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On your marks… Get set… GO!

A prosperous life after elite sport is critically important to elite athletes as many of them have dedicated the best part of their lives (some into their 30’s) pursing excellence in their chosen sport often leaving education or business pursuits on the side. These elite athletes know that achieving excellence in sport requires dedication, determination, discipline and sacrifice. So what [...]

December 6, 2012 in Attitudes & Behaviours, Education in Sales, Life Skills, Sales Training, Self Development, Self Promotion, Success

These are just two of the many questions asked by the ACE (Athlete Career & Education) advisors of the many Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) athletes when looking for this year’s participants in the third VIS Barrett Business Scholarship program.

For the last 2-3 months I have been working with 11 elite athletes from the VIS helping them develop their business ideas and actual businesses via the VIS Barrett Business Scholarship program. And this week three of the athletes stepped up and presented their vision and Go-to-market action plans to a panel looking to win a business/sales coaching scholarship with Barrett in 2013.

The process has been amazing for all concerned with some incredible insights, ideas and initiatives now in progress and of course, there was a winner.

What was fantastic about the 2012 program is we had athletes from many sports including able-bodied and paralympic athletes: wheel chair rugby, track & field, golf, cycling, rowing, canoeing slalom, snowboarding and equestrian/para-triathlon; we had Olympic and Paralympic medalists and an athlete who had just returned from their third Olympics campaign looking at their 4^th in 2016 at Rio.

What was even more amazing was the range of businesses that were represented on the program, each very different and each requiring a considered approach about how they need to get to market and position themselves effectively to win the hearts and minds of their customers and markets.

Using the Sales Essentials Models, philosophy and principles coupled with brain science we worked together developing viable Go-to-market action plans for each of their businesses or business ideas. The collective learning shared across the group really accelerated the understanding of how businesses can differ in how they need to go to market. While there are common elements to be applied in all aspects of a functioning business and especially in sales, the real learning came when the athletes realised how they needed to fine tune Go-to-market action plans to hit the spot and get traction. For instance when we looked at prospecting and developing new business each participant needed to consider how they would prospect for new opportunities and get new clients on board. By comparing and contrasting businesses we were able to see the weighting in direct calls to individuals or a weighting to social media campaigns needed in each case and there were distinct differences.

Alli van Ommen (Victorian Tigers vs Drummoyne Devils)

Like the action and results oriented people they are, after each session these athletes would go out and apply what they learnt and examined, bringing back real life examples of the applications of their efforts to the group. Each session they continued to build on solid foundations. What helped is that we created a peer to peer learning environment which is a fantastic way to accelerate learning. With four sessions run over 2 months the athletes were able to gain entire group experiences ‘positive interdependence’, face-to-face interaction, group processing and individual and group accountability while working on their own businesses. We consciously orchestrated each learning exercise which allowed the participants to fully engage in peer learning and reap the benefits.

What I love about this program is the opportunity to work with high performance individuals and see the ease with which they can transfer their knowledge and experience about being an elite athlete into the business arena. Open to learning and not frightened to be challenged, here are some of the athletes’ insights from the program:

I never thought I was in selling and then realised that indeed I am in sales every day. If I do not make those calls then nothing changes and I get nowhere fast. However if I make the calls and the answer is ‘No’ at least I know. But to my pleasant surprise there are so many Yes out there I just keep calling and guess what, there is business out there.
I realised that I had to pay as much attention to the prospect pipeline as I did to the customers we had got on board, if I didn’t we would have no business next season.
Getting the value proposition right and making it resonate with customers was crucial. It is so important to see the world from your customers’ eyes.
I never knew really listening to someone was so hard – but when you do it’s really worth it. Those listening and questioning exercises are vital.

Steph Hickey, Cameron McKenzie-McHarg, Warwick Draper(top to bottom)

Not all the athletes chose to go to final presentation evening; some were still working their way through the formation of their business ideas. But those who presented did an excellent job. The panel was extremely impressed and it was a tough decision to choose the winner.

Our finalists were:

Steph Hickey – Professional snowboarder / Olympian/ TV personality/ Speaker / Director of Premium Snow Tours
Cameron McKenzie-McHarg – Rower, silver medalist at 2008 Bejing Games, finance specialist. 776BC Facebook page www.776BC.com
Warwick Draper – Canoeing Slalom specialist, triple Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012), canoe/kayak designer and coach

Warwick Draper was the eventual winner after a tight race to the finish line, so watch this space. If you want to know more about Warwick hear him speak about his preparation for the London Olympics.

And if you are interested in how past participants and winners of the VIS Barrett Business Scholarship program are doing you can listen to and watch them via the youtube links below.

Alli Van Ommen (sport – water polo; business – osteopathy)

Shane Reese & Luke Harper (sport – swimming and life saving; business – swim school)

Matt Berriman (sport – cricket; business digital media, general manager, business leader)

Don Elgin (sport – paralympic bronze medalist 2000 Sydney, athletics, business – speakers bureau)

Again it has been a privilege to watch new businesses come to life and work with such an amazing group of people.

Remember everybody lives by selling something.

Author: Sue Barrett, www.barrett.com.au

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Why Sales doesn’t have its rightful place at the boardroom table?

The 8th August 2012 was a milestone for Professional Salespeople around Australia: until that day there had been no officially recognised benchmark for professional selling at tertiary level. Whereas Finance, Marketing, Production, Engineering, IT, Business Administration, Research & Design, Human Resources, Logistics, Procurement and even Entrepreneurship all have recognized tertiary qualifications, Professional Business Selling is the last role in the [...]

August 17, 2012 in Education in Sales, Sales Culture, Sales Driven Organisations, Sales Excellence Acadamy, Sales Leadership, Sales Management, Sales Pioneer, Sales Training, Self Development

Peter Finkelstein: Head Sales Strategy – Barrett Consulting Group gave a speech about Selling and its journey to legitimacy. Here is a summary of his speech at the Barrett – Swinburne University partnership launch to provide Australia’s first VET accredited, University endorsed sales training and development program, providing both a Diploma in Business and Certificate 4 in Business Sales.

Throughout my global travels I’ve noticed a universal truth – no-one aspires to becoming a salesperson..

every other career but sales

When I asked 142 boys and girls in Year 12 what their career choice was for when they left school answers included doctors, pilots, architects and marketing but not Sales.

So we come to the question – why does sales enjoy so little respect in the business mix that even children fail to regard it as a career choice? Everyone knows that without an effective sales function companies will not generate the revenue needed to sustain their business. Why then, is Sales so disrespected by management, academics and management scientists and even by young adults on the verge of going into business?

In my experience there are four reasons that stand out. Firstly it was the history of selling started the rot. Then, in the 1960′s Sales was high-jacked by marketing. Then there’s the general lack of understanding of the salesperson’s role by management and lastly the state of denial that many salespeople live with.

The history of selling started it. We’ve all heard tales of the “Snake oil Salesmen” – salesmen who travelled from town to town selling off the back of a wagon with empty promises of salvation and remedies that would solve every ailment. Buyers’ impression of salespeople at that time, “Don’t trust them. They tell lies to get you to buy.”

As the market matured and customers built resistance, salespeople developed different hard sell techniques. Snake oil selling was replaced with Mood then Barrier and finally Formula Selling. All three techniques designed to trap and manipulate customers into buying.

In the 1960′s, when the concept of formula selling failed to deliver the expected results, management turned to marketing for advice. After all marketing professionals were educated, had some form of university degree and were thus better qualified to answer sales problems than sales managers who only had a lot of experience on their side.

Given the confidence (misplaced as it may have been) that management has in marketing, it is not surprising that marketing high jacked Sales. Suddenly the “experts” on the subject of all things related to Sales and selling were marketing professionals.

They developed sales campaigns, took over the interface with management and became the custodians of customer knowledge and experts on customer profiles, behaviour, habits and needs.

The reality is that marketing did such a great public relations job, management saw them as squirrels – cute, cuddly and non-threatening – as opposed to sales, who are viewed as rats – hard, threatening and pushy. Management seems to have forgotten that both squirrels and rats are rodents. Sales and marketing are two sides of the same coin – equal partners who need one another.

Few senior executives come up through the ranks of sales. Most are accountants, engineers, MBAs, etc. Perhaps it’s because management have been to university, whereas salespeople have generally not, to be top earning professionals, that this skewed view has evolved. Most boardrooms see expert opinions sought from Finance, HR and Marketing but when the challenge is a sales problem everyone has an expert opinion for the sales manager (who is seldom invited to the board meeting).

Perhaps it’s the behaviour of salespeople and their managers – after all most salespeople are extrovert, apparently insensitive to the feelings of others, always out of the office enjoying the great weather, having long lunches and early evening drinks. If they get all the perks the least they can do is be humble and deliver the high volumes of sales the company demands

“Many salespeople today neglect to place the word “sales” on their business cards.”

Lastly, too many salespeople live in a state of denial. Many salespeople today neglect to place the word “sales” on their business cards. They have little respect for themselves or their profession preferring titles such as account manager, pre-sales support executive and consultant.

The fact is salespeople are trained in what they do. They learn about their products and services; about their competitors and their products and services, about their market, customers’ and their business, about marketing and about relationship building; about production, distribution and financial issues. They learn to understand costs and margins – if not the use of models, then certainly the practical application of them. And in the process they learn some selling skills. If they don’t do that their chances of making it are almost null.

That’s right. Professional salespeople spend a lot more than five years studying. The nature of the craft is one that demands practical implementation, so they learn and study on the job. Like tradesmen, they serve an apprenticeship that takes them through the stages of development until they can stand alone, un-supervised. So yes, they may not have university degrees and may not have studied for three years on a trot, but they are well trained and just as competent as other executives.And now, if they and their companies invest in these same salespeople getting a Diploma in Business they can reduce the learning curve, shorten the sales development cycle and fast-track their return on investment.

Remember everybody lives by selling something.

Author: Sue Barrett, www.barrett.com.au

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How Meditation Can Make You a Better Salesperson

May 17, 2012 in Attitudes & Behaviours, Brain Science, Emotional Intelligence, Life Skills, Neuroscience, Neuroscience in Sales, Resilience, Sales Results, Self Development, Success, Wellbeing

In this increasingly complex world emotions such as empathy, compassion and benevolence are emerging as critical qualities of highly successful people, teams, companies and communities. Even in the highly competitive world of business and selling, those sales people and leaders who are able to incorporate these qualities into their daily work and personal lives are finding greater levels of success. This is coming in the form of better sales results and healthier, more prosperous client relationships as well as better personal health, resilience, and overall job and personal satisfaction.

Not on the usual business checklist of qualities to be proactively developed and mastered, neuropsychologists have demonstrated that emotions such as compassion, empathy, and benevolence can be trained. What’s more, as soft as it may sound, a growing number of companies are buying into the notion that developing these qualities through meditation can alter the brain in ways that drive important organizational outcomes.

brain connected to its environment using empathy, compassion and benevolence

So how do you develop these qualities – empathy, compassion and benevolence – and incorporate them into your daily life? And why should you bother?

Leaving behind the energy draining need of ‘striving for perfection and approval’, competition at all costs, and focussing on obtaining status via material possessions and power, all potential hallmarks of a 20th century ‘me’ focused culture, many people are coming to realise that practicing empathy, compassion and benevolence is allowing them to accept themselves as they are which in turn is allowing them to free up energy to accept others too. They are finding that practicing ‘self’ and ‘other’ acceptance is the basis for all healthy and productive relationships – at work and home.

Alongside a growing body of research, and a couple thousand years of anecdotal evidence (see Buddhism, Yoga, Sufism, and other spiritual practices), neuroscientists Antoine Lutz and Richard Davidson at the University of Wisconsin-Madison demonstrate that meditation can help with “positivity” training since it stimulates the area of the brain associated with emotions such as empathy or compassion. To verify this, Davidson mapped the brains of employees at a bio-tech company where more than half of the group completed 3 hours of meditation training. After meditating, participants noticed an elevation or boost in their mood and a decrease in anxiety. Davidson was able to vividly show that meditation produced significant increases in activity in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for positive characteristics like optimism and resilience, as well as “higher” executive functions as decision-making, judgment, and planning.

When we operate in the prefrontal cortex (the front part of the brain) we are able to think more clearly, make better decisions, listen more attentively, see other people’s points of view, come up with better ideas to problems and work together more effectively and more efficiently.

By contrast, staying stuck in the amygdale -the primitive, reptilian (hind) part of the brain- where our Flight & Fright response resides, we risk jamming our senses, limiting our thinking, and end up creating personal and work settings revolving around constant fear and distress. It is not to say we should avoid the amygdale at all costs – that is unrealistic too. The Amygdale is an important part of the brain, designed to help us deal with ‘life threatening’ situations which, under normal circumstances, only occur in short bursts. However the 20th century’s ‘Me’ focused culture has inadvertently set up ‘lifestyle threatening’ situations and management-by-fear business cultures leading many people to operate in the amygdale for sustained periods.

... possessions, status ...

Worried about holding on to their possessions, status, and jobs, this striving for self preservation has led to many to experience a sense of entitlement (without responsibility) which, sadly, breeds the opposite of empathy, compassion and benevolence. The pressure of ‘keeping up with the Jones’, and striving for external validation of one’s worthiness is leaving many people suffering from sustained distress – not a condition of general life contentment.

And what’s worse, medical research is confirming that living in a constant or sustained state of fear – flight or fright, is leading to adrenal fatigue, lower immune responses, dramatic increases in heart disease and early onset dementia. In addition to the stark medical news, if we operate from a constant state of fear we see a reduction in feelings of empathy, compassion and benevolence across all walks of life. This can in turn lead to outcomes such as increases in road rage incidents, alcohol and substance abuse, relationship breakdowns, depression and other mental illnesses to name a few.

A recent US study estimate suggests that distress; operating from a place of constant fear, costs companies about $200 billion a year in increased absenteeism, tardiness, and the loss of talented workers. Not good for anyone, any family, business, or community.

What this study also revealed was that practicing meditation can increase job satisfaction and productivity. Rather than coming down hard on employees and sales people pressuring them to produce more or sell more with less with constants threats and fear of job loss, a number of companies are encouraging employees to take up meditation practices. This in turn is reducing distress and increases wellbeing which ironically helps people be more effective and productive. Working from a ‘can do’ approach, more leaders and their teams are finding better pathways to successful outcomes in this complex, busy world and rewiring their brains and their lives to suit.

office meditation

Some MBA programs are even jumping on the meditation bandwagon as well. At Arizona State University, for example, Meditation in a New York Minute by Mark Thorton is on the required book lists for leadership electives. It also offers a ‘Neuroscience of Leadership’ course in its Business Masters degrees. Their challenge is to move beyond ‘fad’ status. As a practitioner of meditation and yoga for more than 20 years I can attest to the effectiveness however like anything it requires regular practice and attention.

So instead of living in constant fear of achieving our sales budgets, keeping our businesses afloat, and all that goes with it, maybe we could take some time out of our busy days and, at the very least, start to meditate, finding space in for reflection and contemplation – giving our brains and bodies space to be at rest and clear the daily distresses. By practicing meditation we can train our brains to start working in the prefrontal cortex and tap into our creativity and quality decision making, as well as our empathy, compassion and benevolence which clears a pathway thus allowing people to work together and co create, finding better more effective and efficient ways to be successful.

Remember everybody lives by selling something.

Author: Sue Barrett, www.barrett.com.au

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Top 10 Tips when Negotiating

Everybody needs to negotiate from time to time; at work, at home, as a leader, as sales person, and as a consumer. For some it seems easy, but others view the process of negotiation as a source of conflict to be resisted and avoided if possible. Negotiation is a process and a skill that can be developed. Negotiation can be [...]

April 12, 2012 in Attitudes & Behaviours, Communication, Education in Sales, Life Skills, Negotiation, Sales Results, Sales Skills, Sales Strategy, Sales Tips, Sales Training, Self Development

Negotiation can be described as a process that involves two or more people dealing with each other with the intention of forming an agreement and a commitment to a course of action where compromise needs to be reached in order to move forward. In a sales environment, not every sales situation needs negotiation however when a compromise needs to be reached negotiation often involves a series of communications between two parties to form an agreement about the details of a sales solution.

In many cases, it is possible for a proposal to be generated that satisfies the needs of both parties this is called a Win:Win.

different types of negotiation outcomes

Win: Win – In this approach, both parties go into a negotiation or transaction with the intention that they will give something towards the transaction in order to receive what they want. This is the strategy that has the best formula for success.

However, sometimes one or more parties may have to accept less than they had hoped for when they entered the negotiation process. This is when you come across the Win:Lose.

Win: Lose – The second approach has a good opportunity for success given one party is open to giving in order to receive, therefore paving the way for the sale to proceed. Both parties are open to giving, although the second party will give only once they have received. However where this approach can fall down is when Party B waits too long, wanting to receive as much as possible. If they wait too long, Party A may decide they wish to reconsider and a stalemate could ensue. In the worst case scenario the fulfillment of one party’s wishes may come entirely at the expense of the other party’s.

In a Lose: Lose situation both parties are unwilling to give before they receive. This approach is the least effective when it comes to negotiation, given that it is easy for a stalemate to arise. Unless one party is willing to take the risk of compromising, there is likely to be no negotiation.

Therefore, negotiation is the process of navigating your way through each of these alternatives, ideally aiming to come to an agreement that is complimentary to both parties’ needs. So here are 10 tips to help you navigate you way through negotiations.

10 Helpful Tips

1. Develop ‘negotiation consciousness’: Successful negotiators are assertive and challenge everything. They know that everything is negotiable.

2. Become a good listener: Negotiators are detectives. They ask probing questions and then remain silent. The other negotiator will tell you everything you need to know – all you have to do is listen.

3. Be prepared: The boy (and girl) scouts were right. Gather as much pertinent information prior to the negotiation. What are their needs? What pressures do they feel? What options do they have? Doing your homework is vital to successful negotiation.

4. Aim high: People who aim higher do better. If you expect more, you’ll get more. Successful negotiators are optimists. A proven strategy for achieving higher results is opening with an extreme position. Sellers should ask for more than they expect to receive and buyers should offer less than they are prepared to pay.

5. Be patient: This is very difficult for some people. We want to get it over with. Whoever is more flexible about time has the advantage. Your patience can be devastating to the other negotiator if they are in a hurry.

6. Focus on satisfaction: Help the other negotiator feel satisfied. Satisfaction means that their basic interests have been fulfilled. Don’t confuse basic interests with positions. Their position is what they say they want. Their basic interest is what they really need to get

7. Don’t make the first move: The best way to find out if the other negotiator’s aspirations are low is to induce them to open first. They may ask for less than you think. If you open first, you may give away more than is necessary.

8. Don’t accept the first offer: If you do, the other negotiator will think they could have done better. They will be more satisfied if you reject the first offer because when you eventually say “Yes”, they will conclude that they have pushed you to your limit.

9. Don’t make unilateral concessions: Whenever you give something away, get something in return. Always tie a string “I’ll do this if you do that”. Otherwise, you are inviting the other negotiator to ask you for more.

10. Always be willing to walk away: Never negotiate without options. If you depend too much on the positive outcome of a negotiation, you lose your ability to say “No”.

Remember everybody lives by selling something.

Author: Sue Barrett, www.barrett.com.au

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What Athletes, Top CEO’s and Pop Stars Have in Common

Elite athletes, pop stars, top selling writers, politicians, Fortune 100 CEO’s all have one thing in commonthey hire coaches to help them achieve their goals faster and become or maintain their ‘number one’ status. Elite performers see the value their coach brings to their craft. They know their coach will help them gain and create insights that transform their performance. [...]

December 1, 2011 in Coaching, Sales Coaching, Sales Leadership, Sales Management, Sales Training, Self Development, Success

Not being heard, thus changing paths

As highlighted recently in the article ‘Are you at risk of losing your top sales performers?‘I mentioned the story of a young sales woman who contacted Barrett looking for expert sales coaching. Here is the excerpt: ‘My repeated requests to my manager for coaching and training were dismissed as too costly. I went outside to get the development I craved. My manager just wasn’t interested in giving me any of his time to coach me and certainly wasn’t interested in paying any money for my development. So I paid $3,000 of my own money for 6 one-on-one sales coaching sessions and they really helped. The benefits of one-on-one sales coaching were enormous. I achieved 130% of my budget in my first year and made the annual incentive trip overseas. My manager tried to claim the credit for my success. Needless to say into my second year nothing changed on the management front so after a further 9 months in solitude I left the company to pursue a career where personal development was valued.’

This young woman is an example of a growing number of sales professionals looking externally for coaching support to help them succeed and achieve their goals. They often tell us that that they are not getting the professional development or coaching they crave from their sales managers or business leaders. Often left to fend for themselves, these high performers want to be successful so they employ their own coach.

But a word of caution: you need to know what you are looking for. Not all coaches are the same and not all will be able to help you. If you are going to employ a sales coach make sure they:

Have had relevant sales experience and know how to sell well themselves (in a 21st century consultative sales way of course; no used car, product flogging, charm merchants)

They have knowledge and experience in sales strategy, sales planning, prospecting, sales communication, account management, negotiation, team work, etc.

Have recognised coaching qualifications with at least 100 hours of real time coaching experience and testimonials to back up their success.

Use an integrated mix of recognised coaching tools and resources

Know where their professional boundaries lie – they do not delve into nor try and fix any clinical or deeply personal issues, unless they are clinically trained in psychology and/or medicine. If they claim to be able to work in this space without appropriate qualifications do not continue with them.

Have your interests at heart and remain professional at all times. They do not try to make you dependant on them.

RobynCreed, Head of Coaching

Robyn Creed, head of Barrett Coaching says that a coach can wear a number of hats at any one time. They can act as your sounding board, someone who listens without prejudice. Your coach should be a person who helps and guides you while you set your own goals and strategies. They keep you accountable and focused on the priorities that are most important. They might also critique the way you do things, which may be the difference between winning that $200M deal you have been trying to close for months! Here is a lovely quote I found on coaching: ‘A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment.’ John Wooden, American Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee.

A good sales coach knows the difference between Deal Based coaching and Strategic Coaching; they know what type of coaching you need based on where you are at – skills, transformational, remedial, or high performance coaching. If you want to read more about what qualities you should look for in an experience coach then go to Why Barrett Coaching.

Fortunately you don’t have to go it alone. Like the young woman mentioned previously you can get your own sales coach, however the good news that more and more Sales Leaders and Managers are now being trained on how to coach properly. Sales Management is quickly seeing the merit in coach training from a team engagement perspective and for staff retention, as well as the obvious and financial viewpoint.

Gallup research has demonstrated that there is a very significant connection between outstanding salespeople and their managers. The research indicated that having the right sales manager/coach can result in a 20% improvement in a sales person’s performance. In addition, it is not uncommon to find that almost 90% of what salespeople learn in a sales training program is lost unless it is effectively embedded and integrated back in the workplace and led by managers through effective coaching.

Stay on top So if you desire to be at the top of your game and stay ahead of your competitors, remember great sales people don’t hesitate to ask others for support. Just like our proactive sales capabilities we take our role seriously and enlist the coaching that will make us a truly top performer and one of the best.

Remember everybody lives by selling something.

Author: Sue Barrett, MD of www.barrett.com.au

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