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

Tag: sales lessons

  • 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

  • Five Phrases Every Sales Leader Must Use

    Five Phrases Every Sales Leader Must Use

    There are many familiar phrases sales leaders say to their teams.  You may be familiar with a few:

    • Close more deals!
    • Build pipeline!
    • Fill out CRM!
    • Prospect differently!
    • Nurture opportunities better!
    • Accelerate your deals!
    • Meet with the Economic Buyer!
    • Focus!  Or spread-out!

    They (we…) all have their (our…) favorites.  

    Maybe you do too.

    Let’s flip the script and use some new phrases that will do a lot more for your success than the frequently overused list above.  

    Now, for clarity, this is not for the faint of heart.  It takes some courage. If you have it, let’s dig in:

    Thank you: Your team works hard.  They try new things. What they do is often unappreciated.  Let them know that you see what they do and that you are grateful.

    I am sorry: We all make mistakes.  The problem? So few of us step up and are accountable for it.  Lead your team in humility. Say you are sorry for your mistakes.  And ask for forgiveness. Talk about relationship growth.

    I am proud of you: Your team stumbles a LOT.  And fail. And try new things.  Again. Let them know that you see and appreciate what they are doing.  Their failures. Their victories. Large and small. It’s worth a million bucks.  Literally the increased production over the lifetime of a rep could mean a million.

    I believe in you: Sales reps get punched in the face.  A LOT. It gets old. After a while, teeth and blood don’t taste so good. It is hard to constantly summon the courage and energy to press on.  You have the power, more than you imagine, to fuel and feed their courage. Do it!

    How can I help?: Stop yelling about what they aren’t doing.  Or what they are doing wrong. Lighten the load.  DO something to help them.  Something very specific to what they are trying to do right NOW.  Why do it right NOW? Because helping someone later sometimes never happens.

    Leadership Challenge:

    If you have the courage, for 1 month, keep a log of how many times you use each of these phrases and with which reps.  If you aren’t using these with your team, you are risking dis-engagement, loss of loyalty and potential employee flight.  Certainly you are undermining their performance.

    Hey, it’s your call.  Do you care enough to change?  Do YOU have the courage to use these 5 phrases to be the leader you always wanted to be?  Maybe model the leader you had when you were coming up through the ranks?

    I care about this enough that, for the first 5 sales leaders that reach out to me, I will help you with this and be your support and accountability for the month.  Seriously. I care THAT much. REACH OUT TO ME NOW!

    Truly, I mean it when I say – 

    Live to serve… serve to live!

    #BeBrave

  • Sales Leadership Lessons from: Alcoholics Anonymous

    Sales Leadership Lessons from: Alcoholics Anonymous

    You read the title and one of two things just happened…

    If you have known me for a long time: ‘Wow! THAT explains a LOT!’

    If not a long time: ‘So THAT is why the club soda!’

    My decision years ago to walk away from my addictions was the best decision I have made in many ways. And it drove unexpected benefits, too many to count. One of which was the many lessons learned in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous that, unexpectedly, brings tremendous leadership wisdom for sales leaders.  

    Are you willing to learn from a bunch of drunks in recovery who have mapped a path to freedom that applies to how you lead your teams? I suggest we can and should as there is a lot of time-tested wisdom in there that is available for you.

    Humility:  Humility isn’t thinking less about yourself. It is thinking about yourself less. That means focusing on others and serving them. Humility makes it much less about what you are entitled to and makes it more about what you can do. Humble people have an amazing propensity for production.

    Honesty:  Truth is truth. And that is just the truth. Once it is managed or manipulated, it is no longer the truth. Basing our engagements and interaction on truth makes the conversations much safer and productive. And there is a whole lot less to have to remember!

    Hope:  Hope is the fuel of the front line. Without it, the amount of received rejection would crush them. The health of their hope is in your hands.

    Self-Discipline:  To train. To practice. To run the play the right way. To not be distracted away from the goal. That is self-discipline and it is like a muscle. It takes a lot of training. It can atrophy. Sales leaders can help their teams to train it. To feed it. Success is built on self-discipline. Self-discipline doesn’t give up what we want most for what we want now.  

    Courage: Facing the reality of addiction takes courage. It isn’t easy and it isn’t pretty. For your team, they are facing difficult tasks that are new, difficult or frightening. Courage is action in the face of fear. Help them through it. Be kind along the way.

    Integrity: Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching. You set the tone for your team on where the line of integrity is set. What are you going to tolerate? Pick wisely because whatever you tolerate, you are going to have to live with. In a socially connected world, where you are drawing a line in private may become public. Set the bar high for your team.

    Willingness: The core for achieving and maintaining sobriety. Willingness. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to win and serve your clients in an amazing way? If you aren’t, don’t expect your team to. Being willing to do whatever it takes is contagious. Be that for your team.  

    Perseverance: To quote Dwayne Johnson, ‘It is hard to beat a man who won’t quit.’ That is perseverance. No matter what the conditions, applying the will to win. I think of my sweetest sales victories and they came when I could have easily and justifiably quit. But I didn’t. Nurture and encourage perseverance in your team.  

    Service: In the end, we must answer the question: ‘Is this about taking or giving?’ Giving, ultimately, I believe, is the path with greatest reward across all vectors. A life and profession built on true service is not only gratifying to live it is filled with success. As our good friend Zig Ziglar reminds us: ‘There is plenty left for us if we help others get what they want and need.’  

    A completely understandable question is: ‘Randy, will applying these principles work and, if so, how?’ I think the answer is ‘Yes!’ and here is why:

    1. We are building on transparency. Authentic conversations. Based in truth. It is a safe and nurturing environment where your teams can experiment and grow. Not without consequences but certainly without fear.
    2. Progress, not Perfection. The beauty about AA is there is no expectation of perfection, only progress. If we foster a mindset of constant progress, our teams will grow. Their skills will grow and their production will follow. Not because they are perfect but because they are focused on getting themselves better today than they were yesterday.
    3. We practice these principles in all of our affairs. The key word is practice. Focused. Intentional. Daily. Consistently. If we as leaders practice these principles in all of our affairs, our stress level will come down. Our relationships will be stronger. Our contribution will be higher. Practice.
    4. One Day At A Time! This is probably the killer hack from AA. The focus on NOT living in sobriety for the rest of your life. It is just on today. If we are focused on today, mindful, present and focused, we can Win the Day. Do that 7 days in a row and you just Won the Week. 4 of that in a row? Won the Month. You get the point. #Winning TODAY is the critical first step of winning anything long term.

    Imagine what it would feel like for your team members and clients if you practiced and applied these principles every day. It. Would. Feel. Amazing!

    My challenge to you is to pick one or two of the principles above and start putting them into daily practice. Need help? Let’s chat. You deserve it. Your peeps deserve it.

    Bring it! #BeBrave

  • 3 Sales Leadership Lessons from: MacGyver

    3 Sales Leadership Lessons from: MacGyver

    You ever wonder how MacGyver does it? You know, that crazy 80s TV guy who can get out of ANY situation, no matter how impossible?

    In a race against time before an impending explosion and all he has is some bailing wire, duct tape, and 3 pennies. Tic, tic, tic…. You feel time running out and <presto> he is free.

    Un. Be. Lievable!

    Amidst the stressful predicaments, there are lessons that also apply to sales leadership:

    He did what he could, where he was, with what he had.

    There was no luxury of a smartphone or Amazon prime app to find resources or get help. He had to solve the crisis with what he had in THAT moment.

    This lesson is so important for sales leadership because MacGyver was able to stay in the moment, present and focused. Why does this matter? Because, as sales leaders, when we don’t use this mindset we focus on what we can’t do and wish for things we don’t have. All of which DON’T help our current situation and distracts us from our mission.

    Let’s break down the 3 best MacGyver lessons:

    Do what you can.

    In every situation, you have a handful of things you can do.  And thousands of things you wished you could do but can’t. Pick from the realistic list of things you can do now. It might be with a frustrating rep or difficult prospect. Pick what you CAN do and do it!  Wishing for options that don’t exist decreases your chance for success.

    Where you are.

    You are where you are. Nowhere else. In a situation. With a rep. You are there. BE there. 100%.  Wishing for somewhere with a better territory or a different team reduces your probability of success. You have your mission and your team. Make the most of them.

    With what you got.

    Your product or solution does what it does today. No more.

    Your team today is your team. No different.  

    That is what you have to work with. Not a future set of functions or people. Not what it will do someday or who they will be someday.  Lean into what you have and solve the most meaningful business impacting problems you can with what you have.  

    Go to battle with the team that you have. Use their strengths wisely. Deploy them wisely. Help your team focus on where they can give value with the assets available today. Not focused on what you will have someday. 

    Adopting this mindset will move you forward faster in every situation and will remove much of the stress you carry by worrying about things outside your control. It’s what successful leaders do. Coach K and Coach Wooden both won games against much better teams because they used this mindset. They did what they could, in the moment, with the team they had. And won.  

    It’s really an application of the Serenity Prayer. Grant me:

    • the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
    • the Courage to change the things I can and
    • the Wisdom to know the difference.

    Psychologists and Buddhist monks refer to this as being Present and Mindful. It’s amazing how much we can do when we embrace and deploy this way of thinking and acting. 

    MacGyver got a lot done because of this mindset.  Situation after situation averted because of it.

    Immediate action:  

    In the next 10 meetings, with reps or prospects, say the Serenity Prayer to yourself before the meeting. Seriously. Focus on doing what you can, where you are with what you got.  

    It’s available to you. But it’s a choice. It sounds easier than it actually is. But, like most things, with practice and focus it comes into clarity.

    Imagine How it would feel if you maniacally implemented this mindset? You would be much more focused and would win more frequently. Guaranteed. 

    You up for it?

    We are, of course, here to help.  Because we aspire for the title of Teacher.

    Recommended reading:
    Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

  • Ultimate Prospecting Challenge: Old School vs New School

    Ultimate Prospecting Challenge: Old School vs New School

    Building qualified pipeline is THE most important element for any sales team. It’s the lifeblood of your future. And yet, so many abandon it for almost any other distraction: sharpening pencils, filling out CRM, joining pointless meetings. The creativity in avoiding pipeline building activities remains a wonder of the modern era!

    There are many ways to build pipeline. Referrals, automation engagement, buying lists, cold calling, social engagement. The options are endless.  

    ‘Pipeline solves all sales problems!’
    Tim Koubek, COO, Skyword

    Because of the endless choices, we wondered what REALLY is the best method? So Ken Lundin and I decided to create the ultimate prospecting challenge to test these methods and see what works best.

    Join us for our 6-month, bare-knuckle brawl as we employ two very different styles to build an abundant  qualified pipeline. Along the way, we’ll be posting monthly updates so YOU can learn and benefit from this process.  

    I’m using old school traditional techniques to leverage my networks. Things like referrals, handwritten notes, and personal calls.

    Ken is using new school modern methods of engagement. Things like software automation, funnels, inside sales engagement, and social media.

    Make sure you check out additional content with more details about this challenge, the methods we’re using, and our predictions on who will win. Watch this Monday Morning Pearls video and listen to this Uncommon Sales Success podcast episode to learn more.

    Here’s what I know: 

    We’ll BOTH create more pipeline.

    Bookmark this page, check in monthly and pick up our proven tools and techniques, plus see our stumbles! Make sure you join our email list to receive our white paper at the end of the challenge! We will be sharing our complete learnings and guidance to help YOU build better pipeline. 

    Until then…. #BeBrave!

    Updates from Randy and Ken:

    Randy’s 1st Update

    ✅ Built an email template to request brokered referrals, targeted a list of 62 contacts, sent 30 emails. Developing a follow-up sequence for this first set of 30.

    ✅Creating an engagement process with headhunters to target our Ideal Client.

    🛑Had vacation late in the month so progress slowed down, only had blocks of 15 minutes and found it hard to get in ‘flow’. 

    💲Sold 2 add-on services for existing clients!
    Ken’s 1st Update

    ✅Setup Growbots lead automation software. Loaded 550 prospects into an 8 step email sequence. 1st email sent on June 5th. Next 4 emails sent on days 1-30. Final 3 emails sent on days 61-80. This allows us to test the timing – maybe now isn’t good, but 2 months from now is better.

    Stats for the first 30 days:

    67% (365 of the 550) of prospects have opened at least 1 email.

    7.1% (39) have clicked through the email to our landing page or case study.

    3% have replied, in some cases that’s a “no thanks”.

    1 lead has been entered as an opportunity.

    💲One deal has been closed!

    ✅ Learnings:

    Something is better than nothing. Having an outgoing process to build pipeline is better than no process at all. 

    🛑Although we were able to close 1 deal, the overall warm engagement rate is low at .8%. We are targeting 3-6% as a warm reply rate. 

    In the next phase I will do follow up messaging to improve the warm reply and engagement rate. I will also initiate a new cadence based on best practices.
    1st Round Winner New school and Ken!
    Although Randy booked add-on services, Ken closed 1 new client with a higher value contract! Stay tuned for more updates as the challenge continues!
  • Sales Leadership Lessons from P90X

    Sales Leadership Lessons from P90X

    Who knew that Tony Horton was such a smart dude? Or a great example of true sales leadership?

    Not me. Once I started to listen to his very basic wisdom, I discovered he’s a genius.

    Tony is the host of the popular P90X workout series. 12 DVDs. Pure hell. AbRipper anyone? Plyo-X? The chin-ups? Forget about it! 

    He warns viewers you should be in shape before you can do the exercises. Pretty crazy, right?

    The routines are very challenging, making it easy to be discouraged and quit. Tony knew that’s the real challenge so he solved that problem. He does this by using 4 simple philosophies that can also be applied to managing your sales team.

    Let’s review his wisdom so you can grow your sales leadership muscles today!

    Do your best.

    Sometimes the workout is too hard to finish. Too many reps. Burned out arms. Tony was right there to encourage you to simply do your best. No more. No less either. Just your best. No guilt for stopping before he did. Just an important reminder that your personal results WILL improve over time.  

    Lesson: Selling is hard. Remind your team of what they can do. Refer to the best practices and training they’ve received. Provide support at each level of their performance. Progress and improvement WILL come!

    Forget the rest.

    We often compare ourselves to others. How they look. How much they make. Their sales performance.  It’s hard not to. But comparison is a distraction that does not serve us. Tony knew that. He reminded us to ‘forget the rest’ and focus on YOU because you can’t control THEM.

    Lesson: There are dozens of other sales reps and companies that could be your competition. And none of them really matter. Your team’s #1 competitor is THEMSELVES. YESTERDAY! Help them to forget everyone else and focus on being a better version of themselves every day.  Every week. Every month. 

    70% of a bad work out beats no work out.

    I don’t always want to exercise. I get tired. Sore. Hungry.  Bored. Name it. Every reason. Tony knew that about me too. He reminds me a 70% workout is infinitely better than none of a 100% workout. Show up. Do something. And progress will follow.

    Lesson: Your teams get beaten down. They get tired. 11 ‘No’s in a row takes its toll. Maybe they want to just mail it in. Encourage them to stick it out. Progress is always progress, even in small amounts. Showing up is 80% of success.  

    Food is fuel.

    P90X comes with an eating guide. Packed with information. Recipes. Ideas. Because Tony realized you needed great fuel to make great progress. So he delivered a complete program that teaches WHY the food matters and how to be successful.

    Lesson: Feed your team great content. Books. Podcasts. Videos. Blogs. Workshops. There is tons of great content out there for them. Be a conduit of growth for them. The alternative is Candy Crush and you do NOT want to get me started on THAT!

    Your team is working hard. They’re out there fighting on a daily basis. Use these four principles with them. Daily. They need it. They deserve it.  

    Get them a protein bar. They’re hungry!

    They’re also starving for great sales leadership, be that for them.

    I may be the fittest 54 year old, 6’ 4”, 187 lb bald guy I know. I owe Tony Horton and P90X for some of my physical success. Even though DVD workouts aren’t as cool, I still breakout his routines while on the road.  Turns out his workouts and wisdom have stood the test of time!

    The choice is yours. Can you make the time to channel some Tony Horton to strengthen your team?

    We, of course, are here to support you!

    #BeBrave

    BONUS: Randy and Ken were recent guests on the B2BGrowth Podcast to talk more about their Prospecting Challenge! Don’t miss this great interview!

     

    ♫ 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 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.