Black Sales Journal

I was gifted by having a good sales manager in my career, and I considered myself a solid responsive sales manager when it was my turn.  Remember, you will not know every reason why your sales manager does something, but you will be intuitive as to whether your manager is working in your interest.  Read this and give it some thought.

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Your sales manager can be your biggest asset.  They can have a profound effect on your income, your job title, and your longevity in your position.  If they are a successful manager, they do many activities that help you find success, yet by text book definition, the role of management is to plan, organize, lead, and control (POLC).

That description is certainly not a listing of activities that they do as much as the categories that the tasks would be assigned to.  The management role can be the most positive thing about a sales job, or it could be one of the most negative.  The person in the role will make all of the difference.

The unit sales manager or field sales manager will find and hire talent, provide important training, and will manage the ‘troops’ in the effort to make quotas.  No one is more important in the role of a new sales professional.  Additionally, if this person is good at the job, no one is more instrumental in the role of a successful sales professional, even if it’s because he removes obstacles, and stays out of the way.

I am going to share three key points that one of my former managers taught me in the course of his management of my early sales career.  I am not saying that I agreed with all of these points when I worked for him, yet it was amazing in how clear the logic was once I got into sales management.

Do the Most Important Things First!

When I was a young sales professional, I had a manager (I will call him Jim) who always had stellar sales results.  He constantly challenged the sales professionals and could mix in this motivation with some rather ‘pointy’ jabs about your performance.

He was in sales management for well over 30 years, and he knew the turf.  He was hopelessly impatient and let you know it at every turn.  His knowledge of the sales process well exceeded his product knowledge, yet believe me, he was extremely effective.

We would have meetings about our sales funnel prospects that would rival scenes from some of the greatest sales movies (such as Glengarry Glen Ross, 1992, David Mamet) and there was no doubt as to who was in charge.  The process was fluid and the expectation was simple…sell, sell, and sell.

Here are three primary points that he paid attention to:

Pay attention to the most important factors and work them!

He knew that a couple of the items that were most important were prospecting and quoting, and you could not find a rock to hide under that could shield you if you did not do these activities.  It was clear evidence that if you were doing the ‘grunt’ work, that you could have some success even if other facets were weak.

Jim would shield you from upper management, to a degree, if you were doing the most important things and making money for you and him.  The practice was successful as his units had the highest sales numbers, and he provided the highest amount of challenge, sarcasm, and support.  Eventually you would have to do some things that he did not think were important either, yet the real testament to his flexibility was that he knew when it was important to ‘show’ well.

Pay attention to your most productive sales professionals, and get the most out of them while you groom the next star for your unit.

Jim qualified for all of the sales trips because he know this important fact that.  His power and influence came from having the unit be on top.  I cannot say that I always agreed with the approach, yet it worked for him.  He knew that he had some ‘horses’ that he could ride in the present, and he would need more firepower in the future, and that was a constant vigil.  In the beginning, I was obviously opposed because when I was one of those ‘newbies’ who needed help as I found my time pre-empted by some of the veteran sales professionals.

I learned that the unit had to survive, and be on top, and that was to all of our benefit.  Having a conversation about it would not have helped, as no one wants to hear that someone else was more important.  In the end I eventually got my time, and made the most of it.

‘Smell the Breath’ of the Customer!

Be on as many calls as you can reasonably do, so that you can bring the message from the customer back to the organization.  Jim knew that if he stayed at the office that he would never have a complete feel for why sales efforts fail.  He decided that attention would be given to those who took him out to present quotations, or even to develop key prospects.

He knew that he could better explain our weaknesses in program and pricing to upper management if he heard it from the buyer without filter.  Additionally, relationships were out there to make, and being in front of the buyer allowed this to happen.

The best sales manager leads in this way, and controls in this way.  Leading sales professionals from the office does not work.  You have got to go out and ‘smell the breath of the customer’, and Jim did not take that lightly.

Relationships happen for good reason when there is a ‘connection’, and Jim was able to make connections that I was not able to make.

The Wrap-up

So when you ask that inevitable set of questions:

Why the heck is she always on me about prospects?  I feel as if I have a babysitter!

Or

What do I have to do to get some attention here?  This is ridiculous.  He spends way too much time with those two guys.

Or

What is going on with this pressure to go out on calls with me, does he not trust me?  I can’t believe that he wants to go with me…again!

You may have the answers above.

Your comments are always welcome.

What motivates you?  Is it money?  Is it recognition?  Is it success?  Think about it as you read this post.  We all have our ‘switches’.  Read it and give it some good thought!

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Motivation is an interesting subject.  I believe that it has to come from within, although each of us may need some ‘cheerleading’ it at some point.  Success can motivate some individuals, while lack of success can be the fuel for some others.  Some sales professionals respond to challenges, some to sarcasm, and others to the thrill of being ‘numero uno’.

In my case motivation had to come from within, and could not be ‘supplied’ by a great speaker or a reading.  I did respond to personal pride though.

There are motivational factors that are good and bad, including motivational speeches that stimulate and excite.  My favorite of all time is below, and I hope you will enjoy it.  Note, there is some tough language in this great video, yet it is priceless:

WARNING STRONG POSSIBLY OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE.

I know that the majority of you will never have to endure this type of speech. Although it is great theater it is something you would never forget.  Motivational speeches can come from many angles, and I suppose that some could come from individuals other than the sales manager, as was the case with this screenplay.

Your Sources of Motivation

Whether or not you agree that motivation comes from within, you might also recognize that there is a great following for the sales gurus that would like to create that atmosphere of motivation.  Zig Ziglar is sales motivator who has made millions in his speeches and seminars.  He is world renown, yet his quotes, albeit catchy, and for the most part true, did not do anything for me.  Google Zig and see if any of the quotes and quips do anything for you.

I am not endorsing or criticizing any of these individuals, as I believe that their worth is based on what the listener needs.  As I mention in Black Sales Journal 8/15, Tuning-Up Your Sales Career, I mention that these sessions can be important as you attempt to “sharpen your saw”.

Other motivation can come from reading sales books, online sales blogs, as well as attending seminars that are replete with exciting speakers and content.

When I was selling, there was a more omnipresent form of motivation.  As a single father with three children in tow, the picture on my desk showing the faces of my three children, looking angelic even though they were a handful was the motivating symbol.  This short video will give you an idea of what things could be like around the breakfast or dinner table:

Obviously it was never quite like this, yet the reality is that your family and a desire for the best life you could have is serious motivation.  Wanting family vacations, new vehicles, and a home that you can be proud of provides fuel that is intrinsic and long lasting.  Sales managers often encourage overreaching by sales professionals as it provides a constant motivation that is sometimes dangerous.  This can be dangerous, and can backfire on the sales professional.  I counted on the fact that I could not fail in providing for my children and that was an enzyme that gave me serious motivation.  It was more humble than overreaching, yet effective.

Many of you are in the same situation as you start your families, or raise them to maturity.  You recognize that your family is dependent on you, so as you ‘hit the bricks’ you realize that your motivation is at home.  Your children do not know, or need to know, about the difficult sales environment for a Black sales professional.  Your husband or wife might serve as a good sounding board on that topic, yet maybe you don’t want to burden them with it either.  No one knows it as well as the Black sales professionals who read this journal.

It Gets Real Personal

Know that your skill level is important and you should keep it sharp.  Recognize that the tactics that you use must be honed sharply as your compete with other sales professionals looking to show the advantages of their products and their own attributes.  More than anything else you should realize that the motivations that you thrive on, if they are as intrinsic as your financial and family needs will propel you better than anything external.

Use the external stuff for a finishing touch, and realize that you can find some darn good tips out from these clever speakers well as the benefit of being with those sales professionals who are in the same situation.  Knowledge is everything.

Maybe more than anything else, your probably recognize that I believe that motivation is a personal issue no matter what color you are.  I will also note that pride is an important factor, and provides motivation as well.  Being able emerge as a sales leader even in the face of the obstacles that you encounter as a minority is an accomplishment that few will understand, but is real.

Always be the best.

Your comments are always welcome.