Increase Sales Blog

Posts Tagged ‘sales coach’

What makes a great salesperson in today’s technology driven, moving at warp speed market place?  Talk to any sales coach, selling expert or training specialist and you receive various lists describing abilities,  attitudes,  characteristics, competencies, knowledge, skills and talents. Sales Training Coaching Tip:  Make sure you are not missing this in your sales training.

With that said, most people know what does not make a great salesperson.  A recent posting in a social media group revealed some telltale signs.  The discussion was around specific comments being deleted because the person writing the comment appeared to be engaged in selling from the stage so to speak and not sharing.

Two of this person’s remarks struck me.

1. “I do not have time to discuss the proper etiquette of a post.”
2. “I have to sell.”

The individual went on to  stress that the discussion he or she started was informative, but the “social media police” within this one discussion group has the last word and beware your comments might also face the same dire circumstance of being deleted.

I shared this comment with a colleague and asked her opinion. She first thought it was a joke and no one would post such a comment.  Then she realized it was not a joke.

The posting by this person suggests he or she may have some misconceptions about how to engaged in education based marketing because his or her focus was on selling. Also, as to relationship selling, this individual may be missing the mark there as well.

Relationship selling is all about building a mutual relationship and I stress mutual.  When someone announces that he or she does not have the time to talk about the rules of engagement (social media etiquette), then that person may end up adopting “I got to sell” attitude because the goal to increase sales is not being easily achieved.  Also the relationship is probably more one sided (salesperson) than mutual.

People buy from people they know and trust.  By sharing in a public discussion group that you do not have time for social etiquette because you must be selling will let people know your intentions and may also inform them that you may not be trustworthy. This places you in that rather large group of gray jackets instead of allowing you to be a Red Jacket.

P.S. Do you know your talents or strengths?  And do you know what talents are necessary to be engaged in relationship selling. Oh by the way, everyone is engaged in sales, it is just some people get paid for it while others do not.

During the past several years, I have penned the following articles specific to business coaching certification.

• Coaching Certification: The Low Down
• Does Coaching Certification Equal Legitimization and Is that the Real Question to Be Asked?

These articles were in response to:

• A certified Life coach who asked me if I was certified? My response was Yes by the results from my clients. She went on to say that I was misrepresenting myself and results were not everything.
• Discussion about value respective to coaching certification and clients results

The behavior of the certified “Life Coach” reminded me of so many college professors who are “book smart” yet have never been in the business world.  They live in what some have called “Ivory Towers.”

The reason I mention this is in a Google alert I came across another person advocating certification over experience. (I just love Google alerts along with the other alerts such as BNet, AllBusiness or Smart Briefs. These daily and weekly notifications allow me to write interesting posts and provide you, the reader, with different viewpoints.)

In this particular post, the blogger (certified by Results Coaching System) suggested the first question one should ask a potential executive coach, business coach or sales coach is what certification do you hold?  For me that is probably the last question I would ask. My first question would be:

What results have your clients secured from hiring you? (Strange this particular individual is certified by an organization with the word results in its name and yet his focus is on being certified and not on results? … Hmmmm)

Quickly followed by these next two questions:

1. Have those results been sustainable?
2. May I speak to at least two of your clients?

From my perspective it is all about results. Why in the heck would anyone hire you if you could not deliver results in exchange for his or her hard earned cash?

As I shared in the articles, the only time I have been asked if I am certified is by another certified coach.  This does not mean I do not believe in certification or professional development and growth.  Engaging in such a learning experience can be beneficial, but does not guarantee your clients will secure the results.  Only your engagements with your clients and their willingness to share those interactions can support the results you deliver.

Sales mistakes abound.  People are in a hurry to get it done and not necessarily right. In a blog by sales coach, Cheryl Clausen, she talks about common sales mistakes and specifically this sales mistake of leaving buyers hanging – or what I call follow-up.

Sales research suggests almost 50% of all sales leads are never followed up. Given the story that Cheryl shares, this research continues to be validated.

With most earned sales coming after five to twelve contacts, many salespersons are not working through the marketing and selling steps within the sales process. These folks appear to be looking for the quick sale, the easy dollars.  In today’s challenging marketplace, there is no quick sale.  Violation of the steps in the sales process will only ensure less dollars in your own piggy bank.

If you want to increase sales, then stop with the most common sales mistakes beginning with this one of  not following up on all sales leads. Keep contacting your potential customers. Use technology when appropriate.  However the best way is to answer the phone, return all calls and deliver what you promise. Sales Training Coaching Tip:  Return to your values statement within your overall strategic business action plan. Make sure your behaviors are in congruency with this statement. By taking this action, you will be the Red Jacket in the sea of gray suits.