‘Managing sales in Managing sales in challenging times’challenging times’

- The Sky is Not Falling!- The Sky is Not Falling!

Deiric McCannDeiric McCann

Senior Vice President Senior Vice President

- International- International

Four bestselling business Four bestselling business booksbooks(soon to be five!)(soon to be five!)1000+ articles on 1000+ articles on

management topicsmanagement topics

Recessions Recessions typically last typically last six months to six months to

two yearstwo years

Seasoned Pros?Seasoned Pros?

• If you started selling 1995 you’re If you started selling 1995 you’re a seasoned pro, right?a seasoned pro, right?

• Yet, you haven’t sold in a really Yet, you haven’t sold in a really tough economy!tough economy!

• If you were around before that…If you were around before that…– Do you remember what it was Do you remember what it was

like?!like?!

““Sure, the lion is king of the Sure, the lion is king of the jungle, jungle,

but airdrop him into Antarctica,but airdrop him into Antarctica,and he's just a penguin's and he's just a penguin's

plaything”plaything” Dennis Miller

Get Your Head Get Your Head in the Gamein the Game

No Control:No Control:

• The state of the economyThe state of the economy• The future (except through what you do now)The future (except through what you do now)• Tighter marketsTighter markets• More aggressive competitorsMore aggressive competitors• Tougher purchasing practicesTougher purchasing practices

Total ControlTotal Control

– Get rid of all negative Get rid of all negative influencesinfluences

– Refuse to engage in the Refuse to engage in the ‘doom & gloom’ game‘doom & gloom’ game

– Close off the news & mediaClose off the news & media– Don't sing the Recession Don't sing the Recession

Blues with anyone – Blues with anyone – especially clientsespecially clients

– Get busy!Get busy!

Get Your Head Get Your Head in the Gamein the Game

““You become the company you You become the company you keep”keep”

……their talk becomes your ‘self-talk’their talk becomes your ‘self-talk’

Get Your Head Get Your Head in the Gamein the Game

AffirmationsAffirmations

Hey! Hey! Who yawned?!Who yawned?!

““Affirmations help you Affirmations help you remember in your bad remember in your bad

moments what you moments what you know to be right in know to be right in

your good moments”your good moments”

Change your thoughts…..and you’ll change your beliefs

Change your beliefs…..and you’ll change your expectations

Change your attitude…..and you’ll change your behaviour

Change your performance…

...and you’ll change your business!

Change your behaviour…..and you’ll change your performance

Change your expectations…..and you’ll change your attitude

What About Your What About Your Existing Clients? Existing Clients?

Drucker on Existing ClientsDrucker on Existing Clients

• 1 in 14 chance of doing business with someone 1 in 14 chance of doing business with someone newnew

• 1 in 4 chance with someone you dealt with 1 in 4 chance with someone you dealt with before but stoppedbefore but stopped

• 1 in 2 chance with an existing client1 in 2 chance with an existing client

Your clients Your clients are scared!are scared!

What About Your Clients?What About Your Clients?

• They are scared of risk!They are scared of risk!– This is a ‘trust recession’This is a ‘trust recession’– ‘‘Trusted Advisors’ will excel in this marketTrusted Advisors’ will excel in this market– You must know your products and their You must know your products and their

industry & challengesindustry & challenges– Clients will pay a premium for the security of Clients will pay a premium for the security of

someone they know will help them succeedsomeone they know will help them succeed

What About Your Clients?What About Your Clients?

• Sales cycles are longerSales cycles are longer– Plan for thisPlan for this– Start much earlierStart much earlier

• Money savings rule, you must – ROI is King!Money savings rule, you must – ROI is King!– Save money – fast!Save money – fast!– Increase revenue – fast!Increase revenue – fast!– Must prove $$ ROIMust prove $$ ROI– ROI is criticalROI is critical– Must be faster than ever before – Ideal: less than a yearMust be faster than ever before – Ideal: less than a year

What About Your Clients?What About Your Clients?• All spend goes through the CFOAll spend goes through the CFO

– Often several times – re-approvals the normOften several times – re-approvals the norm– If it’s not budgeted it must be completely irresistibleIf it’s not budgeted it must be completely irresistible

• 200% - 300% ROI in year one200% - 300% ROI in year one

• Payment terms will be longerPayment terms will be longer– 90 days has become normal90 days has become normal– Include financing proposalsInclude financing proposals

• Want much more for lessWant much more for less• Will be forced to competitive Will be forced to competitive

bids bids

““We have a philosophy We have a philosophy and a strategy. and a strategy.

When times are tough, When times are tough, you build share”you build share”

AG Lafley, CEO Procter & GambleAG Lafley, CEO Procter & Gamble

Your Competition Is…Your Competition Is…

• Shaving costsShaving costs

• Closing offices/deptsClosing offices/depts

• Shedding good peopleShedding good people

• Cutting marketing costsCutting marketing costs

• Cutting cornersCutting corners

Your CompetitionYour Competition

• Who is pulling back?Who is pulling back?

• Who is hurting?Who is hurting?

• Who is getting bad press?Who is getting bad press?

• They WILL fail their clients – exploit thatThey WILL fail their clients – exploit that– Build proposals to target Build proposals to target

competitor weaknesses competitor weaknesses– Highlight the riskHighlight the risk

When they drop When they drop the ball nail them!the ball nail them!

Won $100,000

Won $0

‘Slight Edge’

Three ‘Slight Edge’ TechniquesThree ‘Slight Edge’ Techniques

• Take MASSIVE ACTION – raise your Take MASSIVE ACTION – raise your activity levelactivity level

• Improve your meeting qualityImprove your meeting quality

• Avoid ‘Death Valley’ Avoid ‘Death Valley’

The“Sales Doctor”

What Ails Your Sales?

Too few presentations

or just not closing?

Not enough prospects

or poor time management?

Time Management/Priority System?Detailed Sales Activity Plans?Follow up level possible?

Mailers not ‘cutting

through’ or Poor Follow

Up?

Poor quality prospects or poor sales

skills & techniques?

Prospect profile correct?Prospect qualification criteria?Prospect approach & offer (expectations)?

Sales process defined? Sales process appropriate?Point of failure identified?Skill training for failure point?General level of sales skill?

Redesign Mailers?Reconsider Target Base?Re-position Product?

Cold call reluctance?Time?Motivation?Phone skills?

Too few presentations Not closing

Mailers not cutting through

Poor Time Management

Poor Follow Up

Poor quality prospects

Poor sales skills

Not enough

prospects

Four ‘Slight Edge’ TechniquesFour ‘Slight Edge’ Techniques

• Take MASSIVE ACTION – raise your Take MASSIVE ACTION – raise your activity levelactivity level

• Improve your meeting qualityImprove your meeting quality

• Avoid ‘Death Valley’ Avoid ‘Death Valley’

Four ‘Slight Edge’ TechniquesFour ‘Slight Edge’ Techniques

• Take MASSIVE ACTION – raise your Take MASSIVE ACTION – raise your activity levelactivity level

• Improve your meeting qualityImprove your meeting quality

• Avoid ‘Death Valley’ Avoid ‘Death Valley’

Over 90% of all of our failed Over 90% of all of our failed sales fail in the information sales fail in the information

stage not in the presentation stage not in the presentation stage!stage!

We found that…We found that…

Show Up and Throw UpShow Up and Throw Up

• Ask, don’t tellAsk, don’t tell

• Have conversations, not presentationsHave conversations, not presentations

• Position offerings situationallyPosition offerings situationally

• Focus on product usage and ROI – not Focus on product usage and ROI – not featuresfeatures

As Is

As Is Should Be

As Is

Payout

Should Be

As Is

Barriers

Should Be

Payout

Enter information

where it belongs, not as it occurs

Re-cap key points and

ask for verification, clarification

or elaboration

As Is

Barriers

Should Be

Payout

Four ‘Slight Edge’ TechniquesFour ‘Slight Edge’ Techniques

• Take MASSIVE ACTION – raise your Take MASSIVE ACTION – raise your activity levelactivity level

• Improve your meeting qualityImprove your meeting quality

• Avoid ‘Death Valley’ Avoid ‘Death Valley’

AvoidingAvoiding‘‘Death Valley’Death Valley’

Every time you meet a Every time you meet a prospect make the next prospect make the next

appointment before you leave.appointment before you leave.

Only two possibilitiesOnly two possibilities::

• She AgreesShe Agrees• She DeclinesShe Declines

……either way you win!either way you win!

Key MessagesKey Messages

• Get your head in the gameGet your head in the game– Cut off negative influencesCut off negative influences– Work on your attitude and optimismWork on your attitude and optimism– Create affirmationsCreate affirmations– Focus beyond the recessionFocus beyond the recession

• Get close to existing clientsGet close to existing clients

• Pick over the bones of vulnerable competitionPick over the bones of vulnerable competition

• Get more active than ever – make every day the last day Get more active than ever – make every day the last day before vacationbefore vacation

• Become consultants & trusted advisors to existing and Become consultants & trusted advisors to existing and prospective clientsprospective clients

• Avoid Death ValleyAvoid Death Valley

Some ReadingSome Reading

• www.deiricmccann.com/sirbasku.doc

• www.deiricmccann.com/antelopes.pdf

• www.deiricmccann.com/SalesDoctor.zip• ‘‘The Answer’ – John Assaraf & Murray SmithThe Answer’ – John Assaraf & Murray Smith

- more activity than ever before- more activity than ever before

Success in 2010 and beyond Success in 2010 and beyond is about activity is about activity

-and more activity and more activity than anyone elsethan anyone else

 ‘Managing sales in Managing sales in challenging times’challenging times’

- The Sky is Not Falling!- The Sky is Not Falling!