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Dr. Rick Johnson's Articles in Sales Show All|Display Category|Title|Newest|Oldest Sales Management -- The Buck Stops Here Sales revenue is declining, profit margins are not meeting expectations and we have seen an increase in turnover in our sales force. How do I get our sales manager to fix things and get back on track? The answer to that question begins by asking yourself another question; do you have the right person in the job of sales manager. Are they a leader or were they simply your best sales person. Do they have real leadership skills? Sometimes rejuvenating your sales force requires a change in leadership. It may even require a change in the sales force. 10 Tips to Maximize Sales Territory Growth Sales representatives are successful today because they gain the majority of their targeted customers business. They manage the relationship and continuously build relationship equity. That doesn’t mean they operate with the old lone wolf mentality doing everything under the sun for the customer. They are successful because they take full advantage of all the resources their company has to offer. Transactions and promos flow through a managed relationship. There is no Purple Pill for Sales Success There is a purple pill called Nexiom that some people believe is a wonder drug. It solves several problems. It does wonders for people that have experienced distress. I wish I could pass out a pill to each and every sales person out there including your entire management team to create instant success. Unfortunately, there is no “Purple Pill” that you can buy to drug your sales team. There is no “Purple Pill” that will improve effectiveness, there is no “Purple Pill” that will increase profit, there is no “Purple Pill” that will generate more revenue.. Profiling Your Target Growth Accounts When a customer makes their buying decision, the customer makes that decision based on certain assumptions and has specific perceptions and expectations. When the customer places and order, these assumptions and/or perceptions become reality in the customer’s eyes, often becoming the source of costly misunderstanding. The task is to get the “book on the customer” and, with proper planning, avoid misunderstandings. T.L.S. Part II: Maximizing Tier Level Selling Through Incentives This article takes the Tier Level Selling (T.L.S.) program to the next level by introducing sales force incentives to maximize the program's results. The T.L.S. program is detailed in Part I. It focuses on segmenting and targeting customers based on growth opportunity. This puts the right focus on your "plus" accounts by pointing you to the five largest accounts with the most growth potential without ignoring the five best medium sized accounts, and five revolving target accounts for new business. T. L. S. -- Tier Level Selling - A Penetration Strategy A number of sales “Gurus” have promoted the theory that states, “concentrating strictly on your top level premier accounts (some even quantify that by stating your top twenty) will provide you with as much growth and profit as you can possibly handle.” This is often stated regardless of individual and corporate strategic initiatives. Consignment -- A Sales Adventure Consignment can become a very effective marketing tool if it is used correctly. The emphasis is on using it correctly. A consignment partnership should not be considered without establishing specific criteria for selecting appropriate accounts up front. This is extremely important to you, the supplier. We call this selection criteria the “Rules of Engagement.” In contrast to the normal Rules of Engagement in selling, consignment Rules of Engagement are predetermined by the supplier, not the customer. Of course, the rules can be modified with proper approval to fit different situations. Sales Management Success “There is a pill called Nexiom that some people believe is a wonder drug. It solves several problems. It does wonders for people that have experienced distress. I wish I could pass out a pill to each and every one of us including our entire management team to create instant success. Unfortunately, there is no “Purple Pill” that you can buy to drug our sales team. There is no “Purple Pill” that will improve effectiveness, there is no “Purple Pill” that will increase profit, there is no “Purple Pill” that will generate more revenue, there is no “Purple Pill” that will increase market share. Gone Are the Days... Revitalizing Sales Reps for the New Century As an "A" player in the New Century you must build business-to-business relationships through channels that other team members can service. The special buyer/salesman relationship isn't dead, golf is still allowed, entertainment is still acceptable, but the degree to which these tools are used has changed. Certainly, the focus and the gray matter behind the sales planning process must contribute more to the long-term goals of the organization. The sales representative in the New Century ensures that their products, their services and their company becomes the channel of choice. Lone Wolf to Lead Wolf -- The Evolution of Sales Things have changed in the last 20-30 years. We have gone through an evolutionary process in the world of professional sales. We cannot be Lone Wolfs anymore. We cannot control every piece of data, every contact with our customer or be in command of the total customer relationship. To succeed and grow as a professional in sales today we cannot afford to "own" the account. Buyers are more sophisticated today. Selling is more complex. FEAR Outcall is an exceptionally good Marketing/Sales tool if it is done right. There is a lucky few that can just pick up the phone, make a cold call and it comes naturally to them. But for most of your employees, making that call is the most unpleasant and difficult task you could possibly ask them to do. It's actually unfair to send them onto the "Outcall Battlefield" without arming them with the proper weapons. Those weapons are generated through training. It's true that for some people Outcall is no big deal. Rx for Sales Effectiveness ----- The Purple Pill If you could give your sales force a “Purple Pill” that would boost their effectiveness by 25% or more, would you do it? No prizes for guessing how a typical sales manager would answer this question! Sales professionals are high-energy, fast-thinking, opportunistic people. If they are good, they often shoot from the hip and take calculated risks. They can be called mavericks and that’s a good thing. It takes a little “maverick” in the blood to be effective in the world of professional sales. Five Steps to Maximize Success in Targeting For Growth Targeting is the process of selecting high potential customer accounts to receive intense sales focus. Goal setting translates that high potential into achievable numeric objectives, i.e. revenue and margin growth. An account action plan ensures that the Territory Manager is proactively pursuing sales growth and that there is a solid basis for expecting account goals to be met. By monitoring these action plans, both the Sales Manager and Territory Manager can manage activities rather than wait for results. The “Sales Force of the Future:â€� It's Not About Selling" Nowadays, salespeople must be problem solvers able to generate solutions for customers in their time of need. Therefore, they must possess a great deal of knowledge about their customers' business. Often, they must actually define what those needs are because the customer may not know, nor take the time to explain. Customers want the "Sales Force of the Future" to have the knowledge and intelligence to comprehend and analyze their problems before showing up at the door. Customers will listen and buy from the salesperson that finds the "pain" and takes it away. Tips on Social Selling This article provides guidelines on how to function, act and sell in a social environment. New Territory Sales Tips This article lits sixteen tips that will lead to increased sales. They are effective regardless of your tenure in your territory but they are especially helpful for the sales person that takes over a new territory. Sales effectiveness based on best practice hedges your bet for success. Sales Force Nirvana is Really About Balance “A” players understand balance – they understand that the most important contributor to their success besides relationship equity with their customers is time allocation. That warrants repeating -- time allocation – and remember the currency to run a business is cash flow but the currency to run a sales territory is time management? A key principle for success is the ability to define and manage the activities that create success.	Publish for Free Sign Up For Free Learn More Your Ad Here Authors and Writers Submit Articles Submission Guidelines Link to Us Member Login U Publish Store Publishers Article RSS Feeds Link to Us Contact Us More Link to Us Privacy Policy Terms of Service Submission Guidelines Popular Articles Article Aids We Recommend SubmitYourArticle iSnare Article Marketer Published.com Article Directories Word Count Utility Search U Publish by: Title Author Keyword

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