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HTSS180 - How to find the best salespeople

One of the most common questions business owners and managers ask is "How do I find the right salespeople". If this is the case for you then you must get clear on what you want from your sales team and your office. Most business owners and managers don't understand how important culture is with a thriving business. 

Ethics in sales matter

Make sure to get ethical salespeople. This must be non-negotiable. The best salespeople are always in demand. This is why you should do everything possible to increase your skills and talents. Training from companies is important as well to set the stage. 

How to find top sales talent

Make a list of the traits you want in your team. You will also want to make a list of the traits your team has. You will need to bridge the gap between the 2. It costs too much to hire the wrong person, it takes too long to recover from their mistakes as well as the leads lost. It's not just that you want to find salespeople, you want the people who are:

1. Coachable

Working with the top salespeople

Salespeople are a different breed, they like to compete, they can deal with rejection, and can be a little quirky to others. Top salespeople have an attitude and confidence that can be unsettling to others. Your office will complain about how top salespeople act and how much money they make. 

Building a top-performing sales team 

1. You can hire top salespeople talent

1. When you hire top salespeople you reduce costs (closing rates increase bottom lines / look at marketing costs).

1. You can build a top performing sales team 

1. This takes time

You can buy a company to acquire a top-performing sales team 

If you are really struggling to find top salespeople you can buy a company with a team in place. In some instances, it is easier to acquire a full team along with the management. This action has to be done correctly or it can create problems in the company. 

1. Acquisition costs may be less

How to foster the sales team to win more 

At the end of the day you can get your company to grow more. Its under proper management a sales team can grow consistently. 

1.  Get training schedule up and running

How to hire salespeople

• Define what you want (closer or someone to groom)

Some people you have to see do some of the work – they don’t interview well. Sometimes you have to look for a diamond in the rough

How to keep salespeople

• Pay them for their work

You can find the closers as well as the diamond in the roughs, you just have to be willing to look and do the work. 

The Sales Hack formula for coaching and training 

There are hacks to sell more goods and better coaching. What you need to know this is hard work. Being in sales is not supposed to be easy. H.A.C.K. is an acronym for you to work from.  Most salespeople say they "want it" until they have to put in the hard work. 

The failure rate in sales and closing deals 

Most salespeople and entrepreneurs don’t see the failure to success ratio (this is the number of times you fail vs the times you succeed). Most industries look at a 30% closing rate as good which means you fail 2x more than you succeed. You will have to take the hits to up that level. You need focus, skills, dedication, and a knowledge that failure isn't permanent unless you make it permanent. 

Bad experiences in sales and business 

As salespeople we have all been through bad experiences,  thank goodness you are looking to learn and improve. Correction in sales may lead to tough conversations. Sometimes you need to find a new coach because they cant help you. Salespeople may get their feelings hurt when they think coaching is what they want to hear and not what they need to hear. Sales coaching only works when you do. This explicitly means you must put in the work. You have to be willing to be uncomfortable, take the steps and implement. 

Testing your process in sales 

You can learn from the world of marketing,  test to see if something works and then reframe your position. You must get past the feeling of looking dumb, silly, or otherwise.  When you get coached you have to put in the actions. If you have had coaches you may have been corrected over time and been OK with it. You must have a good belief between coaching and success  

The HACK formula for sales success 

If you need a framework for sales success here is the acronym you can use:

• Help ask for it – At the end of the day it helps when you want the help

• Salespeople who have no skin in the game don’t really end up doing anything with the training or coaching

• This should be self-evident, not all salespeople think about this

• Coaching isn’t always easy for the salesperson or the coach.

1. The process is all about calibration

How to pay for coaching and training in sales 

If you want to get to the next level in sales you have 2 options. You can learn on your own and this process takes longer and can be costly. You can hire someone to show you what you need to know. Here are the ways you can get coaching:

• Save for it and pay for it 

MIH - Make it happen 

7 basics of negotiation skills you must have 

Basic negotiation is a need you must have in sales and business. You will find for some business owners and salespeople negotiation freaks them out. This means you have a huge opportunity to close more deals and make things happen. You have to be willing to learn how to negotiate with other people and or business owners. 

Regret after negotiating a deal 

You always walk away from deals thinking you could have done better, this is normal. You will get better with negotiation over time. Everyone could have done it better once you explain the deal. Monday morning quarterbacks are real once you share your side. You really can't pay attention to what others say after you do a deal. 

Negotiation creates anxiety for others 

You have to get over the anxiety and then put in the work. Your skills can only be improved from learning the negotiation process.  You will be beyond the book at some point. Roland Frasier shared this phrase and it's a perfect way to explain how negotiation works. Most people are not willing to put in the work and or the effort to close deals. If you just work for a few minutes a day you can get huge leverage. 

The best books for negotiation 

There are a few great books on negotiation. You will want to pick up Start With No from Jim Camp and Never Split the Difference from Chris Voss. These 2 books on negotiation will give you the skills and the knowledge you need to have a fundamental framework. These 2 authors can give you enough to get a jump start and then take action to get started. 

The 7 basic negotiation skills you must have 

1. Put in the work – know what you are looking for and what you are not looking for (it may come down to your data, comps, questions, and even examples).

Negotiation basics you need to know 

You must get to the point of negotiation. So many people never get here or they “have to think about it” out of fear of negotiation. There is typically small talk when people meet with you. Get started by selling on the 2nd hand market. You can use Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, or anything similar. You can start this by finding 10 things around your home that have some sort of value but no meaning to you. 

How to visualize negotiation 

If you would like a visual representation of negotiation you can draw a plus sign. North to south is more of something or less of something (product or money) – east to west is more time and less time. These quadrants that are created will cover about 80 - 90% of the items you will negotiate for. You can literally draw this out every time you get into a negotiation. You can get stuck on a quadrant and lose out or you can use it as a guide to get what you want. 

Negotiation in sales

Your buyer is nervous when you negotiate. Make the process really cool and really easy for the most part. There is power in remaining calm for yourself and for the people you meet with. There are elements where you do have to emotionally engage to help you get what you want. Most people don't want to deal with an aggressive negotiator, you use this emotion when you need it for emphasis. Most people have the fear of making a bad deal, paying too much or getting bad terms in their mind.

How to renegotiate and save face

There are times where deals need to be renegotiated. Buyers remorse sucks this isn’t a reason to renegotiate. If you do have to go back and share there was a mistake made you can open the dialogue but before you do you must know your "reason why". This question is going to get asked by the people you meet with. Know that you can renegotiate deals, but the other group doesn’t have to respond. It may be that you need to tell them the truth, they were too good and negotiated too well against you and your team.

Communication in negotiation 

Communication in negotiation will come down to questions, reason why, stories, ask for favors, and even having fun. You can fail by walking into the worst parts of negotiation:

• automatic or max level discounts - This puts you in a bad spot 

Why am I struggling in sales

Questions about struggles in sales are more common than you would know. When it comes to sales you have to know what is normal and what isn’t. Finding yourself without closed leads can happen over time or it can happen quickly. Distractions are common, you have things going on in your life besides closing deals. 

Sales is repetitive and so are struggles 

You must get the reps in, it's just like going to the gym. You have to put in the work and the effort. There are cycles to sales, you do good and then you don’t

You have to get used to:

• Your presentation – Comedians go to small towns to work on their sets to get their timing right

Why am I so bad at sales

• No preparation or lack of presentation to the buyer 

Why is sales so difficult?  

So many books say build rapport with your buyer. The problem is at some point rapport works against you and your process. Rapport can help you close deals and at the same time when you cross the line of interaction you end up hurting yourself. Yes, you do need to build rapport and interact with your buyer and you also need to have some tension in the sales process. You cant always agree with the buyer, you need surprise and you need tension. 

Sell on price and die poor

So many salespeople say raise the price to discount it. This doesn't require sales skills it requires a calculator to make something happen.  It's also common for salespeople to say to price match in order to close a deal. The problem with price matching and is that it becomes addictive. When you sell on price you will die poor.

Comfort in sales  

What they don’t tell you is you need to be comfortable for the buyer to feel comfortable – the go-to move is rapport but fake rapport is felt. Most salespeople ask the questions that every other salesperson asks. There is not point and it feels like a routine. You can't just stay in the learning lane forever. There will be a point where you have to put in the work and the effort.  You will be beyond the book at some point, which means your skills and talents will have to increase over time. 

Costly Entrepreural mistakes I have made – please learn from them  

As an Entrepreneur, I have made some mistakes over time. I am hoping that my mistakes will help you. Some of these have been very costly with time, energy, effort, risk or money. YOu have to look at the time you have vs the time you are spending on events. 

Common mistakes made when growing 

When listening to these mistakes you can take a look and do the opposite.  Trying to learn everything before moving forward isnt an option. There is a point where you are beyond the book. You do have to put in the action at some point and have it result in a profit. 

• If you are not using paid traffic you have a hobby and not a business – Todd Brown

Mistakes I have made with other people as an Entrepreneur   

It's not just mistakes I have made by myself, there are also things I have done with other people. Being in business is not a hand holding sport by any means. There are actions you must take on your own. 

• Sticking in and waiting for people instead of jumping

Nobody is coming to save you in sales and business 

The title may sound negative, its meant to help you understand what you are up against in sales and business. When you watch Shark Tank some entrepreneurs are left to figure out their problems and don't get any money. 

Problems in sales are cyclical  

We all go through cycles. Most entrepreneurs have lost it all before. Entrepreneurs go broke all the time. Stats say most millionaires have lost it all 2x before they made their money. The truth is you have to save yourself, this means you have to put in the work. Look for ways where you can talk out your problems and spot where you have issues. 

Jay Abraham says "you are the solution to someone else’s bigger problem"

Desperation in sales 

Desperation is a tough spot to be in. Desperation has an inward focus (strong focus) everything is all about you especially when you are at the bottom. Solutions happen when you put your feet to pavement or action to marketing. When you struggle there may not just be one single silver bullet especially if you have tons of bad habits or crisis. The mistake can be looking for the easy way out (it may be the hard thing that saves you). You must be willing to put in the work and take action

What if nobody is coming to save you in sales?

What if you take the path that “Nobody is coming to save me”. How would this shift your world view? What new actions would you take? You must take action to move forward and create momentum. You must “want it” and know your reason why

How to create momentum in sales 

• Network – does matter

A warning about opportunistic people 

Opportunistic people may be hanging out to take advantage of you. The more desperate you are the more danger you are in. In the end people who can and will take advantage of you will find you. 

Emotions you face in sales and business 

• Anxiety

Motivation

• Dopamine

Actions

• Look for what inspires you

How to protect your time at work and in sales 

People will chew through your time. You will want to think of your time like an attorney. This may sound aggressive, look at the time value of your money. This may give you insight when you try to connect with others. These examples will give you some ideas of what you can do. 

Have a morning routine to protect your time in sales 

• Check emails till at a specific time

Learn to say “no” – most salespeople are scared to reject just as much as they are scared to be rejected. You have put time, energy, or effort into your skills and knowledge. Don’t jump on the phone for just about anyone. 

Don’t let people pick your brain

• They are looky lous.

Systematize everything and anything you can

Make videos for repetitive fees

• My marketing video

What to expect when private equity buys your company (Part 2)

When a company buys another it's automatic that the rules will change. These changes will take place quickly or over time. YOu have to be prepared for the changes and know its a not a matter of if they change but when. 

New management with private equity take overs 

There will be games that can get played against you. Companies that acquire are typically larger, they swallow the old one. The new company has goals and outcomes they want. The new execs will pick key people who were labeled as “critical” and “needed”, they are sizing up the team for who to keep and who to let go. The acquiring company has put new people into leadership without knowing the lay of the land, the legacy people and they change up processes. New people are pushed to be integrated and it screws up the dynamics. This is the case of too many things at one time, the dust doesn’t settle soon enough.

The problems with quick changes in a business 

New takeovers do not take the time to ensure there is a full understanding of how the company works (demographics, sales process). Larger companies assume they can flip the switch overnight. This is business sabotage. Salespeople jump ship and the competitors sneak in and steal clients. (targets are prioritized).

How companies lie when they sell their companies 

When companies are ready to sell, they inflate numbers, sales, roles, and even future events. They are rebuilding the house before they sell it. Sometimes companies are bought for one aspect of the company and the rest are closed down, sold off, combined, or traded. Sociopaths are upgraded because they are willing to play the games.

Time consuming games played against salespeople  

You spend more time on new systems than you do selling when companies want to add to your schedule. 

• Momentum is funky

Scenario 1 – company offers you a new role, you quit your old rule, and just before you start they pull the new job away from you

Scenario 2 – company offers you a new role, they ask you how to fix all of the problems, you give the answer, the job never materializes and they let you go

Scenario 3 – You get called to the carpet from the management team because the fake pipeline built before the sale is what you are being held to. When companies sell they inflate their numbers and their sales pipelines. New managers don’t care, they want you to hold to the numbers they want to hold you to the fake numbers

Scenario 4 – Territory changes – salespeople will say they have contacted people so they can swoop in on areas and freeze you out. You are upsold into believing that you will have new clients but that is already in the pipeline. You can't touch them.

Scenario 5 – Territory changes with protection, the acquiring company may already have some of the clients.

Scenario 6 - The new company will starve out pipelines and stop marketing, they reduce product offerings

Scenario 7 – Lead generation is stopped from the bought company, marketing stops and so does momentum. It takes a while to get going again.

Scenario 7 – The Kobyashi Maru – no way to win

Scenario 8 – Top salesperson has honed their skills for a long time, they have good retainment. They keep horrible & toxic people in management that squeeze out top people.

Scenario 9 – Bad new territories -

Scenario 10 – CRM updates and gather intel before they let people go.

Scenario 11 – Give us your new plan and we will bring you up

Scenario 12 - The new company has you train their people and then they fire you

Scenario 13 – Pay gaps are not dealt with

What you can do

• Keep in contact with people in your industry

Sense of urgency in sales and why it matters

You must have urgency in sales. This is an absolute. You have to know how to use urgency in sales the right way. There is a scale of urgency that starts with 0 or apathy and goes all of the ways to high pressure/desperation.

Intentions in sales 

People feel your intentions when you meet with them. As you meet with people they feel your good energy as well as bad energy. When you meet with people There is something about people who have a hefty income that values their time, they put a sense of urgency into what they are doing. When people don’t value their time, they lose the urgency. Money is the grease for momentum. This has quite a few implications. When you meet with people you need to size up what direction they go.

Your income matters in sales  

Some salespeople will say things like "What's wrong with making 60k per year"? You can size up where salespeople by how they are taking. Urgency if future-facing – there is a direction in the conversation. No urgency is past-based, non-forgiveness in some conversations.

What you can do to show urgency in sales:

• Set an agenda

Dangers in sales 

If you look at the formula for urgency it is something like this:

Confidence + certainty = urgency 

Desperation speeds up time but can also create more problems. When you sell to people who are desperate they may come back and say you took advantage of them. 

How to have gratitude in your life and in sales 

Its not uncommon to see people who are in a slump to ask what to do for help. The answer given may surprise you. As salespeople, we get caught up in our own internal events and then reprogram ourselves into losing deals. One of the greatest tools you have for your ability to grow is gratitude.  

Managing emotions in sales 

Your emotions betray you in sales. You can be on top one minute and on the bottom the next. The more desperate you are, the more common it is for you to lose deals and discounts. Some trainers and other salespeople will tell you to give away a sale in order to get back to closing deals. This advice can be a dangerous mistake. 

How to get out of a sales slump 

Everyone has their own opinion of what you do in a sales slump. Some of the sales advice is bad while some of it is good. You have to think through your sales process in order to beat sales slumps. Here is a huge hint, you don’t start with the sales slump you circumvent it. You have to be willing to put in the work before you need it. This is counterintuitive thinking at its best. Your secret power in sales comes down to gratitude. There is a sense of humbleness in gratitude.

Gratitude in business and sales 

You can feel and hear when people are grateful, when people are spoiled and when people don’t care. The real question for you is what are you grateful? If you are in a sales slump is everything all about you?

Here are some items you can do to hold onto gratitude:

• Journal daily about what has gone right in your life 

There is a power from the universe that will give you the smackdown, you get too big for your sales pants, and wham it gets you. Life has a way of giving you the lesson you need when you need it the most – hopefully you listen

Here are other things you can do to have gratitude in your life:

• Share with others why you are grateful