Bee-haviors of Successful Sales Professionals

What do you think about sales people who always appear to be doing great regardless of how things are going? When things don’t go their way, they seem to have the ability to just shake it off and move forward. When things do go their way, they almost always act as if they expected it to turn out that way all along.

If you look at the way those people handle their sales careers, you might notice that they handle their accounts with that same kind of attitude and consistency too. They dress their best for every meeting and exude the confidence that goes along with it. They take their client’s calls, and take action to resolve issues, treating each situation they encounter as an opportunity rather than a problem.

They put their time and energy into their accounts just like other sales professionals do, they just do it with enthusiasm rather than complaints. The funny part is that they seem to look forward to handling whatever comes their way—both the good and the bad.

Back when you were starting your sales career, one of your goals was to make a good impression with every account. Chances are good that you went the extra mile when you could too. Granted, the accounts you’re handling now are probably bigger. You might even describe your current list of accounts as “comfortable.” But don’t let complacency and a poor attitude become an excuse for letting things slide with any of your key accounts.

As a sales professional, your livelihood will be heavily influenced by the quality of both your attitude and your process, and that means following the same protocols with each of your key accounts.

Making the commitment to being a great sales person is what sets the stage for long-term growth in sales revenue, and it’s a great disservice to your clients to assume that they can’t tell the difference between the sales rep who’s committed to doing what’s best for the them and the rep who’s just putting in enough face time to keep the account alive. They can. So, if you want your revenues to keep growing (because maintaining without growth isn’t an option these days) put aside some time to revisit your sales process, and your attitude.

What are you doing that works? What are you doing that hasn’t been working lately? How consistent are you with your sales process and protocols? Are there times when your assumptions (rather than your research) directly interfere with your process and/or attitude to your detriment?

I could go through the long list of things there are to look at, but you should be able to look at your process, and your attitude, and figure it out. If you’re having trouble deciphering or remembering what your personal sales process is, or you’re realizing that you’ve gotten off track and aren’t sure of how to get back on, or you’re struggling to reclaim your positive attitude, it’s time to schedule a consultation with me so we can figure it out, because:

There’s never a better time than the present to reignite the fire in your gut!

Alan Luoma: I am a Sales Coach with extensive experience in industrial sales, sales management, new

product development, sales and product training. I work with a great national sustainable packaging company and their exceptional distributors to increase sales. My success has been and is in utilizing the Pareto 80/20 principal in business and life. I have become an expert in seeking out and eliminating behaviors that prevent business people from being successful. I am a member of The National Speakers Association and New England Speakers Association. You can view my profile on LinkedIn, or contact me at Luoma@snet.net 

The Three Elements Of Sunk Costs You Need To Review For Better Business Decisions.

We’ve all done it, invested so deeply into something that we didn’t walk away even when all the signs were there. Instead, we dwelled on everything we sank into that business, job, relationship, home, health, finances, etc. and kept on truckin’ as if everything was fine. The problem with sunk costs is that once we’ve accepted them in one aspect of our life, they can easily slip into others. And the really annoying part is that when we’re finally able to view those situations in hindsight, we almost always wish we’d taken action sooner.
Sunk costs can often be divided into 3 general categories:

Time:  We’ve sunk an enormous amount of our time into something—time we’re never going to get back.

Energy:  It’s very hard to walk away from people, things, and situations we’ve sunk our honest and sincere energy and effort into.

Money:  Too many people cross over financial boundaries by sinking money that should have never been used as capital into their ventures.

The reality is that anytime we invest our time, energy, and/or money into one or more aspects of our life, failure is a risk. If you find yourself in a situation where you’ve been investing your time, energy, and/or money, but there aren’t any signs of your investment paying off in the near future, maybe it’s time to take a serious look at why you’re still plugging away at it.
You have proof it’s going to get better. If this is the case, it’s time to sit down and make sure you’re not trying to avoid reality. Believing in what you’re doing is important, but you still need to do a reality check every now and again to make sure you’re focusing your efforts and resources appropriately. Dale Carnegie has a few good thoughts about this:

·       What is the worst that can possibly happen?

·       Prepare to accept the worst.

·       Try to improve on the worst.

Planning for the worst may sound negative, but it’s a reminder that having a cut-off point, or an exit strategy, is always a good idea. Knowing how and when to get out can definitely reduce the stress of getting in.
Hoping things are going to get better.  Hope can be a funny emotion. We use it to stay positive, but it’s also evidence of doubts or fears, or that we’re struggling with clarity. If hope is keeping you from acknowledging the extent of your sunk costs, find someone you respect and have a conversation. Having an objective set of eyes on the situation can definitely be eye opening.
We’d rather fail than be found out. Sometimes we don’t walk away when we should because we don’t want our failures to be exposed. Here’s the thing: Everybody fails, and that means you’re going to fail sometimes too. Suck it up. Give yourself an appropriate amount of time to feel like crap, and then get over it. When you do, there will come a morning when you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to move on.

Here’s the best tip of all for avoiding sunk costs. Before you enter into a sale, investment, job, or some other business arrangement, think hard about what you’re about to invest in. Put some time and effort into examining the true ramifications of your decision. Do your due diligence. It’s your best friend because every business situation comes with some degree of risk. The better job you do up front of proactively identifying and addressing those risks, the less likely you are to find yourself sinking under their weight.

Alan Luoma: I am a Sales Coach with extensive experience in industrial sales, sales management, new

product development, sales and product training. I work with a great national sustainable packaging company and their exceptional distributors to increase sales. My success has been and is in utilizing the Pareto 80/20 principal in business and life. I have become an expert in seeking out and eliminating behaviors that prevent business people from being successful. I am a member of The National Speakers Association and New England Speakers Association. You can view my profile on LinkedIn, or contact me at Luoma@snet.net 

Before You File For Divorce From Your Job, Try Using The 80-20 Rule.

Would it surprise you to hear that 2.9 million people in the US “divorced” their jobs in June of 2016? It surprised me, but maybe it shouldn’t have. People spend a considerable amount of time at work. It’s quality time too—time when we’re alert and engaged. Unfortunately, when our workday is done, we’re often too tired to enjoy what’s left of the day. And, if we aren’t happy with the way our job is progressing, all those quality hours start evolving into one long painful rerun of the movie Groundhog Day where every day starts and ends in the exact same place.

It’s understandable why someone might decide it’s time to quit their job: low pay, unreasonable expectations, inflexibility with scheduling, lack of support or teamwork, etc. I get it. But quitting a job comes with its own bucket of stresses. There will still be bills to pay, and we all have to eat. Yes, quitting is always an option—especially if it’s time for a career change—but before you decide to “divorce” your employer, use the 80/20 rule to establish some clarity.

Make a list of all the projects you’re working on. Once you’re done, take the list and go somewhere where you won’t be interrupted while you’re working on it.  

If you look carefully at your list, you’re going to see projects that are actually other people’s projects. Put a line through them. Next, look for projects that are going to move you ahead. Put a star next to them. Now here’s the trick: Cut your starred list by 80%. I know exactly what you’re thinking, “Oh crap. I can't do that." Yes, you can.

The data being collected about multitasking is piling up—it doesn’t work. Having a planner that’s as busy as downtown Chicago in rush hour traffic doesn’t mean you’re better at your job. It probably means you’re saying yes to everybody else’s priorities, and not leaving yourself enough time to focus on what you need to get done so you can:

• Enjoy your work
• Excel at your job by doing what you do best

Once you’ve identified your 20%, schedule hard completion dates for each item, commit to those dates!

Remember that neither your boss nor your coworkers will know you’ve taken this step. That means being prepared for their interruptions. Politely ask coworkers if you can get back to them later. If your boss wants to add another project to your pile, skillfully ask him or her how it ranks in priority compared to the other work you have to do.

Take the time to, as Steven Covey puts it, “Sharpen the saw.” Your work may be just one aspect of your life, but it’s a pretty big aspect, so it’s important to schedule time to revisit your project list every so often to make sure it’s on track with both your work and your personal goals.

No one should have to “divorce” their job because some parts of it aren’t working at the moment. If you enjoy the job, and you don’t really want to quit, identify your 20% and put your valuable time, energy, and focus into those priorities. If your employer doesn’t respect your methodology, you can quit with a clear conscience.

On the other hand, using the 80/20 rule to set yourself up for success could put you in a position where you once again enjoy the sound of your alarm clock signaling the start of a new day!

Alan Luoma: I am a Sales Coach with extensive experience in industrial sales, sales management, new

product development, sales and product training. I work with a great national sustainable packaging company and their exceptional distributors to increase sales. My success has been and is in utilizing the Pareto 80/20 principal in business and life. I have become an expert in seeking out and eliminating behaviors that prevent business people from being successful. I am a member of The National Speakers Association and New England Speakers Association. You can view my profile on LinkedIn, or contact me at Luoma@snet.net 

How To Take Charge of Your Accounts and Increase Your Quality of Earnings

Quick! Print out a list of all of your accounts. Do it right now.
Did you print it? Probably not. After all, you know your list. You know your clients too, and besides, how could I say or ask anything that would be relevant to your specific list?
The reality is that after all my years in sales and as a sales coach, I don’t need to see your list to know that there is untapped information and potential there. It might be that no one ever showed you how to mine your list. Or, it might be a case of having forgotten how a few simple questions can keep you inspired to reach another level. Either way, there’s a tremendous amount of value in analyzing your list.
As you know, I’m a firm believer in the application of Pareto’s 80/20 principle. That means that if you have a list of 80 clients, 16 of them are in the 20%, providing you with 80% of your revenue. The other 64 clients aren’t.
With your top accounts, what do they have in common with each other? Is it their industry, location, or the way the company is structured? Are they all within a specific aspect of the industry that you have more expertise in? Why do you think they do business with you rather than your competitors?
When it comes to mining your top 16, think about the way their business is built and how they structured themselves. Then brainstorm/research for other businesses, companies, and organizations that mirror their setup. This will provide you with a list of more potential top 20% performers.
Make sure your top accounts really are profitable. There are times when the revenue they provide looks good until you dive into how much time, effort and work it’s costing you to consider them as one of your top 20%.
Don’t forget about your other 64 clients. Take a long look at each one of them to determine their long-term prognosis as being a good match for you and your list. Are there any with the potential of moving up and into your top 20%? If there are, consider how much time it would take to get them there. Are you willing to make the effort? If you aren’t, it doesn’t mean you should get rid of them as a client. It just means you can block the time you spend on their account off your calendar well into the future.
With the lower performing clients, maybe it’s time to consider another alternative for them—like inside sales. Could you hand them over to a new sales rep in your company? Obviously you can keep them, but you will be blocking off your valuable time to work on their accounts well into the future too. On the other hand, if you come up with a way to professionally and ethically let them go, you’ll have more time to pursue new accounts.
There’s always a balance to be struck in sales. We want to believe that our client list is structured with the necessary combination of clients who will help us reach both our sales and monetary goals. But business is always on the move—always changing.

When was the last time you went through your client list to make sure everyone on it is still performing in a way that supports their goals as well as yours?


Alan Luoma: I am a Sales Coach with extensive experience in industrial sales, sales management, new

product development, sales and product training. I work part time with a great national sustainable packaging company and their exceptional distributors to increase sales. My success has been and is in utilizing the Pareto 80/20 principal in business and life. I have become an expert in seeking out and eliminating behaviors that prevent business people from being successful. I am a member of The National Speakers Association and New England Speakers Association. You can view my profile on LinkedIn, or contact me at Luoma@snet.net 

No Value,Low Price,Welcome To Wimp Road

If you were in a room with 99 other sales professionals, and you were about to be ranked based on your skill and professionalism as a sales person, where would you land? Would you be in the top 20%? Or somewhere in the midst of the 80%?

If you were a client or customer trying to decide which sales professional you were going to do business with, would your first choice be to work with someone outside of the top 20%? Would you be willing to go outside of the top 20% if the price was right?

Unfortunately, all sales professionals—both the good and the bad—have to answer the one question a prospective client or customer is trying to answer without asking it. “Which do you care more about – my money or my business?”

The reality is that most sales people should not be in the selling profession. That may sound harsh, but being likable, and having the ability to strike up a friendly conversation with a stranger while simultaneously shaving a few dollars off your competition’s price isn’t selling. It’s the wimp’s version of selling – peddling prices instead of value. For the wimp, it’s all about the money.

Ask the wimp what their value position is, and they’ll stick to talking about price because they don't understand value, and aren’t inspired to put any effort into understanding it. To them, price is enough to get the job done. They believe that’s their potential client’s chief concern too.

A professional sales person understands the competitive advantages of their product or service above and beyond price, and can confidently explain the value proposition their product or service will bring to the business relationship.

The wimp is content to trek down Wimp Road looking to peddle their prices to clients and customers willing to base their decisions on price. For the wimp, success is measured by the next sale that falls their way.

Professional sales people can make informed decisions about when it’s time to walk away from low or no margin business propositions. They want to build business relationships with clients and customers who care about their business, at least as much as they care about the price of the product or service they are thinking about purchasing.

Wimps who are content to focus on price as their main strategy don’t make an effort to improve or grow their sales skills. They don’t read books about sales, or attend training seminars. They believe they know everything they need to know.

A professional sales person knows that building long-term business relationships with clients and customers who say, “We just love doing business with them,” happens when they continue to educate themselves and stay current with innovations, ideas, and best practices that might have an impact on their client’s or customer’s business.

So now, I’ll ask the same question from a slightly different perspective. Are you in the top 20% of your immediate competition? Or are you moving dangerously close to detouring down Wimp Road?

Alan Luoma: I am a Sales Coach with extensive experience in industrial sales, sales management, new

product development, sales and product training. I work with a great national sustainable packaging company and their exceptional distributors to increase sales. My success has been and is in utilizing the Pareto 80/20 principal in business and life. I have become an expert in seeking out and eliminating behaviors that prevent business people from being successful. I am a member of the Hartford Springfield Speakers Network, The National Speakers Association and New England Speakers Association. You can view my profile on LinkedIn, or contact me at Luoma@snet.net