This supplement provides more detail on a career of proven sales performance and my extensive sales management and sales training experience. Throughout my career, I have consistently paid my way and contributed to the revenue and profitability goals of my employers through personal sales, effective sales force management and or seller development and training.
School of Advertising and Art – Dayton, Ohio (3 years)
In my current position as instructor for over 3 years, I continue to develop and deliver college level marketing curriculum that includes sales approaches, sales strategies and processes.
Cassano’s Inc. - Dayton, Ohio (5 years)
As director of business development, I developed a vertical market oriented commercial catering and luncheon program and a consumer party business. As a part of that business development process, I was instrumental in the initial sales and ongoing account management of major catering accounts.
Marketing and Advertising Agencies- Dayton, Ohio (3 years)
During my short career with advertising agencies, I was instrumental in developing new agency offerings and the acquisition and management of new business accounts. As account manager, I would also work with businesses to plan, produce and implement marketing and sales initiatives within their own marketplaces.
Technology Resource Group - Dayton, Ohio (3 Years)
As president of Telecom Resource Group for 10 years, I built on my NEC experience to continue sales and sales management training and marketing consulting under an updated brand. Back in the consulting and education business, I continued to update, diversify (other types of sales) and automate (multimedia) my sales curriculum. During this timeframe, I contracted for strategic planning and executive coaching services at the senior management level as well as strategic planning and tactical program development at the marketing and sales level of all types of sales organizations.
A. Continued to update sales and sales management training curriculum
B. Developed interactive multimedia sales and sales management training programs
C. Integrated sales training with sales messages within point of sale interactive multimedia programs
Samples are available upon request
D. Worked with leading telecom industry players to develop and implement sales training and sales
management programs
E. Diversified to program development and training in all four major types of selling
F. Excellent interactive communications, speaker and motivation skills
G. Extensive experience delivering my own training material as well as packaged curriculum
H. Integrate strong presentation skills with practical experience (actual stories) and extensive
knowledge base to establish credential quickly and keep students engaged
NEC America Inc – Dallas, Texas (13 Years)
As consultant to NEC for 4 years and as Director and V.P. of Marketing for 9 years, I was instrumental in developing and delivery of sales and sales management programs for our North American, Canadian and the South American markets. These programs along with innovative marketing approaches produced substantial sales growth.
A. Developed and implemented direct and dealer sales programs to open new market places in Australia
B. Developed and implemented sales and sales management curriculum for a nation wide direct sales
force in the U.S. and Canada
C. Developed and implemented business development, sales and sales management training programs
for a nation wide dealer network
D. Founded and developed the NEC Academy for Corporate and Professional Development that is
still in operation today
E. Developed and trained on the use of interactive multimedia point of sale materials
Telecom Resources of America – Dayton, Ohio (8 Years)
As president and primary trainer for over 10 years, I provided the principle leadership and direction in the growth and success of the company while authoring and delivering a majority of the company’s telecom industry recognized sales and sales management training programs. As a result of working with several major manufacturers within the industry, leading industry organizations, plus hundred of dealers and resellers, I was able to acquire extensive sales and sales force management knowledge and training expertise.
A. Researched and wrote several industry sales and sales management manuals
B. Developed marketing, sales, and sales management seminar materials
C. Delivered marketing, sales, and sales management seminars and spoke at many industry and
business conferences on technology
D. Trained and educated hundreds of telecom industry sales and management professionals
E. Consulted with all types and sizes of telecommunications industry companies and industry leading
manufactures such as Toshiba, Inter-tel, Avia, and NEC in Australia and New Zealand
F. Authored and published numerous industry articles, white papers, and manuals on sales
Business Telephone Systems, Columbus/Dayton, Ohio (10 Years)
As director of marketing and sales, I spent over 10 years in direct sales and the developing and delivery of sales and sales force management training programs that had measurable sales, revenue and profit growth results.
A. Successfully acquired new accounts through the sale and implementation of telecommunication
systems
B. I profiled, hired, trained and managed selling teams and large regional sales forces
C. I developed a customer lifecycle sales concept that is based on two of the four types of selling
Consultative (new system sales)
Relationship (transition sales and aftermarket sales)
D. Developed and implemented sales and sales management curriculum for a regional (Ohio and Indiana)
sales force of over 25 sellers
E. Developed expensive buyer decision support material and trained sellers on how to use it
Retail (B to C) and Commercial (B to B) Sales – Nebraska and Ohio (6 Years)
Fresh out of the Army, I began my career with retail sales in camera stores. After five years of successful B to C sales and retail store management, I moved into commercial sales of office equipment, first generation computers and telecommunications systems. After building a reputation for leading edge technology sales, I moved to Ohio to help start a couple of telecommunications sales businesses. I also began my sales and sales management training career through the delivery of seminars throughout the telecommunications industry.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Personal (Business) Bibliography
This post reflects all of the references and resources that have helped to shape my business perspectives over the years. One secret to keeping pace with business is to establish a high priority and investment commitment in personal and career development. I feel that it is important to maintain a competitive edge and consistently increase my marketability by staying current with business. Throughout my career, I have attended numerous seminars, programs and training courses, continuing education programs as well as reading many of the following references. As a result, I must thank all of the business people that I have met in my life that have shared their secrets to success and to all of these authors who have shared their perspectives - they have each played a part in shaping my perspectives and my success today.
1. The Bible
2. The Greatest Salesman in the World (Og Mandino)
3. How to Develop Your Personal Selling Power (Mendal Segal)
4. Successful Cold Call Selling (Lee Boyans)
5. The 5 Great Rules Of Selling (Percy H. Whiting)
6. A Complete Manual of Professional Selling (Vince Pesce)
7. In Search Of Excellence (Thomas Peters/Robert Waterman)
8. The Sale Begins When The Customer Says No (Elmer G. Letterman)
9. The Success System That Never Fails (Stone)
10. Nice Guys Finish First (Deville)
11. Non‑Manipulative Trust‑Bond Selling (Anthony Allesandra)
12. Profitable Salesmanship In The 80's (Gary Goodman)
13. How to Outsell The Born Salesman (Collier McMillian & William Frank)
14. Confident Selling (James Fisher Jr.)
15. The Best Seller (Janet Elsea)
16. The Magic Of Thinking Big In Selling (Jon Doherty & Bob Hoehan)
17. Selling Leverage (William Exton Jr.)
18. The Success Handbook for Sales People (Paul Micali)
19. Kuesel on Closing Sales (Harry Kuesel)
20. Excellence (Dr. John Gardner)
21. Games People Play (Dr. Eric Berne)
22. I'm Ok You're Ok (Dr. Thomas Harris)
23. I Ain't Much Baby ‑ But I'm All I've Got (Dr. Less Lair)
24. The Strategy of Success (Auren Uris)
25. On Your Way To The Top In Selling (Perry Wilber)
26. The Professional Image (Susan Bixler)
27. Inside the Tornado (Geoffrey Moore)
28. New Call Selling ‑ Cold Call Success (Don Beveridge)
29. Negotiate To Close (Gary Karrass)
30. Spin Selling (Neil Rackham)
31. Situational Selling (Paul J. Kelly)
32. Consultative Selling and Key Account Selling (Mack Hanan)
33. Shut‑Up and Sell (Don Sheehan)
34. Secrets of The Master Sellers (Porter Henry)
35. Changing the Game: The New Way to Sell (Larry Wilson/Hersch Wilson)
36. The Third Force: The Psychology of Abraham Maslow (Frank G. Goble)
37. How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)
38. How to Develop Self‑Confidence and Influence People By Public Speaking Dale Carnegie
39. How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling (Frank Bettger)
40. Good to Great (Jim Collins)
41. Values-Based Selling: The Art of Building High-Trust Client Relationships (Bill Bachrach)
42. The Purpose Driven Life (Rick Warren)
43. Bottom-Line Selling (Jack Malcolm)
44. Selling to VITO/Five Minutes with VITO (David Mattson)
45. How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling (Frank Bettger)
46. The Little Red Book of Selling – The Patterson Principles (Jeffrey Gitomer)
47. Selling Through Negotiation: The Handbook of Sales Negotiation Homer B. Smith (AMA)
48. The Project 50 (Tom Peters)
49. How to Master the Art of Selling – Tom Hopkins
50. The Psychology of Selling – Brian Tracy
51. Secrets of Closing the Sale and Zigler on Selling – Zig Zigler
52. Selling to Big Companies – Jill Konrath
53. The Art of War – Sun Tzu
54. The Book of the Five Rings (Miyamoto Musashi)
55. Kinesics: The Power Of Silent Command (Merlyn Cundiff)
56. The Memory Book (Harry Lorayn & Jerry Lucas)
57. Winning By Telephone (Raymond Dreyback)
58. The Four Minute Sale (Ron Willingham)
1. The Bible
2. The Greatest Salesman in the World (Og Mandino)
3. How to Develop Your Personal Selling Power (Mendal Segal)
4. Successful Cold Call Selling (Lee Boyans)
5. The 5 Great Rules Of Selling (Percy H. Whiting)
6. A Complete Manual of Professional Selling (Vince Pesce)
7. In Search Of Excellence (Thomas Peters/Robert Waterman)
8. The Sale Begins When The Customer Says No (Elmer G. Letterman)
9. The Success System That Never Fails (Stone)
10. Nice Guys Finish First (Deville)
11. Non‑Manipulative Trust‑Bond Selling (Anthony Allesandra)
12. Profitable Salesmanship In The 80's (Gary Goodman)
13. How to Outsell The Born Salesman (Collier McMillian & William Frank)
14. Confident Selling (James Fisher Jr.)
15. The Best Seller (Janet Elsea)
16. The Magic Of Thinking Big In Selling (Jon Doherty & Bob Hoehan)
17. Selling Leverage (William Exton Jr.)
18. The Success Handbook for Sales People (Paul Micali)
19. Kuesel on Closing Sales (Harry Kuesel)
20. Excellence (Dr. John Gardner)
21. Games People Play (Dr. Eric Berne)
22. I'm Ok You're Ok (Dr. Thomas Harris)
23. I Ain't Much Baby ‑ But I'm All I've Got (Dr. Less Lair)
24. The Strategy of Success (Auren Uris)
25. On Your Way To The Top In Selling (Perry Wilber)
26. The Professional Image (Susan Bixler)
27. Inside the Tornado (Geoffrey Moore)
28. New Call Selling ‑ Cold Call Success (Don Beveridge)
29. Negotiate To Close (Gary Karrass)
30. Spin Selling (Neil Rackham)
31. Situational Selling (Paul J. Kelly)
32. Consultative Selling and Key Account Selling (Mack Hanan)
33. Shut‑Up and Sell (Don Sheehan)
34. Secrets of The Master Sellers (Porter Henry)
35. Changing the Game: The New Way to Sell (Larry Wilson/Hersch Wilson)
36. The Third Force: The Psychology of Abraham Maslow (Frank G. Goble)
37. How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)
38. How to Develop Self‑Confidence and Influence People By Public Speaking Dale Carnegie
39. How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling (Frank Bettger)
40. Good to Great (Jim Collins)
41. Values-Based Selling: The Art of Building High-Trust Client Relationships (Bill Bachrach)
42. The Purpose Driven Life (Rick Warren)
43. Bottom-Line Selling (Jack Malcolm)
44. Selling to VITO/Five Minutes with VITO (David Mattson)
45. How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling (Frank Bettger)
46. The Little Red Book of Selling – The Patterson Principles (Jeffrey Gitomer)
47. Selling Through Negotiation: The Handbook of Sales Negotiation Homer B. Smith (AMA)
48. The Project 50 (Tom Peters)
49. How to Master the Art of Selling – Tom Hopkins
50. The Psychology of Selling – Brian Tracy
51. Secrets of Closing the Sale and Zigler on Selling – Zig Zigler
52. Selling to Big Companies – Jill Konrath
53. The Art of War – Sun Tzu
54. The Book of the Five Rings (Miyamoto Musashi)
55. Kinesics: The Power Of Silent Command (Merlyn Cundiff)
56. The Memory Book (Harry Lorayn & Jerry Lucas)
57. Winning By Telephone (Raymond Dreyback)
58. The Four Minute Sale (Ron Willingham)
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Perspectives: Business Operations (Back-office)
While most of my other posts focus on front-office business units and their strategies for success, this one will focus on the back office and their strategies for success. Back office business units focus on the bottom-line and incremental reductions through the prevention, reduction and control of costs.
1. Business administration centers (Executive/human resources/finance/etc.)
2. Offering production centers (Manufacturing/delivery – operations)
3. Supplier (partner) management centers
Workforce Productivity VisionIn today's fast paced and highly competitive marketplace, workforce productivity is a corporate wide, strategic business imperative that must focus resources and initiatives on delivering tangible benefits at key levels of the organization.
Corporate Cultures
In today's business environment, two basic types of corporate cultures have emerged
Activity Based (Cope) Corporate Culture (Glass half empty)Identified here are some of the key characteristics of today’s “cant-do” corporate culture. These informal and assumed attitudes, expectations, beliefs, behaviors, values and standards have typically evolved over a long period of time. They are generally fueled by negative industry, marketplace and customer experiences compounded by mission critical business mistakes. Drop me a note and ask for a detailed description of this established culture.
Results Based (Compete) Corporate Culture (Glass half full)
Identified here are some of the key characteristics of today’s “can-do” corporate culture. These clearly defined and articulated attitudes, expectations, beliefs, behaviors, values and standards tend to build on positive industry and business experiences. They continuously evolve and are often impacted by prevailing marketplace expectations and customer demands coupled with timely and accurate business decisions.
Drop me a note and ask for a detailed description of this emerging culture.
Workforce Productivity CultureWorkforce productivity is the integration of human and company resource management, organizational leadership and individual employee coaching functions into a cohesive program focused on meeting business priorities and challenges at mission critical levels of the business.
The Traditional Hire and Hope Culture (Refer to Management Perspectives Post)
This traditional culture is based on the simple premise that business success is based on chance and the chances for success can be increased with a reactive workforce productivity strategy. It is based on a tactical principle that a business typically leaves its chances for success up to individual effort and their ability to maximize that effort through responsive workforce productivity programs.
The Emerging Profile and Predict Culture (Refer to Management Perspectives Post)This contemporary culture is based on the simple premise that business success is highly predictable and a proactive workforce productivity strategy can shape that success. It is built on the strategic principle that a business can not afford to leave its success up to individual effort, they must ensure their success through workforce strategies that profile, plan and model success. Only then can individual effort become a competitive edge.
Top Line Benefit of Profile and Predict Workforce Productivity Culture
On one side of the workforce productivity value promise is the top line benefits that it can bring at mission critical levels of the organization. Each element of the program can drive short-term, tangible and long-term, intangible benefits to departments, groups, and individual employees that can generate substantial increases in performance and results.
Bottom Line Benefits of the Profile and Predict Workforce Productivity Culture
On the other side of the workforce productivity value promise is the bottom line impact that it can have on avoiding and minimizing the consequences of not having a cohesive and effective workforce productivity program in place. These short-term, tangible and long-term, intangible benefits can eliminate or reduce profit drain caused by poor recruiting, inconsistent hiring, in-effective training, high turnover and other manpower challenges.
Workforce Organization and Staffing
Maximizing workforce productivity begins with a workforce that is effectively organized. Many organizations apply a tactical approach to organizational structure instead of a strategic – planned approach at key phases of the business evolution. We begin our evaluation of your workforce productivity requirements by looking at current organizational structure priorities and challenges.
1. Organizational Structure
2. Staffing Requisitions
3. Applicant Profiling (Job descriptions)
4. Position Requisitioning
5. Applicant Sourcing
6. Internal Job Posting
7. External Candidate Searching
8. Turnover Contingency Plan
Organizational Structure - Established Hierarchy Business Infrastructures
Traditional, established hierarchy (silo) business infrastructures can generally be identified with these basic characteristics.
Inward focused (company friendly) hierarchy organizational structures
Traditional production, product or selling focused planning culture
1. Production Culture (Focus on production and cost control and reduction)
2. Product Culture (Focus on innovative offerings and competitive prices)
3. Selling Culture (Focus on marketing strategies and sales/distribution tactics)
4. Classic business development (decentralized/departmental) planning process
Organizational Structure - Emerging Virtual Business InfrastructuresContemporary, emerging virtual (dynamic) business environments can generally be identified with these basic characteristics.
Outward focused (market/consumer friendly) virtual organizational structures
Consumer and/or market focused planning culture
1. Marketplace Culture (Focus on market demands)
A. Drive customer satisfaction (needs/wants/demands)
B. Deliver customer value (products/services/experiences)
2. Customer Culture (Focus on buyer expectations) (Customer life cycle philosophy)
3. Contemporary business performance (centralized/collaborative) planning process
Workforce Hiring and Recruiting
Once effective recruiting strategies are in place, timely and accurate hiring must be implemented based on the implementation of these basic principles and strategies.
1. Application Screening
2. Candidate Interviewing
3. Candidate Profiling (Job descriptions)
4. Candidate testing
5. Record Checks
6. Validation of References
7. Candidate Selection
Workforce Orientation and Assimilation (New Employee)
Once the best match to the applicant profile and job description is hired, he/she must be brought up to speed quickly and effectively through an accelerated new employee assimilation program. This program must be personally configured to meet the specific needs of the new employee and maximize his/her performance in the shortest time. Refer to head-start program
1. Process (processing and familiarization)
2. Learn (orientation and training)
A. General (All employees)
B. Specific (Individual jobs) (Hard/job/task skills and soft/work/people skills)
3. Practice (objectives and activity) Activity tracking - Numbers
4. Perform (goals and results) Performance reporting - Ratios
Workforce Performance and Policies (All employees)The overall performance of the organization must be managed through a qualified and motivated human resources leader or team. The company wide elements of human resource management outlined here deal with the administration and maintenance of employment records and programs across the business.
1. Benefits Administration
2. Payroll Management
3. Regulatory Compliance
4. Risk Management
5. Legal Administration
6. Employee Relations
7. Personnel Management (Policy Handbook)
A. Welcome and Introduction
B. Equal Opportunity (100 series)
C. Terms of Employment (200 series)
D. Compensation and Benefits (300 series)
E. Attendance and Leave (400 series)
F. Ethics and Employee Conduct (500 series)
G. Environment and Resource Management (600 series)
Workforce Productivity and Procedures (Individual employees)
While overall organization performance is managed by the human resources group, individual employee productivity is a leadership function through department, team and group leadership. These important elements of workforce productivity are focused on the leadership, coaching and supervision of individual employees by their immediate supervisors.
1. Operations Manual (Procedures)
2. Crisis Operations Management
3. Policies and Procedures Compliance
4. Job Descriptions and Expectations
5. Leadership and Coaching (Refer to Management Perspectives Post)
6. Supervision and Control
7. Performance and Attendance
8. Reviews and Appraisals
Workforce Training and Development
Hiring qualified employees and placing them into a productivity environment is only a part of the process. To maintain maximum productivity from each and every employee, we must implement some key strategies focused on individual employee training and development.
1. Business Management (Refer to Business Management Perspectives Post)
2. Organizational Leadership
3. Employee Coaching
4. Personal Development
5. Career (job) Training
6. Sales Training (Refer to Sales Perspectives Post)
1. Business administration centers (Executive/human resources/finance/etc.)
2. Offering production centers (Manufacturing/delivery – operations)
3. Supplier (partner) management centers
Workforce Productivity VisionIn today's fast paced and highly competitive marketplace, workforce productivity is a corporate wide, strategic business imperative that must focus resources and initiatives on delivering tangible benefits at key levels of the organization.
Corporate Cultures
In today's business environment, two basic types of corporate cultures have emerged
Activity Based (Cope) Corporate Culture (Glass half empty)Identified here are some of the key characteristics of today’s “cant-do” corporate culture. These informal and assumed attitudes, expectations, beliefs, behaviors, values and standards have typically evolved over a long period of time. They are generally fueled by negative industry, marketplace and customer experiences compounded by mission critical business mistakes. Drop me a note and ask for a detailed description of this established culture.
Results Based (Compete) Corporate Culture (Glass half full)
Identified here are some of the key characteristics of today’s “can-do” corporate culture. These clearly defined and articulated attitudes, expectations, beliefs, behaviors, values and standards tend to build on positive industry and business experiences. They continuously evolve and are often impacted by prevailing marketplace expectations and customer demands coupled with timely and accurate business decisions.
Drop me a note and ask for a detailed description of this emerging culture.
Workforce Productivity CultureWorkforce productivity is the integration of human and company resource management, organizational leadership and individual employee coaching functions into a cohesive program focused on meeting business priorities and challenges at mission critical levels of the business.
The Traditional Hire and Hope Culture (Refer to Management Perspectives Post)
This traditional culture is based on the simple premise that business success is based on chance and the chances for success can be increased with a reactive workforce productivity strategy. It is based on a tactical principle that a business typically leaves its chances for success up to individual effort and their ability to maximize that effort through responsive workforce productivity programs.
The Emerging Profile and Predict Culture (Refer to Management Perspectives Post)This contemporary culture is based on the simple premise that business success is highly predictable and a proactive workforce productivity strategy can shape that success. It is built on the strategic principle that a business can not afford to leave its success up to individual effort, they must ensure their success through workforce strategies that profile, plan and model success. Only then can individual effort become a competitive edge.
Top Line Benefit of Profile and Predict Workforce Productivity Culture
On one side of the workforce productivity value promise is the top line benefits that it can bring at mission critical levels of the organization. Each element of the program can drive short-term, tangible and long-term, intangible benefits to departments, groups, and individual employees that can generate substantial increases in performance and results.
Bottom Line Benefits of the Profile and Predict Workforce Productivity Culture
On the other side of the workforce productivity value promise is the bottom line impact that it can have on avoiding and minimizing the consequences of not having a cohesive and effective workforce productivity program in place. These short-term, tangible and long-term, intangible benefits can eliminate or reduce profit drain caused by poor recruiting, inconsistent hiring, in-effective training, high turnover and other manpower challenges.
Workforce Organization and Staffing
Maximizing workforce productivity begins with a workforce that is effectively organized. Many organizations apply a tactical approach to organizational structure instead of a strategic – planned approach at key phases of the business evolution. We begin our evaluation of your workforce productivity requirements by looking at current organizational structure priorities and challenges.
1. Organizational Structure
2. Staffing Requisitions
3. Applicant Profiling (Job descriptions)
4. Position Requisitioning
5. Applicant Sourcing
6. Internal Job Posting
7. External Candidate Searching
8. Turnover Contingency Plan
Organizational Structure - Established Hierarchy Business Infrastructures
Traditional, established hierarchy (silo) business infrastructures can generally be identified with these basic characteristics.
Inward focused (company friendly) hierarchy organizational structures
Traditional production, product or selling focused planning culture
1. Production Culture (Focus on production and cost control and reduction)
2. Product Culture (Focus on innovative offerings and competitive prices)
3. Selling Culture (Focus on marketing strategies and sales/distribution tactics)
4. Classic business development (decentralized/departmental) planning process
Organizational Structure - Emerging Virtual Business InfrastructuresContemporary, emerging virtual (dynamic) business environments can generally be identified with these basic characteristics.
Outward focused (market/consumer friendly) virtual organizational structures
Consumer and/or market focused planning culture
1. Marketplace Culture (Focus on market demands)
A. Drive customer satisfaction (needs/wants/demands)
B. Deliver customer value (products/services/experiences)
2. Customer Culture (Focus on buyer expectations) (Customer life cycle philosophy)
3. Contemporary business performance (centralized/collaborative) planning process
Workforce Hiring and Recruiting
Once effective recruiting strategies are in place, timely and accurate hiring must be implemented based on the implementation of these basic principles and strategies.
1. Application Screening
2. Candidate Interviewing
3. Candidate Profiling (Job descriptions)
4. Candidate testing
5. Record Checks
6. Validation of References
7. Candidate Selection
Workforce Orientation and Assimilation (New Employee)
Once the best match to the applicant profile and job description is hired, he/she must be brought up to speed quickly and effectively through an accelerated new employee assimilation program. This program must be personally configured to meet the specific needs of the new employee and maximize his/her performance in the shortest time. Refer to head-start program
1. Process (processing and familiarization)
2. Learn (orientation and training)
A. General (All employees)
B. Specific (Individual jobs) (Hard/job/task skills and soft/work/people skills)
3. Practice (objectives and activity) Activity tracking - Numbers
4. Perform (goals and results) Performance reporting - Ratios
Workforce Performance and Policies (All employees)The overall performance of the organization must be managed through a qualified and motivated human resources leader or team. The company wide elements of human resource management outlined here deal with the administration and maintenance of employment records and programs across the business.
1. Benefits Administration
2. Payroll Management
3. Regulatory Compliance
4. Risk Management
5. Legal Administration
6. Employee Relations
7. Personnel Management (Policy Handbook)
A. Welcome and Introduction
B. Equal Opportunity (100 series)
C. Terms of Employment (200 series)
D. Compensation and Benefits (300 series)
E. Attendance and Leave (400 series)
F. Ethics and Employee Conduct (500 series)
G. Environment and Resource Management (600 series)
Workforce Productivity and Procedures (Individual employees)
While overall organization performance is managed by the human resources group, individual employee productivity is a leadership function through department, team and group leadership. These important elements of workforce productivity are focused on the leadership, coaching and supervision of individual employees by their immediate supervisors.
1. Operations Manual (Procedures)
2. Crisis Operations Management
3. Policies and Procedures Compliance
4. Job Descriptions and Expectations
5. Leadership and Coaching (Refer to Management Perspectives Post)
6. Supervision and Control
7. Performance and Attendance
8. Reviews and Appraisals
Workforce Training and Development
Hiring qualified employees and placing them into a productivity environment is only a part of the process. To maintain maximum productivity from each and every employee, we must implement some key strategies focused on individual employee training and development.
1. Business Management (Refer to Business Management Perspectives Post)
2. Organizational Leadership
3. Employee Coaching
4. Personal Development
5. Career (job) Training
6. Sales Training (Refer to Sales Perspectives Post)
Perspectives: Sales Training
There is always a direct relationship between the investment in seller training and development and the performance and results that you can expect. Organizations must make an investment in sales training and seller development in the following key areas.
Sales Training
Although there are as many types of sales training as there are sales experts, there are really only two effective ways to train consistently successful sales people.
1. Skills (Deductive) based - Single dimension
2. Process (Inductive) based – Multiple dimensions (My personal preference)
Through years of sales training experience, I have developed a highly effective, process based curriculum that is delivered within an interactive, multimedia software application. This teaching instrument is used in conjunction with a multimedia point-of-sale tool that integrates selling process, strategies, sales messages, sales tools and buying resources into a single application. Through interaction between the training application and the point-of-sale application delivers several advantages over traditional sales training programs.
1. Sellers (students) remain engaged with the digital (CD) curriculum, team activities, worksheets,
student teaching, and other contemporary teaching techniques
2. The curriculum is on the computer to respond to different student learning styles and pace
3. The curriculum can be divided into modules and delivered through diverse teaching techniques to
increase effectiveness while lowering training resource investment
4. The information, messages, skills and messages are standardized for more consistent results
5. The curriculum can be updated easily via the web or internal LAN or WAN
6. Students learn quicker with the integration of the teaching program (CD) and the point-of-sale (CD)
program along with practical application techniques
7. Testing and/or certification can be done through diverse strategies such as role playing, classroom
testing, web based testing, reporting and coaching
8. The programs serve as valuable resources for the sellers on a daily basis
9. The media provides sturcture for the selling process but the menus provide flexibility to customize
sales interaction to each buyer
10. Links to computer resident multimedia resoruces and links to external (web) resources provides
access to just the right materials and tools at the click of the mouse
11. Learning the material and having the resources available empowers students with self-confidence
Certifiable Knowledge Base
Much of the knowledge that a seller requires to be consistently productive can be delivered through self-learning teaching strategies and media supplemented with online testing.
1. Universal buying and selling process knowledge
2. Tested and certified company (corporate story) knowledge
3. Tested and certified offering knowledge
A. Deductive messaging
B. Inductive messaging
4. Offering portfolios, individual offerings, applications and solutions
5. Industry knowledge and information base
6. Marketplace (territory) and community perspectives
7. General business acumen
A. Targeted vertical market segment orientation
B. Targeted market demographic segment orientation
C. Buying teams and individual buyer profiles
D. Buying behavior and decision criteria
Demonstrable Skill Set - Hard Skills
Most of the hard skills and strategies that sellers need to learn should be taught through more supervised training techniques such as webinars, conferences and classroom programs.
1. Certified sales training (Specific selling type)
2. Skills (strategy) based
A. System (Features) sales best practices
B. Solution (Benefit) sales best practices
3. Process based (Buying and selling process)
4. Individual selling process phase skills and strategies
5. Sales automation and technology usage skills
6. Competitive Sales Strategies
7. Competitive intelligence policies and procedures
8. Competitive information and resource system
A. Strategic (positioning) competitive elimination strategies integrated into the selling cycle
B. Tactical (blocking/flanking) competitive termination strategies
Demonstrable Skill Set - Soft Skills
Most of the soft skills and strategies that sellers need should also be integrated into classroom, webinar and other supervised teaching techniques along with hard skills
1. Interpersonal relationship skills (Compatibility – personality trait versatility)
2. Communication, persuasion (lead) and negotiation (motivate) skills
3. Interactive (teamwork), presentation and demonstration skills
4. Selling tools and buyer influence resources usage skills
5. Sales organization, prioritizing and time management (Pipeline management)
Sales Training
Although there are as many types of sales training as there are sales experts, there are really only two effective ways to train consistently successful sales people.
1. Skills (Deductive) based - Single dimension
2. Process (Inductive) based – Multiple dimensions (My personal preference)
Through years of sales training experience, I have developed a highly effective, process based curriculum that is delivered within an interactive, multimedia software application. This teaching instrument is used in conjunction with a multimedia point-of-sale tool that integrates selling process, strategies, sales messages, sales tools and buying resources into a single application. Through interaction between the training application and the point-of-sale application delivers several advantages over traditional sales training programs.
1. Sellers (students) remain engaged with the digital (CD) curriculum, team activities, worksheets,
student teaching, and other contemporary teaching techniques
2. The curriculum is on the computer to respond to different student learning styles and pace
3. The curriculum can be divided into modules and delivered through diverse teaching techniques to
increase effectiveness while lowering training resource investment
4. The information, messages, skills and messages are standardized for more consistent results
5. The curriculum can be updated easily via the web or internal LAN or WAN
6. Students learn quicker with the integration of the teaching program (CD) and the point-of-sale (CD)
program along with practical application techniques
7. Testing and/or certification can be done through diverse strategies such as role playing, classroom
testing, web based testing, reporting and coaching
8. The programs serve as valuable resources for the sellers on a daily basis
9. The media provides sturcture for the selling process but the menus provide flexibility to customize
sales interaction to each buyer
10. Links to computer resident multimedia resoruces and links to external (web) resources provides
access to just the right materials and tools at the click of the mouse
11. Learning the material and having the resources available empowers students with self-confidence
Certifiable Knowledge Base
Much of the knowledge that a seller requires to be consistently productive can be delivered through self-learning teaching strategies and media supplemented with online testing.
1. Universal buying and selling process knowledge
2. Tested and certified company (corporate story) knowledge
3. Tested and certified offering knowledge
A. Deductive messaging
B. Inductive messaging
4. Offering portfolios, individual offerings, applications and solutions
5. Industry knowledge and information base
6. Marketplace (territory) and community perspectives
7. General business acumen
A. Targeted vertical market segment orientation
B. Targeted market demographic segment orientation
C. Buying teams and individual buyer profiles
D. Buying behavior and decision criteria
Demonstrable Skill Set - Hard Skills
Most of the hard skills and strategies that sellers need to learn should be taught through more supervised training techniques such as webinars, conferences and classroom programs.
1. Certified sales training (Specific selling type)
2. Skills (strategy) based
A. System (Features) sales best practices
B. Solution (Benefit) sales best practices
3. Process based (Buying and selling process)
4. Individual selling process phase skills and strategies
5. Sales automation and technology usage skills
6. Competitive Sales Strategies
7. Competitive intelligence policies and procedures
8. Competitive information and resource system
A. Strategic (positioning) competitive elimination strategies integrated into the selling cycle
B. Tactical (blocking/flanking) competitive termination strategies
Demonstrable Skill Set - Soft Skills
Most of the soft skills and strategies that sellers need should also be integrated into classroom, webinar and other supervised teaching techniques along with hard skills
1. Interpersonal relationship skills (Compatibility – personality trait versatility)
2. Communication, persuasion (lead) and negotiation (motivate) skills
3. Interactive (teamwork), presentation and demonstration skills
4. Selling tools and buyer influence resources usage skills
5. Sales organization, prioritizing and time management (Pipeline management)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Perspectives: Management, Leadership and Coaching
This posting focuses on organizational (sales force) management, leadership and coaching perspectives. My experience lead me to believe that management and leadership rely on two different profiles and require different skill sets. (Refer to the great leader posting)
Organizational (Workforce Productivity) CulturesIn today’s business, there are two basic types of organizational (workforce productivity) cultures that prevail.
The Traditional Hire and Hope Culture
Listed here are the basic characteristics of the traditional hire and hope culture that has evolved in business today.
1. Individual skill success philosophy
2. One seller fits all buyers
3. Hire the best sellers in the market
4. One sales approach fits all
5. Do-it yourself selling messages
6. Individualized skill set
7. Unstructured individual strategies
8. Individualized knowledge base
The Emerging Profile and Predict CultureListed here are the key characteristics of a more contemporary culture.
1. Corporate model success philosophy
2. Buyer/seller profile alignment
3. Profile successful sellers
4. Recruit and train to profile
5. Aligned sales/buying process
6. Common selling messages
7. Demonstrable skill
8. Proven strategies
9. Certified knowledge base
Company Resource Management (Converting company resources to results)
The first element deals with the practical (supervision) side of management and focuses on the effective utilization of the sales force and all selling resources.
1. Sales force administration
2. Individual job descriptions
3. Sales force compensation plans
4. Sales force staffing
5. Sales force control
6. Sales force organization (configuration)
Organization (Team) Leadership (Shaping individual people into productive teams)The second element deals with the human side of sales force management and focuses on organization or group (team) leadership.
1. Team seller recruiting
2. Team segmentation
3. Team motivation
4. Team support
5. Team control (Supervision)
6. Team performance management (Reporting)
Individual Employee Coaching (Motivating people into performers)The last element is the coaching and motivation of individual sellers to maximize performance and meet sales goals and objectives.
1. New seller head-start program
2. Processing (Assimilated)
3. Orientation (Training)
4. Activity (Practice)
5. Results (Perform)
6. Personal seller support
7. Individual seller supervision
8. Seller performance management
A. Activity (pipeline) reporting (sales force automation)
B. Performance tracking (conversion, transition and close ratios)
9. Individual seller motivation
10. Ongoing seller development
11. Seller compensation
Organizational (Workforce Productivity) CulturesIn today’s business, there are two basic types of organizational (workforce productivity) cultures that prevail.
The Traditional Hire and Hope Culture
Listed here are the basic characteristics of the traditional hire and hope culture that has evolved in business today.
1. Individual skill success philosophy
2. One seller fits all buyers
3. Hire the best sellers in the market
4. One sales approach fits all
5. Do-it yourself selling messages
6. Individualized skill set
7. Unstructured individual strategies
8. Individualized knowledge base
The Emerging Profile and Predict CultureListed here are the key characteristics of a more contemporary culture.
1. Corporate model success philosophy
2. Buyer/seller profile alignment
3. Profile successful sellers
4. Recruit and train to profile
5. Aligned sales/buying process
6. Common selling messages
7. Demonstrable skill
8. Proven strategies
9. Certified knowledge base
Company Resource Management (Converting company resources to results)
The first element deals with the practical (supervision) side of management and focuses on the effective utilization of the sales force and all selling resources.
1. Sales force administration
2. Individual job descriptions
3. Sales force compensation plans
4. Sales force staffing
5. Sales force control
6. Sales force organization (configuration)
Organization (Team) Leadership (Shaping individual people into productive teams)The second element deals with the human side of sales force management and focuses on organization or group (team) leadership.
1. Team seller recruiting
2. Team segmentation
3. Team motivation
4. Team support
5. Team control (Supervision)
6. Team performance management (Reporting)
Individual Employee Coaching (Motivating people into performers)The last element is the coaching and motivation of individual sellers to maximize performance and meet sales goals and objectives.
1. New seller head-start program
2. Processing (Assimilated)
3. Orientation (Training)
4. Activity (Practice)
5. Results (Perform)
6. Personal seller support
7. Individual seller supervision
8. Seller performance management
A. Activity (pipeline) reporting (sales force automation)
B. Performance tracking (conversion, transition and close ratios)
9. Individual seller motivation
10. Ongoing seller development
11. Seller compensation
Perspectives: Leaders, Stratigists and Managers
This posting provides some perspectives on leadership vs. management and tries to provide a definition of a strategist.
Great Leaders
In my experience, great leaders can "Motivate people into action" and lead with soft (people) skills. You will get as many different opinions of what makes a great business leader as you have "experts", but here are some traits that I think most great leaders posses.
1. They are typically drivers or expressives
2. Visionary (cast vision and direction)
3. Strategic (think big picture)
4. Success
5. Opportunity maker
6. People oriented (soft skills)
7. Role modeling
8. Conceptual
9. Autocratic
10. Charismatic
11. Thinking
12. Free-form
13. Front Wheel
14. Goals (results) oriented
15. Directing
16. Boundaries
17. Humanistic
18. Innovation
19. Subjective
20. Inspiring
Great Managers
In contrast to great leaders, my experience that great managers are good at "converting resources to results" - they are process oriented instead of people oriented. Here are some of the traits that I have found in great managers that I have worked with.
1. They tend to be analyticals and amiables
2. Tactician (small picture - directions)
3. Individual
4. Victories
5. Problem solver (dream catcher)
6. Task oriented
7. Decision making
8. Focused
9. Democratic
10. Bureaucratic
11. Doing
12. Structured
13. Back wheel
14. Objectives
15. Coaching
16. Policies
17. Systematic
18. Organization
19. Objective
20. Demanding
Great Strategists
If a business is lucky enough to have both a great leader and great managers, they are positioned for success. Often times a company does not have the resources for both. A strategist
can work with great leaders to catch and deliver vision, they work will with managers to cast and manage vision and they work best working both roles in smaller organizations. Here are some characteristics of a great strategist.
1. They tend to be expressives and drivers
2. Architects
3. Communicator
4. Collaborator
5. Negotiator
6. Facilitator
7. Motivator
8. Enabler
9. Catalyst
Strategist can bring great value to any size organization through these key benefits.
1. They champion core values
2. They bring historical perspectives (what's worked)
3. They tend to have experience and instincts
4. They typically build a strong knowledge base (Tacit)
5. They can focus research and benchmarking (Explicit)
6. They often have great internal Insight
7. They often have execlent external (marketplace) perspective
8. They stay current (Information, strategies, date)
9. They have an awareness of current situations
10. They often bring high levels of professional expertise
11. They can integrate peer opinions into action
Throughout my career, my life/work experiences have developed the strategist in me. That is what I do best. I work well alone, can complement a great leader and rely on a great manager to help the team get expected results. I can catch or cast vision when required, plan, organize and then implement effectively to make the vision a reality.
Great Leaders
In my experience, great leaders can "Motivate people into action" and lead with soft (people) skills. You will get as many different opinions of what makes a great business leader as you have "experts", but here are some traits that I think most great leaders posses.
1. They are typically drivers or expressives
2. Visionary (cast vision and direction)
3. Strategic (think big picture)
4. Success
5. Opportunity maker
6. People oriented (soft skills)
7. Role modeling
8. Conceptual
9. Autocratic
10. Charismatic
11. Thinking
12. Free-form
13. Front Wheel
14. Goals (results) oriented
15. Directing
16. Boundaries
17. Humanistic
18. Innovation
19. Subjective
20. Inspiring
Great Managers
In contrast to great leaders, my experience that great managers are good at "converting resources to results" - they are process oriented instead of people oriented. Here are some of the traits that I have found in great managers that I have worked with.
1. They tend to be analyticals and amiables
2. Tactician (small picture - directions)
3. Individual
4. Victories
5. Problem solver (dream catcher)
6. Task oriented
7. Decision making
8. Focused
9. Democratic
10. Bureaucratic
11. Doing
12. Structured
13. Back wheel
14. Objectives
15. Coaching
16. Policies
17. Systematic
18. Organization
19. Objective
20. Demanding
Great Strategists
If a business is lucky enough to have both a great leader and great managers, they are positioned for success. Often times a company does not have the resources for both. A strategist
can work with great leaders to catch and deliver vision, they work will with managers to cast and manage vision and they work best working both roles in smaller organizations. Here are some characteristics of a great strategist.
1. They tend to be expressives and drivers
2. Architects
3. Communicator
4. Collaborator
5. Negotiator
6. Facilitator
7. Motivator
8. Enabler
9. Catalyst
Strategist can bring great value to any size organization through these key benefits.
1. They champion core values
2. They bring historical perspectives (what's worked)
3. They tend to have experience and instincts
4. They typically build a strong knowledge base (Tacit)
5. They can focus research and benchmarking (Explicit)
6. They often have great internal Insight
7. They often have execlent external (marketplace) perspective
8. They stay current (Information, strategies, date)
9. They have an awareness of current situations
10. They often bring high levels of professional expertise
11. They can integrate peer opinions into action
Throughout my career, my life/work experiences have developed the strategist in me. That is what I do best. I work well alone, can complement a great leader and rely on a great manager to help the team get expected results. I can catch or cast vision when required, plan, organize and then implement effectively to make the vision a reality.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Perspectives: Business Performance (Front-office)
This posting focuses on "Front-office" business perspectives which deal with marketing, sales and customer service. In today's volatile business environments, front-office departments (business units) must have a "top-line focus on incremental gains in sales, revenue and profit while working together to deliver customer value in all phases of their life cycle.
1. Marketing centers - Company and offering marketing – Top of mind awareness
2. Sales centers - Offering sales – Selection preference
(New, transition and aftermarket sales)
3. Customer service centers – Retain customers and leverage circle of influence
Today there are two basic organizational and planning cultures prevalent today.
Established Business Development CultureEstablished hierarchy (silo) type business infrastructures can generally be identified with these three characteristics.
1. Inward focused (company friendly) hierarchy organizational structures
2. Production, product or selling focused planning culture
3. Traditional business development (decentralized/departmental) planning process
Yesterday’s decentralized (business development) planning process is structured around these traditional strategies or principles developed in the 1940's
Strategy 1: Pushing Strategy
Strategy 2: Pulling
Principle 1: Place
Principle 2: Price
Principle 3: Product
Principle 4: Promotion
Emerging Business Performance CultureEmerging virtual (dynamic) business environments can generally be identified with these three characteristics.
1. Outward focused (market/consumer friendly) virtual organizational structures
2. Consumer and/or market focused planning culture
3. Contemporary business performance (centralized/collaborative) planning process
Business Performance Planning Process
The business performance planning process integrates (focusing of resources) front-office business units (marketing, sales and service) into a cohesive unit focused on driving sales, revenue and profits. Outlined here are the key steps in the business performance planning process.
1. Identify (Plan)
2. Prioritize
3. Budget
4. Create (Innovate)
5. Produce
6. Implement (Empower)
7. Measure
8. Modify
Business Performance Plan Model – Our business performance (centralized/collaborative) planning process integrates proven (traditional) planning elements with new (First in the 1990's and again in the 2000's) marketing, sales and customer service initiatives into six key elements.
1. In-sync – Culture and environment
2. In-focus – Current situation analysis
3. On-target – Market segmentation - Positioning strategies (Marketplace and consumer)
4. In-demand – Go to market - Pushing strategies
5. In-play – Motivate the customer - Pulling strategies
6. With-passion – Point of contact - Influencing strategies
Section 1: In Sync – Performance Environment
Refer to business development vs. business performance culture definitions above
Establishing and maintaining the right culture and planning process for your business is the key to creating a business mentality that is "in-sync" with your industry, marketplace and consumers.
Section 2: In-Focus – Current situation analysis
There are four basic elements of the situation analysis
1. Historical Perspectives - Review period
Historical financial performance (Sales, revenue, profit, share)
2. Current Position – Reporting period (Year-to-date financial results)
Internal business assumptions (Internal insights)
3. Existing conditions - External business conditions (External perspectives)
4. Planned Performance – Forecasting period (Planned goals, objectives and results)
Section 3: On Target – Market Segmentation (Positioning Strategies)On-target depends on having a detailed understanding and responding to your targeted markets and customer profiles. There are two key positioning strategies
A. Focused Business Intelligence
B. Market segmentation and buyer profiling begins with two broad segments
1. Marketing level - B to B market segmentation (Segment profiles)
Selling level - Buying team profiles (Individual team buyers)
Commercial sales – New system buyers
Relationship sales – Existing system buyers
2. Marketing level - B to C market segmentation (Segment profiles)
Selling level - Individual buyer profiles
Commercial sales – New system buyers
Relationship sales – Existing system buyers
Section 4: On Demand – Go to market (Pushing strategies)There are five elements that make up the On-Demand section of the business performance plan
1. Market Demand Offerings (4 P’s – Products)
2. Dynamic Distribution Channels (4 P’s – Place)
3. Influential Public Relations (4 P’s – Promotions)
4. Performance Incentives (4 P’s – Promotions)
5. Supply Side Business Support
Section 5: In-play – Motivate Customers - Pulling Strategies
There are five elements that make up the In-Play section of the business performance plan.
1. Profitable Pricing Schemes (4 P’s = Pricing)
2. Marketplace Leadership Branding (4 P’s = Promotion)
3. Mass Consumer Advertising (4 P’s = Promotion)
4. Interactive Consumer Communications (4 P’s = Promotion)
5. Demand Side Promotions (4 P’s = Promotion)
Section 6: With Passion – Point of Contact (Influencing Strategies)There are five elements that make up the With Passion section of the business performance plan.
1. Point of Contact Resources (4 P’s = Promotion)
2. Event Experiences (4 P’s = Promotion)
3. Targeted Direct Marketing (4 P’s = Promotion)
4. Winning Sales Approaches (4 P’s = Promotion)
5. Demand Side Support (4 P’s = Promotion)
1. Marketing centers - Company and offering marketing – Top of mind awareness
2. Sales centers - Offering sales – Selection preference
(New, transition and aftermarket sales)
3. Customer service centers – Retain customers and leverage circle of influence
Today there are two basic organizational and planning cultures prevalent today.
Established Business Development CultureEstablished hierarchy (silo) type business infrastructures can generally be identified with these three characteristics.
1. Inward focused (company friendly) hierarchy organizational structures
2. Production, product or selling focused planning culture
3. Traditional business development (decentralized/departmental) planning process
Yesterday’s decentralized (business development) planning process is structured around these traditional strategies or principles developed in the 1940's
Strategy 1: Pushing Strategy
Strategy 2: Pulling
Principle 1: Place
Principle 2: Price
Principle 3: Product
Principle 4: Promotion
Emerging Business Performance CultureEmerging virtual (dynamic) business environments can generally be identified with these three characteristics.
1. Outward focused (market/consumer friendly) virtual organizational structures
2. Consumer and/or market focused planning culture
3. Contemporary business performance (centralized/collaborative) planning process
Business Performance Planning Process
The business performance planning process integrates (focusing of resources) front-office business units (marketing, sales and service) into a cohesive unit focused on driving sales, revenue and profits. Outlined here are the key steps in the business performance planning process.
1. Identify (Plan)
2. Prioritize
3. Budget
4. Create (Innovate)
5. Produce
6. Implement (Empower)
7. Measure
8. Modify
Business Performance Plan Model – Our business performance (centralized/collaborative) planning process integrates proven (traditional) planning elements with new (First in the 1990's and again in the 2000's) marketing, sales and customer service initiatives into six key elements.
1. In-sync – Culture and environment
2. In-focus – Current situation analysis
3. On-target – Market segmentation - Positioning strategies (Marketplace and consumer)
4. In-demand – Go to market - Pushing strategies
5. In-play – Motivate the customer - Pulling strategies
6. With-passion – Point of contact - Influencing strategies
Section 1: In Sync – Performance Environment
Refer to business development vs. business performance culture definitions above
Establishing and maintaining the right culture and planning process for your business is the key to creating a business mentality that is "in-sync" with your industry, marketplace and consumers.
Section 2: In-Focus – Current situation analysis
There are four basic elements of the situation analysis
1. Historical Perspectives - Review period
Historical financial performance (Sales, revenue, profit, share)
2. Current Position – Reporting period (Year-to-date financial results)
Internal business assumptions (Internal insights)
3. Existing conditions - External business conditions (External perspectives)
4. Planned Performance – Forecasting period (Planned goals, objectives and results)
Section 3: On Target – Market Segmentation (Positioning Strategies)On-target depends on having a detailed understanding and responding to your targeted markets and customer profiles. There are two key positioning strategies
A. Focused Business Intelligence
B. Market segmentation and buyer profiling begins with two broad segments
1. Marketing level - B to B market segmentation (Segment profiles)
Selling level - Buying team profiles (Individual team buyers)
Commercial sales – New system buyers
Relationship sales – Existing system buyers
2. Marketing level - B to C market segmentation (Segment profiles)
Selling level - Individual buyer profiles
Commercial sales – New system buyers
Relationship sales – Existing system buyers
Section 4: On Demand – Go to market (Pushing strategies)There are five elements that make up the On-Demand section of the business performance plan
1. Market Demand Offerings (4 P’s – Products)
2. Dynamic Distribution Channels (4 P’s – Place)
3. Influential Public Relations (4 P’s – Promotions)
4. Performance Incentives (4 P’s – Promotions)
5. Supply Side Business Support
Section 5: In-play – Motivate Customers - Pulling Strategies
There are five elements that make up the In-Play section of the business performance plan.
1. Profitable Pricing Schemes (4 P’s = Pricing)
2. Marketplace Leadership Branding (4 P’s = Promotion)
3. Mass Consumer Advertising (4 P’s = Promotion)
4. Interactive Consumer Communications (4 P’s = Promotion)
5. Demand Side Promotions (4 P’s = Promotion)
Section 6: With Passion – Point of Contact (Influencing Strategies)There are five elements that make up the With Passion section of the business performance plan.
1. Point of Contact Resources (4 P’s = Promotion)
2. Event Experiences (4 P’s = Promotion)
3. Targeted Direct Marketing (4 P’s = Promotion)
4. Winning Sales Approaches (4 P’s = Promotion)
5. Demand Side Support (4 P’s = Promotion)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Perspectives: Veteran Job Candidates
This entry hopefully will provide some needed perspective on the value of prime veteran (experienced) job candidates to all sizes and types of businesses and all types of jobs. In my experience, there are basically two types of veteran job candidates.
Seasoned (Consultant) Veteran – Seasoned veterans were often great in their day, and peaked in their prime, but did little to capture their experiences, build on their intellectual assets and grow their personal value throughout their career. They are in most cases out of date, have a closet full of baggage (bad habits) and are in fact, ready to retire. They often make great consultants for specific projects that directly relate to their area of expertise but generally do not represent a good employment investment.
Prime (Employable) Veteran – Prime veterans, like myself are at the other end of the spectrum. Many of us are in our prime at this point in our careers. At our peak today, we have captured years of experiences, documented positive and negative lessons learned, build intellectual assets instead of collected baggage and are in fact ready for fresh, new experiences. This type of veteran also makes a great consultant, but can really make a better investment as a contributing employee.
Prime Veteran Intellectual AssetsAlthough seasoned veterans have years of experience, most have not done a good job of capturing those experiences the way a prime veteran has. A prime veteran has built on their experiences, organized and stored them, can analyze and articulate them, create relevancy today through integration with new ideas and transfer them for today’s applications. Listed here are some of the intellectual assets that I have developed throughout many years of life/work experience.
1. All types of lessons learned and documented
2. Experiences captured, analyzed and articulated
3. Continued education and personal development
4. Formulated perspectives layered over time
5. Relevant information captured and organized
7. Valuable relationships and established networks
8. Perfected strategies and techniques
9. Acquired skills and applicable abilities
10. Keen awareness, problem solving and business sense
11. Managed knowledge and accumulated wisdom
12. Practiced processes and proven systems
13. Self-starting and internally motivated
14. Documented, organized and accessible database
15. Work ethic and business maturity
16. Fine tuned communication, presentation and interaction skills
17. Technology savvy and proficiency with many business applications
18. A healthy self-image yet an experienced team player
Prime Veteran Value
Although a seasoned veteran may add short term value through a consultant type relationship, a prime veteran can have a lasting impact on any organization by filling a full time position, handling a temporary (fixed time) project or meeting part time job needs. Because of the value they bring, prime veterans like myself, can often represent the best value-to-performance ratio for an employer's dollar by delivering many of the following benefits.
1. Accelerated start-up
2. Reduced start-up costs
3. Reduced start-up resource allocation
4. Faster integration (assimilation into culture)
5. Quicker results and contribution
6. Increased intellectual assets
7. Seasoned and updated perspectives
8. Valuable resources that can be leveraged quickly for business
9. Mentor other employees
10. Valuable (applicable) information and database
11. Transferable skills and strategies
12. A fresh, new source of energy
13. Personal organization and job structure
14. A proven track record of performance
15. An acquired level of company loyalty
16. Realistic job expectations and respect for authority
17. Respect for tradition and proven strategies
18. Enthusiasm about new ideas and calculated risk taking
The Bottom Line
If a prime veteran's resume comes across your desk and they fit the posted job position, you owe the veteran an opportunity to interview and demonstate the value they can contribute to the company - they have earned it. You also owe it to your company to not miss a potentially great candidate simply because of age or perceptions - its your responsibility. You may be surprised at what a prime veteran can offer your business.
Seasoned (Consultant) Veteran – Seasoned veterans were often great in their day, and peaked in their prime, but did little to capture their experiences, build on their intellectual assets and grow their personal value throughout their career. They are in most cases out of date, have a closet full of baggage (bad habits) and are in fact, ready to retire. They often make great consultants for specific projects that directly relate to their area of expertise but generally do not represent a good employment investment.
Prime (Employable) Veteran – Prime veterans, like myself are at the other end of the spectrum. Many of us are in our prime at this point in our careers. At our peak today, we have captured years of experiences, documented positive and negative lessons learned, build intellectual assets instead of collected baggage and are in fact ready for fresh, new experiences. This type of veteran also makes a great consultant, but can really make a better investment as a contributing employee.
Prime Veteran Intellectual AssetsAlthough seasoned veterans have years of experience, most have not done a good job of capturing those experiences the way a prime veteran has. A prime veteran has built on their experiences, organized and stored them, can analyze and articulate them, create relevancy today through integration with new ideas and transfer them for today’s applications. Listed here are some of the intellectual assets that I have developed throughout many years of life/work experience.
1. All types of lessons learned and documented
2. Experiences captured, analyzed and articulated
3. Continued education and personal development
4. Formulated perspectives layered over time
5. Relevant information captured and organized
7. Valuable relationships and established networks
8. Perfected strategies and techniques
9. Acquired skills and applicable abilities
10. Keen awareness, problem solving and business sense
11. Managed knowledge and accumulated wisdom
12. Practiced processes and proven systems
13. Self-starting and internally motivated
14. Documented, organized and accessible database
15. Work ethic and business maturity
16. Fine tuned communication, presentation and interaction skills
17. Technology savvy and proficiency with many business applications
18. A healthy self-image yet an experienced team player
Prime Veteran Value
Although a seasoned veteran may add short term value through a consultant type relationship, a prime veteran can have a lasting impact on any organization by filling a full time position, handling a temporary (fixed time) project or meeting part time job needs. Because of the value they bring, prime veterans like myself, can often represent the best value-to-performance ratio for an employer's dollar by delivering many of the following benefits.
1. Accelerated start-up
2. Reduced start-up costs
3. Reduced start-up resource allocation
4. Faster integration (assimilation into culture)
5. Quicker results and contribution
6. Increased intellectual assets
7. Seasoned and updated perspectives
8. Valuable resources that can be leveraged quickly for business
9. Mentor other employees
10. Valuable (applicable) information and database
11. Transferable skills and strategies
12. A fresh, new source of energy
13. Personal organization and job structure
14. A proven track record of performance
15. An acquired level of company loyalty
16. Realistic job expectations and respect for authority
17. Respect for tradition and proven strategies
18. Enthusiasm about new ideas and calculated risk taking
The Bottom Line
If a prime veteran's resume comes across your desk and they fit the posted job position, you owe the veteran an opportunity to interview and demonstate the value they can contribute to the company - they have earned it. You also owe it to your company to not miss a potentially great candidate simply because of age or perceptions - its your responsibility. You may be surprised at what a prime veteran can offer your business.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Sales Performance Perspectives
Her are some of my perspectives on selling and sales training that are based on years of research, benchmarking, analysis and successful personal sales experience. See what you think and give me some feed-back.
Selling Defined
Let's start with a definition of selling: "The exchange of goods or services for mutual satisfaction between a buyer (ownership/usage/benefits), the company (revenue/profit) and the seller (achievement/compensation)"
Selling Perspectives (Styles)
There are two basic selling perspectives and associated styles that are prevalent today.
Traditional (established) seller perspective – Buyers the same (manipulative style)
Definition: "The seller does everything that he/she can to make the sale"
Contemporary (emerging) buyer perspective – Buyers are different
(non-manipulative style
Definition: "The seller does everything that he/she can to help the buyer make a safe and
sound decision to select his/her offering."
I prefer this perspective and style because sales success is often determined by the seller's understanding and ability to respond to the consumer differences or characteristics listed here and not just their selling skills.
1. Purchase (Pending) motives
2. Decision criteria (Dimensions)
3. Benefit objectives (Impact)
4. Value premise (Return)
5. Spending traits (Value or price)
6. Demographic (Size and scope) profiles
7. Vertical (type of business) profiles
8. Buying team (matrix) profiles
9. Individual buyer profiles
10. Decision process (Strategic investments or tactical purchases)
Universal Selling Process - Common Buying Process
There are only four basic types of selling and they all depend on a keen understanding of the universal selling process and its corresponding common buying process. Sales success often depends on understanding and applying these basic process concepts.
1. Stage processes, knowledge, skills, competitive strategies, messages, buyer/seller resources
2. Stage alignment and buyer and seller profile compatibility creates positive selling
experiences
3. Stage scaling (contraction/expansion) occurs based on scope of sale and key selling variables
Natural consumer life cycle
There are four basic phases or stages of a customer life cycle - the buying and selling process integrates within these stages - selling stage on the left and buying process on the right
Phase 1: Targeted consumer – Attention phase (Marketing communications)
Suspects (Consumers) Awareness stage
Prospects (Shoppers) Discovery stage
Phase 2: Active buyer – Purchase phase (New sales – Universal selling cycle)
Approach strategies (Interest) Attention stage
Engagement strategies (Ability) Feasibility stage
Analysis strategies (Need) Involvement stage
Configuration strategies (Desire) Desire stage
Recommendation strategies (Timing) Conviction stage
Approval strategies (Authority) Action stage
Phase 3: Expectant customer – Implementation phase
Establish relationship – Transition service and incremental sales
Phase 4: Established client – Performance phase
Maintain relationship – Life cycle service and repeat (aftermarket) sales
Four types of selling - Buyer and seller profiles
The universal selling process scales to the four types of selling
Business to business (government) selling
1. Commercial sales (Consultative seller – New system buyer)
Strategic (complex) sales dynamics – top down approach
Business window/buying team (inductive - solutions messaging)
Tactical acquisition – bottom up approach
Expert (simple) window/purchase process (deductive - features messaging)
Team sale – integrated bottom up - top down
2. Relationship sales dynamics (Relationship seller – Established business buyer)
Business (consumer) to consumer selling
3. Consumer sales dynamics (Closing seller – New product buyer)
4. Retail sales dynamics (Display seller - Commodities buyer)
Sales Training
Although there are as many types of sales training as there are sales experts, there are really only two effective ways to train consistently successful sales people
1. Skills (Deductive) based - Single dimension
2. Process (Inductive) based – Multiple dimensions (My personal preference)
Refer to the Seller Certification Perspectives post for a process based training overview
Selling Defined
Let's start with a definition of selling: "The exchange of goods or services for mutual satisfaction between a buyer (ownership/usage/benefits), the company (revenue/profit) and the seller (achievement/compensation)"
Selling Perspectives (Styles)
There are two basic selling perspectives and associated styles that are prevalent today.
Traditional (established) seller perspective – Buyers the same (manipulative style)
Definition: "The seller does everything that he/she can to make the sale"
Contemporary (emerging) buyer perspective – Buyers are different
(non-manipulative style
Definition: "The seller does everything that he/she can to help the buyer make a safe and
sound decision to select his/her offering."
I prefer this perspective and style because sales success is often determined by the seller's understanding and ability to respond to the consumer differences or characteristics listed here and not just their selling skills.
1. Purchase (Pending) motives
2. Decision criteria (Dimensions)
3. Benefit objectives (Impact)
4. Value premise (Return)
5. Spending traits (Value or price)
6. Demographic (Size and scope) profiles
7. Vertical (type of business) profiles
8. Buying team (matrix) profiles
9. Individual buyer profiles
10. Decision process (Strategic investments or tactical purchases)
Universal Selling Process - Common Buying Process
There are only four basic types of selling and they all depend on a keen understanding of the universal selling process and its corresponding common buying process. Sales success often depends on understanding and applying these basic process concepts.
1. Stage processes, knowledge, skills, competitive strategies, messages, buyer/seller resources
2. Stage alignment and buyer and seller profile compatibility creates positive selling
experiences
3. Stage scaling (contraction/expansion) occurs based on scope of sale and key selling variables
Natural consumer life cycle
There are four basic phases or stages of a customer life cycle - the buying and selling process integrates within these stages - selling stage on the left and buying process on the right
Phase 1: Targeted consumer – Attention phase (Marketing communications)
Suspects (Consumers) Awareness stage
Prospects (Shoppers) Discovery stage
Phase 2: Active buyer – Purchase phase (New sales – Universal selling cycle)
Approach strategies (Interest) Attention stage
Engagement strategies (Ability) Feasibility stage
Analysis strategies (Need) Involvement stage
Configuration strategies (Desire) Desire stage
Recommendation strategies (Timing) Conviction stage
Approval strategies (Authority) Action stage
Phase 3: Expectant customer – Implementation phase
Establish relationship – Transition service and incremental sales
Phase 4: Established client – Performance phase
Maintain relationship – Life cycle service and repeat (aftermarket) sales
Four types of selling - Buyer and seller profiles
The universal selling process scales to the four types of selling
Business to business (government) selling
1. Commercial sales (Consultative seller – New system buyer)
Strategic (complex) sales dynamics – top down approach
Business window/buying team (inductive - solutions messaging)
Tactical acquisition – bottom up approach
Expert (simple) window/purchase process (deductive - features messaging)
Team sale – integrated bottom up - top down
2. Relationship sales dynamics (Relationship seller – Established business buyer)
Business (consumer) to consumer selling
3. Consumer sales dynamics (Closing seller – New product buyer)
4. Retail sales dynamics (Display seller - Commodities buyer)
Sales Training
Although there are as many types of sales training as there are sales experts, there are really only two effective ways to train consistently successful sales people
1. Skills (Deductive) based - Single dimension
2. Process (Inductive) based – Multiple dimensions (My personal preference)
Refer to the Seller Certification Perspectives post for a process based training overview
Welcome
I have designed and posted this blog to share decades of work, business and life experiences with potential employers, business associates, colleagues, friends and family. Hopefully these personal insights and business perspectives will stimulate your thoughts so that you will share your ideas and comments with me. Look me up on Facebook (Family/social) and Linkedin (Career/professional). If you want to learn more about any of these perspectives, or talk about implementing them within your business, just drop me an email: rtalty@ameritech.net
Thanks for stopping by.
Post 1: Welcome and Introduction
Post 2: Perspectives: Sales Performance - Sales process, skills and strategies
Post 3: Perspectives: Veteran Job Candidate - The value of an experienced job candidate
Post 4: Perspectives: Business Performance (Front-office)
Top-line business impact - incremental gains
(New customers, sales/units, revenue/dollars and profits/margins)
Front-office business units
1. Marketing: Suspect and prospect marketing
2. Sales: New buyer sales
3. Service: Expectant customer and established client sales and service
Post 5: Perspectives: Great Leadership - What is a great leader, manager and strategist?
Post 6: Perspectives: Business Management - Management, leadership and coaching strategies
Post 7: Perspectives: Sales Training - Sales training and certification strategies
Post 8: Perspectives: Business Operations (Back-office)
Bottom-line business impact - incremental reductions
(Retain customers, prevent, reduce and control costs, manage partners/suppliers)
Back-office business unites (departments)
1. Administration and finance
2. Production and logistics
3. Operations and human resources
Post 9: Personal (Business) Bibliography
Post 10: Personal (Professional) Resume
Post 11: Resume Supplement: Sales and Sales Management
Post 12: Resume Supplement: Business and Channel Development
Post 13: Resume Supplement: Strategic and Tactical Marketing
Post 14: Perspectives: From Success to Sugnificance
Post 15: Perspectives: Benefits of Hiring Armed Forces Veterans
Post 16: Perspectives: The Experience Driven Consumter Lifecycle
Thanks for stopping by.
Post 1: Welcome and Introduction
Post 2: Perspectives: Sales Performance - Sales process, skills and strategies
Post 3: Perspectives: Veteran Job Candidate - The value of an experienced job candidate
Post 4: Perspectives: Business Performance (Front-office)
Top-line business impact - incremental gains
(New customers, sales/units, revenue/dollars and profits/margins)
Front-office business units
1. Marketing: Suspect and prospect marketing
2. Sales: New buyer sales
3. Service: Expectant customer and established client sales and service
Post 5: Perspectives: Great Leadership - What is a great leader, manager and strategist?
Post 6: Perspectives: Business Management - Management, leadership and coaching strategies
Post 7: Perspectives: Sales Training - Sales training and certification strategies
Post 8: Perspectives: Business Operations (Back-office)
Bottom-line business impact - incremental reductions
(Retain customers, prevent, reduce and control costs, manage partners/suppliers)
Back-office business unites (departments)
1. Administration and finance
2. Production and logistics
3. Operations and human resources
Post 9: Personal (Business) Bibliography
Post 10: Personal (Professional) Resume
Post 11: Resume Supplement: Sales and Sales Management
Post 12: Resume Supplement: Business and Channel Development
Post 13: Resume Supplement: Strategic and Tactical Marketing
Post 14: Perspectives: From Success to Sugnificance
Post 15: Perspectives: Benefits of Hiring Armed Forces Veterans
Post 16: Perspectives: The Experience Driven Consumter Lifecycle
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