The Sales Evangelist

Sometimes small problems grow into much bigger problems, and without emotional intelligence to help you address misunderstandings, these problems can affect your relationships with prospects and clients. 

Have you ever met up with a friend who suddenly became upset but, to you, the thing they were upset about wasn’t a huge problem? When you react, it becomes something bigger, and before you know it - you are arguing with each other without really knowing what you are even arguing about?!

You can have similar situations with a prospect. The client loses interest, or maybe, becomes so upset they no longer want to do business with you ever again. [0:00]

What happened? Why does it go wrong? The answer: Emotional intelligence.

These situations affect both sellers and buyers, so our TSE Certified Sales Training Program will help you identify these problems before they escalate. 

The TSE Certified Sales Training Program is designed to help sellers at every level, from new sellers to seasoned professionals. The course has three main sections of four modules each. Tackle each section on your own or participate in a group. [01:58]

I was running a meeting last week when one of the committee members had an issue outside the topic we were discussing. The challenge she proposed began to derail the entire meeting.

What was I to do?

I realized that it was a surface-level problem rather than a true issue. We decided, therefore, to have a one-on-one discussion to address it instead.

Turns out, there was so much more she wanted to talk about than what was originally mentioned during the meeting. If I had entertained the issue during the meeting, it would have derailed the entire event for the entire group. [02:43]

No money was involved, but imagine a similar scenario when working with a client. A client or prospect presents you with a surface-level problem. Then, because of a lack of emotional intelligence, people focus on that problem instead of the underlying issue. [03:37]

Suppose your client says they will not renew their contract. They might be upset because the project was late. Perhaps they are downsizing. Or maybe they no longer have the budget for it.

Those are not the true issues.

[Tweet "When we lack emotional intelligence, we focus on the distractions instead of the core issue. #EmotionalIntelligence"]

Emotional intelligence is the capacity to be aware of, to control, and to express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.[04:22]

In Stephen Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, empathy is defined as seeking first to understand, then to be understood.

Back to the client who is no longer interested, we have to dig deeper to find out the true reason for their decision.

Someone with a high level of emotional intelligence is able to see things from the prospect’s perspective. Rather than take the lack of interest as something personal, they are able to investigate and realize the core issue instead.

It's tempting to think about how the decision affects me:

• What did I do wrong?
• How will this affect my commission?  

Instead, as the seller, we need to think about the buyer.

• What will happen to the buyer?
• Why did he change his mind?
• Is this the real issue? 
• What caused him to feel upset or frustrated?
• What changed?

It could be that the buyer didn’t get their second round of funding and now has to do some trimming. The service you provide is still important to them but it is not mission critical to the function of their organization.

That is something, as a seller, that you would want to know. [06:11]

When you put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and seek to understand, you may find other ways to be of assistance.

Is there something else you can do? Is there another value that you can bring? Maybe you can introduce them to someone else in the industry.

When you focus on being helpful instead of on selling your product or service, you have attained a high level of emotional intelligence.

Recognize that it is not about you, or your bottom line. It is about serving your client. [07:02]

People sometimes lash out or seem angry. Perhaps they had a bad morning or an argument with their spouse. Maybe that team member who annoys you so badly is having trouble paying his bills.

Your job is to not react to surface level issues. Your job is to understand the true source of the problem so that you help to find a solution.

Your job is to bring value to the situation.

Don’t simply react to the emotions. Be a problem solver instead. [08:32]

Emotional intelligence is something you can build on. It will help you tremendously in the early stages of the sales process.

Put yourself in your buyer’s shoes. Connect on a human level and realize that your client is not just the CEO or the marketing director. He is a human being with goals. When you recognize that, you will create a foundation of trust.

Then, if something does change, he will be willing to discuss the true issues with you. It will also help you guide your buyers toward a close.

Try not to react to difficult situations. Seek first to understand. Remember that there are two sides to every situation: the side they let us see and the side they don’t want us to see.

Your job is to identify the real reason for the situation so that you can help provide solutions.

Don’t react to surface-level problems. Dig a little deeper. [09:26]

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It's super easy, it's helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

They are offering a 14-day free trial, and half off your subscription when you use the code Donald at checkout.

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler's League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven't already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won't miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

There’s a single characteristic that distinguishes effective sellers from the others, and it’s grit.

It separates those who work hard and effectively from those who don’t. It distinguishes those who go above and beyond the call of duty from those who do not.

Those of us in sales need to have grit.

Grit is courage. It is resolve. It is a strength of character. To have grit is to have rock solid mental toughness.

If you can be rock solid, right now – at the beginning of the year – you will be so much more effective and efficient. [01:39]

Consider the new hire whose resume looked fantastic, but who shows up with no drive or passion for the work. Sometimes we pass by individuals with higher levels of grit simply because their GPA wasn’t as high or their resume was lacking. [02:34]

I have a problem with that.

I know some very smart people who lack the level of grit needed to take advantage of their intelligence. They end up in mediocre jobs. It seems like a waste of talent.

On the other hand, we see folks without the necessary level of education who have passion and grit. They have the ability to do more and work harder than the average person.

How? Where does their level of passion and perseverance come from? [03:16] I believe it has everything to do with their level of desire.

There was a low point in my life when I was faced with homelessness but I had the drive to make sure that my family was taken care of. There are certainly people who are smarter than I am or who have more experience than I do, but I had the grit to create this podcast series. I was determined to make it happen and I hustled. [04:06]

I had the desire and the perseverance. There were difficult times, of course. I didn’t always know if it was going to work. But we pushed through.

Can grit be taught? Can mediocre individuals on your team get it? Yes.

“I can’t do it.” “I can’t make that call.” “It’s not going to work.”

If you can’t, then you won’t.  

But if you say you can – then it is more likely that you will. Things move for people who have the desire to make things move.

Perseverance means you will do whatever it takes to make something happen because you want it to happen. You have to push through the tough spots.

Use the right words. Instead of “maybe I’ll get a sale,” or “I hope I get a sale,” try “I will get a sale today!”

Obviously, realistic goals are important: Is it possible? Can I do it?  I’m sure you can make a million dollars in sales in a day – but is it likely?

Maybe not. But it is certainly likely that you will find the right client today or close a deal today. [06:22]

Think about what you need to do to make it happen. If you tell yourself that it isn’t possible from the very start, it’ll never happen.

When you feed yourself failure, your whole subconscious and whole body react. You will only get back what you put in. [07:02]

Think about how to reach your goal. What will you do? What will you say? And what are the steps necessary to succeed?

Set the entire process up in your mind; from what you will say, to what the email will say, to when you are going to call. Tell yourself that the clients will be interested, they will want to set up an appointment, and you are going to get the demonstration.

Visualize it all. If you can’t see it, you can’t achieve it. [08:24]

You need to practice. Perfection doesn’t come by accident. It has to be deliberate. Be specific. [09:01]

You will get the appointment or that meeting with the CEO when you decide the steps to take and then practice those steps.

Before you get on the phone, for example, think about what you need to talk about and what questions you need to ask. Know why they would want to talk to you! What challenge can you solve for them? [09:52]

In this way, if you get thrown an objection, you will automatically know how to handle it.  You’ve already visualized the entire conversation.

You can’t wing it. Winging it only gets you winging-it results. [10:32]

People with grit have a vision. They know what they want and they are determined to get it.

They practice achieving it and set a plan to do it. Then they do it, and do it, and do it again until it happens.

Will you have perseverance this year? Will you push through the tough times, or will you just give up?

I encourage you to look past any shortcomings you’ve had. Make 2019 the year that we accomplish greatness. The theme for the year is Empire Building, whether that be your sales empire, business empire, or family empire. Let’s build it!

You are the only person who can stop you. [11:19]

Check out Grit by Angela Duckworth.  

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler’s League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It’s super easy, it’s helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

You’ll receive real-time alerts anyone opens an email or clicks a link.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven’t already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

In our work with sales reps, sales teams, and sales managers, we encounter many people who believe that sales coaching doesn’t work, but many of them fail to realize that there are 5 common mistakes sales managers make when coaching.

Steve Richard, founder of ExecVision, shares how to avoid those mistakes, and he suggests you start by recognizing that there’s a difference between coaching and training.

Training is teaching someone to do something new that the person doesn’t know how to do. Coaching is helping someone do something that they do know to the point of mastery.

If we expect a rep to embrace a certain behavior, we have to train him. If we don’t, that failure is on us. [04:37] Then, after we’ve trained him, we have to overcome the “forgetting curve” which is a function of our brain’s tendency to purge information.

Coaching is the act of training iteratively, focusing on the person, and repeating that behavior until it becomes second nature, like tying a shoe.

Consider whether your organization is struggling with any of these mistakes.

We must give our teams a definition of what a call should look like. Include the key things you want them to say, the behaviors you want them to exhibit, and give them a target.

Give your team members total clarity on what you want them to do. [06:11] Develop consistency among your team members so you can hit bigger numbers.

Also, build a team of people who will identify these steps. Include managers, senior executives, and representatives from operations, enablement, and sales. A varied team can ensure that these decisions aren’t being made by people who haven’t made calls in a while.

Check out the book Cracking the Sales Management Code: The Secrets to Measuring and Managing Sales Performance for clarification about metrics. Learn the difference between activity metrics that you can control — things like making phone calls and sending LinkedIn connection requests — and objectives like having conversations with people which you have less control over.

Aside from simply giving your team members goals, give them a roadmap to achieve them. [08:32] How many activities should they achieve in a week to achieve their goals?

Many organizations have salespeople who are “unconsciously competent,” which means they don’t know why they are successful. Though it’s not bad, it’s impossible to scale. You can’t pair a new employee with someone who is “unconsciously competent” and expect her to learn the right way to do things.

Most every sales leader intends to coach his team. [10:26]

Managers typically know they have to be more consistent as a team, and they know that the way to do that is through coaching. But they also universally say that time is the thing that prohibits them from doing it.

They have the greatest of intentions, but something always gets in the way.

It’s shocking to think of the amount of money that is spent on sales rep training. Sales managers, however, typically receive very little training. Many of them have never been taught to coach the right way.

Think, for example, of a sales manager who observes a call and then immediately launches into constructive feedback. Basically, he tells you all the things you did wrong.

When the sales rep hears it, his system sends a hit of the stress hormone cortisol, which triggers the “fight or flight” response. [11:46]

The sales rep either defends himself by digging in his heels or he puts up a wall and stops listening. In either case, it’s not good.

CLICK TO TWEET

Instead, try the model that Jim Kennan recommends: observe, describe, prescribe. Leave the judgment on the shelf.

Listen to the call. Recount what the rep did during the call. Then ask a question that prompts the seller to figure out what he could have done differently to improve the call.

People value more what they can conclude for themselves than what they’re told. 

If sales reps can’t listen to recordings of their calls, they’ll have no way to improve their performance. [18:45] They will only have vague ideas of what they think they did during the call.

During the 80s, the Japanese beat us in the auto industry because they were continually improving their operational efficiency.

Adopt the continuous improvement mindset that served the Japanese so well.

Your organization’s training must be habitual. It must be part of the rhythm of the company.

Make your training such a part of the process that it becomes the gospel.

It can be as simple as listening to 5 minutes of a call with a rep and asking for reflections. It will do good things for your company.

Instead of feeling like sales managers have to do all the work, involve the sales reps in their own development. [21:15] Run call-of-the-month competitions where reps submit their best call every month with written commentary.

Give people an environment in which it’s fun to learn and improve.

Connect with Steve via email or call him on his cell phone at (202) 302-3193.

Check out ExecVision’s Call Camp that breaks down real sales calls like game tape to evaluate what works and what doesn’t. It’s a free webinar that shares practical advice with sales reps, managers, and leaders to improve their effectiveness.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It’s super easy, it’s helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

They are offering a 14-day free trial, and half off your subscription when you use the code Donald at checkout.

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler’s League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven’t already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

Many leaders avoid adequately training their team members because of a single looming question: What if I train them and they leave?

They structure their businesses so that multiple people work on a single project while other projects sit undone. It costs them money and productivity.

If you're one of those managers, I'll offer you a different consideration: what if you don't train them and they stay?

We're devoting the month of January to the topic of mental toughness, and today's topic is directed at business and sales leaders as well as sellers.

When team members aren't trained well, they won't be effective at their jobs. When team members aren't effective at their jobs, the manager will have to help them do their jobs in addition to doing his own.

Leaders who fear employee departure often choose not to provide the necessary training, but the reality is that many of those untrained employees end up staying in their jobs. [3:37]

What if they stay with you and they don't know what they are doing?

Imagine your employee makes $40,000 a year. Are you willing to pay him $40,000 despite the fact that he doesn't know what he's doing, and then require someone who is making $60,000 a year to help him do his job?

Maybe you'll eventually fire the person because he isn't performing. [04:23]

When you let someone go, you may end up paying unemployment benefits, and then you'll incur the cost of hiring someone new.

Whether you use an agency or review the resumes yourself, you'll have to invest time trying to find someone who already has training.

Even if your new hire does have sales training, she won't know your process. She won't be able to perfectly understand your organization, so she won't immediately be effective.

If you choose not to provide training, you'll be back in the same cycle three months after you hire her. [05:04]

You will have spent countless amounts of money to avoid spending money on training. You'll suffer from lost opportunity and lost revenue.

Imagine you have three employees. After you train them, one of them leaves your organization.

First of all, consider why the person is leaving. Is it possible that you're not paying enough? Does your organization lack direction for its employees? Don't miss a chance to evaluate why people are leaving. [06:36]

Even if you have a great situation, people may still leave. They may have to move out of state for family reasons or something else. People don't stay in one place forever.

If one leaves, you still have two great employees who are giving you money back.

If you don't train them, you'll likely lose thousands in sales because they aren't good at their jobs.

When I was a young seller, I worked for a company that spent probably $7,000 training me to be an effective seller, and I'm thankful for it.

After my training, I landed a $30,000 deal as one of my first big successes. [07:52]

You don't have to be a scientist to understand that $30,000 is a good return on $7,000.

If you invest in your people, they'll love you, they'll stay with your company, and they'll earn you more money.

When you're considering your next organization, find out what kind of sales training they provide. Even if you're a seller with a 10-year track record, it's ok to consider training programs at prospective companies. [08:58]

If they don't offer coaching or continuing education, that might be a red flag. If they aren't willing to invest in you, consider other organizations that will.

Sales leaders might consider providing the training themselves as a way to save money, and it might be true that they're able to do it. For me, though I'm able to change my own oil and cut my own hair, I don't do it. [10:21]

Just because we're capable of something doesn't mean we're the best person for the job. Consider the opportunity costs and the cost for you to stop your own work in order to train other people.

If sales is the most important unit in your organization, if it's the lifeblood of the company, why not continue to educate your team. Give them podcasts to listen to or books to read.

Don't hurt your company by trying to save a dime.

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler's League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It's super easy, it's helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

You'll receive real-time alerts anyone opens an email or clicks a link.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven't already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won't miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

We all have some kind of fear, but when we discover what causes fear and how to overcome it, we can discover new opportunities and success.

Fear can prevent us from experiencing amazing things in life, or pursuing new business opportunities. We suffer through anxiety and difficulty when dealing with these fears.

But no more!

James Moffat, CEO and Founder of Visibility Impact guides new entrepreneurs and people wanting to start businesses by providing them with the tools and information they need to grow their business with proper exposure.

He accomplishes this through a number of programs to drive results. His clients achieve bigger goals in a shorter amount of time and gain visibility. [02:00]

I used to have a fear of talking to important people. I felt like I wasn’t worthy of their time or attention. It was a fear I quickly had to learn how to overcome in order to succeed in sales.

When I finally understood that I was speaking with other human beings, people who were maybe just as nervous about talking to me as I was about talking to them, it made all the difference. I was the only limiting factor to my success. [10:37]

James and I will talk about fear. What is it? How can we overcome it? What can we do on a daily basis to conquer fear instead of allowing it to conquer us?

Many of us in sales have fears that hold us back and cause inaction.

James defines fear as a worry about the unknown. It has a physiological effect not only on your mind but on your body as well... cold sweats, stress, etc. [05:10]

Common fears among salespeople include worrying about what to say during a cold call, worrying about having enough product knowledge, and worrying about how prospects may react.

Many of us also fear giving our first presentation to a real audience. Is my content relevant? Will people even listen to me? [05:48]

Overcoming these fears - or at least accepting them and learning how to cope with them - is necessary for success.

You don’t have to suddenly like what it was you once feared; you may always dislike cold calling for example, but you must learn how to deal with it.

We often find ourselves assuming the worst before we even begin. We have negative thoughts instead of positive ones.

Using cold calls again as an example, James still doesn’t particularly enjoy making them but he found a way to make himself feel more comfortable about it.

He took the time to learn more about the person prior to the making the call. James spent time on their website, learned about their business, and visited their LinkedIn profile.

James would also coordinate the time of the call via email. This allowed for a more relaxed introduction and eradicated the fear James had about interrupting a prospect with an unexpected phone call. [08:37]

Using these techniques, James was able to turn a cold call into a warm call.

Once the negative possible outcomes are reduced - once the number of unknowns is reduced by planning ahead - the level of fear is reduced.

We may not conquer the fear, but we will have it under control.

James recalls a situation, outside of sales, when he was atop a tall building with a friend and found himself convinced that he had a very real fear of heights. His friend disagreed because James has no such fear when traveling by airplane.

It is not a fear of heights but a fear of falling. When James feels safe, he is not afraid.

This lesson applies to sales.

When we change the paradigm and view our fear from a different perspective, we gain control over it. [11:48]

James introduced a new concept to his Facebook group in order to help people overcome their fears. He didn’t want people to join without being known, so he required a short introduction from all new members via a 40-second video.

The videos are posted to the group for comment which in turn stimulates discussion and comments.

It creates immediate visibility among the group members. The video requirement was beyond the comfort zone of many participants, but to James, that is the whole point.

We have to embrace change and technology. Do it once and it becomes easier each time thereafter. [16:27]

You can not find success by remaining in your comfort zone. Learning to move beyond is when remarkable change can begin to occur.  

Think back to when you first learned to ride a bike. You were certainly afraid to fall and probably did fall several times. But the more you tried and the more you trusted the person who was teaching you, the better you became.

You overcame the fear.

Use the resources around you. Ask the senior sales reps how they overcame the fear of cold calling or the fear of rejection. How do they introduce themselves? What steps do they take to make themselves comfortable?

Think of them as the training wheels on your bicycle. [20:32]

Please check out VisibilityImpact.com and the Facebook group by the same name. James can also be found on LinkedIn.com.

This episode is brought to you in part by Maximizer CRM, personalized CRM that gives you the confidence to improve your business and increase profits. To get a demonstration of maximizer, go to the sales evangelists.com/maximizer.

Click on the link to get a free demo of what Maximizer CRM can do for you. It integrates your marketing campaign as well as your CRM, and it works whether you're a small organization or a large one.

This episode is brought to you in part by mailtag.io, a Chrome browser extension for Gmail that allows you to track and schedule your emails. It's super easy, it's helpful, and I recommend that you try it out.

They are offering a 14-day free trial, and half off your subscription when you use the code Donald at checkout.

This episode is brought to you in part by prospect.io, a powerful sales automation platform that allows you to build highly personalized, cold email campaigns. To learn more, go to prospect.io/tse. It will help you with your outbound to expand your outreach. It allows you to set it and forget it. Your prospecting will never ever be the same.

Previously known as TSE Hustler's League, our TSE Certified Sales Program offers modules that you can engage on your own schedule as well as opportunities to engage with other sellers in other industries.

I hope you enjoyed the show today as much as I did. If so, please consider leaving us a rating on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or wherever you consume this content and share it with someone else who might benefit from our message. It helps others find our message and improves our visibility.

If you haven't already done so, subscribe to the podcast so you won't miss a single episode, and share with your friends!

Audio provided by Free SFX and Bensound.

Mentioned in this episode:

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS

HubSpot and bluëmago | STUDIOS