Succeeding at sales does not require a mass tactical approach in terms of maintaining or encouraging new clients to your organisation. In my experience most average 10 year old's could tell you the skills, tools and applications involved in how to ensure long term upward growth. In the case of sales, A does equal B - take care of the simple things first and the rest will come. I recently asked a c
lient an owner/manager of a great Dublin based business employing 17 staff, how many people are employed within his company in direct sales? When I quickly asked, how many calls does John make a day? the owner laughed and I interjected and said let me guess, he's an account manager!! which the owner replied with a red face eh yes how do you know? I know because the majority of sales people if there being totally honest want to move into a perceived more meaningful or mature role, less on the cutting edge so to speak and position themselves accordingly, It is the employer's job to ensure that does not happen or at least if it does, that contingencies are put in place to ensure new business is being won and existing clients are being well serviced and supported. In this case John had not cold called existing clients or new prospects in over 2 years. As the owner is struggling with cash-flow, losing about 15-20% of his small to medium clients annually and believes he is gaining new business through word of mouth or inward by-chance calls, it is clear that a more strategic, measurable sales approach needs to be engaged and fast. By continuing to use John's approach, inevitably this is will lead to a race to the bottom. When I delved further the owner had stated John is an old friend and the owner said he felt guilty about asking John to change the present culture, My reply was as follows:
If you don't change the culture you will lose all 17 jobs including your own and jeopardize your future and your families welfare
Change does not have to be with a stick, but by support and guidance, providing the proper environment, tools, up-skilling and mentoring, John will feel capable, fulfilled, refreshed at re-entering the sales arena and ready to make more money and deliver on expectation. If John is not prepared to embrace change, assist in growing the business, the owner will have to decide if he is the right fit long term. Most SME owner's are doing the job of the sales guy, credit control, HR, customer service and loads more and have little time to focus on any one area. By taking action to outsource the sales process, one of the most critical elements of the business the owner has made a positive decision to ensure success and embrace best of breed sales practices. Here at Complete Company Solutions, we are helping him and his business to find a way back to best practice. We take a bespoke approach to spend time to understand the issues and his needs. We suggest and agree a tailored plan a total bespoke sales plan to suit his budget which could be as simple as 3/4 days or spread over a year depending. Why use Complete Company Solutions
Sales outsourcing works
We provide services comparable to an industrial wage
Very affordable and very fleixble
You as a business owner, experience best of breed sales implementation, strategy, guidance and support. There are no lengthy recruiting or training process,
No HR queries, no employee annual leave cost, no sick benefit or tax,
A very quick exit / entry ability. Ultimately it is our job to make you look good and for your company to succeed in selling your product or service. We hit the ground running on your behalf. Some business people assume this service is only for large outsourced call-centres, let me tell you it is not - it is ideally placed with SME's. How do you know if you are doing a good job, losing clients to competitors, understanding market forces or taking your clients for granted unless you know your business and who is buying from you. Unless you engage with your clients and can communicate in a quick and effective manner. Personally, I have spent over 25 years helping to lead small and large sales team's, in some instances in business turning over 100 million plus per annum, Let me share the magic formula - are you ready it's tough to grasp!! note the Irish sarcasm!! :0) Here goes:
The universal conversion for leads or prospects, seems to be around 5% regardless of price point or business type so knowing this, start a sales process now. Make about 50 calls a day, get roughly 12 appointments per week and close half into business. There it is folks, the magic formula - Do the hard yards,
Stop procrastinating and having meetings for meetings sake, get on the phones or get your sales team on the phones and get calling now. I managed over 40 sales people all with different styles, approaches, knowledge and skills but they all succeeded - why? Because they did the hard yards, they made the calls and followed up, that's 90% of the job right there!! For this client Complete Company Solutions have undertaken a campaign to:
Contact all past and present clients, categorise into top, middle, small or lost client groupings. Provide cloud based access so our client can review sales call activity real-time, ultimately for us to ensure appointments are made for our client to follow up directly. We will research and generate new leads in new areas and follow up in setting appointments for follow up. As an external agent, we will act as a sales mentor to John and assist him in becoming a better sales person and focus back on the simple things, John will ne rewarded with higher earning potential in terms of incentives, he will be capable of future forecasting, creating a sales pipeline and funnel and time manage his day into bite-sized activities, John will report to Complete Company Solutions who in turn will generate activity to the owner
As part of the process we are implementing a digital marketing strategy email marketing, google pay per click and social media paid advertisement again bespoke to the needs of the client
Sales is a crude process - now is the time to get up off your ass!! Stop making excuses for you or your sales team
Stop having meetings for meetings sake
Start making calls to existing clients (Dividing your time apportioned to top, medium, small clients)
Start researching new clients
Start making calls, close the deal, grow your business. If you need any assistance with any areas you have read, please feel free to contact me on [email protected] or phone: 0857122054 Our new website will be live by the 18th of May www.completecompanysolutions.com
Minimum term 4 days spread over 1 Month - that's all it takes sometimes!!!! Best wishes for success
Phil Gaynor.
