A friend of mine once described his supervisor to me by saying "He is a great crisis manager, if there isn't a crisis he'll create one". As humorous as that may be, often times managers evolve into constant crisis managers. They don't intend for that to happen, yet time and time again it seems that their department or company is constantly on the brink. Take a look at the workload and responsibility in front of you right now. To some degree aren't we all in crisis management mode all of the time?
It may be helpful to define what exactly crisis management is. Encarta defines a crisis as "a situation or period in which things are very uncertain, difficult, or painful, especially a time when action must be taken to avoid complete disaster or breakdown."
If we carry that definition into business we can define crisis management as "a situation or period in which the future success and profitability of the business and the livelihood of its' employees are at risk and immediate action must be taken to prevent eminent company collapse and closure." Now that sounds much more serious doesn't it? Are you in crisis management mode and there is no crisis based on our definition? If you are there are some pretty serious consequences likely to come your way.
While crisis management certainly grabs the attention of your employees and coworkers and may assist in short term increased productivity, over the course of time your employees will become burned out, and when a true crisis comes along they may not able to respond, or think that this is just another one of your crisis modes and not feel the urgency of the situation. (Remember the boy he cried wolf?) More importantly, how is crisis management affecting you? Chances are you are taking work home with you, it is affecting your mood and behavior around your family and friends, you may not enjoy coming to work as much as you used to or may even dread it!
It is not too late. Like any rut you find yourself in life you can escape it. The first step is to stop, take a deep breathe, and structure every day. Don't try to fix 10 things at once, all you will do is put a band-aid on a leaky pipe, it is bound to start leaking again soon. Prioritize the issues that need your attention and fix one problem (completely) at a time. Dedicate all of your attention to fixing the problem and do not stray your attention from it. Stay away from your PDA, let your calls go into voice mail, close the door to the office. Those questions and problems will be there for you to address when you are done. Watch a dog chase it's tail, that is what your life is like if you are in constant crisis management mode.
You will find rescue in structure. You will be more efficient. Your employees and coworkers will look up to you and you will go home every day with a feeling of accomplishment for each problem you completely solve.
A real crisis will be less likely to occur and when one does you will have an army of dedicated soldiers ready to help you battle it.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Coffee Is For Closers!
If you are reading this you are probably in sales, and likely have heard the old saying "ABC" - Always Be Closing. This philosophy while good in spirit will not get you where you want to be if taken literally. An aggressive closer will more often scare a potential sale away, or create a forced sale that leads to buyer remorse, returns, or a client that won't recommend you and will never come back. With that said, you should always ask for the order, always! But when do you? Now we are talking about the true art of sales. Finding the appropriate time to close the sale is what seperates the top producers from the field.
The sales process is not unlike any other relationship process you have experienced in your life. Think about your last date, the last friend you made, or when you first met your spouse. A relationship process had to run its' course. Same in sales, no matter what you are selling, a relationship process must run its' course to the point where you can ask for the order. Now, here is where it gets challenging. It is not your relationship process that is important, it is the clients. Different clients will fall into various personality types (which will be discussed in more detail on future articles). Reading the personality type of the person you are dealing with and matching your approach to them is the single most critical factor in closing the sale.
1 - The No-nonsense Customer. Someone that speaks quickly and is very direct needs direct answers, let them have control, answer their questions and use direct closing questions.
2 - The Introvert. A person that is quiet and reserved needs to be spoken to softly and you must build more of a relationship and more of a trust with that person.
3 - The Critical Thinker. Someone who is very detail oriented needs to know all of the features and benefits of the product you are selling. They will have a mental checklist and every box needs to be checked before buying so make sure you answer all questions for them.
4 - The Expressive Type. An individual that is very vibrant and animated needs to enjoy the transaction, enjoy the product, and enjoy the buying experience and you.
Keeping this in mind, it is time we change the old proverb of "ABC" - Always Be Closing. Instead try "ABC" - Analyze Before Closing. You will find your closing ratios along with your client satisfaction meters beginning to ArrowUp!
The sales process is not unlike any other relationship process you have experienced in your life. Think about your last date, the last friend you made, or when you first met your spouse. A relationship process had to run its' course. Same in sales, no matter what you are selling, a relationship process must run its' course to the point where you can ask for the order. Now, here is where it gets challenging. It is not your relationship process that is important, it is the clients. Different clients will fall into various personality types (which will be discussed in more detail on future articles). Reading the personality type of the person you are dealing with and matching your approach to them is the single most critical factor in closing the sale.
1 - The No-nonsense Customer. Someone that speaks quickly and is very direct needs direct answers, let them have control, answer their questions and use direct closing questions.
2 - The Introvert. A person that is quiet and reserved needs to be spoken to softly and you must build more of a relationship and more of a trust with that person.
3 - The Critical Thinker. Someone who is very detail oriented needs to know all of the features and benefits of the product you are selling. They will have a mental checklist and every box needs to be checked before buying so make sure you answer all questions for them.
4 - The Expressive Type. An individual that is very vibrant and animated needs to enjoy the transaction, enjoy the product, and enjoy the buying experience and you.
Keeping this in mind, it is time we change the old proverb of "ABC" - Always Be Closing. Instead try "ABC" - Analyze Before Closing. You will find your closing ratios along with your client satisfaction meters beginning to ArrowUp!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The 5 Things Everyone in Sales Must Know!
1. Find Common Ground - The first step is building rapport with your client or customer. The normal ritual to beginning the sales process is "small talk". How are you today? Nice day outside etc... In the building rapport phase, seek common ground with your client. For example, maybe they are wearing a logo golf shirt from a course you know and have played before - start talking golf! Or perhaps in conversation you learn that you are both from the same part of the country. Even something as common as both of you being parents is a great starter for establishing common ground. This is important because now they view you as a person and not a salesperson. (Note: "How may I help you" is forbidden language)
2. Ask Open ended questions - To determine exactly what they are looking for ask a series of open ended questions. Open ended questions are questions that require the client to speak in detail and not be able to answer with one word like a "yes" or "no". An example of a closed ended question would be "Are you looking for a widget that you can use every day?" as opposed to the open ended question of "Tell me how you are planning to use your widget". Open ended questions does just as the term suggests, it gets your client to open up. This allows you to learn about their specific needs and potential underlying objections.
3. Repeat Repeat - Repeat back to the client what they are telling you. This shows that you are listening to their needs and it also gives you the opportunity to find solutions to their objections. Your client wants to hear that you are paying attention and that what they are saying is important.
4. Be Honest - Above all else, be honest with them. If you cannot special order the purple widget for the same price as the pink, tell them that and tell them exactly why the price will be different. Explain the product warranty properly. Let them know the limitations as well as the benefits. Being honest will not only close more sales but it will lead to many more referrals and satisfied clients.
5. Ask for the order - This one separates the top producers from the field, closing the sale. Once you have successfully completed steps 1-4 there should be no reason for the customer not to buy. Ask them for the order, if they say no it is up to you to determine where you fell short in the process. Don't give up, the answer is there!
Information provided courtesty of Rick Docekal at ArrowUp Consulting. ArrowUp provides consulting on business growth, sales production and operational expense control. Visit the Founder's website at http://www.rickdocekal.com to see what ArrowUp Consulting can do for your large or small business using the ArrowUp System.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Docekal
2. Ask Open ended questions - To determine exactly what they are looking for ask a series of open ended questions. Open ended questions are questions that require the client to speak in detail and not be able to answer with one word like a "yes" or "no". An example of a closed ended question would be "Are you looking for a widget that you can use every day?" as opposed to the open ended question of "Tell me how you are planning to use your widget". Open ended questions does just as the term suggests, it gets your client to open up. This allows you to learn about their specific needs and potential underlying objections.
3. Repeat Repeat - Repeat back to the client what they are telling you. This shows that you are listening to their needs and it also gives you the opportunity to find solutions to their objections. Your client wants to hear that you are paying attention and that what they are saying is important.
4. Be Honest - Above all else, be honest with them. If you cannot special order the purple widget for the same price as the pink, tell them that and tell them exactly why the price will be different. Explain the product warranty properly. Let them know the limitations as well as the benefits. Being honest will not only close more sales but it will lead to many more referrals and satisfied clients.
5. Ask for the order - This one separates the top producers from the field, closing the sale. Once you have successfully completed steps 1-4 there should be no reason for the customer not to buy. Ask them for the order, if they say no it is up to you to determine where you fell short in the process. Don't give up, the answer is there!
Information provided courtesty of Rick Docekal at ArrowUp Consulting. ArrowUp provides consulting on business growth, sales production and operational expense control. Visit the Founder's website at http://www.rickdocekal.com to see what ArrowUp Consulting can do for your large or small business using the ArrowUp System.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Docekal
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The ABC's of Closing the Sale
If you are reading this you are probably in sales, and likely have heard the old saying "ABC" - Always Be Closing. This philosophy while good in spirit will not get you where you want to be if taken literally. An aggressive closer will more often times than not scare a potential sale away, or create a forced sale that leads to buyer remorse, returns, or a client that won't recommend you and will never come back. With that said, you should always ask for the order, always! But when do you? Now we are talking about the true art of salesmanship, finding the appropriate time to close the sale.
The sales process is not unlike any other relationship process you have experienced in your life (just shorter). Think about your last date, the last friend you made, or when you first met your spouse. A relationship process had to run its' course. Same in sales, no matter what you are selling, a relationship process must run its' course to the point where you can ask for the order. Now, here is where it gets tricky. It is not your relationship process that is important, it is the clients. Different clients will fall into various personality types (which will be discussed in more detail on future articles). Reading the personality type of the person you are dealing with and matching your approach to them is the single most critical factor in closing the sale.
Someone that speaks quickly and is very direct needs direct answers, let them have control, answer their questions and use direct closing questions. A person that is quiet and reserved needs to be spoken to softly and you must build more of a relationship and more of a trust with that person. Someone who is very detail oriented needs to know all of the features and benefits of the product you are selling. They will have a mental checklist and every box needs to be checked before buying so make sure you answer all questions for them. An individual that is very vibrant and animated needs to enjoy the transaction, enjoy the product, and enjoy the buying experience and you.
Keeping this in mind, it is time we change the old proverb of "ABC" - Always Be Closing. Instead try "ABC" - Analyze Before Closing. You will find your closing ratios along with your client satisfaction meters ArrowingUp!
Information provided courtesy of ArrowUp Consulting. See what ArrowUp can do for your organization at http://www.rickdocekal.com/Services.html or you can contact Rick Docekal directly by logging on to http://www.rickdocekal.com/Contact_Us.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Docekal
The sales process is not unlike any other relationship process you have experienced in your life (just shorter). Think about your last date, the last friend you made, or when you first met your spouse. A relationship process had to run its' course. Same in sales, no matter what you are selling, a relationship process must run its' course to the point where you can ask for the order. Now, here is where it gets tricky. It is not your relationship process that is important, it is the clients. Different clients will fall into various personality types (which will be discussed in more detail on future articles). Reading the personality type of the person you are dealing with and matching your approach to them is the single most critical factor in closing the sale.
Someone that speaks quickly and is very direct needs direct answers, let them have control, answer their questions and use direct closing questions. A person that is quiet and reserved needs to be spoken to softly and you must build more of a relationship and more of a trust with that person. Someone who is very detail oriented needs to know all of the features and benefits of the product you are selling. They will have a mental checklist and every box needs to be checked before buying so make sure you answer all questions for them. An individual that is very vibrant and animated needs to enjoy the transaction, enjoy the product, and enjoy the buying experience and you.
Keeping this in mind, it is time we change the old proverb of "ABC" - Always Be Closing. Instead try "ABC" - Analyze Before Closing. You will find your closing ratios along with your client satisfaction meters ArrowingUp!
Information provided courtesy of ArrowUp Consulting. See what ArrowUp can do for your organization at http://www.rickdocekal.com/Services.html or you can contact Rick Docekal directly by logging on to http://www.rickdocekal.com/Contact_Us.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Docekal
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Determining When to Conduct a Lay-off
When determining the appropriate time to conduct layoffs, you need to honestly ask yourself the following questions.
What is the worst case scenario? If production continues at the recent pace and does not improve, how many months can your company survive? How long can you survive and is your job secure? You need to always expect the best however a complete manager needs to plan for the worst case scenario.
Can production and revenue be fixed immediately? Are there training issues that are preventing you from success? Have you had an honest conversation with your employees letting them know the consequences should business not improve immediately? Perhaps recruiting a top producer from a competitor will immediately boost productivity.
Have you trimmed the fat already? Before turning to your human resources to cut costs, have you effectively cut your other organizational costs? Take a look at every line, no matter how minimal it may seem.
Can you cut salaries instead of cutting jobs? Most employees will understand a pay cut for a period of time until productivity improves. It is a much better alternative than losing their positions.
Have you solicited the help of a business consultant? Often a new pair of eyes from someone who specializes in this can offer suggestions and alternatives for your organization.
Laying off staff is incredibly difficult, both emotionally for you and how it affects the culture of the organization, however it may be what you need to do to continue your business and protect the jobs and careers of others around you.
Information provided courtesy of Rick Docekal at ArrowUp Consulting. ArrowUp provides consulting on business growth, sales production and operational expense control. Visit the Founder's website at http://www.rickdocekal.com to see what ArrowUp Consulting can do for your large or small business using the ArrowUp System.
What is the worst case scenario? If production continues at the recent pace and does not improve, how many months can your company survive? How long can you survive and is your job secure? You need to always expect the best however a complete manager needs to plan for the worst case scenario.
Can production and revenue be fixed immediately? Are there training issues that are preventing you from success? Have you had an honest conversation with your employees letting them know the consequences should business not improve immediately? Perhaps recruiting a top producer from a competitor will immediately boost productivity.
Have you trimmed the fat already? Before turning to your human resources to cut costs, have you effectively cut your other organizational costs? Take a look at every line, no matter how minimal it may seem.
Can you cut salaries instead of cutting jobs? Most employees will understand a pay cut for a period of time until productivity improves. It is a much better alternative than losing their positions.
Have you solicited the help of a business consultant? Often a new pair of eyes from someone who specializes in this can offer suggestions and alternatives for your organization.
Laying off staff is incredibly difficult, both emotionally for you and how it affects the culture of the organization, however it may be what you need to do to continue your business and protect the jobs and careers of others around you.
Information provided courtesy of Rick Docekal at ArrowUp Consulting. ArrowUp provides consulting on business growth, sales production and operational expense control. Visit the Founder's website at http://www.rickdocekal.com to see what ArrowUp Consulting can do for your large or small business using the ArrowUp System.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Rick Docekal - Tips on Interviewing Effectively
A chain is only as strong as its' weakest link, the strength of any organization is the people that are in it, (insert any cliché here). All true and all speak to the importance of hiring the right candidate the first time. Many hiring managers fall short by not conducting a thorough and proper interview. Here are some tips on preparing for and conducting a proper interview.
- Create a job description for the position. If you have not done so already, you should have but now is a perfect time to start. Every position in your organization should have a detailed job description outlying the performance expectation.
- Formulate questions that you can ask in the interview to determine if the candidate can perform the specific descriptions of the position. These questions need to be well thought out and written down. These questions should not "lead" the candidate to the answer you are looking for. For example, if you are trying to determine if your candidate fully commits to their job you would not ask them straight out, of course they will say yes! They want the job. Instead ask them specific reasons on why they left their last employment and be attentive to employment gaps and multiple jobs on their resume.
- Outline the interview for the candidate up front. Let them know the order of the interview. Tell them that you are going to be asking a set of questions and to please respond in as great of detail as possible, than let them know that after you are done you will be happy to answer any questions they may have. This will set the expectation of the interview process and will help avoid you getting off track.
- Ask every question and allow a full detailed response from your candidate. Stick to the script throughout.
- Take active notes. It is not rude and don't think you will remember everything. Write down what you liked in their response and what you don't like.
Avoid distractions. Set your calendar for the interview time and make sure your co-workers know that you are not to be disturbed. - Don't hire on the spot. You need to consider everything that was discussed in the interview.
Information provided courtesty of ArrowUp Consulting, Rick Docekal Founder/CEO. ArrowUp provides consulting on business growth, sales production and operational expense control. Visit the Founder's website at http://www.rickdocekal.com to see what ArrowUp Consulting can do for your large or small business using the ArrowUp System.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Docekal
Friday, June 12, 2009
Rick Docekal Recruiting Tips
1. Always be recruiting. The best time to look for a new sales or service person is when you are fully staffed. Not only do you have the time because you are not in crisis mode from being understaffed you are much more likely to only have interest in those individuals that really impress you, not just because they can come to work soon so you can quit pulling double shifts.
2. Recruiting is a process, not a quick fix. Your prime candidates will likely be very happy where they are, reason being is because they are good at what they are doing (which is why you want to recruit them to your organization). Soft selling at first is the best way and stay in frequent contact. Let them know you think it is great that they are happy and doing so well at XYZ Company but encourage them to call you first to talk if things start going south. Many things can change the mind of a good prospect, your persistence, changes in their environment like a new boss, company culture changes etc..
3. Keep a log. Log candidates and conversations and refer to your log frequently. Make special notes about the recruit that can show the candidate how well you listened to them in your conversations. Refer to past conversations when you contact them again. "Last time we talked you were starting your son in soccer, how did that go?" People want to come to work for a boss that takes an interest in their lives.
4. Send thank you cards. Make sure to always thank a prospect for their time even if it is just a phone conversation. Enclose your business card, trust me, they will hang onto it.
5. Embrace your Competitor. So many times in business our competitors are rivals who one would not dare converse with. Big mistake. Take the opposite approach, introduce yourself to them, invite them into your online networking groups. Remember if you are in the same industry you have much in common which is always step 1 in building relationships.
Information provided courtesy of ArrowUp Consulting, Rick Docekal Founder/CEO. ArrowUp provides consulting on business growth, sales production and operational expense control. Visit the Founder's website at http://www.rickdocekal.com to see what ArrowUp Consulting can do for your large or small business using the ArrowUp System.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Docekal
2. Recruiting is a process, not a quick fix. Your prime candidates will likely be very happy where they are, reason being is because they are good at what they are doing (which is why you want to recruit them to your organization). Soft selling at first is the best way and stay in frequent contact. Let them know you think it is great that they are happy and doing so well at XYZ Company but encourage them to call you first to talk if things start going south. Many things can change the mind of a good prospect, your persistence, changes in their environment like a new boss, company culture changes etc..
3. Keep a log. Log candidates and conversations and refer to your log frequently. Make special notes about the recruit that can show the candidate how well you listened to them in your conversations. Refer to past conversations when you contact them again. "Last time we talked you were starting your son in soccer, how did that go?" People want to come to work for a boss that takes an interest in their lives.
4. Send thank you cards. Make sure to always thank a prospect for their time even if it is just a phone conversation. Enclose your business card, trust me, they will hang onto it.
5. Embrace your Competitor. So many times in business our competitors are rivals who one would not dare converse with. Big mistake. Take the opposite approach, introduce yourself to them, invite them into your online networking groups. Remember if you are in the same industry you have much in common which is always step 1 in building relationships.
Information provided courtesy of ArrowUp Consulting, Rick Docekal Founder/CEO. ArrowUp provides consulting on business growth, sales production and operational expense control. Visit the Founder's website at http://www.rickdocekal.com to see what ArrowUp Consulting can do for your large or small business using the ArrowUp System.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Docekal
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