by Art Waskey | Jun 29, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
We’re back meeting with customers face-to-face. Yet in this “post pandemic era,” it feels like the way we do business will never be the same. Sales reps report that online ordering has become a comfortable habit for their clients. They also note that customers have moved to alternative wholesale channels and some are even ordering directly from suppliers. Many reps feel like they are starting over from scratch and need to learn new sales skills. As the 19th century French poet and novelist, Victor Hugo, wrote “There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” For sales reps in a post-COVID world, that idea is proactive selling.
3 Proactive Sales Tips
Given that alternative sales channels are here to stay, let’s consider proactive ways to compete against them by adding value.
- Develop an eCommerce presence – To compete against the Amazons of our world, you need to provide on-line ordering and fast delivery. Enlist a well-qualified eCommerce platform designer to develop your website. Stock your on-line store with the products most in demand by your top customers. Then organize a shipping system that enables overnight delivery from your location or that of your supplier.
- Add vendor managed inventory (VMI) – For easy-to-dispense products that you sell, work with a vending machine manufacturer to purchase or lease equipment that can be installed at your customer’s location. This enables you to compete against next day delivery services. Add vending machines at your location(s) to allow walk-in customers to make quick and easy purchases.
- Initiate productivity enhancement – Work with your manufacturers’ reps to look for cost reduction opportunities. Tour customer’s facilities to do the same. Consider adding lean manufacturing and engineering personnel to support your company’s sales effort. These steps enhance productivity and can help you cement and secure new business.
Value added services
In the post-COVID world, value added services are a proactive way to offset the benefits of online sales and overnight delivery (see more: differentiate-yourself). In most cases you can charge for them, which can strengthen your bottom line. Stephen Covey writes, “Proactive people carry their own weather with them.” Add value added services to your sales process and enjoy a sunny forecast.
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by Art Waskey | Jun 14, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly, Featured
I consult with executives of all ages who are having trouble finding their way and making goals. Being uncertain as to where your career is headed is akin to climbing into your car with no destination in mind. Without direction you go nowhere! As Stephen Covey’s advises in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ( Stephen_Covey ), we must “begin with the end in mind.” To find your end point define your mission, set goals and plan each day. Here are some tips.
- Identify your mission, vision and values – Create a mission statement that clearly identifies your purpose. Include your vision, which reveals where you are going, and your core values and philosophical ideals. Be concise so that your statement is easy to understand and remember. As an example, this is my mission statement: “To inspire executives to become all God intended them to be through Christ-centered writing, speaking, and consulting.”
- Set goals – Once you know where you are going, determine what steps you need to take to get there. Establish 6 to 8 goals annually and make them SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Avail yourself of seminars, like my “Goals with a Purpose”, to guide you through this process.
- Review your schedule – Each Monday, review your weekly calendar. Make sure you block in time to work on your goals. Layout the next steps for your 5 top priority projects. List all planned activities so you can visualize where there are open spaces. It is sometimes difficult to see times of inactivity on the calendar alone.
- Plan daily – Review each day’s activities bringing forward the ones that need follow up. A good checklist includes: “Things to do, people to see, places to go, projects to delegate or discuss.”
Clear Purpose
Live your life with a clear purpose by committing to your values. Find your way by identifying your mission, setting goals and planning your path.
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by Art Waskey | Jun 8, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly, Featured
How can organizational skills help you be less stressed?
Many bright, young, high achieving men and women come to me with this problem – how to manage stress and anxiety. They all have too much to do and not enough time to do it, which breeds anxiety. This leads to burnout and often, to leaving a career you are passionate about. So – how do you take the stress out of success? Develop organizational skills.
Still waters
As I was working my way up the career ladder, I attended organizational skill building seminars. One instructor’s exercise, called “Mind Like Water,” I found particularly helpful. He had us imagine waking up early on a camping trip and standing before a lake with water like glass. Then he had us return to the lake later in the afternoon and envision people swimming and boating. We now saw a body of water covered with choppy waves. He explained that our mind is like a lake — when empty of activity, it can be still and calm.
Tips and Organizational Skills
Here are a couple of common sense approaches to organizing on the job. These can help you still the waters on a busy day.
- Use a pocket planner – When you are away from your office, record customer requests in a pocket planner. Repeat the request to your client as you write it down. Use your planner to jot down any other thoughts or ideas that come to mind. Don’t take a smart phone into your customer’s or prospects. It’s mere presents creates an immediate subconscious distraction. These actions eliminate the stress of trying to remember requests and important business to-dos.
- Keep a journal – Buy a journal. When you are back in your office, or in your car between calls, transfer your planner notes to your journal. This process allows you to “download” information and ideas in an orderly way. Organizing your agenda on paper eliminates confusion, which causes stress.
These basic organizational skills are mind-freeing. Practice them and enjoy the calm waters throughout your career.
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by Art Waskey | Jun 2, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
While the best networking result remains a referral from an existing client, the paths to that outcome have changed radically. To light up your contact base, you need to plug into new methods of soliciting business. The use of alternative wholesale channels, virtual selling, and digital marketing are just a few of the new ways of networking. These, combined with the pandemic limiting the all-important face-to-face connections, have left salespeople confused. How do you grow your contact base in today’s world?
Add Talent
To develop your business, consider adding channels and talents whose expertise can rapidly grow your contact base of customers.
- Social media manager – As with any critical business function, hire someone with experience to manage your social media accounts. A social media manager can increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your domain, and cultivate leads.
Through various platforms, my social media manager initiates contact with specific high-potential market clients. From his work, I average 15 new subscribers to my blog readers list per week. The growth in my network through this form of connecting is phenomenal.
- Marketing strategist – A marketing strategist identifies new market opportunities and consumer preferences for your products or services. This is done by implementing the best automated marketing software for your business.
My marketing strategist sets up distribution and presentation software that connects to my customer database. From this he generates weekly emails and monthly sales tips. He now is in the process of implementing video streaming so clients can access my training programs online.
Harvest Connections to Build that Contact Base
There are large pools of both social media managers and marketing specialists available around the country. These experts typically work with a number of clients, so their fractional cost to you is reasonable. Marketing and social media are important to your future success so choose wisely (see gearing-up-to-hire). With these contracted associates you can harvest qualified connections that will lead to new relationships and the growth of your contact base.
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by Art Waskey | May 25, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly, Featured
The pandemic has disrupted supply chains, resulting in shortages of goods and rapidly escalating material costs. Many suppliers have had to adjust their pricing policies. The owner of a successful distributorship recently sought my advice on how to deal with price fluctuations. Some of his largest durable goods suppliers were adding surcharges to all future deliveries. Other suppliers were changing their pricing policy to “priced upon delivery.” With no control over supplier cost policies, he wanted to know about the best pricing strategies for his business.
Pricing Strategies
While the pandemic is unique, I have witnessed similar periods of price instability in the past. My sales experience suggests you consider the following actions when dealing with price fluctuations in your markets.
- Make price increases timely – The media brings the rising cost of goods to everyone’s attention as they occur. Added costs also show up early in the grocery aisle, so your customers will be well aware of price increases. If your suppliers have initiated an increase, give your salespeople copies of suppliers’ letters to share with their customers. These will support your need to raise prices. Don’t get caught waiting. Adjust your prices as early as possible.
- Review contracts – Be sure your contracts include an escalation clause. These allow you to make price increases due to unforeseen circumstances. Most clauses will require you to provide proof of need to raise price when a situation occurs.
- Anticipate surcharges – Be aware that with rapid changes, most manufacturers will include a surcharge to recover their increased cost. This is especially true of products that are quoted with long manufacturing lead times.
- Price at time of delivery – Give the customer your best estimate cost but reserve the right to change it. Make the final price conditional to the cost you incur from your supplier. To protect his margins, I know a contractor who is quoting his projects with a surcharge for final adjustment when they are completed. When costs are changing rapidly, it’s wise to quote the final price at time of delivery.
Be Proactive
The strategies listed above are important to consider in these uncertain times. When confronted with a period of price fluctuation, be proactive.
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by Art Waskey | May 18, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
Ambitious people are always looking for someone who can make them even better. Behind many successful people in history is a great mentor, a trusted advisor who has helped them along the way. Jennifer Merrill’s book, “Top 25 Mentoring Relationships in History” provides lots of evidence of this. Here are a few examples of great mentoring relationships to encourage you.
- Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg – Steve Jobs often met with Zuckerberg to discuss the best business and management practices for Facebook. When Jobs passed away in 2011, Zuckerberg posted on his Facebook page, “Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you.”
- Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates – Gates first met American business magnate Warren Buffett at a dinner organized by Gates’ mother. There he began a discussion with Buffett about business and philanthropy that has lasted for years. Gates has said he has turned to Buffett for advice on various subjects and often refers to him as “one of a kind.”
- Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi – “If I hadn’t had mentors, I wouldn’t be here today. I’m a product of great mentoring, great coaching… Coaches or mentors are very important.”
- Actor and director Clint Eastwood – Now 90 and still directing, Eastwood was mentored by many including his grandmother who encouraged the Dirty Harry star to always work hard and pursue his dreams. “I’ve had many mentors in my life… my grandmother was always encouraging. She always thought I was going to be something when nobody else, including myself, thought I was going to amount to anything.”
A great mentor is suited to your personality, respectful of others, and a recognized expert in their field. Find someone who can show you that what you build can change the world.
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by Art Waskey | May 11, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
A mentor can be a valuable guide to a successful career. The relationship is a personal one. To be effective, you need to choose a mentor carefully. Here are the qualities I suggest you look for.
Choose a Mentor
- Chemistry – The first consideration when looking for a mentor is personality fit. Do you have shared interests with this person? Do you communicate easily?
- Competency – Choose mentors who are the most qualified people you can find and invite them to pour their knowledge into you. Don’t worry about finding everything you need in one person. Currently, I have mentors in four areas of my life — professional, educational, spiritual, and physical.
- Humility – Choose a coach who is humble and willing to share his/her failures. Vulnerabilities provide valuable lessons and illustrate how new paths can be forged. The right mentor will want you to learn from his/her failures.
- Discernment – Look for specific characteristics when choosing a mentor. In Multipliers, Liz Wiseman offers this insight on discerning leaders: “The right counselor is considered to possess wisdom and be of good judgment; especially so concerning subject matter often overlooked by others.”
- Trust – People don’t share with someone they can’t trust. A good advisor understands that confidentiality is paramount in his role as a teacher and coach. Make sure this is clear.
- Mutual benefit – Helping others in a mentor relationship brings unexpected mutual benefits like joy and motivation. The late Zig Ziglar said: “You can get anything out of life if you just help enough others get what they want out of life.”
- Availability – Be flexible with your time. Work within your mentor’s schedule, not yours. Know the direction you hope to be taking, including your goals for the next twelve months. Have your questions ready.
The respected expert for you
The most successful people are always looking for someone who can make them even better. Choose a mentor who is enthusiastic, a good personality fit, considerate of others, and a respected expert in their field.
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by Art Waskey | May 5, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
The sales rep felt dejected. He had demonstrated to a client the cost savings offered by changing to a new process. When he followed up on his proposal, he was told that the order had been placed online due to better pricing. The rep had failed to differentiate his proposal from the online offering.
Create a partnership
What would have made a difference in the above scenario? Wise customers realize and appreciate the value of partnerships with their key suppliers. Sales disruptors like Amazon, Grainger, Fastenal, etc., or the possibility of manufacturers going to direct sales, exist. I believe that the industrial gas and welding customer is still looking for local, strategic distributor partnerships, however.
Steps to take
Here are some steps you can take to create partnerships and differentiate yourself from the disrupters:
- Verify the decision-maker – Be sure you are dealing with the person who can approve the deal. Don’t make the assumption that your contact, no matter their influence on product or service selection, is the decision-maker. Spend time building relationships with the front office executive team.
- Ensure commitment – Before giving a solution to a problem or offering a cost savings idea, get a commitment to buy. Ask: “If I offer you a [specify the percentage] cost saving enhancement to your production line, can you guarantee I will get the order?” A written pre-commitment is best.
- Differentiate your services – Differentiate yourself from the online disruptor. Value-added services, like installation, engineering, and training, differentiate the distributor from the online seller or big box store. Separate the price of these added functions from the product or service you are selling. This prevents customers from buying online and expecting you to install or train them on the product.
- Offer other value added services – In addition to the above, consider offering these other value-added services: VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory), Kanban, consigned stocking, qualified service technicians, and product enhancements.
- Add fees – Value-added services add to your costs, but I find customers generally are willing to pay a premium for them. Some distributors have converted value-added services into revenue streams. Consider adding fees for services like transportation, acetylene cylinder inspection, cylinder maintenance, equipment installation, training, and engineering.
Make each sale count
Create partnerships and be sure your customer is aware of the added value associated with your products and services. Make each sale count by differentiating your proposition from that of the online or big box seller.
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by Art Waskey | Apr 27, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
Finding the sweet spot
During my long career in sales and executive leadership, many have approached me with concerns over their career path. They were often uncertain about their current choice and searching for a job with greater meaning. Finding your sweet spot — that place of contentment — is not easy. It requires making it a habit to do certain things.
Ask questions
The journey to find your comfort zone starts by asking some critical questions:
- What do you do better than people around you?
- What do you do without effort?
- What do you do without being asked?
- What do you do readily without getting paid?
- What do you do that highly energizes you?
When you have answered these questions you are ready to develop new habits.
Three dimensions
In his book The 8th Habit, Stephen Covey explains that habits lie at the intersection of knowledge, attitude, and skill. As we develop these three dimensions, we increasingly become equal to new challenges and gain possibilities.
Knowledge –We must be life-long learners. Develop the habit of reading every day and choose topics that motivate you. For me it’s leadership, sales, and theology.
Attitude –When I meet someone who isn’t excited about his/her career, I ask them about their true passions. Recognize what you want to do with your life and make realignments accordingly by developing the right habits.
Skills – Work on honing the habits that foster your unique talents and tap into what motivates you. This will make a difference. Regardless of what you are doing now, practice the habit of sharpening the skill-set that gives you the greatest sense of accomplishment and reward.
Leave a legacy
Deep within each of us is an inner longing to live a life of greatness and contribution — to leave a legacy. Make a habit of striving for the knowledge to recognize your path, the courage to take it, and the talents that enable you to be all that you can be.
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by Art Waskey | Apr 20, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly, Featured
A year of living behind closed doors and in front of computers has left many wondering if the art of selling has been redrawn. Of necessity, we have adapted to ordering products and services online. Will this buyer’s paradigm shift diminish the role of the traditional salesperson that knocked on doors? Are we still in the people business?
The answer is mixed. Yes, more sales are being directed through online channels such as Amazon, Grainger, Home Depot, etc., and directly to suppliers/manufacturers. A salesman’s interaction is not required here and this is unlikely to change. Yet, there remain many circumstances in which the personal touch is still required to make a sale. What we think of as traditional interpersonal selling is still important.
Technical expertise
In today’s sales environment, technical expertise is what differentiates you from the online order cart. It brings added-value to the transaction. Reps must be able to recognize, demonstrate, and present cost savings to their customers. It is these interactions that keep us in the people business.
Required skills
To compete against the ease and pricing of online transactions, you need good interpersonal skills. Focus on these:
- Use body language – Be empathetic. The ability to understand and share feelings builds trust between people. Use eye contact and positive gestures. For example, leaning forward in your chair demonstrates confidence, interest, and enthusiasm.
- Look your best – First impressions may not be fair, but they are a fact. Make sure your initial visit is a positive one. Remember, you feel the way you look. New clothes lift your spirits and this will show. Check your face for possible embarrassments before you get out of your car. When you arrive, smile.
- Demonstrate interest – Your goal is to make the client feel important. Show genuine interest by encouraging your prospect/customer to discuss his or her interests, needs, and priorities. Do not launch into a spiel about yourself or your products. Address your customer by his name, offer a compliment, ask questions, and listen.
The human connection
The pandemic has changed many things but not our ingrained need for human connection. The “click” cannot replace what transpires in a face-to-face sales call. We are all in the people business. Work on your interpersonal skills.
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