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

Tag: Sales Execution

  • For Sales, Yoda was wrong. TRY does Matter.

    For Sales, Yoda was wrong. TRY does Matter.

    ‘Try Not. Do or Do Not. There is no Try.’

    An epic quote from a 3′ tall Jedi. A highly respected Jedi. But, for Sales, he is WRONG.  Simply WRONG.

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  • Recession-Proof Your Sales Team NOW!

    Recession-Proof Your Sales Team NOW!

    Imagine how it will feel when your sales team is left behind by the market because you didn’t make the necessary adjustments to not just SURVIVE but THRIVE in and thru the recession.  It is not gonna feel good, my friend!

    The question isn’t ‘if’ but ‘when’ a recession is going to hit.  Some argue it is already happening. Others claim the economic macros are strong and we are years away. 

    What can you do to prepare for it?

    Having lived and sold through many recessions, I know there are specific activities that separate the ELITE from the rest.

    Three things you can do now to begin the process:

    Back to the basics:  Now is the time to make sure you and your team are excelling at the fundamentals.  Running your sales process with precision and not taking shortcuts. Setting aside time for pipeline building activities.  However your sales process was designed to run, run it. With precision, confidence and velocity. Now is the best time to focus on pipeline, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

    Get to the Economic Buyer:  I have always been a big fan of getting to the EB.  Now, with everything being more tightly scrutinized and signature levels changing, you MUST meet with your EB, or the NEW EB.  If you have been lazy with your EB language in the past, now is the time to make sure your language aligns with their goals. 

    Tighten up value alignment:  When selling is easy, our value alignment often gets a bit lax.  Our value alignment must be in lock-step with our prospect’s goals and vision.  We must be very clear on how we are going to take them from their Current State to the glorious Future State they seek.  It is CRITICAL that you re-make the Current State unacceptable as your prospect is going to be looking for reasons not to act.

    These are just a few of the many things you can do in preparation of the economy changing.  To get them – and more!, do not miss our Monday Morning Pearl series (https://spanthechasm.com/monday-morning-pearls/) on this topic that Ken and I are leading.

    Also, our podcast, Uncommon Sales Success (https://spanthechasm.com/podcast/), is hosting an expert-voice series on Recession Proofing where we are pulling some of the best from several areas like investment banking, HR, executive advisors, and professional trainers.  We are pulling their expertise together for your benefit.

    Don’t miss either of these.  They are rich with actionable content for you to not just survive but to thrive during an economic downturn. 

    Remember: Market share that is captured during an economic downturn stays with you and has a massive impact on profitability up to a decade later. 

    Simple question that you need to answer: Are you and your team going to be in a position to ride the tide of change or be left behind by it?

    Remember, the best time to buy hurricane insurance is before the storm is buffeting the shores!  I doubt you want to pay those premiums!

    #BeBrave

  • 5 Clear Steps for the Ideal Sales Kick Off in 2020

    5 Clear Steps for the Ideal Sales Kick Off in 2020

    What?  You haven’t started thinking about Sales Kickoff 2020 yet?  

    Time is ticking, my friend!  

    You know you’re gonna have it.  You can either half-@$$ it or make it great.  The choice is yours. So are the outcomes that you will get!

    What does an Ideal Sales Kick Off look like?  It has these components:

    • It has a clear mission, with goals and deliverables, in place.  
    • The content educates and inspires the sales teams.
    • It is a complete plan that is developed thoroughly and delivered with excellence.
    • It has clear, measurable objectives in place to determine success.
    • Sales and all relevant teams will leave inspired for 2020 and the potential it holds.

    However, as we talk to sales leaders about their approach to SKO in 2020, here are phrases we frequently hear:

    • ‘The sales reps just need more product training.’  The problem with this is it doesn’t deliver the results desired or drive new behavior.  It results in educated but uninspired sales teams.  Ration educates. Emotion motivates. Get them inspired to new and courageous actions!
    • ‘We will refresh last year’s content and tune it for this year.’  The easy course of action, no doubt. However, this just leaves the sales team frustrated, hungry for more and resenting precious selling time out of the field.  And pissed at you. You certainly aren’t going to gain ‘discretionary effort’ with that plan!
    • ‘Once we get through SKO, we can get on with the year.’  This just results in a massive waste of time, energy and money with unclear goals and expectations.  Again, a frustrated and uninspired sales team.

    Any of these sound like you and your team?  

    If so, 5 clear steps you can take to ensure a fantastic Sales Kick Off in 2020 and drive the highest possible impact on sales and the new year:

    1. Start with engaging all of the key stakeholders for SKO to make sure the PLAN for SKO is in place.  Develop a clear theme for SKO that drives all activity and defines the goals.  Map the expected results. Build a plan that delivers.
    2. With the plan in place, step 2, DEVELOP, drives the agenda, definition, and development for the content and activities needed to successfully carry out the SKO mission.  This includes content type, presenters, activities and real-time assessment.  
    3. Step 3, DELIVER, is all about making sure the message is delivered to the team in a way that will enable, educate and inspire as they enter 2020.  
    4. To ensure impact, step 4, ADOPT, is focused on the 90 days after SKO to ensure that the new skills and behaviors are in place in the field.  Focused on re-enforcement, inspection, and review. Inspect what you Expect.
    5. 9 months out, step 5, MEASURE, is focused on the impact of SKO compared to the goal.  Did the investment drive the expected ROI? What lessons were learned as we approach SKO for next year?  What, if any, adjustments need to be made to improve and raise the bar?

    Sales Kickoff is right around the corner.  You and your team deserve a fantastic experience to ensure you reach your goals in 2020.  They are lofty goal.  Scary goals. They deserve a great SKO to inspire and propel the team into 2020.

    We are here to help.  Check out our content for SKO here: https://spanthechasm.com/sko/

    Make sure that you download our SKO checklist for a guide to the 5 phases of a successful SKO.

    To set up a call to chat, please click here.

    As always… #BeBrave

  • A Transformational Sales Formula

    A Transformational Sales Formula

    Are you ready to prioritize your selling resources?

    Why? Because they’re scarce and you need to use them wisely.

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