If your salespeople aren’t doing most of the things below, they aren’t pros, they are amateurs.
* Reconfirm appointments. Do all of your salespeople reconfirm their appointments a day prior or, if they are flying out of town, the day before leaving on their trip? Only amateurs drive or fly to a customer site to find the customer forgot the appointment. It’s an expensive mistake.
* Call when arriving late. Nothing bothers me more than a salesperson who shows up late to a meeting without calling ahead. To make matters worse, most of the time, they don’t even apologize for being late.
* Plan sales calls in advance. A pro goes into every sales call with a written plan of objectives to achieve on that call. Amateurs just wing it. If you’re like me, you can tell when you’re dealing with a pro who has planned in advance for a meeting versus an amateur who is just winging it. What do your salespeople do?
* Thank-you notes. Once in a blue moon, I will get a follow-up e-mail but it has been years since I have gotten a handwritten thank you note after a big sales call or order. While an e-mail “thank you” is better than nothing, a handwritten one stands out and identifies you as a pro. Do your salespeople do this?
* Use a CRM. Customer relationship management software is used by almost all pros. CRM software allows you to keep notes on what was discussed on previous calls, has a section for personal information about each customer that you can work into your sales calls and gives you a purchase history that you should review before every call. You should also take a few minutes to update your CRM system after every call or at night.
* Personal growth. Do your salespeople read books on sales and business, are they active in trade groups, do they go to sales training seminars, do they join sales and marketing groups and other things that help them grow as professional salespeople?
* Send presents. Pros do little things like sending baby presents, wedding presents and flowers after the death of the loved one of a customer.
* Pass on some sales. It’s hard for any salesperson to turn down an order but you gain a lot of credibility with your customers when what they’re trying to buy isn’t really the best solution. When you turn down an order and steer a customer to a competitor you stand out as a pro. Do your sales reps ever do this?
* Ask for referrals. Pros always ask for referrals from happy customers. However, most amateur salespeople never even ask for referrals. Do your salespeople consistently ask for referrals?
* Be active in associations. Pros are active in trade associations, amateurs are just on the membership list, if that. Customers who are active in trade associations tend to buy from suppliers who support the trade association with their time and money. Are your salespeople active in trade associations?
Jim Sobeck is CEO of New South Construction Supply, a building products distributor based in Greenville with ten locations in the Carolinas and Georgia. He is the author of “The Real Business 101: Lessons From the Trenches.” newsouthsupply.com.
