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T h e C h i e f S a l e s O f f i c e r |
Sales professionals and sales leaders know that today is already history, tomorrow is already set and the future is all ready for them to explore.
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 2010 Begins Now
Make it a Happy New Year!
Avoid the Sales "Ponzi Scheme"
If you're like most sales professionals and sales leaders, you are taking a deep breath today. It's October first, the first day of the fourth quarter. For the past few days you've been pushing and scrambling to bring in as many sales as you could to fill out the third quarter.
Yep - the last week of the quarter is like the two-minute drill in football.
It's also like a Ponzi Scheme. We pay the earlier prospects with the time we take from future prospects. Month after month, quarter after quarter, we use the last few days of the month (or weeks of the quarter) closing in on sales. That is the time we're supposed to be prospecting and planning the sales for the next month/quarter.
It Could Be Worse
It's about to get much worse unless you make some strategic changes. Here's why:
The Fourth Quarter is the Shortest Quarter of the Year
In the U.S. we usually think of the first quarter as being the shortest because February has the fewest days and the most holidays. Consider this:
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In November there are two holidays: Veterans Day (usually not a problem) and Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving consumes four working days: the Wednesday before, Turkey Day, the Friday following and the Monday following the weekend as people dig out and dig in. IMPACT: Four or five working days.
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In December we lose working days around Christmas and the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. This year Christmas (fortunately) falls on a Friday which typically has less impact. However, Christmas eve is a tough day to sell, the week of New Year's is a tough time to close major sales since signatures and decisions can be cumbersome to pull together. IMPACT; Seven working days.
Break the Cycle
When do you plan to break the cycle?
Running sprints, resting and then running more sprints is a short-term process that leads to burn out. Use the fourth quarter to put your sales strategies back on track as a marathon. Otherwise you'll be behind when 1Q10 begins and the cycle will continue.
Ideas
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Spend at least one hour a day concentrating on these three questions:
WHO ELSE could I be selling to?
WHAT ELSE could I offer my customers?
HOW MANY referrals have I asked for this week?
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Begin measuring weekly results (annual objective divided by 52 less the number of weeks of vacation).
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Conduct your 2010 Sales Strategic Planning Session ASAP. Consider using Kaizen for Sales or the Extreme Sales Analysis approach (below) or another aggressive planning process.
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NOW AVAILABLE! FREE ACCESS!
The new Pricing Calculator is available at SaleSSuiteS. Just go to www.SaleSSuiteS.com and click on the "Tools" door. It gives you the ability to run what-if analyses for Progressive Pricing models.
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Extreme Sales Analysis of Your Organization
 Three Month Offer!
You realize something has to change in your sales organization. The old rules are not working in this new economy and you wonder if you need to add or delete salespeople, change your compensation plan or your incentive program and you may be wondering if your current internal and external structures are the best. Meanwhile, you will need to look at pricing options, client prioritization and product mix.
"The pre-work for our Extreme Sales Analysis session identified three internal obstacles and two outside opportunities. Can't wait for the actual session."
"We did not realize there were so many efficiencies we could employ."
For the next three months I am offering a one-day, onsite sales analysis to look at the aspects listed above and more. We will walk through every aspect of your sales situation and determine whether you need to "fine tune the familiar" or redefine the process. Then we will develop an action plan to make it happen.
Your investment will be $3500 for Vistage members; $5200 for others. This includes the pre-work analysis, the onsite day and the follow-up report and action plan. This is good only through the end of 2009 (there are two open dates in September). Contact me for details.
You don't need to try and figure this one out on your own. Bring in a resource that has seen hundreds of sales teams, turned around scores of them and who already knows where the obstacles are.
Need training? Remember: I'm using Progressive Pricing right now so tell me what outcome you want and what your budget is and I'll show you how I can help.
Whatever you do, seek out the help your organization needs
and do it now.
1.800 MR. REAVES (800.677.3283)
Or email me by clicking on the link
at the bottom of this edition
Or just click on the Reply button on your browser
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| Thinking About Selling Your Business in the Next 2 - 5 Years? |
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Begin NOW to enhance the market value of your company. It takes months or years to groom a business to attract the best buyers and to sell for maximum value.
Reaves Jackson Partners specializes in enhancing your top line and your bottom line so you can reap the full rewards from the sale of your business. Plus, we profit when you do - after the sale. If yours is a privately-held company, you're considering selling and your revenues are between $5 and $50 MM, we can help. Call me and let's chat:
404.822.6171
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Vistage Chairs |
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