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1 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz Why Transparency Demands Truth Q & A with Rob Berg Building Successful Budgets Leaving Effective Voicemails Supplier Appraisal: A FLY ON THE WALL NZ’S E-MAG FOR SALES LEADERS NOVEMBER 2013 ISSUE 77
Transcript
Page 1: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

1 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

Why Transparency Demands Truth Q & A with Rob BergBuilding Successful Budgets Leaving Effective Voicemails

Supplier Appraisal: A FLY ON THE WALL

NZ’s e-mag for sales leaders

NoVemBer 2013 Issue 77

Page 2: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz / 2

THIs WeeK's musT read

supplIer appraIsal: a fly oN THe Wall

WHy TraNspareNcy demaNds TruTH

- You can’t fake it

Q & a

With Rob Berg, Owner of KND Consulting

QuIcK fIX

leaVINg effecTIVe VoIcemaIls

It’s not what you sell, it’s how you sell

TWo mINuTe Top up

BuIldINg successful sales BudgeTs

From the bottom up

resource corNer

21.5 uNBreaKaBle laWs of sellINg

Proven Actions You Must Take to Make Easier, Faster, Bigger Sales....

Now & Forever

NZsm code of professIoNal sellINg

caleNdar

THe close

6

12

16

19

20

22

23

25

27

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Page 3: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

3 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

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Page 4: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz / 4

from THeedITor

ABOUT /Short and sharp, New Zealand

Sales Manager is a free e-magazine

delivering thought provoking and

enlightening articles, and industry

news and information to forward-

thinking sales managers, business

owners and sales professionals.

EDITOR / Paul Newsom

ART DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson

GRAPHIC DESIGNER / Sevim Dogru Ozan

GROUP EDITOR / Nick Harley

CONTENT ENQUIRIES /

Phone Paul on 04 586 4733 or email

[email protected]

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES /

Phone Richard on 09 522 7257 or email

[email protected]

ADDRESS / NZ Sales Manager, C/- Espire

Media, PO Box 99758, Newmarket,

Auckland 1151, NZ

WEBSITE / nzsalesmanager.co.nz

IssN 2230-4762

NZ sales maNager Would lIKe To acKNoWledge THe supporT of our major parTNers

I always enjoy reading

articles by procurement

expert Paul Rogers. In this

issue, we have a ‘fly on the wall’

perspective from Paul of how

the buyer should go about doing

supplier appraisals. There is

valuable insight here for any sales

professional that will help with

understanding the criteria and

process that might be used.

Using this insight, you will see that

knowing how you rate against

the customer’s ‘high bar’ and

positioning yourself against these

criteria, can be more important than

comparing your company against

your competitors. A key take away

from this article therefore is to

develop your questioning strategy

to understand what it is that the

customer is really buying.

It certainly isn’t the first time that I

will say, that to know how to sell,

we first must understand how

our customers buy, and how they

make decisions. Knowing how your

customers evaluate suppliers, and

conduct their supplier appraisals

is a vital part of your account

management plan.

Happy selling

paul

Visit microsoft.co.nz/getmodern for great deals on software upgrades.

Silver foxes get better with age. Software doesn’t.Unfortunately, time takes its toll on technology. Microsoft will soon end security updates for: • Windows XP • Office2003 • WindowsServer2003Without these updates, you leave your organisation at risk of harmful viruses and business disruptions. Ensure your business is future ready.

Page 5: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

Visit microsoft.co.nz/getmodern for great deals on software upgrades.

Silver foxes get better with age. Software doesn’t.Unfortunately, time takes its toll on technology. Microsoft will soon end security updates for: • Windows XP • Office2003 • WindowsServer2003Without these updates, you leave your organisation at risk of harmful viruses and business disruptions. Ensure your business is future ready.

Page 6: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz / 6

musT read

The disappointment gap is the difference between

what the seller promised, and the performance the

client actually received. Most buyers try to explore

the real capability of potential suppliers before they do any

business, a process buyers call supplier appraisal. Our ‘fly on

the wall’ shares the inside story.

By Paul Rogers

Supplier Appraisal:

A FLY ON THE WALL

Page 7: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

7 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

Supplier appraisal is

a structured evaluation process to help buyers

assess the technical, commercial and

financial suitability of a potential source

of supply.

Supplier appraisal is a structured

evaluation process to help buyers

assess the technical, commercial

and financial suitability of a

potential source of supply. How

do buyers do this? Mostly from the

comfort of their desk, but there are

some common processes. Many buyers

have a standard checklist to evaluate

potential sources of supply, in the same

way that you probably assess a prospect for

credit worthiness and likely revenue potential. But

some buyers look beyond the desk-bound ‘tick

box’ approach, as this can reduce the exercise to

a clerical task, whereas supplier appraisal done

well, can create opportunities for both the buyer

and supplier.

While much sales training focuses upon how the

sales person can define the prospect’s real needs,

professional buyers see their role as understanding

what they really need, and then matching the value

propositions of the suppliers in the market to those

needs. So it is crucial for you as a sales person

that the buyer understands not just your product

or service, but your organisational capability and

capacity as well.

Professional buyers will vary the rigour of the

appraisal based upon the complexity of the

category. You might think this is obvious, but if

the buyer is seeking a “commercial off the shelf”

solution, known as COTS to buyers, then the

capability of the supplier is much less critical than if

the buyer is seeking to acquire a service from you

that will grant them competitive advantage over

their rivals. Let’s look at an example. I am working

with a hospital group who found that they are

using more than seventy types of cup across the

network, from sputum cups to drinking cups. They

are seeking to rationalise the variety of cups they

buy, of course, but what they want from a supplier is

three key things;

Page 8: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

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musT read

• The ability to supply as many types of cups as

possible (a ‘one-stop-shop’ would be ideal)

• The ability to propose opportunities for variety

reduction and participate in driving down variety

• The ability to hold stock, pick, pack and deliver

in a variety of units of sale, perhaps down to

inner cartons, with a high degree of reliability

If you are a cup distributor you might be getting

excited! But imagine if you are a supplier who’s

value proposition is that you offer low pricing based

upon a minimum order of a pallet load. Or if your

‘delivery in full and on time’ performance is below

75%. Supplier appraisal is going to exclude you

from the pitch even before you have had a chance

to quote!

WHAT DRIVES SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE?

So when you meet a prospect who has not yet

started their supplier appraisal process, consider

carefully what are the key outcomes the

prospect needs from this category. Because the

buyer will use these outcomes to identify the

drivers that enable superior performance by a

supplier. Here are some clues that you might pick up

in the sales interview:

The buyer says “we are losing market share, and we

have had to slash our margins, so we are looking for

challenging cost reductions”. What the buyer will be

looking for is not just a keen quote from you now,

but the ability to sustain cost reduction through

time. And what enables that?

• A track record of cost control through time (less

than price inflation)

• A strong procurement department, or a value

analysis function, or tight integration of cost and

management accountants with production

• The ability to change (or at least influence

the cost base), so a significant proportion of

variable or semi-variable costs (or at least not all

fixed costs!)

The buyer says “we have problems with reliability

from our current supplier, and need continuity of

supply”. What the buyer will be looking for is not

just evidence that you have adequate stockholding,

but the ability to manage a responsive supply chain.

And what enables that?

• A customer-focused production organisation

with a dedicated representative who is senior

enough to make things happen

• Sufficient capacity to meet their needs

• An account which is the ‘Goldilocks’ size for the

supplier; not too big and not too small

• An order fulfilment process which is streamlined,

has a short lead time and can deal with changes

in a responsive way

The buyer says “we have fallen behind our

competitors and we really need to catch up”. What

the buyer will be looking for is not just evidence that

you have research and development, but the ability

to deliver innovation in a sustainable way. And what

enables that?

When you meet a prospect who has not yet started their supplier appraisal process, consider carefully what are the key outcomes the prospect needs from this category.

Page 9: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

9 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz 9 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

musT read

• Leadership from the senior executives to drive

innovation and sponsor innovation

• Engagement of customers in the product/

service design process

• A pipeline of new ideas or a ‘technology road

map’ evidencing that the company not only has

ideas, but can bring them to market

BEYOND STANDARD CHECKLISTS

The point is that buyers ʻreverse engineer from the

outcomes that they need to focus upon the enablers

which deliver those outcomes. So in pitching to

these prospects, you can either try to help them

define their own needs in ways which align to your

own value proposition, or make sure that they

understand the attributes of your company that

align with the enablers that the buyer will evaluate

you and your competitors against.

The sources of information for supplier

appraisal include:

• Catalogues

• Annual reports will yield good financial

data, and the chairman’s report will often

be surprisingly honest about strategy and

development plans

• Supplier visits (though increasingly rare)

• References from other reputable customers (but

buyers recognise that you will nominate your

best accounts, and very few referees express

strong views in commenting on suppliers).

• Visits to reference sites

• Bank references (but these are often

very circumspect)

• Google can elicit contextual material, but you

have to know what you are looking for.

Page 10: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

musT read

PETER PRICE OR VALERIE VALUE?

Let’s say there are many different types of buyer,

but for simplicity we can contrast the ‘old school’

tactical buyer who is preoccupied with the ‘four Ps’

of purchasing (price, price, price and price) as Peter

Price. Valerie Value is more recent, and she really

does see beyond the price, and tries to understand

how different suppliers may create value.

Peter compares suppliers against other suppliers.

“You score better than (competitor) on lead time,

but they have better rates”. This is the ‘beauty

parade’ in which there is no objective measure of

what is needed, and instead the buyer compare

suppliers in relative terms. Valerie compares

suppliers in absolute terms against a ‘high bar’ that

she has set. The location of the high bar comes

with experience, but many buyers will use internal

subject matter experts to understand what ‘good’

looks like. Let’s say that Peter and Valerie are each

acquiring design capabilty.

Peter would issue a dummy brief and ask potential

suppliers to prepare a response. This reveals what

about the suppliers? Their ability to respond to a

one-off brief? Valerie would assemble a team to

reverse engineer the enablers of sustainable

capability, and develop word pictures of the

indicators of that capability. Here is an example

of painting word pictures of gradations of capability

in respect of design:

• Good design will be evidenced by a design

team with access to the latest hardware

and software, senior level support and

representation, and a demonstrable track

record of success in developing new designs to

improve product performance.

• Satisfactory design will be evidenced by a

junior design team with mixed motivation and

a varied record in contributing new designs.

Design may be isolated from the product

creation process, or turnover of talent may be

higher than expected.

• Poor design may be evidenced by warranty

claims or frequent product revisions. Personnel

may be poorly motivated or poorly led. Design

may be a marginal player, not well regarded

by marketing or production. CV’s of the staff

may show limited experience or expertise, and

investment in technology may show lack of

senior management support for the function.

• Unacceptable design may show unfilled

vacancies, low morale and poor facilities.

Rework or production problems may be caused

by poor design and other functions may buy

in design expertise. The function may be

Page 11: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

11 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

musT read

paul rogers is a freelance procurement consultant. To find out more visit www.paulrogers.pro

a second, third or fourth tier activity, with

weak leadership and recognition that ʻthere

is a problem.

Valerie’s team would then design an apprisal

process that identified the indicators of capability,

calibrated the scoring system, and then reviewed

the suppliers against a common set of dimensions.

Most supplier appraisals involve a combination of

desk research using mainly secondary sources and

field research using primary sources of information.

In this case, a visit would be needed to meet and

interview the design stafff and other stakeholders.

JIGSAW PUZZLE

Supplier appraisal is like piecing together the pieces

of a jigsaw, and the key pieces are:

1. Technical capability, i.e. can the supplier

perform, meet the client’s standards?

2. Commercial capability, i.e. can the supplier

supply at a cost that the client can afford?

3. Financial capability, i.e. will the supplier still be

trading in six months time?

In particular, the answer to the last question above

is much harder than it looks, because we usually

review historical financial information which means

we are looking in the rear view mirror. Some simple

ratio analysis such as liquidity analysis can help

identify early warning signs, especially if you look at

two or three years data to find a trend.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU

Firstly, know your prospect! If you are dealing with

Peter it may be harder to desensitise Peter to the

commercial aspects of your value proposition, but

as you meet many more Peters than Valerie, this

won’t be a surprise to you. If any prospect comes

to visit your operations, it is a great opportunity

to build rapport and to understand their drivers,

as well as receive feedback on how they judged

your company.

Valerie will send you an agenda for what they want

to see. Anything other than the standard “Cook’s

Tour” should indicate what they are interested in

reviewing. Make sure that staff on the itinerary

know that the visit is happening, and that they

can ask questions as well. Organise a ‘welcome’

meeting and a ‘wash-up’ meeting to answer any

final questions. Ask for feedback; how did you rate

agaisnt the buyer’s evaluation criteria? Where could

you improve?

For professional buyers, supplier appraisal is a key

process. It creates a level playing field helping to

ensure that only competent suppliers are engaged.

It creates an image of the buying organisation in

the market, and it can inform negotiation targets

and supplier development programs later on. For

sales people, the sales process is being increasingly

displaced by the procurement process, and supplier

appraisal is a vital hurdle to overcome to get

through to the next stage of the process. If you

‘can’t win it unless you’re in it’, best to find out what

are the rules, and make sure that you are a player. If

you don’t, you’ll only end up disappointed!

Page 12: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz / 12

WHY TRANSPARENCY

DEMANDS TRUTH You can’t fake it

Page 13: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

13 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

The sales game is changing so quickly it is

hard to keep up with the rule changes.

Is throwing a double six still the best extra

turn? Likewise, what our clients expect of us is

evolving at an equally stimulating rate. I think the

fundamental shift started with the advent of the

Internet and in particular Web2 technology.

There was a time when your business was like a SUV

with dark tinted windows. No one could see inside.

You could literally do anything inside and the world

just simply did not know how you run your business,

treated your clients or even treated your staff. It

was like being able to sing terribly out of key with

nobody the wiser.

All of a sudden the Internet removed the tinting on

our windows and people can now actually see inside

as you ride by singing. Then, Web2 not only took

the tinted windows away, it kicked you out of the

SUV! Now you find yourself on the bus along with

everyone else. You are now under huge scrutiny 24

hours a day from everybody - including your clients

– and not sure if you should hum, let alone sing.

Such scrutiny means there is nowhere to hide

as potential buyers can check your website, on-

line feedback, blogs and comparison pages from

supposedly unbiased sources. Or they can ask their

social networks for anybody who has heard about

you or used you before - and they will trust one

word from someone they know more than anything

you can produce.

There is no more suffering in silence – oh no! It

is easy to voice dissatisfaction in so many highly

visible places very quickly. There are many examples

of people getting a million views on YouTube within

days. Such a viral complaints process means that

bad news is no longer told to just 13 people but

now to perhaps 1.3 million people.

Such transparency demands truth. It is no longer

an option in sales. When everything you say and

do is on public display it becomes a mandatory

By Bill James & Daniel Batten

You are now under huge scrutiny 24 hours a day from

everybody - including your clients

Page 14: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz / 14

Bill james was the NsaNZ New Zealand Business speaker of the year 2012 and is one of only nine certified speaking professionals in New Zealand. He is known for finding the business, opening the door and making the connection. To find out more visit www.billjamesspeaker.com

daniel Batten is a true linguistics champion and marketing thought leader who can take your marketing message and organisation beyond its current ceiling. www.beyondtheceiling.com

requirement. With clients able to comment and

report on ‘un-truths’ or something they perceive

to be in conflict with other information, your only

option is to be truthful and transparent.

This requires true intent on the part of all involved

at every level of the organisation. The true intent

to REALLY put the customer first, not just give this

sentiment lip service.

Now I can hear you all saying ‘but we are customer

focussed. They are our reason for being here.’

Really? Perhaps a few quick questions to see how

you rate might be enlightening;

1. Many organisations have a vision statement, or

mission statement. Would customers say the

same thing if you asked them to make your

vision statement for you?

2. The company board or governing body is the

seat of corporate intent. Is it focussed on the

balance sheet and bottom line profit or tracking

customer excellence of experience?

3. Could your board identify the Return on

Investment on a great customer experience?

4. Does your marketing team focus on

simply selling product or are they trying to

empower the customer to make the best

educated decision?

5. Does your sales team love their customers or

achieving sales targets? When the customer

is not there, is the conversation around “Got

one across the line” or “Made another client

happy today?” Do they have customer focus or

commission breath?

6. Is the way you talk to customers face to face

the same as the way you talk about them to

your colleagues behind their backs?

While the questions are obviously polarised to the

extreme and the reality is somewhere in the middle,

which side of the middle did you land on more

often than not?

Here is the real message – it has to be GENUINE

intent. You cannot fake it.

Have you ever been served by someone you knew

did not care? Or someone has lied to cover up the

fact they did not know? You can think of examples

right now – right?

Do you think the people you serve and sell to can

also tell, or do you think you can hide it when no

one else in the world can? Get serious. We have an

inbuilt instinct that detects when someone is not

being totally honest with us – we just know. And we

turn off and disconnect from that person.

They can spot it in you too. Intent has to be genuine

or it will backfire horribly on you and simply confirm

to the client that you are not to be trusted.

Such transparency demands truth. It is no longer an option in sales. When everything you say and do is on public display it becomes a mandatory requirement.

Page 15: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

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Page 16: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz / 16

NZSM: Rob, tell us a little about your own

background/experience in sales?

RB: I came to New Zealand seven years ago

from London where I worked predominately in

the not-for-profit sector, devising and delivering

work-based training. I have extensive experience in

management and understand that good leadership

is vital, especially for sales teams.

NZSM: So how/why did you get into this

business?

RB: I became inspired by Brian Tracy’s work in

professional achievement, sales skills and leadership

a couple of years ago and I credit Brian’s teachings

with improving my focus and clarity toward reaching

my personal and professional goals. One of my

ambitions was to run my own consultancy company

so when the opportunity to become an accredited

Brian Tracy licensee in New Zealand became

available last year, I knew that this was the right fit

for me. My business, KND Consultancy, offers Brian

Tracy’s world-class seminar programs which have

over four million graduates world-wide.

Throughout my career, I have attended many

training courses and I found most to be average.

With the few training programmes that did inspire,

I discovered that there was no buy-in from the

upper-management at the companies. Even though

I returned to work enthused, the organisation had

not integrated the philosophy of the training, so I

sometimes felt up against a brick wall when trying

to implement new improvements.

Q & A WITH ROB BERG Owner of KND Consulting

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz / 16

Q & a

Page 17: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

In contrast, I find that everyone from front-line

workers to senior managers is immediately able

to take the Brian Tracy training on board. The

programmes have a positive impact on company

culture and boost morale with an emphasis

on motivation, excellent time-management,

identifying and eliminating low-value tasks and

increasing productivity.

NZSM: Who should be using the training?

RB: At KND Consultancy, we concentrate on the

sales sector because we know there is a necessity

for effective sales training in New Zealand and we

are confident that our sales programmes fill this

requirement in our sales industry. The Brian Tracy

material is applicable to all levels of sales staff

experience and sales managers.

NZSM: Tell us about the training programmes

RB: The sales programmes focus on gathering

leads, prospecting, preparing for sales meetings,

setting goals, establishing efficient systems,

overcoming objections, closing business and the

importance of selling on quality compared to

price. Sales managers can benefit from the High

Performance Strategic Leadership course which

covers hiring, motivation, communication, planning,

strategy, delegation, effective leadership, fielding a

winning team and increasing revenue.

The training has been developed to incorporate

all learning styles. The interactive, multi-media

seminars are in modular format and include

Brian Tracy on dvd, complementary workbooks,

individual and team exercises, discussion groups,

Q & a

follow-up coaching and audio cd’s for

continued learning. The materials are

continually being updated and there is

an online training option which will be

available soon.

NZSM: What’s the one thing that

sales people must consider when

choosing this kind of product service?

RB: As Brian says, “If you want to

earn more, you have to learn more.”

For sales people who are serious about

improving your sales results, we can

show you how.

A sales manager must consider if they

are satisfied with their team’s current

sales figures. If you want a motivated

sales team, improved lead conversion

Page 18: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz / 18

ratios, lowered costs, increased revenue

and a way to measure and improve results,

a Brian Tracy course offers you all this

and more.

NZSM: What’s different about your

business product?

RB: The feedback from the over four

million graduates world-wide of the

Brian Tracy training programmes has

been overwhelmingly positive with

many commenting that the impact was

immediate. We are not just another training

organisation because we take a holistic

approach to training and development.

We offer an extensive range of products

including assessment and hiring tools,

training products in all key areas, and

follow-up programmes. We can service clients

throughout New Zealand and we guarantee results.

We are confident we have the best offering for sales

training in New Zealand with proven, sustainable

results. We provide a customised approach to your

specific needs. We are very detail-oriented and we

aim to exceed your expectations.

NZSM: What’s your sales secret for the readers

of NZSM?

RB:

1. Make a decision today to join the top 10% of

earners in your field

2. Identify your single weakest skill and work to

become absolutely excellent in that area

3. Surround yourself with positive people

4. Visualise yourself as one of the top individuals in

your profession

5. Practice positive self-talk continually

6. Write out your goals every day

7. Take the necessary steps toward achieving

your goals

8. Do more listening than talking

9. Keep focused on what you want to achieve

10. Take a Brian Tracy sales course to improve

your skills.

Find out more at www.kndconsultancy.co.nz

Q & a

Page 19: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

19 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

If when you leave a voice message you find your call is not

returned then pause before you make the next call.

You should of course be prepared to speak when the phone

is picked up, but if you are trying to get access at executive level,

you could be trying a long time. You should therefore be equally

prepared to leave a message. Rambling, hesitation, and poor

choice of words are all sure signs of a lack of preparation. Your

call is unlikely to be returned.

So before making those important calls:

• Think through your voice message. Write it down and get

it right.

• Practise reading it aloud. Record it and play it back to

yourself. How does it sound? Would you return the call?

QuIcK fIX

IT’s NoT WHaT you sell, IT’s HoW you sell.

QuIcK fIX

LEAVING EFFECTIVEVOICEMAILS

Page 20: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

20 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

BUILDING SUCCESSFUL SALES BUDGETSFrom the bottom up

The process of building a successful realistic

budget with your sales team can be very

positive if you handle the process to get

their buy in.

Budgets that are imposed by the accountant or

manager from the ‘top down’ by taking last years’

results and adding seven percent, do not get buy in

and are often ignored or disrespected by sales staff.

However, your sales people will have ownership of

budgets that they participate in setting. A customer

result driven budget will show you the extent of the

knowledge your sales team has of your top 80%

of customers.

To set a participative ‘bottom up’ budget, start by

calling a meeting of your team and show them last

year’s results per customer in each territory. Outline

2 mINuTe Top-up

By Richard Gee

Page 21: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

21 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

any major new product releases for the year and maybe any changes that could impact on sales. Design

a form with four columns headed: Customer now / Exceeds last year / Stays same / Declines. Then get

your sales team to input each customer name and previous year revenue from their customer base. Then

get them to look at each customer and based on their knowledge of what the revenue will be for that

customer in the coming year, decide whether the customer will grow and explain why, or stay same and

why, or decline and why.

This will build up a customer based budget picture, and sometimes the reps present can help each other

out if they have knowledge about a particular client. The sales person will quickly show their intimate

knowledge of the customer to you and should make sound estimates of budget spend for the next year.

Ownership is immediate and this budget

will be obtained. Once the review is

complete, a pattern for each territory will

show. Then ask your reps where they will

make up the revenue that will be lost from

declining customers? They then make a list

of “new” prospects in their pipeline to fill

a gap and get a sensible budget. To this

budget you can add the impact of new

products, services or territory changes to

get a sales figure.

Make sure you get your sales team to

sign the bottom of the budget planner

sheet then you have total proof of their

commitment to chasing sales. Every month

or every three months, ask them to review

progress against budget per customer and

praise, warn or challenge the results you

see. For a copy of a budget planner sheet

visit my website.

Enjoy your budget planning and get the

buy in from participation.

richard gee is the author of NZ sales management – a practical approach, practical marketing in NZ, and other books, plus is an International speaker and sales trainer. To find out more visit www.geewiz.co.nz

2 mINuTe Top-up

Page 22: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz / 22

authors: Jeffrey Gitomerpublisher: Bard Pressprice: $32.99 from www.mightyape.co.nz

There are universal laws of selling that

determine whether you succeed, or don’t

succeed - whether you earn enough to enjoy

the lifestyle you want or struggle to make ends meet.

When you align the wind with your sails, you move

effortlessly across the water. When your sails are out

of alignment, you flounder and go nowhere. If you

align your thinking and actions with these powerful

laws of selling, you will be more effective and

efficient. You will encounter less friction, require less

energy, and get bigger results faster.

Gitomers’ 21.5 Laws are the rock foundation

of selling. They may be invisible but they are

undeniable - and unbreakable. If you’re just getting

started in selling, you will find the Laws invaluable.

Whether or not you learn them and follow them

will make or break your career. If you’ve been in

sales for a while, you will find yourself saying, “I

haven’t been doing that” or “I knew that! How did

I forget?”

When we break the Laws we pay the price. Our

sales suffer. Our bank account takes a hit. It’s an

effort to get out of bed and make a sales call, to

do our best work - work that is aligned with the

Laws. Use Jeffrey’s Laws of Selling to recharge your

enthusiasm and redirect your actions back to what

really works.

21.5 uNBreaK-aBle laWs of

sellINgproVeN acTIoNs you

musT TaKe To maKe easIer, fasTer, BIgger sales....

NoW & foreVer

resource corNer

Page 23: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

23 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

Does your organisation have a code of sales ethics? We’ve developed this one especially for NZ Sales Manager readers.

Please feel free to adopt for your team or organisation!

When dealing with me:• You will find honesty and integrity.

• You will be listened to. I will seek to understand.

• You will be told the truth, how it is and as it happens.

• We will be working towards mutual gain.

• You can expect me to follow through on the promises I make.

• You can expect me to be committed to my own personal development.

• You can expect me to be an ambassador for the sales profession.

THe NZ sales maNager code of professIoNal sellINg

Page 24: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

Talk to us to nd out how we can help you grow in 2014!Contact Ross Wilson on 021 152 8400 or email [email protected] for a no

obligation discussion about how we can help you achieve your sales goals in 2014

www.growingorganisations.com

Page 25: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

25 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

daTe Name place compaNy lINK

Friday 25th November eat That frog! Auckland KNd consultancy

www.kndconsultancy.co.nz

Tuesday 3rd December sales Basics Auckland geewiz http://www.geewiz.co.nz/seminars-

and-workshops/course-details

Tuesday 3rd December cold calling and prospecting

Auckland Top achievers sales Training

www.topachieverssalestraining.co.nz

Wednesday 4th December leadership With results Auckland geewiz http://www.geewiz.co.nz/seminars-

and-workshops/course-details

Thursday 5th December sales process Auckland Top achievers sales Training

www.topachieverssalestraining.co.nz

Thursday 5th December Business Vision day New Plymouth The marketing company

http://events.themarketingcompany.

co.nz/courses/5-business-vision-day

Saturday 12th December sales Training course Hamilton Top achievers sales Training

www.topachieverssalestraining.co.nz

Wednesday 16th December -

Thursday 17th December

superior selling skills Auckland KNd consultancy

www.kndconsultancy.co.nz

caleNdar

Page 26: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

Why does stray need mobiles?Our tagline is “off the beaten track” so we’re not staying at your main destinations. We’re getting out there to the extremities of New Zealand and our sole way of being in contact with our drivers is through phone communications. We have changes happening all the time and we need to be able to contact our team in real-time.

What Was your old provider like? There were large phone bills and if we had a problem like a phone outage it seemed they were either busy or they weren’t organised, and couldn’t get back to us. It was very frustrating and it became a constant problem within the business.

and What impact is 2degrees having? It saved us $60,000 in the first year. In the second year, it’s going to save us that again. All this will go back into marketing campaigns or growing other parts of the business. The other impact is having an Account Manager I can get hold of to get solutions to my problems when I need them.

hoW is the coverage? The coverage is fantastic. Regularly, I’m on road trips across New Zealand and off the beaten track and haven’t experienced issues with coverage. With our old provider there were a lot of black spots around Auckland and I don’t get those with 2degrees. And the bus drivers could be at Cape Reinga, they could be at Stewart Island, they could be down the West Coast; so in all sorts of different coverage areas and 2degrees works well for us.

3 x $89 plan 37 x $49 plan 1 x $149 plan

What difference do mobile devices make?Our drivers are now able to use their smartphones and other mobile devices to show videos, photos and information about other tour packages and options available, like our operations in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. We couldn’t do that before and it has made a huge difference. Of course, they’ve now got email and internet access too.

hoW reliable is the netWork?Since I’ve been with 2degrees I’ve forgotten about reliability issues because there are none. Previously I regularly had issues. I would be on the internet and it would drop out and when I sampled a 2degrees SIM card in there, I was amazed at the speed, how much quicker it was. I would regularly be on the phone with the last network and it would just drop a call. I don’t get that any more. As I said, the word reliability has disappeared from my vocabulary because it is so reliable.

case study: stray

[email protected] 022 BIZ (249) 2degreesmobile.co.nz BUSINESSbetter

For video case studies about Stray and other businesses who have made the move to 2degrees Business, please visit 2degreesmobile.co.nz/business

“ I’ve forgotten about reliability issues because there are none.”Stray Limited is an adventure bus company taking travellers to out-of- the-way places around New Zealand. We caught up with Operations Manager, Brett Hudson to talk about 2degrees and their business.

StrayAdventure Travel

50 staff41 mobilesAround NZJoined 2012

Brett Hudson Operations Manager, Stray

“You need damn good partners for successful business, and 2degrees I put in that category.“ Brett Hudson, Operations Manager

Page 27: NZ Sales Manager Issue 77

27 / www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz

Have you subscribed to NZ Sales Manager? It’s free!Simply visit www.nzsalesmanager.co.nz to get a copy of NZ Sales Manager

delivered straight to your inbox monthly!

“Our attitude towards others determines their attitude

towards us. ” - Earl Nightingale

THe close

Why does stray need mobiles?Our tagline is “off the beaten track” so we’re not staying at your main destinations. We’re getting out there to the extremities of New Zealand and our sole way of being in contact with our drivers is through phone communications. We have changes happening all the time and we need to be able to contact our team in real-time.

What Was your old provider like? There were large phone bills and if we had a problem like a phone outage it seemed they were either busy or they weren’t organised, and couldn’t get back to us. It was very frustrating and it became a constant problem within the business.

and What impact is 2degrees having? It saved us $60,000 in the first year. In the second year, it’s going to save us that again. All this will go back into marketing campaigns or growing other parts of the business. The other impact is having an Account Manager I can get hold of to get solutions to my problems when I need them.

hoW is the coverage? The coverage is fantastic. Regularly, I’m on road trips across New Zealand and off the beaten track and haven’t experienced issues with coverage. With our old provider there were a lot of black spots around Auckland and I don’t get those with 2degrees. And the bus drivers could be at Cape Reinga, they could be at Stewart Island, they could be down the West Coast; so in all sorts of different coverage areas and 2degrees works well for us.

3 x $89 plan 37 x $49 plan 1 x $149 plan

What difference do mobile devices make?Our drivers are now able to use their smartphones and other mobile devices to show videos, photos and information about other tour packages and options available, like our operations in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. We couldn’t do that before and it has made a huge difference. Of course, they’ve now got email and internet access too.

hoW reliable is the netWork?Since I’ve been with 2degrees I’ve forgotten about reliability issues because there are none. Previously I regularly had issues. I would be on the internet and it would drop out and when I sampled a 2degrees SIM card in there, I was amazed at the speed, how much quicker it was. I would regularly be on the phone with the last network and it would just drop a call. I don’t get that any more. As I said, the word reliability has disappeared from my vocabulary because it is so reliable.

case study: stray

[email protected] 022 BIZ (249) 2degreesmobile.co.nz BUSINESSbetter

For video case studies about Stray and other businesses who have made the move to 2degrees Business, please visit 2degreesmobile.co.nz/business

“ I’ve forgotten about reliability issues because there are none.”Stray Limited is an adventure bus company taking travellers to out-of- the-way places around New Zealand. We caught up with Operations Manager, Brett Hudson to talk about 2degrees and their business.

StrayAdventure Travel

50 staff41 mobilesAround NZJoined 2012

Brett Hudson Operations Manager, Stray

“You need damn good partners for successful business, and 2degrees I put in that category.“ Brett Hudson, Operations Manager


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