B2B Sales

The unproductive and most significant time consuming activities

2013-03-01T02:20:00.001-08:00

According to IDC, One Third of Potential Selling Time Is Wasted Due to Poor Sales Enablement……wauuu, what a conclusion that came from the IDC Sales Advisory Practice's recent sales enablement research was that shifting as little as 10 minutes a week to more productive selling time is worth $57,000 per year, per rep.

For the IT vendor community, sales productivity is more important than ever before. For the past year, it has been the key issue faced by most technology companies and, with the current state of the economy, sales productivity and efficiency will only become more important to sales and marketing executives and the executive teams running large companies.

Sales enablement, which IDC defines as the broad set of activities that prepare members of the sales team (including channel partners) for success in sales engagements, is a key lever for sales productivity. Despite this, most companies have not moved beyond first or second generation sales enablement strategies, which will be devastating in this economical situation.

"In addition to the staggering 26% of their week spent on administrative tasks, the IDC research found that sales professionals are spending, on average, 2.3 hours a week searching for marketing collateral; 5.8 hours a week searching for customer related information; and another 6.4 hours a week creating presentations," IDC noted. "In short, they spend a third of their potential selling time in sales preparation activities that could be done better by automated systems and improved processes."

"IDC research further suggests that shifting as little as 10 minutes a week from this unproductive time to productive selling time is worth $57,000 per year in increased revenues for an enterprise sales professional. In general there was a over 30% increase of productivity potential, that would have to be brought about by sales enablement focused on sales productivity".

Better sales enablement will have a profound impact on sales productivity. IDC found that "time to revenue" drops from months to weeks for organizations that have moved to "productivity" sales enablement environments. With more attention to enablement, sales people feel empowered, they perform better, and customer satisfaction increases.

Obviously have I as a Sales Coach over the years studied sales people as well and this is what I have found in terms of “their unproductive and most significant time consuming activities”.

The four most important, that I found again and again accruing – arranged by frequency – includes 78% of the waste of time the sales people experience:

• Attempts to do too much

• Distracting interruptions

• Crisis management

• Administration – paperwork, etc

Do you see the pattern?

I have the opinion that the most problems and solutions related to sales people and their time management can be put into the following two categories: productivity and efficiency.

1. Productivity means doing things right.

2. Efficiency means doing the right things.

I just thought that I wanted to share this, especially since we are in troubling times. Times where you need to do more with much less and where productivity and efficiency will be the key driver for that

Regards

Mark von Rosing

Some thoughts on Value and how to use them in sales

2010-10-06T11:52:00.001-07:00

What I’m trying to do in this forum article/discussion is to stimulate your thinking about the psychological process in what really influences human behavior and to get you to think beyond your current approach.

From a behavioral science view there are three main ways to influence human behavior. The most common and least powerful way is by addressing needs. More, but not the most, powerful are wants. And, by far, the most effective way to influence human behavior is through core values (which is a mix of wants and beliefs, standards etc). Values-Based Selling is the key to deliberately getting people emotionally involved and creating trust. Don't confuse 'values-based' selling with ‘value-added' marketing.

I am not suggesting that you ignore needs; however, we no longer live in a needs-oriented society. Why are needs the least powerful way to influence human behavior? Needs are tied to shoulds. For instance, take statements like "I should save money"; "I should make more investments"; "I should make better decisions"; " I should get a financial plan"; or "I should have more discipline." The key to guiding people toward smart choices is to get them to want to.

But, in truth, even wants don't have the emotional pull that values do. Values are intangible feelings. Intangible, pure, undiluted feelings like love, pride, security, freedom, making a difference, independence, accomplishment, self worth, and so forth are key factors in influencing behavior. Values illuminate people's emotional motives so clearly, they must take action ... for their own reasons. Needs have the power to illuminate emotional motives as much as the penlight on your key ring, while wants work like your average flashlight. Values, however, illuminate emotional motives like a row of halogen high-beams on the front of a Mercedes on the Autobahn. Your prospects and clients are most likely to take action on your ideas when they feel a strong emotional connection to them. Your job is to illuminate their emotions so they fully understand the relationship between smart decisions and fulfilling their life values. Your job isn’t to be a traditional sales person and sell the ‘old school’ way.

Everyone has a unique 'values hierarchy.' Just like fingerprints, no two values hierarchies are alike. I do understand that on the business as well as the personal level value can be a difficult thing to define and comprehend. May be a simple scenario can help you grasp the idea. Your offering is a nice, cold glass of beer. How valuable will it be regarded by potential buyers?

- to a person who’s religion does not allow him to drink alcohol - the value is absolutely zero

- to a person who’s body is very sensitive to alcohol – the value is next to zero

- to a person who is very drunk already – the value is very limited

- to a person who’s preferred drink is wine – the value is moderate

- to a person who has been on the golf court for hours without anything to drink – the value is high

- to a person who is crawling in the desert with the sun burning his back and his dry tongue hanging out of his mouth – the value is tremendous (he can hardly believe it’s a real beer - he is afraid it’s just a hallucination).

Conclusion: different people want something different and appreciate the value of a specific offering differently; the same person appreciates the value of a specific offering differently in different situations and even at different points in time; the more relief you can provide the more valued your offerings tend to be perceived. So, when you stimulate a conversation with current and prospective clients about their values (what is truly important to them), they will become emotionally involved, you can touch on their ranking of values, understand them at a deeper level, and you can dramatically shorten the time it takes to gain their trust. Emotional involvement and trust are two critical elements in creating profitable client relationships.

In terms of sales it is the personal value that will trigger an reaction! Why? Because from a personal perspective value is a concept that describes the beliefs of an individual. The values of a person are the principles, standards, or quality which will guide the human action. A set of values may be placed into the notion of a value system.

The difficult part is as discussed that values are considered subjective and vary across people. Which makes it so difficult to sell really value based. The most sales people that argue that they sell value based, just because they present their products based on values, have not understood the concept of value based selling (which are the most). The most salespeople I encounter do that what I call the problem/pain – value method. In its basic concept it works like this. If you really have a problem or pain and I have a product/solution that fixes this problem/pain, than I have delivered value. In a way that is true. But that is not Value Based Selling. Here is a Value Based concept that in its theory is easy but in the real practice quit hard:

Prospects don’t always buy what they need – for that does not necessarily provide them value. They always, however, buy what they want, for that is of value to them. Here’s the difference:

Needs are…

• product specific

• rational (based on situational problem)

• above the surface

• based on facts and often measurable

Wants, on the other hand, are…

• product neutral

• emotional

• below the surface

• based on perception and often not measurable

As a consequence, here’s the principle:

Salespeople who can present their products or service (a need) in the way that their prospect wants to perceive it will be more likely to make the sale. That is Value Based Selling, let’s put it another way:

Prospects are more likely to buy what they need from prospects who understand what they really want, for then they fell you can provide them with value.

The thing to remember is that when needs-oriented planning leaves your client occupied, try focusing on your client's wants (which are his or her's values) instead. Needs simply don't have the emotional punch to influence human behavior. Remember, the least effective approach is to try to satisfy client needs (based on problems and pains). A better approach is to help clients get what they want and desire - which is their value expectation. The most effective sales professionals help clients fulfill their values in life. Differentiate yourself! Don’t be a traditional salesperson, become a Trusted Sales Professional - sell with values (with true values).

Listen for words and phrases like freedom, control, satisfaction, making a difference, independence, feel really good, pride, achievement, contribution, oneness with God, etc. These are indicators that you are on the right track, because they represent values. And values are emotional and they create positive emotional feelings in the person you are speaking with. The thing to remember is that when needs-oriented planning leaves your client flat, try focusing on your client's values instead. Needs simply don't have the emotional punch to influence human behavior.

Remember, the least effective approach is to try to satisfy client needs. A better approach is to help clients get what they want and desire. The most important point about value is that value to your customer is not something you define – it’s exclusively defined by the buyer (and based on their wants). The value expectations that make them initially buy from you – as well as the total experience over time. Both the subjective and the more measurable values delivered by your total organization - that makes him buy from you again the next time. The most effective sales professionals help clients fulfill their values in life. Differentiate yourself! Don’t be a traditional salesperson, become a Trusted Sales Professional.

Regards – Mark von Rosing

PS:I hope this has provided some value (little smile)

Making money during a recession

2009-04-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

A recession is possibly the best time to launch a new business or to sell more in an existing one. It’s also a great time to get ahead in your career as a sales person. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, so let me x’splain.

As we all know………first, the media goes nuts during a recession. They turn a little bit of negativity into a mountain of pessimism. This makes a lot of companies and people financially paranoid. Both companies and individual people become socially conditioned to expect the worst.

If you buy into this social hysteria, you become a victim too………..you might really get stuck (please read some of these articles to get out of that: http://personaldevelopmentforum.blogspot.com/)

But if you tune out such negative traps (not watching TV helps a lot) and maintain a grip on rational and emotional thought, you’ll see some amazing sales opportunities popping up everywhere you look.

How……..well, during such times people get scared and start cutting back on expenses. They cut some of the fluff from their lives. They stop buying so much stuff they want, but don’t need. So what really happens is that they go away from “want” based buying to only “need” based buying).

This causes some sales people and businesses to do poorly, especially salespeople that don’t provide stuff we really need or are not able to package it in a way that you think you need it. We have all acted in this way…………. as we all can live without new credit cards, shoes, cloths and gas-guzzling SUVs for a while. Those non-essentials can be put off for some time.

We also become more sensitive to receiving genuine value. When we spend money, we want to make sure we’re getting a fair deal in buying what we believe we need (even if we don’t need it).

Consequently, a sales person that provides genuine value in his sales process can actually do better during a recession. More people will flock to those sales people in tough times, while the fluff sales person and businesses will become more and more paranoid.

Instead of focusing on trying to make more money, put your time and energy into CREATING and DELIVERING real value to your customer (the sales process). Find a way to give people what they want (which in these times is what they believe is there need).

Take note that the keywords here are CREATE and DELIVER VALUE.

Creating value means expressing your unique talents and skills in a way that can potentially benefit others.

Delivering value means ensuring that your customers are actually receiving and benefiting from the value you’ve sold (so don’t oversell).

If you don’t do both in some fashion, then it’s going to be hard for you to generate sustainable sales income, especially during a recession. I’ll explain why.

If you oversell and thereby have only create value but don’t deliver it, then your value isn’t being received by anyone – at least that is what the customer feels. What is money? Money is simply a medium for exchanging value. Money is what you receive in exchange for the value you create and deliver. If you can increase your outflow of value creation and delivery, you can increase your inflow of money received.

If, however, you try to increase the inflow of money without increasing the outflow of value, you’re trying to get something for nothing and that strategy does not work, especially in these recession times . This approach is untenable and will ultimately collapse – as we see in so many companies.

It doesn’t matter what happens to the economy — if you keep selling value, you’ll do just fine.

I just thought that I wanted to share this, especially since we are in troubling times. Times where you need to do more in your sells process

Regards

Mark von Rosing

How to commit a person!!!

2009-04-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

I ran across this interesting set of statistics on behavioral commitment and change from a study at Brigham Young University.

It shows the chances of a change being incorporated into one's decision in various scenarios and thought this would be very interresting in different sales scenarious. When we consider that everything in the end is about commitment and change.

When a person...

Says, "That's a good idea." 10% Commits

"I'll do it." 25%

Says when they'll do it (in terms of a time). 40%

Plans how to do it. 50%

Commits to someone else. 60%

Sets a specific future time to share progress or to follow up with person they committed to. 95%

That, by the way, is an excellent example of why the right commitment pattern is so important.

Personally, I believe this to be the area where the most sales people lack difficulties.......not in finding new prospects, but to close those they have.

Regards

Mark

Improve your sales performance through a Social Competence - Character Model

2008-08-12T02:38:00.001-07:00

The Social Competence - Character Model is a prescriptive Sales Performance theory developed in 2006 by Cay Clemmensen and myself in a Sales Performance Coaching engagement we had in our company Rosen Team for a large Global Company.

Why? Let’s face it........your Sales is dependent upon your Sales Force and his or hers social competence and character!

The social competence and character that we believe that is necessary for sales responsible, could actually be visualized as a scale, where integrity is the strong and solid base, and respect and responsibility are balanced on either side. A sales responsible with integrity are honest, trustworthy and authentic. They are also respectful of others and have a strong sense of personal responsibility. Relationship and respect is developed by the component qualities of Empathy, Emotional Mastery, Lack of Blame and Humility. Responsibility is developed by the component qualities of Accountability, Courage, Self Confidence and Focus on the whole (as a sales responsible with the abilities).

The 10 Social Competences of the Character Model that a sales responsible should have:
1. Social Competence skill - Respect
2. Social Competence skill - Empathy
3. Lack of Blame
4. Emotional Intelligence skill - Humility
5. Emotional Intelligence skill - Emotional Mastery
6. Emotional Intelligence skill - Responsibility
7. Emotional Intelligence skill - Accountability
8. Emotional Intelligence skill - Self-Confidence
9. Emotional Intelligence skill - Courage
10. Social Competence skill - Focus on the whole

1. Social Competence skill - Respect
The sales responsible, that demonstrates Respect show’s unconditional high regard for others, acknowledging their value as human beings, regardless of their behavior (and isn't sales all about the value that the other person perceives to receive). The respect comes through in all situations, even during times of conflict or criticism. Demonstrating respect for others requires developing and refining the following core personal qualities (not faking it).

2. Social Competence skill - Empathy
Treating everyone in the organization with empathy helps leaders earn trust. Leaders who are empathetic create strong bonds and are seen as less political. The sales responsible who demonstrates the core quality of empathy:
• Can understand others’ points of view, including the views of those who are different
• Shows genuine concern for others
• Listens with understanding
• Is respectful even when he or she has nothing to gain from the relationship

3. Lack of Blame
The sales responsible who doesn’t blame others is not defensive. They are able to reflect honestly on their own behavior and are willing to admit mistakes. When things go wrong, they don't spend time assigning blame; they spend time fixing the problem. A sales responsible who demonstrates the core quality of lack of blame:
• Admits fault when appropriate – even to customers
• Does not look for a scapegoat in a crisis
• Spends time fixing problems, not assigning them

4. Emotional Intelligence skill - Humility
Humility is a lack of pomposity and arrogance. It is the recognition that all sales responsible are fallible, that we are all combinations of strengths and weaknesses. sales responsible who demonstrate humility, as someone has said, "don't think less of themselves; they just think more of others." Arrogance derails more leaders than any other factor. A sales responsible with the core quality of humility:
• Listens to others with an open mind
• Doesn't brag or name drop
• Clearly sees and admits their own limitations and failings
• Is not afraid to be vulnerable

5. Emotional Intelligence skill - Emotional Mastery
sales responsible who have developed emotional mastery recognize that, as Epictetus said 2000 years ago, "It's not the facts and events that upset man, but the view he takes of them." For those in positions of formal power, the most important aspect of emotional mastery may be controlling anger. Outbursts of anger have no spot in the workplace, and can quickly destroy a sense of organizational equity and partnership. A sales responsible with the core quality of emotional mastery:
• Says what he or she thinks, but never berates others
• Stays calm even in crisis situations
• Doesn't let anxiety interfere with public speaking or with other things that need to be done
• Reflects before reacting and is able to consciously choose an appropriate response

6. Emotional Intelligence skill - Responsibility
Responsibility is the acceptance of full responsibility for personal success and for the success of the sales, salesteam and proposalprocess.

7. Emotional Intelligence skill - Accountability
The sales responsible who is truly accountable expand their view of organizational responsibility. At all levels, accountable sales responsible do what they can to get done what needs to get done, no matter where in the organization they have to go. They NEVER say, "It's not my job." They also hold themselves accountable for making relationships work - they don't say, "Well, I'll go halfway if they will." They take 100% responsibility for making any relationship work. A sales responsible with the core quality of accountability:
• Takes the initiative to get things done
• Is not afraid to hold others accountable
• Is willing to cross departmental boundaries to help with a meaningful project
• Takes personal responsibility for organizational success

8. Emotional Intelligence skill - Self-Confidence
The sales responsible who is self-confident feels that they are the equal of others, even when those others are in positions of much greater formal power. The sales responsible who is self-confident also recognize the value of building the self-confidence of others and won't be threatened by doing so. Self-confidence in everyone builds a sense of partnership and helps the organization get maximum effort and ideas from everyone. A sales responsible with the core quality of self-confidence:
• Has a self assured bearing
• Is flexible and willing to change
• Easily gives others credit
• Isn't afraid to tell the truth

9. Emotional Intelligence skill - Courage
The sales responsible with courage is assertive and willing to take risks. They ask forgiveness rather than permission, and are willing to try even though they might fail. They are willing to risk conflict to have their ideas heard, balancing that with the respect that makes constructive conflict possible. A sales responsible with the core quality of courage:
• Champions new or unpopular ideas
• Talks to others, not about others, when there is a problem
• Accepts feedback and really hears what others say
• Takes the ball and runs with it, even when there are obstacles

10. Social Competence skill - Focus on the whole
The sales responsible that focuses on the whole think in terms of the good for the entire organization, not in terms of what's good for them, their team or their department. They can see interdependencies and can see beyond what is immediately observable. They have an understanding of and enthusiasm for the business and an understanding of their industry. For example, if working on a software project, they consider the implications of the whole project and commit to an outcome that works for the customer rather than focusing on just their piece of the project. A sales responsible who demonstrates the core quality of focusing on the whole:
• Realizes that they represent their company to customers
• Sees how the work in their area affects the entire project and the entire organization
• Gathers information from all stakeholders when making decisions
• Shares information throughout the company and understands the value of a knowledgeable workforce

I know that when we talk about the social competence and character necessary for sales responsible to influence the way they manage the sales process, that these are very psychological soft skills we are talking about and as you can read from my different article, do I strongly believe that sales excellence is made, not born. That's why I actually wanted to create this Blog and Forum and I'm dedicated to helping you personally grow beyond where you are today. Many sales responsible know that certain things they should do in a better way, but too often they don't know how - or do get started on the change process. We all work against some barriers that somehow keep us from doing what is best for us - and from realizing our true potential. If you need help in better understanding and exploit your potential in order to turn you into action mode and help you break through self imposed limitations that are holding you back from the power, balance, growth, and success that you strive for. Lets us talk about how I can help you explore how it is possible to build new levels of social competence and character - helping you to remove the mental and emotional obstacles that are limiting your personal and professional growth, power and sales performance.

If you are interested in a course that can strengthen this ability this could be an option: http://www.rosenteam.com/sales-performance/emotional-intelligence-in-sales-coaching-program/

If I can help in any other way, please feel free to contact me via email: mvr@rosenteam.com

Regards your moderator

Mark von Rosing

Improve your sales performance through a Social Competence - Character Model -Part II

2008-06-03T04:42:00.000-07:00

Somebody just wrote to me this after having posted the Sales Performance article on the Social Competence - Character Model:

Hello Mark,
I find your articles very good, inspiring, encouraging and compelling however the cynical side of me says these are qualities in a perfect world. I don't know if my experiences at the lower levels of organizations has just hardened me to think that everyone as a general rule are selfish two faced power mongers and that there really are people operating on levels of integrity in business.
Why just yesterday I spoke with a childhood friend of mine describe how he enjoyed being around a bunch of "sharp thinking" men at a social/business backyard party with lots of family around and good times. Yet he described how they referred to all of their guests as their prey. I asked "prey?" He said, "well, their customers." "Just throw them a peice of BBQ chicken and they're your friend for life."

What kind of attitude is this for a morally minded person to have? I was genuinely sad that my friend actually respected this attitude. It strikes me as ultimate deception. Pretend to be friends with people so you can sell them something.

Personally I love your ideas and the areas I need to work on most are humility and emotional mastery. I know I can be incredibly competant with a mostly very mature attitude towards responsibility, courage, accountablility and focusing on the whole. Yet when I feel others don't recognize my potential, for example when I'm proposing an improvement in a process and can prove step by step why, or when others are acting in a distinctly selfish or lying manner about something I have a difficult time controlling my anger and reacting not just appropriately but effectively. This is the only thing that affects my confidence.
Otherwise, I can be too confident at times. I know god has blessed me with a sharp mind that can see the big picture and correlate seemingly dissparate facts but I have a hard time moderating my enthusiasm. When people can't see what I see I berate them (usually not face to face but to others, which is probably worse.) At least I am aware of this and that is the first step to countering it but i need some trigger to recognize it when it happens and slap myself in the face (so to speak) before I actually say anything.

So, sir, what can you do for me so I can change? Because I have big dreams but realize I need to master myself before I can develop the relationships I need to in order to accomplish them.

--------------------------------

This is what I wrote and would like to share with everybody: Thank you for your mail…………………….when I read your comments I have to say that these 2 sides don’t really conflict………it is more a question of taking your natural leadership instincts , our natural violent tendencies, our territorial instincts , and our competitive reflexes and urges to win and balance them with theses Social skills I talked about. Why……..for it is not the one with the most natural leadership instincts , or the most natural violent tendencies, or the most territorial instincts , or most competitive reflexes and urges that actually will win, be most loved, be a good father, brother Husband or even child. One will not even be a better friend or sales person with those characteristics.

So in my world there arises 3 main questions:
1. Why do we have these violent tendencies, our territorial instincts , and our competitive reflexes and urges to win?
2. What is it then that makes us have social success with people?
3. How can we combine the both worlds of being a really competitive person and having social skills?

To point 1) Why do we have these violent tendencies, our territorial instincts , and our competitive reflexes and urges to win?
In considering some of the basic of our behavior, let’s take a look at The Origin and Psychology of Behavior, Richard Wrangham and Dale Peterson (Professors in Biological Anthropology at Harvard University), made a study in Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of behavior (and with that leadership and social behavior).

The study present evidence that only humans and chimpanzees, among all the animals living on earth, share a similar tendency for a cluster of behaviors: leadership, violence, territoriality, and competition for uniting behind the one chief male of the land. Many of you might think and argue that many animals beyond apes are territorial and exhibit violence, and have a social structure controlled by a dominant male (lions, wolves, etc.).......which is all true. This is where Wrangham and Peterson's evidence point that there is a difference of their competitive urge and drive to lead.

The study concludes that leadership has something to do with being competitive and wanting to win! So this is something some people have and it is good……..but only if they can master and control this ability. If not, it could become your weakness in connection with others.

Which leads us to question 2) What is it then that makes us have social success with people?
The things that puzzle me on nearly each personal coaching I have, is that there are so few people that can say or communicate what will give you social success and what are the actual skills that can help you with social success?, what are the talents (natural characteristics) …………..there are so many that answer that you are ether liked or not, which is basically not true.

So the question remains what can give you social success?

Let’s consider again some of the basic of our behavior we just discovered in The Origin and Psychology of Behavior Richard Wrangham and Dale Peterson (Professors in Biological Anthropology at Harvard University). Very interesting findings have been revealed by comparison, bonobos, the second-closest species-relatives of man. The study revealed that bonobos do not unite behind the strongest chief male. The bonobos show deference to an alpha or top-ranking female or male that is most liked (has the best social standing).Which means that they get there, where they are through the support of her coalition and social relationship of other females or males. This can prove as strong or even stronger as the strongest male in the land. Thus social success has nothing to do with having violent tendencies, our territorial instincts , and our competitive reflexes and the urges to win .

So what can we so far conclude………if you really want to succeed you should have both;
1. a competitive urge and a will to win and with that some violent tendencies and territorial instincts
2. Social skills – that people like you and will listen to you
That leads us to question number 3) How can we combine the both worlds of being a really competitive person and having social skills?

Let’s face, we are all limited to our own limitations of behavior – and this article was about modeling and working on the Social Competence. I believe that using Social and Emotional Skills in sales performance is actually what the most people need. For it is about, how to:

• Effectively deal with difficult situations

• Maintain your self-control even when under pressure

• Understand your emotions and gain more social awareness

• Persuade others to support your point of view (this would be where you mix your social skills with your urge to succeed and win)

• More successfully build relationships with your customer

• Use your social skills and social intelligence to strengthen influence, trust, communication, and accountability

• Understand the decision making process of others (very difficult as we are often limited to our own views of how we see the world – and believe me, that can be a limitation).

• Understand the emotions of others and gain more social awareness

• Understand different buying reasons and how to address them at your customer

• Understand feelings and the reasons behind them

• Identify business as well as personal buying reasons and learn how to differentiate among them – to address them directly and effectively .

• Use your Social Awareness to understand how value impacts the psychological buying reflections.

• Understand the customers' value mindset.

• Use emotional intelligence in channel sales in identifying needs & wants of the different decision makers and influencers in the buying process

• Use your Social Awareness to identify the explicit needs of the customer (value expectations).

• Use your Social Awareness to recognize different value expectations at the different levels in the company.

• Develop flexibility in your communication style

• Ask the right questions that help open the discussion and thereby the sale.

• Include the personal value expectations of your listener into your messages/communication.

• Engage in appropriate actions, given the emotional and social content of a situation

Believe me, practicing psychologists in very diverse fields have found that it's not just a matter of developing "cognitive power and skills" to succeed. Whether one considers the counselor assisting a person experiencing feelings of depression, the sports therapist coaching an athlete to reach peak performance, or the business coach assisting an executive struggling to rebound from a major financial set-back, the evidence is clear-- emotions play the major part in human performance that is distinct and separate from the individual's cognitive or physical ability. The research of neuroscientists such as Joseph Le Doux has substantiated the experience of practitioners that the emotional system of the brain acts independent from the neocorter, or logic system. The research indicates that some emotional reactions and emotional memories are formed without any conscious, cognitive participation. An excellent way to address this is through your Social Intelligence, which regards the two distinct mental functions needed to apply it as: the logical factual system and the emotional feeling system.When combining the experience of psychologists and the research of neuroscientists the answer to the question regarding what limits performance is very clear. What stops people from doing what they already know how to do, is both their failure to recognize the impact that emotions have on their actions and thereby others and the ability to know how to change this behavior to others. This would be seen as a lack of Social Skills. This is especially true when there is a failure to apply knowledge and even skills under challenging or stress provoking social situations. I have over the years realized that this performance problem, actually points out the need for a personal development coach to learn how to assist individuals in developing social awareness as well as emotional awareness.

This is why we developed the Social Competence - Character Model, to build the social competence and character necessary for sales responsible to influence the way they manage their customers'.

I do realize that these are very psychological soft skills, but it doesn’t change the important’s of it and having worked so many years with peak performance…….I realize that this is the area to improve and grow tremendously.

If you would like a free telephone coaching on this subject, feel free to send me a mail (mvr@rosenteam.com) and we can set up a call…….

Regards your moderator

Mark

How to use Emotional Intelligence in one's own Sales Performance

2008-06-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

How to use Emotional Intelligence in your sales performance development – the challenge for me as a Coach!

Of the many challenges facing me as a sales performance trainer and coach, in their efforts to develop highly-skilled and successful sales professionals is the discrepancy between what they believe they accomplished during training and the results reported by managers once the person is on the job. What is learned and seemingly perfected during training is often not applied to challenging or difficult customer situations. Despite the efforts of trainers to provide intense "skill and drill" activities, feedback from field management suggests that sales personnel "need more training". One could argue that no one ever learned to swim or ride a bicycle by simply reading a book on the subject or having someone tell you all about it. You learn to swim or to ride the bicycle by doing it. First someone must explain what you should do and how you should do it. Then you need more instruction and help as you start to practice it. The more you practice, the better you get. The same type of process is what happens in a training – it makes certain, that you pick up the type of skills and competencies that you need in order to grow, change or even become a peak performer. This leaves however the trainers with the struggling task and question, to identify: "What stops this sales person from doing what he or she already seem to know?" many would argue that this "needs more training", however I do not think that to be right……….it is a matter of directing the sales person to practice the skills and thereby acquire the wished ability, it is unlikely that more "skill training" will make a difference. Once an individual has acquired the needed knowledge, it is likely the barriers to high performance reside in another aspect of professional development – to develop it, into a competence. That aspect of development involves complementing their psychological, cognitive and verbal ability with expanding the individual's emotional intelligence.

LOGIC AND EMOTIONAL CAPABILITY

Practicing psychologists in very diverse fields have found that it's not just a matter of developing "cognitive power and skills" to succeed. Whether one considers the counselor assisting a person experiencing feelings of depression, the sports therapist coaching an athlete to reach peak performance, or the business coach assisting an executive struggling to rebound from a major financial set-back, the evidence is clear--emotions play the major part in human performance that is distinct and separate from the individual's cognitive or physical ability. The research of neuroscientists such as Joseph Le Doux has substantiated the experience of practitioners that the emotional system of the brain acts independent from the neocorter, or logic system. The research indicates that some emotional reactions and emotional memories are formed without any conscious, cognitive participation. An excellent review of the research findings are detailed in Daniel Goleman's books on Emotional Intelligence. Goleman regards the two distinct mental functions as: the logical factual system and the emotional feeling system. He describes how reason originally freed people from the influence of emotion that would sometimes sway their logic in making sound judgments.

A new paradigm suggests that a more harmonized head and heart partnership is needed to balance human nature and logic. When combining the experience of psychologists and the research of neuroscientists the answer to the question regarding what limits performance is very clear. What stops people from doing what they already know how to do, is both their failure to recognize the impact that emotions have on their actions and the ability to know how to change it. This is especially true when there is a failure to apply knowledge and even skills under challenging or stress provoking situations. I have over the years realized that this performance problem, actually points out the need for a personal development coach to learn how to assist individuals in developing emotional intelligence. Developing Emotional Intelligence requires a very different learning methodology than is used to train for product or technical knowledge – as it is a personal competence.

TRANSFORMING SALES DEVELOPMENT

Given the increased competitive pressures of the global market place and major changes in customer requirements, sales professionals have found they must call on different decision-makers and buying groups than they did in the past. Not only that the sales has become more complex with more decision makers, influencers and possible blokers, they must be able to communicate business as well as personal value on all levels of the organization. These new realities can result in feelings in some way inadequacy and frustrated.

For many individuals this both requires additional sales technique training in the fields of "Selling to CxO's and Value Based Selling as well as developing Emotional Intelligence capabilities as these new realities require learning how to manage tension and increase personal comfort in adapting to various challenging situations and people. This adaptive capability cannot be acquired using traditional training methods. It requires that sales trainers modify their instructional methodology to include a Discovery Learning Process that assists salespeople in:

Developing timely awareness of their emotions "in the moment"

Managing emotion and using "emotional muscle" to enhance business effectiveness

Increasing perceptual sensitivity to detect and respond to subtle customer signals

Integrating emotional awareness with authentic behavior

This is a LEARNING PROCESS

As previously stated, developing emotional intelligence requires a new approach to learning. The sales professional needs to become aware of the impact various interpersonal verbal and non-verbal behavior has on their emotional reactions and how these emotional reactions influence their ability to effectively respond to customers. Standard training procedures focused on learning what to say or how to deliver an effective presentation. This type of training is aimed at increasing the sales person's interpersonal communication skills. Much of this communication training is based on the assumptions that if a sales person utters certain keywords, the customer will almost automatically respond in a positive manner. Strange that anybody today still would believe that…………for that would mean which just need to say something certain, in a certain way and we would succeed every time. Which is simply not true!!!!! We all know that a major problem occurs when the sales professional uses their best benefits and value verbiage, and the customer responds in an unpredicted or challenging manner. It is almost like a scene from a play where one actor speaks their lines to another actor who seems to have lost their place and fails to respond with the 'right' scripted words. Responding effectively to these unanticipated situations is impacted by the sales person's awareness of their emotions (needs, wants as well as value mindset and expectations) and understanding how these feelings influence their actions.

Developing timely awareness of the intrapersonal communication isn't achieved using typical or standard training techniques. It is achieved through a process of recognizing and overcoming emotional barriers that can misdirect intentions. An approach titled Personal Development Learning Process was developed to facilitate examination of internal messages that trigger emotional reactions. The first step in examining one's emotional intelligence is to become more aware of internal communication. We all talk to ourselves, and many times this internal conversation (self-talk) has a negative or limiting impact on our actions. This awareness is especially useful for those who have been taught that emotional reactions must be avoided or somehow concealed. To increase this accessibility, the Discovery Learning Process uses a variety of video vignettes designed to evoke and help the individual examine their intrapersonal communication. Often this intrapersonal communication seems to be traveling over a fine internal telephone line with many resistors. People frequently mention that it may be a day or more after a difficult business call that they become aware of the full range of feelings they had that influenced their actions during the call. By increasing awareness of their intrapersonal communication and identifying how emotional reactions impact behavior; the individual is ready to examine especially challenging or confrontational situations.

Using the Personal Development Learning Process, professional coaches use various questions and inquiry techniques to assist individuals in overcoming intensive limiting reactions. Key performance breakthroughs occur when sales professionals develop the ability to immediately access their emotional reactions, recognize the impact certain interpersonal allergies have on their behavior, and develop the ability to respond in an authentic manner to the challenging situation. This learning process develops the emotional "muscle" and strengthens interactive competency.

INTERPERSONAL ALLERGIES

The secret about Personal Development is to find out where or how you can develop personally A particularly valuable application of the Personal Development Learning Process occurs when individuals learn that they are limited by certain interpersonal allergies. In a manner that is similar to physical allergies, where the individual's sensitivity is extreme; interpersonal allergies occur when a situation triggers a particular anxiety or fear. Albert Ellis, who pioneered investigation into a rational-emotive approach to psychological counseling, discovered that when certain beliefs and fears are carried to extreme an internal dialogue develops which limits the individual's interpersonal behavior. For instance, one of the common interpersonal allergies of sales professionals is the belief that they should be accurate and correct in their communication. This is certainly a rational expectation. However, when this realistic expectation becomes an exaggerated irrational expectation, the sales person feels they must always be right. The professional who holds this type of irrational belief and fears ever making a mistake will impose limitations on whom they call on and how they interact. By trying to limit the potential of making a mistake, they limit their ability to achieve performance breakthroughs and growth as a professional.

SALESFORCE EXCELLENCE

Overcoming the barriers to high performance and the challenges imposed by a rapidly changing market has prompted Chief Learning Officers and business managers to consider alternatives to the "skill and drill" approach. These traditional training techniques are necessary to establish foundational skills, but are insufficient when engaging sophisticated buyers and complex sales. High performance can be achieved when a learning process is used to develop the professional's cognitive, behavioral, and emotional abilities. Cultivating the individual's emotional intelligence in harmony with their knowledge and skills enables the professionals to adapt their interactive skills to achieve peak performance despite industry volatility. The main learning points for an individual using Emotional Intelligence in their sales performance is how to:

• Effectively deal with difficult situations

• Maintain your self-control even when under pressure

• Understand your emotions and gain more emotional awareness

• Persuade others to support your point of view

• More successfully build relationships with your customers

• Use emotional intelligence to strengthen influence, trust, communication, and accountability

• Understand the decision making process.

• Understand emotions and gain more emotional awareness

• Understand different buying reasons and how to address them

• Understand feelings and the reasons behind them

• Identify business as well as personal buying reasons.

• Understand how value impacts the psychological buying reflections.

• Understand the customers' value mindset.

• Use emotional intelligence in sales in identifying needs & wants of the different decision makers and influencers in the buying process

• Identify the explicit needs of the customer (value expectations).

• Recognize different value expectations at the different levels in the company.

• Develop flexibility in your communication style

• Ask the right questions that help open the sale.

• Include the personal value expectations of your listener into the sales messages/communication.

• Engage in appropriate actions, given the emotional content of a situation

I know that when we talk about Emotional Intelligence in one's own Sales Performance, that these are very psychological soft skills we are talking about and as you can read from my different article, do I strongly believe that sales excellence is made, not born. That's why I actually wanted to create this Blog and Forum and I'm dedicated to helping you personally grow beyond where you are today. There are several types of intelligence that human beings are equipped - with some more, with some less. Most people believe that the logical-mathematical type of intelligence (the IQ rating that many people focus on) has the most impact on whether you have success in life. That is absolutely wrong. If you want to do something that can really help you improve the quality of your life (in every way) - there is one thing that comes first: strengthen and cultivate your emotional intelligence as much as you possibly can. Many sales people know that certain things they should do in a better way, but too often they don't know how - or do get started on the change process. We all work against some barriers that somehow keep us from doing what is best for us - and from realizing our true potential. If you need help in better understanding and exploit your potential in order to turn you into action mode and help you break through self imposed limitations that are holding you back from the power, balance, growth, and success that you strive for. Lets us talk about how I can help you explore how it is possible to build new levels of self discipline, strengthen and cultivate your emotional intelligence, overcome indecisiveness and uncertainty, and strengthen your confidence - helping you to remove the mental and emotional obstacles that are limiting your personal and professional growth, power and sales performance.

Regards your moderator Mark

NLP and how it can be applied to sales

2008-03-16T14:43:00.001-07:00

I have a lot of sales professionals asking me: what is NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) and what can they do with NLP and can it be applied to sales!?

The simple and short answer is: Programming the language of your brain and yes, it can be applied to sales!

Some might ask themselves what possible good that can be!? Even though the practical process is complex, the answer is simple: Outstanding results can be achieved by producing specific communication to and through the nervous system.

Which basically means that, NLP is an interpersonal communication model and an alternative approach to psychotherapy based on the subjective study of language, communication and personal change! Therefore it can only influence you, they way you communicate and thereby your sales process

It was co-created by Richard Bandler and linguist John Grinder in the 1970s. The initial focus was pragmatic, modeling three successful psychotherapists, Fritz Perls (Gestalt Therapy), Virginia Satir (Family Systems Therapy), and eventually Milton H. Erickson (Clinical Hypnosis), with the aim of discovering what made these individuals more successful than their peers.

In sales this is very relevant as in most companies, the salespeople receive the same basic training and learn the same sales method and techniques. These individuals are selling the same products or services at the same prices as their fellow sales professionals. They are usually working with similar demographics and more or less equal territories.

Given all of these similarities, how are some salespeople able to become great salespeople and help their companies gain market share, while so many other salespeople struggle just to make their minimum quota?

The conclusion has to be, that the success of a salesperson goes beyond having good products and services, knowledge of those products and services, and knowledge of sales methods and techniques.The success of sales superstars goes beyond having good products and services, knowledge of those products and services, and knowledge of sales techniques.

Sales superstars literally see the world differently.........they have a different mindset.

This is one of the reasons that today the predominant patterns of NLP, the application of those patterns, and many variants of NLP are found in many sales seminars, workshops, sales books and audio programs in the form of exercises and principles intended to influence change in self and others (for example a customer). Watch out when buying some of these offers, there is a great deal of difference between the depth and breadth of sales training and standards, and some disagreement between those in the field about which patterns are and are not "NLP" and how it applies to sales.

I know this sound scary, however while the field of NLP is loosely spread and resistant to a single comprehensive definition, there are some common principles and presuppositions shared by its proponents. Perhaps most generally, NLP aims to increase behavioral choice by the manipulation of personal state, belief and internal representation either by a practitioner/trainer, or by self-application. Therefore it is for the performance of the sales professional very important.

Some of the main ideas from NLP, imported from existing counseling or psychotherapy practice, include:

• Problems, desires, feelings, beliefs and outcomes are represented in visual, auditory and kinesthetic (and sometimes gustatory, olfactory) systems.

• When communicating with someone, rather than just listening to and responding to what a person said, NLP aims to also respond to the structure of verbal communication and non-verbal cues.

• Certain language patterns such as the meta model of NLP can help clarify what has been left out or distorted in communication, to specify thinking and outcomes, reframe beliefs, and set sensory specific goals. In contrast, the Milton model language patterns are intentionally non-specific and metaphoric to allow the listener to fill in the gaps and make their own meaning from what is being said and find their own inner resources and solutions for problems.

• The actual state someone is in when setting a goal or choosing a course of action is also considered important. A number of techniques in NLP aim to enhance states by anchoring resourceful states associated with personal experience or model states by imitating others.

So the real question and conclusion a NLP coach or practitioner should come to is:

1. How and what should you do to produce optimum sales results.

2. How can you duplicate sales excellence in a short period of time.

As already mentioned short, in NLP, modeling is the pathway to sales excellence. The very idea is that if you identify the traits and habits, and pay the price of time and effort of a successful athlete, friend, parent or sales professional, you will become a successful athlete, friend, parent or sales professional.

From business we all know that successful sales professionals make money by determining what is successful in one sales or customer and duplicating it in another. Take a proven system and duplicate it, and maybe improve upon it. It might sound too simplistic for you, but there is scientific proof that, people who do this are virtually guaranteed success.

NLP in its very basics believe that the difference between those who succeed and those who fail isn't what they have – it is what they choose to see and do with their resources and experience of life. I guess this why it has become so prominent the last 30 years. For NLP is a tool to develop your own insights and strategies and help you change what you need.

This might sound very complex and difficult, but let's look at it a little more simplistic: you can teach a dog patterns that will improve his behavior. From psychological as well as a behavioral science view, you can actually do the same with people (yourself). What is the message with that - as my brother who is a Doctor always puts it (and lives it): "seize excellence, and make it your own". Let's face it, isn't it true that building from the successes of others (seeing what works) is one of the fundamental aspects of most learning! Technology – every advance in technology is based on the foundation of earlier discoveries and breakthroughs.

This however doesn't change the fact that for many, NLP and its basic principles are really a way of thinking, an epistemology — the study of knowledge — of how we know what we know. As an Engineer, I however have to say that in considering NLP as a science, it is important to recognize that the epistemology of NLP is more 'subjective' and 'systematically' oriented than many 'hard' sciences, which tend to be more 'objective' and 'deterministic'. That is the patterns explored and identified by NLP are often necessarily contextual and influenced by the perceptual filters of the observer. As a scientific approach, then, NLP tends to be more 'qualitative' than 'quantitative' and more 'structuralist' than 'materialistic.......but since this is deep psychological and mindset approach, it is argued that this is scientifically speaking valid.

In most companies, the salespeople receive the same basic training and learn the same sales method and techniques. These individuals are selling the same products or services at the same prices as their fellow sales professionals. They are usually working with similar demographics and more or less equal territories.

The conclusion has to be, that the success of a salesperson goes beyond having good products and services, knowledge of those products and services, and knowledge of sales methods and techniques.

It has been analyzed and proven that there were a few common traits expert sales communicators and successful sales professionals have – whether top executives or top salespeople – all seemed to share (study by Bandler and Grinder, 1979):

• Everything they did in their work, was pro-active (rather than reactive), directed moment to moment by well-formed outcomes rather than formalized fixed beliefs

• They were exceedingly flexible in approach and refused to be tied down to using their skills in any one fixed way of thinking or working.

• They were extremely aware moment by moment, of the non-verbal feedback (unconscious communication and metaphor) they were getting, and responded to it - usually in kind rather than by analyzing it.

• They enjoyed the challenges of difficult ("resistant") clients, seeing them as a chance to learn rather than an intractable "problem"

• They respected the client as someone doing the best they knew how (rather than judging them as "broken" or "working")

• They had certain common skills and things they were aware of and noticed, that were intuitively "wired in"

• They worked with precision, purpose, and skill

• They kept trying different approaches until they learned enough about the structure holding a problem in place to change it

They summarized their findings in the following ways:

You need only three things to be an absolutely exquisite sales communicator and change to be successful. We have found that there are three major patterns in the behavior of every sales professional we've talked to. The first one is to know what outcome you want. The second is that you need flexibility in your behavior. You need to be able to generate lots and lots of different behaviors to find out what responses you get. The third is you need to have enough sensory experience to notice when you get the responses that you want [...] (Bandler and Grinder, 1979)

This is very important for that is a scientific proof that sales excellence can and is made. The success of sales superstars goes beyond having good products and services, knowledge of those products and services, and knowledge of sales techniques.

Sales superstars literally see the world differently, because sales superstars have a different mindset.

The hard reality is that whenever your sales performance is below where you know it should be, examine your mindset.

Many salespeople underestimate the difficulty of developing a "salessuccess mindset". They confuse a mindset with the simplistic positive thinking movement ("Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.")

So what is the right or the wrong "salessuccess mindset?

The answer is that we all act in accordance with the way we see ourselves to be.

– We always act as we see ourselves. People who see themselves as intelligent do the things that intelligent people do.

– People who see themselves as athletic do the things that athletic people do.

– What takes effort is acting contrary to your self-image—and it usually ends in defeat.

– If you think you do something good…..can or will you then improve?

Therefore if your self-image is not that of a salessuccess mindset, you will not engage in the sales behaviors that can make you and your company highly successful.

In NLP, here are the 3 very basic and fundamental ingredients that must be duplicated to form any form of human excellence and thereby sales excellence:

1. Belief System (read about how to change your belief system: www.xing.com/app/forum?op=showarticles;id=7371165)

2. Mental Syntax – organise thoughts, and understand how other people organise their thoughts. "Unlock the code"

3. Physiology – the way you breathe, hold your body, posture, your movements, determines what state you are in.

Now how this is done and put to everyday life, comes in slightly different versions of what coaches or practitioners consider to be the basic principles or presuppositions of NLP, but there is a fairly high degree of agreement on those most central to NLP. So here are some generalizations used as working guides (maybe it can help the one or the other).

• Behind every behavior there is a positive intention. Even a seemingly negative thought or behavior has a positive function at some level or in some other context. (presupposition)

• There is no failure, only feedback. (presupposition)

• The meaning of the communication is the response it produces, not the intended communication. (presupposition)

• One cannot not communicate: Every behavior is a kind of communication. Because behavior does not have a counterpart (there is no anti-behavior), it is not possible not to communicate.

• Choice is better than no choice. An idea from cybernetics that holds the most flexible element in a system will have the most influence or choice in that system.

• People already have all the internal resources they need to succeed. (presupposition)

• Multiple descriptions are better than one

Sorry for making this a long article, but this subject is deep and this is really just scratching the surface and in ending, here is my very practical advice: Your behavior and actions are a result of your state of mind. The ancestor of every action is a thought (which creates your mindset)......but this is nothing new, already in the teachings of Buddha, the Torah, the Qur'ān and in the Bible it is stated the same basic principle "beware of your thoughts, they are the gateway to your actions".

So, if one changes ones mindset/beliefs, one can achieve huge results. There is simply no power like the power of a resourceful state of mind, for the kind of behavior people produce is the result of the state they are in. How they respond to the state they are in is based on their models of the world (there believe system). Most salespeople take little conscious effort to direct their mindsets. Mindset change is what most salespeople are after, when they want success.

So let me end, in saying, if you want something real practical to start to work with NLP in sales, here is something you should start working with:

1. Control your thoughts they become your dreams/visions and thereby directions

2. Control your dreams/visions they become your actions

3. Control your actions they become your habits

4. Control your habits they become what you will be made of as a salesperson...............your destiny and hopefully your success

I know these are very psychological soft skills we are talking about and as you can read from my article I strongly believe that sales excellence is made, not born. That's why I actually wanted to create this forum and I'm dedicated to helping you grow and master practice this difficult task and am overwhelmed by the participation and thought and comments, I have read in the different discussions so far.

Regards your moderator Mark

Spin Selling - what is missing - part 2

2008-03-14T03:53:00.000-07:00

I have received a lots of mails, based on my last article about SPIN Selling and what is missing. Mainly I can split the comments in 2 big groups:

The first group, writing me how interesting the thoughts where and that they wanted to talk about how to add on SPIN. And the second group telling me how great SPIN is and which books I read –maybe I wasn’t up to date, since SPIN is great……………..which I believe myself as well, so they didn’t really get the point.

However for all the different readers who are interested in it, here are the basic books I build my SPIN Selling comments on:

1) SPIN Selling

This book is still today one of the top all time best written sales books ever. Neils approach was for this time ground breaking and unique and as we see in this discussion it stands the test of time. It has so many Fans and followers, as he was the first to go beyond product selling and talked about the buyers cycle as it relates to the sellers process. They need to be in alignment...if not, you will not get the sale. In my personal opinion this book is a must read for anyone selling. As mentioned before and as you can read from my feedback, I have huge respect for Neil Rackham’s and his work.

And as for me, like for so many others in the 80's, has Rackham's book changed my career and sales life.

2) The SPIN Selling Fieldbook

Many have bought this book together with SPIN Selling or after reading the first book. In any case, the Fieldbook is mostly read after reading SPIN Selling. And both the official critiques as well as the readers point out, that If you've already read SPIN Selling, this book is not going to tell you much new things. If you would read the Fieldbook instead of SPIN Selling, then the Fieldbook is not thorough enough, at least if you compare it to SPIN Selling. It has been argued that the audience of this book perhaps was more college students, but not really experienced salespeople. A big critique was also the many cartoons, which made the book look like it's meant for younger people. What would be expected with a Fieldbook, following the SPIN Selling book, was that the Fieldbook offerd some transcriptions of salescalls, and an explanation of why certain aspects are wrong and how this could be improved using SPIN Selling. This was not really the case, it was more like a simple summary of SPIN Selling. So not really the Fieldbook anyone expected.

Having said that, please remember that for the time when SPIN Selling really came out, this was ground breaking, everybody else just made Product selling

3) Major Account Sales Strategy

In its day this would rate six stars out of five, but it's not much news and even this book has been superseded by "Selling is Dead" authored by Marc Miller and Jason Sinkovitz. In fact, the authors are students of Mr. Rackham and give him ample credit for the ground breaking work of "SPIN Selling and Major Account Sales Strategy. But as mentioned, it is nothing new, besides the fact that he starts to point out that need to tailor your selling strategy to match each step in the client's decision-making process - this however was not new, as this was part of his groundbreaking work in the 80’s. Ensure that you won't lose your customers because you'll know the psychology of the buyer and how to respond to their pains and doubts - and this is the heart of his old theory. Building on a customer situational pains, doubts and fears. Basically said - "customer needs and the possible doubts they might have with whatever you might try to position". Furthermore this book points out how you can handle negotiations, concessions on price, and term agreements skillfully and effectively - knowing the pain, problems and thereby needs of your customer. But many critics have already pointed out that Negotiating based on needs only is not a good enough negotiation strategy! In this theory is not used in any known sales negotiation method known.

4) Rethinking the Sales Force: Redefining Selling to Create and Capture Customer Value

Neil Rackham shows in this work, how the successful sales force breaks away from traditional thinking and transforms themselves into complex business processes with multiple sales approaches and selling models that meet the demands of today's sophisticated customers by understanding there situation, problems, implications and from that the explicit need they have. In this book Value is argued that if you fulfill a customer need you go beyond communicating the value of products or services (which is right) and you start with the crucial ability to create value for customers.

However what many critics are right on, that this proved that SPIN Selling is truly dead. Rackham attempt to reinvent SPIN was very disappointing (in every way). This book was more about customer segmentation and how sales force alignment can be done successful. And what many critics say rightfully is that it takes over 200 pages to say something that deserves one paragraph (not even an article worth): some customers want a low-cost product and a low-end relationship, other customers want a more consultative, deeper relationship, and, pretty much, you have to know which is which to be successful.

And even though SPIN Selling has been one of the best sales methods for about 10-15 years, and Neil Rackham has tried to reinvent SPIN selling with some value based selling aspects, the conclusions "only" ends up with needs based value argumentations. This was great, when everybody just did product based selling, even when solution selling came around. Unlike practically every other segment of the modern business world, the corporate-sales department has changed very little from the rigid organizational framework it first attained back in the gray-flannel '70s. Only the sales methods have changed for many companies from Product to Solution selling. But even that bastion of traditional business structure is starting to evolve, as customers at all levels begin to reconsider their expectations, purchasing patterns, and criteria for establishing and maintaining relationships with sales professionals. So yes, the sales world and reality has truly changed, even the decision makers and budget holders have changed. Including the market and competition and today it is just not enough to understand our customer needs and NO, communicating Values based on the need of the customers is just not enough anymore. As mentioned before even psychology and behavioral science points out that the three main ways to influence human behavior is:

1) The most common way is by addressing needs.

2) Is to understand their wants (this is missing in SPIN)

3) By far, the most effective way to influence human behavior, is through core values (which is a mix of wants and beliefs, standards etc). This is not enough reflected in SPIN.

As mentioned so often in this article I’m a big SPIN selling fan and I am not suggesting that you ignore needs, for that is the first step and I don’tknow of a better method to identify the explicit need of a customer then SPIN. However, we no longer live in a needs-oriented society. Why are needs the least powerful way to influence human behavior? Needs are tied to shoulds. For instance, take statements like "I should save money"; "I should make more investments"; "I should make better decisions"; " I should get a financial plan"; or "I should have more discipline." Tangible wants are a step in the right direction. Therefore SPIN Selling should be re-invented to include wants in a much better way!

Remember, the least effective approach is to try to satisfy client needs – which SPIN selling does. A better approach is to help clients get what they want and desire. The thing to remember is that when needs-oriented planning leaves your client flat, try focusing on your client's wants and values instead. OBS, please note that needs and partly wants as well, don't have the emotional punch to influence human behavior. Therefore SPIN Selling should be both re-invented to include not only needs and wants, but value based selling methods that provide a way to communicate Personal and Business Buying reasons as well.

Remember, the least effective approach is to try to satisfy client needs – which SPIN selling, Major Account Selling and the Capture Customer Value method from Neil Rackham does. A better approach is to help clients get what they want and desire. The most important point about value is that value to your customer is not something you define – it’s exclusively defined by the buyer (and based on their wants). The value expectations that make them initially buy from you – as well as the total experience over time. Both the subjective and the more measurable values delivered by your total organization - that makes him buy from you again the next time. The most effective sales professionals help clients fulfill their values in life.

Again to point it out to all the different writing to me and tell me how great SPIN still is. You have misunderstood me, I believe that SPIN is a great method, I am a BIG fan of it, however it is just missing something - I hope this has given you a little overview. For anybody interested in modified version of SPIN selling please write to: mark@vonrosing.dk

Regards Mark von Rosing

Spin Selling - what is missing

2008-03-08T15:19:00.001-08:00

From so many companies I work with, I'm happy to see that there are still so many SPIN users around (and I can count myself to them as well – even though I have heavily modified it). Having grown up on Rackham's sales models, I have huge respect for him and his work. And as for me, like for so many others in the 80's, has Rackham's book changed my career and sales life.

However what many critics are right on, is that SPIN Selling as a sales method is truly dead. You might ask yourself why? It is because SPIN selling is only based on Situational Problems, the Implication of the problems and from that the explicit need (or needs). It hurts to write it, as I'm such a big fan of it, however it doesn't change the fact that this is true and Rackham new book trying to reinvent SPIN was very disappointing (in every way). And what many critics say rightfully is that it takes over 200 pages to say something that deserves one paragraph (not even an article worth): some customers want a low-cost product and a low-end relationship, other customers want a more consultative, deeper relationship, and, pretty much, you have to know which is which to be successful.

And even though it has been one of the best sales methods for about 10-15 years, SPIN selling "only" ends up with needs. Things have changed, the decision makers and budget holders have changed (including the market and competition and today it is just not enough to understand our customer needs. Even behavioral science points out that there three main ways to influence human behavior.

1) The most common way is by addressing needs.

2) Is to understand their wants (this is missing in Spin)

3) By far, the most effective way to influence human behavior, is through core values (which is a mix of wants and beliefs, standards etc). This is not enough reflected in SPIN.

So here is why SPIN is good to identify the customer needs but not good enough to help you get the competitive edge you need to make the difference:

Prospects don’t always buy what they need – for that does not necessarily provide them value. They always, however, buy what they want, for that is of value to them. And for this, Spin is not tailored, here’s the difference:

Needs are…

• product specific

• rational (based on situational problem)

• above the surface (based on a situation and problem)

• based on facts and often measurable (in terms of implications for the customers)

Wants, on the other hand, are…

• product neutral

• emotional (this is where personal byuing reason comes from)

• below the surface

• based on perception and often not measurable

As a consequence, here’s the principle that needs to be added to SPIN:

Prospects are more likely to buy what they need from prospects who understand what they really want, for then they fell you can provide them with value.

I am not suggesting that you ignore needs; however, we no longer live in a needs-oriented society. Why are needs the least powerful way to influence human behavior? Needs are tied to shoulds. For instance, take statements like "I should save money"; "I should make more investments"; "I should make better decisions"; " I should get a financial plan"; or "I should have more discipline." Tangible wants are a step in the right direction. Therefore SPIN Selling should be re-invented to include wants in a much better way!

Tangible wants are a step in the right direction. Tangible wants, such as early retirement, vacation homes, good schools for the kids, new car, estate protection, travel, and other goals are incentives to seek advice. But, in truth, even wants don't have the emotional pull that values do. Values are intangible feelings. Intangible, pure, undiluted feelings like love, pride, security, freedom, making a difference, independence, accomplishment, self worth, and so forth are key factors in influencing behavior. Values illuminate people's emotional motives so clearly, they must take action ... for their own reasons. Needs have the power to illuminate emotional motives as much as the penlight on your key ring, while wants work like your average flashlight. Values, however, illuminate emotional motives like a row of halogen high-beams on the front of a Mercedes on the Autobahn. Your prospects and clients are most likely to take action on your ideas when they feel a strong emotional connection to them. Your job is to illuminate their emotions so they fully understand the relationship between smart decisions and fulfilling their life values. Your job isn’t to be a traditional sales person and sell the ‘old school’ way.

How valuable will it be regarded by potential buyers?

- to a person who’s religion does not allow him to drink alcohol - the value is absolutely zero

- to a person who’s body is very sensitive to alcohol – the value is next to zero

- to a person who is very drunk already – the value is very limited

- to a person who’s preferred drink is wine – the value is moderate

- to a person who has been on the golf court for hours without anything to drink – the value is high

Without realizing it, you project your own values when you promote yourself. How do you feel when people project their values on you? Do you like it? Are you anxious to do business with people who project their values on you? You can't get people emotionally motivated when discussing your values. You do it by talking about their values. The first logical question to ask yourself is, 'How do I get people to talk about what is important to them (their values)?' Then, ask yourself, 'How do I use that information in a positive way? How does this create trust?' Listen for words and phrases like freedom, control, satisfaction, making a difference, independence, feel really good, pride, achievement, contribution, oneness with God, etc. These are indicators that you are on the right track, because they represent values. And values are emotional and they create positive emotional feelings in the person you are speaking with. The thing to remember is that when needs-oriented planning leaves your client flat, try focusing on your client's values instead. Needs simply don't have the emotional punch to influence human behavior. Therefore SPIN Selling should be re-invented to include not only wants, but value based selling methods that provide a way to communicate Personal and Business Buying reasons as well.

Remember, the least effective approach is to try to satisfy client needs – which SPIN selling does. A better approach is to help clients get what they want and desire. The most important point about value is that value to your customer is not something you define – it’s exclusively defined by the buyer (and based on their wants). The value expectations that make them initially buy from you – as well as the total experience over time. Both the subjective and the more measurable values delivered by your total organization - that makes him buy from you again the next time. The most effective sales professionals help clients fulfill their values in life. Differentiate yourself! Don’t be a traditional salesperson, become a Trusted Sales Professional.

Please don't misunderstand me, I believe that SPIN is a great method, however it is just missing something - I hope this has given you a little overview. For anybody interested in modified version of SPIN selling please write to: mark@vonrosing.dk

Regards your moderator Mark von Rosing

Prospects will try to make your product or service a commodity

2007-12-25T07:09:00.001-08:00

Here is a little comment I would like us to discuss: "prospects will try to make your product or service a commodity"

Why will they do that?

It’s really quite simple in the world of commoditization, price always rules. And prospects are always trying ti get the best price. Therefore, if they can reduce whatever product or service you sell to being a commodity (even though it is not commodity), they’ll win! Your job is to keep that from happening. However, in order to do that, you must know exactly what, when, and how to deal with it ´Value Based. You need to be prepared to handle “I can get the same thing from your competitor” – and handle it well.

Let me here some of your ideas and comments of how to sell commodity products or services.

Regards – Mark von Rosing

Closing Sales - how words can or should create action

2007-12-25T07:08:00.000-08:00

Having meet so many people on my courses and trainings I have seen some people that can influence others, while others can’t, and I have to be honest that I have wondered how it is that one can do it, while the other can’t ..…and another thing that interests me is how they do it consistently? I have looked carefully and I don’t believe that it is the “scripts” they use. I actually believe that it is the patterns in their language and how they deliver these word patterns. After years of listening to others, I have found the answer and the secret! It has to do with grammar and voice tone delivery. I know this sounds too simplistic to be true, but in the meantime I coach on the subject of communication and believe me, I know one thing for sure: you can learn it – easily, there is no mystery behind it.

Your mind responds to language (words) both consciously and unconsciously. Verbs or action words are especially powerful (this is important) when you desire effective communication. Research has provided evidence that your brain has special areas that respond to verbs more quickly than to nouns. There is also some indication that your brain unconsciously searches for meaningful verb and object-phrases as it processes language.

The mind is looking for an action statement. Not only is the brain filtering for action words, the verbs create mental action in the audience who hear or read them. By using verbs or action words in your written and spoken language, you can activate the areas of the brain that respond most quickly and influence mental activity in your audience.

So, by using verbs or action words in your written and spoken language, you can get to the areas of the brain that respond most quickly and generate and influence mental activity in your audience. The mental activity you stimulate is very similar to the brain activity that occurs prior to a person’s physical action or decision-making. In this way, with the right words, you can create a mental run through of what you want your audience to do. This rehearsal familiarizes their brain with the action and increases the likelihood that they will complete the desired action or advance. Even if your listener or reader consciously resists your arguments, their mind cannot defend against the impact you can have if you use the right words. What happens if I say to you, “Do not think of your favourite ice-cream”? What did you think of? Could you even taste it? When will you go and get yourself one; now, later today, tomorrow, or when you next go past an ice cream shop?

Your words produce action in your mind. Your mind wants to respond to the direction you give it, even if you inadvertently tell it the opposite of what you want. Have you ever had an experience playing tennis? As you make your shot you said to yourself “Don’t hit it out.” What happened? Your tennis ball bounced outside the line. Your mind processed the statement, “ … hit it out” and you did.

Active vs. Passive Language. It is not enough to just use verbs; we do this anyway in our everyday speech. We also need to switch from passive to active language patterns. For example, consider these two words:

Jumping! Vs. Jump!

The first is an intellectual concept that requires translation into meaning and relevance. The second stimulates an immediate neurological response that prepares your body in case you choose to jump.

If you want to influence a prospect or a group of prospects to take action, as you want them to, you must first tell them what action you want them to carry out. Tell them with clear, well-designed action statements. Sometimes you send an action command without realizing it. Consider the following phrases:

1. “Tom, play peacefully with your sister”, or

2. “Tom, don’t hit your sister.”

Theses sentences appear to be sending the same message to Tom. You would like Tom to play without using violence. However, Tom’s and your brain do not interpret the messages that way. Our brains unconsciously respond first to words that stimulate the nervous system, especially visual, auditory, or action and feeling (kinaesthetic) words. Your brain (or in this example, Tom’s) responds first to the action phrases. Therefore, the two sample sentences tell Tom’s brain two different things:

1. Love your sister.

2. Hit your sister.

What happened to the "don’t" part of message number 2? It gets filtered and deleted in the mental processing. To process the phrase, the brain first responds to the action. Often people build mental images of the instruction given. So in case 2, Tom builds a movie of himself hitting his sister. Then perhaps in attempting to process the “don’t” element he may freeze the movie or put a red circle with a diagonal line across it over the top of the movie. Just like in the universal “No Smoking” sign in airplanes. The mental rehearsal reflects the action statement. Your brain must initially ignore the negative to respond to the action and the linguistic structure of the sentence. Think about the following statements:

• “Do not worry about the effect of the recession.”

• “When you contract with us, you do not have to ask if we will still be in business next year.”

In each case, these messages are likely to create the opposite effect to what was intended. An action command must be clear. To be unambiguous, you must know what you want to happen. Your objective must be obvious. What do you want the person to do?

• Tell you who the competitors are

• Buy your product or service

• Recommend you to a more senior decision maker or give you a referral

• Call you back, after they listen to your message

• Invite you to another meeting

• Read your brochure

• Call a customer for a reference

• Renew their contract

• Tell you how they make purchase decisions

• Tell you who the financial decision-maker is

You must know your outcome and engineer that into your statements. You must say specifically what you want.

Be sure your action commands are built within the frame of a well-formed outcome. For example ensure the action is achievable. It makes no sense to deliver a command to “buy” if the prospect is not the financial decision maker and does not have the authority to buy or you have not appealed to his or hers value expectations (for more information see value based selling or sales psychology). Instead, a command to “recommend” or “set up a meeting” with the decision-maker is more appropriate. Even the best commands and words cannot create unworkable actions.

You can only send a limited number of commands before a prospect will get confused and ignore you. Choose the important actions and outcomes that you want. Choose from this list the ones that are possible. Decide how you are going to talk about these, what you are going to say, and say it. You must know if you are asking your prospect to “sign”, “buy”, “decide”, or “recommend”.

I hope this has helped or given you something to think about………and look forward to read some comments or new aspect or ideas to this discussion!

Regards – Mark von Rosing

Verkaufspsychologie

2007-12-25T07:07:00.008-08:00

Die Verkaufspsychologie befasst sich mit den psychischen Abläufen von Wahrnehmung, Überzeugung und Motivation, dem Schaffen und gezielten Wecken von Emotionen, mit kundenspezifischer Sprachanwendung und Kommunikation im Verkaufsgespräch. Obwohl nicht von allen bewusst benutzt, ist die Anwendung ein Kernelement der Verkaufstechnik und kann, je nach Grad individueller Wirtschaftsethik, auch Gegenstand gezielter Beeinflussung sein.

Was in diesem Forum Interessant sein könnte ist welche Themen zur Verkaufspsychologie passen:

• Welche speziellen und im Verkauf gültigen Aussagen lassen sich hinsichtlich des menschlichen Verhaltens und Erlebens machen?

• Welche Regelmäßigkeiten und Zusammenhänge lassen sich im Erleben und Verhalten der Menschen während persönlicher, institutionalisierter oder mechanistischer (web-basierter) Kaufvorgänge finden?

• Wie reagieren Menschen gegenüber Werbung, beim Erstkontakt (Prospecting) und Argumenten, bei Preisverhandlungen und im Closing?

• Welche zielgerichteten Anreize und Konzepte führen zur Überwindung von Vorbehalten gegenüber Anbietern und zu einem Verkaufsabschluss?

• Wie können Verkäufer/Vertriebler individuelle Präferenzen und Aversionen von Kunden frühzeitig erkennen und in ihre Strategie zur Kundengewinnung integrieren?

• Welche Möglichkeiten bietet die Psychologie zur Beeinflussung des Interessenten?

Ich freue mich zu hören was Ihr dazu zu schreiben habt und verbleibe mit besten Grüßen aus dem noch einigermaßen sonnigen Dänemark - Mark

Challenges selling at CxO level

2007-12-25T07:07:00.005-08:00

I know that this discussion point is controversial and that the most will say, when reading this “I know that” ……but believe it or not, I will still write it: Prospects will buy to solve their problems, fulfill their needs and wants , not yours. What might be your problem, need and want? To make a sale, earn a commission, win a contest, earn a bonus, keep your job, pay your bills, get a promotion, or look good to other people. Now you can say it…..“I knew this”! So why do I write this? Because so many I meet have challenges selling at CxO level:

• understand the value based buying process

• recognize the members of the decision making team

• understand the executives’ business needs and wants

• identify business issues as seen by different types of CxOs

• have the insight into business models – and how to exploit them on executive level

• understand important aspects of sales psychology in the decision making process

• be acquainted with superior ways to build and maintain strong CxO relationships

• structure a Product/Solution presentation or proposal targeting CxOs (not talking product and/or solutions)

• compose a Product/Solution value statement targeting executives (which has nothing to do what the Product/Solution is or can)

That is why I actually believe that it could be nice to hear about the selling to CxOs methods and approaches the different use in understanding their challenge, need and or want.

I truly look forward to read the discussions and hear your approaches.

Regards – Mark von Rosing

The psychological aspect of value and the main ways to influence human behavior

2007-12-25T07:07:00.003-08:00

- to a person who’s religion does not allow him to drink alcohol - the value is absolutely zero

- to a person who’s body is very sensitive to alcohol – the value is next to zero

- to a person who is very drunk already – the value is very limited

- to a person who’s preferred drink is wine – the value is moderate

- to a person who has been on the golf court for hours without anything to drink – the value is high

I truly look forward to read the discussions and hear your approaches on how to identify business and personal buying reasons (based on their value expectations).

Regards – Mark von Rosing

Simple Negotiation tips

2007-12-25T07:07:00.001-08:00

Broadly speaking, negotiation is an interaction of influences. Such interactions, for example, include the process of resolving disputes, in sales however it is more agreeing upon courses of action, bargaining for individual or collective advantage, or crafting outcomes to satisfy various interests. Negotiation is thus a form of:

• alternative dispute resolution

• a way to interact about a wished outcome.

Looking at it very simplistic, negotiation involves three basic elements:

1. process,

2. behavior and

3. substance.

To 1) The process refers to how the parties negotiate: the context of the negotiations, the parties to the negotiations, the tactics used by the parties, and the sequence and stages in which all of these play out.

To 2) Behaviors to the relationships among these parties, the communication between them and the styles they adopt.

To 3) The substance refers to what the parties negotiate over: the agenda, the issues (positions and - more helpfully - interests), the options, and the agreement(s) reached at the end.

Skilled negotiators may use a variety of tactics depending on where you are in the sales cycle, it can range from a straight forward presentation of demands or setting of preconditions to more deceptive approaches such as cherry picking (from your product or portfolio). Intimidation and salami tactics (also known as the salami-slice strategy, is a divide and conquer process of threats and alliances used to overcome opposition. With it, an aggressor can influence and eventually dominate a landscape) may also play a part in swaying the outcome of negotiations.

Here are some simple Negotiation tips, that ether you can use in a negotiation situation or you can start understand the others strategy and counter act:

Everyone in sales will find themselves in situations where they have to negotiate for the best price possible. You can’t get everything you want but you do have the power to get more than the other side might choose to give you. Here are a few simple tips that might help you to produce a better deal for both sides.

Do Your Homework.

List all the issues involved. Understand what you want and why you want it. Separate the core issues from the attractive additions and assign a value to each component. Unless you are clear on these values, it is going to be difficult to make the necessary tradeoffs. It is just as important to anticipate the needs and wants of the other side.

Know When To Walk

Decide the best alternative to this deal. It may be as simple as knowing when no deal is better than this deal. Accepting there is a time to move on will empower you to persuasively present your case and not send mixed signals that lead your rivals to believe they can gain even greater concessions.

Aim High

The key to achieving more is to aim higher from the start. You may have to accept less than your ideal package but it is unlikely that you will be able to improve a low opening offer.

Who Is Involved?

Negotiation is a process where both sides have the power to say no and it takes everyone to say yes. Do you know all the people involved? Avoid surprises and identify everyone who is a stakeholder at the start.

Let Them Make The First Offer

Unless you are certain that you know their opening position, let them make the first offer. You might be surprised where they begin and find your position is much better than you ever dreamed. If it is not what you were hoping for, it is time for a convincing flinch.

Use The Flinch

A visible reaction says more than words can alone. If they lack confidence in their offer, your flinch will often earn an explanation or even a concession. Good presentation skills, like acting, include all of you. But you must be believable.

Collect Their Thoughts.

Don’t accept everything at face value. Use a range of questions to collect their reasons and then the reasons behind their reasons. It can be more important to understand why they value a point than simply how much they value it. Probe a bit more for their alternatives and then the resulting benefits and consequences.

Listen

Whenever they are speaking, listen. It doesn’t matter if you think their point is unimportant or if you know where they are headed. The truth is you don’t know what they are going to say, and they don’t know everything they are going to say either. It may sound like a slower approach but your best shortcut is to listen.

Always be willing to look at both sides of the argument. Understanding the other side is the best way to strengthen your own.

Persist

Patience is rewarded. It may take time to convenience your partner that they cannot have it their way. Ask questions and explore other alternatives. You can set a difficult point aside and come back to it later. Remember, people in a hurry are seen to be at a disadvantage.

Use Humour

Humour can diffuse a difficult situation. If you can catch them by surprise, they may find it difficult to hold a tough line. A laugh can ease the way to a concession and will normally improve the atmosphere.

Defend Your Price

You know they will test your price; it’s their job. So, be prepared to defend it point by point. Having a "take it or leave it" attitude will make it harder for them to say yes. Don’t be insulted or defensive, be ready.

Be Open To New Facts

No amount of research will eliminate surprises but you can choose not to be surprised. Instead, be interested. Ask questions and learn everything you can before you respond. The complete picture is often totally different to your first impression.

Tradeoffs

When you decide to make a concession, get something in return. Each trade-off can build agreements that lead to a deal while concessions may build an expectation of even greater concession. Your weakness will lead them to expect even more.

Attitude

Our approach to negotiations often reveals our attitudes. If you are reluctant and lack confidence, the negotiation will become much more difficult. But if you start with the certainty that you will get what you need and some of what you want, or there will be no deal, your fear is eliminated. Let the pressure go and enjoy this opportunity.

I know that these are just some basic rules and hints,for the skilled Negotiater way to simplistic. But I thought we should start easy for everybody to build some skills. For one thing is sure, everyone in sales will find themselves in situations where they have to negotiate for the best price possible, the delivery or something else.. ....so I'm looking forward to read some comments or new aspect or ideas to this discussion topic!

Regards – Mark von Rosing

What is Value Based Selling and how can you sell Value Based?

2007-12-25T06:45:00.000-08:00

ohhh, this will not be an easy article to write (and/or provide value to you- hehe).......as you can look around the Internet and Google on Value Based Selling and find a lot of hits that have so much to say/write about value. The subject is hot and many sales specialist claim that in today’s competitive economy selling value based is no longer optional . . it’s mandatory. In a way that is true, for Customers/Prospects do not choose to buy from you because you offer great features, functionality, or benefits. They choose the vendor who can provide the most value – to their business as well as on a personal level.

But first you need to get their attention and make them interested in you and what you have on offer. You need to speak their language – and they expect you to know as much as possible about their business and their industry as possible before you show up. That in itself is a value because they don’t have to speak about a lot of stuff that is trivial to them.

Well I guess that is nothing difficult in itself, the difficult part is to identify what is of value for the prospect/customer. Especially, since there are so many different things that could be of value. The term value in itself is in general referred to the degree of importance someone gives to something, values however can also be referred to:

• The value of a variable in mathematics.

• Value as in law

• Value as in computer science

• Value as in semioticsValue (personal and cultural) -- the principles, standards, or quality which

guides human actions

• Value (economics) -- the market worth or estimated worth of commodities, services, assets, or work.

• Value theory -- in ethics, aesthetics and other evaluative matters

• Value as in marketing -- provide service for consumer satisfaction

• Value as in colorimetry -- a measure of white or black in color

The difficult part is that values are considered subjective and vary across people. Which makes it so difficult to sell really value based. The most sales people that argue that they sell value based, just because they present their products based on values, have not understood the concept of value based selling (which are the most). The most salespeople I encounter do that what I call the problem/pain – value method. In its basic concept it works like this. If you really have a problem or pain and I have a product/solution that fixes this problem/pain, than I have delivered value. In a way that is true. But that is not Value Based Selling. Here is a Value Based concept that in its theory is easy but in the real practice quit hard:

Prospects don’t always buy what they need – for that does not necessarily provide them value. They always, however, buy what they want, for that is of value to them. Here’s the difference:

Needs are…

• product specific

• rational (based on situational problem)

• above the surface

• based on facts and often measurable

Wants, on the other hand, are…

• product neutral

• emotional

• below the surface

• based on perception and often not measurable

As a consequence, here’s the principle:

Prospects are more likely to buy what they need from prospects who understand what they really want, for then they fell you can provide them with value.

I truly look forward to read the discussions and hear your approaches of how to sell with values.

Regards – Mark von Rosing

PS:I hope this has provided some value (little smile)

Value Based Selling - are you telling enough stories?

2007-12-25T06:44:00.002-08:00

Ok, here is a practical hint, that I as a Trainer and Coach have to incorporate myself and for you it might make the difference between a sale or not. Consider this: when you make a sales presentation, it’s not about keeping your listener’s attention. For they will lose it – it’s about regaining it once you’ve lost them.

Your average listener’s attention span is now so short that they’ll naturally start to drift, and if they’re not right there with you when you make your point, you’re just wasting your time. However, there is a way to capture and keep people’s attention:

Tell stories.

From my experience, I know that the most salespeople have an variety of carefully prepared stories - designed for different buying scenarios - that tell the customer why they should buy from them.

These stories don’t have to be brilliant, you don’t have to be brilliant, but by weaving a short anecdote or two into your presentation, you’re deepening the relationship between you, your product or service, and your customer.

Why use stories?

Stories tap into your listener’s emotions, and as we all know, emotions sell (you can read more on this in the value based selling section): we buy through emotion, and rationalize it afterwards.

By appealing to emotions, you’re using the shortest path to the brain. Here is the secret; when you tell a story, your listener is right there with you, filtering it through their own personal experience.

We impart information, but we share a story.

Your customers and prospects are dealing with a rapid and unpredictable business climate; in an era where we’re all overwhelmed with the volume of information we receive, stories cut through the noise, and have a life of their own. Leadership consultant John Burdett makes a great point when he says that “story collapses the traditional boundary between sender and receiver”.

They also provide a comfortable momentary landing-place during a hectic daily schedule. Remember that we were brought up on stories, they’re a natural way for us to take in information, and we feel at home when we listen.

Research

Psychologists have termed stories “psychologically privileged”, meaning that our minds treat them differently to other types of material. We’re always seeking causal connections – the thread between pieces of information – and stories provide us with that. The best ones tell a simple truth, something we can take hold of and remember easily, and provide context and meaning.

Neil Ramiller, writing in the Journal of Information Systems Education, Jul 2003 says:

“Stories and storytelling… are central in our efforts to make sense of the events taking place around us and of our own actions in relation to those events (Weick 1995: 61). Finally, stories… are a collective means to better understand new or challenging aspects of the world.”

Especially if you’re selling a service or a product that is for the prospect at that moment intangible (like outsourcing), it can be at this stage of the sales process emotionally challenging for your prospect to understand the benefits and values to them. While they understand it on a rational basis, it doesn’t touch them on a emotional basis………..and let’s face it, if you want to make the sale you need them to have “an appealing reason to act” and that will be very hard without an emotional component.

This is how you should do it as well as some of the benefits for you as a salesperson

1. You’re creating a natural ‘call to action’ through appealing to your prospect’s emotions also called the appealing reason to act. There’s nothing like hearing about how someone else bombed out as a result of not using your product/service, or received all kinds of different benefits and values because they did, to motivate us. We’re naturally captivated – no extra effort required on your part (N.B. no extra effort during the presentation; if you’re going to do this successfully, you’ll certainly need that crucial preparation time crafting the stories in the first place!)

2. When you’re telling a story, you’re usually more present in the moment than during other times in your presentation, because stories just flow once you know them; they have an ‘alive’ quality, and this translates to you being more alive too. Have a look next time you’re listening to someone tell a story, whether it’s a friend down the pub or a presenter whom you respect. Aren’t they more animated, with more of a sparkle in their eye, when they’re relating what happened, perhaps even adding a bit of dialogue?

And when you’re present, you’re alert and flexible, more able to focus on your client’s needs and wants (please see in the forums value based selling as well as in sales psychology about needs, wants and values).

3. When you use a story referring to someone else’s experience, it adds credibility and clout to your presentation. Your listener will be more easily convinced, because you’ve created an external relevance for them. It also takes the focus away from you.

It’s important of course to balance your presentations, and the amount that you use stories depends on whether your listener is a relationships-focused, big picture type, or more analytical and left brained, wanting data and lots of it (a brief story is still highly relevant to the numbers-focused, just keep it snappy!)

If you’re using Powerpoint, it’s even more important to connect emotionally with your customers; find a place in your presentation where you can hit the B key to blank the screen, turn to your clients and tell them a story about your product or service. Watch the reaction, and see how your connection increases.

Action Steps

To design a good story, a few key elements must be in place. Take 10 – 15 minutes to have a go at these questions.

Firstly, can you come up with a good, relevant story? Try these ideas:

1. Look back to past sales: what obstacles did you face in closing the prospect? What objections did they raise, and what did you say to win them over? You need to think clearly and strategically here. If you’re struggling, try going back through your client files to see if that jogs your memory, or ask your sales manager.

2. Start now: if you can’t find any material, try this idea: the next prospect that you’re dealing with, assume that you’re going to close the sale and try “stapling” yourself to the situation. From beginning to end of the interaction, focus on what’s happening, what the client says, what objections they raise etc. If you do close the sale and when you’re back in the car, jot down some brief notes about the meeting – just key words if you’re short of time. Then later on, pull out your notes and see if you can come up with a narrative around it all. What did you say to overcome the obstacles to the sale? How did you win them over?

By the way, just by doing this, your awareness about your client interactions will skyrocket, and if you persevere (trust me, this won’t come naturally at first!) over time you’ll come up with some real gems that you can use to make more money. But if you want to get really good, take it a step further - ask yourself the questions below to get into the details of your story:

1. What’s the point? What will be gained by telling this story? Create a one sentence benefit for the client

2. Decide on how to describe your character and add a bit of detail, something to add richness to the scene

3. Set the scene – background, where, why?

4. What did they say?

5. The (positive) outcome

Add some descriptive phrases – remember that from a psychological aspect that the brain thinks in pictures, and painting some word pictures increases buy-in from your listener – and you’ve got your story. Over time, you can refine it, and build yourself a library to cover you in every possible eventuality.

You may be thinking that this takes time and focus, and it does; winging your stories will work some of the time, but you’ll also bomb out (that is what I call it, when I really go wrong with a story - haha); there’s just no getting around it. Take the time, refine as you go, and you’re on track for success. Good Luck on building on your existing stories ; - )

I look forward to read some comments or new aspect or ideas to this discussion!

Regards – Mark von Rosing

Being trusted is more important than being liked

2007-12-25T06:44:00.001-08:00

The good thing about such a forum is that one can say something not proven……but an opinion. Contrary to all the books that I have read about Relationship Management and that argue that being liked is the most important thing in Customer loyalty, have I actually made the observation that being trusted is more important than being liked when selling!

Salespeople who master being trusted clearly outsell those who merely glad-handers looking for another target of opportunity. All in all, I believe that a salesperson who is trustworthy and knows exactly how to demonstrate and communicate that trustworthiness in the very first transactional interaction with a prospect and will stay this way with the customer, will outperform one who is just a smooth-talking “flash in the pen” at every turn. If you understand what I mean ?

Regards – Mark von Rosing

Vorgetäuschte Sympathie

2007-12-25T06:43:00.000-08:00

Zum Job eines guten Verkäufers gehört es, den Kunden zufrieden zu stellen. Doch was, wenn die Chemie so gar nicht stimmt?

Im Gegensatz zu den vielen Vertriebsexperten Ratschlägen, kann Ich persönlich nur eins raten - bloß keine falsche Sympathie vortäuschen!

Warum......obwohl es etwas bringt?

Ein Verkaufsgespräch ist eine recht persönliche Angelegenheit. Der Kunde äußert einem Fremden gegenüber private Bedürfnisse und Wünsche (needs and wants) und möchte häufig entsprechend feinfühlig und verständnisvoll behandelt werden. Dies wird schwierig, wenn nur allzu schnell deutlich wird, dass die beiden Parteien sich eigentlich nicht sonderlich gut leiden können. Professionelle Verkäufer setzen in solchen Situationen häufig auf die Vorspiegelung falscher Tatsachen: ein falsches Lächeln, ein wenig geheucheltes Verständnis – klassische Basiskenntnisse der meisten Händler (jaja….leugnet es nur).

Ich freue mich zu hören was Ihr dazu zu schreiben habt und verbleibe mit besten Grüßen aus dem Wilden aber Kaltem Dänemark – euer Mitleugner ;-) - Mark von Rosing

The Value of Marketing!?

2007-12-25T06:42:00.001-08:00

The most salespeople I meet, actually have something against marketing……..and while I don’t really want to discuss why this is or how that could be changed. I would like to focus on how marketing could bring people to your business (into the door). Once they are there, then you can carry out your selling activities. What the most sales representatives that I meet don’t know is that marketing is the process of attracting. So anything the salesperson does to get people through the door is marketing, whether it is cold calling, a referral, direct mail or the offer of a free seminar. So a sales person does marketing as well, just another type of marketing then the company does (corporate marketing).

So let me summarize a bit: marketing is all about attracting clients you can then convince, while sales is about convincing, the words you use, overcoming objections, negotiating the sale, getting the cheque etc. So everyone of you does marketing or at least I hope so. The provocative question is then which marketing is more important, the sales persons marketing or the corporate marketing ?

In order to answer that, the next question is when do you want to have a relationship with a prospective client?

When they need you, or before they need you?

It is better to have someone think of you as their supplier or “problem solver” before they need you. However many companies base their marketing on getting to people once a need has arisen, not before. In my believe, the best marketers in the world know how to start to build a relationship before clients realize they need or even want you.

Think about this in considering corporate marketing: If people do not know where to go for appropriate advice they are quite likely to turn to those they know. So to develop a thriving business, it is a good corporate marketing idea to make people aware of you and what you can do, before they need you. So to all the sales people that say marketing is no good, please consider that:

1. anything the salesperson does to get people through the door is marketing, whether it is cold calling, a referral, direct mail or the offer of a free demo.

2. anything your company does or should do, to attract people to ether know about or even consider the door is marketing.

So let’s just face it that a sales person as well as the company does marketing, both just have different parts to play!

I know this was a controversial note/discussion point ………and look forward to read some comments or new aspect or ideas to this discussion from sales responsible as well as marketers!

Regards – Mark von Rosing

Das Geheimnis des Verkaufs - Problem 1

2007-12-25T06:41:00.001-08:00

Aus meiner 7 Jährigen Erfahrung als prospecting trainer und coach weiss ich , daß das Geheimnis des Verkaufs niemals im Verkauf selber liegt: In Wirklichkeit liegt das Geheimnis in dem kontinuierlichen Prozess, neue potenzielle Kunden ausfindig zu machen, also dem ”Prospecting”. Viele Vertriebsbeauftragte scheitern genau hier, weil sie sich keine effizienten Quellen & keine Struktur zum regelmäßigen Aquirieren neuer & interessanter Kunden aufbauen.

Was sagt uns das?

Sie müssen immer wieder die Augen nach neuen potenziellen Kunden offen halten, egal wie lange und wie erfolgreich Sie schon verkaufen. Bauen Sie sich die Datenquellen für neuen poteniellen Kunden auf und nutzen Sie diese regelmäßig & strukturiert. Filtern Sie dann so effizient wie möglich die viel versprechenden Kunden aus den weniger interessanten Kunden heraus.

Viele Vertriebsbeauftragte wollen oder nutzen die Kunst des Telefonvertriebs nicht. Dadurch ist das Wissen um effektives Verkaufen am Telefon heute das Problem #1 bei den meisten Vertriebsbeauftragten – unabhängig davon, ob dies so wahrgenommen wird oder nicht (leider). Hier wollen und müssen wir ansetzen, denn: Egal, in welchen Prospecting-Verkaufssituationen Sie sich befinden: Früher oder später muß man den Kunden immer anrufen!

Hier sind nur ein paar der Gründe, einen Kunden anzurufen, aufgelistet:

• Neukundenaquise (Canvas/Cold Calls): Sie haben bisher keinen Kontakt mit dem Kunden gehabt

und rufen deshalb an.

• Sie haben Ihrem Kunden Informationen geschickt und möchten darüber sprechen.

• Sie rufen nach einem Face-to-Face Meeting bezüglich der weiteren Vorgehensweise / den

vereinbarten Aktivitäten beim Kunden an.

• Sie rufen aufgrund einer Empfehlung bei einem Kunden an.

• Sie rufen nach einem Event bezüglich eines Termins beim Kunden an.

• Hinterlassen eine Nachricht.

• Sie rufen an, um einen Termin zu bestätigen.

Ich würde mich freue von euch zu hören wie Ihr solche Anrufe meistert und verbleibe mit besten Grüßen aus dem schönen Dänemark – euer Moderator Mark von Rosing

Best Practice - Peak Performance sales - deliver over 103%?????

2007-12-25T06:40:00.000-08:00

I will choose to take up a discussion here which is maybe not an easy topic, but from my point of view an important one. We have all been to those sales meetings, or interviews or end year planning meetings where your manager or someone wants "more than 100%" from you as a person. I have personally learned from training and coaching more than 10.000 people in over 45 countries all over the world, that by including coaching in the competency development, one can enable a remarkable performance improvement in the way they sell.

However besides that the way one works can be modeled and influenced, the output can be influenced a lot, by many 100 of %, however that was not the question. The question was if one as a person can deliver more than 100%. Well here's how you do that. Here's how you can achieve more than 100% (for example 103%). First of all, here's a little math that might prove helpful in the future. How does one achieve 100% in LIFE? Begin by noting the following.

IF :

A = 1

B = 2

C = 3

D = 4

E = 5

F = 6

G = 7

H = 8

I = 9

J = 10

K = 11

L = 12

M = 13

N = 14

O = 15

P = 16

Q = 17

R = 18

S = 19

T = 20

U = 21

V = 22

W = 23

X = 24

Y = 25

Z = 26

Then:

H A R D W O R K = 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = Only 98%

Similarly,

K N O W L E D G E = 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = Only 96%

But interesting (and as you'd expect),

A T T I T U D E = 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%..... This is how you achieve 100% in LIFE…..and that is actually what I believe as well.

But EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO NOTE (or REALIZE), is

B U L L S H I T = 2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

So now you know what all those high-priced consultants, upper management,

and motivational speakers really mean when they want to exceed your input of 100 %! For a person cannot deliver more than 100%.

Now don’t understand me wrong, as a coach I have had the opportunity to stimulate and strengthen excellent professional and personal development skills and habits that enhance the power, growth and performance of the people I work with. Just as an Olympic athlete works with a coach to win the gold medal, I have as performance coach worked with people to identify their weaknesses, develop their known and unknown strengths/potential, and helped them grow and perform. In that process I will push and challenge them in every way – and will demand more of them, in order to help them change, improve, grow and perform. So don’t understand me wrong, I have seen remarkable performance improvement in the way people sell - even many 100%. But that has nothing to do with the demand many managers have. They want you to deliver more than 100% and that is not possible. A person unless he bullshit’s cannot give more than 100%, however the result can be improved by much more than 100%. For example, I know that many sales organizations have a small number of peak performers carrying the main responsibility for revenue targets for the entire team or company. Peak performers can be made and they can be modeled, and their skills, attitudes, and habits mentored to new levels and heights.

Many of the other team members know that certain things they should do in a better way, but too often they don’t know how - or do not get it done in reality. We all work against some barriers that somehow keep us from doing what is 100%. The input each one of us can deliver will be very different, but as a person…….then max amount you can deliver is 100% and the best way to do that is to have the right attitude and then start to exploit your “100%” potential.

For that “action mode” you need to break through self imposed limitations that is holding you back from the power, balance, growth, success and performance that you strive for. I would really look forward to read, how you start sharing with each other about the different ideas and ways how to:

1. Overcome self imposed limitations that are holding you back?

2. Build new levels of self discipline?

3. Overcome indecisiveness and uncertainty?

4. Remove the mental and emotional obstacles that are limiting your personal growth, power and thereby performance?

5. Identify your weaknesses?

6. Develop your known and unknown strengths?

7. Explore your 100% potential.

8. Be pushed and challenged to real limits?

I look forward to read the discussions and hear your best practice approaches

Regards – Mark von Rosing

Opportunity identification and the qualification process

2007-12-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

Based on the many sales training and coaching I have done over the past 7 years and observing, listening to, receiving, and placing thousands of sales calls and meetings, I’ve put together my list of the Top 10 Errors Made by Sales people when doing prospecting. Before I will post these in the Prospecting forum, I would like to share the one thing I believe we all should do better - the opportunity identification - qualification process!

Why? I believe that sales has changed and that some of the realities today are:

• You have less time to get your prospects’ attention

• More and more salespeople are vying for the same prospects’ and customers’ business

• Prospects’ attention spans are shorter

• You are facing more barriers that stand between you and your prospects

• You need to differentiate yourself from everyone else who sells the same product or service you sell

• Your (or your companies) margin for error is getting smaller and smaller virtually every single day

• You must be willing to change, to grow, and to study your craft now more than ever before

That is why the qualification process is so important, for that process is intended to determine which customers really is a opportunity and thereby is most likely to purchase the product or service. For there is nothing worse than spending a lot time with a customer that can or will not buy from you (we all do this). Let’s look at it from the buyer’s perspective. If the buyer perceives the problem as small and the cost as high, you won’t make the sale. But when the buyer sees the problem as being bigger than the cost of solving it, the person is likely to buy. It sounds very simplistic……and in theory sales is very simplistic, but in practice very very complex. However if the opportunity identification - qualification process, would be done better we would be able to:

• Increase seller productivity by providing understanding of how to select or deselect an opportunity.

• Identify possible competitive advantage you might have

• Identify possible buying criteria

• Identify the possible future revenue or strategic value

I look forward to read the discussions and hear your approaches about opportunity identification and the qualification process.

Regards - Mark von Rosing