(By Loyd Ford) We hear so much about the value of great salespeople. Let me start by being direct: Great sellers are rare and incredible. However, there is a little-known secret to consider about how people become these “great salespeople.”
Before we get there, how about a word from legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban?
“It’s all choices and decisions. I ask players ‘What are your goals and aspirations?’ As soon as they tell me that, I’m good. Then when they don’t do the things they are supposed to do and they don’t have good discipline to create the right habits to accomplish those things, then I am going to call them in, have them sit down and I’m going to say ‘Tell me how this behavior is going to help you accomplish the things you want to accomplish.’ And most of the time, when you make it about them, they can really see how these choices and decisions are not really beneficial to them. And I am constantly telling them stories that reinforce in little ways that discipline works for them.”
Do you believe all those national championships just appeared at Alabama (and LSU before that)? No. Something made those happen consistently. According to Nick Saban, you have to decide who you want to be and what you want to do. That’s it.
So, let’s get into how we make great sellers.
- Clients know when they need something. They don’t need a salesperson to tell them. They may need a salesperson to listen to them. They may need a great salesperson to recognize their need and then lay out for them exactly how to solve a problem they need to resolve. It’s essential to know the difference between those things.
- You don’t make people buy. The great sellers don’t make people buy things. The great sellers show up, build relationships, listen, and then show shortcuts and unique solutions to problems clients have every day.
- Your sellers’ job is to consistently get out, uncover needs, seize opportunities, and help advertisers solve those problems.
- The world is filled with excuses. When was the last time you wanted to hear one? Never? The same is true for your potential clients. The same is actually true for your individual sellers. No one wants to hear your complaints. They want solutions.
What if developing great salespeople for radio comes down only to the following:
- Teaching Discipline in our sales departments. Focusing individual sellers on consistent sales activities that we know most often result in success: A. Their time spent selling (not activities that DON’T involve face-time selling activities), B. Developing CNAs with potential clients regularly and consistently every day, and C. Learning to seize opportunity and show potential clients how easy it is to become a client and gain access to the customers we have relationships with already in your market.
- A sales manager or leader that consistently asks what sellers want to accomplish and holds them accountable for their daily activities that lead to those exact results (or better). And consistently sharing the stories that support and reinforce the discipline it takes to be that great seller because more than any other fact it’s the math that makes a great seller.
Any break in the links above and results fall. If your sellers are unwilling to engage enough people to present at the level that will support their sales goals, you don’t have a disciplined sales pro.
Want to grow your revenue? If you do, we are looking for transformation.
Transformation takes a solid plan, math, and a willingness to execute with discipline. That makes a great seller, a great sales team, and revenue transformation.
Great sellers are not needed to pump up your revenue. Great strategy and sales coaching designed to keep accountability and a sense of urgency in place with individual sellers is needed. The development of proper discipline and staying focused on helping sellers reach their goals will help you reach your revenue goals.
Ask yourself what is possible. Look at your sales team. See the individuals. Find out what they want and think about Nick Saban’s ideas around discipline and how that can work for you with the few steps above when practiced consistently.
Loyd Ford is president and chief strategic officer at Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC). They help local radio with ratings and revenue. Reach him anytime at 864.448.4169 or [email protected]. Read Loyd’s Radio Ink archives here.
