Span the Chasm – Sales Team Training – Driving Sustainable Sales and Growth through Development and Consulting

Author: CtheSpan

  • Sales Leadership Lessons from 4th Grade Teachers

    Sales Leadership Lessons from 4th Grade Teachers

    I was trying to throw pennies into the fish bowl near my desk.  

    Again.

    For no other reason than to see if I COULD.

    In my defense, I WAS 10 years old.  

    And Ms. Millie, my 4th grade teacher, didn’t scold me. She just moved me. She had already learned that I couldn’t NOT do it. I was extremely distractible. And curious. Ridiculously so on both counts. This was pre-ADHD but I would have been the poster child for it.

    If you know me, that’s not a big surprise.

    Ms. Millie taught me a lot about managing sales people. If you manage your sales people as if they are 4th grade, ADHD kids, you won’t be disappointed. This may seem like odd advice, so let’s break it down into 3 easy lessons:

    Give crystal clear direction: We often assume our teams clearly understand what we’re telling them to execute. Eg: We tell them to ‘Get with the Economic Buyer’ and everyone says ‘Yes!’  But they may have no idea how to carry this out. Sometimes what is clear to us, is NOT clear to your team. Slow it down and give directions in a paint-by-number fashion. First this, then this, and finally, do this. You know the old adage about making assumptions, but it’s also foolish and cruel. It’s not fair to anyone, including you.

    Practice patience: People won’t ‘get it’ the first time you say it, even if they nod their heads. They got something but probably not what you truly meant. Explain it again. Explain it slowly. Explain it in different terms and associate it with the WHY. Ask them to restate what you’re asking and help them clarify.  It takes time, much like learning to do anything new, such as walking or riding a bike. But no one got frustrated with you because they knew it was part of the process. Give the same courtesy to your people.

    Set realistic expectations:  Skills are built one on top of the other and that takes time. I am someone who has a tendency to teach too many topics in a workshop. I now only expect my students to grasp one concept and work on it until mastery is achieved. Give the same courtesy to your team. Whatever you are asking of them, make sure they work on that thing until it’s mastered. You have a lot on your plate, but flooding them with your ideas and demands will frustrate you and create a feeling of failure for them.

    [Take Action Now!]
    Go back to something you are asking your team or individuals to do. Review the instruction and expectations that you set.  If you handed or explained it to me in the same way you did for them, would I understand it?

    If what you’re asking can’t be understood by ADHD 4th graders, head back to the drawing board and start over using the 3 principles above.  

    While Ms. Millie is no longer with us, her legacy of patience and love lives on. Thank you Ms. Millie for understanding me, for loving me and for helping me become me. You were a saint then and will be one in my mind for eternity.

    Will your teams say the same of you?

    Imagine:  How would it feel with less confusion in the day-to-day leadership of your teams if you put these concepts into practice? You will be in control of your very own classroom.

    You up for it?

    We are, of course, here to help you #BeBrave!

    ♫ Listen to this ♫
    Check out the latest episode on our podcast, UNCOMMON SALES SUCCESS! Subscribe and give us a review on iTunes, or visit https://spanthechasm.com/podcast to listen!

  • Sales Leadership Lessons from Mom

    Sales Leadership Lessons from Mom

    We just celebrated Mother’s day, and it turns out mom’s wise words can help strengthen your sales relationships.  

    All based on a phrase mom often said. At least my mom said it:

    ‘If you mess up, you fess up and you clean up.’

    We are ALL guilty of making mistakes in selling and they come in many forms: Mistakes about capabilities, errors in pricing or terms, false statements about a Gartner report, incorrect API integrations, wrong about revision compatibility.  (By the way, for clarity, I’m guilty of all of these!)

    It doesn’t matter. We have all stepped in it.  

    So…what’s is the plan?

    Duh….

    Hide it. Step around it. Deny it. (Yep, I have done all of these too!)

    But then the voice of mom rings in my head. That simple lesson from my childhood. I messed up and it’s time to fess up and start doing the clean up.

    But what does it look like? It’s actually simple but takes a lot of courage and discomfort until you’ve done it 10, 20 or 50 times (Yep, I’ve done it this many times and am now an expert!).

    Let’s break this down:

    Mess up. First you have to acknowledge the mistake to YOURSELF. Being human means mistakes are inevitable. Review your work, and when something is off ask yourself how this will impact the relationship and the deal. If there’s negative consequences down the line, then onto the next part.

    Fess up. Time to COMMUNICATE what happened. It sounds like this:

    ‘Hey Jim, on the pricing for the configuration I sent you, I was wrong. I made a mistake and that changes it by $75,000.  I’m so sorry. Can you please forgive me?’

    Stop and wait for Jim to forgive you because you MUST repair the relationship before anything else.

    It is hard to say you’re sorry.  For me, it’s even harder to ask for forgiveness. But, through my own experience and working with others, until we make relational restitution, there is no point in moving forward.

    Clean up. Make it RIGHT. Your mistake is going to impact your customer’s experience, but you can turn it around by offering something else of value, however small.

    I understand that my mistake has ramifications. Here is what I can do. We are going to offer …..  I owe it to you to take full responsibility for my actions.’

    Take ownership. There’s no other way.

    A funny thing happens when you say you’re sorry and ask for forgiveness. Relationships often become stronger through the process. Trust levels increase, not decrease.

    Some of our best referrals were from my biggest mistakes. And, because I listened to mom, stronger relationships were forged.

    Our mistakes usually find the light of day and when that happens, the only option we have left is manipulation. And no one wins then.

    Mom was right. Are you ready to practice the wisdom of your mother? It’s up to you.

    Your prospects and clients deserve it.  Step up!

    #BeBrave!

     

    P. S. ♫ Listen to this ♫  We just launched our podcast, UNCOMMON SALES SUCCESS! Check it out on iTunes, or visit https://spanthechasm.com/podcast to listen!

  • 3 Sales Leadership Lessons from Yoda

    3 Sales Leadership Lessons from Yoda

    Have you ever wondered why Yoda bothered training Jedi when he was completely kick ass on his own?  

    He knew a valuable principle that would benefit many sales leaders:

    Heroism doesn’t scale

    He knew the necessity to invest in others so the Jedi, keepers of the balance of the Force, could carry on the mission of the Jedi Council. His goal was on the greater good.

    At Span the Chasm, we work with many well-meaning sales leaders who believe they have to do everything, be in the center of everything, be the expert of everything. Maybe you feel this way too? It’s pretty common.

    Why do we do this? Because we want it done right and on time! And we need to know what’s happening when we get asked.

    Totally makes sense, right?

    The Truth is: You simply CANNOT do it all!

    So, what did the 3 foot tall, wise old Jedi do? Luckily, Yoda left us many success leadership lessons to learn.

    3 quick lessons to focus on today:

      1. Focus on being Other-Centered®: Stop making it about you and start making it about your individuals and your team. Pick specific elements to coach them on. It could be deals at certain stages or specific activities like time management or prospecting. Some need help with mindset and the ability to see more opportunity than barriers.

        Yoda put his precious time and energy into Luke. It was all about Luke. Luke was often a very slow learner and easily distracted, so…..
      2. Focus on Patience: Growth takes time, effort and encouragement. Something YOU might be excellent at could take someone else months of effort to gain competency. They’re going to fail.  Again. And again. However, you know that investing in people is the highest ROI activity you can make over time. This is also an opportunity for your growth!  

        How many times did Luke fail the training exercise? A LOT! And Yoda pressed on because he knew how important it was, so…..
      3. Focus on Focus: That’s right. Focus on focus. Clear the space. Many things that don’t matter compete for the time and attention of your team. Protect them from these things so you can invest in their growth. Staying on task and keeping them Focused on What Matters® takes discipline on your part and theirs. A LOT of discipline. Together you can accomplish much.
        If the skill or behavior they’re developing is hard, THEY may look for distractions. It’s your role to keep them focused.  

        Yoda did it with Luke when Luke’s mind got cluttered. He helped Luke keep his focus so he could be trained to carry out his mission.

     

    As a result of their many years together, Luke gave Yoda the most honored title he could:

    Teacher

    Our role as leaders is not to be heroes. It’s to humbly invest in those that have entrusted us. To refine them, grow them and seek the ultimate title for us:

    Teacher

    If you’re a sales leader, how many members on your sales team would give you that title? If not that one, what would it be? Micro-manager? Egomaniac? Can’t delegate? Control freak?

    Immediate action:  Take a moment NOW and HONESTLY rate yourself on the focal points above. Better yet, ask your team members. Ask them for candid feedback. Take it in and don’t defend. Learn about you. Carefully consider it.  

    Change is difficult. It usually comes with pain.  

    Luckily Yoda took on the role of teacher, so Luke could maintain balance in the universe. He went on to save many.

    Your mission is equally important: Help your team achieve their personal and business goals, to sell better, to serve more, to achieve THEIR mission! Because their development will serve the greater mission of your entire organization.

    Imagine:  What would be the impact on your team’s production if you achieved an average of 15% improvement in each rep?  Think about it!

    You up for it?

    We are, of course, here to help YOU become a master YODA teacher.  Because we, too, aspire for the title of Teacher.

    The ideas in this article were inspired by Star Wars® and the wonderful book, Mindset by Carol Dweck. I highly recommend you read it!

    #BeBrave!

    P.S. If you’re ready to send your team to an immersion experience that will teach them lessons in focus – then join us on May 15, 2019 in Atlanta. Register today!

    Can’t make it on May 15? Sign up here to get on our list for future events.

  • Sales Productivity and Flight DL 466

    Sales Productivity and Flight DL 466

    This past winter, I was delayed 7 hours and 10 minutes for a flight. It turned out to be the best 7 hours and 10 minutes I’ve had in a LONG time.

    Snow was coming down hard at LaGuardia. Flights were being diverted and cancelled everywhere. It was clear – I wasn’t getting out anytime soon.

    Now what?

    As I sat in the packed Delta SkyClub, I did what I often do: observe. I noticed 4 ‘people types’ that night:

    1. The Freebie: The SkyClub serves unlimited food and alcohol to its members. Many, understandably, chose that path. And tended to stay on that path and it grew in members as the night wore on.
    2. The Homie: I heard them all around the club. Phone calls to loved ones with news of delays and disappointment in not getting there when originally anticipated. After each delay, another call. Usually with escalating frustration around something that can’t be controlled: a winter storm hitting a major airport and the ensuing chaos.
    3. The Entertainer: ESPN, Cosmopolitan magazine, Candy Crush, TV. Rotate between them at a regular interval to burn the minutes off the clock.
    4. The Grinder: They chose to GSD. If you don’t know what GSD is, you may not be a grinder. Email me, I’ll tell you. They hunkered down and became productive. Weren’t thrown off by the events. Made a plan and did it.  

    Why am I sharing this with you? Because we all make choices. We make them daily. We make them about 15 minutes here, an hour there, 30 minutes somewhere else.

    The choice we make is:

    Invest Time or Spend Time

    Time invested creates positive outcomes and lasting impact. Time spent is, well, spent. Never to be recovered.

    In my 7 hr 10 min delay, I had about 6 hours of time where I could CHOOSE how to spend it. Here’s how I invested it:

    • 20 minutes or so enjoying Delta’s food, mostly brownies (I call them protein bars to feel better about it.)
    • 15 minutes on the phone and 10 texts back home re: flight status.
    • 20 minutes on entertainment.
    • 5 hours grinding.  Wrote a blog (if you are a sales leader, you’re gonna love it). Got dozens of open action items knocked out. Got several projects my team is working on moved forward, clarified or started. Followed up with this week’s workshop attendees. Put together prospecting call plans. Followed up on Linkedin leads.

    BONUS! Ran into Saif Rahman, a fellow grinder, and we reminded each other that this inconvenience was out of our control; the Serenity Prayer in action. Got as much done in the SkyClub as many might get done in a full day.

    I know I am a little odd. A little ‘too’ focused at times. I also know by winning these time blocks, whether it’s 15 minutes or 5 hours, I continue to step forward and accelerate my success. I want to be the best I can be. Period. End of story.  

    Being great is way harder than being good. Good isn’t good enough for me.

    How about you? What choices are YOU willing to make?  INVEST time or SPEND time? You really are in control, and you are worth the results.

    I noticed something interesting about the Grinders that night. They weren’t as stressed, fatigued, cranky or worn out as the rest. Focused productivity has a way of energizing when doing nothing can wear you down. Funny how that works.

    #BeBrave!

  • Sales Skills, Like Knives, Get Dull Over Time

    Sales Skills, Like Knives, Get Dull Over Time

    It’s one of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, according to Stephen Covey.

    Tony Robbins speaks on this topic frequently.

    To grow and refine your skills, you must sharpen the saw.

    We’re living in an accelerating market that’s moving toward commoditization at light speed.   (more…)

  • Do you have an anti-outsourcing mindset?

    Do you have an anti-outsourcing mindset?

    I know what insecurity sounds like. It sounds like a conversation I have had with Sales leaders regarding outsourcing dozens of times. It goes like this…

    “Randy, I hear you. This looks like a service we could benefit from, plus you are so charming! But isn’t this MY job?”

    I totally get it.

    It’s not that you CAN’T do it, it’s that you probably SHOULDN’T do it. (Knowing your limitations is a strength.)

    There’s always financial pressures on the business and good sales training firms aren’t cheap.  (Neither are good heart surgeons.)

    There is always the question of the value of sales training. (Tip: Don’t buy sales training. Look for someone who takes a broader view and doesn’t just sell you a cookie cutter program or package.)

    Now that we’ve gotten all the excuses out of the way, lets review the 3 reasons WHY you really need to consider outsourcing for your Sales training.

    1-Competency

    Every. Freaking. Day.  

    That’s how often we do sales training in some form, fashion or function. It might be assessing your overall methodology. Or assessing your teams for competency gaps. Maybe running a customized workshop. Or driving adoption through ongoing field exercises with your team. Perhaps we do 1:1 coaching to ensure adoption. But it is…

    Every. Freaking. Day.

    If you do something every day with the intent of getting better, guess what happens? You get damn good at it. Our 93 NPS is an indicator that we drive high levels of satisfaction. We must have some pretty defined competencies. Why so high? We never stray from our Ideal Target Model.

    2-Content

    The blank PowerPoint slide. The enemy of any new idea! As your partners in the sales training space, we have a broad inventory of content, bundled into topics.

    ✅ Prospecting.  

    ✅ Articulating Business Impact.  

    ✅ Time Management.  

    ✅ Slides.  

    ✅ Video.  

    ✅ Follow up field exercises.  

    This is just the beginning. The amount of content we have at-the-ready to be contextualized for you and your team is staggering!

    The time invested by you to get close to that would be highly unproductive. Your time should never be spent reinventing the wheel. Think of the opportunity cost of that amount of time away from your primary role. Which brings me to the 3rd reason…

    3-Capacity

    Most sales leaders should be, appropriately, focused on pipeline generation, pipeline nurturing and opportunity closure. Because of this, they don’t have the capacity to spend time on assessing the team, building content, leading workshops and driving adoption.

    While well-intended, our experience shows it just doesn’t happen. It ends up on the back burner FOREVER. When outsourced with the right sales training team, their focus is to serve sales leaders like you and your team. This will lighten your load so you can focus on what truly matters.

    This anti-outsourcing mindset is tragic for your sales reps. They NEED and deserve training and when they don’t get it they’ll perform way below potential. Without this development you can expect a continued pattern of missing numbers, low morale and turnover.  (By the way, is training part of your recruiting process? If not, it should be.)

    I get it.  

    We are a sales training firm writing a blog about why YOU need a sales training firm. But this is done from a place of service because we see too many sales teams needlessly suffering. They’re losing opportunity and wasting talent.

    If you want to work with us, great! If not, there are plenty of options out there. I am happy to connect you to them. Honestly.

    Every firm has a different approach and a variety of values to bring to the table. We have many talented competitors in this space. Any qualified Sales training firm will have these two traits:

    1. They are driven to help you and your organization succeed.
    2. They are frustrated by how much they COULD help, but get shut out because of old belief systems.

    Please talk to us. Or find someone whose approach and persona resonates with you. The firm you select should be people that:

    • You want to have lunch with
    • ‘Get’ you and your context
    • Have the scar tissue and experience relevant to your world that will truly make an impact
    • Have metrics to show their success (ie. NPS score or similar)
    • Are invested in your long-term success

    Seriously, don’t do this solo. It’s too important for your success. And doesn’t your team deserve great development?

    The market isn’t slowing down. You don’t have less competitors today than yesterday.  Don’t get left behind.

    Shameless plug:  The mid-year Sales Meeting season is almost upon us. Signup here for our launch checklist to help you and your team in 2019:  https://spanthechasm.com/rr-sko/

  • Are You Managing the Sales Process Backwards?

    Are You Managing the Sales Process Backwards?

    While TRUE, it’s almost always WRONG.  

    “It’s the sales process. Period. Follow the process and you’ll have success!”

    Throughout time, every sales leader has uttered these words to every sales rep.

    Are these sales leaders starting at the wrong end? It’s natural to focus on the sales rep’s failure to execute and very easy to assume they aren’t adhering to the correct sales process.  

    Trust me, I am a process guy and I believe in the science of selling. I preach the 3 Rs, doing the Right things, the Right way, Repeatedly.

    However, focusing first on the process is usually wrong. Because you’re looking at a surface symptom instead of the root problem. There’s much deeper stuff happening here.

    Let’s dissect:

    A sales rep’s execution of the sales process is the 4th element to review, develop and nurture. Yes, you read that correctly – I said 4th!

    Let’s define them in reverse order:

    4th – Execution:
    This is adherence to a process. Are the reps executing the correct sales process and utilizing the available sales tools in order to bring a prospect to a decision?

    3rd – Competency:
    Have they developed the skills and proficiency needed to use the tools and process?

    2nd – Desire:
    Have you worked with the reps to align their personal goals with the organization’s professional mission so they are motivated to achieve success?

    1st – Belief:
    Do they BELIEVE in the core mission of the company and the real impact your company will have for its customers?

    Why is this order so important?

    Without BELIEF, their DESIRE to perform is diminished.

    The fuel to drive them leaks quickly out of the tank.

    Without DESIRE, they won’t develop the lasting COMPETENCIES needed to excel in their role.

    Without COMPETENCY, they won’t attempt or be able to successfully navigate the EXECUTION process that you have so carefully trained them to do.

    As you work with your reps, if you are only focused on their clinical execution, you may likely miss the deeper issues. Start at the beginning and work up from there. You’ll be much more effective and they will be grateful. You will quickly identify the REAL reasons their performance is lagging.

    We recently had this experience with one of our clients. Great rep. Super heart. But this rep wasn’t performing to potential. It showed in their numbers and execution. Instead of starting with the execution, we dove into their belief system.

    It was BROKEN!

    This rep didn’t believe in the process and was questioning the value of the company for their prospects. There was no emotional story to get behind. The WHY wasn’t there. We backed up and addressed these issues. We rebuilt their beliefs.

    Guess what….they are back on track and execution has improved. The CORRECT path was to address their beliefs. Once that was fixed, it was EASY to correct the execution.

    Don’t get me wrong: Execution matters. But it’s pointless to focus there if you don’t have the first 3 in place as a foundation.  

    Having a great roof on a poorly built house is a real problem. Not building up the Beliefs, Desire and Competency first is a waste of your precious time and efforts.

    Let’s do this differently. Let’s do this better. Let’s Focus On What Matters™ FIRST and then move upstream.

    Your reps deserve it and your company needs it. If you need help mapping out these 4 core components of a successful sales process, contact us and we’ll get you headed in the right direction.

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  • Avoid These 3 Sales Forecasting Mistakes and Make it Rain

    Avoid These 3 Sales Forecasting Mistakes and Make it Rain

    Your sales leader just asked you a very reasonable question.
    Admit it, you don’t know the answer.

    You’re embarrassed and your palms are sweating.

    “Why did you forecast opportunity X to close on Y date?”

    We’ve all been there at some point in our career (probably more than once). Our forecasts don’t stand up to inspection. A deal slips 2 quarters in a row, only to slowly fade into oblivion.

    You were sure but then you weren’t. It was a ‘done deal’ but then it wasn’t.

    Forecasting IS a tricky process. Often more magic than science but, in the end, the elite reps replace voodoo with rigor and do bigger, faster deals.

    For many, their sales forecast has the same accuracy as the 15-day weather forecast, even if it was created using the latest technology by Accuweather.com

    You would never buy a new car based on commissions you MIGHT earn.  So why would your company put faith behind a forecast with less than a 50% chance of actually happening?

    There’s a reason your forecasting is as unpredictable as a July pop-up thunderstorm in Atlanta.

    Actually, there are 3 reasons your forecasts aren’t close to 100%:

     

    1. They’re ALL about YOU.

    YOU need the deal by a certain date.  

    YOUR quota relies on it.

    YOUR measurement is dependent on it.

    YOU, YOU, YOU!

    This all-too-common approach will ALWAYS fail because no one on the other side of the table cares about YOUR issues.  

    Your manager.  

    Your prospect.  

    Anyone. They aren’t motivated by your goals. And everyone that works near you quickly sees your credibility is shot.

    Action: Stop forecasting deals because you need them. Instead, Run to the Truth™ and focus on reason #2.

     

    1. They are based on hope instead of strategy.

    Because you NEED these deals, you haven’t created a defined action on the opportunities other than a feeble statement that you’re going to ‘follow up with them right after this forecast review’.  

    Deals that move through the pipeline with velocity have value aligned action steps with support from your prospect. Without this, there IS NO velocity.

    Action: Get with your leader and review your top opportunities. For each opportunity, plan the next 2 value aligned steps that would make sense to both you and your prospect. Reach out to each prospect and get consensus immediately.

    And make one of those steps include #3.

     

    1. They’re not connected to the Economic Buyer (EB).

    Elite sales reps are connected with the EB.

    (If you don’t know who this is, call me IMMEDIATELY on 404-307-3201. I mean it.  Call me RIGHT NOW!)

    The EB holds the key to the discretionary dollars needed to fund this effort.  

    3 things you must know from your EB:

    Are they going to fund this?

    When are they planning this? And

    What priority is it on their list?

    If you haven’t heard from the EB, you’re flying blind. Ask us about our win-loss data regarding the EB involvement for B2B strategic deals. There’s a shocking correlation related to the failure of deals that don’t involve the EB.

    Action: Use your Champion on the account to get in front of the EB and find the answers to the 3 questions above IMMEDIATELY. Recast your forecast. Now, apologize to your sales leader and promise NEVER to miss this important step again!

     

    Just like forecasting the weather, sales forecasting is hard and rarely 100% accurate, even under the best of circumstances. With these specific steps, you can increase your certainty.  This is not a complete list, but it’s a great place to begin some serious self-examination.

    Remember, in the end, YOU own your success. No one else. It’s up to YOU to be amazing.

    ‘HOPE’ does NOT work. Maybe for a lousy weatherman, but not for a successful sales rep.

    Elite reps know this and they map it out. They execute the plan. They ask for help.

    If you’re ready to enter the world of the elite, start with asking for help. Contact us using the sidebar, and we’ll help you create a rainmaking forecast.