Do the Math!

I was with a client the other day, and we were thinking how to prove out that sales training, coaching, etc. really does work.

There has never been a successfully used formula, and I was stuck until we came across the obvious. Suppose that we simple tried, and did get, all the reps to 70% of the their target...what would that do for the company. Now, understand, we do not mean an average, but that the reps would all be at 70% or better of their target, how would that affect the over all sales of the company.

We did the math, and it is great!

Give some thought to this a goal for you, or your sales team. It is something that can be proved out, it will take six months of working with the team, but it is a realistic number to work with. That's the plan that we came up with, and I will let you know how that goes.

The summer is over, its time to get back to work in earnest. This weekend is the time that I sit down and make the list of all the people that I will contact over the fall for new business. Do the same thing. Instead of sitting for three days wondering what will happen, make something happen for your self,

If you thought that I was AWOL for a while, you were looking in the wrong place, but more about that at another time. Things are exciting here, and I cannot wait to tell you about it. I am having a great time now. There is no need, so I see now, to stress out over the beginning of the week. Plan it, do it, and bask in it!

Good selling....let's GO!

Steve

A new kind of prosperity

I have been thinking about the economy and sales, as I am sure that many of you have. There is no question that things will never be the same as before. We will never see $2 gas, low food costs, lower taxes and mortgages given out so freely.

In other words, its different now(! )and will not change back.

Does that mean there is no chance to be prosperous? Just the opposite. There will always be new opportunities and even better challenges in the future. And, "the future" is a long time.

It will just be a new kind of prosperity. A different way in which we value those items that are important to us. For one thing, there maybe less things to hold, or less of it. Instead of the big, very big car we will drop down ten sizes and drive the Smart Car which gets better mileage. We will have a better quality of organic foods, or expensive, but better in taste and substance. We will be dividing jobs into white collar, blue collar and green collar.

We will sell differently. If the country goes on a four day work week of 10 hours a day, we will need to adjust our selling schedule and learn how to use the phone, fax, Internet, video conferencing better and more efficiently. We will be truly living in this century.

Up until this point it has been 1900, now we are firmly in the grip of the 2000's and we will change with the calendar.

Good Selling,

Steve

Long time!

It's been a long time since I have been able to get on. The email and the computer crashed last week, and I was in Boston. I could not fix anything from there. I never thought that I would be so dependent on this way to communicate. But, my god, it was terrible not to be able to be in touch with anyone. I found myself at a loss why to do, and all I did was call everyone I could think that I needed to reach out to.

The worse thing was that I lost emails for the entire week, and have no idea what that meant in terms of possible sales and follow up. Very bad!

I always ask you what could be learned by all of this: carry two tin cans and some string and it might work???!!!

Good Selling, glad to be be back.

Steve

Tuesday

I was working on another book last night, and came across the taxi story that I ave been telling for a long time.

It is about a taxi driver who was able to figure out how much money he made each day, each week, each month and and each year. The reason; to be able to work only 9 month in a year.

He had this down to a science, where to go on any given day, what the typical fares would be, and the tips. He knew everything there was to know about NYC and his base.

As a sales person you should know your base. How much you make every day, etc. You need this to remind yourself how much each hour cost you when you are not productive.

Have you calculated your earnings, or is your plan just "hope".

Good Selling,

Steve

Value

"There is nothing less valuable than an idea not implemented."

Good Selling,

Steve

H&H

It is hot and humid in New York, the worse kind of weather to be walking around. Of course, I could say that when it is raining, too cold, too hot, too anything!

I went to see a new prospect this afternoon, and the first thing that I noticed was that all the sales people were at their desks...in the middle of the afternoon. When I asked why, the answer was that it was too hot!

I could not believe my ears, that someone actually said that to me! How could any sales person use anything short of the earth falling as a reason not to go out. The problem, as I see it is not really with the rep but with the manager who accepts that as an answer.

I was on three appointments today, and at the first, the executive asked me if he could really 'motivate' his sales force. My answer was no. We might be able to inspire, but not motivate, that has to come from the person themselves. A manager can, though, set the tone of the office and the way in which the reps work. By accepting that it is OK not to go out on calls because it is too hot, sets the wrong tone.

Sorry I haven't written, but so much has been going on here, that I was just off track for the weekend.

Good Selling,

Steve

Something to think about

If you were to leave this place...use the word "die" ...how many boxes would it take to pack your stuff?

For most people it is 1, just 1 box and they are out of here.

Isn't that something to think about?

Good Selling,

Steve