CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
I’ve never started a newsletter with a book review, but this book is that special and important. “The Challenger Sale- Taking Control of the Customer Conversation by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson. Here’s a word of caution- the research the authors have uncovered surely applies to the large and complex sale. However, I wouldn’t go to the extreme to say it covers all sales environments.
However, with that being said and understood, there is so much great content here, that anyone interested in furthering the success of their career in Sales is highly encouraged to read this book thoroughly. I don’t recall ever making as many notes in my Kindle! Here’s what Neil Rackham, noted author of SPIN Selling, had to say: “On the face of it, their research has all the initial signs that it may be game changing.” Here are some highlights:
- The research claimed that salespeople fell into one of five distinct profiles: -The Hard Worker; The Challenger; The Relationship Builder; The Lone Wolf; The Reactive Problem Solver.
- In the world of complex solutions, supplier success is often measured by the performance of the customer’s business, not the supplier’s products.
- In a transactional selling environment, the performance gap between average and star performers is 59 percent. So the star performer sells about half as much as the core performer. However, in companies with solution selling models the distribution is very different. There, star performers outperform core performers by almost 200 percent.
- Go through the five profiles and ask yourself the following questions: Which of these five profiles do you think best describes the bulk of your sales force? Which type of rep are you trying to recruit right now? Which are you trying to get your reps to behave more like?
- So what truly sets them apart? Of the 44 or so attributes tested, 6 of them showed up as statistically significant in defining someone as a Challenger rep: Offers the customer unique perspectives; has strong two-way communication skills; knows the individual customer’s value drivers; can identify economic drivers of the customer’s business; is comfortable discussing money; can pressure the customer.
- By helping customers think differently about their company, you ultimately want them to think differently about your company.
- Sales Executive Council research shows that one of the biggest differentiators of high-performing reps is the amount of time they spend planning…
- Surveys of customers consistently show that they put the highest value on salespeople who make them think, who bring new ideas, who find creative and innovative ways to help the customer’s business.
- The Relationship Builder falls far behind. Only 7 percent of all star performers fell into the Relationship Builder profile, far fewer than any other. And this finding should be a real red flag for all sales leaders encouraging their reps to simply go out and “build deeper relationships” with customers, or, as one company told their reps in the depths of the recession, to go out and “hug your customers”.
IN THE NEWS
Imagine garnering 600,000 hits on your business articles that you are publishing. My good friend Kevin Daum is experiencing just that, and if you haven’t yet tuned in, do so at www.kevindaum.com/inc. His March 26 piece suggested we try the proven 3,500 year old sales secret…I agree!
I loved the Inc. Magazine piece in March issue titled “How I Got Started”. It underscored the importance of stories to the culture of a company and tracked 8 top world entrepreneurs with their great stories. Like Fred Smith in 4 month old Federal Express using his last $5,000 to play blackjack in Vegas to pay his jet fuel bills. That gamble contributed to a culture in which people are comfortable with risk. Or, James Dyson, who built 5,126 prototypes of his vacuum cleaner before striking pay dirt on No. 5,127. Or that Whole Foods founder John Mackey was forced to live in his store after being evicted from his apartment because it was being used to warehouse groceries. Great lessons, and motivational read as well!
From Entrepreneur April 2013– The Power of the Picture: In addition to the boom in microstock, the rise of Pinterest and Instagram and the interest generated by Facebook’s Timeline makeover are evidence of our increasingly visual online culture. Consider these stats by Florida’s MDG Advertising re the importance of images in this digital age. Articles with images average 94 percent more total views than those without.
Including a photo with a press release increases views by 14 percent. 60 percent of consumers are more likely to consider or contact a business when an image shows up in local search results. 67 percent of consumers say the quality of a product image is “very important” in selecting and purchasing a product online.
POWER OF VIDEO
Consistent with the above, we encourage you to become a follower of Jack Daly on YouTube and “Like” our page on Facebook. Watch and learn as I weaves my way through the world with video camera in hand, and deliver business building ideas in short videos for you to capitalize upon like this one:
Educational Opportunities
Big news also is my first ever open one day Sales Workshops in the UK, scheduled for May 9 in Birmingham, England and May 10 in London. Looking forward to going deep into real world sales strategies and tactics that will ensure an increase in profitable business. Register Today!
Here’s a look at other upcoming Workshops:
Click here to see the full 2013 schedule……
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS JACK?
Besides my normal hectic business travel, here is a unique offer! In 2014, I am putting together a 2 week trip to China that is purely personal travel to explore the country, culminating in running the Great Wall Marathon. We only have room for 20 people on this unique and exclusive journey. If you think you might have an interest, email me personally at [email protected], and I will put you on the “interest list”. More details to come, and guaranteed this will be a once in a lifetime experience.
Here’s what I have coming up on the near horizon, maybe I will get the opportunity to see you!
- April- Minneapolis, Long Island, NYC, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Chicago and Boston and Raleigh.
- May- Raleigh, London, Birmingham (UK), Toronto, Atlanta, and San Antonio.
- June- Boca Raton, Chicago, Oakland, Hawaii
TAKING ACTION–A look at what others are DOING! The frustrating part of what I do as a speaker/teacher is relying on others to “take action”. Frustrating especially when you hear about the challenges of a tightened economy, and yet too many folks not taking the actions needed to WIN. Check these examples of others, and then ask yourself why you aren’t “making things happen”..
Hi Jack;
I wanted to forward this to you so I am also accountable to you!
I have my page 40 (and the additional page I wrote all over) handy and am doing things every day from them…without action, there is no-thing. I printed this email out and read it aloud to myself and signed it and it is up on the inside of a cabinet in my show home.
I am SO excited to receive an award for sales volume in 2013 and to be Rookie of the Year…by achieving all of the goals below, I WILL do that!
Thank you Jack!!!!!
Erin
Good morning Jack.
I just wanted to let you know that I am re-energized and equipped with tools that are going to double my business. I’ve even changed my voicemail this morning for the first time since I’ve owned my phone)
I’m going to have a great day today. I know you are as well.
Thanks again. CHARGE!!!!!!!
Mike
The price you pay for any of the 3 Sins is significantly stunted sales growth.
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If any article in this newsletter would be of interest to
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