Category: Career

Data Analytics for Managerial Success: Applying Optimal Stop Theory for Recruiting

If Data is scary, calculate the cost of a bad hire

Hey there, managers and business leaders! In today’s fast-paced and competitive job market, finding the right talent for your team can be a daunting task. However, fear not, because I’m about to delve into the exciting realm of data analytics and the Optimal Stop Theory and explore how this data science tool can optimize your recruiting success. So, grab your thinking cap, get comfortable, and let’s dive in. By the end of this article, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and insights to make informed, data-driven decisions that will propel your managerial success to new heights.

Understanding Data Analytics and the Optimal Stop Theory

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of applying data analytics and the Optimal Stop Theory to your recruitment process, let’s take a moment to understand what these concepts are all about.

What is data analytics?

Data analytics involves the use of advanced tools and techniques to analyze raw data and extract valuable insights from it. In the context of recruitment, data analytics empowers managers to make evidence-based decisions by leveraging patterns and trends within large sets of applicant data.

The Optimal Stop Theory: A Game-Changer for Recruitment

The Optimal Stop Theory, also known as the secretary problem or the optimal stopping problem, is a mathematical concept that addresses the challenge of making decisions in the face of uncertainty and limited information. In the context of recruitment, this theory provides a framework for determining the optimal point at which to stop interviewing candidates and make a hiring decision.

Backed by over 20 years of recruiting and hiring experience, I work with many clients who are faced with two competing challenges. 1) a lack of a well defined recruitment process that results in decisions being made on intuition. 2) a recruitment process that takes too long that ultimately wastes qualified candidates and uses up a disproportionate amount of managements times.

Applying Data Analytics and the Optimal Stop Theory to Recruitment 

Now that we have a grasp of the foundational concepts and the challenges that managers face, let’s explore how you can effectively apply data analytics and the Optimal Stop Theory to enhance your recruiting success.

Leveraging Data Analytics to Identify Talent Trends

1. Utilize applicant tracking systems (ATS) to collect and analyze data on candidate qualifications, experience, and performance metrics.

2. Develop a top-grading criterion to identify patterns and trends in applicant data to gain insights into the characteristics of successful hires.

3. Use predictive analytic tools such as the Predictive Index, Culture Index, or DISC assessments to forecast which candidates are most likely to succeed based on benchmark historical data.

Implementing the Optimal Stop Theory in Interviewing and Selection 

Step 1: Establish clear criteria for evaluating candidates and determining the optimal threshold for making a hiring decision.

Step 2: Conduct a sufficient number of interviews to establish a baseline for comparison.

Step 3: Use the Optimal Stop Theory to calculate the optimal point at which to stop interviewing and extend an offer to the most qualified candidate.

Let’s apply the optimal stop theory to a real-world scenario. Imagine you’re in the process of hiring a new data analyst for your team, and you’ve decided to interview a total of 10 candidates. In this case, the sample size is 10, representing the number of candidates you plan to interview before making a hiring decision.

Now, to demonstrate the mathematical approach to the Optimal Stop Theory, let’s consider the logarithmic equation that can be used to calculate the optimal stopping point. The Optimal Stop Theory provides a framework for determining the point at which to stop interviewing and make a hiring decision, maximizing the probability of selecting the best candidate.

The general form of the Optimal Stop Theory equation can be represented as follows:

( k = n / e )

Where:

k = the optimal stopping point

n = the sample size (number of candidates to be interviewed)

e = the base of the natural logarithm, approximately equal to 2.71828

In this equation, “e” represents the mathematical constant that is the base of the natural logarithm. The Optimal Stop Theory suggests that to maximize the probability of selecting the best candidate, you should reject the first n/e candidates and then hire the first candidate who is better than any of the previously interviewed candidates. It’s important to note that the foundation of this process is that after each interview a decision must be made (yes or no). Once a candidate is interviewed you can’t go back.

Let’s get back to the data analyst example to illustrate this. If you’re interviewing 10 candidates (n = 10), the optimal stopping point (k) can be calculated as:

( k = 10 / e )

Based on the value of “e” of approximately 2.71828, the optimal stopping point (k) for a sample size of 10 candidates can be calculated as:

( k ≈ 10 / 2.71828 ≈ 3.67 )

In this case, the optimal stopping point is approximately 3.67, which means that according to the Optimal Stop Theory, you should reject the first 3 candidates and then hire the first candidate who is better than any of the first 3 candidates.

This mathematical approach provides a theoretical framework for making hiring decisions based on limited information, aiming to increase the likelihood of selecting the best candidate from a pool of applicants. The optimal strategy doesn’t always find the best candidate but selects the almost-best candidate most of the time. This, of course, works in a world in which you are faced with constraints while hiring. Otherwise, without constraints, you would use the maximum selection criteria. The maximum selection is based on a grading scale for each candidate, and you select the one that scores the highest, or until the highest score is reached. However, in recruiting, you may be faced with constraints such as a limited number of applicants, time to hire, and time of candidate in the market.

FAQs

Q: How can data analytics improve the efficiency of the recruitment process?

A: Data analytics can streamline the recruitment process through objective criteria, identifying top talent more efficiently, and reducing bias in decision-making.

Q: What are the potential challenges of implementing the Optimal Stop Theory in recruitment?

A: One of the challenges is the need for accurate data and a deep understanding of the hiring landscape to effectively apply the theory. Additionally, striking a balance between thorough evaluation and timely decision-making is crucial.

Q: How can small businesses leverage data analytics and the Optimal Stop Theory with limited resources?

A: Small businesses can start by leveraging cost-effective applicant tracking systems and software that offer basic analytics capabilities. Additionally, they can focus on defining clear hiring criteria and making the most of the data they do have to make informed decisions.

While this is not an exhaustive review of the benefits of using data analytics and the optimal stop theory, you hopefully have a glimpse of how helpful an approach such as this can be in your recruiting efforts. By harnessing the power of data-driven insights and strategic decision-making, you are positioned to transform your approach to talent acquisition. Remember, the key to unlocking the full potential of these tools lies in a combination of data analytics prowess and human intuition. As a manager, you have the opportunity to blend the art and science of recruitment to build high-performing teams that drive your organization’s success.

So, go forth with confidence, armed with the knowledge to make your next hiring decision a game-changing success. It’s time to harness the power of data and mathematical theory to take your recruitment game to the next level. Get ready to make smarter, more confident hiring decisions and build a team that propels your organization toward a brighter future.

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Fueling Sales Leadership Success: Unleashing the Power of ‘Leaders Eat Last’ by Simon Sinek” 📚

Leadership protects an organization from the internal rivalries that can shatter a culture. When we have to protect ourselves from each other, the whole organization suffers. But when trust and cooperation thrive internally, we pull together and the organization grows stronger as a result.

Simon Sinek

In sales leadership and management, Simon Sinek’s “Leaders Eat Last” stands as a thought-provoking and insightful guide that challenges conventional notions of leadership and offers a fresh perspective on how it can impact a sales teams results. Through a blend of real-life stories, research-backed insights, and practical advice, Sinek took me on a journey to understand the true essence of leadership and its profound implications for success in the sales management profession.

One of the book’s central themes revolves around the idea that great leaders prioritize the well-being and success of their team members above all else. Sinek draws inspiration from the military, where leaders are taught to put the needs of their soldiers before their own. By exploring the concept of “leaders eating last,” Sinek emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive and nurturing environment within sales teams, where individuals feel valued, safe, and motivated to give their best.

Sinek’s writing is both informative and engaging, making it accessible to a wide range of aspiring and tenured leaders, including those outside the sales field. Sinek’s storytelling shines through as he weaves together anecdotes and research to drive home his message. From exploring the culture of trust and cooperation in the Marines to delving into the neurochemical basis of human behavior, Sinek combines personal narratives with scientific evidence, making the book a captivating and enlightening read.

For sales leaders and managers, “Leaders Eat Last” offers several important takeaways. Firstly, it underscores the significance of building a strong team culture based on trust, collaboration, and shared values. Sinek argues that when individuals feel a sense of belonging and safety within their team, they are more likely to take risks, innovate, and go the extra mile to achieve sales targets. By fostering a supportive environment, leaders can inspire their teams to reach new heights of performance and drive outstanding results.

Moreover, the book highlights the importance of servant leadership in the sales profession. Sinek emphasizes that leaders who prioritize the needs of their team members, providing the necessary resources, guidance, and support, create a sense of loyalty and commitment that directly impacts sales outcomes. By empowering their sales teams and removing obstacles, leaders can unleash their full potential and foster a culture of excellence.

While “Leaders Eat Last” offers valuable insights and practical applications for the sales profession, it is not without its limitations. Some may find the book overly idealistic, with Sinek painting a somewhat utopian picture of leadership. This where a readers experience with real-world challenges can provided concrete strategies for overcoming them. Additionally, the book’s focus on the military as a primary source of inspiration may not resonate with all readers, particularly those who are unfamiliar with or have reservations about military leadership models.

In conclusion, “Leaders Eat Last” is a compelling and thought-provoking book that has the potential to impact sales leadership and management results. By challenging traditional notions of leadership and emphasizing the importance of creating a supportive and nurturing environment, Simon Sinek offers practical insights and strategies that can transform sales teams and drive exceptional performance. While the book may have its idealistic moments and could benefit from a more diverse range of examples, it remains a valuable resource for sales professionals seeking to enhance their leadership skills and achieve outstanding results.

Here are 10 key leadership principles from “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek:

  1. Prioritize the needs of your team members above your own.
  2. Create a culture of trust, cooperation, and shared values within your team.
  3. Serve as a role model by embodying the qualities and behaviors you expect from your team.
  4. Empower your team members by providing them with the necessary resources, guidance, and support.
  5. Foster a sense of belonging and safety within your team to encourage risk-taking and innovation.
  6. Communicate openly and honestly, keeping your team informed and engaged.
  7. Practice active listening and show genuine interest in the ideas and concerns of your team members.
  8. Encourage collaboration and teamwork to leverage the collective intelligence and capabilities of your team.
  9. Recognize and appreciate the contributions and achievements of your team members.
  10. Continuously develop your own leadership skills and seek feedback to grow and improve.

Here are 10 reflection questions that readers can use as a complement to the book “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek:

  1. How can I prioritize the needs of my team members above my own in my current leadership role?
  2. What steps can I take to create a culture of trust, cooperation, and shared values within my team?
  3. In what ways can I serve as a role model for my team and embody the qualities and behaviors I expect from them?
  4. How can I empower my team members by providing them with the necessary resources, guidance, and support?
  5. What actions can I take to foster a sense of belonging and safety within my team, encouraging risk-taking and innovation?
  6. How can I improve my communication skills to ensure open and honest dialogue with my team members?
  7. What steps can I take to actively listen to and show genuine interest in the ideas and concerns of my team members?
  8. How can I promote collaboration and teamwork to leverage the collective intelligence and capabilities of my team?
  9. How can I better recognize and appreciate the contributions and achievements of my team members?
  10. What strategies can I implement to continuously develop my own leadership skills and seek feedback for personal growth and improvement?

By reflecting on these questions, you can deepen your understanding of the book’s concepts and apply them to their own leadership practices, ultimately enhancing their impact as sales leaders and managers.

Ready to take your sales game to the next level? 🚀

Don’t miss out on exclusive tips, insights, and strategies to boost your sales and sales leadership skills! Hit the subscribe button and join a community of sales enthusiasts like yourself!

📩 Stay up-to-date with the latest blog posts, packed with practical advice and real-world examples that will help you close more deals and inspire your sales team.

🔗 Want more valuable content? Check out the library of articles for a treasure trove of sales wisdom just waiting to be discovered. From prospecting techniques to negotiation tactics, I’ve got you covered!

👍 If you found this article helpful, give a thumbs up and share it with your network. Help spread the word and empower others to achieve sales excellence!

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[Week 4] 5-week Daily Plan To Fill Your Pipeline, Regain Control , & Master Your Sales Role

Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com

In continuation of the 5-week Daily Plan series, this blog post aims to provide specific tactics for building better communication skills that is necessary to be successful in sales.

I’ll continue breaking down the topic into specific tactics for each day of the week.

Week 4: Improve Your Communication Skills

Day 16: Effective Techniques for Active Listening

Task: Learn and implement active listening techniques to enhance your sales approach.

There is a continuum across the selling profession, and it is one where many sales reps begin in transactional selling and progress into consultative sales. There are varying types of transactional sales as well as consultative sales. Generally speaking, transactional sales are smaller-ticket items done in higher volumes, whereas consultative sales are higher-ticket items usually sold in a longer sales cycle. Communication skills are important in both, and active listening has far-reaching implications in consultative sales. Gone are the days where it was enough for a sales professional to be a walking, talking brochure, brimming with product specs, just waiting for the next customer in which to unload all of this product knowledge. Customers today can, and often are, more educated before ever meeting with a sales rep. Therefore, product knowledge alone isn’t enough to differentiate, and as more sellers are commoditized due to omnichannel initiatives, the differentiator is a sales rep’s ability to listen and understand a customer’s needs.

We’ve talked about how better questions can lead to understanding needs, but what about active listening skills? Questions can also be used to acknowledge a customer and confirm a rep’s ability to understand the customer. These are called connecting questions. These connecting questions are broken down into four categories: acknowledging, confirming, positioning, and checking. These aren’t used in rapid succession but are used throughout a conversation.

  1. Acknowledging: Acknowledging questions show that you’re actively listening and understanding the customer’s needs, concerns, or preferences. Example: “I appreciate your insights on the challenges you’ve been facing with your current software. Can you tell me more about how these issues have been affecting your team’s productivity?”
  2. Confirming: Confirming questions help ensure that you’ve correctly understood the customer’s statements or requirements. Example: “So, if I understand correctly, you’re looking for a solution that can streamline your inventory management and integrate with your existing sales platform. Is that accurate?”
  3. Positioning: Positioning questions allow you to align your product’s or service’s benefits with the customer’s needs or pain points. Example: “Based on what you’ve shared about wanting to reduce manual data entry, our software’s automation features could significantly cut down on those tasks. How do you envision these time savings impacting your team’s efficiency?”
  4. Checking: Checking questions help you verify whether the customer is on board with the value proposition you’ve presented or if they have any remaining concerns. Example: “Given the scalability benefits and the potential cost savings our solution offers, can you share your initial thoughts on how well it aligns with your long-term growth strategy?”

Takeaway: Active listening shows customers you value their concerns, leading to stronger relationships and more effective sales interactions.

Application Framework: In addition to using the connecting questions above, practice the SOLER technique: Sit facing the customer squarely, Open your posture, Lean slightly towards them, maintain Eye contact, and use a relaxed posture. This signals openness and attentiveness.

Day 17: Using Storytelling to Communicate Value

Task: Incorporate storytelling techniques to effectively convey the value of your product or service.

PIP Decks, Storytelling Tactics

Facts tell, stories sell. End of story! Well, kind of. The art of storytelling is a valuable skill set in sales. It becomes another great differentiator. While other sales pros focus on facts, they fail to connect the dots in customers minds the same way that stories do. Storytelling does not have to be difficult, but starting out a common story structure that I like to use is rags to riches.

We love success stories because we hope to follow them. The moral of this optimistic tale is “you can do it!”. It also makes a great sales story: You’ve got a problem, we can make things better. But you don’t have to promise wealth to tell Rags to Riches. These tales are not about money; they’re about value.

Takeaway: Stories engage customers emotionally, making your offerings relatable and memorable.

Application Framework: Structure your stories with a clear problem-solution-outcome format. Describe a customer challenge, how your solution addressed it, and the positive outcomes achieved.

Day 18: Utilizing Body Language and Nonverbal Cues

Task: Learn to read and use body language to establish trust and rapport with customers.

Amy J.C. Cuddy, an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, states in Harvard Business Review:

I study how people judge each other on two fundamental traits, warmth/trustworthiness (Do I like this person?) and strength/competence (Do I respect this person?), which together account for 80-90% of the variance in our evaluations of other people. We make these judgments hastily and base them on our interpretations of someone’s nonverbal behavior.

Takeaway: Nonverbal cues speak volumes and can influence customers’ perceptions of your trustworthiness and authenticity.

Application Framework: Study nonverbal cues and practice mirroring in sales situations. Adopting open postures and maintaining eye contact portrays confidence and empathy.

Day 19: Effective Questioning Techniques

Task: Develop strong questioning techniques to better understand customer needs and pain points.

My first sales role, over 24 years ago, was selling in the home. I sold Cutco Cutlery at the kitchen table with Mr. & Mrs. Jones. These presentations were 100% referral-sourced and on an appointment-only basis (which I set). Little did I know that what started as a Summer job before my senior year in High School would turn into an eight year career, setting the foundation for what would turn into a lifelong passion. The presentation was scripted, and all I had to do was infuse my personality into it and ask a few good questions. When it became time for me to transition into a new role, I went into B2B sales where I was calling on C-level executives. Now for context, I had been really successful prior to this transition. I won Presidents Club every year, numerous national trips, recognized as one of the top reps and managers in the organization. I was young, full of pride and ego- and thought I had nothing else to learn in terms of selling. Boy did I have a wake-up call coming my way. I was wrong of course, I had much more to learn in terms of how to translate my communication skills from the kitchen table to the boardroom. It was in this new role where I learned just how strategic selling can be, and the importance of asking really good questions are to the discovery process. It was in the role where I became familiar with the S.P.I.N. Selling methodology and what I still use to this day.

S.P.I.N. Selling is about understanding the four types of questions that are typically asked in selling transaction and how to appropriately use these questions to understand customer needs. It is a highly effective framework and one where I have trained many sales reps, with a lot of success. The big “ah ha” for many reps that I train on this methodology is the realization of how many sellers focus on two primary types of questions without understanding why certain problems are important and to what extent do customers experiences certain problems. The latter puts sellers in a position to tip the value equation in their favor whereas other sellers get commoditized.

If you are not familiar with S.P.I.N. I recommend it. If you would like to get trained on it, or receive some coaching, feel free to reach out to me and I can discuss getting a 1-on-1 session set up, or if you have a team that may want to get trained we can discuss that as well.

Takeaway: Thoughtful questions elicit valuable information and show customers you’re genuinely interested in solving their problems.

Application Framework: Use the SPIN framework: Situation questions, Problem questions, Implication questions, and Need-payoff questions. This guides customers to recognize their needs and see your solution’s value.

Day 20: Continuous Learning and Development

Task: Stay updated with the latest sales trends and techniques through resources and training programs.

The reality with many tenured sales people is that they have received one year of training just ten times over. Selling is perishable skillset, just like a muscle will atrophy if not in training so do selling skills. One of the aspects of selling that I thoroughly enjoy is just how multi-faceted it is and the learning and development is continuous. 24 years later and I am still honing and improving my skills in selling and thus enjoying my work more and more over time. How exciting is that? Not many other professions can give the same enjoyment that sales can when treated as a profession.

Takeaway: Evolving sales techniques keep you adaptable and enable you to offer fresh, effective solutions to clients.

Application Framework: Set aside time for weekly learning, whether it’s reading sales books, following thought leaders on social media, listening to podcast or Youtube channels, or attending relevant workshops and webinars.

In summary, enhancing your communication skills is a critical aspect of successful sales. By incorporating active listening, storytelling, body language awareness, effective questioning, and ongoing learning, you can significantly improve your sales interactions, build stronger connections with customers, and navigate down sales months with greater confidence and effectiveness.

[Week 3] 5-week Daily Plan To Fill Your Pipeline, Regain Control , & Master Your Sales Role

In continuation of the 5-week Daily Plan series, this blog post aims to provide specific tactics for building strong relationships with customers in sales.

Readers will learn practical strategies to understand customer needs, establish rapport, personalize interactions, follow up after a sale, and leverage digital channels for customer engagement.

I’ll continue breaking down the topic into specific tactics for each day of the week.

Day 11: Actively listen to understand customer needs and pain points.

Task: Actively listen to customers.


Over the last 15 years, I have averaged three to four ride-alongs a week. That would be around 2,800 sales appointments where I have witnessed a sales rep in action, with a portion of those having me actively involved in the sales interaction. In this time, there have been reoccurring themes with many new and old (by tenure) sales professionals. One that I’ll focus on for the purpose of this article is a rep’s excitement to talk about their company, product, or service before truly understanding and acknowledging a customer’s need or existence thereof. Many assumptions are made early in sales interactions, and it’s these assumptions that lead to many stalled sales and ineffective sales calls.

On one particular sales call, Mark was a new rep selling in the B2B space for a small local company. He was able to get a meeting with a CEO that had been on his target list. During Mark’s call to the CEO to get a discovery appointment set, the CEO remarked that he was currently using a larger competitor that initially offered a lot of resources for his growing business. In preparing for this meeting, Mark expressed his concern about being a smaller player in his space when the prospect had many other bigger companies to select from. Mark built his initial conversation around giving this prospect the impression that his company was far larger and could compete with as much agility as his competitors. At the end of the meeting, the CEO thanked Mark for his time but went on to share that they previously worked with a larger firm and felt ignored due to the perception that the CEO’s company wasn’t as large, thus less important, and didn’t receive the attention he felt the company needed.

In my coaching conversation afterwards, I asked Mark where his belief is that being a smaller competitor equates to being disadvantaged. Mark stated he’s gotten that objection from other prospects and assumed this CEO would have felt the same. Voila, an inaccurate assumption was carried into a conversation where the conversation was built around Mark’s company and capabilities rather than a conversation focused on the problems and needs of the customer. This miss was that Mark didn’t engage the CEO on whether he felt better served by a larger firm or even if that was a requisite for choosing another provider. By engaging and actively listening to customers, sales professionals can gain a deeper understanding of their needs and pain points, leading to more effective solutions.

Take-away: Actively listening helps sales professionals uncover valuable insights and tailor their approach to meet customer needs.

Application: There are numerous resources and sales conversation templates available, and I won’t go into great detail outlining specific sales methodologies.

For a list of resources, visit a previous post here

However, a lot of bad sales calls and conversations could have been prevented with a process of pre-call planning. Below is a sales call checklist from Rain Group that I have personally used and trained other sales reps on how to use.

By focusing on the questions above, a rep can be better prepared to focus solely on the buyer and the impact of the problems they are experiencing. Acknowledging relative strengths and weaknesses prior to an important sales call can eliminate negative emotions driven by being caught off guard and will help deliver a professional conversation.

Day 12: Build rapport with customers and apply techniques in sales.

Task: Build rapport with customers.

Oftentimes, during a ride-along, I have a skills analyzer where I take notes on important aspects of the conversation and points of the sales call. Typically, before the ride-along, I have determined a specific area on which I’ll be focusing based on prior coaching conversations. This prevents me from having to detail an entire conversation and keeps me honed in on what the customer may be saying. If I’m on a ride-along for the first time with a rep or listening in on a prospect call, there is typically only one thing that I am paying attention to, and that is the rep’s ability to build rapport. Now granted, not every prospecting call will give a rep time to build good rapport, but there’s usually an opening to do so at some point in the conversation.

A common mistake that I see reps make is that they are so excited to have an opening to discuss their company, product, features, and benefits that they completely overlook the importance of establishing rapport with the prospect. Depending on the type of selling (transactional vs. consultative) that is taking place, it will determine how much rapport may be needed. Building rapport can happen at the beginning of the conversation or throughout, but make no mistake, people will often buy from people that they like. All things being equal, the rapport that is built may determine who a prospect selects.

For building rapport, I like to follow a simple acronym: F.O.R.M., where F stands for family, O stands for occupation, R stands for recreation, and M stands for message. Using a bio page on the company’s website, social media profiles, or recent company announcements are all great resources to use in finding context clues on what may be good to build rapport on or around. Doing a little research can prevent rapport from seeming like small talk and make it more productive. A good rule of thumb that I’ve found over the years is that when a prospect begins asking questions about you, it’s a good sign that you have built good rapport so far in the conversation.

Another important aspect of building rapport, outside of establishing a connection, is that during the process of building rapport, a sales professional can begin to determine the personality style of your prospect. Getting training on personality assessments such as the DISC, Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI), or Predictive Index can be really useful in picking up additional context clues on how to communicate with the prospect. Many sales managers understand the importance of these assessments in hiring talent but fall short in training sales reps on how to use these same tools in adapting communications with high value clients. This article will not service to be an exhaustive description of these tools or how to apply them in conversations, but more so to reinforce the usefulness of these tools in the context of rapport building and facilitating better sales conversations. For example, below will be a description of the DISC profile with tendencies and behaviors.


Takeaway: Building rapport helps sales professionals establish trust, understand customer preferences, and adapt their approach accordingly.


Application: Sales professionals should show genuine interest, use active listening skills, find common ground, use positive language, and adapt their communication style to match the customer’s preferences.

Day 13: Personalize interactions to make customers feel valued and understood.


Task: Personalize interactions with customers.


According to The Salesforce State of Connected Customers Report, which polled over 6700 consumers and business buyers, 72% of business buyers expect vendors to personalize engagements to their needs. In fact, 67% of B2B buyers have switched to vendors who provide a more consumer-like experience. Early in my selling career, I worked for a national training provider. I called on C-level executives, HR managers, and senior department managers. My goals were to understand the specific staff development issues and sell either an off-the-shelf course or customize a course that addressed the specific needs of the employees. This was before online training had really taken hold, and many companies relied on in-person training for all of their staff development. There are common issues that face all teams and companies that span change management, transitioning from contributor to manager, dealing with difficult people, and many others. The point is that it is really easy to take a cookie-cutter approach to discussing these issues and how they affect all employees. However, at the same time that I was working at this company, I was taking college courses at night in an effort to complete my degree. One of my courses was in finance and accounting. During this course, an assignment was to look at the accounting statements of publicly traded companies. My territory at this time was San Francisco, and I had many high-profile clients with whom I was able to pour over their financial statements. I ordered all of my top 20 clients 10-K reports and began familiarizing myself with all of their financial statements, many of which contained forward-looking statements. This gave me the insight and ability to tie the financial numbers to department goals and employee development. Personalized interactions go beyond just getting the correct name for the “to” line in a cold email campaign. Understanding customer issues and personalizing your conversation to the customer will enhance their experience, making them feel valued and understood.

I am not suggesting that you need an accounting degree or an advanced understanding of financial statements; this was just an example of how I began personalizing my outreach to a customer base at that time. Some readers will not have access to this level of information on a potential customer; however, that does not mean that information cannot be found to personalize communications. Any Google search today can just about get you all of the information you need on a business or contact within a company. A great exercise to deepen your level of personalization is to use “Mackay 66“, developed by author, sales professional, and business owner Harvey Mackay. He details 66 questions that sales professionals should know about their customers. Since trust and loyalty are built over time, a sales professional can use these questions to broaden customer relationships.

mackay-66_updated-2018Download

Takeaway: Personalization fosters stronger customer relationships and increases customer loyalty.


Application: Sales professionals should use multiple resources to learn more about their customers, tailor recommendations, remember previous interactions, offer customization, and express appreciation for the customer’s business.

Day 14: Follow up with customers after a sale for satisfaction and long-term relationship building.


Task: Follow up with customers after a sale.

Never underestimate the impact a quick post-sales follow-up can have. The level of follow-up will vary depending on the product or service that is being sold, but post-sale follow-up is nonetheless important. For lower-ticket, high-transactional sales, it might only require a thank-you card or a brief phone call thanking them for their business. When an on-going service or system is sold, whereas there will be ongoing purchases or usage of a product, it is important to understand that a change is the “way of doing things” is taking place. Oftentimes, this will involve changes within multiple areas of the business, from onboarding new employees, changes in purchasing, field implementation, and IT deployment, among many others. While many of these areas can be discussed during the purchase process, it’s important to schedule follow-up touch points post-sale to keep a pulse on how these potential roadblocks affect a positive customer experience.


Takeaway: Post-sale follow-up ensures customer satisfaction, addresses concerns, and strengthens the customer relationship.


Application: Sales professionals should send personalized thank-you notes or emails, check in with customers, address concerns promptly, offer post-sale support, and maintain regular communication.

For a list of 40+ Email Templates for Thanking, Upselling, Onboarding, & Account Handoffs, leave a comment below “templates” and I’ll send to your inbox

Day 15: Leverage social media and digital channels for customer connection and engagement.


Task: Leverage social media and digital channels.


It is highly likely that readers of this blog have found it via a social media post; therefore, it would not be necessary to describe the importance of social media today and how useful it can be. However, I will say this: I am shocked to this day at how many people I run into don’t utilize social media for prospecting, networking, competitive intelligence, and customer engagement. Those who are currently using social platforms have an opportunity to improve, and that is a topic that I am currently doing a lot of coaching around. Those who recognize the importance but haven’t taken the leap in leveraging social media are an area in which I have developed a course to help sales professionals begin developing their personal brand and profiles. If that is something that interests you, feel free to reach out, and I would be happy to schedule a call to discuss. Utilizing social media and digital channels allows sales professionals to connect with and engage customers on platforms they frequent.

I have numerous examples where I have leveraged social media to close deals, network with dream accounts, engage with new customers, and build a network of referral partners. The numbers on social media today prove that it is no longer a fad. It is imperative that businesses have social media accounts, and their engagement with customers is a differentiator.

If you go to Google and search for all the different ways to grow your business and get clients, you’ll get thousands of different results telling you hundreds of different ways to get clients.

A great way to expand your customer base is by using social media platforms. Customers can easily connect with you and others who have similar interests, and it’s simple to keep them updated on what’s happening with your business. And tons of other inbound and outbound methods.

Not all social media are created equal. And if you’re in the business-to-business (B2B) space, there is one platform that reigns over all the others: LinkedIn.

Who’s on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the premier B2B social media platform. And it is the best B2B platform because it did not start out as a social media platform. However, it has evolved over the years to become a powerful social media platform for businesses.

LinkedIn is not just another social media platform for you to connect with your friends and your family or to post pictures of your latest vacation. LinkedIn is designed to be a business networking tool.

Because of this, the users that engage on LinkedIn are usually high-income individuals. On average, people who use LinkedIn make more money than those using other social media accounts, and they’re much more likely to be receptive to any sort of business proposal.

LinkedIn is widely known as a platform to learn business secrets and sell/purchase services that help businesses grow. Therefore, LinkedIn is the perfect place to acquire new clients, as it is more accepted than other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

In a 2020 RAIN Group Center for Sales Research study of close to 500
buyers, they learned that the overwhelming majority—82%!—will look
up a seller on LinkedIn before replying to a seller’s prospecting efforts.
Compare that to back in 2005, when sellers told us social media
wasn’t important because enterprise-level decision makers couldn’t
be bothered using it. How times have changed!
Whatever means you use for prospecting, or any aspect of virtual
or face-to-face selling, know that eight out of every 10 buyers are
vetting you on LinkedIn before deciding whether to respond to you.
Reaching out to the C-level?
You may be surprised to learn the C-level is more likely than others to
connect with you on LinkedIn—even when they don’t know you.


Takeaway: Leveraging digital channels expands the reach and engagement with customers, boosting sales opportunities.


Application: Sales professionals should create an active presence on relevant social media platforms, share valuable content, respond promptly to customer inquiries, encourage feedback and reviews, and utilize targeted advertising or promotional campaigns. The goal is to move from a mindset of social media to social selling. My advice would be to start with LinkedIn, as it can be extremely beneficial for your business, but first you have to put in the work. It may seem like a lot at first, but if you just sit down and get started, you’ll see how easy it is. Follow the steps we talked about in this guide, and LinkedIn will help take your company to new heights.

If you would like some 1-on-1 guidance on setting up your profile, do’s & don’ts, networking tips, working with LinkedIn groups, and content creation, reach out to me personally, and I can set up a session or invite you to a live webinar.

By following the tactics outlined in this blog post, sales professionals can effectively build strong relationships with their customers, understand their needs, and enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Stay tuned for a follow-up post breaking down the strategies and tactics for Week 4. Improve your communication skills: Effective communication is the key to successful sales. Till then, I hope Week 3 brings a new level of confidence and focus on your path to finishing 2023 BIG!

[Week 2] 5-week Daily Plan To Fill Your Pipeline, Regain Control , & Master Your Sales Role

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Over the next 5 weeks, I will be following up on a post that I made here and diving deeper into each weekly and daily objective. My hope is that this helps you on your sales journey to finishing BIG for 2023 and beyond!

Week 2: Developing a Sales Plan

Day 6: Identifying Your Target Audience and Their Pain Points

Task: Define your target audience and understand their pain points and challenges. Develop strategies to address these pain points effectively with your product or service.

Mark, a sales professional that I recently had the opportunity to work with in the tech industry, realized that his target audience was small businesses struggling with outdated software systems. I encouraged him to conduct more targeted research, and he found that these businesses were facing productivity losses due to system crashes. He tailored his sales approach to focus on how his software solution could alleviate this pain point and improve their efficiency. Prior to this exercise, Mark was leading with his product features and capabilities, rather than asking good questions around a defined buyer persona.

Oftentimes, buyer/user personas have been defined by marketing departments, as this guides where investments are made and where to find the appropriate audience. I’ve worked with some companies where there was a disconnect between marketing’s idea of who an ideal customer is, and what sales finds in the field. This is why it is imperative that marketing and sales keep open lines of communication to drive efficiencies in marketing dollars and put sales in a better position to pull the right customers through.

Takeaway: Understanding your target audience’s pain points allows you to position your product or service as a solution to their problems, increasing the likelihood of successful sales interactions.

Application: Create buyer personas that outline your ideal customers’ characteristics, challenges, and goals. Develop messaging that directly addresses their pain points and offers solutions.

Example Buyer & User Persona

Day 7: Crafting Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Task: Define your unique selling proposition (USP) and devise strategies to effectively communicate it to potential customers.

There’s quite a bit of research and work to come up with a viable USP, which takes more time than I’ll cover here. However, defining your target customer and then composing your USP will make a big difference in your results. For example take Laura, a sales representative for a small business services firm located in Kansas City, discovered that her USP was the use of organic cleaning solutions, cruelty-free ingredients. She incorporated this into her sales conversations and marketing materials, highlighting how her products aligned with customers’ values.

Takeaway: A compelling USP sets you apart from competitors and gives customers a reason to choose your product or service.

Visit www.salesstar.com
Here’s a sample sales plan and how identifying your target customers leads to developing a unique selling proposition

Application: Craft a concise and compelling USP that highlights what makes your offering unique and valuable. Incorporate it into your sales pitches, presentations, and marketing materials.

Day 8: Tailoring Your Sales Approach

Task: Develop a flexible sales approach that can be tailored to different types of customers and various situations.

The initial approach is much different than the sales presentation. The latter is always tailored to a prospect’s unique problems and needs. The sales approach is much earlier in the process and is what leads to getting an appointment or at least an agreement to spend more time with the prospect. James, a sales professional selling office furniture, realized that his approach needed to differ when dealing with small businesses (typically less than 50 employees) versus larger businesses (typically businesses with 100–1000 employees). For small businesses, he focused on cost-effectiveness and scalability, while for larger businesses, he emphasized quality and customization.

Takeaway: Adapting your sales approach based on your audience’s preferences and needs enhances your ability to connect and resonate with potential customers.

Application: Create multiple sales scripts or approaches that can be customized for different customer segments or scenarios. This ensures you’re prepared for a variety of interactions.

Day 9: Utilizing Data and Analytics

Task: Incorporate data and analytics into your sales plan. Leverage insights from previous sales performance and customer behavior to inform your strategies.

The opposition to using a CRM system as a sales tool rather than a repositor for useless data still baffles me. Granted, some sales managers do not help with some of the mandates for information to be included, as the problem with this approach is that it often leads to putting garbage in thus getting garbage out. My recommendation to inputting account info into a CRM is to use what I call the W.I.N. method. A simple acronym that helps with putting information in that is useful and actionable.

  • W. What was discussed in the conversation. Provide as much detail as necessary to be able to pick up in the next conversation immediately where you left off in the last. I have been on many ride-alongs where a rep covers a lot of information that has been covered numerous times before. This is a sure way to getting resistance in the future when asking for another appointment. When you stop wasting a prospects time you’ll notice that you begin to get more of it!
  • I. Insights covered or insights gained in the conversation. Did you learn about a new way that they could possibly use your service or product? Did you uncover another influencer that could push a potential deal along? Did you learn about a competitor and how their product is being perceived as difficult to use or implement?
  • N. Next-time will be the plan of conversation during the next visit. Planning this ahead of time with help make the most of the time a prospect has. This approach can lead to becoming a valued resource rather than just another sales annoyance of a prospects day.

Takeaway: Data-driven decision-making allows you to fine-tune your strategies and focus on what works best for your audience.

Application: Regularly review sales data to identify patterns and trends. Use these insights to refine your approach, allocate resources effectively, and identify areas for improvement.

Day 10: Reviewing and Updating Your Sales Plan

Task: Establish a process for consistently reviewing and updating your sales plan to ensure its ongoing relevance and effectiveness.

Takeaway: A sales plan should be dynamic, evolving with changes in the market and your customers’ preferences.

Application: Set up regular checkpoints to evaluate your sales plan’s performance. Consider factors such as market trends, customer feedback, and competitive landscape to determine necessary updates.

Developing a well-defined sales plan is essential for maintaining focus and organization while pursuing your sales goals. By identifying your target audience’s pain points, crafting a compelling USP, tailoring your sales approach, leveraging data and analytics, and regularly reviewing your plan, you can stay adaptable and effective in a dynamic sales environment. Remember that a successful sales plan is not a static document but a living strategy that evolves to meet the needs of your customers and the market.

Stay tuned for a follow up post breaking down the strategies and tactics for Week 3: Building Relationships with your Customers. Till then, I hope Week 2 brings a new level of confidence and focus on your path to finishing 2023 BIG!

Book Review 📚 Objections: The Ultimate Guide for Mastering the Art and Science of Getting Past No.

“While most salespeople cringe at the sound of objections, top performers see objections as a roadmap to close deals. They embrace objections, knowing that the path to success is paved with them.”

Jeb Blount

In Jeb Blount’s “Objections: The Ultimate Guide for Mastering the Art and Science of Getting Past No,” you’ll be taken on a journey through the challenging yet essential world of sales objections. Blount, a popular sales expert, delves into the art and science of handling objections, equipping sales professionals with the tools they need to overcome obstacles and achieve greater success.

One of the most striking aspects of this book is its emphasis on the importance of mindset and attitude in the face of objections. Blount highlights that objections are not roadblocks but rather opportunities for growth and understanding. By shifting our perspective, objections can be seen as gateways to building stronger relationships and closing more deals. This theme resonates throughout the book, reminding readers to approach objections with curiosity, empathy, and a determination to find common ground.

Blount’s writing style is conversational and accessible, making it easy for both seasoned sales professionals and newcomers to grasp the concepts presented. He combines real-life anecdotes, practical tips, and psychological insights, creating a comprehensive guide that covers a wide range of objection scenarios. From common objections like price and competition to more complex ones involving trust and credibility, Blount leaves no stone unturned.

One of the crucial takeaways from “Objections” is the concept of active listening. Blount emphasizes the significance of truly understanding the objections raised by prospects instead of merely reacting to them. By actively listening, paraphrasing, and asking clarifying questions, salespeople can uncover the underlying concerns behind objections and address them effectively. This approach not only builds trust but also enables sales professionals to tailor their responses to meet the specific needs of their prospects.

I can attest to the impact “Objections” has had on me as a sales professional, sales trainer, and sales manager. Many, who I’ve shared these insights with, have developed an enhanced ability to navigate objections, resulting in increased closing rates and improved customer relationships. By applying the techniques outlined in the book, my sales teams have been able to build stronger connections with their prospects, understand their pain points, and find mutually beneficial solutions.

Jebs work is a valuable resource for sales professionals seeking to refine their objection handling skills. Blount’s emphasis on mindset, active listening, and empathy sets this book apart, offering a fresh perspective on how to approach objections in the sales process. By internalizing and deploying the concepts presented, sales professionals can expect to see positive results in their interactions with prospects.

Here are ten reflection questions based on the main concepts of the book:

  1. How has your mindset and attitude towards objections evolved after reading this book? Are you now more inclined to view objections as opportunities for growth and understanding?
  2. Reflect on a recent objection you encountered in your sales interactions. How did you approach it before reading the book, and how would you approach it differently now, considering the techniques and strategies outlined by Blount?
  3. In what ways has your active listening skills improved since applying the principles discussed in the book? Can you recall a specific instance where active listening helped you uncover the true concerns behind an objection?
  4. How has your ability to paraphrase objections and ask clarifying questions impacted your sales conversations? Have you noticed a difference in how prospects respond when they feel genuinely understood?
  5. Reflect on a challenging objection you faced that was related to trust or credibility. What steps did you take to address it, and how did it compare to the techniques suggested by Blount in the book? Did you achieve a positive outcome?
  6. Has your approach to objection handling changed based on the different objection scenarios discussed in the book, such as price objections or objections related to competition? How have you adapted your responses to these specific scenarios?
  7. Consider your previous strategies for dealing with objections. How have you adjusted your mindset to see objections as valuable information rather than obstacles? How has this shift impacted your overall sales approach?
  8. Reflect on a recent sales opportunity where you successfully got past a “no” and closed the deal. Which specific techniques or strategies from the book did you apply in that situation, and how did they contribute to your success?
  9. Have you noticed any improvements in your ability to build trust with prospects through objection handling? How has this impacted your overall sales results and customer relationships?
  10. How can you continue to apply the concepts discussed in the book in your future sales interactions? What steps will you take to reinforce and expand upon the skills you have acquired to become even more effective at getting past objections?

These reflection questions can help you deepen your understanding of the book’s concepts and prompt you to consider how you can apply them to your own sales practice.

[Week 1] 5-week Daily Plan To Fill Your Pipeline, Regain Control , & Master Your Sales Role

Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

Over the next 5 weeks, I will be following up on a post that I made here, and diving deeper into each weekly and daily objective. My hope is that this helps you on your sales journey to finishing BIG for 2023 and beyond!

Week 1: Setting Clear and Specific Goals

Day 1: Refining Your Sales Goals

Task: Take some time to review your current sales goals and assess their specificity and measurability. If your goals are vague or difficult to measure, refine them to make them more actionable.

In my coaching, I see (I have been one too) many sales professionals who set their sales goals at the beginning of the year. In doing so they soon realize, once the year has begun, that their initial goals were too broad, like “increase sales” and “grow customer base”, or “hit bonus.” As a result, they hop on the struggle bus to staying motivated because they couldn’t track their progress effectively.

Takeaway: Specific and measurable goals provide clarity and direction. When you have clear objectives, you can break them down into actionable tasks, making it easier to stay motivated during down sales months. For example, let’s take the goal of increasing sales and break it down, make it actionable, and put a timeline on it. Let’s say that this rep wants to increase their close rate 33% by the end of the week.

Current state:

  • 10 opportunities a week
  • 30% close rate
  • $20,000 average deal size

So in the past week, this rep has closed three jobs. An increase of 33% would equate to four deals this week. Closing four deals out of 10 opportunities would put this rep’s closing rate at 40%. Just one extra contract! I know, this is just easy math, but this is the magic of taking vague goals and making them specific and measurable. To some, even increasing the closing rate by 33% seems a little abstract, but once you realize it’s just one additional contract per week, it seemingly becomes achievable just on it’s surface. When you take that one additional deal over weeks, months, and quarters, you begin to realize the commission impact that just a single deal per week can make, and that’s when this vague goal just became relevant.

Application: SMART goals ensure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, instead of “increase sales,” make it “achieve a 33% increase in close rate by the end of the week.”

For more on SMART goals visit my previous post here

Day 2: Tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Task: Identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help you track progress towards your sales goals. KPI’s are usually relegated to management for measuring important company metrics, but for sales reps, the important metrics are the ones that track selling effectiveness. These can vary greatly by industry or even by company, but for simplicity, let’s use closing percentage, average deal size, and net sales per lead issued. It is really important to be clear on the metrics by which performance is graded. Once the metrics are identified, a system can be created to consistently measure and analyze them.

I really enjoy sports and movies; combine those two, and there’s an audience in my home theater. One of my favorite movies is Moneyball with Brad Pitt. While it’s a great baseball movie, it really conveys the importance and impact of tracking the right metrics. If there’s one thing that baseball does not lack, it’s stats. The movie is very analogous to sales, in my opinion. Andy, another sales professional I had the opportunity to coach, realized the importance of tracking his KPIs after a slow sales month. We identified that he had a weak pipeline, but when I asked about his call numbers, he would extort that he called “plenty of people” but “couldn’t get ahold of anyone.” When pressed to quantify “plenty”, he always had a convenient number of around 20. My experience told me that it was probably closer to 10. Let’s face it, that’s not enough activity to fill any pipeline. We implemented a tracking system, and he started monitoring metrics like the number of dials, contact rate, lead conversion rate, and the number of prospect meetings scheduled. By doing so, he could identify which areas needed improvement and adjust his strategies accordingly. Most notably, what he found was that he was talking to prospects, but he just lacked the right skills to convert them into appointments.

Takeaway: KPIs provide valuable insights into your sales performance. Regularly analyzing these metrics will enable you to make data-driven decisions and maintain motivation during challenging times.

Application: Use a CRM system or sales tracking tool to monitor your KPIs consistently. Set aside time each day to review your progress and identify areas that require attention.

For more tips on prospecting visit my previous post here

Day 3: Setting Achievable Targets

Task: Break down your sales goals into smaller, more achievable targets. Develop a daily action plan to work toward these targets.

Prior to COVID my wife and I would go on a cruise every year. It’s usually our one big trip per year, with a few smaller trips in other months. Over the years our packing routine hasn’t changed one bit. It goes like this; the week leading up to the trip we begin to get anxious about everything that needs to get done before we leave- our dogs scheduled for the kennel, have I mowed the yard, have we purchased our travel necessities, have we done all of the laundry (who wants to come back to five loads of laundry to do??), have we gotten our suitcases out from storage, have we packed, printed our boarding passes etc., etc. It is without fail that we wait till the day before we leave to do the majority of these items and we are often checking off this list of to-do’s till midnight with a flight schedule for 6 am the next morning. By the time we are in bed we feel like we’ve done more in the past four hours than we have in the past four days. I share this story because I see sales reps engage in planning for their sales targets in very much the same way. While I can relate with my vacation planning, I can’t when it comes to sales planning. Too many sales reps begin planning and stressing about achieving their targets when they have only a week left in the month, and just like my vacations, it’s due to bad planning and procrastination.

To prevent this sales dilemma, start by breaking down the most important sales activities into daily time blocks. What gets scheduled often doesn’t get ignored. If a reps follow-up to close rate is only 20%, and she needs five more deals to hit her goal, then she will need 25 contacts in her follow up pipeline. However, if her call to contact ratio is only 15% then she’ll need 166 prospects in which to follow up. Since the best reps track their activity, like discussed in Day 2, this rep knows that they can only effectively contact 20 prospects per hour. So, this reps needs to plan their follow up activity over eight hours in the week. See how knowing the numbers can begin to tell the story of how to best plan the days, weeks, and month? This rep that I coached, Emily, created a daily schedule that included making a certain number of prospecting calls, sending personalized follow-up emails, and attending sales meetings. This structured approach helped her make steady progress even during slow sales months.

Takeaway: By breaking down your goals into smaller milestones, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed and maintain a sense of accomplishment with each achievement.

Application: Use the “divide and conquer” approach. Divide your monthly or quarterly sales goals into weekly or daily targets, and then plan your activities accordingly.

For more on planning & productivity visit a previous post here

Day 4: Accountability and Support

Task: Determine how you will hold yourself accountable for achieving your sales goals. Identify someone you can share your goals with and set up a system to track progress together.

In my 24 years of selling, managing, coaching, and leading high-performing sales teams, I have noticed a few things. There is a common misperception that top salespeople do not need accountability. That is simply not true; however, it is often the case that accountability looks different from one rep to the next. While one rep finds accountability with a team member, another with a sales manager, others with a mentor, and another with performance metrics, Accountability isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. The reps that last and become high performers test many approaches until they find what works best for them. My advice is to spend some time thinking about the qualities that would be important to look for in an accountability partner. Are they optimistic? Are they constructive? Do they need to have more experience? Can they be similar in terms of tenure? Asking these questions beforehand can help you avoid some potential landmines that could do more harm than good.

Takeaway: Having someone hold you accountable and provide support can significantly impact your motivation and determination to achieve important sales goals.

Application: Find an accountability partner within the organization or a mentor who can provide guidance and encouragement. Schedule regular check-ins to discuss progress and challenges.

Here’s a Weekly Accountability Plan template that I use with my coaching clients: Leave a comment (“accountability plan”) and I’ll be happy to send you the excel workbook

For more on finding a mentor and maintaining motivation visit a previous post here

Day 5: Celebrating Small Wins

Task: Identify how you will celebrate small wins and milestones along the way to achieving your sales goals. Consider ways to use these celebrations as motivation to keep going.

A veteran rep that I had the privilege to coach and mentor was Alex. He’s a seasoned sales professional, and I encouraged him to implement a reward system for himself. Whenever he achieved a significant milestone or exceeded his weekly targets, he would treat himself to something he enjoyed, like a nice dinner or a relaxing weekend getaway. He had my full support! If it meant me taking calls from his accounts during his getaway, then I was happy to do it. These celebrations not only boosted his motivation but also created a positive feedback loop.

Takeaway: Celebrating your achievements, no matter how small, reinforces a sense of accomplishment and keeps you motivated throughout the down sales months.

Application: Create a rewards system that aligns with your goals. Treat yourself to something special whenever you reach a target or milestone. It can be as simple as taking a break to enjoy a favorite snack after a successful day of prospecting. It will be very easy to fall into a routine over time in sales, and at times that can become monotonous. These small celebrations help keep the process fun and more enjoyable over a career.

In conclusion, staying motivated during down sales months requires a proactive and structured approach. By setting clear and specific goals, tracking your performance with KPIs, breaking down targets, seeking accountability, and celebrating small wins, you can maintain your motivation and drive towards achieving success in your sales career. Remember, highs and lows are natural in every sales professional’s journey, but with a consistent sales strategy and continuous improvement, you can navigate through the tough times and come out stronger on the other side.

Stay tuned for a follow up post breaking down the strategies and tactics for Week 2: Developing a Sales Plan. Till then, I hope Week 1 brings a new level of confidence and focus on your path to finishing 2023 BIG!

14 Ways You Can Enhance Your Company’s Culture

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Company culture plays a major role in job satisfaction and the sense of security that comes along with it. Fortunately, you can have a powerful impact on your workplace, whether you’re a senior manager or a summer intern. Try these suggestions to create an environment where everyone can feel valued and appreciated.

Steps to Take by Yourself 

1. Maintain a growth mindset by continually learning. Invest in your education and training. Developing your knowledge and skills will broaden your opportunities at your current company and in all of your future positions. Should your company offer opportunities to lead discussions and/or present in front of other teammembers don’t hesitate to raise your hand to lead a topic. You’ll be a stronger member of any team for it.

2. Think long term. While you may not be an entrepreneur running your own business and taking all the risks associated, but there’s no reason you can’t be an intrapreneur! An intrapreneur runs a business inside of the business. Intrapreneurs take on an ownership mindset where she takes on projects and drives initiatives to conclusion. Owning your role and the results needed to elevate you and the teams success requires a long term focus. Keep your goals in mind. Evaluate how your actions will affect your company’s future and drive your actions towards that future. Going the extra mile could lead to repeat business, glowing reviews, and valuable referrals.

3. Take risks. Creativity in the workplace is seemingly becoming a lost art. It may be because there is not a culture around rewarding resourcefulness, creativity, and taking risks. However, what you see lacking in the workplace culture presents an opportunity to catalyze the team, other departments, and your development. Reward yourself for being innovative, even if some of your efforts fail to pan out. If you’re persistent, you’re bound to come up with some breakthrough ideas. Maybe you’ll find a new tool to help close more deals, or a technology to streamline communication across teams. Or perhaps you’ll work on redesigning a company process or policy.

4. Ask questions. Being able to ask for information and advice is a sign of confidence. There is a balance to questioning the companies way of doing business versus challenging it. Approaching co-workers and/or your managers with a sense of curiosity (intention) will often be reciprocated, however challenging others can be viewed as antagonistic and destructive. For example, approaching others with, “It makes no sense to me the way the company is approaching XYZ issue, how can this ever change if it makes no sense to begin with?” Now you can image the potential defensive reactions that a question like this may solicit. It’s not constructive and the intent of the question sounds more like a disparaging comment than a real question. Compare that to the language of a curious intent; “I’m curious- the team seems to have a wealth of experience around XYZ issue, I’d be interested in learning how the decision came to be with addressing it the current way?” You’ll do your job better and show your colleagues you appreciate their experience and expertise.

5. Be social. While many leave it up to the managers and owners of an organization to shape the culture of an organization, it’s equally the responsibility of individuals to reinforce and build the culture. Culture involves both internal and external factors. Get to know your coworkers as people, not just as coworkers, and help them. Be the person who goes out of their way to make friends with new team members. Many of them may feel out of place when they join your organization or have to adjust to a hybrid environment. Invite them to lunch or to a virtual coffee to talk. You could suggest other people for them to meet, or if you’re in the office, you could go ahead and introduce them.

Steps to Take with Your Co-Workers 

1. Build consensus. Think about all the parties whose interests your work will affect. Request feedback and input across multiple departments. Attempt to gain understanding how your work affects their role within the organization. Involve others when you’re making important project decisions. They’ll be more likely to support projects that they helped develop.

2. Welcome new hires. Reach out to new employees. Explaining the corporate culture to them may reinforce your own beliefs and actions. Additionally, during the Pandemic many teams experienced high-turnover, therefore it’s easy for teammembers to fall into the mindset of, “why take the time getting to know them when they’ll likely only be here for a short period of time?” This thinking perpetuates a siloed environment and a negative culture.

3. Give praise. Be generous in acknowledging the talents and achievements of your colleagues. Congratulate a colleague who recently completed an important project. Let the office manager know that you like the way he reorganized the supply cabinet. Thank the warehouse staff for organizing product on time for a tight deadline. 

4. Share credit. Recognize teamwork. Thank others individually and in public for how they contribute to group victories. Throw a party or write a letter expressing your gratitude.

5. Communicate openly. Speak directly and respectfully. Thank your coworkers for sharing their viewpoints. 

6. Resolve conflicts. Disagreements are unavoidable. Hold yourself accountable for your actions and apologize when needed. Be courteous, even when you find yourself on the opposing side of an issue. 

7. Focus on strengths. Remember to pay attention to the things you and your co-workers do well. Everyone’s strengths are the essence of your company’s culture and the foundation you can build upon to keep growing. 

8. Give back to the community. Your company’s philanthropy and community programs say a lot about its corporate culture. Take part in initiatives you care about, such as holiday food drives or volunteer outings. Does your company not participate in community event? This is a perfect opportunity to coordinate one! 

You’ll find your work more meaningful and gratifying when your employer’s culture aligns with your own values. Whatever your job title, you can have a positive influence on the culture in your workplace.

Book review 📚 Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization on the Growth Track–And Keeping It There by Les McKeown

“An organization’s culture of accountability is only as strong as the leader’s willingness to model and uphold that culture.” – Les McKeown

As a manager and leader, I found Les McKeown’s book “Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization on the Growth Track–And Keeping It There” to be a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their leadership skills and grow their business.

One of the key themes of the book is the importance of creating a culture of accountability within an organization. McKeown argues that accountability is essential for achieving success, both in terms of individual performance and overall organizational growth. He provides practical strategies for building a culture of accountability, such as setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and establishing consequences for non-performance. This may seem like “management-101” but where McKeown stresses accountability, and the implications of a lack thereof, is in the progression of the various lifecycles of a business. More on this below.

As mentioned above, another important theme of the book is the concept of “predictable success.” McKeown argues that all organizations go through a predictable lifecycle, and that understanding and managing this lifecycle is key to achieving long-term success. The book provides a clear roadmap for navigating the different stages of organizational growth, from the “early struggle” phase to the “predictable success” phase.

Throughout the book, McKeown uses a positive and engaging writing style, using real-world examples to illustrate his points which kept me engaged. He also provides a wealth of practical tips and strategies for improving leadership effectiveness, such as the importance of delegation, effective communication, and building strong teams.

As a manager myself, I found the book to be highly applicable to my own work. I was particularly struck by McKeown’s emphasis on the importance of creating a culture of accountability, and have already implemented some of his strategies in my own organization. I also appreciated his clear and actionable advice for navigating the different stages of organizational growth.

While I found “Predictable Success” to be a highly valuable resource, there were a few areas where I felt the book could have been stronger. For example, I would have liked to see more detailed case studies or examples of organizations that have successfully implemented McKeown’s strategies. This may just be a personal preference as I find case studies very helpful. Additionally, while the book does provide a clear roadmap for achieving “predictable success,” it could benefit from more specific guidance on how to apply these principles in different organizational contexts.

Overall, I would highly recommend “Predictable Success” to anyone looking to improve their management effectiveness and grow their organization. McKeown’s insights and strategies are highly practical and actionable, and his engaging writing style makes for an enjoyable and informative read.

Here are ten reflection questions that you can use after reading to help to begin applying some of the key ideas.

  1. How does my organization’s current culture align with the principles of accountability outlined in the book? What changes can I make to improve accountability?
  2. What are the key stages of organizational growth, and which stage is my organization currently in? What steps can I take to move towards “predictable success”?
  3. How does my leadership style impact my organization’s growth and success? What changes can I make to improve my effectiveness as a leader?
  4. What are the key factors that contribute to team performance, and how can I build stronger teams within my organization?
  5. How can I effectively delegate tasks and responsibilities to members of my team? What strategies can I use to ensure that delegated tasks are completed successfully?
  6. How can I improve communication within my organization, both internally and externally? What barriers to communication currently exist, and how can I overcome them?
  7. What are the potential consequences of failing to achieve “predictable success” within my organization? How can I mitigate these risks and ensure long-term sustainability?
  8. What are the most important metrics for measuring organizational success, and how can I track these metrics effectively?
  9. How can I identify and address organizational silos or other barriers to cross-functional collaboration? What strategies can I use to promote collaboration and alignment across departments?
  10. What are the biggest challenges facing my organization in terms of growth and sustainability, and how can I address these challenges effectively?

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Book Review 📚 First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differentlyby Marcus Buckingham, Curt Coffman

“Great managers don’t try to help everyone do everything. They pick a few priorities and help everyone see how these priorities relate to their own work.”

Marcus Buckingham

First, Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman is a refreshing and insightful read that offers valuable lessons for anyone in a sales management role. I have often recommended this book to other managers and have used for management book club(s). The book is based on a study conducted by the authors, in which they analyzed the best practices of successful managers and identified the key traits that set them apart from others.

One of the book’s standout themes is the importance of breaking traditional rules in order to achieve success. The authors argue that the most effective managers don’t conform to conventional wisdom, but instead create their own rules based on their unique circumstances and strengths. This idea is particularly relevant to the sales management, where the ability to think creatively and outside the box is essential for success.

The following are a few conventional wisdoms that the authors encourage managers to rethink:

  • “Treat everyone the same”: The book argues that effective managers do not treat everyone the same, but instead tailor their management style to the unique needs and strengths of each individual employee.
  • “Focus on fixing weaknesses”: The book suggests that the traditional approach of focusing on improving weaknesses is not the most effective way to achieve success. Instead, the authors argue that focusing on building and leveraging strengths is a more productive strategy.
  • “Follow the rules”: The book’s title itself challenges the conventional wisdom of blindly following rules and instead encourages readers to think creatively and break rules when necessary to achieve success. The authors argue that the best managers do not simply follow conventional wisdom, but instead create their own rules based on their unique circumstances and strengths.

Another important takeaway from the book is the emphasis on employee engagement. The authors emphasize the importance of understanding each employee’s unique talents and needs, and tailoring management styles accordingly. This approach can be applied to sales teams by recognizing each team member’s strengths and weaknesses, and leveraging those strengths to optimize team performance.

The writing style is engaging and accessible, making it an easy and enjoyable read. The authors use real-world examples to illustrate their points, and their insights are backed up by solid research. However, one potential criticism of the book is that it can be overly simplistic at times, and may not offer enough practical advice for managers and sales professionals looking to implement the ideas presented.

Personally, I have found First, Break All the Rules to be highly impactful in my sales management career. The book’s emphasis on employee engagement has helped me to better understand my team members and to tailor my management style to their individual needs. Additionally, the concept of breaking traditional rules has encouraged me to think creatively when approaching sales challenges, and has led to some of my most successful sales campaigns.

Overall, I highly recommend First, Break All the Rules to anyone in a management or sales role. While it may not offer all the answers, it provides valuable insights that can help you to think differently and achieve greater success in your career.

Reflection questions

  • How can I apply the concept of breaking traditional rules to my sales approach?
  • What are some specific ways I can tailor my management style to better engage and motivate my team members?
  • How can I identify and leverage the unique strengths of each member of my sales team?
  • How can I encourage creativity and outside-the-box thinking within my sales team?
  • In what ways can I measure employee engagement and adjust my approach accordingly?
  • How can I identify when I am relying too heavily on conventional wisdom and need to break the rules?
  • What are some specific examples of successful managers who have broken traditional rules to achieve success?
  • What are some potential drawbacks of breaking traditional rules, and how can I mitigate those risks?
  • How can I balance the need to break rules with the need for consistency and structure in my sales approach?
  • What are some key takeaways from the book that I can implement right away to improve my sales results?

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