Category Archives: Sales
Outside vs. Inside Voice – You Can’t Take It Back!
I had a run in with the District Manager at a large retail account of mine many years ago. We had “philosophical differences” regarding my coverage of one of their stores, and one incident in particular upset him.
My relationship was less than solid with that location’s management team, and I received very little support from the sales associates. During my third year working with the account, the senior manager requested that I conduct another product knowledge meeting for his team on a Saturday morning. I had done that type of training before, but had become frustrated by their lack of support.
I will never forget what I said to him in response to his request that I take time out of my weekend to do training. My wording was all wrong. I said that I would not receive the “bang for the buck” to go and train his team now, and would wait until I received more support from them.
I did not mean for it to come out that way, but it did, and I had to live with the consequences. I remember the rest of the story like it was yesterday. I was numb all over and I felt like I was going to throw up! He stormed in to his office, and started dialing the phone to my regional office. I swear there was smoke coming out of his ears! It was after 4 pm, and my General Manager had typically left by then. But as fate would have it, he was still in the office that day!
By this time I had walked in to his office, I was pleading for him to get off the phone so we could work through the issue together. He was requesting a new sales rep from my General Manager (while I was standing right in front of him). To my General Manager’s credit, he was able to calm him down, and I was able to talk things through with my boss the next day. My management team knew this man quite well, and was aware that he was not my favorite person. I explained my side of the story, and eventually was able to convince the store’s District Manager to keep me on as the rep for both locations.
I was not worried about losing the underperforming branch, but was terrified to lose the local branch that I had worked so diligently to grow over the years. To say the least, I choose my words very carefully in the future, to avoid other conflicts. I retained both branches, but the weaker place never met my expectations.
It is difficult to keep your emotions in check and not say what is on your mind in certain situations. But using your “outside voice” instead of your “inside voice” can have negative ramifications, especially if you catch somebody on a bad day! I learned that the hard way. I will never forget that feeling deep in the pit of my stomach when I almost lost one of my biggest accounts right before my eyes!
- Have you ever wished you had used your “inside voice” rather than your “outside voice” in a specific situation during your career?
- If so, what were the results of you speaking out loud?
Email me at TimMushey@gmail.com to share your story, and I will post the best response on my blog next week!
Why Follow Up Is A Waste Of Time!
It’s time-consuming- It can start a series of telephone tag or long email correspondence
- It may dig up potential issues that you don’t want to deal with; feels like you are becoming a complaint handling department
- Don’t want to bother people
- Don’t know the right amount of time to wait if you need an answer
- Would rather focus your efforts on getting more business if in a sales role, or fulfilling other more enjoyable business activities in general
TOUGH LOVE MOMENT – Suck it up!
Imagine if all of your competitors thought this way! You should be embracing follow-up and becoming your customer (or prospect’s) go to person!
Customers will respect you because your relationship with them is not complete after the purchase order number is given. They have put their hand up and said “treat me special“. Don’t take your current customers for granted and follow-up regularly.
- If you have quoted a prospect, be sure to follow-up. Don’t expect that they will magically call you and give their decision either way. It may only take a brief clarification to secure the business
- If you are following up to check on a previous issue, it may help prevent future issues
- If it is follow-up after a sale, it may take care of minor issues before they escalate in to bigger ones
One of my biggest pet peeves is when a project stalls with somebody in the organization, due to the fact that others have not responded to them. That is always unacceptable. If you need to follow-up frequently via email, phone, or in person, get the answers that you need to move things forward. Never use others as scape goats for things being held up by you.
Successful sales and business people do things that they do not like to do every day to continue to grow and achieve a cut above the rest.
If you are not ready to “get your hands dirty” the time to change is now. If you are already a master of the “circle of follow-up“, congratulations!
It’s My First “Blogiversary” Today!
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for their support of my blog over the past year. When I started this online journey, I had no idea how it was going to go. The first year has exceeded my wildest expectations, and the cool part is I am just warming up.
Every “like”, “share”, personal comment and phone call means the world to me. So let’s keep interacting, learning from each other in year two and beyond. I tweaked my first post below way back from January 23, 2012 if you have not read my bio and want to learn more about me!
If I could ask you to “share the good word” with others in your network that would be awesome. You can also connect with me at:
http://on.fb.me/TuLrxP
(Don’t forget to “like” to stay connected!)
Google+
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/TimMushey
My name is Tim Mushey, and those who know me well call me “Moosh”. I have decided to start this blog with a “Get to Know Me” post so you will be able to understand where the inspiration for this content came from!
I have loved to lead, motivate and inspire others for as long as I can remember. I have often been told that I have the gift of gab, and always have something to say. One of my groomsmen described me best to the guests at my wedding,
“All you have to do is say hi to Tim on the phone or in person, and next thing you know, you have all the updates on the latest TV shows, sporting events, bands and current events. Speaking to him is like flipping channels with a remote control.”
And he’s right! I’m passionate about many things in life – music, sports, my family, friends and work – and I love to share information with everyone! I believe that if I had not battled a stuttering problem all of my life, I would have a career in TV sports broadcasting in some capacity. I often envisioned myself as a sports anchor growing up!
As the son of two teachers, education has always been important to me. I achieved a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree at the age of 22, and with my first “real job”, was managing a car rental branch by the age of 24. I took a little break after two and a half years in that fast paced business to travel to Australia and New Zealand. I was nervous leaving my family and friends, but a good friend of mine quit his job to do the same thing a few months before, and I thought that was an incredible idea! I ended up travelling for over 7 months, and the experience was better than I could have ever imagined. I made many life long friends from all over the world on that journey, and even managed to squeeze in some work experience selling encyclopedias – true story!
When I returned home in 1999, my career path lead me to outside sales and I have never looked back. It did not matter if I was selling mattresses, credit reports, electrical products, corporate parking programs or photocopiers, there was one commonality – I loved to sell! I had an exciting opportunity to manage a team of 10 reps and support staff with about 40% coverage of Canada in 2007, but changes occurred simultaneously within the organization, and I ended up declining the offer. To this day, I think back to what might have been, but deep down I know I made the right decision for my career and family. Being a Sales Manager was my dream job for many years.
Throughout the years since I completed my degree, I’ve realized that university was just the beginning of my education. So much of my success in sales didn’t come from what I’d read in text books, it has come from what I have learned in the field. Each role, and each account specifically has challenged me to grow each day. I have a wealth of knowledge, tools & systems that I am eager to share with others in sales, and those considering it as their profession in the future.
The internet has provided me with the ability to broadcast all over the world now. If I had affected lives in my own communities over the course of my life, why could I not affect lives everywhere in the future? I have learned to manage my stutter, and even though I still have to work on it daily, I am now ready to get in front of the camera, feel confident, and once and for all lose the words “self-conscious” from my vocabulary!
I hope you enjoy this blog. It truly comes from the heart, and was an absolute pleasure being involved in all aspects of its creation and its ever-changing content going forward!
My Video Sales and Golf – It’s Not All About The “Driver”
This video discusses some similarities that I see between playing golf, and the sales profession. A golf hole is not complete until the ball goes in to the hole, and a sale is not complete until the customer commits!
Take some time to think about this as you play your next round of golf, or attempt to close your next sale! Have a great day…
The Five Star 5 – Key Phrases For The Sales Industry In The New Year!
As we start a new year, people in the sales profession get to “wipe the slate clean” and start all over again.
Last year’s results are in the rear-view mirror, and it is game on once again!
- Here are five phrases that I focus on each year after “the ball drops” in Times Square
- “What Have You Done For Me Lately? – If you had a great year last year, more will be expected this year! If last year was a struggle, you will need to rebound and get back on track as soon as possible
- Optimism/Positive Outlook – This is the only way to go!
- The first quarter is the key – If you get out of the gate fast, it will set the table for the rest of the year. Don’t you dare drag your feet with the “January blues”; then you will be playing catch up
- Goal Setting – Forget about new year’s resolutions for your territory! Resolutions are made to be broken (just ask the fitness industry!) Right down measurable, achievable goals and track progress throughout the year
- Have fun, keep smiling, and just relax – If you are prepared, eager to learn and stay patient it will all work out!
Have a great day!
Confidence Means Everything – In Sales and Life!
“You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take” – Wayne Gretzky, ex National Hockey League Super Star.
My sales spin is,
“If you don’t ask, there is no chance that you will get the answer you want”.
Confidence in the sales profession is paramount to success, but does not happen over night. If you are not in sales, please keep reading. This post has merit for whatever you may be “selling” in your personal or professional life. We have all been selling and negotiating from the moment that we could speak as toddlers!
Confidence allows people opportunities in life that they may not experience if they are tentative and uncertain. When people feel good about themselves, are not afraid to ask questions and involve themselves in potentially challenging situations, they will generally like the outcomes.
Do not mistake confidence for arrogance though. I have seen both, and one is very appealing in business and personal interactions. The other… well not so much!
When you combine confidence with most (or all) of the characteristics below in sales and/or life, very cool things can happen!
- Driven to succeed
- Persistent
- Diligent
- Independent worker and thinker
How did I know if somebody would make it in sales?
I have seen a lot of outside sales reps (retail reps too) come and go during my career. It took me a few years to really get a sense of what the signs were if they would succeed. I was quite certain most of the time, after our first couple of meetings.
What typically tipped me off?
- How they carried themselves (do they have a bounce in their step?)
- Dressed neatly (not necessarily the most expensive clothes) and cared about how they looked
- Solid handshake
- Maintained good eye contact
- Engaged well in conversation
- Wanted to learn / Inquisitive
- Enthusiastic / Excitable
- Personable / Outgoing
If you take a moment to digest that list, many of those attributes can be directly related to being confident. Imagine how different that list would be if you did not feel good about yourself and your abilities?
I urge you to start networking with people who are working towards similar goals if you are not already. It has become common knowledge that you start to portray similar characteristics to the 5 people who you are the closest with. Work on feeling more confident in areas of your personal and professional life that you don’t feel as comfortable in as soon as possible.
For me, getting up in front of crowds to speak was frightening for many years due to my stutter, and now there is nothing I would rather do. It was a long road, but I am glad that I am getting closer to where I need to be thanks to a strong support group of family, friends and Toastmasters.
Confidence does not happen over night, and you cannot push a “magic button” to change how you feel about yourself and your abilities. If you don’t try, you will never know what the outcome could have been. Once you “flip the switch” to knowing you will succeed, and not being afraid to fail, you will see positive changes in your life.
Where The Heck Did My Desk Go?
One of the first rules that I learned as a parent was infants and toddlers thrive on routine and consistency. As adults we tend to lose our way much of the time, and planning and scheduling becomes a dirty word.
Sales professionals can get lost without planning and scheduling as well. If we thrive on routines early in life, should the need for “the expected” not extend throughout our lives? Think about how much more efficient you would be if you stuck to a schedule even 70, 80 or 90% of the time?
A classic story that I heard during my career involved an executive and the sales team at his office. He walked in to the “sales bullpen” mid morning one day, and saw all the reps sitting at their desks. He asked his manager if he could “reorganize” the sales area when they left for their territories. The reps were very surprised the next morning when they found their desks stacked on top of each other in the warehouse! He did it to prove a point, and strongly believed that by mid morning, they should be out in the field making sales calls and getting orders.
As often as possible during my career, I have operated under the system of a “Daily Powerplay” for 4 days each week. Many sales experts have their own theory on this, but somewhere between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm is the ideal time to be in front of customers.
This is a sample of my schedule:
7:30 am – 9:30 am
- Return emails and phone calls
- Complete any outstanding follow-up To Do’s
- Phone cold calling (if applicable) & setting up appointments
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
(Daily PowerPlay)
- Sales Calls, lunches with clients/prospects, training sessions or golf (and other relationship building time) with clients
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- Similar to the morning, clean up as much as possible by the end of the day
The key to a good schedule is to know yourself, and when you are at your best. If you are “in the zone” first thing in the morning, then conduct important cold calls or face to face meeting then. If you gain momentum later in the afternoon, conduct these activities then instead. I colleague of mine was not functional until around 10 am, and he was still one of the best reps in that organization. He worked later than most of us, and our boss was comfortable with that. It was all about the numbers, and it would have been counterproductive for the company to expect him to do a big presentation at 8 am.
If you expect to leave the office every day at 9 or 930 am, do so when possible.
There should be very few excuses why you cannot leave the office when you intended to. Less important things than face to face selling can always be dealt with later. Speaking from experience, issues come up from time to time, but they should not derail your plans very often. Go sell!
The key to the “Daily Powerplay” is the fifth day each week is an office day. I typically use Mondays as the day to catch up from the previous week, and plan the next four days. Some people prefer the office day to be on Fridays. Be careful though, there is always the temptation to start your weekend early.
- Do you have a daily planning and scheduling system?What changes do you need to implemented in your daily activities to start a schedule and/or follow one more closely if you don’t already?
- Do you stick to it?
- If so, how often?
Do more of what is working for you, and stop doing what is not. Evaluate your processes and planning regularly, and tweak systems as you go along. The pain of spending the time making a plan and sticking to it, will be much less in the long run than being disorganized, without focus, and becoming frustrated by the lack of results.
DO NOT Be Just A “Professional Visitor”!
It was near month end, and I had just returned from dinner during a product training trip. I opened my email to a note from my boss titled “DO NOT Be Just A Professional Visitor!”
I had never heard this phrase before in the context of a sales role, but I knew exactly what he meant. I forget the exact content of the note, but I am sure it was very colorful based on how he typically corresponded with us.
What he was basically saying was it was close to month end, and we needed to secure orders. A sale rep’s job description did not include going to just visit accounts. Clear goals needed to be made and achieved on each call. I heard him loud and clear.
Going to see accounts just for the sake of seeing them and not moving closer to securing business was rarely, if ever a good idea. Certainly build rapport with customers, and get to know personal details about them, but always have a “moving business forward” component of the call.
You don’t have to complete 10 objectives or something drastic like that on every call, but aspire for at least 2-3. When I had limited time with an account, I may have only had one goal, but I made sure it was a worthwhile one.
The sales profession can seem complex on the surface, but at the end of the day systems can be simplified to insure success long-term. Make achievable goals for each call, and do whatever you can to not stray from the plan. Anyone can go in and just visit people, but the real success stories come from those who plan and organize ahead of time, and are always thinking about closing business!
My Quotes Week Day 2 – Secret Satisfaction In Business
“The true excitement and sense of accomplishment is getting that order. The secret satisfaction is being planned, organized and ready to go to market each and every day” – Tim Mushey
Sell, Lead, Succeed! 