New Year’s Resolutions for the Aspiring Sales Person

Part One

Christmas 2008 is less than a week away and soon we’ll be celebrating the New Year, 2009. Of course, its a tradition with many to make “New Year’s Resolutions”. And, with nearly as many, its somewhat of a tradition to break their “New Year’s Resolutions”not long after they’re made. In either case, this may not seem like much of a topic for a sales oriented business blog. For me, though, it seems like a good opportunity to be a bit more pragmatic and less philosophical than I usually am, as I strive to “share my rich experience, to produce Top Sales Performers and Top Performing Sales Organizations.” Specifically, it seems a good way to share lessons I’ve learned on how I could’ve done things differently and better in developing my career, as a Sales Professional.


I didn’t grow up dreaming of being a Sales Professional. I don’t think many do. My becoming a Sales Professional, in fact, was pretty serendipitous. Much like Harriet Beecher Stowe’s character Topsy, to a great degree and especially early on, “I just growed.” In other words, I wasn’t very “intentional” and this is the first area I think of when I consider that “I could’ve done things differently and better”. So, the first New Year’s Resolution I recommend for an aspiring Sales Person is …

BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT!

In order to provide a better understanding of the steps I’m going to encourage, in being “intentional”, I think it will help to give a few details on the early days of my career and related shortcomings, as I see them:

Regardless of the point in time I pick to start telling you about my development, its important to acknowledge that my circumstances are unique. That’s true of us all. One of my best friends is a top Subject Matter Expert in Cross-Cultural Communication and he says there are over 6 billion cultures on the face of the planet – i.e., one culture per person. And, he says that a key element to what makes each of us different is what are called Cultural Formers. There are many types of Cultural Formers. Some can be as obvious as ethnicity and some may be more subtle, like being left-handed. And, with the role that Cultural Formers play in making each of us unique, some are more noteworthy than others. I can easily identify that my most important Cultural Former was being raised without a Father, from the age of three. For some reason, it seemed that no one ever really stepped into that void where I needed a role model and Mentor. I don’t point this out so readers will say, “Oh, poor Gary!” My purpose in drawing attention to this is my recognition that having a Mentor could have made a dramatic difference in my career development. With that said, then, the first step I recommend, in being more “intentional” is …

HAVE A MENTOR!

If, unlike me, you have a Mentor, great! If not, go get one! Whether you’re a Student, considering a career in Sales or you’re a fledgling Sales Person, having a Mentor can be invaluable. In seeking out a Mentor, look closest to you first … family, church, school, work. After that, check out local business groups and service organizations e.g., Rotary, Toastmasters, Chamber of Commerce, etc. In the process of connecting with prospective Mentors, you’ll expand your network of contacts and you’ll be exposed to learning opportunities that will help you contribute to your career, your community and to your life, in general.

The idea, with a Mentor, is not to find someone who will run your life for you. Mentors should serve as Counselors. So, the best Mentor won’t necessarily be someone who comes off as being “superior”. In fact, the best attribute to look for, in a Mentor, is someone who seems to have “a servant’s heart” – i.e., a person who is looking to share their experience in ways that benefit others. Once you’ve found the right Mentor for you, you’ll want to get their counsel on everything from completing your formal education to getting your first job to your relationships with colleagues to getting promotions and so on.

In Part Two of “New Year’s Resolutions for the Aspiring Sales Person”, I want to tackle a couple more areas where, looking back, I recognize that I could’ve done things differently and better in developing my career, as a Sales Professional. Areas where a Mentor could’ve fit in, to make a significant and positive difference. But I think this posting provides enough to consider for now.

If you’re an experienced Sales Professional, what would you like to go back and change for the better, in developing your career? If you are an Aspiring Sales Person, what else would you like to hear about in this regard, that you’re thinking and feeling would be helpful to you? Please let us know your thoughts along these lines.

Comments
 
Sean Harry Says:


December 24, 2008 at 4:55 am edit

Good post Gary. Isn’t it also true that we can have different mentors for different parts of our lives? Even for different parts of our professional lives? For instance, as a sales person I may want a mentor who will coach me in the sales process, helping me to focus on and improve in the areas where I have the most potential for growth. AND, as a sales person, I may also want to find a mentor at my Toastmasters group who can help guide me through the manuals.

Part Two

Have you thought about participating in Sales 2.0? It would be another place where you could post your blog so you could “share my rich experience, to produce Top Sales Performers and Top Performing Sales Organizations.” Check them out at: http://www.salesmanagement20.com/. I think some of the folks over there would be interested in hearing what you have to say and learning from your MANY years of experience.

In Part One of New Year's Resolutions for the Aspiring Sales Person, I began an overview aimed to be "... a good way to share lessons I’ve learned on how I could’ve done things differently and better in developing my career, as a Sales Professional." The steps I'm encouraging in doing this fall under the general recommendation to "BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT!" And, my first specific suggestion under that heading was to "HAVE A MENTOR!" As I proceed to address specific aspects of my career development, I think it's obvious where being more "intentional" and having a "Mentor" could’ve fit in, to make a significant and positive difference. With that said, let me proceed with the next area I'd like to discuss:


Have A Proper Formal Education, As A Foundation!

Here, again, it may be helpful to share information about my beginnings and the flaws I now see, looking back. Here's how things went:

I was a National Honor Society High School Graduate, with five Majors - English, French, Math, Science and Social Science - and no Minors. Although I recall being advised to go on to college and to have a Major selected by the time I got to college, I don't recall getting any counsel on applying for scholarships or what to consider in selecting a Major. Thankfully, there was a State University in my hometown, so I could live at home and there were enough jobs around to be able to earn the money needed for books and tuition. Since the local State University had evolved from a State Teacher's College, I decided to Major in Education. I spent 4 1/2 years in college, trying one Education discipline after another. During that time, I dropped out and returned twice. In my third attempt at a Junior year, I finally got to do some lesson plans and got to try them out in the University's Lab School. Guess what?! I found out that I didn't like being a School Teacher. So, I dropped out for the final time and went out to get a job. I'm grateful for the successful Sales career that led to. However, though most recognize my experience as equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree and an MBA in Sales, even these decades later, not having completed my formal education still comes up.

With the benefit of hindsight, here's how I would do things differently:

I'd look at alternatives for financing my college education. A National Honor Society High School Graduate should be able to qualify for some form of scholarship or, at least, favorable terms for a student loan.

Finding sources for counsel on selecting my major courses of study, obviously, would've been helpful. Just as obviously, they didn't find me in those days.

It would've been good to look beyond my local horizons too. I've been blessed to work and travel in most of the Northern Hemisphere but getting some of this exposure earlier would've been beneficial.

Though a scholarship or a student loan would have provided me with more latitude, I still would have worked while going to school but I'd have done it more selectively. Specifically, I would've tried to find work associated with my field of study. As an example of one benefit in doing this, if I'd taken a job as a Custodian in a public school instead of as an hourly laborer in a warehouse, I might have, at least, recognized a bit earlier that I wasn't cut out to spend my working life in a public school. On the other hand, if it turned out that I was well suited for work in that field, perhaps it would have led to a job more in line with my ultimate career path, resulting in better preparedness and a bolstered resume.

Taking steps 1 through 4 would have made it more likely for me to not drop out of college. Since I did end up dropping out though, it would have been better if, during the first decade or two, I had completed my Bachelor's while continuing my career.

In Part Three of “New Year’s Resolutions for the Aspiring Sales Person”, I want to tackle one more specific area where, looking back, I recognize that I could’ve done things differently and better in developing my career, as a Sales Professional. Then, with that added to the other steps I've addressed, I'll conclude with a general discussion of more productively leveraging those foundational changes throughout my career. For now, I think that's enough from me. But what about you? If you’re an experienced Sales Professional, what would you like to go back and change for the better, in developing your career? If you are an Aspiring Sales Person, what else would you like to hear about in this regard, that you’re thinking and feeling would be helpful to you? Please let us know your thoughts along these lines. Then, check back for Part Three, as I wrap up this "more pragmatic and less philosophical" discussion, meant to “share my rich experience, to produce Top Sales Performers and Top Performing Sales Organizations.”

Part Three
 

 
This is the final chapter in my three-part overview, aimed at being “… a good way to share lessons I’ve learned on how I could’ve done things differently and better in developing my career, as a Sales Professional.” In Part One, I discussed the general recommendation, to “BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT!” From there, I went on to make the specific suggestion to “HAVE A MENTOR!” In Part Two, I offered a more detailed proposal to "Have A Proper Formal Education, As A Foundation!"


Of course, its difficult to be complete on the sort of topic this three-part series is meant to address. Probably with anyone who's in a position to look back over the decades of a a career, there are many changes you'd make, if you could go back to do so. And, changes in one area can easily lead to changes in other areas. However, in keeping with the theme I've set, to deal with just a few foundational issues, I'll conclude with just one more:

Have A Structured Continuing Development Plan!

In a way, this is an extension of my topic in Part Two, "Have A Proper Formal Education, As A Foundation!" And, once again, it may be helpful to examine my beginnings in this regard:

My first Sales job was with a company offering document management systems. I was hired by a VP, whose background was in Engineering and I reported to a Branch Manager, whose background was in Finance ... neither of them were Sales Professionals. I guess the fact that I was able to land the job in the first place is an indication that I was gifted with some Sales instincts. However, just a few months into that job, the Branch Manager was replaced by a guy with a successful Sales background. In working with the new guy, several startling realities became very clear in fairly short order. These were: (1) I was accomplishing as much as could be expected, with my gifted skills. (2) I wasn't meeting Quota. (3) I had no clue what to do about it. At that point, my new boss made a decision that was truly a watershed event for my working life. If he had decided differently, its likely that I'd be writing this blog on something other than Sales. But his decision was to send me off to a Fortune 500 company's Training Center, to take their course in Professional Selling Skills.

I'm thankful for my old boss' decision to enroll me in that "PSS 101" course. Likewise, I'm thankful that, since then, I've been blessed with Sales education including Miller Heiman, Zig Ziglar, Strategic Selling, Selling to VITO, etc. as well as Fortune 500 employer's internal selling curricula. Along with this, I've gained from learning provided by employers and professional associations in Leadership, Management, Relationships, etc. Just recently, though, a prospective Client asked me a question that reminded me of an ongoing flaw I have in this area. The question was, simply, "What business book have you read recently?" I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I was stumped, momentarily. After stopping to consider this for a moment, I realized that the business book I was currently reading was just under the notepad I was using. Its entitled, "Biz Blog Marketing". Then, I turned to look at the bookshelves in my home-office and saw the two books I'd recently finished, "How Did You Do It Truett?" (The story of the Founder of Chick-Fil-A) and "Becoming A Coaching Leader". And, as I looked back to my PC monitor, I thought of the significant volume of reading I do daily, on-line, just to keep up with my business and to support the three blogs I write. So, why the embarrassment and where is the flaw? Its in the very same place that I mentioned in Part One of this series ... "My becoming a Sales Professional, in fact, was pretty serendipitous. Much like Harriet Beecher Stowe’s character Topsy, to a great degree and especially early on, “I just growed.” In other words, I wasn’t very “intentional” . And, with this, there's still room for improvement. With this in mind, I want to make these concluding recommendations:

Lay out your own plan for the business-related courses you want to take over the next several years. Perhaps an employer or a professional association will provide these for you but you should have your own plan for a curriculum that you think will best serve your interests and attaining your goals. When its time to take the next course on your list, see to it that you complete it, regardless of who will provide it.

Keep a record of the courses you've completed. In most cases, you'll get some sort of certificate. Its easy enough to keep these in a 3 ring binder. Don't let yourself fall into the trap I've fallen into where I'm looking at my resume and saying, "Oh, yeah. I remember, going to San Francisco, when I worked for Minolta, to take that AMA course in "Dealing With Challenging Personalities".

Have a formal reading plan for each year- i.e. Specific titles you will read, with specific completion dates assigned to each title. Back in the days prior to laptop PCs, when I used to do a lot of air travel, I relied on that "downtime" to keep my reading caught up. Those circumstances changed. So, I recommend laying out a plan that you will carry out regardless of changing circumstances.

Keep a record of the reading you've done too. Its not practical for me to note every article I read on-line but, if I had prepared the sort of reading plan detailed above, it would be fairly simple to use it to note the actual completion dates. At the end of the year, that completed plan could be stashed away in the same 3 ring binder used to store the certificates from the business courses I'd completed.

So, that pretty much wraps up this year-end exercise in somewhat baring by business soul. But, as always, you're welcome to add to it. If, like me, you're an "old hand", please add your experience and your views by leaving a Comment. And, especially if you're in the early stages of a Sales career, I'd welcome hearing from you. As I say on the "About Gary Wiram" page of this blog: "My hope is that this blog will be beneficial to other Sales and Sales Management Professionals." That is my central purpose - i.e., I don't get paid for this. So, I hope you'll know that I'm most sincere, with that page going on to say, "I welcome hearing from you, via your Comments. If you'd like to hear more from me, contact me today, via this blog's Email link!"

Comments
 
Sales Training & Management Says:


July 26, 2010 at 12:01 pm edit

Here’s another sales-related tip to further your success:



Experience is a wonderful teacher, but only if you pay attention and draw the right lessons from your experience. It pays to document certain portions of your company’s sales process—and the most successful practices that you and your fellow salespeople have found for handling common challenges. Salespeople who do this maximize the use of their time, shorten sell cycles, make more sales, and cash bigger paychecks.



To learn from what works, document what works.



What parts of your sales process should you document?



First, identify the milestones in your sales cycle. What are the necessary steps that lead from your initial contact with a prospect to a completed sale? What commitment must you gain from the customer at each milestone that will lead to the next step? For example, does your sales cycle usually require an initial meeting with several decision makers followed by another meeting at which you present a formal proposal? Both of those meetings are milestones.



Write down your 10 strongest sales features—the features of your products or services that have the strongest appeal to most customers. Include a benefits statement for each feature. Remember that benefits usually have dollar signs attached.



Next, write down the expected customer needs associated with those 10 features and benefits. Customers will only buy if a benefit represents a solution to a perceived need. So what needs must you look for? Write some open-ended questions that help you draw out needs for which your 10 strongest features offer solutions.



Write the best questions that you can use to determine what your sales strategy must be for a particular client. Your sales strategy is determined by the competition you face, the buyer’s time frame, and the buying influences that will play a role in the sale. What are the best questions with which to draw out information about those factors?



Document a crisp (30-second) and powerful company story that you can tell in all first-call selling situations.



Ask your peers about each of these topics, and compare their approaches with yours. If somebody else has a great question for drawing out needs, for example, by all means write it down and use it. Create reminder lists for yourself, and review them before every sales call. Then you can stop making the same expensive mistakes.



To Your Success

Verkooptraining & Commerciele training Says:


October 20, 2010 at 3:22 pm edit

Training and courses can help you to get the skills you could not get just with experience. It will provide you the tools to do your job properly and improving you self confidence.

Married Guys & Christmas Gifts

As I write this, we're just a week away from Christmas Day, 2008. Personally, I'm facing one of life's greatest challenges for Married Guys ... what to get the Wife?! As I've pondered this dilemma, a couple of good general hints have come my way, through the media. One is a pretty good clue about what not to do, while I think the other one offers some excellent guidance on the right approach.

Perhaps, not so surprisingly, the "what-not-to-do" tip came to me via a forwarded email from my Wife. It had a link to a video entitled "Beware of the Doghouse". My sense is that most women find this to be more humorous than do most men. Basically, it portrays men making some bone-headed Christmas gift selections and ending up in an elaborately devised doghouse. In addition to vividly illustrating the sort of gift-giving that condemns a man to a stint in the "Doghouse", it provides the further revelation that, once you're in the "Doghouse", its awfully difficult to get out.

Although I do recommend that guys, especially Husbands, pay close attention to the "what-not-to-dos", I prefer to emphasize the "what-to-dos". Coincidentally, I picked up on a great example for this through the media this week too. Though it may not seem like the most likely place to seek direction on a topic like this, the source was Conservative Talk Radio Host, Hugh Hewitt. Anyone who listens to Hewitt, for any time at all, will be able to tell you that he consistently refers to his Wife, of over 25 years, as "The Fetching Mrs. Hewitt". While there may be many things you can read into this, as a "device", from the first time I heard it, I admired it as something sweet and precious that Mr. Hewitt faithfully honors in his relationship with his Wife.

Earlier this week, Hugh was broadcasting from Washington D.C. He was there, among other reasons, to attend a Christmas party at the White House. Of course, he commented on a number of things related to this trip but it struck me that, as much as anything, he mentioned that "The Fetching Mrs. Hewitt" was traveling with him and of how much they were enjoying revisiting experiences that were special to them when their relationship was young. It was hearing these reminiscences that reminded me of the most important "what-to-do" for Married Guys, with Christmas Gifts. That is, regardless of the gift/s you select for your Wife, bear in mind that they should reflect your appreciation for the fact that, short of His gift of His Son, God's greatest gift to you is her.

Oh, one more thing. The most important three words of wisdom from my Wife, Ruth, as she dispatches me for this year's Christmas shopping ... "Save the receipts!"

Hit ‘em Where They Ain’t

Something that every Sales Manager has to look out for is what's called "Self-Limiting Beliefs". In short, these are thoughts a person can "get into their heads" that focus on the negative - e.g., "I can't", "I won't", "I shouldn't", etc. This is especially true during down times in the economy. Earlier this week, I listened to a luncheon speaker whose presentation reminded me of a valuable, related lesson I learned, early in my career. I always think of this lesson as, "Hit 'em Where They Ain't".

Before going on, I probably should touch on where that phrase, 'Hit 'em Where They Ain't", comes from. I remember it as a phrase used by the Manager of one of my favorite baseball teams, growing up. It turns out that its credited to a baseball player, from the turn of the last century, named "Wee Willie" Keeler. As is indicated by his nickname, "Wee Willie" was one of the smallest men to play baseball and yet, in 1894, he started a streak of eight seasons with 200 or more hits ... a feat that has been equaled by few. When asked about how he accomplished this, "Wee Willie" said, "I keep my eyes clear and I hit 'em where they ain't." In other words, he didn't focus on what he "couldn't do", due to limitations of his 5'4"/140# stature. His reliance was on what he "could do" with his skill at hitting a baseball where he wanted it to go. When I was a fledgling Sales Rep, I was blessed to have a Sales Manager who used this illustration, to encourage my best performance regardless of my circumstances.

The Luncheon Speaker I mentioned earlier was Kent Craford, CEO of SeaPort Airlines. Although that may seem like a stretch for the topic I'm addressing, it actually couldn't be a better fit. You see, SeaPort Airlines launched their business this past June. Do you remember what was happening with most airlines this past June? The same conditions that had me paying $4.57 per gallon to fill up my SUV had most airlines in a panic. They were cutting costs (and related services) and increasing prices in every way they could find. You'd have to be crazy to start a new airlines at a time like that, right?! Maybe. And maybe not, if the new airlines has a smart business plan to "Hit 'em Where They Ain't".

Even if I could completely detail the SeaPort Airlines business plan for you, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to do so here. But here are some of the key elements that I do recall:

They recognized a significant business need that wasn't being met. Specifically, there is substantial need for business travel between Seattle and Portland. Driving from one city to the next takes about three hours. Roughly the same amount of time is required, if you fly the airlines that have been servicing this route. SeaPort's average time is 90 minutes.

A key to SeaPort's ability to cut travel time in half is their use of an aircraft type that allows them to fly in and out of general aviation facilities where TSA Security is not required.

They're able to offer a level of service that's close to the experience of flying on a privately-owned jet at competitive prices.

Again, the type of aircraft being used by SeaPort is a crucial element to their ability to offer reasonable fares. While fuel accounts for 50% to 70% of most airlines' operating costs, with SeaPort, it's only about 25%.

That's a pretty good example of "Hit 'em Where They Ain't", don't you think? Another phrase that fits is "Yankee Ingenuity". As far as I'm concerned, that has been the most important element, setting the U.S. business culture apart from the rest of the world. When market conditions are challenging, it's important to remind yourself of this, regardless of your role in business. I think it's especially important, if you're in Sales. So, I want to encourage everyone in a Sales Management role to give attention to this regularly. Of course, you're welcome to pass my anecdotes along, if that seems helpful. Better yet, look for opportunities for your Sales Team members to have an experience similar to mine with this week's SeaPort presentation. It didn't matter that the Presenter was a CEO and not a Sales person, per se. And it didn't matter that I don't have an airlines industry background. The important thing was coming away with a refreshed "can do" attitude. That can make all the difference in Sales performance, especially with those who have been letting circumstances control them instead of the other way around.

What's been your experience in dealing with "Self-Limiting Beliefs"? Has the "Hit 'em Where They Ain't" approach worked well for you? What inspirational examples, like mine with SeaPort Airlines, have you come across lately? Please let us know, so it can be shared with others.

“New School” Cold Calling

Not long ago, I saw an article entitled “Why Cold Calling Is Dead”. Around the same time, I came across a another article entitled “10 Things I Love About Cold Calling”. As I was considering these opposing points of view, a local business contact sent me a note saying that he was working on his Sales Organization’s Funnel Management and that he would appreciate me addressing that topic on this blog. Considering that, if Cold Calling fits in with Funnel (Pipeline) Management, it fits in at the top or beginning, in the Prospecting and Qualifying phase, I thought I should examine its viability.


In assessing “Why Cold Calling Is Dead”, I found that the main point was, “Our world of selling is closed off from other areas of business that continue to adopt and embrace new, efficient ideas.” It reminded me of a company I did some work for a few years back that sells software and services to correctional organizations. Their “sweet spot” was County Jails. This business had emerged from a company that was founded as a vending business, coming out of WWII. Believe it or not, I found that the present day company was continuing to have their Sales force work as though they were working a vending route – i.e. the Sales person spent their days driving from County Seat to County Seat, Cold Calling each County’s Sheriff or Jail Manager. Obviously, this is a great example of an organization that needed to “embrace new, efficient ideas”.

Although my experience supports the main point of “Cold Calling Is Dead”, as I considered the reasoning of “10 Things I Love About Cold Calling!”, there seemed to be a disconnect – i.e. each of these “10 Things” seemed legitimate. There was also that troubling Funnel Management consideration … If Cold Calling doesn’t fit in with Prospecting and Qualifying anymore, what does? So, to resolve this dilemna, I thought it might be productive to contrast my view of Cold Calling in the formative days of my Sales career with my current approach.

If you’ve visited this blog before, you may recall an earlier posting entitled “The ‘Tech-Savvy’ Sales Organization”. There I mentioned “Smoke Stacking”, the Cold Calling technique included in my initial training, in my first Sales territory, in the Midwest. “Smoke Stacking” is another great example of the need to “embrace new, efficient ideas”. However, I don’t go “Smoke Stacking” anymore and yet I do find myself regularly doing what I consider to be “Cold Calling”. So, where’s the disconnect?

Perhaps the disconnect is that, while the author of “Cold Calling Is Dead” is correct with their main point, they’re making the mistake of “throwing out the baby with the bath water”. I think its just semantics though. For me, the lesson isn’t that Cold Calling should be “laid to rest”. Like many other “Old School” techniques, it just needs to be applied differently, to fit in with the realities of the “New School”. In this reality, its something I do almost daily. And I teach it to others, encouraging them to look at “Cold Calling” as an exciting “adventure”, rather than letting it be a source of anxiety. But, I don’t teach “Smoke Stacking”. Instead, I teach appropriate ways to use the phone, email, networking events and especially, social media as ways to connect with new Prospects.

I guess it turns out that I sort of agreed with both the articles I mentioned at the outset. In as much as it pertains to “Old School” application, I agree, “Cold Calling Is Dead”. But, given a “New School” approach, I also agree that there are at least “10 Things I Love About Cold Calling!”

How about you? What are your views on Cold Calling? Please pass them along and share them with us.

“Just A Sales Rep”

When I hear someone described as “Just a Sales Rep”, it always bothers me. More so, when a person introduces themselves that way. Of course, I recognize that there are times when the intent in using this phrase is humility. Regardless, I think its counterproductive for anyone who sees Sales as their profession.


With that said, I have to admit to my own guilt in this. Take a look at the “About Gary Wiram” page on this blog. I describe myself as a “Senior-Level Sales and Sales Management Professional”, not “Just a Sales Rep”. Why not? When you look at other professions, you don’t see this so much. As an example, if you’re looking to consult with someone on a legal matter, do you look for someone who introduces themselves as a Legal Professional? Not usually. Typically, you look for an Attorney. Granted, you may look for an Attorney with experience in specific aspects of the law but the title “Attorney” already implies “Professional”. So, why don’t I introduce myself as “Just a Sales Rep”? Actually, in many social settings I do introduce myself as “A Sales Guy”. However, I don’t on this blog and it does make some obvious sense. SOL&D is my business management consultancy and I want prospective Clients to know I have experience beyond working an individual Sales assignment as “Just a Sales Rep”. Though the logic of this is understandable, I regret the implication, as you get with other uses of the phrase “Just a Sales Rep”, that there’s something inferior in having that title.

Underlying my concern about the derogatory use of the phrase “Just a Sales Rep”, is my belief that a deep understanding of what it means to be a Sales Representative and being passionate about it is foundational to being successful in any Sales role. For me, the key to unlocking this passionate understanding comes from exploring the meaning of the title “Representative”.

I was reminded of this, during the past week, when I met a local business Owner who is looking for someone to drive the Sales effort for his company. As he expressed what he’s looking for, in a Sales Person, he said that the most important thing to him was that this person be a good “Ambassador” for his company. His company was founded nearly 20 years ago and he sees their value proposition and its level of quality as being matchless. The “Ambassador” he has in mind will embody this, as he does. In case you don’t know it, a synonym for the word “Ambassador” is “Representative”.

My most significant experience in this regard comes from the years when I partnered in a start-up venture of an existing business with an “old buddy”. This “old buddy” and I met when we were 15 years old, playing side-by-side on our high school football team. He founded his company, (now) over 30 years ago, based on curriculum developed by himself and his true Partner, his Wife. To give you some sense of the passion they have for their business, they commonly refer to their curriculum as their “baby”. I’m thankful to say that we all look back on this time as a success. That’s not to say that everything turned out the way we had hoped, going in. There were significant business successes, though, including developing a strategic relationship with a nationally-known political figure and securing the business of Fortune 500 companies. But, there were, also, times of disagreement and disappointment. For me, the greatest success was getting to live out the sort of pipe dream that can change an “old buddy” relationship into one of being “old enemies” and instead, our friendship became much deeper than ever before. However, in the context of this writing, the most significant factor is what my “old buddy” has to say about the role I played, as the “Senior-Level Sales and Sales Management Professional” in his company. At the heart of his Recommendation for me, he says, “… we couldn’t have been more pleased than we were with Gary’s thoroughly professional and accurate representation of our company …” “Representation”, my being ”Just a Sales Rep”, was the most important thing to him. I’m thankful for that achievement.

Hopefully, my anecdotes provide validation for the use of “Sales Representative” as a title to be proud of versus the deprecating use of the phrase “Just a Sales Rep”. But there’s importance well beyond this. In previous posts – e.g. “The Pride and Prejudice of Sales” and “Managing My Not-So-Hidden Agenda For Sales”, I’ve addressed ”grasping the legitimacy of the Sales function in Business” as being a critical path to success, regardless of your role in a Sales organization. My experience has been that gaining a deep understanding of what it means to be a Sales Representative and being passionate about it is just as essential.

Sincerely,

Gary Wiram, Sales Representative

P.S. What is your experience along these lines? Do you have related anecdotes to share? Please let us hear from you!

Where Do Today's Pilgrims Go Next?

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the U.S. on the fourth Thursday in November. Although sources can be found (e.g. Wikipedia) stating that Thanksgiving is "considered secular" and "can be traced to harvest festivals ... celebrated ... since ancient times", that ignores an overwhelming abundance of evidence to the contrary. It's certainly contradictory to what I was taught in my home, in my church, in my school and in my entire community; growing up in the U.S. And, its absolutely inconsistent with what's in my heart, as I celebrate Thanksgiving ... to give thanks to God for all that He blesses me with.

That "overwhelming abundance of evidence" starts with the foundational event for our Thanksgiving Day ... the Pilgrims of Plymouth, MA, setting apart a day to celebrate their first harvest, in 1621. As to whether or not this celebration could be "considered secular", you only need to consider who the Pilgrims were. These were people, originating in England, who didn't accept the "divine right" of King James I and who were determined to honor only God, as their King. They ended up in Plymouth as the result of fleeing King James' persecution. You can bet that the Pilgrims saw Thanksgiving as a Holiday (meaning Holy Day), set aside to express their thanks to God.

During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress appointed Thanksgiving days every year. In 1777, their declaration started by saying:

"FOR AS MUCH as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received ... (full text)."

You know, that doesn't sound so "secular" to me.

The first Thanksgiving Day in the United States was designated by President George Washington, in 1789. His proclamation began with:

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits ... (full text)."

That doesn't sound very nuanced either, that its aim is Spiritual.

And, in 1863, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln set forth a proclamation, establishing the Thanksgiving Day we continue to observe. Lincoln opened his decree by stating:

"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God." (full text)

The Spiritual intent is pretty hard to miss in that too.

So, where does this perception come from that Thanksgiving is "considered secular"? And, though its not what is taught in my home or in my church, why is it now commonly accepted in our schools and our communities? Even in the school where my Wife works, instead of celebrating Thanksgiving, they have a "Peace Meal". What's going on?

Sadly, I think what's going on is similar to what was going on with the Pilgrims. Remember, Pilgrims were the people who were determined to honor only God, as their King. They ended up here as a result of being persecuted for this. Considering that the persecution was so intense that it finally drove them out of their homeland, I assume they were experiencing this persecution everywhere they went ... in their communities, in their schools, in their churches and even in their homes. King James is long gone and it may seem melodramatic to refer to it as persecution but there's no denying that the changes I've seen in our communities and our schools has been driven by those who don't want to acknowledge God, in any way, let alone as their King. An added irony here is that its not uncommon for those taking this position to also be working to make America more like Europe ... the very environment the Pilgrims fled. Considering this, how long will it be before they succeed at having their way in our churches and homes too?

Sooner or later, this reality must be confronted. I suggest that we begin by looking in the mirror to see that the Pilgrims are still here. I can't say for sure that my European ancestors came here for the same reason as the Pilgrims but I, too, am determined to honor God as my King. So, even without the buckle hat, I recognize, I'm a Pilgrim too. However, I have no Mayflower to board and no New World to flee to. So, where do I, as one of today's Pilgrims go next? For me, the answer is simple and it comes from the persecutor's least favorite source ... God's Word (ironically, the King James version) ... "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." - Joshua 24:15. Meaning, I'm not going anywhere. For me, Thanksgiving Day will remain set apart to give thanks to God and I will honor only Him, as my King.

Competitive Sales Strategies & “Set-Aparts”

Competition plays a peculiar role in a Free Enterprise economic system, especially in the U.S. Since Sales is my business-life, dealing with competition has always been a consideration and frankly, my gut reaction to it is that its a nuisance. Intellectually, however, I recognize that competition has been an essential element behind the successes of U.S. business in the global marketplace. This element is commonly known as “Yankee Ingenuity”. With this in mind, I strive to not give in to my gut-level instincts to address competition as a nuisance and attack them negatively. I’ve heard it said that, in dealing with competition, “If you throw dirt, you’ll lose ground.” Sort of cute, huh? I’m surprised that hasn’t become a more common cliche. Anyway, for me, these have been helpful words of wisdom.


With that said, the question remains, “How does one, effectively, deal with competition in a positive manner?” My default position here has been to look for “set-aparts”.

Before going on, since the term “set-apart” can be used in a number of ways, let me tell you what I have in mind. To me, “set-apart” is more of a Marketing term. Its the sort of thing that you’ll typically find in Marketing materials, as positioning statements, for branding purposes. One of the best definitions I’ve found for this is in an article by Elizabeth Boineau, entitled “Is Your Brand Sending Mixed Messages?”, where she says:

“Your brand platform, or positioning statement, is born of articulating the “set-aparts,” whereby you offer a compelling proposition explaining why your brand should be the choice. The next step is to promise you’ll maintain both brand image and reputation by delivering against all the things you claim make you uniquely qualified to serve the needs of your audience.”

One of the best examples of this, in my experience, comes from my time with Minolta. At that time, I was able to say:

“Do you know that Minolta is so particular about imaging quality that we are one of only two companies in the world who make their own glass, from which we make our own lenses?”

Now, that’s a “set-apart”! More importantly, it was one that I could have a “fire in my belly” about and communicate with sincerity. As a Consultative Sales Professional, that has always been vital to me … to know that what I’m saying about what I’m offering is truly of value to my Customer.

With that in mind, I want to close by noting what I think is the most important “set-apart” for a Sales Professional to offer their Customers. That is the one that you see when you look in the mirror. Of course, that is, uniquely, you. No one else can offer that. However, it is also, uniquely, your responsibility to make sure that this is “truly of value” to your Customer.

How does this match up with your experience, in dealing with competition and in using “set-aparts”? As always, we welcome your sharing your views too!