|
Author: Jim Meisenheimer Article source: http://www.meisenheimer.com/. Used with author's permission.
YIPPEE! Kendra won, or should I say, "She was hired," by the "Donald." It was no surprise to me. It was all about people and management skills. You either have them or you don't! Kendra had them and Tana, sad to say, didn't.
The shenanigans you watched during the "Apprentice" show are perfect examples of what not to do if you want to become an effective and respected sales manager.
Enough about that . . .
Today, being a sales manager, is a tough job - and it can also be extremely rewarding. Here's what I find bizarre. There are too many undertrained sales managers trying to coach and develop their undertrained salespeople. It's not a pretty picture.
What do you think happens when that happens? Right - nothing much happens.
Last week I went to Chicago to conduct a one half-day sales training program. After completing the program in Chicago I was off to Las Vegas to do a two-day sales training program.
I'm sitting in an aisle seat (9D) on American Airlines flight #1417. Once I settled in I exchanged hellos with the guy sitting next to me.
I asked, "What kind of work do you do?"
He says, "I'm a sales manager" and proceeds to tell me about his company, his responsibilities, and some of his problems.
After a while he asks me, "What about you - what kind of work do you do?"
I gave him my prepared elevator speech, "I coach and train salespeople and sales managers on how to increase sales, earn more money, have more fun, and how to do it all in less time."
He says, "You coach sales managers, man could I ever use a coach!"
I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "One day I'm a very successful sales representative and the next day I'm a sales manager."
He continues and says "Hey, I wanted this job - it was a dream come true for me." Along with the promotion I got the standard "Hit the road Jack kind of attitude from my company."
"It wasn't mean-spirited, just a go figure-it-out for yourself kind of an attitude."
I asked him one of my favorite questions - a question that uncovers specific problems. I said, "Keith, as a sales manager, what are some of the biggest challenges you're dealing with now?"
He said, "You got an hour to hear them all?" I took some notes while he was talking and here's a list of what he said he needed help with:
Recruiting
Interviewing
Planning
Time management
Coaching
Motivation
Planning a dynamite sales meeting
Strategic account plans
Measuring performance
Sitting goals that get results
Leadership
Self confidence
I said, "That's quite a list."
He says, "My wife thinks I'm nuts for taking the sales management position."
She says, "You're working longer hours, you're always stressed out, and you're always thinking about work."
Well, I'm not going to bore you with any more of the details of that conversation - but Keith seems to be the perfect candidate for my just released Sales Management Coaching Program.
After I explained the program and all of its benefits to Keith he perked up and said, "Sign me up!"
You can use this link to see the complete Sales Management Coaching package - it will take only 118 seconds to read.
http://www.meisenheimer.com/sales_coaching/individual.shtml
If you're a sales representative please forward this to every sales manager you know, who wants to become the best they can be in their role as sales manager.
If you're a sales manager, take a close look in the mirror and ask yourself, "How am I doing as a sales manager?" If you want to achieve superior results as a sales manager you'll have to have superior sales management skills at your fingertips.
Years ago, some of the best advice I never took was "You can't succeed alone." It took me a long time to buy into this very simple concept. Today I belong to a Mastermind group that meets every three months. We've been doing this for five years now.
During the same five years I have hired three different coaches to help me grow different parts of my business. Personally, I have always found an immediate payback with the coaches I've hired.
For me, the results have been truly amazing and incredibly rewarding.
Here's the link again to see the complete package.
http://www.meisenheimer.com/sales_coaching/individual.shtml
Enough about sales management . . .
It's time to start thinking about the second-half of 2005.
Here are a few practical selling tips:
1. Prepare a list of what worked for you during the first half of 2005.
2. Prepare a list of what didn't work for you during the first half of 2005.
3. Prepare a written list of goals (Make them specific) that you want to achieve during the second half of 2005 - professional and personal.
4. For each written goal prepare a list of strategies that describes in considerable detail how you are planning to achieve each goal.
5. Identify the one thing that's holding you back from achieving phenomenal success. Be honest with yourself! Then, immerse yourself in a self-development program to convert this weakness into a personal strength.
This is not an exercise in futility. Actually, it's an exercise designed to help you achieve the personal growth and development you need to take your business to the next level.
If dealing with time management is an issue for you, my Audio Book "57 Ways To Take Control Of Your Time And Your Life" includes 57 creative ideas on how you can, once again, take control of your time and more importantly your life.
Use this link for more information about the audio book and to see the extra stuff I'm including:
http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/adtrack.asp?AdID=143021
Now go out and outsell and outsmart your competition . . . Jim Meisenheimer is the No-Brainer Sales Training Guru.
His sales techniques and selling skills focus on practical ideas
that get immediate results. You can discover all his secrets by
contacting him at (800) 266-1268 or e-mail: jim@meisenheimer.com
Use this link to sign-up for Jim's FREE No-Brainer Selling Tips
Newsletter and to get your copy of my Special Report titled,
"The 12 Dumbest Things Salespeople Do."
http://www.meisenheimer.com
How To Use RSS Feeds In Your Marketing
It was Friday night. I finished reading a book about RSS feeds. Quickly set up one for my site, submitted it on directories and went to bed. Sunday morning, I ...
No Degree, No Problem
Most times, if the candidate has a solid background and the chemistry is strong with the organization, the company hires the person. Remember 70% of hiring is C...
Is Your Advertising... Sexy?
Ever hear the term 'sexy' advertising? It's not necessarily what you think. Sure, some people's idea of sexy advertising is bikini babes spraying beer all over ...
Is Spyware Watching You?
Imagine my surprise when I received a phone call from a friend who told me he'd been the victim of a "spyware" attack that left him shaking at his loss of priva...
How To Succeed In Internet Marketing
So what exactly is the magic formula needed to become a successful internet marketer? The bad news is that there is none. The good news is that you can create i...
The Balance of Balance
Life is about maintaining a balance of all aspects. At times some areas might receive more focus than others, but remember we're always undergoing constant chan...
What Makes The Best Wedding Anniversary Gift?
Tips for selecting an anniversary gift that your husband or wife will cherish forever.
Dream Lover
Direct Answers - Column for the week of September 1, 2003 I met my wife a dozen years ago and her best friend shortly thereafter. I was always fond of my wife'...
Small Business and Branding – Why and How?
Every business needs to establish their brand in order to survive the competition. This is nothing new; experts and management gurus had been preaching the same...
Why Is SEO So Important To Your Site?
You have heard the phrase LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. But wait, this is online! You don't have to worry about location... or do you...
How to Bake: Easy Sourdough Bread
A customer emailed us and said that her mother loved sourdough bread but had trouble making it work right. We shared the following recipe with her, which is ou...
Your Ad -- Who Cares?
Make your ads grab their attention.
Old Barney -- A Visit to Barnegat Light, New Jersey
Barnegat Light, NJ is the home to "Old Barney" a historic lighthouse located at the northern tip of Long Beach Island. Built in 1859 the lighthouse is the secon...
Stuttering Child
Stuttering can develop at an early age in children
Planning A Wedding? Tips On How To Attend A Bridal Show
If you're getting married, a Bridal Show is a great place to get started. Since 1996, I have attended or participated in over 150 Bridal Shows, and I thought I ...
Can Mexican Pharmacy Purchases Be Trusted?
There are some risks associated with purchasing drugs from a Mexican pharmacy, but they are no more risky than any other purchase you'd make on the Internet to...
Finding a Broker
Commission is definitely not the most important factor in choosing a broker. Most important in choosing a brokerage firm is the per trade slippage, the differe...
DESIGNING YOUR LOG HOME: The Question of Dead Space
There's something about huge log homes that makes the rest of us jealous: the owners don't have to worry about wasted space. But for smaller floor plans, we ne...
Common Sense Link Exchange
What's wrong with your links page, and when exchanging links is a bad idea...
Nokia Cellular Phone
Nokia produces a large variety of phones and by purchasing a Nokia cellular phone you are getting yourself a top of the line and technologically......
Basic Tips for Planning a Wedding
Planning a wedding should be fun and exciting. However, if you don't do the proper research and stay within your budget things can go bad in a hurry.
Kill the Hype
She was waiting for me when I returned from a meeting. Standing outside my office door, I could tell by her downward glance, Jodie was not there to give me good...
Secret Sneaky Tactic To Get A Complete Used Golf Club Sets On A Discount With Auction Sites
Have you experienced this when you're bidding on ebay or other auction site? You bid on an item, lets say used golf club sets, you put you're first bid. Then yo...
What Is Your Legacy?
During a recent speech, I told the audience that my mission was to empower the self-employed to succeed. Instantly a hand shot up in the audience. "What's your...
|
Print this page