The Seven Deadly Sins in Selling

Authored by Ian Selbie, CEO and President, Power Marketing International Inc.

Power Marketing International is a leading sales effectiveness services provider.

With partners across North America and clients around the world, Power Marketing helps companies achieve their revenue and margin objectives by reengineering sales organizations. www.powermarketingworld.com The objective of this article is to provide you with an opportunity to compare the behaviors and results of your sales force with our global observations of common sales inhibitor since 1994.

Sin #1 - Calling at non-decision making levels

In the highly dynamic world of selling, there are two very desirable words: "Yes", and a quick "No." The slow "No" robs sales people of their most precious asset, their time. The quick "No" allows sales people to move on to opportunities they can win. The most significant contributor to the "slow No" is calling at nondecision making levels. Spending time talking to influencers, or smurfs within prospective clients not only creates a slow "No," it commits your level of contact in the Are your sales people consistent & confident at selling to the C-Suite? account. Once established at the influencer 4 Yes they are level you are now at their mercy in terms of 3 Somewhat, could be better 2 Not really, we need help moving up to meet with the executive level, 1 Not at all, we need real help where the real decisions are made. Always calling high first can more than double your company's win percentage.

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Ian Selbie
CEO & President Power Marketing International Inc.

Sin#2 - Believing it's a "closing problem, when it's always a "qualifying problem"
When we meet company presidents for the first time we often hear, "Our sales people are keen, enthusiastic, high energy people, but they struggle with closing. Can you help us?" After we complete our assessment and facilitate our sales training and coaching programs, it becomes clear that it is never a closing problem, but failure to diligently qualify opportunities that cause the loss of the deal. There are 7 key elements to qualifying a deal. One of the most overlooked is failing to understand the prospective client's business pain. Not Could your sales force be more what they need, but why they need it. effective at qualify? The top sales guns are not the best 4 No, they are all very strong 3 Somewhat, could be better closers, but rather theyre more effective 2 For the most part, we need help when it comes to diligent qualification. 1 Completely, we need real help

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Sin #3 - Failure to follow a systematic, consistent sales process, by all sales people
When assessing sales organizations, we find more sales processes than sales people. The absence of a standard and systematic approach creates three significant challenges for companies. The first is a lack of consistency with customers. Each sales person uses their own approach which differs from customer to customer, creating a fracturing of your brand. Secondly, How confident are you in your it creates a sales management nightmare. We define good sales management as a proactive coach and revenue forecasts? mentor of the sales process. To be an effective coach, sales managers must be an expert in the process 4 Completely, we are good at this 3 Somewhat, could be better themselves. How can a sales manager be an expert in ten or more processes? The third and perhaps 2 Not very, we need help most painful issue is inaccurate revenue forecasting, which is directly tied to inconsistent sales process. 1 Darts Anyone? we need real help

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Sin #4 - The premature proposal trap

What is the fastest way to get rid of a sales person? Ask for a proposal? The sales person hurries back to the office to create the proposal, and this can be a major work of art! After countless hours, perhaps days the sales person calls the prospect and says "when can I show you our proposal?" The unqualified prospect replies "Oh, just fax it over I'll read it this week" The sales person follows up and the prospect comments were real busy now, but follow up with me in 6 months. Sound familiar? Never create a proposal for a Are you proposals presented prior prospect without a diligent needs assessment and qualification process. If the prospect is not willing to being properly qualified? 4 Never, we are rock solid at this to invest time in having you better understand their needs, theyre probably not really interested. 3 Somewhat, could be better Equally important, yet so often overlooked, always present your proposal in person to the 2 Often, we do need help entire team making the decision. Dont assume theyll sell it for you. 1 We are Quote Goats Help!!

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Sin #5 - Not having a documented and measurable sales plan

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail, this is especially true in sales. Beyond having an annual sales quota, every sales person needs to have a plan to achieve it, in fact overachieve their plan. Sales people need to build an annual plan, broken down into monthly goals and objectives. The sales person and sales manager should review these goals quarterly and make any needed adjustments to How confident are you in your ensure the completion of the plan. This sin is as documented sales plan today? much an issue for sales people as it is for sales 4 Completely and its accountable 3 Somewhat, could be better managers. Sales people need a personal sales plan 2 Not really, we need help for success every year. Strategy, activity, and then 1 Not at all, we really need help results. You cant manage it, if you dont measure it, and you cant manage results!

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Sin #6 - Failure to utilize the most powerful sales tool you have, proof. Many sales organizations use technology, but in most cases they realize that sales people don't sell anything while in front of their computer screens. Yes there are useful tools that help us plan, monitor, prepare, present and forecast. However they all take a back seat to the most powerful sales tool possible, in a word, proof. We work with a wide range of companies and usually find they are not How many letters of reference do fully leveraging their customers to help them you have? 4 More than 75% of our clients succeed. Asking for the letter from your clients is 3 50 to 75% of them also an excellent quality check for your delivery 2 25 to 50% of them process. Are your customers satisfied? Prove it! 1 Um, can we change the subject!

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Sin #7 Thinking that sales software or CRM will cure an inconsistent or ineffective sales process. Good process must precede tools and this is clearly true in the world of sales. To illustrate this lets use the game of golf as an example. Do you know what I mean when I say I have a slice? Oh you too! A very common issue for us amateur golfers. Well as it turns out the golf swing is a process. A series of actions that need to happen in the proper sequence in order for the right outcome to occur. Now for us slicers, and you know who you are, what happens if we run back to the pro shop and buy one of those oversized, huge drivers? You may have actually done this, as I have, you actually get better at slicing, or, go deeper into the trees, making your game worse not better. This is a lot like sales software or CRM systems. Hoping to fix your ineffective sales process, you decide to purchase the great big driver of software. A few weeks, or even months go by, and your sales people refuse to use it. Weve heard sales people say things like it takes longer to put the information into the system than it did to meet with the customer or they hired me to sell, not do data inputting Turns out that step Does your sales software help you one in implementing sales software or CRM has win, or is it seen as more admin.? nothing to do with software, its all about process. 4 Its great and all our reps use it The right sales process, supported by a sales 3 Its ok some of our reps use it 2 Not that good, reps dont like it management methodology then youre ready for 1 Not good, our reps hate it! the power tools. As in the game of golf, its our swing that needs work, lessons and practice perhaps?

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Summary
True sales effectiveness is not just a campaign or company slogan of the month. It is an attitude and commitment to continual listening, learning and development. This commitment must start at the top with your senior management. Only then can this journey begin. We hope this article has been useful in helping you evaluate your company's sales effectiveness. Should you decide Assessing Your Score that your sales organization needs improvement, 22 28 Well oiled selling machine we would be pleased to help you 15 21 Reasonable, need some help Stop Selling. Start Solving.
7 14 Ineffective, need urgent help

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This publication is the intellectual property of Power Marketing International Inc., duplication in whole or part is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2004. For more information contact Power Marketing International Inc. www.powermarketingworld.com or 604.531.2878