by Art Waskey | Jul 20, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
The disciplines of an organized executive
Self-confidence
Sales and leadership is more about a person’s self-confidence than the amount of product or a service they provide. Customers and sales people alike are affected by those who exhibit trustworthiness and assurance. You can develop self-confidence by working on the disciplines of an organized executive. I have been coaching a client, who is beginning a career in outside sales, on these disciplines. After just two weeks of sessions, he was able to close three accounts. He attributes this success to the disciplines, which give him the confidence he needs to properly prepare and engage.
The Disciplines
What did my client learn in two one-hour sessions that created such an impact? Here are some of the disciplines that helped him.
Clear the Mind – Most of us try to juggle too many things at once. This often prevents us from doing meaningful work. In his book, Deep Work , Cal Newport states, “Shallow Work is non-cognitively demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted.” To clear your mind and become less distracted I recommend writing down all of your tasks. I prefer doing this in a journal rather than on a tablet because it is easier to view the unfilled tasks. A journal also offers none of the distractions inherent in an electronic device.
Develop Focused Concentration – Once you have cleared your mind, focus on a few important goals and set aside everything else. Narrow your attention to your most critical tasks and stop trying to do too many things at once. Focused concentration must become a top priority to maximize your effectiveness.
Practice Organizational Skills – Get organized. Note all meetings, important goals, and next steps as appointments on your calendar. Color code each category of work so you can quickly identify tasks. Address your email as it comes in and keep your Inbox empty. Build permanent computer folders annually. Have a goal of finding anything in your office or on your desktop in less than 15 seconds.
Share your skills
The salesperson I worked with mastered and put to use these basic skills. Today he exudes self-confidence, which has been noted by those he works with. A fellow salesperson has already asked him what is behind his early success. The disciplines of an organized executive can become contagious. Be sure to share them with others.
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by Art Waskey | Jul 13, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
I have a client who is concerned about her intellectual growth. She asked how I came up with so many ideas for my weekly sales tips. I shared with her that reading was my greatest resource. One of my favorite quotes is from Margaret Fuller: “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” Margaret Fuller, a nineteenth century American journalist, editor, critic, translator, and women’s rights advocate, read her way to success. Stephen Covey, in his book The 8th Habit, discusses the importance of reading today. He emphasizes that this activity is a core way to stimulate the mind, which is the center of learning.
Three reading disciplines
There are lots of ways and reasons to read. To get the most out of this important resource, I find it valuable to break reading into these three disciplines.
Breath of Knowledge – A varied range of reading material creates a strong knowledge base. If you find the classics or more technical works hard to read in print, listen to them on audio. A couple years ago, I helped teach a course on language in which we listened to the Harvard Classics . Since then, I have been learning from the great works of Cicero, Dickens, and Melville, to name a few, via audio books.
Pure Enjoyment – Reading your favorite books and authors is a good way to relax and be inspired. eBooks readers put a vast amount of material available at your fingertips. I keep a collection of my preferred contemporary writers, like John Grisham, David Baldacci, and Michael Crichton, on my Kindle.
Read to Learn – The best way to learn from a book is the good old fashion way — read it in print. Purchase books so you can highlight your favorite passages. I also recommend writing down a collection of your thoughts or meaningful quotes from each book and saving them. I call this practice, reading to own.
Build castles of possibilities
Reading is an important resource. Business writers I especially admire include Stephen Covey, Jim Collins, Malcom Gladwell, and Patrick Lencioni. Whether in audio, electronic, or print format, reading fuels the imagination and develops the mind. Through words you can learn so much in a short time. As the Nigerian poet Ben Okri so beautifully writes, “It [reading] takes the raw material of the mind and builds castles of possibilities.”
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by Art Waskey | Jul 7, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
Getting the Price Right
The pandemic has disrupted supply chains, resulting in shortages of goods and rapidly escalating material costs. Suppliers and distributors have had to adjust their pricing policies (see related article: best-pricing-strategies). When considering a price increase, all customers are not the same. Both suppliers and distributors have asked me how they can determine if the customer is getting the right price.
Customer segmentation
To determine pricing levels, I suggest you create a pricing strategy based on customer segmentation. Consider these elements:
- Order frequency – Customers that purchase weekly are loyal, core accounts and don’t shop around. They are your base. You don’t want to lose them through overly aggressive pricing. Consider moderate and measured price increases for this group.
Buyers that come to you only because of an urgent need or because their normal supply channel is out of stock are infrequent customers. Assign maximum pricing to this group.
- Size of orders – The cost of processing an order is the same regardless of size but large orders from core accounts receive perks like free delivery or other special considerations. For smaller orders consider charging for these services as part of your pricing strategy.
- Breadth of products – Core customers buy a mixture of high and low volume products frequently, and sometimes non-standard items. Be sure to price each item accordingly, with best buyers receiving best price. Maximize your sales by using your eCommerce technology to upsell and cross sell more products.
Review your accounts
When considering price increases, I recommend reviewing all accounts by sales rep or store assignment. This review should list the current pricing for each item (breath of products purchased), order frequency, and annual sales. You will find that customers with contracts are often getting prices that are too high or too low. Make adjustments. Infrequent shoppers may have been given special pricing that’s too low. Take the time to correct those.
Intervals of price increases are a good time to increase your profit margins, if handled correctly. Review your accounts for proper segmentation, remove inappropriate pricing, and engage in positive interactions with your customers. In this way periods of price instability can become valued, rather that dreaded, occurrences.
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by Art Waskey | Jun 29, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
We’re back meeting with customers face-to-face. Yet in this “post pandemic era,” it feels like the way we do business will never be the same. Sales reps report that online ordering has become a comfortable habit for their clients. They also note that customers have moved to alternative wholesale channels and some are even ordering directly from suppliers. Many reps feel like they are starting over from scratch and need to learn new sales skills. As the 19th century French poet and novelist, Victor Hugo, wrote “There is nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.” For sales reps in a post-COVID world, that idea is proactive selling.
3 Proactive Sales Tips
Given that alternative sales channels are here to stay, let’s consider proactive ways to compete against them by adding value.
- Develop an eCommerce presence – To compete against the Amazons of our world, you need to provide on-line ordering and fast delivery. Enlist a well-qualified eCommerce platform designer to develop your website. Stock your on-line store with the products most in demand by your top customers. Then organize a shipping system that enables overnight delivery from your location or that of your supplier.
- Add vendor managed inventory (VMI) – For easy-to-dispense products that you sell, work with a vending machine manufacturer to purchase or lease equipment that can be installed at your customer’s location. This enables you to compete against next day delivery services. Add vending machines at your location(s) to allow walk-in customers to make quick and easy purchases.
- Initiate productivity enhancement – Work with your manufacturers’ reps to look for cost reduction opportunities. Tour customer’s facilities to do the same. Consider adding lean manufacturing and engineering personnel to support your company’s sales effort. These steps enhance productivity and can help you cement and secure new business.
Value added services
In the post-COVID world, value added services are a proactive way to offset the benefits of online sales and overnight delivery (see more: differentiate-yourself). In most cases you can charge for them, which can strengthen your bottom line. Stephen Covey writes, “Proactive people carry their own weather with them.” Add value added services to your sales process and enjoy a sunny forecast.
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by Art Waskey | Jun 14, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly, Featured
I consult with executives of all ages who are having trouble finding their way and making goals. Being uncertain as to where your career is headed is akin to climbing into your car with no destination in mind. Without direction you go nowhere! As Stephen Covey’s advises in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ( Stephen_Covey ), we must “begin with the end in mind.” To find your end point define your mission, set goals and plan each day. Here are some tips.
- Identify your mission, vision and values – Create a mission statement that clearly identifies your purpose. Include your vision, which reveals where you are going, and your core values and philosophical ideals. Be concise so that your statement is easy to understand and remember. As an example, this is my mission statement: “To inspire executives to become all God intended them to be through Christ-centered writing, speaking, and consulting.”
- Set goals – Once you know where you are going, determine what steps you need to take to get there. Establish 6 to 8 goals annually and make them SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Avail yourself of seminars, like my “Goals with a Purpose”, to guide you through this process.
- Review your schedule – Each Monday, review your weekly calendar. Make sure you block in time to work on your goals. Layout the next steps for your 5 top priority projects. List all planned activities so you can visualize where there are open spaces. It is sometimes difficult to see times of inactivity on the calendar alone.
- Plan daily – Review each day’s activities bringing forward the ones that need follow up. A good checklist includes: “Things to do, people to see, places to go, projects to delegate or discuss.”
Clear Purpose
Live your life with a clear purpose by committing to your values. Find your way by identifying your mission, setting goals and planning your path.
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by Art Waskey | Jun 8, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly, Featured
How can organizational skills help you be less stressed?
Many bright, young, high achieving men and women come to me with this problem – how to manage stress and anxiety. They all have too much to do and not enough time to do it, which breeds anxiety. This leads to burnout and often, to leaving a career you are passionate about. So – how do you take the stress out of success? Develop organizational skills.
Still waters
As I was working my way up the career ladder, I attended organizational skill building seminars. One instructor’s exercise, called “Mind Like Water,” I found particularly helpful. He had us imagine waking up early on a camping trip and standing before a lake with water like glass. Then he had us return to the lake later in the afternoon and envision people swimming and boating. We now saw a body of water covered with choppy waves. He explained that our mind is like a lake — when empty of activity, it can be still and calm.
Tips and Organizational Skills
Here are a couple of common sense approaches to organizing on the job. These can help you still the waters on a busy day.
- Use a pocket planner – When you are away from your office, record customer requests in a pocket planner. Repeat the request to your client as you write it down. Use your planner to jot down any other thoughts or ideas that come to mind. Don’t take a smart phone into your customer’s or prospects. It’s mere presents creates an immediate subconscious distraction. These actions eliminate the stress of trying to remember requests and important business to-dos.
- Keep a journal – Buy a journal. When you are back in your office, or in your car between calls, transfer your planner notes to your journal. This process allows you to “download” information and ideas in an orderly way. Organizing your agenda on paper eliminates confusion, which causes stress.
These basic organizational skills are mind-freeing. Practice them and enjoy the calm waters throughout your career.
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