NZ Sales Manager Issue 49

NZ’s e-mag for sales leaders

‘Who makes the decision round here?’

NZSALESAPRIL 2011 / Issue 49

‘so, who are you?’

In houseSales Training

The Simple Sales

Secret

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

APRIL / Issue 49

THIs WeeK's MusT ReAD

THe sIMPLe sALes secReT

And the day I really got it.

IN House sALes TRAININg

Is it working for you.

NZsM cALeNDAR

sALes TRAININg DIRecToRY

TWo MINuTe ToP-uP

'so WHo ARe You?'

slow down to make

your introduction

ResouRce coRNeR

NeveR FLY soLo: LeAD WITH

couRAge, BuILD TRusTINg

PARTNeRsHIPs, AND ReAcH NeW

HeIgHTs IN BusINess

QuIcK FIx

It’s not what you sell, it’s how

you sell.

THe cLose

10

6

10

14

15

16

18

19

20

6

16

CONTENTS

www.businessmentors.org.nz

CONTENTS

MID STRENGTHFULL FLAVOURFULL LIFE

NZsM / APRIL 2011 / 44 / APR 7th 2010 / NZsM

ABOut /

short and sharp, New Zealand

sales Manager is a free e-magazine

delivering thought provoking and

enlightening articles, and industry

news and information to forward-

thinking sales managers, business

owners and sales professionals.

eDItOR / Paul Newsom

ARt DIReCtOR / Jodi Olsson

GROuP eDItOR / trudi Caffell

CONteNt eNQuIRIes /

Phone Paul on 04 586 4733 or email

[email protected]

ADVeRtIsING eNQuIRIes /

Phone Richard on 09 522 7257 or

email [email protected]

ADDRess / NZ sales Manager,

C/- espire Media, PO Box 137162,

Parnell, Auckland 1151, New Zealand

WeBsIte / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

I find one of the qualities of people who are at the top

of their field is that they know that they don’t know

it all. they are always open to learning and willing to

listen to the experiences of others. they have the self awareness to know

when things are not right, the ability to find what they need to change, and

the courage to implement it.

In our lead article, ‘the simple sales secret – and the day I really got it’, Ian

segail gives a revealing account of self awareness, change and courage in a

sales situation. this from one of Australia’s leading experts in sales and sales

management. Not only is this a revealing admission from Ian, the lesson of the

simple sales secret is one that I encourage you to read and reflect on, and if

appropriate, have the courage to make changes in your own sales approach.

It is encouraging to hear of some reports this year that there is more activity

with sales training than there has been in the past couple of years. Maybe this

is an indication of positive signs in the recovery of the economy, or maybe the

pressure of achieving results is demanding upskilling the sales team. Whatever

the reason, you will know I am an advocate for investment in developing sales

capability. Liam Ventnors article questioning the effectiveness of ad-hoc in house

sales training gives a timely reminder to ensure training is bringing the desired

results, and if not, then we need to have the courage the change something.

Happy Selling

Pau

“We make the call…

you make the sale”

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From the Editor

“We make the call…

you make the sale”

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NZsM / APRIL 2011 / 6

t h I s W e e K ’ s M u s t R e A D

Ian segail is a leading authority on sales strategy and sales management, and works as a strategic sales Performance coach with both novice and experienced sales managers across a wide variety of industries and selling disciplines. Find out more at www.iansegail.com

The Simple Sales

Secret

there is a simple sales secret that removes

the stress of selling, and recently I really and

truly got it! there is a single natural sales

approach that all sales greats and great marketers get

instinctively. It's what makes them so good. It’s what

gives them their edge. this one instinctive and in many

cases totally unconscious selling method is what all too

often separates the great from the good. I can give you

the secret in one quick sentence. You and your people

probably already know what it is, but are you doing it?

As stephen Covey observed in his bestselling book,

the seven habits of highly effective People, ‘to know

and not to do is to not yet know.’ this powerful and yet

simple concept smashed me over the head and I have

finally got it! I mean really got it!

It’s all about them!

For years, I, like many sales people, have been taught

that when you sell if you really want to be effective,

you must be genuinely interested in helping customers

solve their problems and do what makes best sense

for them. You have to be customer centric in your

And the day I really got it

By Ian segail

7 / APRIL 2011 / NZsM

approach. Dale Carnegie (Author of how to Win

Friends And Influence People) taught us way back in

the early 1930’s that you should be more interested

than interesting. And whilst I have always understood

the concept intellectually and even taught the power

of seeing things from the customer’s perspective, I

have never really understood it viscerally before now.

The biggest sale of my career

I had been working on what may potentially be the

biggest sale of my career. For a whole bunch of

reasons, I had become obsessed with my need to

bring this sale home. ever had that feeling? ever put

everything else on hold and obsessively focused on

closing a particular sales opportunity? sure you have.

If you’ve been in sales for longer than six months

then you’ll know what I am talking about. I had

become guilty of single sales obsession!

the big issue, when one has so much invested in

making a particular sale, is that it’s very hard to be

empathetic and truly consider the opportunity un-

selfishly from the prospects point of view. If we are

really truly honest with ourselves our focus is very much

‘Me’ centric. It becomes all about our own need to

make the sale. What accomplishing the sale will mean

for us, our sales goals, our sales career etc. We very

often lose sight of what the customer/prospect wants.

The short-list presentation

I had been short listed out of a number of highly

respected, local and international sales development

companies to present my sales management coaching

solution to a large multinational sales organization

based here in sydney, Australia. My prospect had set

up a selection panel of seven key executives, and I,

along with two other top flight candidate organizations

were chosen to formally present our recommendations

for turning around their lagging sales.

I had been working and tweaking and re-tweaking

my sales presentation for days. I had rehearsed and

practiced and I was as ready as I was ever going

to be. I don’t mind admitting publicly that I was

as nervous as a kitten. I hadn’t been this anxious

about presenting in years. so I am driving to the

prospect's offices and I am mentally rehearsing, (for

the 1000th time) and doing the old, if they ask me

this, I’ll say that, thing.

suddenly I become aware of my thinking and my

stress levels. I was off the charts, highly strung with

tension and apprehension. Now I have been training

sales people and sales management long enough now

to recognize that I am a walking disaster and I am

about to blow a great opportunity.

The epiphany

so I ask myself, how come when I am coaching

or training or facilitating a workshop I am always

completely resourceful and un-stressed? It always

amazes me that no matter how challenging the

problem faced by my clients, or how pressurizing the

environment, I always seems to have the ability to think

fast and creatively on my feet. I always seem to either

ask the right question or provide the client with the

most creative answer; just what they needed, at just

the right time. And yet there I was, driving to present

to a panel of selectors, which I’ve done many times

before, stressed out of my head. Like a schoolboy

going on his first date. What was the major difference?

The big issue, when one has so much invested in making a particular sale, is that it’s very hard to be empathetic and truly consider the opportunity un-selfishly from the prospects point of view.


It was very clear to me that as their coach, my goal

would be to help them facilitate the best decision for

themselves. My coaching would never have been about

‘choose me!’ it would have only have been about

‘choose right!’

choose what’s right for you, not what’s right for me!

eureka! talk about putting a pin to the balloon.

the moment I truly got that my presentation wasn’t

about me and my credentials as the super strategic

sales management coach. the moment that I got

that it wasn’t about how I could outperform my

competitors. It wasn’t about having all the answers.

As I drove on my way to the presentation, I got that

it was about me supporting my group of prospects

to make the best possible decision for their business.

that was the moment that all of my stress went out

of the window. I instantly calmed down completely

and my whole focus shifted from me to them.

I changed the introduction to my presentation from:

“here are the 3 things I want to cover with you

today” to “having seen and read my proposal and

having sat through presentations presented by my

esteemed industry colleagues, what do you need

to hear, see or get a sense of from me today that

will help you to make the best possible decision for

your business?” And then I shut up and listened.

If you will get the answer that came to me, not just

intellectually, but emotionally, it will transform the way

you or your sales people sell forever.

You see, when I am coaching my focus is all about the

coachee. When I am running a workshop or presenting

a keynote speech, my attention is on my audience. It’s

always about them and what’s genuinely best for them.

this is lesson 101 in public speaking. Yet here I was as

a salesperson with my focus set firmly on me. My focus

was dialled in on what I wanted. I wanted the prospect

to pick me and my solution.

I got that it was about me

supporting my group of

prospects to make the

best possible decision for

their business.

so I asked myself, if I was coaching this prospect what

outcome would I really want for them?

Would I want them to pick me?•

Would I want them not to ask me any curly •

questions or hit me with objections or concerns

that I had no answers for?

Would I want them to buy me for my expertise or •

my solution?

Would I want to close the sale?•

the answer I came up with wasn’t any of the above. As a

coach, my focused outcome would certainly have been:

how can I support this prospect to make the best •

possible decision for themselves?

how can I support them to choose what will work •

best for their business, in their circumstances?

What would make best sense for them, whether it •

be to select me, or choose one of my competitors

or even none of the above?

What would be in their very best interests? (even •

if it meant selecting someone else or canning the

whole project completely)

Was there even a better and more profitable way •

to solve their problem?


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Now I didn’t know if I would get the contract or not.

But here’s what I did know…. I knew that:

I never presented ‘at them’.•

I presented a strong consultative sale.•

I never ran out of time and never had to cut short •

the Q&A which is often typical with these sorts of

presentations.

there was a whole lot of engagement and •

questions from the panel of decision makers.

I got more ‘show and tell time’ than my •

competitors

I showed them only those PowerPoint slides that •

were meaningful, so there was very limited ‘fluff

n puff’.

I was given no objections to handle.•

the presentation atmosphere was relaxed and jovial •

and I was completely spontaneous and creative.

I had no stress.•

My motives were clear to me and to the decision •

making team.

I maximized my chances for success.•

Out of all of this I realized the simple truth when it

comes to selling, when you focus on what’s right for

the customer as opposed to what would be right for

you, your odds of making the sale become infinitely

increased in your favour.

I knew that even if nothing came from this particular

sales opportunity, I had learned a very valuable lesson.

I have become a far better sales person and presenter

as a result.

I know now what's been missing all these years from

my sales repertoire. I also know what’s missing from

the repertoire of many other sales people who are

failing to make the grade when they’ve come so far

along the sales funnel. I know that when I don the

sales persons hat as I often have to, I will wear it

sparingly because I have discovered a key principle

of successful salesmanship, It’s never about you….

It never was!

Postscript... they are now a happy client:)

Is your business committed to professionalism in selling?

Visit us at www.rsn.co.nz for membership details!

Click to watch an introduction from Rev Sales Network founder Richard Liew!

Join New Zealand’s network for Sales Professionals today!

The Rev Sales Network would like to congratulate the following sales organisations for making the commitment to excellence in selling!

http://www.revsalesnetwork.co.nz/p/about.html

The Rev Sales Network invites you to join us for

Auckland Rev-Up #2 Wednesday 11 May 2011 Guest Speaker Hannah Samuel

The Topic

"The Currency of Trust” The currency of trust is at the heart of every purchase decision. From $1 donuts to million dollar deals, the greater the amount of trust a prospective buyer has in you, and your organisation, the more likely you are to make the sale. When traditional decision-influencers such as product, price, place and promotion are largely equal, buyers will use intangibles such as reputation, integrity and trust, to guide their purchase decisions. Quite simply, the higher your ‘trust-quotient’, the more successful you’re likely to be as a sales professional. Understand: • The value, and cost, of reputation and trust • The sales professional’s role in influencing and

managing expectations • A 5-step trust-building process that will keep your

clients coming back for more, and recommending you others

• Integrity-based credibility builders that will enhance your reputation and help build trust

The Presenter

RSN Rev-Up Series 2011 Auckland Rev-Up #2 With Hannah Samuel 12pm—2pm, Wednesday 11 May 2011 OfficeMax Training Centre 30 Sir Woolf Fisher Drive, Highbrook, East Tamaki Auckland Rev Sales Network Members: Free Non-members: $49.95 incl gst pp Includes light lunch

An award-winning speaker, columnist, and author, Hannah Samuel speaks, writes and mentors worldwide on issues around reputation, trust and integrity. Hannah’s insights are based on more than 20 years experience working in business development in the UK and New Zealand and she is the founder of online reputation service directory TRUSTcite. You can find out more about Hannah and hear what others have to say about her at www.hannahsamuel.com

Visit us at www.rsn.co.nz

The Details

To register your attendance for this event send an email with “Hannah Samuel” in the subject line and the number of tickets required to [email protected]. Or for more details visit us at www.rsn.co.nz

Hurry! Registrations close Friday 6 May! Spaces allocated on first reserved, first served basis. Limit 80 attendees only.

With thanks to

RSN Rev-Up Series AUCKLAND 2011

How To Register

Is your business committed to professionalism in selling?

Visit us at www.rsn.co.nz for membership details!

Click to watch an introduction from Rev Sales Network founder Richard Liew!

Join New Zealand’s network for Sales Professionals today!

The Rev Sales Network would like to congratulate the following sales organisations for making the commitment to excellence in selling!


Liam ventnor is the Principal of sales Fish sales Training. To find out more visit www.salesfish.co.nz

In House Sales TrainingIs it working for you?By Liam Ventnor


professional trainers. Giving people the knowledge and

processes and getting them to use and adopt them as

habit are two different things. If your sales people have

the knowledge, skills and processes but fail to deploy

them, you can't expect sales to increase. It's like the

old adage 'telling ain't selling' and 'telling certainly

ain't training'. Professional sales trainers are experts at

getting sales people to adopt and deploy.

Often in-house training is provided as a point solution.

that is, it addresses a single issue in the sales process

(it might address a single aspect like negotiation

or closing) rather than being delivered as part of a

complete coherently structured programme.

however there is a strong case for in-house

training that focuses on a specific aspect of the

sales programme. It can be used to address a

specific shortfall that arises in the sales process.

It can be used to adjust the sales process to

accommodate a change in focus, for example

a shift in focus from product orientated sales

to service orientated sales, and it can be used

to reinforce an external sales programme.

For these reasons it is also extremely important

that any external sales programme is designed to

integrate with your existing environment and specific

market conditions.

If your sales people have the knowledge, skills and processes but fail to deploy them, you can't expect sales to increase.

Recently we encountered a couple of sales

Managers running their own 'ad hoc' sales

training in-house. (this 'ad hoc' sales training is

not to be confused with the sophisticated sales training

programmes run by some of the larger corporations

who employ their own in-house sales training

programme directors).

the questions I ask these sales Managers are:

Do you have sales people in your team that •

substantially out perform the others?

Do you get frustrated that some of your sales •

people don't implement the advice you give them?

the usual answer we hear to these two questions is

“yes” and “yes”. this tells us there are shortfalls in

their training methodology which means that potential

sales revenue is being lost.

No sales Manager likes to admit that their in-house

training is falling short. (sadly I have to admit being

no exception to this comment in a previous sales

management role). After all, most experienced sales

Managers are seasoned and competent professionals

with excellent personal sales success records.

here are some reasons why in-house sales training,

almost without exception, fails to deliver the key result

of increased sales revenue:

It is often viewed by the recipient as more of the same

old rhetoric. Giving your sales people advice over and

over the same way usually has a diminishing effect each

time you tell them.

While sales Managers usually have a wealth of

knowledge to share they are not necessarily

Whoever delivers your sales programme will need

to be cognisant of this when tailoring the sales

programme for your team. this will mean that they will

need to spend some time before the commencement

of the delivery of the training programme

surveying your market territory and getting a good

understanding of your specific challenges.

In-house sales training is often provided without

structured follow up mechanisms or metrics to ensure

that the 'student' stays on track. taking a wait and see

approach isn’t as effective as milestone-monitoring

and mentoring the sales process for a period after a

training workshop.

this is essential in order to fine tune and adjust

strategies to suit your sales staff's unique

requirements and to address the inevitable adoption

hurdles staff encounter.

sometimes it's hard to see the wood for the trees,

or determine if you need to return to your basics, or

reach out for new strategies. And of course it's also

important to always critically examine what we are

doing from fresh angles. Often an outside perspective

can clearly spot what is missing.

Professional sales trainers should also be keeping

abreast of new sales and lead generation technologies

that can fundamentally change sales strategies.

Obviously I have a vested interest in this topic, but

it is a discussion that should take place within your

organisation. I started this article by saying “recently

we encountered a couple of sales Managers running

their own ad hoc sales training in-house”.

the interesting thing is that we approached one of

these sales managers as a result of a request from

his sales staff who felt the internal sales training was

very haphazard, and not tailored to their current

requirements and opportunities.

Comparing results from sales staff that have been

through your current training programme with those

who haven't should provide revealing metrics.

If you're not measuring sustained gains in sales

revenues from those staff who have been through your

current training ... then it's obviously not working. If

it's not delivering bottom line gains in profit then stop

wasting your money and change something! ■

Comparing results from sales staff that have been through

your current training programme

with those who haven't should

provide revealing metrics. If you're

not measuring sustained gains in

sales revenues from those staff who have

been through your current training...

then it's obviously not working.


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NZSM CALENDARAPRIL-MAY 2011

7 AprilCold Calling/hot KnockingAucklandTop Achievers Sales Training www.topachieverssalestraining.co.nz

7 & 8 April Key Account ManagementAucklandNZIM Northernwww.nzimnorthern.co.nz/wa.asp?idWebPage=16885&idDetails=110

11 April Winning executive summariesAucklandShipley NZwww.shipleywins.co.nz/training/

13 AprilFoundations for sales success45d Mt Wellington highway AucklandZealmark Groupwww.zealmarkgroup.co.nz/profile_Foundations_of_sales_success.php

19 AprilOvercoming ObjectionsAucklandTop Achievers Sales Training www.topachieverssalestraining.co.nz

21 Aprilsales ProcessAucklandTop Achievers Sales Training www.topachieverssalestraining.co.nz

2 May Advanced Presentation MasterclassWellingtonEffective Speakingwww.effectivespeaking.co.nz/presentation-masterclass.html

5 MayCold Calling/hot KnockingAucklandTop Achievers Sales Training www.topachieverssalestraining.co.nz

5 & 6 MayConsultative sales skillsAucklandNZIM Northernwww.nzimnorthern.co.nz/wa.asp?idWebPage=16885&idDetails=108

5 & 6 MayProfessional teleselling skillsAucklandAchieveGlobalwww.achieveglobal.co.nz/calendar

9 May Directors' ForumAucklandShipley NZwww.shipleywins.co.nz/training/

11 MayFoundations for sales success45d Mt Wellington highwayAucklandZealmark Groupwww.zealmarkgroup.co.nz/profile_Foundations_of_sales_success.php

9 to 11 MayProfessional selling skillsAucklandAchieveGlobalwww.achieveglobal.co.nz/calendar

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‘So, who are you’?

slow down to make your introductionBy Paul Newsom

Paul Newsom is the editor of NZ sales Manager and helps sales professionals and sales managers to compete and win in complex sales. You can visit Paul’s website at www.salespartners.co.nz

I received a call this week from an enthusiastic sales

person. I’m all for enthusiasm for our work, however

on this occasion the result of the enthusiasm worked

against him.

the opening words of his introduction were confident

and obviously well practiced, and didn’t sound

scripted. It was said with genuine intent. What went

wrong for this sales person, and me as the recipient

of the call, was that I couldn’t keep up. Now I like to

think my mind is pretty sharp, but the sales person

said the first few words of their introduction far too

quickly. I had no idea of their name of the caller of

their company.

this rushed introduction usually happens when we are

confident, enthusiastic, and know exactly what we are

going to say.

have a think about what is going on for you at the time

when the phone rings, when someone is calling you.

You probably stop what you are doing, and certainly

stop what you were thinking about. In doing so you

check out of whatever you were doing, and check into

answering the phone. On many occasions, as we know,

the former overlaps the latter considerably.

When answering the phone, and recognising that this

is not someone we know, several things are typically

going through our mind:

Who is this person?•

Which company or organization are •

they calling from?

What do they want?•

Do they sound like a sales person, and if so, what •

are they trying to sell me?■

Are they credible?•

how is it relevant to me?•

Do I want to give this any of my time?•

t W O M I N u t e t O P u P


You are also tuning into the tone of the callers voice

and their accent. Whether we are aware or not, we are

forming our first impressions of the caller.

Now the mind is an amazing machine, but if we are

given the opening message too quickly while we

are trying to answer all these questions, then we will

already be going down the path of resistance if our first

response has to be ‘who are you?’, and ‘where are you

calling from?’ this resistance makes it that much harder

for the sales person to establish their credibility, while

they back track and have to repeat their name in those

first few critical moments.

so when making calls, particularly those first time calls

where the person does not already have the answers to

the above questions, it is imperative that your first few

words are spoken slowly, clearly and at a pace where

the person you are calling can process what is going

through their mind, and engage with you.

If the line is bad, it makes it a whole lot harder. If you

are calling to a mobile there is a greater chance of

background noise and poor reception. the quality of

your opening becomes all the more important for you

to establish credibility.

A good way to do this is to say your first name twice in

your opening.

You make the call.

John smith picks up the phone, and says, “hello, this

is John”

You say in a relaxed, well paced manner, “hi John, this

is Paul….1 sec pause…Paul Newsom .. 1sec pause ….

of NZ sales Manager……”

Giving your Christian name twice gives John the

moment that he needs to check out, and check in with

you, and latch onto your name and company.

If your surname is long and hard to pronounce, then

start the introduction with just your first name. If your

company name is long, has no obvious meaning or is

hard to pronounce or spell, then figure out a shorter,

more meaningful way of introducing the company.

this may seem a small thing, but you will find it makes

a huge difference. No longer will you get the response

‘so, who are you….. where are you calling from?’ ■

Now the mind is an amazing machine, but if we are given the opening message too quickly while we are trying to answer all these questions, then we will already be going down the path of resistance if our first response has to be ‘who are you?’

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Author: Robert H Waldman

Publisher: Mcgraw Hill

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this book presents a former

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turning ordinary colleagues

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exploits, former fighter pilot Waldman explains how

to transform ordinary relationships into mutually

beneficial partnerships.

"Never Fly solo" demonstrates that the best way for

readers to reach their peak is by leveraging the skills

and support of trusted associates. It shows how to

choose the right partners and cultivate a relationship

that fosters better ideas, more opportunities, and

the ability to change and adapt quicker than an F-14

chasing a MiG. ■

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Q u I C K F I X

WIN A LAseR POINteR PeN FOR YOuR QuICK FIX!

Personalised booklet calendars for your business.250 New Zealand Scenic Booklet Calendars

Normally $6.00 each

Special Price $3. 20 each + GSTIncludes your company details printed in black ink.

To order phone: Tony 09 625 3373your details here

We know how important it is to be talking

with the decision makers. But how do we

find out who they are?

the best way is to ask. Asking ‘are you the decision

maker’, or ‘who will make the decision’, can be

awkward and may either hit your prospects self

esteem, or make you look stupid if you have misread

the situation.

A better way is to ask ‘who, as well as yourself, will be

making a decision on this?’ this assumption that your

prospect is to be included in the decision will protect

their self esteem, and the assumption that someone

else might be, will open the way to identifying who

else you need to talking with. ■

If you have a favorite ‘quick fix’ that you would like to

share with our readers (without giving your winning

secrets away!) then email the editor at pauln@

nzsalesmanager.co.nz. You will be in to win a high-

powered laser pointer pen, courtesy of the great guys

at Brand storming Promotions.

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It's not what you sell, it's how you sell

Quick FixWHo MAKes THe DecIsIoN RouND HeRe?

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

www.thisisbookseries.com


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“

“I never ran 1000 miles.

I could never have done that. I

ran one mile 1000 times.-Stu Mittleman

American ultra-distance runner.

Documents

NZ Sales Manager Issue 49