Black Sales Journal

I recognize that you know how to dress professionally.  I also recognize that there is often temptation to ‘relax’ your routine  in the face  of our changing times.  I want to go ‘on record’ against becoming a ‘pedestrian’ in the fast moving world of business.  Your image is at stake!

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The title of this would make you think I am going to write on what you should wear, but that is not the case, on second thought, maybe we will cover it in a future post.

I will, however, cover two points that many of you are already aware of.   I want to share a view that can help you increase your effectiveness.

As a Black sales professional, your image and the persona that you are working to build are very much subject to your last encounter with your client, especially a new one.  With that in mind, always look your best.

To Be or Not To Be … Casual?

As a sales professional, when the rest of the world dresses down for casual day, you have your opportunity to stand out as a sales professional.

Whether it is casual Fridays, or “casual dress” office environments, many operations began doing it In the 90s and it is widespread now.

As comfortable as it is, I would like to convince Black sales professionals not to do it.  Here is my reasoning:

• As a sales professional, when the rest of the world dresses down for casual day, you set yourself apart as a sales professional. Sales professionals look the part.
• In the eyes of your clients you want to stand out as an individual who treasures their business relationship and has something to special to deliver.  Dressing down indicates that you need comfort more than you need to display professionalism.  Don’t be suckered into it, be the consummate professional.
• When you are in casual mode on casual Friday, or in an office casual setting, it makes the rest of your day automatically casual. Meeting with a client to solve an unforeseen problem, or responding to that potential “call-in” is not possible, unless you plan to take “casual” with you everywhere.
• To your clients, if you are casual, what makes you different from the next sales professional? This is when you show your best.  Strengthen your persona!

Be the best-looking sales professional out there.  Whether male or female if your business garb is your “uniform”, then do it in the way that makes you stand out.   This is especially the case when your own office is casual.  Don’t let yourself fall into that mode.  Everyone in your office is not in the same position as you, so they will dress position appropriate for their job, and you need to dress for customer contact.

I believe that any sales professional, who is responsible for being on client visits or potentially greeting clients when they come to your company’s, office should be dressed in attractive business clothing. For the type of work you do, you want the customer to recognize you as a professional who represents yourself and your company as a professions well emblazoned intheir mind.

Always Look Your Best

During my tenure as a regional sales manager many years ago I was interviewing a sales candidate that was being considered for employment by one of my field sales managers.   The objective of having the Regional Sales Manager interview the Field Sales Manager’s prospective hires was to put another set of eyes and ears to it.  On this morning I met a candidate who had received high marks from the interviewing manager.

When I walked in the interview room, I met a candidate who we would pay a salary and bonus as well as a possibility of inheriting some significant customers.  Immediately upon introduction I noticed obvious grease stains on the candidates pants as well as frayed collar on his shirt.  It frankly looked bad.

The interview was better than average, and there were many solid points that the prospective sales representative offered up that made me think that I might be able to endorse the sales manager’s selection.  That is, if issues regarding appearance were not so lightly regarded by this candidate.

If the candidate was that neglectful when putting his best foot forward in an effort to get the job, how was he going to look when visiting one of our customers?  Although I probably don’t need to say it, he did not get the job.

Think About It

A testament to this will be when you exit an important customer’s office into the waiting room to say your farewells and see your competitors in some bad “Christmas” sweaters and deck shoes waiting to see your customer.  Even the janitor will be able to tell you who looks more professional.

Always look your best!  Be impeccable, it’s your image.

We would love your comments.

As a sales professional you sell what you are given to sell.  When the company that you are representing is selling a commodity, or something near to a commodity, you have to put forth some extra effort to land the business.

While there are a lot of products out there that “sell themselves”, you may have a product that is as inauspicious as salt.  I am going to talk a little about some ways to get the “edge” in the sales process.

Salt Might be Just Salt, but ‘You’ are Different!

The majority of products do have features that provide benefits that others do not necessarily have.  Commodity products are literally indistinguishable from their peer products.  Know how different your product is, if the customer views your products as “the same” as your competitors, the customer’s perception is the new reality.  Here is some good information that you can use to help

• The Package – The package is anything you and your company do that gives the product additional or differential value.  Items like delivery time, credit terms, refund policy, and other additions are important.
• The Professional Edge – You, in partnership with your organization can be the edge.  What makes you the best sales professional out there?  Can you define it? Responsiveness, innovative, intuitive, or are you an expert, product or industry as described in Black Sales Journal’s Your Customer Needs an Expert – December 2010
• The Pricing – If this variable is equal or close to the other products, it does not detract from the rest of the items.
• The Perceived Value – The sum of the above three items in the eyes of the customer.  This is how the customer believes that they can benefit from the coupling of your product, packaging, pricing, and the professional that is standing behind those three items.

So the simple equation looks like this:

(PACKAGE + PROFESSIONAL + PRICING] = CUSTOMER’S PERCEIVED VALUE)

THE PACKAGE

This one is simpler than you think.  Keep in mind that since it is under your nose, you might not have studied it much.  Now is the time to take account.

A carpet store knows that most of the carpeting that they are selling comes from the same mills as their competitors are using.  Price is a differentiator, but when it comes to this product, the slight differences in price for buying in volume do not transfer well to the customer.

The answer is the packaging that includes:

• Same day or next day delivery
• Sunday Installation
• Employing your installers (more accountable, more responsible)
• More favorable credit terms
• Disposal of your current carpet and pad

None of these things are beyond duplication, yet when some are offered they can make the difference in the sales by appearing more amenable or customer centric.  Think about the advantages that your organization has over your competitors, and focus your sales pitch on them.

The Professional – YOU!

This is the most visible difference out there, if you believe in yourself and give it your all.  Being responsive, giving excellent follow-up before the sale, and being an expert (industry or product) can be solid differentiators.   Know how to use them to your advantage.

It is not enough that you can brag about your experience; can you give references as to you and your company’s work?  Can you drop names of those that have benefited from your ingenuity and judgment?  When you get those compliments, you must file them and be ready to call upon them.

By being the ultimate professional, the Black sales professional can make all of the difference in the world.  Knowing how to smoothly go from appointment to commitment to the close is invaluable.

The Pricing

In a true commodity situation, your price is most likely going to be very nearly the same as your competitors.  Pricing factors should affect all products equally.

Perceived Value – The Customer’s View

The customer is looking for some difference, and in the absence of something relevant will consider it a commodity product.  This is not good because then there is an inertia that will keep them with their current vendor.

The sales professional has a responsibility to catalog the differences, and find the ones that apply to the buyer.  The buyer’s perception of those differences is the key.  Know your buyers and know your packaging.

In this example you are selling galvanized screws in 20 pound boxes.  Your product is so much of a commodity that your box even looks like your competitor’s products.  You, as a sales executive, cannot change anything on the product, or the box they come in, yet you can intervene to get them better the credit terms, insure delivery by tomorrow, or something else of value based on your knowledge of the customer’s situation.  The concession regarding credit or delivery is a packaging issue, yet the listening to understand that extensions of more credit or rapid delivery were ultra-important comes from being an engaged professional.  The net result is that the customer’s perception will be that your package, you and your company, have more value.

Try the exercise of taking inventory of you and your company’s advantages down to the smallest of differences.  Be exhaustive in your review.  You will note that even when the product is a commodity, there is still something to sell.  Last but not least, remember the real difference maker, you the sales professional!

Let us know what you think.