The 28 variables of Sales Growth:

1)     Sales Strategy

2)     Customer Gradation

3)     Account Planning

4)     Client Experience Defined

5)     Strategic Account Planning

6)     Lead Generation Program

7)     Sales Talent

8)     Sales Productivity

9)     Hiring

10)   Sales Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

11)   Sales Management

12)   Training

13)   Self-Directed

14)   Sales Structure

15)   Sales Process

16)   CRM

17)   Accountability

18)   Business Metrics

19)   Compensation Plan

20)   Communication Schedule

21)   Reporting

22)   Environment

23)   Culture

24)   Career Path

25)   Communication

26)   Morale

27)   Teaming

28)   Trust Quotient (TQ)

More later on what to do with them… but one question: are you YOUR best with them all yet?

Joe

Let’s be honest, how many times does someone who knows you fairly well still say, “I didn’t know you did that?”

For whatever its worth, entreQuest has been around for more than nine years and my PARENTS are still trying to figure out what I do every day.

So what does this mean?

Possible several things:
1.      People don’t like you. (sorry loser)
2.      They don’t want to know what you do. (probably a bigger loser than #1)
3.      You have told them and they forgot. (you weren’t memorable)
4.      You have told them but they weren’t listening. (you weren’t engaging)
5.      You have told them in a way that wasn’t COMPLETELY clear. (you mumble)

Here is the reality – it doesn’t matter whether it’s #1, #4 or all of the above, your job in sales, business development or as the owner of a  business is to educate and communicate to your community.  The only to know you have done this successfully is if your business is growing via word-of-mouth or reputation based lead generation.

Ask any teacher, education and communication is not an event but a process.

So the question is, how are you educating your community on an on-going basis and not a one-time event?

At entreQuest, we look for a few things:
1.      How can you help them first? (try listening)
2.      How can you be more interested in them vs. the other way around? (try listening more)
3.      Use all forms of media and mediums: in-person, phone, email, social media, blogs, videos, SMS and anything else you can get our hands on. (keep listening but keep it interesting for them to read)

Past this, have patience with people that you have yet to do a GREAT job of educating.  Old studies would say it takes seven times to get your message across for people to buy.

All I know is whether its seven times or 70, communication is the response you get back.  So if people aren’t responding to you – re-read the above – 70 times!

Be YOUR best,

Joe

So you have rolled out a new plan… now what?

How can you ensure the motivation lasts and the change sticks?

Just like politics and the presidency – the first 100 days is everything…

In order to see sustainable results over the first 100 days you must:

1. Over communicate the vision, plan or strategy again, again and again. Your team can’t win if they’re not amazingly clear on what they are aiming for- the vision.  Clarifying vision should be done weekly in 1:1’s, team meetings, emails, a weekly blog and/or v-log (video blog) from the leadership in the company.  This is the inspiration, pace and frequency they need.  Communication is the response you get back in action, not what people say.

2.  Create SHORT-term success! Most presidents try to take on too much without creating momentum first.  I won’t mention any names but we have witnessed this phenomenon recently.  As an old sage once said, “Don’t take an action to create a result, take an action to create a habit… and let the habit create the results.”

3.  Don’t declare victory too soon. Remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint.  Its easy for the human condition to feel like they are at the high point after the “kick-off” meeting.  This is not the high, but only the beginning.

4.  Keep moving forward – no matter what. It’s easy to second guess the strategy or plan, but in reality it now comes down to mindset and the actual execution.  Some companies get caught in the weeds of the unknown soon after the kick-off meeting because they believe they need all the details.  When in fact – 70% of the details will do just fine. Don’t let perfect ruin good.

5.  Make it hurt! If the day after you workout you are not sore, stiff and hurt… then you haven’t pushed your self to the edge.  You didn’t grow.  The same holds true in your first 100 days.  If the plan or strategy is truly different, you should be uncomfortable daily and notice it.  Remember change is inevitable, progress is not.

You can always adjust as you go. But as my father-in-law says – “always time to do it over, never time to do it right!”

As a leader you must set the standard, defy the odds, remove the obstacles and lead by example in the first 100 days.

This will set the tone for the rest of the year.

Be YOUR Best,

Joe