How Serious Are You?

Yesterday I spoke to 20 owners and CEO's of various businesses. The intent of the six hour session was to learn how to increase revenues. When I polled the room as to how many had Sales Managers, 80% indicated they were doing that job, as well as CEO, as well as more than half indicated they were the chief sales person or rainmaker for their company. Yet, each of their firms had many full-time positions in operational and support capacities. It begs the question "Is there a market for the product or service?" If so, if revenue growth is the desired outcome, then it will grow thru the quantity and quality of one's sales force. What's standing in the way of making the commitment to grow? Please don't answer the economy when you haven't put the resources where needed.

Alignment Equals Growth

Good old Yogi Berra said "you can see a lot if you are looking". A close cousin to that is "you can hear a lot if you are listening". So, I'm at another airport gate, awaiting my flight to Cleveland, where I will share business growth ideas with entrepreneurs. Here's the conversation snippet I overheard from a traveling salesperson. "Our backs are against the wall and we need the sales numbers. People are riding me hard. So, let's put the lower price on the offer, even if we lose a little on the deal; at least we are showing some sales numbers". Ouch. Suggestion-be sure your sales people's compensation plan is tied directly to profitability of the sales. The concept is called "alignment". If the people generating the business are not directly aligned with the profitability of the company, then overall profitability is at serious risk.

Inspect What You Expect

I'm just back from vacation in Hawaii and had to share this customer service/sales gem.

In these tighter economic times, it’s been reported that restaurant business has fallen off considerably, as it's a discretionary expense. We witnessed a disproportionate amount of folks cooking at the resort on BBQ’s as witness to that.

One evening we called restaurant advertising with a full page ad in several local magazines, so they were spending money to win customers. On calling we were told to arrive by 7pm to avoid a wedding party they were hosting arriving at 7:45pm so we could get "good service". Good so far!

We arrive at 6:55pm and are told that there is nothing available and they have a wedding party coming. I reply that we were made aware of that and told to come at 7pm and we would be accommodated. At this point the "Greeter" proceeds to "tongue bash" me saying things like "what do you expect from me? Do you expect me to go tell the current diners to get up and leave?" And a few other choice things. I tried to explain that we called before coming there and what we were told. To which the "Greeter" said "well, too bad, there's nothing I can do for you". I'd already arrived at that conclusion and that restaurant lost a potential "lifetime" customer.

How's that for a ROI on expensive magazine advertising? Handled properly, we probably would have come back on another night, as we had several more to go. Be assured, never again and I will go out of my way to protect others from this restaurant.

Last thought. I'm often perplexed to distinguish "sales" from "service". Which of the two is the "Greeter" in? I'm of the belief it was "sales" since we never got thru to experience "service". What first impressions are your company and "sales force" /reception making with the market? Who and how are you checking on it? Inspect what you expect.

PS. I bet the owner spent hours reviewing and approving the full page ad. How much time was spent on the "Greeter"?

Know the difference between an "expense" and an "investment".

If you are a CEO or Sales Manager and you have cut back your travel and are hunkering in the office to "save expenses", think again. This is the ideal time to be proactively out visiting your customers at the senior level and solidifying their business while attempting to win even more!
Kinda reminds me of that T.V. commercial where the CEO presents the entire staff with airline tickets because business is down...because they have NOT been visiting their customers.

Know the difference between an "expense" and an "investment".

Quality vs. Quantity

So, I'm walking thru the Denver airport for connection to Winnipeg where I will be with 200+ tomorrow working on brushing up their selling skills. Two "business people" passed by me and one said to the other 'so, do we need anything for this meeting we are going to?" To which the other guy shrugged his shoulders and said 'beats me'. With all the emphasis currently being placed on expense controls, it made me wonder how we all are doing on "quality controls"? If you are a sales person, are you prepared before making your calls, or merely winging it like these two characters? If you are a sales manager, what are you doing to ensure that your sales people are prepared for their calls. In tighter economic times, I fear too many folks are stressing increased quantity of calls. That won't cut it. The key, now more than ever, is Quality Calls!