World-Class Sales

The Inside Story on
How to Build a World-Class Sales Organization
Presenters
Patrick Sweeney
President
Caliper
Frank Costanzo
SVP, Sales
Caliper
Gerhard Gschwandtner
Founder, CEO
Selling Power
Tom Gartland
President, North America
Avis Budget Group
Discussion Points
• The most important elements of managing a sales force.
• How to position your salespeople as valued partners to clients.
• Why sales coaching is more important than ever before.
Degree of satisfaction gained
Degree of satisfaction gained from
from
persuading others;
persuading
others;
motivation
win
others’
commitment
motivation toto
win
others’
commitment
Potential to perceive others’ feelings
Potential to perceive others’ feelings
adapt as needed
and adaptand
as needed
Capacity
to handle rejection
Capacity to handle rejection
and criticism
and criticism
Understanding the Individual
• Hire with an eye toward who someone is,
versus what they’ve done in the past.
• Employees may be in roles currently that do
not fully maximize their strengths.
• You can find sales talent internally – possibly
in other roles.
• Audits of your talent can help uncover
potential salespeople.
Creating a World-Class Buying
Experience
• Creating a winning sales organization means creating a
winning buying experience for your customers.
• Doing so means understanding today’s prepared buyer.
• High levels of customer service, convenience, and a true
understanding of the client are a must.
Open Doors
Build
Relationships
Close Sale
What does your customer want?
Knowledge about product line
Knowledge of customer’s industry
Knowledge of customer’s internal processes
Sales 2.0
• Technology is more prevalent: mobile, social
media, big data.
• Today, salespeople have to align:
– People
– Process
– Technology
A Critical Formula
10%
30%
60%
People; Change
Management
Process
Technology
75 – 85% of a customer’s buying decision is already made
by the time they encounter a salesperson.
Today’s Buying Journey
• Not fixed.
• Online shopping and research.
• Social media; referrals from friends.
• Influence comes from a variety of sources.
The Role of Today’s Salesperson
• Diagnose the right problem; help with solution.
• Provider of insight.
• Trusted advisor.
• Creates value.
Improving Your Sales Organization
• It’s all about your talent:
– Do you hire the right salespeople?
– Do you train them appropriately?
– Do you set them up for success?
– Do you offer ongoing coaching?
• Sales leaders must be people developers.
Passive
Culture
Aggressive
Integrated
Build
Relationships
Bring Value
Close the Sale
Salesperson 2.0
Emotional Intelligence
• The ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of
oneself, of others, and of groups.
• Gives salespeople the ability to diagnose the right problem and
understand customer’s pain.
• Enables salespeople to put the proper solution in the context of
the customer’s needs.
Sales Managers as Coaches
•
Sales Managers must function as coaches
to help inspire and motivate their teams.
•
Coaching can uncover internal
roadblocks.
•
Coaching also can prevent more serious
roadblocks from getting in the way.
•
Coaching provides insights as well as
helps salespeople feel valued.
•
Sales leaders can help their teams find
their “a-ha” moments.
Is your sales team setting
high enough standards?
What self-imposed
limitations exist?
Sales managers have to engage in “Olympic” levels of listening.
Sales
Sales Management
Sales
Self-awareness
Employee Development
• An effective leader collaborates
with, develops, and understands
his or her team.
• Sales leaders should also
provide their teams with
opportunities for growth.
• Investing in the team now
brings a higher return down the
road.
Strategic Decision Making
Knowledge
Collaboration
Decisiveness
Team Development
Team Development resources include:
•
•
Three Sixty Assessments
Talent Audit
Be open to diverse ideas.
Work alongside your team.
Invest in your team.
Support your employees.
How is your sales team showing up?
How are they perceived by your customers?
How will they execute on the sale?
Vendor vs. Strategic Partner
True Client Connection
Ability to Add Value
Credibility
Product Knowledge
The Sales Chameleon
• Understands various people’s perspectives.
• Can adapt selling style based on the situation.
• Intuitive and connected to the client.
• Can have a dialogue that pinpoints each customer’s
priorities.
The RFP
• An RFP situation might call for the salesperson to be dynamic in presenting
to various levels of customers at the same time.
• Relationship-building should begin at the start of an RFP.
• The purpose of an RFP is to get the best price – and reduce risk.
• Role of the salesperson:
– Develop relationships
– Possess business acumen
– Create a world-class buying experience
Coaching Your Sales Team
• Your salespeople bring varying experiences and
expertise to the team.
• Mentoring and listening can give the sales manager a
perspective on how to coach effectively.
• Coaching gives salespeople the tools they need to sell
more productively.
The Challenger Sale
• Taking control of the sales situation.
• Getting the customer to think differently.
• “Challenge” the customer to see things from a
different perspective.
Predicting Sales Behavior
• Personality assessments can help predict workplace
behaviors.
• Assessments can also help sales managers:
– Coach their sales teams.
– Create customized training programs.
– Analyze the salesperson-team and salespersonmanager dynamic.
Matching the Right Salespeople
• Understanding your customers as well as having
insight into your sales team’s talents will help you
match them accordingly.
• A dedicated sales team can help augment a sales
process.
There should only be one degree of separation
between the sales leader and the client.
Hiring Top Salespeople
• Top salespeople may come from different
industries.
• Evaluate past sales successes.
• Understand their personality and their internal
motivators by using assessment tools.
You don’t have to be incredible, but you do have to be credible.
Key Takeaways
1. Coach your sales team.
2. Collaborate.
3. Listen.
4. Know your team’s strengths.
5. Give your team opportunities for growth.
6. Create a world-class buying experience.
Thank you for joining us!
For information on developing your sales
team, visit
or e-mail