Author name: B-More Consulting

What’s the single biggest reason corporate training initiatives fail? Organizations doing training for the sake of training, rather than as a means to achieve specific business outcomes. For this reason, every person who is involved in a corporate training initiative – as a sponsor, leader or participant – should read the book, The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning by Calhoun Wick, Andy Jefferson and Roy Pollock. This book is a guide for approaching training as a process, to help align training with desired organizational and individual outcomes.  It promotes and outlines a structured view of training, including all aspects of a complete learning experience. It is transformational, and will aid the learners and organizers in any training environment. There is something of value in this book for senior leaders, middle managers and individual learners of organizations, large and small. It sets expectations, defines the process and provides the measures of achievement that often seem elusive to training efforts. For a brief description of the specific “D’s” see below: D1: Define Business Outcomes: Deciding to engage in training should begin with the business results desired, including what the learners should be able to do differently and better to achieve those results. Once everyone involved understands the business value, it allows for greater buy in. Business outcomes are not the skills participants will achieve with the training; they are the value the participant will gain once they use the skills—such as increased customer satisfaction and increased profitability. D2: Design the Complete Experience: Converting learning into business results is a process, not a one-time event. During this stage the before, during and after period of formal instruction is completed. D3: Deliver for Application: What are the sellers supposed to do differently and better?  Well-designed learning experiences use adult learning principles, connecting the learning with real business issues, and motivating learners by answering the question, “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM) D4: Drive Learning Transfer: Great learning alone is not enough to drive change. Learning and development fails with the lack of serious post training follow through. Putting this in place, and actively encouraging and managing the process ahead of time, will ensure the transfer process from classroom to real-world usage. D5: Deploy Performance Support: Getting better requires practice, feedback and support. Managers have direct impact on whether the learning is applied or scrapped. This stage is to increase the probability that learners will be successful when they try to apply new skills to their work. D6: Document Against Business Outcomes: Documenting against the original desired business outcomes is critical to support a cycle of continuous learning, innovation, adaptation and improvement. Make sure you decide (or understand) WHAT to measure before you decide HOW to measure results. Regardless of your experience or position in an organization, this book offers valuable advice for how to ensure your corporate training initiative is a success.

This time of year, Americans are thankful to the Pilgrims for starting a tradition that paved the way for our beloved Thanksgiving holiday; but the Pilgrims deserve thanks for other reasons as well. In his blog, Thanksgiving Tips: 9 Great Business Skills Entrepreneurs Can Learn from the Pilgrims, author Alan Hall, discusses business skills modeled by the Pilgrims. The four skills below are particularly relevant for sales professionals worldwide. 1. Take Risks: The Pilgrims took on a risky feat when they decided to leave nearly everything behind and sail across the sea to start afresh in the New World. Oftentimes, as sales professionals, we want to stay where we are because we get comfortable with pursuing the same accounts. But, in order to be successful as sales professionals, we need to expand by finding new clients. This process can be risky as it requires navigating unknown waters in regards to meeting new contacts and familiarizing ourselves with new organizational needs and buying behaviors. But, as we can learn from the Pilgrims, taking a step out of our comfort zones can lead to great success in a new place. 2. Set Goals: You can’t take on a risky venture without having plans in place. The Pilgrims had an ultimate objective for setting sail, and they had plans in place for how they were going to reach the New World. Likewise, in sales, we have to have a plan in place for how we are going to sell to a particular customer. Going into a sales presentation blind, without properly planning a presentation that is tailored to our customer’s particular needs, can be ineffective and ultimately unsuccessful. 3. Be Flexible: While it is essential to have goals and plans in place, this doesn’t mean that we will reach our goals exactly according to plan. The Pilgrims’ goal was to land near Virginia’s Hudson River, but instead, they landed far off course, near Cape Cod. Landing on a different shore, however, didn’t stop the Pilgrims from building their colony at Plymouth Rock. As sales professionals, this teaches us that, just because we may encounter obstacles to our plan along the way (e.g., we find through listening to a customer that the original customer need [Gap] we had planned for actually isn’t the real need [Gap] after all) doesn’t mean that we can no longer reach the proper solution. We just have to allow ourselves room to be flexible and adapt our plan as needed. 4. Work Hard: Surviving in a new land and building a colony from scratch took a lot of hard work, and the Pilgrims were able to prosper because of the work they put in. Likewise, as sales professionals, we have to have the ambition to always keep going, even when we encounter setbacks. The Pilgrims were a tenacious people whose experiences set forth an example of best practices for us to follow. As sales professionals, we can be grateful for what we have learned from the Pilgrims, not just at Thanksgiving, but always.

Have you ever had a customer who was unresponsive, inconsiderate or unreasonable? Frustrating customer behavior is a reality of the sales profession. How we handle it defines us as sales professionals. It may seem obvious that “punishing” undesired customer behavior is never an option; yet, it is a tactic deployed too often in the form of customer shaming. Make no mistake, conveying to customers any indication of disappointment or disapproval is a form of punishment, and it is never productive. A customer recently shared her experience with Starbucks, in which she received notification from the company that because her purchase activity had dropped in recent months, she was being downgraded from the “Gold Level” to the “Green Level,” and her “Star Account” had been reset to zero. Ouch. Instead of providing incentive (in the form of a gift card or coupon) for the customer to regain “Gold Level” status, the company took punitive action. Now, Starbucks has gone from having a customer with reduced purchase habits to a devout non-customer determined never to patronize Starbucks again, as well as a customer who is sharing her negative experience with others. How sales professionals deal with rejection or difficult customers is a telltale sign of their perspective and overall sales capability. Sales professionals who take disappointment personally are clearly operating in their own “Odds Are.” Sales professionals who are focused on the customer and the success of the customer’s organization are better able to frame behavior in terms of its impact on the client, rather than them or their own organizations. When it comes to guiding customer behavior, always use the carrot. Keep your focus on maximizing your value to your customers, and positive results will follow.

In Carew International’s Dimensions of Professional Selling (DPS) sales training, the concept of “Response Checks” is introduced as a key component of an effective sales presentation (or any sales discussion). Response Checks encourage customer participation and provide valuable insight for the sales professional regarding potential objections as well as the customer’s overall acceptance and understanding of the solution being presented. Be aware that not all Response Checks are created equal! Phrases like, “Am I right?” or “Wouldn’t you agree?” lose the intended benefit of the Response Check and can alienate your audience because they come across as insincere, presumptive and even manipulative. Response Checks are only effective when they reflect a sincere effort to gain feedback. When using them, be sure you are prepared for, and then wait for, the customer’s response. Not familiar with Response Checks?  Here’s a recap: Open-Ended Response Check Purpose: to check for understanding and acceptance. The open-ended Response Check is lower risk than a closed-ended response check. Example: “How do you feel about the improved delivery schedule I have outlined?” Closed-Ended Response Check Purpose: to check for acceptance or rejection. The closed-ended Response Check is more definitive, but higher risk, than open-ended. It solicits a “yes” or “no” response. One would use closed-ended Response Checks when, based on body language or verbal cues, you are confident the customer will respond positively. Example: “Do you feel the delivery schedule I have outlined will support your inventory reduction goals?” Prolonged Pause Purpose: to emphasize an important point or provide thinking time. Response Checks can be a powerful tool in your efforts to secure the buyer’s acceptance, and even ownership, of your solution. Be aware of catch phrases and faux Response Checks that can hinder, rather than facilitate, your connection to customers and your broader sales objective.

People tend to avoid asking for referrals because it feels awkward or they don’t know how to ask. Considering that referrals provide THE strongest sales leads, it’s worth overcoming your referral phobia to start leveraging satisfied customers for accelerated sales growth. Here are some tips to get you started: When to Ask: Obviously, you should never ask for a referral before you have satisfied your customer. Look for “moments” of peak customer satisfaction, such as immediately after a customer has experienced the benefits of your product or service. At this juncture, your inquiry about his or her satisfaction is both natural and appropriate. The other prime opportunity is anytime a customer pays you a compliment. When the referral wording has already been delivered, you just need to ask him or her to share that insight for the benefit of others inside or outside the organization. How to Ask: Model the behavior you want to see in your customers by looking for opportunities to provide referrals for them. Recruit leaders in your own organization to reach out and compliment customers on their professionalism or success in implementing your product or service. Recommend customers on LinkedIn, and make this practice part of your normal post-delivery sales cycle. Make the referral request in a matter-of-fact manner. Even if making the request feels awkward at first, don’t communicate your discomfort or position the referral as a HUGE favor. If you are asking at the right juncture (see above), it makes the request feel more like a natural consequence than a big ordeal. Who to Ask: Build a short list of your biggest fans in your customer base and start here. Launching your referral acquisition effort with customers who are loyal to you, your company and your product will make the effort much easier, and will build your confidence to move outward in your customer network. Within the customer organization, it is most natural and appropriate to ask the individual with whom you worked most closely on the purchase and implementation. However, per the suggestion above, if someone from a higher level or another department pays you or your product a compliment, seize the moment to ask him or her to share their opinion. Remember that while outstanding products, services or customer service are a prerequisite for referrals, they by no means guarantee them. The only certain way to get customer referrals is to ask for them.

America was discovered by a salesman. Columbus was looking for India, missed it by 12,000 miles and still went home reporting he had “found it,” so he obviously wasn’t a navigator. But was he really a salesman? Consider this: He had only one prospect to call on, and if he had missed the sale, he would have had to swim home. That’s selling! History records that unusual methods of financing were involved in raising the money for the trip. Not only that, but when Isabella protested that she did not have any money, he persuaded her to hock her jewelry to finance the trip. Another thing many people don’t realize is that Columbus left Spain with five ships and two of them did go over the side (yes, my tongue is firmly planted in my cheek)! Columbus had to “sell” all the way across the Atlantic. His sailors wanted to throw him overboard, but he was able to persuade them to sail “just one more day.” Their “one more day” extended until one morning when the call came forth, “Land, ho!” and the most profitable sales call in history was completed. Columbus did something else that was significant. Previous westward journeys involved heading north out of the Mediterranean Sea before turning west to cross the Atlantic, putting ships directly in the teeth of the wind and hampering progress enormously. Columbus charted his course to go south once he got out of the Mediterranean and then turn toward the west. This way he had prevailing winds. He had to do a little “selling” in order to take that particular route. Everything revolves around selling in some respect… Actually, everything involves selling. The teacher sells the student on learning, the parent sells the child on being a good person, and the employer sells the employee on doing a better job. It’s true: The better job you do of “selling” or persuading, the more your benefits in life will be. Yes, America really is the land of the salesperson, so learn to sell and I’ll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

Our communication skills are the single biggest factor in defining us as professionals. They project our intellect, judgement, commitment and respect, all of which define our overall “professionalism.” Read the common communication faux paus below, and consider whether any could be undermining your effectiveness: Listening without intent. Whether in person or on the phone, the person talking to you deserves your undivided attention. Period. Multitasking when you are supposed to be listening is not only rude, but it also compromises your understanding and comprehension from the exchange. This includes glancing at your phone to see who is calling or texting you, even if you ultimately ignore it. Just by glancing at your device, you have broken your attention and accommodated the distraction. To facilitate your undivided attention, turn off your phone prior to the start of your meeting. Talking without purpose. Be concise and precise with your words. Doing so will not only get your point across more clearly and with greater impact, but it will also prevent the kind of rambling that can be perceived as wasting your audience’s time and annoying. View your words as a commodity – to be used judiciously and for the greatest possible impact. Asking pointed questions. Questions are not always neutral; in fact, they can be quite inflammatory at times. When you ask a question, be sure it is with the pure intent of gathering information, and not a veiled attempt to deliver criticism or drive home a point. Using excessive (verbal) force. Sometimes less is more. Often, in the heat of persuasion or disagreement, we use stronger language than is necessary or productive. This can be done in an effort to ensure our point is made, “win” the argument or simply save time. In reality, overly strong or blunt verbiage will likely start a destructive and irreversible cycle in which there is no winner. Did you recognize yourself in any of the above examples? Shedding just one or two bad communication habits can greatly improve your image and the quality of your professional relationships.

Read the biography of any business icon and you will find that failure played a defining role in his/her ultimate success. Were these individuals successful in spite of their failures or because of them? Or maybe it’s their response to failure that establishes them as leaders and separates them from the pack. “Failure,” in the form of rejection or a lost deal, is a fact of life for sales professionals. Here are some tips to make the most of your failures: Keep it in perspective. Failure can be an event or a frame of mind, and its role in your sales life will depend on how you cast it. View failure as permanent and pervasive, and it becomes a frame of mind that jades your overall perspective and fuels a defeatist attitude. View failure as temporary, and in the context of an isolated event, and it has much less power to undermine your confidence and future endeavors. Survivor or victim? Choose to be a survivor instead of a victim when failure occurs. Victims focus on the perpetrator, with no responsibility taken and no progress made. Survivors build the internal strengths that carry them through tough times – a practice that is both empowering and motivating. Use every failure as a learning opportunity. Failure is never fun, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. Explore with customers and prospects to understand why you did not get the business, but be sure to do so in a positive manner. Your goal is to gain insight, not to make the customer feel guilty for not choosing you. The message, “I always want to learn from my experiences to improve for the future. Would you be willing to share feedback on why you went with another provider?” is much more productive than, “I’m so sad and dejected. Why didn’t you choose me?” Let it go. “Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die” (source: unknown). Failure is painful, and it can be difficult to let go of the disappointment. But holding a grudge against the organization or individuals who didn’t buy from you only weighs you down and limits your own opportunities in the future. Resolve to not fear and be defined by failure. Instead, use it as a spring board for your future success!

For many of us, email has become our primary mode of communication with internal team members and customers alike. That being the case, we need to be sure we are composing emails for maximum impact and benefit, and also with a degree of quality that boosts our professional image. In his recent HBR blog, Write E-Mails That People Won\’t Ignore, Bryan Garner shares some excellent tips for making sure your emails get read. The following stood out as the best insights: Stick to standard capitalization and punctuation. Conventions of good writing may seem like a waste of time for e-mail, especially when you\’re tapping out messages on a handheld device. But it\’s a matter of getting things right – the little things. Even if people in your group don\’t capitalize or punctuate in their messages, stand out as someone who does. Rushed e-mails that violate the basic norms of written language bespeak carelessness. And their abbreviated style can be confusing. It takes less time to write a clear message the first time around than it does to follow up to explain what you meant to say. Get straight to the point (politely, of course). Be direct when making a request. Don\’t butter up the recipient first – although a brief compliment (POSITIVE CONTACT) may help (\”Great interview. Thanks for sending it. May I ask a favor?\”). Spell out deadlines and other details the recipient will need to get the job done right and on time. Be brief. People find long e-mails irksome and energy-sapping. The more they have to scroll or swipe, the less receptive they\’ll be to your message. They\’ll probably just skim it and miss important details – or skip it altogether. So rarely compose more than a single screen of reading. Add a short but descriptive subject line. Before hitting \”Send,\” check your subject line. If it\’s generic or blank, your message will get lost in your recipient\’s overstuffed inbox. Are you asking someone to take action? Highlight that in the subject line. Make your request easy to find – and fulfill. Of course, the other consideration regarding customer email is whether you are overusing it in lieu of in-person meetings or phone calls. Email is a wonderfully efficient communication tool, but it can never replace personal interaction.

Technically, sales isn\’t a sport; it\’s a complex and rewarding profession. But since customer contact is in many ways the life blood of sales, we should periodically reflect on the quality of our own customer contact efforts and whether we are optimizing them to achieve the best possible results. Consider your customer contact habits in terms of P-V-F: P – Be POSITIVE. Every customer interaction should begin with Positive Contact, and that upbeat and empowered energy should continue for the duration of the session. Positive energy conveys enthusiasm, confidence and commitment – all of which are key ingredients to building trusting and productive customer relationships. We all have days when we feel burdened with concerns or complaints, but our customers are simply not the appropriate audience for this content. Always strive to be a bright spot in your customer\’s day! V – Add VALUE. In every customer interaction, you should be able to identify the value you provided. Checking in with customers to \”see if they need anything\” is not adding value; reaching out to share a product or service which would benefit their organization and support their goals, IS adding value. Other examples of adding value include: following up to gauge satisfaction with a recent purchase, reaching out with additional insight that is relevant to a past discussion with the customer, sharing relevant industry insights or updates, or recommending an interesting book, white paper or article. F – FREQUENCY. Be purposeful with the frequency of your customer contact. Not every customer warrants or desires the same regularity of contact, but you should have a strategy and plan for your contact frequency with every single customer and prospect. Be sure to link your plan to your daily/weekly/monthly routine. Incorporate reminder prompts into your calendar. Make planned customer outreach a part of every day. Proactive and purposeful customer contact facilitates strong customer relationships, and, because it keeps us better attuned to our customers’ attitudes and needs, it greatly reduces the amount of time we spend putting out fires and repairing customer dissatisfaction.