Strategies for Creating a Dynamic Sales Team

Presented by

Jane Whitmore Manager U.S. Education ChannelJames Potantus Vice President

February 11, 2010

Selling to Business & Industry◦ Previous model vs. what’s needed now

Best practices in selecting sales professionals

Best practices in managing the team

Our Objectives

Work is different. Jobs have changed.

Has your selection system kept up?

Yesterday’s Reality Today’s Reality

Respond to incoming requests

Department existence supported by college

Sufficient incoming new business

Specific needs Personal

relationships

Proactive sales efforts

Department self-sustaining

Clients deferring to future

Broader issues CRM system

(communication)

Best Practices in Selection

Prior industry experience (sales, B&I)

Based on Competencies (OD, training background)

Gathers Behavioral Examples (collaboration, partnerships)

Examine Motivational Fit (competitive, hunter vs. farmer, compensation, work/life balance)

Provides a Good Experience (life long learners, inquisitive)

Components of Good Selection Process

Think HolisticallyThe Complete Success Profile

What people know

Technical and/or professional information needed to successfully perform job activities

What people have done

Educational and work achievements needed to successfully perform job activities

What people can do

A cluster of behaviors performed on a job

Who people are

Personal dispositions and motivations that relate to job satisfaction, job success, or failure

Apply model to Sales Role

What people know

• Sales Call Facilitation

• General understanding of contracting process

What people have done

• Experience performing one-on-one customer interactions

• Developing sales plans

What people can do

• Customer Focus• Persuasive

Communication• Managing Work

Who people are

• Enjoys customer interaction

• Continuous Learning

• Work Standards

Key Actions Determine customer needs and decision criteria. Select approach appropriate to situation. Demonstrate how our service/approach satisfies

needs. Determine nature of objections and respond

appropriately. (Acknowledge the customer’s concerns) Gain commitment to recommended action.

Job-Specific Activities◦ Identify business needs of prospects and key customers.

Persuasiveness/Sales AbilityUsing appropriate interpersonal styles and communication methods to gain acceptance of an idea, plan, activity, or product from prospects and clients.

Managing the Sales Job Supporting Sales Implementations Customer Networking Building Mutually Rewarding Relationships Sales Opportunity Analysis (pipeline) Sales Call Facilitation Persuasive Communication (authentic, genuine)

Devising Methodology, Approaches and Solutions

Some Consultative Sales Competencies

Achievement Salary/commission match Independence Recognition Active Learning Sales Disposition (volume of work) Job Fit Professional Demeanor (image and tone)

Motivational Facets

Business Engagement ModelCustomer-Centric Process

1Understand the Market

Internal & External

3Build Relationships

Marketing, Communications, Sales

2

Brand StrategyPositioning & Architecture

The Key to Customer-Centric ModelsManaging Perceptions

Organized by Business Function

Delivering on the PromiseOrganizationally Speaking

LeadershipBranding, Financial, Supervisory

Administrative Support

BusinessDevelopment

Solutions Management

Client Relations

Building your team◦ Targeted Hiring◦ Compensation (Commission Plan)

◦ Developing/working territories◦ Client Relationship Management (CRM)

Business Advisory Council Seek out partnerships/providers

Sales Strategies:What drives you and your team to succeed?

Performance Management◦ Opportunities Pipeline◦ Strategic Selling (Miller Heiman)

Blue Sheets “The New Strategic Selling” Managing your business Sharing results (current sales) All lines of the business involved

Sales Strategies:What drives you and your team to succeed?

Set a revenue goal. Don’t be scared. Don’t settle for X if you don’t want to. It’s a goal; it should be realistic but a stretch!

Take a look at your revenue streams and figure out what percentage of your total revenues comes from which source.

Now, use those percentages to figure out how much you’d need to make from each of them in order to reach your overall revenue goal.

Once you have annual revenue goals for your various income streams, break that down further to monthly/quarterly revenue goals.

Now that you have revenue goals for each of your revenue streams,

figure out what you need to do deliver in order to reach that goal.

Figure out how to make that happen, where to find those customers or additional clients!

Setting Revenue Targets

Be prepared (do your homework)

Set a positive tone Pay attention to the individuals wants

and needs Manage the interaction Make your demeanor engaging Share personal success stories

◦ Testimonials (visual and writing)◦ ROI stories

Making a Positive Impression

Antiquated sales methodologies Tactics before strategy Transactional vs. Consultative Branding (logos, business cards, etc.)

Lack of strategic positioning Collaboration/Partnerships Extension of Your Sales Team Span of work – End results for the clients

(Kirkpatrick’s level) ROI

Evaluation Time!

James Potantus, Vice President Corporate CollegeA division of Cuyahoga Community College(216) 987-2932 (office)james.potantus@tri-c.edu

Thank you for attending!

Jane Whitmore, Manager US Channel EducationDevelopment Dimensions Int’l (DDI)(412) 220-7984jane.whitmore@ddiworld.com