BARRETT 12 Sales Trends of 2012 Poll Results
 

Barrett E-News January 2012

From Sue Barrett


Welcome to the New Year where challenges and opportunities abound. Adapt or perish is the theme resonating across industry with many trusted names of the past, like Kodak for instance, not living to see the future. Lack of foresight, vision and adaptability are holding many people hostage. However, we are seeing many business leaders rousing themselves into action before it's too late. The biggest challenge for businesses in 2012 is to get their sales strategy and sales force right helping their sales teams transition from 'product' specialists to business people who can sell.

Celebrating our 17th anniversary in business we have kicked off the year with a number of significant Barrett Sales Essentials Transformation projects in play as businesses finally put in place their 21st century sales transition plans. We look forward to staying connected with you and, where appropriate, assisting you on your journey throughout 2012.

Ask the Sales Sage

This month's question:

I am a top sales performer for five years now. It took me three years to take a mediocre territory to the top and maintain it. I find myself in need of another challenge, but I can not find a promotion worthy of challenge or a position with pay to compare with what I am now earning. I wonder what you would recommend in this instance? I have an MBA to match great experience and feel like I would go anywhere in the world for a challenge. My industry is a small world to go poking around in for another job without risking what I have and I find, even as my peers perceive my accomplishments as incredible, I can not seem to garner any attention in other fields. In other words, I believe I have a very transferrable skill set.

The Sales Sage says:

I completely understand your dilemma. When I was a recruitment consultant I met thousands of sales people and spoke to many business/sales managers on the look out for good sales people. I found that while many managers asked for experience in their respective industries my best placements were not from the industry. They came with experience from other sectors where they, like you, had achieved excellent results.

It took a while to get the trust of managers to look at people outside their industry but once they took these people on board they quickly realised the "new blood" enhanced their teams and lifted the standards. Perhaps you need to approach the industries you're interested in and seek advice from the managers you would like to work with. Ask them what they really look for in great sales people and what it would take them to look at someone outside their industries.

If you are applying for roles outside your area of expertise focus on the competencies that you bring not the experience. The other issue to consider is the varying pay levels for different industries. Some are highly paid, while others are not. Have you considered entering the management consulting business with your MBA and sales experience? You would be a great asset for these types of businesses as you can earn good money while being recognised for your talents.

Yours truly the Sales Sage

Send us your 'Ask the Sales Sage' question via this online form.

Latest news:


12 Sales Trends of 2012 Poll Results.

In December 2012 we published The 12 Sales Trends of 2012 inviting readers to vote on what they thought would be the most important trends in sales for this year. Thank you to everyone who shared their views and voted. Every month we will explore one of the trends in more detail, starting with the trends voted as most important to you.

"It's not WHAT you do but WHY & HOW you do it" topped the rankings. The Poll voting revealed the sales trends for 2012 in order of importance:

The top 12 sales trends for 2012 are:

  1.  It's not what you do but why & how you do it
  2.  Make coaching the priority and coach your way to sales success
  3.  Move over mass marketing, welcome to fragmentation and segmentation
  4.  Educate and Facilitate
  5.  Buyers are in the driver's seat
  6.  Field sales teams numbers to halve
  7.  A seismic shift in the way we sell
  8.  Shrinking product life cycles
  9.  The polarisation of Selling & Buying
  10.  Intuitive customer centric CRM
  11.  The Sales Brain - using neuroscience to sell
  12.  Using scientific data to predict B2B buying behaviour

We will be publishing detailed reports on each trend every month. Here is "It's not WHAT you do but WHY & HOW you do it".

Enjoy.


Barrett Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) Business Scholarship Winner announced for 201

"Congratulations to Allison van Ommen (VIS Water polo scholarship holder) on winning the 2011 Barrett Business Scholarship! The panel is very impressed with all the athletes' presentations.

Alli is a worthy winner of the continuing mentor program with Sue Barrett during 2012. Under the Scholarship parameters Alli is now receiving one-on-one mentor sessions with Sue Barrett to further her business, Without Limits Osteopathy. Alli is also entitled to $1000 funding from the VIS ACE Program to support the growth of her business. It is great that Alli is living out the VIS Motto - Success in Sport and Life."

Sue Barrett had the privilege of working with Alli on the Barrett VIS Business Scholarship program. She was one of the VIS athletes who was nominated for the program and attended all sessions. Each athlete brings along their business idea or fledgling business and learns how to build a sales/business plan and how to grow their business using 21st century sales and marketing strategies, skills and knowledge.

Alli was able to effectively apply the concepts and develop a robust business strategy which she is now able to implement and drive. It was an honour to sit in on her final presentation and see her bring everything to fruition on the night. I look forward to working with her, following her career and business success.


The CEO Institute Leaders' Summit 2012

Sue Barrett and Barrett's Senior Consultant, Esther Gretton were excited to attend the CEO Institute Leaders' Summit 2012 on Tuesday 24th January.

The summit focused on CEO's and those in leadership positions to embrace change and how to capitalise on the opportunities that change can bring your way in today's business world.

Topics included creating opportunities through strategic socialising, finding opportunities in a disrupted market, overcoming adversity and more.

The summit's guest speakers were some of Australia's top CEO's and leaders with extensive experience and invaluable advice. Guest speakers included Executive Director of the School of Engineering, Technology and Trades at Swinburne University of Technology, John Cawley and successful businessman and President of the Western Bulldogs Football Club, David Smorgan.

A particular highlight was David Smorgan's presentation showcasing the many lessons he has learnt throughout his career journey. His statement, 'You have to earn the right to be an executive' resonated with most as did his lovely story about visiting the wharves to greet new immigrants offering them a lift to the hostels to drop off their belongings and then taking them to the Smorgan family business and offering them jobs even though many did not speak English.

Salient reminders about business serving community and not the other way around.

At Barrett Consulting Group we understand that whether we are ready or not, leaders need to be ready for the turbulent and challenging times ahead. Leaders and CEO's need to be prepared to rethink the way they do business and how they engage with market place.

If you want to know the business trends for 2012 check out Barrett's Annual Barrett 12 Sales Trends Report to see what's in store for your business this year.


Barrett Consulting Group invites you to connect

With 2012 well and truly back in the swing of things Barrett Consulting Group welcomes our networks and followers to connect with us on our social media pages.

Keep up to date with the latest news, results and announcements by Sue Barrett and the Barrett Consulting Group team. Visit www.barrett.com.au, read articles salesblog.barrett.com.au, visit the Barrett Facebook Page, connect with Barrett on LinkedIN, or follow follow Sue Barrett on Twitter.

Latest Media

Sue Barrett has published the following articles this month for a range of publications:

Question

Do you have a selling question you would like an answer to? Feel free to contact us on 03 9533 0000 or send us an email with your question and we can respond personally or will post the answer in next month's e-news for all our readers.

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