Persistence

Talking to a young businessman in Abu Dhabi this week (a good place to be if you like selling and making money!) I heard a wonderful story about a salesperson who would not take "No!" for an answer. His prospect hung up on him, but the salesman dialed back straight away and said "We must have got disconnected!" And so on ... (Let me know if you want to hear the full story). Anyway, my point is "How many times will the successful, professional salesman hear "No!" before giving up?" It has to be more than once, but surely there is a limit? I have heard it said that the average number of times a buyer needs to hear the proposition is 7, while the average salesman gives up after 3 tries. Interesting!

Go for Gold - the Four Year Plan

I admit to being a little bit proud that the Olympic sportsmen from GB (and NI!) have done so well in Beijing. It is also impressive how many of them, and other sportsmen inspired by their successes, are now making plans to win in 2012.

How many salespeople look at success in their lives in this way?

Some questions about 2012:

• which podium will you stand on in 2012?
• what colour will your medal(s) be?
• what will your annual income be?
• what about your net worth?
• will you be a VIP at the London games?
• what is your plan to achieve this?

Go for it!

I've Run Out of Business Cards!!?!

Another networking meeting and I was astounded by a visitor who seemed to have an interesting business but had no business cards. A good example of how NOT to make a good initial impression, how not to make people warm to you how to make it very difficult if not impossible to follow up the contact. He did say "Google me!" but I don't that cuts it. On the other hand, he might have collected everybody else's business card, and we will all receive a professional follow up later today ... I doubt it somehow.

"I'm a (Blank) So I'm Really Boring!"

I have just come from a networking meeting where I have for the 100th time this year listened to an elevator pitch which begins "I'm a (blank), which means I am really boring..." I leave the (blank) partly because I don't want to embarrass anybody (OK Peter?), but also because there a number of business types which could be inserted. So, here's to all those blanks out there: Oi you! No! Let me decide if it's boring or not. If you tell me you're boriing I might well agree with you and switch off. But I happen to know that you provide a high value service based on thousands of man years' expertise and knowledge. But actually I am not interested in blanks. Just let me know if you can bring ME gain or ease MY pain! Now you're talking!

Emotion – bottle it up, pour it out or get in on tap?

A recent training course was memorable for a number of reasons, not least of which the wide range of emotional experiences of the participants. The intensity of these experiences, at least the ones I observed and participated in, was so great that it “made a strong man cry”, and caused lesser mortals to give up using mascara as a display of emotion was sure to well up at any time.

The question is, what can we do with this emotion in sales and in business?

In corporate life, as in the academic world, and I suppose in family life above the age of about 12, the answer has always been – “Emotions should be felt but not seen (or heard”! Certainly my experiences in the lands of the stiff upper lip (UK) and the rigid backbone (Germany) taught me that anyone demonstrating excited emotional states in the workplace can expect to be pitied, suspected, ridiculed or even fired. Bottling up emotions is the order of the working day in these cultures, and I imagine this would apply to many parts of the globe.

Several of the training course participants were clearly used to keeping their emotions to themselves, and found the process of uncorking and pouring out years of vintage feelings to be at both disturbing but also liberating, especially as this took place in an environment of safety and trust with a group of people who shared their vulnerability. As leaders in business, how can we use this knowledge? Should we expect our production planning meetings to break up with attendees sobbing, or the Monday morning sales meeting to culminate in group and individual hugs?

Whatever image this creates, it is clear that an appropriate level of sincerely displayed emotion enhances the effectiveness of business interactions, be they motivational presentations, sales meetings, interviews or board meetings. It says “I Care Enough”. Indeed, it is hard to overstate the power of emotion under control. I will always remember the week after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. My own emotions and those of my family. The often muted sometimes unrestrained emotions of millions round the world. And most impressive, the astonishing ability of Diana’s brother and of Elton John to express their emotions in eloquent performances, poignant and yet controlled.

This is the balance to aspire to – the power of the emotion is evident, yet the flow is directed, restricted, sufficient yet not excessive.

This may be a talent some people are born with. It is also something which can be learned, by developing “Emotional Intelligence”, or EI.

According to the UK’s Centre for Applied Emotional Intelligence, EI is made up of Intrapersonal (Internal) and Interpersonal(External). The first step is to become aware of one’s own emotional state, strengths and challenges. This provides the tools to recognise and respond to the emotional state, strengths and challenges of other people, and also to achieve mastery of one’s own emotions. Combining these attainments leads to the ability to develop and maintain superior interpersonal relationships – the aim of a great leader and a great salesman.

Creativity v Salesmanship

I was recently given a referral to contact a design agency which is not generating enough business to move ahead. I introduced myself as someone who works with business owners and managers to help them generate more sales, profitably and without stress. The response I got, from the "Business Development Manager", stunned me. "Oh, we're a design agency - we don't do sales!" I was unusually speechless, but I am determined to call back and help if I can. Surely one can be "creative" and a great salesman at the same time.
David Marks
http://www.vkabd.co.uk/

PS If you know a Creative Business Owner, why not get him/her to do my anonymous survey, "Challenges Faced by Owners of Creative Businesses" : http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=T5wN7UbcCoaL7pIPCMciRQ_3d_3d ?

Who Would be a Salesman?

Some people find the very idea of selling scary: others believe it is the best job in the world. Where do you stand?
David
http://www.vkabd.co.uk