Vital to Your Success 3: Yet One More Role for the Inside Sales Manager

Enforcer


Sadly, this is what most people think about first when they think about the role of the Inside Sales Manager. It is actually the least important role. If a manager does a great job of developing, coaching and motivating, enforcing becomes the least of the duties - because most of the time you won't have to. 

That’s not to say that enforcing is not important. Each inside sales unit has rules and expectations that must be complied with. Chaos and a lack of results is not acceptable. By using positive reinforcement and taking the time to develop, coach and motivate a sales staff, enforcement of the rules will simply make sense as opposed to being rules imposed by “them” and resented (and therefore made to be broken) by “us”.


However, it is a manager’s responsibility to make sure that the unit is run effectively and efficiently. The manager should not be afraid to make the tough calls. For example, if a sales rep repeatedly does not achieve their goals, even after being coached and given all the necessary tools for success – including learning and development opportunities – the manager must make the difficult decision to terminate the sales rep. If the sales rep repeatedly comes in late or leaves early, the manager must make sure the sales rep knows the rules and if the rules continue to be violated, the sales rep must be terminated.


Being a manager who’s focused on positives does not mean being a poor manager. It does mean being able to make the difficult decisions. Being overly tough doesn't work but neither does being weak. An Inside Sales Manager who who manages their unit fairly and openly, doesn't play favorites and actively works with all members of the team to ensure their success is respected not feared. Respect will get you much better results. 

Vital to Your Success: The Roles of the Inside Sales Manager

The role of the Inside Sales Manager is a critical function. Unlike many other jobs with the term "manager", an inside sales manager is dependent on others to achieve their goals. They accomplish their goals through others. They are several roles an Inside Sales Manager must play. Among them are:

Developer
A great Inside Sales Manager knows the value of developing their staff. Keeping people at the same level of performance and responsibility is boring for many and ultimately dissatisfying for most. Developers make a point to cultivate the skills and potential of their staff. They take the time to help their staff both individually and collectively obtain the skills they will need to be successful at their jobs. 

Inside Sales Manager knows the value of developing their staff. Keeping people at the same level of performance and responsibility is boring for many and ultimately dissatisfying for most. Develops make a point to develop the skills and potential of their staff. They take the time to help their staff both individually and collectively develop the skills they will need to be successful at their jobs.  A great developer provides formal and informal opportunities for learning and development. They give greater responsibilities were appropriate ty & possibilities for growth

 A great developer provides formal and informal opportunities for learning and development. They give greater responsibilities where appropriate and activity look for possibilities for growth.

Coach
A coach makes sure that each person on their team is working to their potential. Coaching is generally done on a one on one basis. Spends time helping to hone skills then reaps rewards of increased sales just as an athletic coach wins more games.

Coaches take the time to discover what works and doesn't for each individual reporting to him. This is an individualized approach. It requires paying attention to what the rep says on the phone and  what they do not. Observing work habits and not being afraid to say something.

Yes, I've used the work "afraid" Many managers fail at coaching because they are afraid. Perhaps they've not been trained for it. Perhaps they dislike confrontation. There are many reasons manager fall down on the job when it comes to coaching.  Think of it as a sales situation. Map out your goal and the best way to achieve it. Just like each of your prospects and customers are different, so are your sales reps.

Get the best out of them by spending time with each and modifying - individualizing - your approach. 

Relationships

Creating relationships with other people is always worth our while, whether for comfort, commiseration, sharing or just having fun. It's the same in our professional associations. When we're there for others, they'll be there for us. Taking the time to cultivate our contacts and create connections takes time but invariably it pays off. Maybe not today, but you never know where a business relationship leads you... to an additional sale, to a great job offer, to a mentor...it's always worthwhile.

Here's a great quote:

"Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict."
William E. Channin

Can You Help?

Have you had the opportunity to take our survey on Communication Preferences yet? It's really short - only 7 questions in all.

This research is part of a larger effort to determine preferred modes of communication and how it impacts our ability to effectively communicate with others. I'd like it to be as statistically relevant as possible so it would help to have as many completed surveys as possible.

Thanks in advance. I'll share the results afterward.


Here's the link:

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/26VPP3D

(you might have to cut and paste this into your browser)

Thank you!

Compensation is No Substitute for Leadership

It tends to be the assumption: Salespeople are motivated by money.

So, give them the right package and great sales numbers will result. Right? But often it only leaves sales managers scratching their heads and wondering how to make the package more enticing - to motivate the staff better.

Sadly, that type of thinking usually results in lower sales figures than you'd like and higher costs to your business in the form of higher sales rep turnover.

Compensation, no matter how attractive a package is never a substitute for good sales management. It cannot take the place of strong training and a basic understanding of human behavior.

Often, business owners and sales managers feel that since salespeople are motivated by money, the sales person will do everything (or anything) in order to close the sale. But selling can be very tedious and depending on the product, long and drawn out. It can be hard to keep sight of that end commission while you're getting the run around for the 20th time or having to meet yet another "decision maker".

It's up to the manager to make sure that the sales rep has all the tools necessary to be successful in the job. It's up to the manager to make sure that the sales rep remains motivated. This is particularly true in cases where the compensation is primarily in the form of commissions. See, here's the thing... you may think you've got the best product/service on the market but many are things outside of a sales rep's control.

Sales can be hard on a person, with rejection, customer demands and sales goals to be met. It can be hard to sustain excitement and motivation simply through a compensation plan when the payoff may be far off. Strong managers - strong leaders - make sure that their people have all the tools they need to succeed. They are available to brainstorm solutions, they are pro-active in positively motivating their people and coaching them on a regular basis. They make sure the sales force is given the sales training necessary to be successful.

Yes, a good compensation plan can help turn a hum drum sales force into a supercharged selling machine. But it is only a part of the equation. Compensation is no substitute for your leadership.

Not So Small Stuff

I've always disliked the phrase "don't sweat the small stuff". It's always seemed to me that one of the best ways to accomplish big things is to build on the smaller stuff we have to deal with. I get that it's important not to get bogged down with meaningless details but we have to make sure that we aren't justifying sloppy shortcuts in the name of not fretting the smaller things. 

Below is a great quote from Dale Carnegie on the subject. (If you've not read Dale Carnegie - run,do not walk to your nearest library, bookstore or download his work. Seriously.)


Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.


Sweat the small stuff. You'll be glad you did.

Are You Showing Up?

"Ya gotta show up" That's what a former voice teacher of mine was fond of saying. You want to get work, you've got to show up - and if you show up often enough you'll get the jobs/results you want. 

It's an apt analogy for people who sell for a living. You have to show up - be there not just physically but your brain as well. Are you fully engaged every time you're with a customer or prospect? Being fully focused on your customer and your objectives requires giving the proverbial 150% of yourself. That's how you succeed.

You also "show up" by exhibiting great personal habits. Do you make enough calls each day? Do you follow up? Do you respect and value the responses you get from customers and prospects? Do you respect their opinions while helping them see the value of your products/services or the solution you are proposing for them?

Show up. REALLY show up. Good will always come of it.

Is Your Selling on Cruise Control?

When was the last time you really thought about your selling process?

Do you go out each day saying the same things and not getting the results you want? You remember the old joke: What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Sometimes we've been selling for so long; we get into a rut without even realizing it. We have the same opening - with a couple of variations, the same offer, we rebut and overcome objections the same way. We have been using the same close forever. It short, we're in a rut.

Try this exercise for putting new life into your work. Go back to your sales calls and really think about what's going on in them. Has the industry you're selling in changed? Are your products being used the same way? Spend the time to re-evaluate what you're doing. I like to use a decision tree to help me in this process. 

The point of the exercise is to spend the time making sure that you are fresh and prepared. Selling changes. How I sold at the beginning of my career is different from how I sell now. However, I make the time to make sure I'm conscious of how I sell and make changes as necessary.

Remember, we're not cars, we're sales people. Cruise control has no place in our work.

Leave Your Ego at the Door

We often hear the phrase "perception is reality" - how and what people think about things is often more important than what really is. I found there's an exception to that, though. We often can't judge our own performance, particularly when it comes to "soft" skills. See, we can't hear ourselves as others do (seriously, we can't - we can't hear our own voices as others do. We hear it from inside our heads, they hear the sound that comes out of our mouths ) and we can't see our body language as others do.

I was reminded of this recently after cantoring (leading the singing) for a Catholic Mass. I've been away from singing for over a year and half and am slowly going back to "performing" in public. I had made a point to record myself so that I could hear what others heard and create a plan of action to correct myself based on that. As the music director and I discussed my work, we touched on the topic of singers perspectives of their work. Sometimes when you think you sound great, you didn't and sometimes you sound great when you think you were awful. Very hard to judge ourselves.

So, why am I musing on this today? I had one of those light bulb moments yesterday. You see, I'm often asked to train people with lots of experience whom management feels - and I've verified - are not performing well. Their perception is that they "know this" and "I do this all the time". Often it's important to record and role play, not to break people down but to help them recognize that perhaps their perception is not the reality and their performance has been suffering.

It takes a lot be able to put yourself on the line and change your view of your skills. In order to maintain your skills. It's important to leave yourselves open to the possibility that you are not doing as well as you think you are. Scary, right? It can play havoc with your sense of self and who you see yourself as. But without the ability to accept that you can always improve and that there is always something new to learn, you'll stagnate or go backward. So, you leave your ego at the door and recognize that other's perceptions may be your reality. Like my singing, your communication skills will be the better for it.

Where Does the Time Go? Time Management Tips for Salespeople

Time... there's only 24 hours in a day. Less when we consider the available time we can contact others in a business capacity. It makes sense that we do everything possible to make the most effective use of our time. Here are some simple rules for using time to our advantage for our success.

Start your day when your day should start.
That doesn't mean just showing up for work on time. It means being engaged from the moment you report to work. It means being energetic, bright -eyed and enthusiastic. Be engaged from the moment your day begins.

Deal with rejection realistically.
If you're in sales rejection is normal. It's part of the job. For example, if it takes 50 phone calls to get a sale, you were told no 49 times... and that's OK. After each "no" we get back on the phone or back in the car for our next appointment. We soldier on because that's what we do. Stop the pity party and get back to work. It's the only way to be successful.

Set daily/hourly goals.
Nothing helps you manage your time better than setting goals for a specific period of time.

Take advantage of patterns.
Be aware of what's successful for you in order efforts to sell your product or service. Is it calling early, calling late? Take note of what works best.

Be prepared to put in a very full day.
From the time you start to the time you finish, are you prepared to give it your all? Do you have all the answers you need to persuade people to buy?


Time is a precious commodity. Used properly, it becomes a tool for your success. Squandered it is a non-recoverable resource. Managing it well is our only choice.

Teaching and Leading = Effective Managing for Effective Performance

As a change of pace, I wanted to spend some time talking about training and leadership. Many managers are asked to train others without learning how to train effectively. In order for a training program to be successful you need to understand how adults best learn. You'll need to learn how to lead them into the new behaviors. Anyone who is attentive and willing during class will learn the material. But will they use the new behaviors back on the job? In a manager's role, you'd want to make sure that the time you invest in a learning initiative is time and money well spent.

How do Adults Learn?

Adults learn differently from children. Whereas children can be considered "blank slates", adults bring a wealth of already accumulated knowledge. This is quite helpful to the learning experience and a savvy facilitator will use this to their advantage. Adults also bring different expectations to the learning process. Adults will expect the learning to be a partnership, with the facilitator providing the impetuous and the means for the learning process while the adults expect to be responsible retaining and being able to use the learning. Adults expect to be respected for both their experiences and their opinions.

Adults tend to learn best when they are able to make connections between what they are currently learning and past experiences. They also prefer to be full participants in the learning process.

What is Facilitating?

Facilitating is the art of leadership in group communications. In a training or learning environment, this may mean the facilitator directs the activities and the line of questioning, but allows the learners to come up with the answers themselves. This has several positive effects on the learning experience. First, this interactive environment will be more stimulating for the learner. This increases the likelihood of retention. Second, by requiring the learners produce or generate the information instead of simply hearing it from a "teacher", the learners will develop a stake in the learning process. Learners with a stake in the process will retain more. Third, this allows for more learning by doing, whether looking up information in a manual or on a website and using that information that information in order to process requests.

What's the difference between teaching and facilitating (and why you should care)?

Teaching assumes that the learner knows nothing and the teacher everything. Elementary school, specific tehniqual or Some of the differences between teaching and learning can be summed up in this way.

Traditional Teaching is:
Passive.
Authoritarian.
Delivering information.
Convergence, conformism.
One-way (top-down)

Teaching is delivery-heavy and often requires entertainment to keep attention. On the other hand, if we focus on how to use the expectations and experiences of our learners, we realize that effect learning requires more.


Facilitating is:
Active and dynamic, experiential.
Reaching forward.
Empowering.
Responding to a challenge.
Divergence - going out of the box.
Interactive

Learning through facilitation involves questioning-heavy, inductive/ inferential, hands-on, reflective, interactive. You lead the participants to the desired behaviors.


What does this mean for your training efforts?

In order for your training efforts to be successful, you must be aware of the needs of your learners. Top heavy teaching generally doesn't do well helping adults learn new material or master new behaviors when teaching adults.

Having people participate in the experience will help them better retain the information as well as buy into the experience. Hmm, sounds a lot like a sales situation! It is. Treating your learners as though they are potential customers goes a long way towards getting acceptance of and ultimately mastery of the skills you want them to use.

   

_________________________________________________________

Does this subject strike close to home? If so, you may be interested to learn that I coach managers and small business owners to be more effective and efficient in your own sales and service efforts as well as become better facilitators to improve performance for your staff. After agreeing to your goals, you will work on your skills in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Contact me,  Jo Ann Kirby at 973.709.1252 or email me at info@krgcommuncations.com for more details and next steps.

Fully Focus... on Service Success

It happens without our even realizing it. We become so adept at handling our customers' concerns that we do other things at the same time. We call it multi-tasking. Our customers call it not paying attention to them.

Are you aware that your customers can often hear you typing on your keyboard when you are speaking with them on the telephone? If you are supposed to be listening to them, the sound of keyboarding will tell your customer that you are not.

Fully engage your senses on the customer: listen to them, speak to them. Avoid other activities while speaking with customers. We've become so used to doing many things at once; we don't always realize that we're doing many things poorly.

When you speak with a customer, make sure they realize that they are your priority. Listen attentively, be courteous. Make them feel as though for those few minutes they are most important to you and your organization. Anyone answering the telephone is a manager of first impressions; you want to make a good one. You are representing your company. What does your interactions with your customers say about your organization? Is it caring? Concerned? Prompt?

Are your interactions efficient? Can you be efficient while making your customer feel cared about? It's one thing to make sure that your average call time is not excessive, it's another to make a customer feel rushed.

Each customer is most important to you for those moments when you taking care of their concerns. By showing you care, by illustrating to them your focus, you demonstrate to them that their business is important to them. It's not enough to tell people that they are important to the well being of your organization - make sure your actions match!

 

 

Money Can 't Take the Place of Leadership

It tends to be the assumption: People are motivated by money. 


So, give them the right package and great sales numbers will result. Right? But often it only leaves managers scratching their heads and wondering how to make the package more enticing - to motivate the staff better.


Sadly, that type of thinking usually results in lower sales figures than you'd like and higher costs to your business in the form of higher sales rep turnover.


Compensation, no matter how attractive a package is never a substitute for good sales management. It cannot take the place of strong training and a basic understanding of human behavior.


Often, business owners and managers feel that since people are motivated by money, their employees -whether in sales or service - will do everything (or anything) in order to close the sale. But selling can be very tedious and depending on the product, long and drawn out. It can be hard to keep sight of that end commission while you're getting the run around for the 20th time or having to speak with yet another "decision maker".


It's up to the you - whether manager or owner - to make sure that the employee has all the tools necessary to be successful in the job. It's up to you to make sure that your employee remains motivated. This is particularly true in cases where the compensation is primarily in the form of commissions. See, here's the thing... you may think you've got the best product/service on the market but many are things outside of a sales rep's control.


Sales can be hard on a person, with rejection, customer demands and sales goals to be met. It can be hard to sustain excitement and motivation simply through a compensation plan when the payoff may be far off. Strong managers - strong leaders - make sure that their people have all the tools they need to succeed. They are available to brainstorm solutions, they are pro-active in positively motivating their people and coaching them on a regular basis. They make sure the sales force is given the sales training necessary to be successful.

Yes, a good compensation plan can help turn a hum drum sales force into a supercharged selling machine. But it is only a part of the equation. Compensation isn't a substitute for your leadership. 

Don't Overlook This Investment

I spent part of last week in Miami for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) annual Women's Business Conference. I had great opportunities to network and meet some amazing women business owners. But I have to admit, my real reason for going was it's location: Miami. I always enjoy south Florida and knew I could add a few days in my favorite place - Key West - to the back end of the trip.

So off I went, looking for the warmth of the sun before New Jersey's cooler seasons set in.

Well, WOW. What a great conference. Best investment in myself I've had all year! Lot's of takeaways - and several epiphanies- but one in particular I wanted to share.

It's as important to work on yourself as it is to work on your business.

This can apply whether you work for yourself or others. All too often we get caught up in our to-do lists, our concrete business activities that we forget that the biggest component of any job is our ability to interact with others. This is particularly important to those of us in the sales and service field. We give away so much of our energy, we present so many different faces as needed that we can forgot who we are.

We need to make a habit of setting aside the time perhaps once a month and just review our own personal growth. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• What skill sets do you still need to develop? 
• Have you forgotten ones you used to have? 
• Who are you at work as opposed to at home? 
• Are you happy with the results you are getting at work?

In order to facilitate this process, you might want to keep a journal. I know people who swear by them. You might also seek out books to help aid in your thinking process. Take a webinar or attend a conference as I did. Whatever you do, don't overlook this investment. You must invest in yourself in order to be successful.

Good Service = Good Manners

In my travels a few summers ago, I found myself in Williamsburg, VA and couldn't resist the book sections of the gift shops. My find? George Washington's Rules of Civility. I'd wanted to read it for quite a while.

The back story to this book is that as a school boy, George Washington wrote out a list of "rules" for behaving with civility in all circumstances. These were rules copied from earlier sources. It was important to him, as for many others of his time, to be seen as a gentleman with good manners. It was recognized that how we behave towards others shapes how others behave towards us. These rules continue to make sense today.

See, here's the thing. It's about civil behavior regardless of our positions. It doesn't matter whether we're the customer or customer service rep (or whatever title is used for the employee who must deal the the public.) Whatever happened to the notion of being nice to one another simply because we're human beings? Too many people feel it's OK to behave badly towards others if the other person hasn't shown them proper respect. That this makes it OK to behave badly toward them. We should respect each other simply because human beings deserve kindness and respect. We behave with civility towards each other because civility in the end, is what keeps society civilized. See the similarity of the words civility and civilized? There's a reason for that. We should be polite to each other because it's the correct thing to do, not because we're paid to do it or we think we'll get extra benefits or attention because of it.


Here's some "rules" that are as timely today as 250 years ago. My own comments are in parentheses.

• Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present.

• Sleep not when others speak. Sit not when others stand. Speak not when you should hold your peace. Walk not when others stop. 

• Read no letters, books or papers in company; but when there is a necessity for doing so, you must ask leave. (See, it's ALWAYS been rude to text at the dinner table) Come not near the books or writing of another, so as to read them, unless desired; nor give your opinion of them unasked. Also look not when another is writing a letter. (...because it's not your business)

• Show not yourself glad at the misfortune of another, though we were your enemy. (It's not necessary to gloat)

• When a man does all he can, though it succeeds not well, blame not he that did it. (In other words, even though something did not work out as planned, we should still appreciate the hard work that went into the effort.) 

• Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.

The Value of Association

As professionals, regardless of our industry or function, it's important to keep up to date on trends and new ideas - new ways of thinking and new technologies to help us in our work.

To that end, membership in professional organizations enable us to maintain our professional standing, We learn new things, we meet new people. We expand our horizons.

I've made it a point to belong to several - The American Society for Training and Development since much of my work is training; The American Association of Inside Sales Professionals because inside sales and service are my areas of expertise (and I want to keep it that way!).

I also belong to NAWBO, the National Association of Women Business Owners which supports and encourages business ownership among women. It's a great resource and a welcoming environment. In fact, I have the pleasure of attending NAWBO's Women's Business Conference this week in Miami. It's a good opportunity to network, to keep my business skills up to date, and to continue to ensure that I keep growing as a business owner.

What organizations do you belong to? Choose one and use it to help you grow!

3 Reasons to Network

Labor Day is past and the fall Social Whirl  is nearly upon us. For many business people, it signals a last opportunity for networking (and creating business opportunities for themselves) before the end of the year. So, we network. Lots of meetings - if you want  to you could attend a different event for each meal every day of the week. Not necessarily the best strategy for gaining new business, but you could do it - and that's the subject for a different blog post!

I was recently asked about my reasons for attending business networking events. I realized that it comes down to three reasons:

• To meet people who I can directly do business with (buyer/seller relationship)
• To meet people I can partner with (services I don't provide but could recommend to my clients)
• To get my name and business out there (word of mouth advertising)

Let's look at each one:

To meet people who I can directly do business with (buyer/seller relationship)

This is the primary reason people attend networking events. It's the brass ring, the gold medal - add your cliché here. Unfortunately, many people feel that unless they walk into a room full of obvious potential prospects, they've wasted their time and money. Also, don't be concerned if you see the same people on a constant basis. That's good. You want to be able to build relationships over time. Many people will not spend money on specific products or services unless they feel comfortable with you - the more money involved, the higher the comfort level must be. Talking over lunch or dinner is a great way to get to know people.


To meet people I can partner with (services I don't provide but could recommend to my clients)

I can't do it all - and I won't do it all if I can't do it well. I owe my clients and prospective clients that. As a result, there are related aspects to my work that people will ask me if I can make a referral. When I can't do the work myself, I like to feel comfortable knowing I can suggest alternatives. This makes me a resource. It also enhances a person's comfort level when they realize that I only do work that's a good fit for me, assuring them that any work I do will be in my area of expertise and therefore a great experience with the outcomes they are looking for. I love meeting people who have businesses that are complimentary to mine.


To get my name and business out there (word of mouth advertising)

I find that I get as much business from 3rd party referrals as from directly making contact with qualified prospects. Just because the person you're talking with doesn't need your services doesn't mean he won't be speaking with an associate or colleague in the future and mention your name. I've met people and had opportunities come my way that I might never have heard of through my direct efforts.


So, networking offers much on many levels. At the very least, it's great for solo- preneurs to get out and continue to hone their skills. At it's ultimate it's a great way to expend your own personal network - and grow your business.

Customer Care

It's very easy to become jaded when dealing with your customers day in and day out. Sometimes, we begin to think that everyone is trying to put something over on us or get something for nothing. Sometimes we're so rushed off our feet (or our voices) that we don't care about the disembodied voice on the other end of the phone, or in front of our counter - after all, they're not real, are they? Not like the co-worker sitting next to you each day.


Even though we may only see each customer for a fraction of our time each day, never forget that how we treat the customers will create an image of your organization for them. Will it be a positive or negative one?


Not giving our full attention to our customers, treating them as though they are afterthoughts, will make a customer less likely to do business with you again. Even if a transaction is only a small one, it can impact your business far beyond this single customer. Perhaps they know others who might have need of your services or products? Perhaps they were thinking about doing a lot more business with you and only placed a small order to try you out.


Avoid making assumptions about your customers. Unless you directly ask them about something, you really don't know the answer.


Each customer deserves the very best from us, whether it's first thing in the morning or 2 minutes to closing. Be patient, be caring, be there.

Your Telephone: Better Than Email

The telephone is the most important piece of office equipment you have. Although it shares certain attributes with email, there are several areas where the telephone excels.


It's immediate. Although voice mail is the bane of our existence, once we are talking with someone, we can resolve situations immediately. There's no need to send a message and wait hours before you get a response. Time is a premium these days but too many people spend far too much time checking emails for responses. It's something that's just hanging out there as opposed to having a resolution. Between land lines and cell phones, it's never been easier for people to reach you immediately.


It's honest. Since the telephone is so immediate, people don't have the luxury of waiting and carefully composing the "correct" answer to your inquiries. You get the opportunity to hear spontaneity or hear that catch in the voice while an answer is calculated.


Opportunity for give and take. Although text messaging can give you the appearance of the give and take in a conversation, messaging cannot possibly convey the shadings and meanings that voices can.


It's easier to discern a person's meaning. The voice is a powerful communication tool. It's powerful for the speaker as well as the listener. The speaker uses inflections, pauses, tones and shading to help convey their meaning. The listener is able to use the speaker's voice to help discern what isn't being said. Our voices say our words and meanings but a good listener is able to figure out if there is a difference between the two.


Today, many people opt to take the easy way out by avoiding situations involving verbal communication. The problem with this is that communication skills must be used regularly in order to keep them sharp. It's the old "use it or lose it" syndrome. If we don't speak to each other regularly, we fall out of the habit of being good listeners; we fall out of the habit of using our voices and our words to their best advantage.


Using email instead of the telephone can be deadly for sales results, particularly telephone sales environments. Although many inside sales units would never identify themselves as "telemarketers", many of the principles remain the same. This means that actual telephone conversations should rule the day, not emails. It's one thing to follow up a call with an email confirming information; it's another when you find yourself spending more time with your emails than on the phone. It's easy to forget that inside sales should be not only about cost effectiveness, i.e. phone vs. car expenses, but about reaching as many people as possible. If a company wants to primarily send emails as a form of marketing, they don't need a staff of sales people to do so.


When you actually speak with people, you develop your ability to read more into the conversations. You become a more effective communicator and your sales success will grow. You spend more time connecting, conversing, and conveying your message. Don't let your skills grow rusty. Step away from the keyboard and make that call.

Quick Tips for Effective Telephone Communications

Here's a few quick tips for effective telephone communications.

Voice Mail

A voice mail message should follow this format:

Name, Company name, interest statement, close say number, repeat number

Remember:

Always use your first and last names

Use area codes

Message should be brief

Message should give reason to call back

Make message an opportunity for a 30 second commercial

Effectively Reach a Decision Maker

Getting Voice Mail

Give people a reason to call back

Screener

Develop a relationship with screener

Use screener to qualify prospect

Remember: Screener many have decision power

Time of Day

Always easiest to reach either early in morning or late in the day

Avoid Phone Spam

Don't leave constant voice mail messages that aren't returned

Don't call more than once a week (unless otherwise requested)

Do be respectful and polite, regardless of reception by decision makers or screeners

Listening

Learn to Listen

Be aware of listening patterns

Listen actively

Listen objectively

Don't be afraid of silence

Rely less on non-verbal cues

Over 1/2 of all communication skills are non-verbal

Asks Questions to Generate Information and Shift the Conversation

Generates Information

Open ended Questions 

Can be used for general information or specifics

Open ended Questions start with these words: Who, what, where, why, when, which, how

Close-ended Questions

Can be used to verify

Closed-ended Questions may start with: Is, Are, May, Can, Do, Would, Could, Should

Controls the conversation

Begin with the end in mind

Create a prepared sequence of questions

Have alternate questions ready

Conversations can go in many directions

Asking Questions Will:

Allow people to talk to you

Create engaged individuals

Give them the opportunity to "buy into" your conversation