My friend Alan Ganapol says, “Always read the signs. They’re out there. You just have to read them.”
The signs today came in the form of notices that two of my recent articles were published. They’re both on essentially the same subject. I felt compelled to share those with you.
The first article is in Business & Leadership, a Irish print and online magazine. It’s entitled, appropriately enough, No Easy Answers.
The second is my November/December column for Sales and Marketing Management magazine. That one is When Sales 101 Isn’t Enough.
Yesterday I spoke with Dan Brown, VP of Marketing at Payformance. I love talking to Dan because he’s a marketing guy that really understands selling. When I consulted with MAPICS a number of years ago, Dan was on the marketing team and did some very effective work around competitive positioning and customer value quantification. Dan, with great support from Al Barrenechea, enabled MAPICS to be quite competitive under some very tough circumstances.
Dan and I commiserated about the uphill battle getting sales leaders to understand that sales effectiveness isn’t something you can accomplish quickly or easily.
But there are those that get it. Here’s a nice email I received just this afternoon:
Hello, Dave.
FANTASTIC article on “Sales 101 Isn’t Enough.”
Spot on.
We pride ourselves at the American Heart Association to go beyond the basics. I wish I could tell you we are all at the advanced level. Not yet. But hopefully on our way there.
Much thanks for your insight. I made it a point to seek out your website and subscribe to your blog on my personal email.
Looking forward to your next pearl of wisdom.
Happy Thanksgiving.
E. Scott Murphy
National Consultant, Affiliate Corporate Prospecting
National Corporate RelationsAmerican Heart Association National Center
Scott’s email is another sign. It’s a good time to give, even a little. If not the American Heart Association, then your favorite charity.
Filed under: Competition, Marketing | Tagged: Al Barrenechea, MAPICS, Payformance, Scott Murphy
Great article.
So many new salesmen think successful sales has to do with “secrets” or “tools.” Unfortunately, they just don’t realize that the prospect will usually tell you what they want if you’re willing to listen.
I think there are basic answers to sales effectiveness.Most people don’t want to do the hard DETAILED work to make people more effective.Leaders simply want a “quicker fix” by using technology,incentives,change personnel, and/or training as the “silver bullet”.The real answer lies in changing frontline perfromance ON-THE-JOB!
This isn’t rocket science-it’s just hard work and requires a commitment to drive change management in a systematic way!