The Executive Sales Coach: Keith Rosen’s Sales Blog and Business Blog On Selling, Leadership, Managing Your Team, Business and Life » sales tools

Are you toxic? Take the toxic leadership assessment here.

Are you leading your team or slowly and unknowingly eroding it from the inside out? Do you still navigate your ship using old school motivational tactics? Do you have your people living in fear? Are complaints rampant, as well as turnover? Are you spending most of your days putting out fires? Are you oblivious to the role you’re playing in any of this?

Do you ever stop to think that some of the challenges you’re faced with now might have something to do with how you might be managing your people and your business? The rules of business have changed overnight and the areas most impacted – sales and leadership.

How good of a leader are you? Maybe it’s time for you to abandon your role as Chief Problem Solver. Here’s your chance to get real about the behaviors and strategies you need to abandon today in order to get yourself out of your own way of producing the results you need. Then, you’ll be able to experience what my clients do: A 30% gain in sales.

In this assessment, you will find a list of 27 toxic management strategies that need to be abandoned. And for those managers, executives and business owners who take this assessment and react with, “Wait, this isn’t me.” I applaud you. Either you’re really that good – or really that blind (clueless and disconnected also come into mind- well, then there are those egomaniacal megalomaniacs, but need I digress). And make sure you take the coaching assessment to ensure you’re most effectively leading and coaching your people.) However, just to make sure you don’t have your blinders on, feel free to share this assessment with your team and have them fill this assessment out this assessment on you, anonymously, of course. Can you handle the truth?

Finally, for those people who are reading this blog and feeling as if they’re being managed by this type of manager, I give you this warning. If you have any desire to share this assessment with your manager or boss, make sure you know how they’ll receive it – as a subtle gesture of good will and compassion or a threat and an insult? If the latter, consider doing it anonymously.

take the toxic leadership assessment here.

Now here’s an example of a presentation that grabs attention. It has all the elements of success. The right person, (Tom Ziglar, CEO of Ziglar, Inc.), the right intention, focus, the visuals and measurable results.

Take a look and watch him, um, strip? And for the record, Tom lost, what, 71 lbs! No kidding.

Here’s the link to watch the video presentation!

And congratulations again, Tom, on an extraordinary achievement.

A quick Wiki definition. (Would that be called a “Wiki-Wiki?”) A wiki is a type of website that allows users to add, remove, and edit the content.

Jigsaw’s Wiki is unique because it only contains valuable business to business information. Similar to Wikipedia, Jigsaw’s Company Wiki is a vibrant hub of user-generated content. However, any information and Wiki articles posted should contain only factual information and not opinions or marketing messages.

Jigsaw’s Wiki, however, is especially beneficial to marketers because all companies, big and small, are welcome. Unlike Wikipedia, “notability” isn’t required. It also features relevant, fresh business to business information, while leveraging Free Company Data- that business professionals turn to Jigsaw for Company information.

According to Jigsaw, any business can benefit from this free listing in a few different ways. First, linking to Jigsaw will help your search engine relevance, and as such, help your search engine results. And being a public domain, Jigsaw ensures the accuracy of your company’s public profile which you then get to promote to one of the largest business communities on the web today.

Give it a shot and let me know how it worked for you. It costs you nothing but a minute to sign up.

When presenting to a client or prospect, regardless of any steps you’ve outlined in your presentation, there’s a big difference between convincing or ‘selling’ someone and enrolling someone, especially when you’re at the point in your discussions where you’ve identified some specific problems within the organization or with them. Now, you may be at the point where you’re going to share the solution and enroll them in the solution and more so, taking action and making a change.

Convincing/Selling: Changing someone’s stand on something through the use of force or argument. This often takes the form of a complaint, or reiteration of the problem. If there are people who in involved in your discussions who may have taken a part in creating the problem in the first place, this can be construed as a “Make wrong” and they may then feel compelled to defend their stance. This creates an adversarial posture between you and the other person. Once this happens, people have tendency to further defend their position, which often results in them shutting down their listening for the remainder of the conversation.

Enrolling: Stating the current situation without making anyone wrong while sharing a new opportunity for greater results or what may be possible. Stating the benefits of what a change may bring. For example, the beginning of an enrollment conversation may begin with, “Imagine if…......What if we can create an organization where…..”

Enrolling can also take on the form of asking questions. Besides, what do people believe more, what you say, or what they say? As such, if they voice the problem or a possible solution, then they would be more willing to act on it. Resistance is lowered, and they feel ownership of the solutions and would be more apt to act on it. Here are some questions to use.

1. If I could have your three biggest problems or headaches disappear, what would they be?


2. How do the challenges you’ve shared with me affect you, especially if you do not hit your goals?


3. What is it going to cost you if you don’t make any changes and continue the way you are now?


4. What solution or greater result would be worth changing for?


5. What would your company or division be like if you no longer had to deal with those issues anymore?

Here are a few questions to use when you’re in a situation where you need to acknowledge and respect the other person’s viewpoint, even though you may not agree. Or, maybe you simply need more clarification about their position on something. Instead of making them wrong or creating any confrontational posture between you, add another truth to the situation. Here’s how.

1. Can you please share with me your thinking on that?


2. May I share my view on that?


3. Is it possible that there may be more/other facts to consider?


4. What else is true about that?


5. Is it possible that there is another approach/solution here?

Uncover the specific benefits they want to realize, as well as the cost of not changing. Now, you can be in a position of enrolling them in the idea of actually taking actions to implement change to achieve these new results, without putting anyone on the defensive.

No one likes to be sold. Everyone wants to be enrolled. BTW, look for my new book, The Art of Enrollment, coming to you in 2009.

With all this talk about qualifying and how to qualify a prospect, it’s critical to ensure that, especially those of you who are attempting to cold call for the first time or prospect in a more unique or innovative way than you’ve done before, you understand the difference between qualifying and judging a prospect.

To permanently eliminate any confusion, lets draw a distinction between what it means to pre-qualify and pre-judge someone, such as a prospect. If you read my cold calling book, you know that I’m a strong advocate of pre-qualifying anyone before you invest your very limited and precious time in meeting with or speaking with them. Conversely, pre-judging someone is something you do that shows up in the filter or barrier you have in your listening, which was created out of the assumptions you’ve already made about that prospect.

Here’s another way to distinguish between the two. When you are pre-qualifying someone, you are arriving at a conclusion that determines whether or not there’s a fit worth pursuing based on a defined set of criteria you uncover through the use of well crafted questions. You are solely focusing on the prospect, not yourself and what you have to gain or lose, to determine how you can add value or if there’s a match between the two of you.

Pre-judging said simply, is all about you. Here, you are relying on your faulty and costly assumptions, thoughts and beliefs to determine their needs and whether or not this prospect will potentially buy from you.

When you pre-judge someone, you’re making assumptions about them before you ask any questions or uncover many facts. Maybe you’ve judged them by their appearance, where they live, their type of business or industry, how they sound over the phone or a comment they made. In essence, you’re “already” listening and forming conclusions based on your defined set of criteria rather than the facts.

When you pre-qualify someone, you’re asking questions to uncover their specific needs and objectives, without making any assumptions. You are learning about the prospect based on the responses you hear from the questions you ask. You are being fully engaged and present in the conversation with that person, rather than in your own head forming conclusions or operating off your agenda. This way, you’re making a decision to pursue this prospect based on reliable intelligence instead of your overactive imagination. (Here’s another distinction: authentic fit vs. a pipedream. )

September is Customer Appreciation Month is for Hoover’s. In support of this, Hoover’s has identified a theme for each of the four weeks of the month which I’ll be blogging about. Here’s the schedule.

Wk 1: Prospecting (9/8-9/12)
Wk 2: Qualifying (9/15-9/19)
Wk 3: Presentation Skills and Closing the Sale (9-22-9/26)
Wk 4: Overcoming Objectives (9/29-10/3)

Now that we’re in week two, below are some qualifying questions you can use during the next conversation you have with a prospect. Remember, it’s not just any question but defined, well crafted questions that are going to act as the conduit to more qualified prospects and more sales.

While many salespeople would use questions that qualify their prospects to determine whether or not they are a viable candidate for their product or service, uncovering a true fit between you and your prospects goes much deeper.

There are actually two distinct types of questions: First, there are fact finding questions. These questions relate specifically to your industry and product or service. These fundamental questions provide you with the information you need to uncover whether this prospect is even someone who would purchase what you sell. These questions would uncover the following information. Do they currently have a similar solution you offer. Is your solution a complement or replacement to what they are currently doing? Is the company the right size, offers the right product or service, is the right industry, has the right type and number of employees?

Second, there are those decision oriented questions that move the sales process forward and motivate your prospect to make a decision or want to buy from you. These discovery questions will enable you to uncover how they go about making a purchasing decision, the cost of not making any changes as well as create the urgency for the prospect to make a decision.

Keep in mind when executed correctly, these questions will facilitate a natural conversation, rather than a “pitch.” As you read the questions that follow, remember, it’s a give and take. You’re not interrogating them, but having a conversation to learn how you can best assist them based on their goals and objectives, uncover the process they honor when making a decision and whether or not there’s even a fit.

Finally, look at these questions like a big buffet. Take what you like and what works for you and leave what you don’t.

1. Tell me about your goals and what you are looking for. What would make this relationship successful for you?


2. What are some of the benefits you are looking to gain as a result of (changing venders/providers, equipment, etc.)?


3. What is the most important factor to you in making this decision?


4. Since all of my customers have their own unique needs I want to make sure I tailor the information that I will share with you around what is appropriate for you. Just so I don’t sound repetitive, what do you already know about our company? OR How familiar are you with the types of products and options that are out there in the industry?


5. Is what you are currently doing/using generating the results you’re looking for? How is it working for you?


6. What else are you looking to accomplish if you were to change venders/providers?


7. What would you need to know about us that would confidently make us your first choice? What are you looking for in the company you choose to work with? What is important to you? How do you decide on who to use? Based on what criteria?


8. What information can I provide that would give you the peace of mind in knowing that we are the right company for you?


9. Did you have a good experience with (your current service provider, etc.)? Any bad ones?


10. Is that the only other option you’re still considering?


11. I want you to know that whether or not you choose us, I want to make sure that you have all of the information you need to make the best decision. So how this decision is typically made?


12. Who else is typically involved in this decision?


13. When are you planning on making this decision?


14. How long have you been thinking about making this change?


15. How do you normally go about making a decision like this? What’s the process?

Decision Oriented Questions

1. If you could eliminate three of your biggest problems, headaches, or stresses as they relate to [STATE SERVICE/TASK] what would they be? (If there were three problems that you would want to see resolved with your current service provider what would they be?) (Ineffective solution, frustration, stress, etc.)


2. How does this (current problem, headache) affect you and your life? (Tie in the challenges they are experiencing to their position. What’s their personal cost as a result of these challenges?)


3. If you don’t make any changes, then what do you think it’s going to cost you over time? (What is it going to cost you by not changing? What additional opportunities do you think you’re letting pass by? How will this affect your bottom line?


4. Do you think there are opportunities you may miss out on by not changing? What cost do you incur by keeping things the way they are?)

If you’ve been reading my blog then you’ve read about the company, CanDoGo. CanDoGo has more than 10,000 sales, management and motivational insights (in video, audio and text) from over 140 of the world’s best and brightest authors, speakers and coaches. You’ll find names like Zig Ziglar, Tom Hopkins, Denis Waitley, Tony Parinello, Jill Konrath, (yours truly) and many other experts.

I figured if you’re going to try out this service anyway, at least here’s a good bonus to take advantage of.

All of this is available to you for only $9.95 per month— and on September 15th one lucky new subscriber will receive over $2,000 worth of Zig Ziglar DVDs, CDs and books. To enter for your chance to win, subscribe now.

I wish you the best of luck in your sales career and I know you will win more opportunities with CanDoGo at your fingertips.

One of the first sales books I’ve ever read was Tom Hopkins, How to Master the Art of Selling. Now, it’s my pleasure to share with you an exclusive event that happens only once a year.

Tom Hopkins is the nation’s number one how-to sales trainer and author of fourteen books on the subjects of selling and success. He has helped over four million salespeople on five continents to increase their selling skills and their sales volumes.

BOOT CAMP SALES MASTERY is Tom’s premiere sales training event—offered only once a year in Tom’s hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona. In challenging times, it’s critical that you continue to sharpen your skills. Come learn the strategies you need to become one of today’s top producers from Tom and his incredible guest speakers. Click here for details.

This year’s program is at the fabulous Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort on August 21, 22 & 23.

In addition to Tom’s powerful sales training, you’ll learn from specially selected experts in the arenas of professional telephone communication, relationship selling and how to make the most of self-promotion. This year’s guest speakers include Jim Cathcart, author of Relationship Selling, and The Eight Competencies of Relationship Selling; and other well known experts. All are phenomenal presenters with incredible ideas and strategies to help you succeed.

EXCHANGE IDEAS WITH YOUR PEERS

In addition to our amazing guest speakers, you’ll benefit from the knowledge of your peers. Picture it—hundreds of sales professionals from around the world in one place for three days. Exciting new connections are there, waiting to be made. The person sitting next to you might be your next best client or be in your same industry with incredible ideas to share. Those you meet at lunch might have fabulous products that your company needs to stay competitive.

More information.

Jigsaw, the leaders in complete and collaborative business information, believe that company data is a basic business right. That’s why they’ve launched the Open Data Initiative—the fast, easy and free way to download thousands of company records in just seconds.

Now you can say goodbye to:

<li>Painstakingly searching the web for one off company data.</li>

<li>Renting costly company directory lists. </li>

<li>Subscribing to expensive data services. </li>

With the Open Data Initiative you can quickly identify the companies in your target market and build your perfect list in seconds—then supercharge your CRM with the data your business needs to succeed. Free company data starts on June 4. Learn more here.