Track
Selling Times - September 1998
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Track Selling Times
The Voice of the Sales Profession
Issue No. 106
September 1, 1998
Published by Max Sacks International
Home of 100% Guaranteed World Class Sales Training, and
Developers of the Track Selling System™.
Author/Editor: Roy Chitwood, President, MSI
Archives of this letter are available at
http://www.maxsacks.com/newsletter.html
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In this issue:
Newsletter
Archives
"The Qualities of the True Sales Professional"
by Roy E. Chitwood, CSP, CSE
I've spoken at length before on the attributes of the so-called 'salespeople' who give our profession a bad name. They are easy to detect, either by their inappropriate attire and gold chains, or by their uncomfortable and incompetent manner. But what about the true sales professional? How easy is he or she to spot? Very, if you know what to look for. Here are the main qualities I've observed in every sales pro with whom it's been my pleasure to come in contact.
1. They have and use a methodology.
In depth research shows all sales professionals have developed some type of consistency in their sales procedure. While their methods may vary, their success is by purpose, not by chance.
2. They have a willingness to learn.
Many suppose that top salespeople rest on their laurels. Not so. The ones I know are always discovering new ways to improve their craft. They realize they are part of a profession and, as such, must continue their own personal development. For them, school is never out. They continually seek new challenges to take them beyond their current comfort zone.
3. They have a service-oriented attitude.
In order to honestly sell oneself and establish rapport, a salesperson must subscribe to a particular philosophy of selling: the only reason for any sales call is to be of service to the customer. This philosophy manifests itself in every sales action, as well as in the overall attitude of the salesperson. As a result of being of service to others, salespeople meet their quotas, keep their jobs, make money and experience satisfaction. It becomes a way of life and eliminates all uncertainties, as they always do what's right for the customer. Without this viewpoint, vital selling skills, such as on-target questioning and listening, are hard to develop.
4. They have integrity.
In the usual course of life, mediocre salespeople have a tendency to sacrifice long term benefits for immediate sales. A professional, on the other hand, has the discipline to know when to walk away. Astute buyers, for example, will check to see if they can trust you. They'll ask questions they know the answer to already, which may uncover small weaknesses in a product or service. If you attempt to mislead or, worse, lie, those buyers won't do business with you.
5. They seek out professional certification.
Although sales certification has not always been universally accepted in the world of sales, there is an increasing trend toward it. Certification in sales requires a certain level of knowledge, experience, and adherence to a code of ethics. Soon enough, all salespeople will be required to possess a certificate from an accredited organization. I am proud to say that Max Sacks was one of the first accredited sales training firms.
6. They seek long-term success.
While quick-buck rip-off artists may appear to be well-rewarded, their success is always short-lived. Most end up burned out, with life collapsing all around them. Only professionals attain long-term success. Why? Because they invest in their own future and the future of their clientele. They see themselves as partners with their customers and do nothing to endanger that relationship. As a consequence, professionals enjoy what they do, radiate a genuine enthusiasm for the job and are continually improving their performance levels.
Although it may seem like a daunting task to attempt to join the ranks of the top sales practitioners, hard work, honesty and a willingness to learn are the only prerequisites to sales success.
Integrity Pays:
Taking Responsibility for Your Own Mistakes
Jack Root, a long-time Southern California resident, is a management coach for entrepreneurs. For 25 years he owned an audio-visual company and has extensive experience with the role integrity plays in business expansion.
"One day, we discovered that overpayments were not being refunded to our customers. The person responsible said that was they way they did it in his prior company. They even justified it as a way of replacing other areas of money loss. When we investigated our own accounts further, we found that with one customer, overpayments amounted to $20,000."
What did you do?
"We were concerned that they might think we'd deliberately been over billing them. Had they uncovered it in an audit, they would not have looked favorably on us as a supplier. When we initiated a refund to the company, they were surprised, but very pleased. As a result, they became a long-term account."
What do you see as the role integrity plays in business?
"We have an enviable record of retaining clientele, mainly because of our honesty. Integrity is the key to maintaining a stable customer base and also in keeping a company together. But you have to demonstrate it at the top. You can't run a company and expect coworkers to have a sense of integrity if you don't have it yourself."
Jack can be contacted at Hichuk@aol.com
World Class Sales Management:
Running an International Sales Force
By: By Doug McLean,
Vice President of European Sales at London-based MTI Technology Inc.
I've been in sales management for the last twelve years. Currently, I supervise 56 direct sales employees throughout Europe. I was lucky enough to attend a Max Sacks International seminar within one month of starting my sales career. It was instrumental in my first promotion to District Sales Manager. Although I've encountered many different sales systems since then, Track Selling is the most effective.
When managing an international sales force, it's important to understand ethnic and cultural differences. In the European market, for instance, salesmanship is considered more of an "art" form than a serious profession. Customers often take a cynical approach and resist being "sold to". Many view a salesman's job as being to 'persuade' rather than to help a customer "understand" what it is he or she really wants. Track Selling is particularly good at breaking down these areas of resistance to achieving a lasting customer relationship.
It's always fascinated me how many European-based salespeople prefer to call themselves Consultants, Managers, Account Directors, Executives, etc - anything other than a salesman. It's fun to spread a sense of pride in professional salesmanship to the market, our customers and our employees. At MTI, we've built what I would consider the MOST professional sales force in the IT industry in Europe, and we are very proud of our track record and future as professional salespeople.
The best advice I could give other sales managers would be to aim to intimately understand each individual's needs, hopes, desires, personality, strengths, weaknesses, family and friends, assume they change constantly and recognize they need to be regularly confirmed. You are in the people business and only by truly understanding salespeople can you get the best performance for their customers, themselves and the company.
It goes without saying that I also strongly recommend that you implement the Max Sacks sales process across the organization. It is the backbone of how a sales force operates and provides complementary functions, such as forecasting, prospect management and strategic account selling. All MTI European salespeople are trained to use Track Selling.
Doug McLean can be contacted at: dmclean@viasmtp.mti.co.uk
Focus on the Professional - Rick VonderBrink
Rick VonderBrink is Executive Vice President at QESCO, a Cincinnati buying group that negotiates contracts between buyers and sellers. He has 31 years of sales experience.
"I always felt that I was a good communicator and a good salesman. But I was always a student of professional selling, interested in learning the most workable methods. That's why I became involved with Track Selling."
What did you gain from the training?
"Selling is all about communication. Track Selling upgraded my level of communication. My ability to ask good, open-ended, probing questions improved, I became a better listener and, as a result, sales performance increased. It also helped me to better organize my sales presentations."
What advice would you give to would-be sales professionals?
"I believe strongly that every salesperson needs to continually strive to improve their own selling skills. The old adage is true that some sales veterans have 30 years of experience while others actually have only one year of experience repeated 30 times. Professional education is important to everybody."
Rick is now taking an extra step to hone his sales skills. He has volunteered to teach a course in continuing education for adults at a local high school. He'll be using "World Class Selling: The Complete Selling Process" as the principle text in the preparation of the curriculum.
Rick can be contacted at ravbrink@aol.com
Ask Roy
Jill Jankowski of Miami asks,
"The leading salesman at my company, someone I always looked up, recently disappeared. When management looked into his area, they found dozens of complaints from disgruntled customers, as well as financial irregularities and missing funds. It shattered me. How could someone who appeared so able, be such a criminal? And is that the way you have to be to get on in sales?"
Roy's Answer:
"Absolutely not! Dishonesty might bring temporary success, but in the long term, it always leads to disaster. I've seen it happen many times. Some people put on a show about what 'great' salespeople they are. But to know the true story, talk with their customers. What do they have to say? Are they satisfied that they got what the salesperson promised? Would they go back to him or her with repeat business? Only those who really care about their customers merit respect. And the others? Sooner or later their careers go up in flames."
Reader Survey
1. What do you think of Track Selling Times?
2. What else would you like to see included?
3. If you have sales questions for Roy, or know of a salesperson, sales manager or integrity story that should be featured in Track Selling Times, mail it
to:
The Editor, Track Selling Times
c/o Max Sacks International
2442 NW Market Street #409
Seattle
WA 98107
Tel: (206) 706-4119 Fax: (206) 706-5359
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Credit any excerpts as follows: © 1998 Max Sacks International
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Times in any promotion material
