Lost Your Focus? An Expert Helps You Meet Your Sales Goals

Tom Redmond is the author of Selling From the Inside Out and a go-to expert on the generation of and management of sales. We recently teamed up to bring you, Selling From the Inside Out: Advanced Sales Overview, part of the FrippVT Sales Series. Watch a replay of our web event and enjoy this great article from Tom to help you meet your sales goals:

“Is It Sales?”

by Tom Redmond

“Every process is either a competitive advantage or an economic drain.”
– Tom Redmond

“Every sales conversation is a captured or missed opportunity. Which will your next one be?”
– Patricia Fripp

Patricia and I have worked together to help sales professionals improve the way they develop new business through Lead Generation Training. At one event, a sales professional still in the early stages of his career, said he was being criticized for not generating enough sales activity.

He thought about how to correct this and then created a small sign that read, “Is It Sales?” The sign was framed and placed on his desk so there was no chance of missing it.  The intent of this reminder was to force a decision. If what was being worked on right now was related to sales, it was okay to continue to work on it. If it was not related to sales, the activity would be put aside and replaced with a sales-related activity, such as calling on a prospect!

It’s funny how this same sign has made its way to our office – several are hanging on the walls where we cannot miss seeing them.

In your judgment, is what you are working on right now related to sales? If yes, carry on. If not, find a sales-related activity. What about your activities of yesterday afternoon? Last week? Your plan for next week? Put the non-sales related items aside.

In our work training sales professionals across North America, we find that sales professionals, regardless of industry, are pressured for sales results while simultaneously being pressured to complete non-sales activities. No surprise here.

For those hard-working sales managers reading this, part of your job is to protect your sales team from the company they work for! How about fewer meetings, less reports, and more sales guidance and coaching?

If you do not have a choice to stop working on the non-sales related activity, go to Plan B: manage your calendar. Block time for your critical sales-related/prospecting activities for the next two or even three weeks. Make an appointment with yourself for these activities and keep your appointment. Protect this time as if it was an appointment with your best client or prospect.

Finally, the energizer for your activities is your goals. Start from the possible and gradually move to the impossible. For example, can you ask for three referrals today? How about this week? How about this month? What is possible? Write down the goals, block the time, and continue to ask yourself: “Is It Sales?”

Tomas Redmond, Jr., author of Selling From the Inside Out and President of Redmond Group, Inc., has over thirty-five years experience with specific expertise in the generation of and management of sales. Since 1996 his firm has successfully assisted clients in designing systematic sales processes, process maps and measurement protocols for new business development. He has worked with thousands of sales professionals conducting in-person workshops, webcasts, seminars and public speaking appearances. His practice also includes one-on-one coaching with individual sales professionals, sales managers and sales teams.

Thank you Tom!

Selling From the Inside Out: Advanced Sales Overview

If you and your sales team are losing out because of poor presentation skills, why not get the help you need on your own schedule? Become a great speaker easily, conveniently, and quickly with FrippVT. Take a trial now and get three free chapters on Stories, Openings, and Sales: http://frippvt.com

“In my 12 years in sales and marketing, you are the most dynamic, charismatic, and knowledgeable sales presentation trainer and executive speech coach that I know. After your presentation skills training, both my sales and technical support team are closing more sales!”
– Bill Lewis, Director of Sales and Marketing, North America, Unitech America, Inc.

Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker Patricia Fripp works with individuals and companies who realize that powerful, persuasive presentation skills give them a competitive edge.