Dr. Jason’s I Speak Life™ Newsletter – Volume 8 Issue 6
Inside This Issue
• Building Winning Sales Strategies
• Message from the President
• Consulting Focus: Social Responsibility
• Industry Perspectives
Building Winning Sales Strategies
Successful selling is a deliberate, thoughtful activity. It requires a process that is repeatable. The lack of a sales strategy is very often the cause of poor sales results. The problem is that many salespeople do not know how to develop a winning sales strategy. The strategy does not have to be complex to be effective.
A sales strategy is essentially a game plan. It positions a company’s brand or product to gain an advantage over the competition. Successful strategies help the sales force focus on target customers and communicate with them effectively. Sales representatives need to know how their products or services can solve customer problems. A successful sales strategy conveys this so that the sales force spends time targeting the correct customers at the correct time.
In doing the research, some of the common sales strategies that produced the best results included:
- Finding growth opportunities.
Where are the untapped targets? Identify the markets that will produce increased revenues in the future. It is important to find these opportunities before competitors do.
- Focusing on customer needs and buying habits.
This requires listening to customers and doing the necessary homework on the market. The overall sales experience is often ranked high in importance by buyers. The key is to deliver what the customer wants when they want it.
- Setting measureable goals.
The goals must be quantifiable. There must be a means to track progress toward the sales goals that have been set. Having milestones allows adjustments to be made along the way when necessary.
- Developing relationships.
Strong customer relationships drive sales, sustainability, and growth. Positive relationships can lead to future business through referrals, partnerships and satisfied repeat customers. When there is trust and confidence in the sales team, it is much easier to make the sale.
Successful strategies are independent of the size of the sales staff or the sales budget of the organization. They require wisdom, discipline and focus and the part of the team. Any organization can adopt these strategies and realize increased performance. A lackluster sales force can be transformed into sales leaders. The results may not occur immediately, but with methodical adherence to the plan, success can be achieved.
Message from the President
“Each day is a commencement of sorts—a new beginning and an opportunity…”
Graduation season is in full swing. Students all across the country are completing their studies at high schools, colleges and universities. They are walking across stages to receive their diplomas as a sign of completion of studies at that particular level. Many see graduation as the end, but as the term “commencement” suggests, graduation is just the beginning. It is the beginning of future opportunities and new challenges.
Learning should be a lifelong journey. As long as you are alive, you should always be seeking to gain knowledge in some area. After all, none of us knows everything there is to know in any given subject matter. Each day is a commencement of sorts–a new beginning and an opportunity to do something with the 24 hours that have been given to us. Make sure you are seizing the moment each day to progress toward your goals.
Consulting Focus: Social Responsibility
Social responsibility is the obligation of an organization’s management concerning the wellbeing and interests of the society in which it operates. It involves developing positive relationships in that society. Social responsibility is a set of ethical values suggesting an obligation to provide a benefit to the surrounding culture.
The concept of social responsibility is derived from The Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Being socially responsible means that people must behave ethically and be sensitive to social, cultural, economic and environmental issues.
Many organizations have made social responsibility a part of their business models. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) means a commitment to policies that integrate responsible practices into daily business operations, and to reporting on progress made toward implementing them. CSR reports typically address issues impacting areas such as ethics, hiring practices, opportunity and training, responsible supply chain policies, and environmental impact.
Critics contend that CSR distracts from the fundamental economic role of businesses, while proponents argue that corporations increase long term profits by operating with a CSR perspective. In either case, socially responsible individuals are demanding companies and organizations become more socially accountable. Some investors decide whether or not to invest in a company based upon its social responsibility, or lack thereof.
Industry Perspectives
When organizations make an investment in engaging a consultant, and vice versa, generally the parties are looking to establish a long-term relationship. Even if the current project is a short-term one, the door should be kept open for future collaboration. It requires more resources and effort to establish new business relationships than it does to maintain existing ones. Therefore, as a consultant, it is important to develop and maintain a rapport with the client. It takes time to build trust and comfort with the team. The consultant should understand his or her impact on the organization—and hopefully the impact is positive.
Establishing a mutually productive relationship with a client demands attention to many complex activities, including bringing useful ideas to the client, building a network of supporters, and maintaining visibility. Ultimately, results will drive repeat business.