The Master at Work - Creating a Vision for your Clients

Today I watched a master at work. I had the privilege of watching a master salesperson take what seemed to be an impossible win and turn it in to a potential up-sell opportunity. We walked in to a clients building with only the hope of being involved in a phase two implementation and walked out with a bigger request to quote than we expected. I watched an SOS think on his feet, see through to the key issues that a client was trying to address, think ahead to a best-in-breed solution and walk the client through that solution, from square one to a 3-5 year vision. It was masterful!

Establishing the Vision:

1. Discovery - ask questions, get to the root of the problem. Don't take the first set of concerns as the real root. Clarify restate until you and your customer feel you have a good grasp on what they are trying to achieve. Make sure you ask about future direction and plans.

2. Re-educate - you may have to backtrack to make sure that your solution is understood. Tailor your discussion to the key issues you uncovered in the Discovery phase. Address them all!

3. Look Ahead - take the customer to a place 5 years from now and make sure they see the bigger picture and establish the foundation to that 5-year plan NOW! Take in to consideration and elaborate on present and future costs to the decision they make now.

4. Make it personal - Today's decision will effect their success 2-5 years from now. Make sure you tie their success to the vision you are creating.

I owe much of my most recent learnings to my current mentor and boss, Ed. Thanks Ed!

How to Stand Out in today's Market of Desperation

I learned a couple of valuable lessons today during a semi-regular meeting with a Colleague. We try and meet for breakfast every couple of months and share ideas and contacts. This morning's meeting was particularly valuable. I shared an idea with him and he shared one with me. Both of us went away feeling refreshed and ready to tackle another day.

I have had two customers in the past week tell me that they would not want to be salespeople in today's market. When I asked them why, they both said that they are getting at least 4 Cold-Calls per day from desperate salespeople looking for business. They also said that they don't respond to any of them and have stopped answering their phones. (no wonder I can't get anyone on the phone these days).

When I raised the issue with a good friend and respected colleague this morning, he suggested a great technique that I plan on implementing immediately. His name is Dave Baxter and here is what he suggested.

The 24-Second Voicemail
1. Come up with a unique opening line. Be direct and tell your prospect that this is a sales call, but that your message will only take 24 seconds. Don't tell them your name yet. (8 Seconds)
2. Read and research the prospects News Releases and Filings ahead of time and look for Risk Factors. Tell the prospect in your voicemail that you have an idea that addresses the Risk or Issues you discovered in their filings and News Releases and that you would like to share your idea. (8 Seconds)
3. Now tell the prospect that you will be calling in 3 days to discuss your idea and set an appointment to dive deeper. Leave your name and number in case they want to contact you sooner. (8 Seconds)

Make the call on the day you promised. I look forward to giving it a try and will write about it.

Questioning your Integrity as a Snake Oil Salesperson (SOS)

The last month has been one of those learning experiences that move me to the next level professionalism. One of the most valuable things that a SOS can have is integrity, both in his own mind and in the perception of his customers. If your integrity ever get compromised either via a deliberate act or via a perception, it can take years to rebuild, word will spread and your credibility as a SOS will be compromised. If you ever compromise your integrity in order to win a deal, then you have officially earned the term "Snake Oil Salesperson" The SOS term has negative connotations because some of your and my predecessors decided that making money was more important than trust and providing real value.

During one of the last sales-cycles that I had with one of my largest clients, I made mistakes. whether by purposeful intent or unintentionally, my customer was pressing me daily for pricing and additional discounts, changing the game at each request via elimination of a reseller, misdirection and finally an unwillingness to sign an agreement. I got impatient, my pricing became inconsistent from version to version and in the end, was held to a price and quote that was a draft as we debated the correct method for purchase. I gave up tens of thousands of dollars due to my impatience and lack of care. I should have double-checked my work and slowed the process down, in order to clarify customer expectations and understanding.

While the oversight cost me and my company money, that was by no means the most damaging consequence. I lost trust with my customer. In the end, he had the impression that I had tried to raise his price through manipulation and slight of hand as the process continued. He won out in the end because he had a quote that I had provided as part of a working session. I was held to the lower price, but in the process my customer's perception was that I was not up front and trustworthy.

After reviewing the process I learned a few things:

1. Even if the customer expresses urgency, make sure your double-check the expectations and understanding of your customer before you rush to provide pricing and solutions

2. Slow down and be precise

3. Summarize and document your discussions. Send them to your customer to make sure you did not mis-state things (Letter of Understanding)

4. Be consistent in your discounting

5. Involve others in difficult discussions in order to clarify and restate commitments

6. Make sure your integrity is never questioned! It is the hardest thing to rebuild in the eyes of your customers.

I hope you find my learnings valuable!

Losing our Ability to Negotiate - RFPs and Bids

In my opinion, we have lost the ability to negotiate! We post fixed prices in our markets, stores and online. We are even seeing great success with car dealerships that have a non-negotiation price. In the rest of the world, negotiation is a way of life, from South America to the Middle-East, negotiation is an indispensable way of life. While some would argue that negotiation opens the door to questionable business practices, I would argue that it is a tool for the win-win mentality.

RFPs (requests for proposal) and Bids are an easy way out. They represent an organization that would prefer to keep vendors at arm's length and avoid any risk of conflict. It is also a way to avoid work. No need to get to know the real needs of your organization or the vendor's needs. It avoids the potential to get an even better deal from your SOS. When you avoid direct communication with your SOS (Snake-oil Salesperson) through a structured RFP or Bid, you eliminate the ability to discuss additional discounts for Exclusivity Agreements, Reference Calls, Introductions to other departments or business associates or co-marketing opportunities.

Too many times, the purchasing folks are give too-little power or do not understand the overall business objective, and therefore, cannot negotiate effectively. Management has given them the direction to just buy this or that widget without any guidance about its importance or business value.

Some ideas for more effective and win-win negotiations:

1. Management should handle negotiations on key items for their business. Don't delegate something that is mission-critical to your success.

2. Purchasers should be given an understanding of the business needs for a particular product or service. They should also be empowered to give and get key items. Outline their negotiable terms. Get creative, and put yourself in the suppliers shoes. What would be of value to them that I can give? It may be as simple as an intro letter to a potential client that you know.

3. Schedule a negotiation meeting with your suppliers. Let them know that you have decided on their product or service, but that they should come prepared to negotiate the terms and pricing. Work for a win-win, don't just needle them on price. Perhaps extended terms would be in your interest, or an introduction to another customer that your sales team has been trying to crack.

4. Avoid RFPs or Formal Bid processes after you have decided on what you want. It will get you the absolute minimum and leaves things on the negotiation table.

5. Keep the negotiations professional. Avoid personal favors or side-deals. This is why State Agencies and other entities have gone to RFPs and Bids and sometimes even outlawed lunches. Don't ruin it for the rest of the companies by being a back-door dealer.

Purchasers-do your homework, learn what is of value to both sides. Take a class in negotiation or read a book. One that I enjoyed was Negotiations that Close Deals by Jim Henning.

The "Sales Itch"

A very good friend of mine and the best Cold-Caller I've ever seen (Bob Fenner), recently sent this to me...take it as some additional thoughts on successful SOS.

"The other day I jotted down a few notes on what makes a successful sales professional and what I hope to mimic in my professional career.

From working with you for the past year and a half, I have noticed successful SOS do the following...

• Exhibit a strong moral base: you truly do what is right for the customer
• Posses a "child-like" wonder about you - you are always learning new things
• Understand what motivates people and connect with them on a personal level
• Re-engineer processes - you are not afraid to try something new or scrap something that doesn't work
• You enjoy the "Sport of Selling"
• Constantly appreciate people and let them know about it
• You understand the numbers / math behind the madness

I am not a doctor; but you also may have a disease... I have defined it as "The Sales Itch"

Symptoms of "The Sales Itch" include SOS standing in the back of the room, prolonged BlackBerry use, loud sighs, extended bathroom breaks, scheduling meetings to block out other meetings, and ending meetings early.

Causes of "The Sales Itch" have been linked to wasting SOS's time on non-selling activities, making him sit through long PowerPoint Presentations, sitting through meetings with no agenda, and partaking in work events that don't lead to revenue.

Cures have been linked to letting him do what he does best.... SELL!

Farmers Make Good SalesPeople...Not necessarily the other way around

Two years ago I moved to a semi-rural area. It has a history of large, open tracts of land where corn, peas and alfalfa were and are still grown. The residents of the area are crusty, old and come to find out, WISE! I have seen some of the best sales-skills in action as I stand on the corner and take a tongue-lashing for killing off my corn by sprinkling instead of flooding. I have tried to put all their words of advice into practice over the past two years. We ended up with 1600 ears of corn on less than a 1/4 acre by doing so.

Let me relate the story... When I moved, I thought I could be a farmer. I watched my neighbors. Plowed when they plowed, watered when they watered, sprayed when they sprayed. When I decided to plant my 800 feet of row corn, little did I know what it would take to keep it alive as the temperature climbed.

I planted seeds and started watering via sprinklers. After about 3 weeks, it started to sprout. It grew to about 3 inches tall and then started to curl up and turn purple. The next Sunday, at church, one of my crusty neighbors walked up to me, looked at me and said, "Yer killin' it!" and shambled off. I stood there for a minute, shocked at his candor. I caught up to him after about 3 strides and asked him what he meant and what I should do. He proceeded to explain that I should be flooding my rows instead of sprinkling. He also said I might as well plow it under and start over. I had put too much effort into creating rows and planting to just give up!

I went home and converted my irrigation over to flood-method the next day. After two weeks of flooding it, I succeeded in resurrecting my corn. It began to grow again. The following week, the same crusty old farmer shambled back up to me and mumbled, "Glad to see yer stubborn enough not to give up." Then he meandered off again.

I learned some very important lessons that year that relate directly to sales.

1. Flood the Field, don't just sprinkle - you must create momentum in the first 90-120 days of selling a new product or entering a new market. Figure your win ratio, your goal and then make enough calls to exceed that number by 120%. Seed loss is a big issue with corn, I planted 2-3 seeds for every stalk that actually came up. Plan on it.

2. Listen to the old and crusty farmers around you. I have learned more from my recent manager who's been around the block than all my other managers combined. He is old-school, but I found more than one nugget of gold by going back and doing it the way the old-timers did it. I learned how to track and predict my business/harvest like never before.

3. Be Patient. Too many SOS expect their efforts to yield immediately. Some patches of ground may require fertilizer and bug killing. Expect 6-9 months for a patch to really start yielding fruit. Don't forget to Flood.

SOS are typically impatient and don't take the time to analyze their field or activities that are supposed to yield fruit. Just walking around the field will not make the corn grow. Timing is important. Steps to success are important and you can't shortcut them. Farmers know that and live by it. Learning from every source possible and imitating successful SOS will go a long way towards a harvest. Be wiling to alter your style of watering (selling) if necessary. Don't be the typical arrogant SOS who thinks their way is the only way.

Just like I had more corn that I could eat, I have had sale's harvests that filled my b ucket to overflowing and it was all I could do to bring it in fast enough or follow up with all the requests.

Are you a Vendor or Trusted-Partner?

It is the Holy Grail of all Snakeoilers(SOS) to become a "partner" to their customers, but few ever achieve it. Many of the SOS feel they are partners out of sense of their own over-inflated skill as a salesperson. So how does an SOS determine if they have reached sales-nirvana, been brought into the inner-circle and become a true partner to their clientele?

Let me start by opening up the kimono and baring the awful truth to the SOS who think they are Partners, but in reality have experienced some self-delusion and are only vendors (a necessary evil).

Harsh reality struck me one day with one of my largest customers. For seven years I had been calling on this customer. I had been able to grow the business with that customer from $2 million per year to over $12 million per year. I had relationships at all levels and across all departments. Then one day, I found out that this customer was looking at a large software deal and that I had not been included in the bid process. I shrugged it off as them not knowing I could offer the same product, but requested that I be included. They agreed and I began to receive communication. Something seemed fishy when i was invited to a meeting at their office and found all my competitors in the same room. It quickly became apparent that I did not have the inside-track. One competitor seemed to already have the answers and sat near the decision-makers. Over the next few weeks, I received just enough information to provide a quote, but no additional information. I quickly found myself on the outside. The customer called me to make sure I was going to provide a quote. When I told them that I did not see any reason why I should and that the decision seemed to already be made, they got upset. I found out that they needed 3 separate quotes to complete the bid process and that I was throwing a wrench in the works, by refusing to quote. It was a brutal day in my sales career to be treated to like a vendor (necessary-evil) by my largest customer.

On the other side of the coin, I had another customer that quietly began to invite me to participate in Advisory Board meetings, teach their staff and ask me to sit in on meetings that were not directly related to my products. My sales with this customer rose steadily until one day we came to realize that we had nearly 90% of their business and that all exceptions required special approvals. This customer began to introduce me to others that might need my product and even asked me to join them for dinner at the house.

How do you know if you are a Vendor or a Trusted Partner? Try these:

Vendor (Necessary-Evil)

1. Asked to provide the 3rd required quote to complete their Bid-process?

2. Constantly being needled on price?

3. No introductions to other departments or potential customers?

4. Will only meet with you over a free meal?

5. Only returns a phone call when they need something?

6. Meetings are infrequent and customer sets the agenda?

7. Caught off-guard for a large Request for Proposal where you had no input in the content?

8. Always asking to meet with your boss with the hopes of getting a better deal?

9. Won't introduce you to the entire chain of command?

10. Tries to go around you in the sales process?

Trusted Partner

1. Willing to negotiate a Win-Win Sale, not always and only dictated on price?

2. Invitations to meetings that deal with areas outside of your specific product?

3. Activities outside of Sales (dinners, etc., sporting events where customers pay)?

4. Request to help them write their Request for Proposal before sending it out to the public?

5. You are quoted in a separate meeting?

6. Are they asking your opinion on adjacent products and services that you don't sell?

7. Returned or un-solicited phone calls and emails?

8. Willing to pay a little more for your product or service than the competition?

9. Writes letters of recommendation to your boss or potential customers?

10. Recommends you to others and sends you their names?

Trusted Partner status is hard to come by and takes years in many cases. You may think you are on the inner-circle one day and be treated like a Vendor the next. One department may consider you the Trusted Partner, while the other thinks you are a quote-monkey.

It takes a long-term view to become the Trusted Partner. You can't be out always looking for the BBD (Bigger, Better Deal). End of Quarter incentives can't be your only motivation. Your customers benefit has to be the driving force in the relationship. Ask yourself, "What is best for this customer?" Do you even know what is best for them? Understand their business drivers and attach every sale to one or more of those drivers.

Most importantly...YOU MUST ADD VALUE AT EVERY MEETING! Idle Chit-Chat is unimportant in today's world. Don't waste their time and come prepared. Predict their needs. Under promise and over-deliver at all times. Send them a Thank-you card once in a while.

How to Get the Best Deal from your SnakeOil Salesperson (SOS)

I am about to spill the beans on how to get the best deal possible from your Snakeoil Salesperson (SOS). None of this should be news to the real professional purchaser (skinflint), but it is now told from the perspective of the salesperson.

We as snakeoil salespeople hate the traditional purchaser (skinflint). Their antiquated techniques and hard-nosed methodology for wringing every dollar out of a manufacturer/supplier are feared, dreaded and talked about at every sales conference and training session.

Here is an example: A few years back, I took a large customer back to my company's headquarters in an effort to establish relationships at higher levels and provide my customer leverage when requesting special consideration for projects. As the chief skinflint stood up to introduce their company, the following words were uttered:

"We expect you to make a profit, just not on us."

The room went silent as my management sat there in utter disbelief. We all suspected that is how purchasers really feel, but it was the first time we had actually heard it out loud. Let's just say that it reset the tone of the visit and made for a fairly antagonistic relationship, mediated by me. That meeting went down in Sales History.

I'd like to suggest that there are other ways to get a great deal from your SOS.

1. Learn when their End of Quarter is and take an interest in their success. Companies sometimes offer fast-start bonuses in an effort to flatten out the sales cycle. Your particular SnakeOil Salesperson (SOS) may be able to offer you a better deal earlier in the quarter in order to qualify for that particular bonus. Learn what pays them the most money and work with it to get your best price.

2. Understand that many of your salespeople are paid on Margin (Profit) or a blend of Margin and Revenue. The more you work them over on price the less they make. In the example above, yours truly lost all motivation to service that customer. There was no incentive to go the extra mile or fight for the best price. There was little customer loyalty above and beyond "Price", therefore service made little difference.

There are, however, ways to work price into the deal and still motivate your salesperson. Many manufacturers offer SPIFFS or incentives to sell a particular product at a specific time. These SPIFFS can compensate for low margins and provide more wiggle room on your price. Ask what products are paying SPIFFS or have more wiggle room and be flexible in your requirements to take advantage of these offers.

3. Deal Registrations are another sales method you should be aware of. Manufacturers protect the resellers or SOS companies that bring them business. They offer additional discounts to companies that "Register" a Sales Opportunity. This can range from 10-50% in additional discounts over their competition. This may not be your SOS of choice, but if you have met with them, they can register your opportunity. Only you, the customer can change that and some companies are pretty strict about it. You have to make a compelling point that you want a particular SOS to have your business if it is already registered to make a change. Some resellers are more flexible on their markup than others. Learn who they are or establish a relationship with one that is flexible and understand the registration process. The registered reseller is getting a significant break on pricing over the competition. Make them share that discount with you and not just pad their wallets.

4. Good old fashion negotiation is fast-becoming a lost art, but has some huge advantages in today's market. Give a little and get a little. Many SOS have forgotten this art as well. You may have to learn what they want and what is of value to them in order to make this work. They may not be forward thinking enough to know what to bargain with. If you want a price-break, be willing to offer something in return. Many SOS need reference accounts that will take a call or present in a lunch meeting. Offer that up for a couple of extra points of discount. How about these other points of negotiation:

1. Customer Case Study - article published on your particular success with the SOS's product. Be aware that this my be pretty time-consuming.

2. Referral letter to a potential customer that you know. SOS are always looking for meetings with the "Higher Ups". If you want to offer up a referral or appointment with someone they want to know, it should be good for a couple of points of discount.

3. Long-term purchase agreement. Offering up your additional business for a longer period of time will make up for the additional discounts you are requesting.

4. Sole-Source Vendor offer. Lock them in as your only provider for their product for a set period of time with no threat of competition is good for some of the most aggressive discounting.

5. If you offer a service that their company or that SOS is interested in, offer it up for some additional discounts. If you offer Web Analytics, offer your services up to them to help their business. If you have ties to a local sports team or arena, perhaps they want a couple of seats to take clients to.

Remember, everything is negotiable and while we seem to have forgotten this skill and try to just play the "Heavy" by dictating the terms, if you will work with your SOS you will get the additional discounts without completely demotivating and taking away all profit. You will find them working harder and fighting harder for you, rather than shuddering at the prospect of having to meet with you.

If it can't be done in an hour...shoot me now!

I have a problem! My wife would say I have many problems, but she overlooks them. I have A.D.D., Particularly in meetings. Here is my list of pet-peeves when i get a meeting request. Don't be guilty of any of them if you want to hold my attention or any sales-person or customer.

1. Hours scheduled for more than an hour. It is a proven fact that people have about a 20-minute attention span. Meetings over an our require thumbscrews or waterboarding to keep me focused.

2. Meetings with no agenda or clearly defined purpose. This is a sure-fire way to get absolutely nothing accomplished. It is rude and shows how little you plan. It also show how little you respect others and their time.

3. Not inviting the people that can actually make a decision. If you want meetings to be productive, instead of just an excuse to look busy, invite the key people and make sure they have the ability to make binding decisions.

4. Allow your meeting to go over the allotted and scheduled time. No agenda will immediately result in a meeting going long.

5. Coming unprepared to a meeting. If you are the organizer, make sure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities before the meeting so that they can come prepared to add value and make decisions. Nothing worse than blank stares or crickets when you ask a question or request input.

6. Don't assign someone to take notes and record decisions and action items. That way, we can meet again in a week and go over the same information again and again, week after week.

7. Read the slides you have prepared while showing them on the screen for all to see. This is my favorite. I can read! Send it to me ahead of time and we can scrap the hour-long meeting with you reading it to me.

8. Don't have an objective to the meeting. Let's all just show up and talk. Try letting people know ahead of time that it is a brainstorming, informational, decision or sales presentation.

9. Invite all your competitive vendors into the same room. That way they can completely ignore you and stare at the competition instead. They can wonder who is the preferred vendor or has the inside track instead of listen to your bid request. They can ignore everything you say and wait for the formal RFP.

10. Make sure you go through your entire presentation, no matter what the other people in the room feel is relevant. Ignore the blank stares or anxious glances during your presentation. Glazed eyes and snores will never deter you from finishing the 56 slides you have in your deck.

Meetings SUCK! Be creative and respectful.

Top Objections and How I Respond

As I review the objections that I hear on a regular basis when trying to peddle my wares, I have come to the conclusion that there are only a few valid ones and the rest are just excuses for "this is just not worth my time." I will address that excuse as well.

"Our Budgets have been slashed and we have no money to spend on new items right now" - by far the most common these days. This is one can be particularly painful when I have done all that I can to outline the ROI benefits and explained the way in wich my product will make their life easier. One of the main reasons that I get this one is when i have failed ot tie my product or service to a key business need or driver. This excuse requires a discussion at a higher level and at times, may require a discussion with the Key Financial decision-maker. It will slow down my sales cycle, but not necessarily kill it. I must eleveate my discussion and root out a business driver that I can tie my product or service to. Find something that generates revenue for the company, retains paying customers or significantly reduces expenses, thus allowing them to lower costs to their customers. Tie your product clearly to that business driver and beat it into your higher-level discussions.

"I have other projects that are taking up my time...we can revisit this in the fall." - This one may be a valid excuse, but I always ask them to list out the projects that are taking priority so that I can determine if I have just done a poor job of outlining the importance of my project and tying it to a business driver. If the customer cannot easily list it out, then I know I have failed at explaining the value-proposition of what I sell. Time to try and rescue the sale by clearly listing out the value and tying it to the business driver. If I can, I have them list out the value-proposition and expalin it back to me. If they can do that and list out the hot-projects, then I make a note to get back with them in the fall.

"Silence....."- More and more often, I get nothing. That's right, no return phone call, no email...nothing. They fall off the face of the earth and refuse to return messages. This is becoming more and more common in the technology field. I know these folks are not known for their social skills or professional etiquette, but when they "go dark" I know there are problems to be addressed. I have found that there are only a couple of reasons I get this one.

1. Embarassment - I and the customer have worked hard to show value in my product and service and they have assured me they could get it approved. Only to find out, they could not "sell it" internally and got shot down. They are too embarrassed to talk to me. They did not want to waste my time and they have. Now they don't want to admit it.

I send them a postcard after I lose touch with someone for a couple of weeks. If I still get the Cold-Shoulder, then I continue to try and get them on the phone every 2-3 weeks until I catch them and make me give them one of the two reasons outlined above. At least now I can address it with them. If I need to go higher, then I volunteer to help them put together the internal proposal and even present it.

2. Just being a unprofessional "Richard" - Nothing I can do about the "Richards". I go higher up and find a new contact that has some professional courtesy. I try not to burn the bridges, but I have to admit, I have laid a few giant blocks of C4 at a few of them and walked away smiling. I always remember that when I do this I have probably locked myself out for years. At least until the "Richard" dies, retires or hopefully, gets fired.

Remember - TIE YOUR PRODUCT TO A KEY BUSINESS DRIVER

The Vendor-Client Relationship

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2a8TRSgzZY

Do you ever feel like this is how your vendor-client relationships go?

Power-Holders, Go-Betweens, Double-Agents and Black Holes

Black-Holes

One of the biggest challenges I have had is learning the differences between the Power-Holders, Go-Betweens, Double-Agents and Black-Holes. I will start at the bottom and work up.

BLACK-HOLES – In general relativity, a black hole is a region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing, including light, can escape its pull. (Wikipedia)

In the world of business and sales, BLACK-HOLES (BH) exist on both sides of the aisle.
BH like to rat-hole down a discussion about the MTBF data and the methodology used in its derivation. Or perhaps the 3 different types of Hard Drive technology used in a SATA array. Is it FATA or SATA?

BH come unprepared to a sales call, ask you all sorts of basic questions about your company (all available on the web), and then proceed to wing a presentation or regurgitate one they have memorized.

A BH only has time to meet you for lunch…for the third time. Oh, and did I mention that they like the really nice places?

BH sales people take weeks to get a quote turned around.

I particularly like the BH that wants to try your product before they introduce you to the Power-Holder. Once your testing equipment is in place the staff in charge of testing it have mysteriously gone on vacation or been pulled on to a more pressing project. Voila!…endless and eternal proof of concept.

BH love to hold meetings that routinely go over an hour and have a slide deck for every point… I can read the slides too! Then they spend 40 minutes of your 1-hour meeting talking about the Add on the back of the USA Today.

My favorite is when BH make me complete a sales presentation, asks for a quote, requests I send it to them in email (which I rarely do), then conveniently forgets to check email, return voicemail or acknowledge a post card.

A BH is rarely the Power-Holder and never has approval authority. Beginning a Sales effort with a BH, will also end (unsuccessfully) with the same BH after having your time, effort and patience sucked mercilessly from your very soul. My advice…identify the BH early in your sales and purchasing efforts.

If you are working through a BH to purchase a product or service, ask to involve their manager in a higher-level discussion with your boss. Make sure you call out the purpose of the meeting and that you expect to make a decision based on the outcome of the meeting. Make sure the call out that the meeting will have a time limit and that there will be take-aways and due dates for follow up.

As a “Snake-Oil Salesperson” there is nothing more frustrating to have spent hours working on a request for a customer, followed up and completed all the action items to find out that the BH has no purchasing ability or are too weak to tell you that they cannot get approvals and have had their project denied. If you find yourself calling or emailing more than 2x over a 2 week period with no response, you have had your time and efforts sucked away and down the maw of the Black-Holer... Time to find a new audience in the organization. Once you do, invite the BH to the meeting, but don’t make them your point of contact moving forward.

Next week I'll talk about the Double-Agent.

The Best Sales Training I've ever had

I've decided to start sharing ideas that I've learned over my carrer in Sales. I hope that my readers find the tips and ideas that I will share helpful and productive.

Most of what I have learned came from others. Many of the tips I share came from other salespeople and purchasers.

Over 10 years ago, I was thrust into the challenging world of Sales for a large technology company. After about a month and limited success, I had a Buyer for Kohler Plumbing Products pull me aside and politely tell me that I needed help. Over the next 6 months, he taught me how to sell to his organization. It was the most valuable training I had ever received.

His name was Tony. He had written a manual titled "How to Deal with the Successful Saleperson" and he was teaching it to the other buyers in his organization. I borrowed it and never returned it. It was gold! Over the next few years I learned how to deal with each purchasing strategy he shared in his manual.

I will start sharing those tips and others. Stay tuned.