Consultative Sales and Sales Management Professionals of Canada

Procrastination – A True Enemy To Your Sales Success

2012-01-24T14:42:00.000-05:00

We are only a few weeks into the New Year and already the gyms are less full than they were the first week of January and many have already cheated on their diets. Similarly, sales people are already missing their daily sales activity targets, so they are no closer to earning their annual income bonuses this year than they were last year.

Why is it we all start the New Year off with such high hopes, only to let them fall by the way side a short time later? In a word, procrastination!

The dictionary defines procrastination as “to delay or postpone action”. In other words, the problem is not that we don’t want to improve ourselves or that we don’t want to reach our daily sales activity targets, the problem is we chose not to.

After all, that’s what procrastination really is – a choice. It can disguise itself in many ways, with many excuses. There’s the popular “I don’t have time” excuse, closely related to “something came up today” excuse. Of course we cannot forget the “it’s not the right time to get started” excuse.

Please! We all have the same number of hours in a day, we just choose to spend them differently. If something is really important to you, you will find the time and you will act upon it immediately!

The key is you need to know what is truly important to you. What are your goals? What are your aspirations? What is it that you want?

It is a proven fact that top performers have written goals and plans to achieve them. Whether you an entrepreneur running your own business, a sales manager directing a sales team, or a sales rep servicing a territory, you should as well. If you need help getting started, download the free “Goal Setting and Action Planning Tool” from the B2B Sales Connections Free Download Centre. But don’t procrastinate. It’s only available for free for a limited time.

After defining your goals, you will probably realize you need to improve or change something about yourself or your behavior in order to achieve them. You may even discover that you need the assistance of others to help you be successful.

If this is the case, then get started and make it happen. But don’t wait to get started, do it today! If you procrastinate, not only is it unlikely that you ever will get started, but you are also saying that the goals you worked so hard at setting are really not that important to you in the first place!

Remember, if you continue to do what you’ve always done, you will continue to get what you’ve always got. Why not make this year’s resolution to be resolute? Whatever it is you choose to do, just do it!

Aim Higher!

Susan A. Enns, B2B Sales Coach
B2B Sales Connections

How Do You Know When It's Time To Try To Find For A New Position?

2012-01-17T12:48:00.002-05:00

Every once in a while, many of us evaluate the past and look forward to a better future. For some, that means the question arises as to whether they should make a career change and start looking for new employement.

Should you move to greener pastures with a new company After all, we spend far too many hours at work not to be happy in what we do. On the other hand, changing jobs is risky as you really don’t know what you would be getting into. The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t, as they say..

The only way to truly answer that is question is to ask yourself if you are achieving your goals with your current employer. If the answer is no, and more importantly you think you never will, then yes, it’s time to start looking for a new job.

Before you email out countless copies of your resume though, do you really know what your goals are? Are you sure because most people don't have a clear direction for their life? To help you with your goals and objectives, download our Goal Setting and Action Planning Tool from the B2B Sales Connections Free Download Centre. You can download it for a limited time for free.

Once you have clearly defined your goals and you still believe that you need to make a career change to achieve them, start your job hunt. We have a number of job search tips on our Blog to help you get started.

The bottom line is you shouldn’t settle for anything less than the best plan to get you where you want to go in life. As a wise person once said – “Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits.” – Author Unknown.

Aim Higher!

Susan A. Enns, B2B Sales Coach

B2B Sales Connections

Do You Have The “End Of The Selling Year” Sense Of Urgency?

2011-12-13T11:36:00.006-05:00

The Year End Selling Countdown is here!

As the end of the year approaches, companies focus on implementation deadlines and expiring budgets, and sales people focus on making their annual quotas and earning their year-end bonuses. When you look at a calendar and start counting, there are only a few selling days left in the year to accomplish this.

The key at this time of the year is to ensure you have enough prospects on the go to produce the sales needed for you to finish the year at plan. Are you on track? Don’t kid yourself. When the December holiday season rolls around and people start taking their vacations, not every prospect you think will close will before the end of the year.

As such, as a sales person, you need to know where to focus your time and efforts. You need to ensure that you know the timing of the sale for each company on your hot prospect list. Essentially, you must separate what will close now, and what will close in 2012.

Ask your prospects if they are planning to implement the solution now, or in the New Year. If they tell you it’s not going to happen until the New Year, put it in your follow up file for next year and move on. If they tell you it’s now, however, you should focus on nothing else other than what it takes to complete that sale.

If the customer needs to see an equipment demonstration, phone them today and schedule the demonstration. If you must revise your quotation, calculate your new pricing immediately, and present it to the prospect tomorrow. If the prospect asked you a specification question, find the answer.

Review each company on your hot prospect list, realistically determine the next step to the sale, and then complete it as quickly as possible.

It is also critical to remember that the time to implement your solution affects your year end results. For example, if your product has a two week delivery time frame, and your customer wants to up and running before December 15, you need to get your contracts signed by December 1. Does your prospect know this? If he doesn’t you need to tell him.

It’s typical in sales to have an increased sense of urgency when it gets close to the end of the selling cycle. On the last day of the month, we all get that “whatever it takes” mentality. This takes on a whole new meaning at the end of the year. November and December should be treated as one long month. You must continually ask yourself, “Is this going to happen before the end of the year, and if so, what can I do to move this sale forward today?” If the answer is yes, something can be done, do it now!

Remember, with the holiday season, business virtually shuts down around December 22, not on December 31. Each day between now and then should be considered “the last day of the month”.
Now focus, and go out and finish your year off strong!

Aim higher!

Susan A. Enns
B2B Sales Coach
B2B Sales Connections

Why All the Head Games? by Marshall W. Northcott

2011-12-13T08:21:00.004-05:00

Years ago when I started in sales I was frustrated with some of the head games that had to be played in order to help my clients.

Being a more logical person I wondered why I couldn't be forth coming and I discovered that there are barriers (sales resistance) that often need to be eroded before you can actually help a customer.

Most people have usually been burned and so they have built in protections that prevent them from being open to the positive possibilities that a new or different product, service, system or approach can potentially offer them.

Therefore part of the selling process almost always (unless they called or approached you) requires that you gently build momentum towards open mindedness and a willingness to converse and participate in a conversation.

Having done this for over 20 years, I kid you not when I say it this way, "It's like they know they need a solution, they know there has got to be a better way, they are tolerating a situation that annoys them and until you can get the prospect to actually admit that they want an improvement (which they secretly don't want to tell you) you are stuck in deadlock."

When the cost of the problem outweighs the price of the improvement then it is much easier for people to make a change. I am all about the conversation that leads up to this and if after having gained an understanding of the client's situation I discover I cannot help them then I will be the first to admit it rather than try to sell ice cubes to Eskimos.

Marshall W. Northcott

Your comments, questions, feedback and additional insights are appreciated! Please take a moment to add your thoughts and feelings in the comment section below and if you would like me to respond please include your contact information.

2011-12-08T09:00:00.001-05:00

Bachmann's book off to slow sales start

2011-12-07T18:00:00.001-05:00

TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2011 /CNW/ - TMX Group announced today that it has successfully completed the second phase of its equity Enterprise Expansion project. This initiative was designed to provide customers

2011-12-07T09:01:00.001-05:00

RICHMOND, BC, Nov. 14, 2011 /CNW/ - Catalyst Paper (TSX: CTL) posted a net loss of .7 million (/bin/sh.54 per common share) on sales of .3 million during the third quarter of 2011. The net loss was largely due

2011-12-06T18:01:00.001-05:00

TORONTO, Nov. 14, 2011 /CNW/ - Posera-HDX Ltd., the successor to Posera-HDX Inc. (TSX:HDX), (the Company) announced today its financial results for the three and nine-months ending September 30th,

2011-12-06T13:01:00.001-05:00

RED BANK, New Jersey, MELBOURNE, Australia, and BRUSSELS, Nov. 15, 2011 /CNW/ - In just 15 years, Ansell's best-selling brand sells 500M pairs worldwide

2011-12-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2011 /CNW/ - IC Potash Corp. (ICP or the Company) (TSX: ICP; OTCQX: ICPTF) announced today the successful conclusion of the Prefeasibility Study

2011-12-05T13:00:00.001-05:00

NASA's Voyager 2 has successfully switched to the backup set of thrusters that controls the roll of the spacecraft. Deep Space Network personnel sent commands to the spacecraft to make the change on Nov. 4 and received confirmation Nov. 14 that the switch has been made.

2011-12-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

OTTAWA - Manufacturing sales rose 2.6 per cent to .2 billion in September, their third straight monthly increase. Statistics Canada reports the gain largely reflected higher sales in the petroleum and coal products and transportation equipment industries. Constant-dollar manufacturing sales were

2011-12-03T18:00:00.001-05:00

OTTAWA - The number of new vehicles sold in September increased 1.5 per cent to 134,389. Statistics Canada reports higher truck sales more than offset a decline in passenger-car sales. The agency says preliminary industry data indicate the number of new vehicles sold in October increased three per c

Is An Awesome Attitude Enough by Marshall W. Northcott

2011-12-02T07:37:00.004-05:00

Anyone who has been in professional sales for any length of time has heard about the importance of a positive mental attitude.

When I was first exposed to the thinking behind the need for a positive mental attitude I found the concept to be extremely broad and somewhat vague. From my perspective the definitions and descriptions didn't do justice to the powerful concept or the importance of a positive mental attitude.

I understood that this was about a state of mind, a way of thinking about life, the world and the situations and circumstances that we face. Your perspective could be warped, dark, pesimistic, fearful or simply numb or you could decide to see things in a brighter, purer, more carefree, optimistic, friendly and healthy way.

There are no guarantees in life however, the odds are in your favour when your attitude or your thinking is right. When you focus on solutions rather than problems, when your thoughts are gratitude based rather than centered on what you lack, when you fill your mind with drive and purpose instead of woe and despair you are much more likely to draw in the good. You will set yourself up for success by drawing in the people, the resources, the finances and the circumstances that will make it possible for you to stack the deck in your favour.

At times life is peaceful and harmonious. Everything that we come in contact with personally and professionally seems to be effortless and the results that we achieve are better than we could imagine. During these time periods it's easy to smile inside and out. Having a positive outlook and an expectancy for the best outcomes is easy because you are living in a euphoric state.

So what about the down times? What about the times when life's circumstances are dark and difficult? How about those periods in life when you feel as though you are under attack, life is out of control and nothing goes as you expect? If you've experienced enough of life you have probably had times when you have hit a brick wall or two and you know exactly what I am talking about. During these periods it can be extremely difficult to consistently maintain a positive mental attitude and it doesn't guarantee you success or a gateway to freedom. However, it is the preverbial chicken and egg scenario because seldom will positive life outcomes result from a negative, depressive, sour and bitter frame of mind. If good things do happen, in all likelihood they will be short lived because your perspective will wear them and tear them down.

I have come to think of attitude in much more concrete terms since I began working with a high performance expert in the field of psychology.

Here's a few thoughts:

It has to do with mental facalties and resources. When you have a greater intellect and have developed your problem solving abilities it's much easier to overcome challeging times because you have better tools in your toolbox. This is something you can benefit from if you continue to learn and offer yourself new knowledge.

If you work on your social intelligence and make yourself more open to people and all that others can offer you you will find that the chip on your shoulder and the bitterness that you have towards people will become worn down and smoothed over. If you're not warm, friendly likeable person by nature you will find by working towards this you will attract interesting people and rewarding relationships into your life. This definitely makes a significant difference in attitude when you need it most.

When you are able to control your emotions, and remain consistent in your thoughts and attitude during both the best of times and the during the times when you are tested you will get better overall life results and bounce back quicker when pressed.

When you have the right mindset you have a healthier opion of yourself and of others also. You see the best and you have a stronger self image, a higher degree of confidence in yourself and your abilities. Your self awareness is high and it isn't critical of who you are, rather it is enlightened and supportive of who you are.

It's easier to stay connected, centered and balanced when you heart, body and spirit are aligned with a winning attitude and you are prevented from getting fussed over petty, trivial and insignificant matters. As a matter of fact what falls into these categories is well beyond what considered petty, trivial and insignificant for most of the general public.

You don't see problems, you see opportunities, you don't see mistakes you see learning and personal growth, you don't see setback and defeat, you see speed bumps and chances to overcome.

Your intensity, your personal drive and focus is at optimum levels when your attitude is in the most ideal state.

Most importantly of all a positive mental attitude provides you with the courage to take action on what you desire to attain or achieve. It gives you the strength to set out and begin taking steps and making strides towards the dreams and goals that you have because you feel good about the mental image of success in your mind and you are optimistic about your odds of arriving at your intended destination.

I could continue but I hope at this point you are beginning to get the picture. In summation I guess you could continue to debate whether or not an awesome attitude is enough however my personal experiences tell me that without it everything else is considerable difficult if not impossible. It may not be enough but it certainly is the foundation for all other positive possibilities in life.

Marshall W. Northcott

2011-11-30T18:00:00.001-05:00

Asset Sales Expected to Generate Total Gross Proceeds of million

2011-11-30T13:00:00.001-05:00

VANCOUVER, Nov. 9, 2011 /CNW/ - Taan Forest has successfully achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for all of its forestry and harvesting operations on Haida Gwaii, BC.

2011-11-30T09:00:00.001-05:00

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 29, 2011 /CNW/ -- ABC Financial (ABC) is pleased to announce the addition of Cheryl Rogers as Regional Sales Director - Canada. Steve Ayers, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing announced the news today.

2011-11-29T18:00:00.001-05:00

TORONTO, Nov. 10, 2011 /CNW/ - The City of Toronto can bring its budgetary shortfall down to zero without gutting city services and selling off assets, a new report by the Wellesley Institute says.

2011-11-25T18:00:00.001-05:00

* Consolidated retail sales up 16%; basic earnings per share up 36% * Quarterly dividend increased 9% * Acquisition of The Forzani Group Ltd. (FGL Sports) completed

2011-11-25T13:00:00.001-05:00

<< Integra Products Ltd Streamlines Product Development at Every Stage of Development, From Initial Design through Marketing to Shipment of a

2011-11-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 10, 2011 /CNW/ - Discovery Air Technical Services (DATS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Discovery Air Inc., is pleased to announce it has successfully achieved ISO 9001:2008 Certification.

2011-11-24T18:00:00.001-05:00

TORONTO, Nov. 10, 2011 /CNW/ - Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX: SLF) (NYSE: SLF) today announced the successful completion of a Canadian public offering of million of Class A Non-Cumulative Rate Reset Preferred

2011-11-21T13:01:00.001-05:00

Fund reports third quarter same store sales growth of 3.2%

2011-11-21T09:01:00.001-05:00

TORONTO, Nov. 11, 2011 /CNW/ - Marathon Gold Corporation (Marathon or the Company) (MOZ: TSX) today announced the completion of the highly successful 25,250 meter 2011 diamond drilling program at the Leprechaun

What wakes you up in the morning?

2011-06-18T10:33:00.000-04:00

Listened to Bill Taylor (The co-founder of Fast Company is Bill Taylor. Taylor (who no longer works at Fast Company) has authored two best-selling business book (Mavericks At Work and Practically Radical), is a professor at Babson Collegeand a columnist for The Guardian newspaper.) speak at a function about the key thing that companies need to focus on and he believes this is creating an emotional connection with your community. The day of speeds and feeds are over. We must entice consumers by demonstrating that we have a unique and untraditional way to do things. So starting today dare to be different if you want a different outcome. Not only be different be incredible. Not only incredible be unforgettable.

Look at banking. A business that makes money on our money! Making record breaking profits on charging us more than the value we receive. We must revise our banking and not tolerate these fees. We need a bank to step up from the norm and demonstrate they want our business. Who will be first….? Who will dare to be different?

We look at Insurance companies receiving our monthly premiums for the day we die and allowing our loves ones to have access to the money….Great concept. Have you ever tried to reach someone in these institutions? Did you feel like they were doing you a favor? What happens when no one claims these funds? Do they try to find us? What happens when we miss a monthly payment...? Policy ends…Is this fair? This structure is not appropriate at this time. We want more flexibility and new services that meet today’s needs. Dare to be different. What insurance company has the guts to stand up and revolutionize the Insurance industry?

The truth is, every product or service has this opportunity right in front of them but elect to play it safe, no risk, but then no return.

Let’s see who demonstrates to the people they want our business. I will end this entry with two powerful statements/questions from Bill.

“Don’t limit what you know today by innovation to imagine.”

“Am I learning as fast as the world is changing?”

Make it a great day!

By Kyle McGuffin

Your comments, questions, feedback and additional insights are appreciated! Please take a moment to add your thoughts and feelings in the comment section below and if you would like me to respond please include your contact information.