Heavy Hitter Sales Blog

Why Are You In Sales? The Surprising Truth

When people in other careers ask salespeople why they are in sales, the most frequent answer is “money.” This is the pat answer salespeople give to outsiders who have never experienced the rush of closing a deal or the satisfaction of building a trusted friendship with a customer.

 

Providing the answer “money” is similar to the way mountain climbers answer “because it’s there” when asked why they climb mountains. The questioners can’t comprehend why someone would intentionally endure such physical and mental exhaustion and take such huge risks. They themselves don’t possess the inward drive to reach the pinnacle or the self-confidence to attempt the impossible.

 

The real answer to the question of why salespeople are in sales is deeper and far more complex. It was best explained by French aristocrat and historian Alexis de Tocqueville when he wrote about the American colonies’ desire to be free from England. “The revolution of the United States was the result of a mature reflecting preference for freedom, not a vague or ill-defined craving for independence,” he concluded. The colonials weren’t as interested in the independence of the colonies as they were in the freedom of the individual. The writers of the Declaration of Independence considered freedom a natural law of nature. Every July 4^th here in the United States we pause to celebrate the most magnificent experiment of freedom in the history of mankind.

 

TIP: The reality is that you are not in sales solely for money. You work in sales not because you have to, but because you have to be free. And this fundamental drive is at the core of the human spirit.

 

Other Articles That Might Interest You:

 

How Ronald Reagan Would Change Your Corporate Presentation

What if General George Patton Was Your VP of Sales?

Handling Tough Questions with Congressman Calvert

Neurolinguistics Sales Lesson: Auditor Obama versus Kinesthetic McCain

The Truth About Older (50+) Salespeople

It hard times for salespeople (and sales managers) over 50 today. As companies downsize, they find themselves five times more likely to be let go when compared to their younger counterparts. They also have a more difficult time finding new jobs because younger sales managers have five basic fears about hiring someone older than themselves:

 

They are Un-coachable. Younger sales managers fear older salespeople are set in their ways and won’t take their directions.

 

They aren’t Technically Savvy. Younger sales managers fear they haven’t ingrained technology (PDAs, e-mail, and web-based sales force automation) into their daily working routine (nor are they up-to-date on the internet, blogs, texting, Twitter, etc).

 

They are “Washed Up.” Younger sales managers fear older reps are burned out from too many years “carrying the bag.”

 

 They Have a Poor Work Ethic.  For a variety of family, personal, or health reasons, younger sales managers question how hard they will work.  

 

They Really Want My Job! Perhaps the biggest fear of a younger manager is that he is hiring someone who may upstage him in the eyes of senior management in order to fulfill an ulterior motive of taking over his job. 

 

Given these fears, I would like offer five factors sales managers should consider when choosing between younger and more senior salespeople.

 

1. Do you have to Sell to the C-Level? The C-level Executive sell is based upon establishing credibility and trust. Who do think has an easier time establishing rapport with senior executives; a 26 or 56 year old salesperson?

 

2. It’s about relationships, not Rolodexes. Never hire any salesperson solely based on the Rolodex (if you’re under 30 you might have to look this word up) of customer contacts they claim to possess. Hire the salesperson who has a successful track record at penetrating new accounts and proven their ability of turning aloof prospects into close friends.

3. Wit. Most companies make previous experience in the same industry their main criterion for hiring. Since these salespeople command the industry nomenclature, they are assumed to be qualified candidates. A more important hiring criterion is how candidates respond to pressure. In other words, how quick-witted or fast on their feet are they, what is their ability to learn quickly, and are they able to solve complex problems in real time? In this regard, don’t judge a book by its cover and assume a little gray hair means a lot less grey matter.

4. Sales is a Mentor-based Profession. Sales organizations are mentor-based environments. Inexperienced salespeople don’t know what they haven’t seen for themselves. Usually, it’s through the “school of hard knocks” that they gain their experience. Unfortunately, this takes time. The entire team can benefit from emulating salespeople who have accumulated a reservoir of experience working with customers.

 

5. Who Do You Trust? Peek into the cockpit as you board your next commercial flight. Chances are you are putting your life in the hands of one of the 70,000 airline pilots that are over 50 years old.

 

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Why Does My Manager Dislike Me?

The Seven Deadly Sins of Salespeople

7 Reasons Why Indy Racing is Like Sales

Over the years I have met some pretty interesting people on airplanes—people both famous and unknown, from all walks of life. One of the most fascinating conversations I ever had was with a fellow named Scott Goodyear on a flight to Indianapolis. We were seated next to each other and started chatting. When I asked him what he did for a living, he replied that he was a former Indy racecar driver who now works as a television race commentator. For the next three hours we had the most fascinating discussion about racing and life in general. As he spoke about his racing days, I could not help thinking how much selling and racing in the Indianapolis 500 are alike.

 

1. You must understand the fundamental laws of your field. Indy racecar driving is very different from other types of racing. Whereas a NASCAR driver wants to stay close behind another racer in order to draft, the Indy racer needs separation and “clean air” to keep the car from careening out of control. The aerodynamic shape of the car’s bottom actually creates suction that keeps the car on the track.

 

2. Peer pressure is huge. The most stressful time for an Indy driver is not actually the race itself. It’s the time trials to determine who will take the pole position. During these trials, racers watch their competitors. Specifically, they are looking at what the driver does heading into the first turn and if he will keep the gas pedal floored. This is the measuring stick that drivers use to determine who’s a real contender.

 

3. Racing is a mental sport in which you do what comes naturally. Scott competed in ninety-seven professional races. He quit racing when it didn’t feel “natural” anymore.

 

4. You are part of a fraternity. Indy drivers share a unique camaraderie and a deep respect for one another. While they may be ruthless adversaries on the track, off the track they’ll help each other. For example, Scott’s advice is highly sought after by current drivers.

 

5. You must constantly improve in everything. I got the impression that Scott was perhaps his own worst critic. He could probably recall every race he was in and what he could have done better.

 

6. You have to take risks to achieve success. Driving more than two hundred miles an hour is risky business. Scott was in several nasty accidents and broke his back on one occasion. However, you can’t win races if you don’t take chances.

 

7. Winning is everything. Second place doesn’t really matter, and Scott should know. He came in second place in the closest race in Indianapolis 500 history. Although he lost by just a couple of feet and only .43 of a second, Al Unser Jr.’s name is on the winner’s trophy.  

 

Salespeople who don’t understand the fundamental laws of selling will crash and burn on deals more frequently than they will win them. Selling requires the same mental stamina as profession racecar driving and Heavy Hitters in both professions do what comes naturally. Salespeople belong to a fraternity as well, where colleagues keep watch on how much business you’re closing. Heavy Hitter salespeople hold themselves to a higher standard, always seeking to improve their performance and never fearing to take calculated risks. After all, winning is everything.   

 

 

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The Seven Deadly Sins of Salespeople

Recession Sales Management: Reassign Accounts

In eleventh century England, King William was making preparations to go hunting in the forest. As he was getting ready with his attendants, six exquisitely crafted arrows were presented to him. After praising their craftsmanship, he kept four for himself and handed two to the knight of Poix. “It is only right,” he said, “that the sharpest should be given to the man who knows how to shoot the deadliest shots.”

 

Usually, it is a very difficult judgment call for a manager to reassign an important account from one salesperson to another. Whether the change is initiated by the manager or requested by another salesperson, there are times and circumstances where it must be done for the greater good of the company.

 

Today’s economic recession dictates that the best accounts (those with the ability to generate the most revenue) be assigned to the best salespeople (those with the greatest aptitude to maximize and close the deal). When faced with this circumstance, all parties involved must act with gracious magnanimity, rising above pettiness and overlooking insult.

 

Of course, sales is an “every man for himself” profession, and I respect salespeople who fight for what they believe in deserve respect. However, at times in order for the team to survive as a whole, everyone in the lifeboat has to row in the same direction. Because the sharpest shooter will make the biggest kill, there will be more than enough for everyone to feast upon later. 

 

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The Best Recession Sales Strategy

Why Does My Sales Manager Dislike Me? The Seven Different Sales Management Styles

What if General George Patton Was Your VP of Sales?

5 Recession Sales Tips (Einstein, Insanity & You)

The saying “If it were easy everybody would be doing it” certainly applies to selling today. It requires more effort, skill, and courage than ever before to achieve sales success. With this in mind, here are five recession sales tips.

 

1. Crank Up the “New” Call Volume. With less business happening, your ability to take deals away from your competition is the most critical factor that will determine your success this year. Therefore, you must unabashedly contact and strategically penetrate your archrival’s customer base. This should be one of your top goals during a recession.

 

2. Be a Human Vacuum Cleaner. No business is too small not to be interested in during a recession. Furthermore, you should consider it a personal insult when a deal goes down in your territory that you aren’t aware of.

 

3. Qualify, Qualify, Qualify. “All buyers are liars” is a fundamental philosophy of all Heavy Hitters (extremely successful salespeople). Buyers lie for a variety of reasons. Sometimes to protect themselves and hide their biases, while other times to make salespeople feel better about themselves. Therefore, you must continually qualify every buyer both formally (by asking questions) and intuitively (by using your sales intuition).

 

4. Keep Your Wins. Do you take your existing customers for granted? Are you giving them the attention and respect they deserve even though they aren’t buying as much as they used to? If not, see point number one and remember your competitors are not sitting idly by. 

5. Try Something New. If what you’re doing isn’t working then take time to figure out why. Put yourself in the position of being your own customer. Honestly, ask yourself if you would buy from you? Do you convey a compelling message? Do you have the wherewithal to reach key decision makers? If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” you must not be afraid to try something new. Remember Albert Einstein’s quote, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

 

Here’s some critical final advice... Be happy. A recent study of 4,700 people over a 20 year period found that happiness is contagious. It seems that people pass on their good cheer even to total strangers. The study also found that misery really doesn’t want company because people seek to surround themselves with happy people. This also applies to your potential customers and most importantly, you. So be happy, your next sale may depend upon on it.

Other articles you may enjoy…

Selling in a Recession: The Best Sales Strategy
Recession Sales Strategies: You Must Have a Spy!

Selling in a Recession: Avoid  the Cesspool

Handling Tough Questions and Congressman Calvert

The best way to improve your skills and learn something new is by studying a successful practitioner. That’s why I always provide examples based upon role models in my books and on my blog. For instance, in Heavy Hitter Selling I review Ronald Reagan’s communication techniques so they can be emulated. In Heavy Hitter Sales Wisdom I compare the speaking styles of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and John Kerry so that the reader can better understand his own. On my blog, I have written about the language patterns of Barack Obama to introduce concepts of neurolinguistics (the study of how the mind processes language). 

One of the hardest things to do in all of sales is handle tough questions from skeptical prospective customers. Every salesperson knows that answering these questions successfully is usually the difference between winning and losing. Recently, I had the privilege to listen to Congressman Ken Calvert speak. What impressed me most was how he handled the questions from the audience following his speech. As I listened to him, I thought there were five major lessons that all salespeople could benefit from.

 

1. Show Your Domain Expertise. Congressman Calvert has authored some impressive legislation during his seventeen years in office. His answers clearly demonstrated that he understands the legislative process inside and out. This is an important point. If you intimately know your industry, company, products, and how they compare against the competition you need not fear even the toughest question.

 

2. Clarify the Question First. There were two types of questions that Congressman Calvert was asked. Some were very specific questions about an issue while others were more general asking his opinion on a broad topic. In both instances, he would make sure he understood the question before answering it. He would either rephrase the question in his own words and repeat it to the questioner or ask the questioner to further explain what he meant before answering. Many times, salespeople are too eager to give an answer to a question that wasn’t even asked.

 

3. Bring Everyone Along. At one point during the question and answer session someone asked about Congressman Frank’s mortgage crisis bill. Like many in the audience, I was unfamiliar with it. He took the time to explain the bill’s purpose and the status of the legislation before telling how he felt about it. Since most sales calls are conducted with groups of people, you should give background information along with your answers to ensure everyone understands the topic of conversation.

 

4. Provide an Expert Point of View. A fascinating part of the question and answer session was Congressman Calvert’s discussion of the inner-workings of Washington DC. Never forget, your customer would rather do business with a trusted consultant who has intimate knowledge of the industry than an ordinary salesperson who simply understands how his product works.

 

5. Demeanor Speaks Volumes. The most powerful response to the most difficult question isn’t solely the answer you give. It’s also how you say it! Throughout the entire Q&A session, Congressman Calvert’s demeanor was calm, confident, and most of all, positive. This is a critical lesson. When confronted by someone who disagrees with your opinion, it’s OK to disagree without being disagreeable.

 

The final thing that struck me was Congressman Calvert’s sense of humor and humility. He told self-deprecating jokes that showed he didn’t take himself too seriously and displayed down-to-earth friendliness. While I don’t believe one-hundred percent of the audience agreed with all of his political positions, I do think everyone left convinced that his main concern is working for the good of the people who elected him.   

 

Other Articles That Might Interest You:

 

How Ronald Reagan Would Change Your Corporate Presentation

Neurolinguistic Sales Lesson: Auditory Obama Versus Kinesthetic McCain

Sales Strategy Ideas from the Presidential Campaign

What $1 Million & $1 Trillion Look Like

With all the talk about the trillions of dollars being spent to combat the recession, I thought you might find the graphics below from pagetutor fascinating…

 

Here’s what $1 Million Dollars looks like in one hundred dollar bills…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s $100 Million Dollars…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s $1 BILLION Dollars... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s $1 TRILLION DOLLARS... And those pallets are double stacked!!!

 

How to Tell Your Kids About the Recession

Parents’ natural instincts are always to protect their children. Keeping them from danger is an innate part of our human nature. But we’re in sales and the realities of selling in a recession are hitting home—less commission, longer hours at work, and frayed nerves. If you haven’t already, it’s time to tell your kids about the recession. Here’s some ideas that might help you with this awkward conversation.

 

Put it in Perspective. There’s an old saying that a recession is when your neighbor loses his job, a depression is when you lose yours. It’s just a matter of perspective. These are tough times and while there is tremendous economic uncertainty, we have always made our way through challenges in the past. And, somehow we’ll do it again.

 

Explain What’s Happening. Your kids probably wont’ understand that the recession’s cause is a $32 trillion negative wealth effect from declining home values, weakened capital markets, and consumer debt load. But they do understand there are natural cycles to life like the four seasons. While winter time happens every year, a single cycle of the economy can take decades. We’re in the midst of economic winter, at the bottom of a cycle.

 

Cash is King, Avoid Debt. As winter approaches animals in the wild stockpile food. During winter they conserve what food they have. Similarly, we need to make every effort to save and conserve money whenever we can. The biggest lesson of all is to live within our means and avoid debt.

 

It’s Temporary. There’s a classic Merle Haggard song where he sings, “If we make it through December, everything is going to be all right I know.” Well, it’s true. These times won’t last long and we just have to adjust our lifestyle for a short while, maybe through the rest of the year. But next year will definitely be better.

 

The Ultimate Truth. Your kids are living in extraordinary times. In their lifetimes they will see incredible developments in technology and advances in medical science we cannot imagine. They will enjoy incredible careers doing what they love to do.

 

Your kids’ true heroes aren’t the latest American Idol winner or the Super Bowl MVP. It’s you. Your sacrifice and hard work is responsible for everything they have and everything they’ll ever do. And you did this for the right reason, because you love them.  Now you just have to make it through December.

Sales Intuition, Memory & Chester

 I consider myself fortunate. I have the privilege to work with the top salespeople at the world’s greatest companies. Yet recently I spent some time with the most motivated people I have ever met—the MBA students at UC Berkeley’s Haas business school where I teach the art and science of sales (Go Bears!).

 We had some incredible guest speakers this past semester. VPs of sales, CEOs, and  Chester. Chester fascinates me. You see, Chester Santos is the 2008 USA National Memory Champ. In a matter of minutes Chester can memorize a deck of playing cards, hundreds of random words, and match a mindboggling combination of names to faces. You can learn more about him by clicking here.

 

 As salespeople, we spend most of our time trying to predict the behavior, intentions, attitudes, and feelings of our customers. In essence, the goal of every salesperson is to be able to anticipate the future. The “tool” you use to accomplish this is your “sales intuition.” Memory plays a fundamental role in determining the strength of your sales intuition. The ability to store more sales call experiences in your memory will actually strengthen your sales intuition.  In honor of Chester, I once again share six principles to help improve your sales call memory:

    

Sensory information. During the sales call, consciously gather as much information as possible from your sight, sound, and touch senses. A vivid event is more likely to be memorized than a dull one, and the more sensory information that is incorporated into your memories, the higher your likelihood of recording it.

    

Association. Thoughts and experiences are more readily recalled when they are linked to a specific association. A very simple association would be the success or failure of the call. The association may be further defined by the customers’ technical and business requirements or their objections to purchasing your product.

   

Specificity. The persistence of a memory is directly related to the precision of details that are input at the time of the experience. During a sales call, you may even want to tell yourself that some information is important and is not to be forgotten.

 

Unique events. Many sales calls are free-flowing events that lack a strict organization of facts. Therefore, it is easier to remember any unusual and unique aspects of a sales call that stand out from the ordinary and mundane.

   

First and last. Most salespeople are quick to remember how a sales call began (the big opening) and how it ended (the grand finale). This is a natural characteristic of memory, whereby we tend to remember the information that is presented first and last more than the details in between. This particularly applies to longer sales calls, more than an hour. One way to help remember all of the in-between information is to mentally break the sales call into smaller segments (or chunks) either by time, presenter, or topic of discussion.

     

The good, the bad, and the ugly. Be forewarned, your brain has been trained to block out unpleasant images. However, it is critical that all information during a sales call, both good and bad, be stored.

  

Never forget, how something is remembered will determine how much is remembered.

Motivational Sales Quotes for the New Year

    My latest book, Heavy Hitter Sales Wisdom, is based upon the study of prominent Heavy Hitters throughout the ages. The Heavy Hitters I write about are people of great influence who had a tremendous impact on our world. Since learning by example is the most effective way to learn, it is important to study role models that provide the best examples of strategy, persuasion, and common sense. With this in mind, here are some of my favorite quotes in Heavy Hitter Sales Wisdom from Sun Tzu, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Patton, Buddha, Jesus Christ, and Ronald Reagan to start the NewYear!

 

 

Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.” Napoleon Bonaparte

“He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them.” Sun Tzu

 

 “Battles are won by frightening the enemy.” General George Patton

 “Rely on yourself. Do not depend upon anyone else.” Buddha

“Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first." Ronald Reagan

“Knowledge of the enemy’s position can only be obtained from other men. Hence, the use of spies.” Sun Tzu

“It is easy to shield the outer body from poisoned arrows, but it is impossible to shield the mind from the poisoned darts that originate within oneself.” Buddha

 “To fight and conquer all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.” Sun Tzu

“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't.” General George Patton

 

"There are two levers for moving men: interest and fear." Napoleon Bonaparte

“My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose - somehow we win out.”  Ronald Reagan

“If a village won’t welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust from your feet as you leave.” Jesus Christ.

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Motivational Sales Quotes to Win the Q4 War