The Covid Opportunity
While a global pandemic is a terrible thing there are also some great positive possibilities.
I have helped business build very successful remote sales systems for more than 2 decades. While the world has rapidly changed for many people, those who had already embraced remote selling didn’t skip a beat.
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Service is everything
To lead is to serve. I know some people would disagree but if you really think about it, the leading businesses all have one thing in common. They all serve their customers better than anyone else.
How can you develop a business culture of service? It starts from the top. Lead by example. As the business leader you must serve your people just as much as you serve your customers.
Here are 5 ways you can improve your level of service.
Needs without Wants
Far too often sales leaders teach their reps to uncover their customers needs. Unfortunately, there is a big problem with this. Think about it in your own life. When you need something to you go out of your way to get it right then and there? Or do you put it off until later?
For example, if you have a leaky faucet do you fix as soon as you discover it or do you wait until it gets worse? For most people if the problem is not to painful, they wait until the pain becomes unbearable. Then and only then are they ready to do something about it.
But when you want something. You will do what it takes to get it as soon as possible.
The same principals apply to sales.
What is Value?
Too often sales professionals are told by their leaders that they must create value. However, there is a fundamental problem with this advice. Value is not what you say it is. Value is what the customer says it is. If you don’t understand what is of value to the customer you are just doing a lot of talking.
Efficiency is the key to Profitability
Buy it today, and get it tomorrow. That seems to be the mantra of many businesses in 2019. I call it the Amazon effect. How can you compete in a world where everyone wants the solution to their problems tomorrow? Be more efficient.
In order to build, and operate an efficient business you must have well defined, and fully developed processes, and systems. In addition, your employees must be fully trained on how to effectively implement, and execute on those processes, and use those systems. Most business owners however don’t understand that they really don’t have any processes, or systems in place. What they have are a set of ideas that their employees loosely follow.
Because your employees are following these ideas every day the illusion of real processes, and systems takes root. You may have found that in the beginning you were generating revenue consistently, and delivering to your customers’ expectations. Then things started to change. Sales slowed down, and you started losing customers. At first you blamed the economy. Then you blamed the competition. Most business owners never look in the mirror, and think maybe the problem is me.
In order to incorporate efficiency in your business you have to take a good hard look at where you are today, and why you are in this place. Did you have something in place that was working well, but for some reason you decided to change what you were doing? Maybe you were just lucky, and now you realize that you never implemented any true processes, and systems.
If you are not sure if you really have processes, and systems in place the best thing to do is ask for impartial help. It can be hard to see what needs to be updated, or adjusted when you are so close to things. As a business owner you may feel that you don’t need any help. You may feel you have everything under control. You may feel that you can find a way to resolve your current challenges on your own.
What if doing it on your own does not work? Or worse what if doing it on your own causes you to lose precious time doing the things you do best? What if you miss out on extremely profitable opportunities because you didn’t seek the right kind of help? What if the help you needed was a simple phone call away?
Increasing sales is the key to profitability. The key to increasing sales is efficiency. The key to efficiency is fully developed, and documented processes, and systems. You want to be sure that you have the right tools to consistently win new business, keep your current customers happy, and grow your company. The only way to be sure you have what you need is to get an honest assessment of your current situation.
When you are ready to increase your productivity, efficiency and profitability you should schedule a no obligation initial business assessment.
Taking the short business owner survey right now is a great place to start.
Sometimes what you need is a little grease
Many business owners and sales executives face an all to common problem. Far too many of the opportunities in their sales pipeline are stuck. They look like great opportunities but the sales just are not coming in. How can you unstick these opportunities and turn them in to revenue?
Maybe what you need is a little outside help?
If you have ever encountered a door with a hinge that just won’t move no matter how much force you apply. Adding a little grease can make it move just like new.
Sometimes as business owners and sales executives you can get so close to things that you are not able to see the solutions to problems that may arise.
Someone who can review the situation with fresh eyes maybe be able to help you see a solution you not even aware of.
Sometimes when you get a fresh perspective on a situation the new set of eyes can see easily see if what you need is just a little grease to get things moving smoothly again.
If you have some challenges closing your sales opportunities we may be able to help.
Customer Success Management
Customer Success Management seems to be the new buzz word in just about every industry. Businesses are trying to figure out how they can maximize revenue from their existing customers. One of the challenges they are having is trying to force old ways of thinking on to their customers while using new words to make it appear fresh and new.
This can have the direct opposite effect. The truth is entirely new processes need to be implemented. Implementing new processes is a full-time job and requires someone who is not invested in the status quo. Working with an independent consultant may be the best way to effectively enact meaningful change. In order for customer success management to be profitable your business must think outside the box. The best way to do that is to work with someone who is not already inside the box you currently have.
Customer Success Management is the future of account growth. Companies who work with professionals with the vision to see what those within an organization can’t, will be the ones who prosper the most. Many of the methodologies developed for customer success management can also be used effectively with your customer acquisitions team as well.
Businesses who are seeking greater profitability, and enhanced efficiency in their business operations would benefit greatly from working with a professional. Someone who could help them see the greater possibilities. With customer success management consulting they can greatly increase their profits.
What do your employees do, and why do they do it?
You may be surprised, but too often executives and business owners cannot answer this question. They often have vague ideas, but not a definitive answer.
The reason I ask this question is if you as the executive do not know the answer to this question how are your employees going to know?
One reason this question is so hard to answer is as the business has grown employees just do what has to be done. But sometimes it is not the most effective, or efficient thing to do. The business processes grew organically, but without taking the bigger growth plan into account.
Often there is no defined business process, or any formal training provided. This creates an environment where things can get missed. When things get missed mistakes happen. Mistakes can cost your business a lot of money. You can minimize, or even completely avoid mistakes when you have well defined business processes, and a properly trained staff.
Building efficient and effective business processes takes time. When you invest the time to ensure your employees fully understand the what, why, and how of their contributions, the business is more profitable. The next time someone asks you what do your employees do you’ll be able to clearly explaining what each one does, how they do it, and why they do it.
Your business will be better, and more profitable because of your well made investment in efficent business processes.
4 reasons you lost your last sale.
Why did you lose your last sale?