Sales Blog with Sales Tips

I’m frequently asked to recommend a “motivational speaker.”

Old-school motivational speakers are the dinosaurs of sales training. Their sales tips represent nothing more than countless takeoffs from the book “The Power of Positive Thinking”  by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. This book was written in 1952 and was not endorsed by the mental health community at the time. Still isn’t.

We’ve all heard the famous speakers this book has spawned. They can be moving. They can inspire. I’ve even allowed myself to get a little misty-eyed once or twice.

However, motivational speakers are grossly out of sync with the needs of today’s sales professionals.

Tony Robbins’ Story
Tony Robbins. You know, the nine-foot giant with the piano keyboard smile. The guy that made walking on fire in your bare feet something akin to being Superman.

He is the definition of a motivational speaker.

The walking on fire thing demonstrates the superficiality of his kind of “training.” Everyone can walk on fire. We don’t need Tony Robbins to help us do it. And how does this change our lives in a meaningful way?

This is one of the reasons the viewing public made the decision not to tune into Tony Robbins’ recent new reality show. Two episodes and NBC yanked the plug. People are a little more knowledgeable than they were in the 70’s and 80’s.

Most of us understand that the inspirational antics of Tony Robbins don’t help us perform better in our jobs and in our lives.

Sales Tips That Make A Real Difference
Sales training based on research and experience will keep your sales skills sharp. You’re not looking for a feeling; you’re looking for results.

Fortunately, current sales training is moving in the direction of measurable outcomes. In other words, does this sales training improve the long-term results of the people who took it?

Don’t waste your resources on trainers whose content is purely motivational. Their message has a half-life of about 30 minutes.

Conclusion
Tony Robbins’ two-episode reality show tells me that most people share my opinion about the value of walking on fire. None.

Personally, I’m pleased that motivational speakers are on the endangered species list.

©2010 Scott R. Sheaffer

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Call it what you want: intuition, gut-feel, vibe, energy. People perceive our personality and attitude before we say one word.

Our mental outlook always walks slightly in front of us.

The Walmart Customer Service Desk Example
I’m not a big fan of Walmart. They have one value proposition – cheap prices. I don’t like buying from, or selling to, companies that position price as the single reason you should buy from them.

Think about your customer experience when you return a purchase at Walmart. Without saying a word many of the “associates” make it very clear that they couldn’t possibly care less about you or your problem. The “associates” hardly even look at you.

They have “no-faces.”

And what’s up with the term “associate?” Is that a way for Walmart to pay employees less? What’s wrong with “employee?” Maybe if they paid more and stopped playing games with trendy labels they’d improve the customer experience a bit.

I can’t pick on just Walmart (although it’s easy). The airlines are no better. Have you flown lately? There’s a big chip-on-my-shoulder ‘tude surrounding many airline employees. Why do they all look so unhappy? Why do they make me feel guilty and afraid when I approach them to ask a question?

Few “yes-faces”  are found in the skies.

Want an example of a company filled with nothing but “yes-faces?” Whole Foods. If you’ve never been in one, visit one of their stores and get an education on what “yes-faces” look like.

What Is A “Yes-Face?”
We need to have “yes-faces” in sales. A “yes-face” telegraphs the following about you before you utter a word:

1. It says you’re listening.
2. A “yes-face” communicates you want to help.
3. It lets people know you are friendly, likeable and approachable.
4. A “yes-face” signals a “can do” attitude.
5. It tells people you have a high energy level.
6. Your “yes-face” lets people know you have a positive outlook.

I believe a “yes-face” is one of the primary reasons a new salesperson (or a change in salesperson) can cause a substantial increase in sales in an account virtually overnight.

Do You Have A “Yes-Face?”
A “yes-face” has nothing to do with how good looking you are. It has nothing to do with your gender, age or ethnicity either. In short, it has nothing to do with your appearance.

It has everything to do with how you feel about your job, your employer and – most importantly – yourself.

You have control over those three variables.

If you get those three in order, you’ll have a “yes-face.”

It’s a no-brainer; customers say “yes” more often to “yes-faces” than “no-faces.”

©2010 Scott R. Sheaffer

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I was just a sales pup the first time I heard it.

“I hate the salesperson who works for that competitor. She does such a crummy job that she wreaks havoc on the credibility of all sales professionals.”

My sales manager was educating me about how a lack of sales professionalism can hurt all salespeople. I had never thought about how other people in sales could affect the sales profession as a whole.

It’s human nature for customers to take their own experiences and generalize them.

Physicians understand this; the sales profession has some work to do.

Dialed In Doctors
Physicians know that if their behavior is not polished and competent, they not only will compromise their own reputation but that of all other doctors. They can help themselves, and each other, by establishing their profession as one filled with nothing but proficient and qualified individuals.

Dialed In Destinations
Have you ever noticed how courteous and helpful most vendors are at major tourist destinations? They’re obviously getting sales tips on customer service skills.

They understand that seeing tourists as more than just a visitor in their particular store will positively influence the vacationer to visit all of the shops, restaurants and activities in the area.

Everyone wins.

What Goes Around…
Just as with all professions, not all sales professionals are…well…sales professionals.

Manipulation, lying, poor service and poor communication (i.e. being “salesy”) cause prospects and customers to not trust us or want to work with us.

Someone else’s incompetency makes it harder for you to sell – and vice versa.

I’m convinced that one of the reasons for the growth of the Internet in B2B sales is a consequence of unprofessional behavior on the part of some salespeople.

How Sales Professionals Are Seeing The Light
If you’re a regular sales tips reader, you know that I routinely rail against 1950’s era sales techniques. I hate “salesy” – and so do customers. It’s unprofessional.

The awakening emphasis on knowing our customers and their industries is movement in the right direction. Seeking to help customers first and let the selling follow is a trend that is also moving our profession forward.

We all need to see the big picture.

And I think it’s beginning to happen.

We’ll all sell more as a result.

©2010 Scott R. Sheaffer

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