespeople “quit” you?

Maybe it’s time to re-examine your role and your influence. It’s worth the effort.

Richard D.

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The Tuesday’s Sales Truths are taken from Bill Brooks’ Book Entitled: Universal Sales Truths

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One of the great rewards of being a sales trainer is hearing back from your students that what they’re doing is making a difference in both their personal lives and the lives of their customers.

Following a recent seminar, one of the sales managers in my class forwarded to me a testimonial letter one of his newest salespeople received from one of his customers. This young sales rep was relatively new to the business, but apparently he took his training on the IMPACT Selling System very seriously.

It the letter, the customer mentioned he had spoken with other salespeople from the same organization in the past, but in each case he never saw enough value in the opportunity to make the decision to “buy.” Specifically, the customer said the person sitting across the table never asked what he was looking for or showed true concern for what was important to him. In his words, the “level of comfort” or “personal connection” was never made.

The customer went on to say all that changed when he met the new salesperson. He walked the customer through the entire buying process, exemplified the utmost personal attention and professionalism, answered all the questions and committed himself to what the customer needed and wanted. In the end, the customer said the salesperson created value that was more than just a short-term benefit – he created long-term value that would brighten his entire future. As a result, the customer made the decision to “buy” and has no regrets. In fact, he wrote the testimonial on his own because he was so pleased with the entire buying experience.

Isn’t it ironic that a newer salesperson that practices the “basics” can outshine an experienced representative? How about you? Do you still work to establish the level of comfort or personal connection that makes a customer want to buy from you? If the answer is “No,” remember the words of Zig Ziegler who said, “You get what you want by helping people get what they want.”

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The Tuesday’s Sales Truths are taken from Bill Brooks’ Book Entitled: Universal Sales Truths

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Isn’t it a shame when you get great customer service these days you are surprised?
Recently, I had the best customer service from AAA and I want to tell you about it.

As I was rushing off to work, I went nowhere. My battery was dead. No power, no thump, no chachug, nothing. I called AAA and the first question was, “Are you in a safe location?” I indicated I was at home in my driveway. Then, the professional service representative took the necessary information and gave me an approximate time the Battery Van would arrive - which was approximately 45 minutes.

Here’s the special part. AAA had another representative call me in 15 minutes to make sure I was in a safe location. And, every 15 – 20 minutes I received a phone call inquiring about my safety. I was amazed what my annual $69 dues bought me – not only service - but peace of mind and a feeling of security.

As a professional speaker and trainer I have traveled mostly by car for over 22 years. As a female, traveling alone, I have often been in some dicey situations. I have always been alert and cautious –looking out for danger signals because it can be scary out there. So to hear the first question, “Are you in a safe location?” was just a gift of goodness.

We have all been taught “it’s the little things that mean a lot.” I have tried to always practice that with my clients to bring about a long lasting relationship with them. Well, that little thing of asking that question made me a loyal AAA member for life. Thanks AAA.

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