My New Sales Strategy Book Is On Sale Now!
10 years ago
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Can't wait for Roku Netflix player to hit UK shores
fantastic gadget this one - the Roku Netflix player. You can actually plug it in to your TV and watch your favorite films from any Video-on-Demand website such as Netflix, Amazon. Currently available in the USA only and highly commended by CNET. Check it out at http://www.roku.com/technology.aspx
Success as a Sales Manager - By Matt Krumrie | Monster Contributing Writer
Why is moving from a job in sales to sales management so difficult? Why do some salespeople excel at selling but fail at managing sales staff? While the principles within the field are the same, the overall skills you need to succeed are very different, says Tony Alessandra, a professional speaker who wrote several books on sales management.
Alessandra explains that the organization’s top salespeople used to move up a company’s ranks by being promoted to sales manager. But that’s a bad move, he says.
“When someone is a top-notch salesperson, they typically are able to work well on their own; they’re a go-getter who can succeed independently, without direction from others,” says Alessandra. “A good sales manager is a good coach, someone who can motivate people to sell, someone who listens and puts their needs secondary to the needs of the sales staff.”
Sales Manager Skills
Good sales managers also need to work well with people, says Darin Andersen, president of Coronado, California-based Biz Dev Direct, a management-consultant firm that works with executives to build sales teams.
“The sales manager has to be able to deal with individual personalities, egos and skill levels,” he says. “They have to do this in a high-pressure environment, because the success of the sales staff is often placed on their shoulders.”
Good salespeople come from all walks of life. Some have bachelor’s or master’s degrees; others come from the school of hard knocks. Regardless of educational background, sales managers require an additional skill set to succeed. Alessandra says good sales managers must:
• Be a better listener than talker.
• Be a coach first, salesperson second. That includes creating performance appraisals/reviews that can lead to future success and generating ideas on how to better sell the product or work with certain clients.
• Have superior people, conflict-resolution and analysis skills.
• Know the individual strengths and weaknesses of every salesperson.
“Don’t be afraid to switch accounts,” advises Alessandra. “Different strategies and tactics work for different customers. Know how to match your people with your customers.”
Alessandra also says a good sales manager will sell his product in the field, for a few days or a week once a quarter, for example, to better understand what the sales staff encounters. The worst mistake a sales manager can make is coming in late on an account to close the deal, he adds.
“If they get the account or deal, then they’ve shattered the confidence of the salesperson and the confidence of the client,” Alessandra says. “If they don’t, then their reputation is hurt, and the salesperson may lose confidence in them as a mentor or leader.”
Success as a Sales Manager
Contrary to popular belief, a good sales manager doesn’t have to be an overbearing, hard-driving stickler demanding each salesperson be on the phone selling, cold calling and prospecting. “Some of the most successful sales managers are those that remember the human side of things,” says Andersen.
Salaries for sales managers vary. Oftentimes, the top members of the sales staff will have higher salaries than the sales manager. This is why many salespeople stay in sales rather than moving into management, where income is sometimes a result of the success of the sales staff they lead, with bonuses and commissions mixed in.
Successful sales managers also need to understand and know their product. If they continually come up with new leads and ideas, they will keep their staff motivated and excited, especially where rejection can be part of the job, says Andersen.
As for running ever-popular company sales contests, those are a no-win situation, says Alessandra. While these events do create competition and force people to push themselves, it’s not fair to make salespeople on different levels of skill and success compete.
Instead, create goals for each individual, and work with them to achieve those goals. “But keep them realistic,” cautions Alessandra. “Stretch them, but don’t break them. By pushing the bar higher and higher, you sometimes make things unrealistic, and frustration sets in.”
It all comes back to people, says Andersen. “Understand your product, understand your people, and continue to coach and teach,” he says. “Then you will have the numbers you are striving for.”
- Matt Krumrie
Alessandra explains that the organization’s top salespeople used to move up a company’s ranks by being promoted to sales manager. But that’s a bad move, he says.
“When someone is a top-notch salesperson, they typically are able to work well on their own; they’re a go-getter who can succeed independently, without direction from others,” says Alessandra. “A good sales manager is a good coach, someone who can motivate people to sell, someone who listens and puts their needs secondary to the needs of the sales staff.”
Sales Manager Skills
Good sales managers also need to work well with people, says Darin Andersen, president of Coronado, California-based Biz Dev Direct, a management-consultant firm that works with executives to build sales teams.
“The sales manager has to be able to deal with individual personalities, egos and skill levels,” he says. “They have to do this in a high-pressure environment, because the success of the sales staff is often placed on their shoulders.”
Good salespeople come from all walks of life. Some have bachelor’s or master’s degrees; others come from the school of hard knocks. Regardless of educational background, sales managers require an additional skill set to succeed. Alessandra says good sales managers must:
• Be a better listener than talker.
• Be a coach first, salesperson second. That includes creating performance appraisals/reviews that can lead to future success and generating ideas on how to better sell the product or work with certain clients.
• Have superior people, conflict-resolution and analysis skills.
• Know the individual strengths and weaknesses of every salesperson.
“Don’t be afraid to switch accounts,” advises Alessandra. “Different strategies and tactics work for different customers. Know how to match your people with your customers.”
Alessandra also says a good sales manager will sell his product in the field, for a few days or a week once a quarter, for example, to better understand what the sales staff encounters. The worst mistake a sales manager can make is coming in late on an account to close the deal, he adds.
“If they get the account or deal, then they’ve shattered the confidence of the salesperson and the confidence of the client,” Alessandra says. “If they don’t, then their reputation is hurt, and the salesperson may lose confidence in them as a mentor or leader.”
Success as a Sales Manager
Contrary to popular belief, a good sales manager doesn’t have to be an overbearing, hard-driving stickler demanding each salesperson be on the phone selling, cold calling and prospecting. “Some of the most successful sales managers are those that remember the human side of things,” says Andersen.
Salaries for sales managers vary. Oftentimes, the top members of the sales staff will have higher salaries than the sales manager. This is why many salespeople stay in sales rather than moving into management, where income is sometimes a result of the success of the sales staff they lead, with bonuses and commissions mixed in.
Successful sales managers also need to understand and know their product. If they continually come up with new leads and ideas, they will keep their staff motivated and excited, especially where rejection can be part of the job, says Andersen.
As for running ever-popular company sales contests, those are a no-win situation, says Alessandra. While these events do create competition and force people to push themselves, it’s not fair to make salespeople on different levels of skill and success compete.
Instead, create goals for each individual, and work with them to achieve those goals. “But keep them realistic,” cautions Alessandra. “Stretch them, but don’t break them. By pushing the bar higher and higher, you sometimes make things unrealistic, and frustration sets in.”
It all comes back to people, says Andersen. “Understand your product, understand your people, and continue to coach and teach,” he says. “Then you will have the numbers you are striving for.”
- Matt Krumrie
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
The 11 Rules to Change the World - by Robin Sharma
1. You be the change you dream of seeing (Thanks Mahatma Gandhi). "If everyone of us would sweep their own doorstep, the whole world would be clean," observed Mother Teresa. She was right.
2. Make time every day to reconnect to your highest ideals and boldest dreams. Without hope, people perish.
3. Leave every person you meet better than you found them. Life's too short to withhold encouragement and kindness.
4. As I wrote in 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari", see every setback as a stepping stone and every problem as a blessing in disguise. Contrary to what critics might say, these are NOT corny aphorisms. They are timeless truths of humanity. (And critics are just people too scared to grow their dreams anyway - pay no attention to them. The world needs more people lifting people up rather than putting people down).
5. Go the extra mile in everything you do - you don't need a title to be a leader. And on your deathbed, you'll never regret expressing the best within you
6. Do what's right rather than what's easy. Being a great person isn't a popularity contest. Many of the greatest leaders were disliked because they refused to bend to the winds of public opinion. That's called Strength of Character
7. Care for your health. You elevate the world by elevating yourself and your health really matters. Why be the richest person in the graveyard?
8. Tell your kids they are geniuses - and how much you adore them. Each of us are born geniuses but lose that gift within the first 6 years of our lives as we adopt the fears and limiting beliefs of those around us. Your kids are the leaders of the future. Grow their potential. Now.
9. Learn something new every day. As you grow, you begin to see possibilities you didn't have the eyes to see before. Read from an inspiring book, listen to an audio program, visit a good blog, go to a powerful workshop or have a conversation with an elder. One idea is all it takes to transform your life.
10. Keep your life simple. Please. The secret to success and happiness is building your life around a few important things. The person who tries to do everything accomplishes nothing. As I recently mentioned on my blog, "What's the point in being busy doing the wrong things?"
11. Remember that life is a mirror and we receive what we give out. To get more joy, give more joy. To have more respect, give more respect. To realize your dreams, help others realize theirs.
2. Make time every day to reconnect to your highest ideals and boldest dreams. Without hope, people perish.
3. Leave every person you meet better than you found them. Life's too short to withhold encouragement and kindness.
4. As I wrote in 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari", see every setback as a stepping stone and every problem as a blessing in disguise. Contrary to what critics might say, these are NOT corny aphorisms. They are timeless truths of humanity. (And critics are just people too scared to grow their dreams anyway - pay no attention to them. The world needs more people lifting people up rather than putting people down).
5. Go the extra mile in everything you do - you don't need a title to be a leader. And on your deathbed, you'll never regret expressing the best within you
6. Do what's right rather than what's easy. Being a great person isn't a popularity contest. Many of the greatest leaders were disliked because they refused to bend to the winds of public opinion. That's called Strength of Character
7. Care for your health. You elevate the world by elevating yourself and your health really matters. Why be the richest person in the graveyard?
8. Tell your kids they are geniuses - and how much you adore them. Each of us are born geniuses but lose that gift within the first 6 years of our lives as we adopt the fears and limiting beliefs of those around us. Your kids are the leaders of the future. Grow their potential. Now.
9. Learn something new every day. As you grow, you begin to see possibilities you didn't have the eyes to see before. Read from an inspiring book, listen to an audio program, visit a good blog, go to a powerful workshop or have a conversation with an elder. One idea is all it takes to transform your life.
10. Keep your life simple. Please. The secret to success and happiness is building your life around a few important things. The person who tries to do everything accomplishes nothing. As I recently mentioned on my blog, "What's the point in being busy doing the wrong things?"
11. Remember that life is a mirror and we receive what we give out. To get more joy, give more joy. To have more respect, give more respect. To realize your dreams, help others realize theirs.
The Great Challenge of Life - By Jim Rohn
Here's the great challenge of life - You can have more than you've got because you can become more than you are.
I have found that income seldom will exceed your own personal development. Once in a while income takes a lucky jump, but unless you grow out to where it is, it will go back to where you are. Somebody once said if you took all the money in the world and divided it among everyone equally; it would soon be back in the same pockets. However, you can have more because you can become more. You see, here is how the other side of the coin reads - unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got. The marketing plan won't do it. It's a good plan but it won't work without you. You've got to work it. It is the human effort that counts. If you could send a sales manual out to recruit - wouldn't that be lovely? The major thing that makes the difference is what YOU do.
In order to have more, you need to become more. The guy says "If I had a good job I would really pour it on, but I have this lousy job so I just goof off." If that is your philosophy, you are destined to stay there. Some people say if I had a lot of money I would be really generous, but I don't have much so I'm not generous. See, you've got to change that philosophy or you will never have "the lots of money." Unless YOU change, IT won't change. Amazingly, however, when we throw out our blame list and start becoming more ourselves - the difference is everything else will begin to change around us.
- Jim Rohn
I have found that income seldom will exceed your own personal development. Once in a while income takes a lucky jump, but unless you grow out to where it is, it will go back to where you are. Somebody once said if you took all the money in the world and divided it among everyone equally; it would soon be back in the same pockets. However, you can have more because you can become more. You see, here is how the other side of the coin reads - unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got. The marketing plan won't do it. It's a good plan but it won't work without you. You've got to work it. It is the human effort that counts. If you could send a sales manual out to recruit - wouldn't that be lovely? The major thing that makes the difference is what YOU do.
In order to have more, you need to become more. The guy says "If I had a good job I would really pour it on, but I have this lousy job so I just goof off." If that is your philosophy, you are destined to stay there. Some people say if I had a lot of money I would be really generous, but I don't have much so I'm not generous. See, you've got to change that philosophy or you will never have "the lots of money." Unless YOU change, IT won't change. Amazingly, however, when we throw out our blame list and start becoming more ourselves - the difference is everything else will begin to change around us.
- Jim Rohn
Take Yourself to the Top! by Chris Widener
Everybody wants to get to the top, whether it is the top of a career, a company, the earnings scale, or the many other ways that we as individuals can define the “top’ in our own lives! But with so many people trying to get to the top, how come so many people aren't moving up? I think there are some fundamental reasons why. Reasons that can be addressed and changed!
What are some things you can do to get to the top? Here are some thoughts for you this week!
First of all, define what the “top’ means for you. This is extremely important because if you don't know where you are going, you will never get there! Some people don't want to be the CEO of the company. In fact, many think they are better off than the CEO even though they don't make as much money. Instead, they think they are at the top because of less stress, weekends with their families, etc., and I see their point. It doesn't matter what others think is the top, only what you do, since you are only gauging whether or not YOU get there! So where is it for you? That is the first question for you to answer.
Be passionate about your goal. Passion is the energy that drives us, or, as Alexander Pope said, passions are the “gales of life.’ Passion is the wind in the sales of work. Find something you love and you will find something you can get to the top of. If you don't love it, you may still make it to the top, though highly unlikely. And even if you do, there will be no joy. Let your passion carry you, because it will carry you far! Thomas Fuller put it this way: A man with passion rides a horse that runs away with him.
The will to continue in the face of hardship. Another reason most will not get to the top is because they simply refuse to scale the mountains of hardship that separate them from the top. If you want to get to the beautiful view from the top, you will have to climb over any obstacles. Instead, many choose to stay at base camp! One would think that Bjorn Borg, one of the greatest tennis players to ever live, would consider his skill his greatest asset. Instead, this is what he says, "My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories." Continue until you get to the top!
Love people and treat them right. What? Love people? That's right! Why? Because if you are going to get to the top you are going to need other people. Be a jerk and you will find people dragging their feet on you. Treat them right and you will find them helping you and even cheering you on!
Master the appropriate skills. Average skills will get you to the middle. Top skills will get you to the TOP! This is most assuredly true when combined with the points above. Are you achieving excellence in the skills you need? Are you growing day by day, month by month, year by year? You can always get better and getting better will take you closer to the top! Even if you only improve a little, you can keep improving that small amount and it will eventually become a big amount! Demand the best from yourself and you will get to the top. Remember the words of Jose Ortega y Gasset: "We distinguish the excellent man from the common man by saying that the former is the one who makes great demands on himself, and the latter who makes no demands on himself."
Define the Top
Be Passionate
Persevere
Love others
Skill Mastery!
These will take you to the top!
-- Chris Widener
What are some things you can do to get to the top? Here are some thoughts for you this week!
First of all, define what the “top’ means for you. This is extremely important because if you don't know where you are going, you will never get there! Some people don't want to be the CEO of the company. In fact, many think they are better off than the CEO even though they don't make as much money. Instead, they think they are at the top because of less stress, weekends with their families, etc., and I see their point. It doesn't matter what others think is the top, only what you do, since you are only gauging whether or not YOU get there! So where is it for you? That is the first question for you to answer.
Be passionate about your goal. Passion is the energy that drives us, or, as Alexander Pope said, passions are the “gales of life.’ Passion is the wind in the sales of work. Find something you love and you will find something you can get to the top of. If you don't love it, you may still make it to the top, though highly unlikely. And even if you do, there will be no joy. Let your passion carry you, because it will carry you far! Thomas Fuller put it this way: A man with passion rides a horse that runs away with him.
The will to continue in the face of hardship. Another reason most will not get to the top is because they simply refuse to scale the mountains of hardship that separate them from the top. If you want to get to the beautiful view from the top, you will have to climb over any obstacles. Instead, many choose to stay at base camp! One would think that Bjorn Borg, one of the greatest tennis players to ever live, would consider his skill his greatest asset. Instead, this is what he says, "My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories." Continue until you get to the top!
Love people and treat them right. What? Love people? That's right! Why? Because if you are going to get to the top you are going to need other people. Be a jerk and you will find people dragging their feet on you. Treat them right and you will find them helping you and even cheering you on!
Master the appropriate skills. Average skills will get you to the middle. Top skills will get you to the TOP! This is most assuredly true when combined with the points above. Are you achieving excellence in the skills you need? Are you growing day by day, month by month, year by year? You can always get better and getting better will take you closer to the top! Even if you only improve a little, you can keep improving that small amount and it will eventually become a big amount! Demand the best from yourself and you will get to the top. Remember the words of Jose Ortega y Gasset: "We distinguish the excellent man from the common man by saying that the former is the one who makes great demands on himself, and the latter who makes no demands on himself."
Define the Top
Be Passionate
Persevere
Love others
Skill Mastery!
These will take you to the top!
-- Chris Widener
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