The Daly News August 2006 Issue 13
THE NEW RULESIf you haven’t taken the opportunity to read FORTUNE magazine issue July 24, 2006, I highly recommend doing so. Of particular note is the article entitled “The New Rules”. Another possible title for this article could have been- “The risk of applying old solutions to new problems.” This article is guaranteed to “get you thinking” and it is designed to be provocative. You will want to compare your company and industry direction vis-à-vis the “new rules”. Here are seven headlines to get you going:
- 1.Old rule: Big dogs own the street.
New rule: Agile is best; being big can bite you.
- 2.Old rule: Be No. 1 or No. 2 in your market.
New rule: Find a niche, create something new.
- 3.Old rule: Shareholders rule.
New rule: The customer is king.
- 4.Old rule: Be lean and mean.
New rule: Look out, not in.
- 5.Old rule: Rank your players; go with the A’s.
New rule: Hire passionate people.
- 6.Old rule: Hire a charismatic CEO.
New rule: Hire a courageous CEO.
- 7.Old rule: Admire my might.
New rule: Admire my soul.
Guaranteed, these will be concepts hashed about for possibly years to come. The jury is out, but as Bob Dylan sang long ago, “the times, they are a changing.”
JACK HEADED “DOWN UNDER”
The month of September finds me in New Zealand and Australia, a trip comprised of 6 major cities where I will be sharing business building ideas with over 1,000 TEC (The Executive Committee) CEO members. We have some flexibility remaining in the later part of the month, should you have business operations in Australia and an interest, just call our office at 888-298-6868 and we will do our best to work with you.
BostonWorkshop
JUST ADDED!!
Boston–Smart Selling Workshop, Friday, October 13, 2006 at the Omni Parker House. Don’t miss the opportunity to have your sales staff spend a day with Jack. These full day, sales based sessions are designed to teach you what you need to know to get to the top of your game. Jack will show your team how to apply street tested techniques that make the difference as well as reinforce and provide accountability to ensure that things are getting done! The day is fast paced, content rich and filled with take-away value. Take the pulse of your business today and make the adjustments that will change your business tomorrow! Call Jennifer at 888-298-6868 to register or register on line at www.jackdaly.net.
NEXT UP:
- Los Angeles-August 27, 2006.
- Atlanta-October 10, 2006
- Montreal,QB-October 26, 2006
- Lancaster, PA-October 27, 2006
- Washington DC- November 2 & 3, 2006
- Toronto, ON-December 12, 2006
CONTINUOUS SELF DEVELOPMENT
A regular feature of this newsletter is to keep you current on business books which can elevate your performance as either a Sales Professional or Entrepreneur. This month’s selection focuses on “sales over the phones”, entitled “Telesales Tips from the Trenches” by Joe Catal. This easy read is full of terrific ideas on how to be more productive and effective in generating business over the phone. The ideas are “action oriented”, meaning they can be implemented immediately.
Consistent with my habit of “teasing” you into the full read, here is a sample of takeaways:
-Don’t confuse activity with productivity. If you’re doing paperwork during peak calling times, you’re not being productive. If you “start at nine” but suffer through voice mail and email catch-up for your first hour each day and not get hitting the phones til 10am, that’s 5 hours a week and at least 20 hours per month of lost opportunity!
– Voice mail: Speak slow! How many times have you had voice mail messages that you had to keep playing back to get the number? If you have a toll-free number, leave that rather than a number the caller would need to pay for. Always leave your number when leaving a voice mail-assume they don’t have your number with them.
-Never stop a prospect from talking.
-Never use the phrase, “to be honest with you.” Does this imply you haven’t been honest?
-Always take notes during your call. You can’t remember everything someone tells you, plus when you call back, it impresses the customer when you can remember what you spoke about a week later.
-During the first 30 seconds of your call, people want to know, “who you are”, “why are you calling” and “what’s in it for them”.
Washington D.C.
Sales Management and Sales Summit
November 2 & 3, 2006
Day One, Thursday, November 2, 2006:Sales Management
The key ingredient to increasing sales is more effective Sales Management. Here’s how Jack captures it: “A Sales Manager’s job is NOT to grow sales, it’s to grow salespeople.” Improve your bottom-line results with profitable sales. This day is specifically designed for CEO’s and Sales Managers.
Day Two, Friday, November 3, 2006:Sales
We encourage the Sales Management to join us on Day Two along with the members of their Sales teams. Here is where we key in on the actions that will build the individual sales professional into a more effective producer. We’re talking about money-making ideas centered about both new account and existing account development.
INVESTMENT: Prices good until August 31, 2006-Call Jennifer to register at 888-298-6868 or email to [email protected].
Both Days: $1095
Management only: $645
Sales only:$595
“Jack – I really enjoyed the Summit. I have completed my goals for the year, and included personal rewards based on accomplishments. For example: I plan to skydive in April, and take surfing lessons in Costa Rica this May, providing my goals are on target for the year. My wife would like to know if you have a separate summit on life insurance. Thanks again for the skills, tools and inspiration.”
Steven H. Denker
Director of Sales and Partnerships
Consumer Guides, a division of Primedia Inc
Jack Daly
Three Part Sales Academy
Build Your Way to a Successful 2006
DALLAS,TEXAS
This 3 part Sales Academy, featuring Jack Daly, is coming to Dallas, Texas. You do not want to miss this one of a kind opportunity. Pay for all three, 2-hour sessions today and the total cost is only $199.
Mark these important dates now:
- Wednesday, October 11th,
- Wednesday, November 8th,
- Wednesday, December 6th.
Please email [email protected] to reserve your seat and/or to learn about special discounts and sponsorship opportunities. We also have available large group discounts, so you can give passes to your employees, vendors, and clients in Dallas. We hope to see you there.
OLDIES but GOODIES
For the past 6 years we have historically produced a newsletter from Professional Sales Coach, Inc. With this Daly News newsletter as replacement, we wanted to remind our readers of a feature each month pulled from the archives which continues to be content rich. Professionalism requires life long learning.
Raise the Bar–Test Your “Sales Superstar” Potential
As a professional sales person, you should always be stretching yourself towards continuous improvement. To determine where you stand in relation to the SuperStar Salesperson, take the following quiz. Grade yourself on each category/activity, based on the following:
3= I’m doing this now, consistently.
- 2= I’m doing this now, occasionally.
- 1= I don’t do this now, but am willing to start.
- 0= I’m not interested in doing this.
Even if you are the consummate sales professional, the only hope of staying at the top of your game is ongoing and continuous improvement. As you read through and complete this quiz, look to identify how and where you can take your business actions and performance to an even higher level. As is true so often on tests of this nature, we will identify several things we already know, and in fact were once doing yet are doing them no longer. Use this exercise as the catalyst to reinvent yourself and your business!
GOALS
___Have a written one-year plan.
___Have a tracking and reporting system to monitor performance to plan.
___Incorporate life goals beyond pure business goals.
___Know the daily/weekly/monthly actions necessary to reach key objectives.
___Start off each day with a detailed to-do list.
___Follow a disciplined time management system.
___Have the necessary patience, realizing superstar results come from a process not an event.
MARKETING
___Try new and innovative marketing ideas.
___Understand and implement an effective “perception of value” campaign.
___Have an ongoing “touch system” to stay visibly in front of my market.
___Evaluate my competition to gain and implement new, winning ideas.
___Spend at least 50 percent of my time each week talking with prospects, customers,and clients.
___Seek out and develop niche markets to expand my marketing and business reach.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
___Approach new markets and new business sources regularly.
___Identify a “Prospect Basket” of candidates to do new business with, and weekly pursue a specific quantity, inclusive a proactive followup.
___Practice “Model the Masters”, by brainstorming with other superstar sales professionals in your business.
___Be actively involved in both trade associations and community groups to ensure visibility.
CUSTOMERS FOR LIFE
___Calculate the lifetime value of your customers.
___Be selective in whom you work with, and manage your time accordingly.
___Maintain a database of standard form letters for typical customer contact points.
___Provide value added suggestions, ideas and tools to help your database be more successful, and enhance your relationships.
REFERRAL BUSINESS
___Create the “Great First Impression”. Make it easy for first time customers to be enthusiastic about referring business opportunities to you.
___Have a formal plan and process for asking for referrals at different stages where appropriate.
___Refer business to your clients whenever possible.
ENTREPRENEUR BEHAVIOR
___Treat your book of business as if it were a business.
___Invest in your business and marketing efforts, don’t wait for the company to do so.
___Stay focused on business creating activities.
___Seek out a mentor to help you reach the next level.
___Master your key products and services.
___Attend industry conferences, seminars, and maintain a regular industry reading program.
CULTURE FOR SUCCESS
___Align oneself with top professionals and a company with a solid reputation.
___Maintain ongoing recognition systems for 1) prospects, customers, clients,
2) fellow sales associates, and 3) sales support team.
___Focus on key revenue generating activities, delegating as much admin activities
to support personnel/assistants.
___Leverage the company resources as further support to your business.
___Maintain a practice of “under-promise”, “over-deliver” in daily business activities.
SCORING:
Add your total of the above criteria. If you scored 85-105, congratulations on your superstar performance and direction. Ensure you review this key activity indicator and work on your areas where improvement is indicated. A score of 60-85 suggests an acceptable direction towards sales professionalism, however there remain a good number of areas for improvement and opportunity. Pick two-three specific activities to focus on for improvement. Once implemented, return to this indicator and choose additional areas for improvement. A score below 60 is a wake-up call, and suggests an overall relook and rework of your activities and commitment to excellence in the sales profession. Use this quiz as your starting point, and begin to implement more of the activities that are reflective of those in the selling profession we recognize as SUPERSTARS!*
*Note: Special thanks to the many Sales Professionals and Superstars for your guidance in assembling this tool, as well as to Doug Smith of Douglas Smith& Associates. We at Professional Sales Coach, Inc. wish each of you the best in your quest for SALES SUPERSTARDOM.
If any article in this newsletter would be of interest to your co-workers, customers or clients we would appreciate having you forward it along.
Thank you!
