Sales Rep Rule 17

On a somewhat lighter side, we are publishing a list of Sales Rep Rules. We will fill them in over time. You can also follow these on Twitter @Sales_Coach and see them compiled at www.Group19.com

If you have rules you would like added, please email us at info@group19.com. We would love your comments added here on this blog.





Sales Rep Rule #17 - Those who claim to be decision makers will hide evidence to the contrary


Tell me you haven't seen this before. You ask the prospect if they are the one making the decision and they confirm they are. You spend months selling, demonstrating and proposing your solution. Then, you find out the proposal must be reviewed and approved by another group. You start over.

No one can really understand why a prospect will suggest they can make the decision when they can't. Maybe it is about power, respect, or attention. Regardless the reasons, they will not volunteer information suggesting they aren't the decision maker. You as a sales rep will have to apply some due diligence to make sure.

Sales Rep Rule 37

On a somewhat lighter side, we are publishing a list of Sales Rep Rules. We will fill them in over time. You can also follow these on Twitter @Sales_Coach and see them compiled at www.Group19.com

If you have rules you would like added, please email us at info@group19.com. We would love your comments added here on this blog.





Sales Rep Rule #37 - You can stop selling when you get the business - but not before


How frustrating it must be - you have built the best product presentation in the world, the customer gave you an hour to present, and by golly you are going to use every minute of the meeting to hammer your points and take no prisoners. - yet the customer is cutting you off 10 minutes into the presentation. He is saying he has seen enough and is ready to do the deal. What should you do? You have all this material to present, you spent a whole week preparing.

Are you kidding me - STOP selling. You did it.. Now start talking about implementing your solution.

You are saying to yourself, what kind of a person keeps selling when the deal is done. Well, this example is extreme, but think about the demo you last did. Did you stop showing all the other stuff when the customer said he saw what he wanted to see? Think about a recent presentation you did. Tell me you didn't insist on going through all 30 pages of the presentation even after the customer "got it" on slide number 5.

I think you "get it" now. Certainly John K. "gets it" because this rule was his idea.

Sales Rep Rule 79

On a somewhat lighter side, we are publishing a list of Sales Rep Rules. We will fill them in over time. You can also follow these on Twitter @Sales_Coach and see them compiled at www.Group19.com

If you have rules you would like added, please email us at info@group19.com. We would love your comments added here on this blog.





Sales Rep Rule #79 - Always make a last minute pit stop before your customer calls. It will prevent the customer from concentrating on your lunch stain instead of your presentation.


You are poised and ready for the presentation of your lifetime. This customer has demonstrated all the buying signs and has the budget for your deal. You couldn't sleep last night, all nervous about this final presentation at 1pm.

You want to make sure nothing can make you late so you leave early and have a quick lunch. The chicken salad look good and you calculated it would be just right to keep your stomach from growling.

All the butterflies are gone and you launch into your presentation. Not to brag too much, but you are giving the most powerful and compelling presentation you have ever given. About 10 minutes into your oration, you notice the customer seems distracted, not as sharp as usual, and you can't figure out what's going on. You are stumped but you can't deny this history making presentation, and go on.

After the presentation you expected a thunder of applause and the customer to rush and sign the deal. Instead, the customer thanks you for your time and says they will get back to you. They had some more questions.

All depressed now you stop in the bathroom to throw some water on your face. It is then you notice the very large white spot on your lapel. It is large enough for someone to notice a block away. You do the "instant replay" and roll the tape back in your mind. "Oh crap!" you now just figured out what your customer was looking at. That stain was just enough of a distraction that a few key points were not clearly made. After you kick your own butt, you smile because you know you will do that killer presentation one more time.

PS - the names have been changed to protect the innocent - but will be included if you are guilty. Oh and while you are making that all important pit stop before the presentation - be sure to check your fly, your teeth, your slip, and for you older guys, your nose hair :-)

Thank you Bob L. for this rule.

Sales Rep Rule 66

On a somewhat lighter side, we are publishing a list of Sales Rep Rules. We will fill them in over time. You can also follow these on Twitter @Sales_Coach and see them compiled at www.Group19.com

If you have rules you would like added, please email us at info@group19.com. We would love your comments added here on this blog.




Sales Rep Rule #66 - When standing in a sea of alligators, it is easy to forget you're there to drain the swamp.



Your best intentions can be quickly forgotten when the predators show up. For too many people, it is easier to criticize your plan than to create one of their own. As difficult as it is, your will to fight the alligators will be buoyed by the vision of the drained swamp. Keep your focus and bring along some alligator repellent.

Is Suspicion Transparent?

Pay any attention to national political discourse and you will hear the word “transparency”. In the context of the political system, “transparency” seems to imply full disclosure and open processes. To some “transparency” means legislative bills should be posted on the internet, along with exhaustive campaign donor lists, White House visitor logs, congressional financial records, and much more.

Is transparency what we truly seek?

These public calls for “transparency” remind me of personal business experiences. Maybe the two are not that different.

A loading dock manager doesn’t know how to design a product and what factors are important to that design. Equally, the design engineer doesn’t know how to schedule efficient deliveries and manage fleet fuel costs. Neither of them understand how to sell and the Sales Manager doesn’t know their roles. None of the 3 understand the daily role of the CFO and vice versa.

But, basically the loading dock manager, the product Engineer, the sales manager, and the CFO must be confident the others are competent. The Product Engineer doesn’t visit the loading dock every day to make sure shipments go out on time. The Loading Dock Manger doesn’t closely examine a product design, questioning dimensions, voltages, and pressures. The CFO isn’t riding along with the sales manager to make sure all sales leads are called and sales orders properly completed. And the Sales Manager isn’t auditing the CFO’s books regularly. In fact, they each have their hands full doing their own jobs and really can’t afford the time and are not qualified to inspect others work and participate in others decisions. To do such a thing would be ridiculous, wasteful, and unproductive.

So what happens when revenue falls, product returns are 25% and overall confidence begins to erode? Fingers are pointed and demands for “transparency” rise from every organization. The sales manager wants to participate in product engineering decisions and wants products shipped early. The product engineer wants to inspect all sales training material and go along on key sales calls. The CFO wants weekly meetings with the loading dock team to make sure products are shipped precisely as prescribed. The loading dock manager wants login access to the SFA/CRM system used by sales and wants to charge product engineering for the costs of restocking returned products. From the earlier efficient system evolves a chaotic environment where confidence is replaced with suspicion and everyone places blame without accepting any.


Is “transparency” needed? Or is the restoration of trust and confidence needed?

At another time we will discuss the leadership needed to regain trust and confidence, restoring that original efficient system.