Fabrizio Balestri

It drives me absolutely crazy when I have to work with sales people that haven’t figured out that we are not in the 21^st century.   Hey, you think the information age was big a few years ago? Now technology changes every few months.  Companies have to operate at lightning speed in order to keep up much less be successful.  Employees live by their blackberries, crackberries, iphones and storms. They are multi-tasking like never before.  Companies are required to do more with less, from the executive leadership team to the front lines.  The pace never seems to let up.  If it does, unfortunately, the company is probably going down the tubes.

So how do you sell to companies in this ADHD business world?  It’s not as complicated as you might think, but I can promise you that if you use 20^th century tactics, you aren’t going to be successful.  You can’t expect your lightning fast target to sit around and read your full-page email that outlines every product you have, along with features and benefits of each one.  Instead, try these tips for sales excellence:

–Talk in sound bites. If your marketing piece or solicitation takes more than 30 seconds to read and understand, you’re going to lose your prospect.  Focus on the one thing that you are trying to sell. 

–Keep the high touch in high tech. In our fast-paced selling environment, it’s easy to forget that the quickest sale is the emotional one. Appeal to your clients “soft” needs as much as their business needs, and don’t ignore the value of building rapport.

– Know your goal. Whether you’re texting or emailing or messaging, leave your sales pitch for real conversation. Your goal should be to get that conversation, nothing more.  Don’t waste your prospect’s time by misusing technology—instead, use the best tool for each of your contacts.    

It’s the 21^st century!  By showing your mastery of the communication tools technology has to offer—and your understanding of the value of your prospect’s time and needs—you’ll position yourself as a savvy, thoughtful business partner. Exactly what all of us need in today’s time-starved world. 

Times are certainly more difficult now then they were a year ago.  People just don’t have the same level of confidence in our country’s ability to quickly recover from the economic recession we’re experiencing.   It probably holds true for your business as well.  In order to be successful in this economy you will need to get more out of each employee and each employee will need more out of you, the employer.

The ability to motivate others is a critical leadership skill. Any leader who tries to bully people into doing more is sure to fail.  People are simply not going to give their best if they hate what they do and for whom they are doing it.  If you sense this attitude in your employees, it’s time to undertake a business transformation.

The only way to get out of this recession is to act with confidence.  They only way your business is going to survive is if you make decisions with confidence.  The only way to do that is lead with confidence.  Get out of your office and spend more time with the ranks.  Host brown bag lunches and get to know how your team is doing at home.  Empathizing with your staff may do more than a raise.  Make them part of your recovery, part of your business transformation plan.  Take 10 percent of your company, create some stock and hand it out.  Detail your plans for sales innovation, and solicit ideas from all departments on new and surprising ways to make revenue. In one of my past companies, one of our most successful marketing innovations came not from the marketing and sales departments—but from our chief financial officer. Never underestimate your team. In good times and in bad, they will define you and your organization. And if you can get them to believe like you believe, they will lead your business to success.  

Every day I read about a company laying off employees because sales are lagging, profits are eroding and the company is losing money.  The most commonly used option is to lay off employees.  How many talented, well-trained people are laid off—particularly those who contribute to the leadership and sales excellence of the organization?  Almost too many to count.  If you own or run the company, you better know what it costs to train an employee and make them productive.   It’s going to cost you just as much, if not more, when you begin to hire again and the folks you laid off are gone. 

 What’s a better strategy, you ask?

Restructure yourself to a business transformation. How?  Ask everyone to take a pay cut.  Sounds inconceivable right? Maybe not.  No one wants to lose his or her job, and most savvy employees understand that thinking creatively during this economy—engaging in the principles of intrapraneurialism—is the key to long-term success.  If you are paying them above the unemployment rate, they will probably stay.  Perhaps a loyalty incentive can be part of the restructuring/ retention package.  Look, professional sports teams do this every year. 

The economy is not going to be ugly forever.  As it begins to come back, your employees’ salaries will begin to increase. You keep talent, you avoid wasting money on future hiring and training efforts, and you build incredible loyalty…all while developing the leadership skills your company needs.  And the icing on the cake?  While you are fully ramped up, your competition is falling behind since they are stuck in hiring and training mode.  

Take my advice: offer this form of restructure.  You’ll be surprised at the outcome.  

I was having dinner recently at one of my favorite steak restaurants in Carlsbad, CA.  It was easy to recognize the effects of our current economic recession, as it was only half full on a normally bustling evening.  Just last summer, you couldn’t get a table in this place.  I really wasn’t that hungry; so as my guests ordered from the excellent house specials, I asked for the filet mignon sliders that I have had on several occasions at the bar, but which are not included on the dining room menu. 

Since I am a frequent customer, I had good rapport with our server.  She quietly informed me that the sliders were considered “bar food” and could not be served in the dining room. 

“Are you kidding me?”  I asked as I looked around.  “Now is not the time to enforce rules because of some ambiance you are trying to preserve.”  I asked to speak to the manager who communicated, through the server no less, that he stood by the rule.  I let the server know my disappointment, and I bid them farewell for the last time.

Consider my new favorite restaurant Via Italia in Encinitas, California.  It’s run by a vibrant Italiano named Paolo who completely understands who the customer is, and a master at business transformation.  His margins are shrinking so what does he do?  He gives more away to his customers.  Upon entering his establishment, you are handed a glass of chilled Prosseco. When you are seated, he brings you some thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma.  The best part is that you still haven’t spent a nickel.   His place is packed – even mid-week!  People appreciate value not uppity attitudes, and sales excellence is often preceded by excellence of character. 

If you run a business in this economy, be flexible, be generous when you can, take less and make more, and consider sales innovation techniques to bring your customers back time after time.  You don’t have to own a restaurant to learn from Paolo.