Sales Loudmouth

Start with a Flawed Premise

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:15:13 GMT

Not long ago, I was driving my car and listening to the radio and otherwise just thinking pleasant thoughts when Delta came on the air with a message. I gave it a listen. The essence of the message was that I should become a member of Delta's frequent flyer program because I would get all kinds of perks. One of the perks mentioned is that as a member I'll be invited to board airplanes before non-members.

The actual wording went something like this: ". . . and members get to board first so you ...

The Rhythm of the Sales Process

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:54:20 GMT

"What are you going to have?" Dick asked over his menu.

We had convened at the local barbecue joint which neither of us had yet tried. Dick had declared that one could tell the worthiness of a barbecue place by the human attributes assigned to the pig on the sign. This restaurant was called The Dancing Pig and the sign featured a fat, pink, dress-wearing pig standing on her back legs and spinning a hula hoop around her middle. Based on Dick's definition, this was barbecue heaven.

"A ...

A Book Review: "People Follow You" by Jeb Blount

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:51:52 GMT

Sometimes I review books. Most of the time, I have no relationship with the author and feel free to write whatever I want. For those of you who’ve been reading this blog for a while, you would agree that I am, generally, not afraid to say what is on my mind.

But, this book is different. I know the guy who wrote it. We’re not best buddies and we don’t hang out but I’ve contributed to his blog (salesgravy.com) – the ...

Using Gasoline to Kill Ants

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:30:29 GMT

Just because you buy something regularly or use it consistently, that does not make you an expert on how that something works. Most of us would agree with that when we start thinking about our car or other complicated machinery. We might even agree when our thinking goes deeper and we confront the chemical complexities of our pest control or even our detergent. After thinking about it some more, we might just wholeheartedly agree that just because we buy something that doesn't make us an expert on how it works.

Take for example, ...

Delight or Die

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:52:54 GMT

When a media seller accepts money for an advertising campaign, they accept responsibility for the success of the campaign. But, they ultimately have very little to do with the success of the client's business and the confusion between these two very disparate objectives causes much heartbreak for both media sellers and high-level business decision makers.

To see what I mean, let's take a look at two examples.

I am on an Airtran flight from Atlanta to Houston and shortly after take-off, the flight attendant appears with a basket full of ...

The Root Cause

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:08:18 GMT

Maddy would not sleep. At eighteen months, she has simply decided that being awake all the time is the best course of action and so she refuses to go to bed. Her father, Josh, loves Maddy very much and he knows that she must get the proper amount of sleep to grow strong and be healthy, so he desperately tries to get her to sleep. The first thing he tries is putting her to bed when he and his wife go to bed at 11 p.m. His theory is that when Maddy sees that everyone in the house ...

Productivity Tips from the Field(s)

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:05:00 GMT

What do you say when your wife tells you that your son's soccer league needs coaches and experience doesn't matter? If your son is four years old, tell your wife that you're allergic to grass. If that doesn't work, try explaining that coaching would interfere with your new interest in mapping the phases of the ...

Relational versus Transactional Consumers

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 04:28:19 GMT

The Academy of Marketing teaches media sellers how advertising really works so they can have deeper, more meaningful conversations with prospects and customers. But, deeper and more meaningful conversations about what?

About what is likely to happen when the prospect buys the advertising that the media seller is offering.

Unlike traditional process sales trainers, The Academy of Marketing doesn't teach tips, tricks and techniques for qualifying prospects or cold calling or getting appointments. We teach consumer behavior and demonstrate to media sellers how their advertising customers can use ...

In Media Sales Your Product is Advertising

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:58:00 GMT

"What do you do when your air conditioner breaks in the middle of July?"

The question is being posed by my partner, Josh, in front of a roomful of broadcast media sellers as part of an exercise during a recent training event being performed by The Academy of Marketing.

"Let's make a list of the things you do from the moment you realize the air conditioner is broken until it is fixed," Josh continued. He turned to the whiteboard with a red marker in hand and waited.

...

The Truth about a 3 Frequency

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:01:00 GMT

Part 2 of 2

Right at 8:30a the sales team filled the room. I was still sitting there with my fresh pad of paper thinking about the implications of what Dick was about to share with the rest of the sellers. Dick quickly drew us to order and then gave us an update on our sales figures and a couple of housekeeping items before opening up the doors to the whiteboard and asking for definitions of a 3-Frequency.

Nancy jumped right in and said, ...

In Search of a 3 Frequency

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 09:55:00 GMT

Part 1 of 2

Coming in a little earlier than usual on Wednesdays had become my habit because Wednesday was sales meeting day. When we had sales meetings, I liked to get in and prepare for the day before the meeting so that I wasn't thinking about all that I had to do during the meeting. Later in my radio sales career, I was surprised to learn that some sellers dread the sales meeting. Thinking back on it now, the reason is clear - they didn't have Dick Harlow.

Dick ...

Be What Tomorrow Needs

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:55:00 GMT

Maybe, it's because I have a son who is matriculating in a few months. Or, because I have made a career in an ever changing industry. Maybe, it's part of the natural aging process or just what it means to be an achiever in a capitalist society.

I don't know.

Regardless, I've been turning a Rubik's cube in my mind. How do I match the colors so that experience, skills, talents, personal goals, professional goals and family responsibility are all aligned? Simply put, how do I answer the question "what do I ...

Bad BETs

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:42:00 GMT

In my most recent post, I recounted the story of a sales lesson I learned from Dick Harlow. Many of you wanted a further explanation and this post serves as a clarification.

Avoiding lobster traps

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 23:48:00 GMT

I grabbed my car phone on the second ring as I pulled out of the parking space in the furniture store lot. The cord wrapped around the shift lever and, in a loud voice, I told the caller to hold on a second as I unwound it.

"I hope one day these stupid things are more convenient than this," I thought as the cord came free and its full extension allowed me to both speak into it and hear out of it at the same time.

"Hello"
...

Dancing with Fireflies

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 02:55:00 GMT

I suppose it didn't matter because corporate was dictating our growth rate and they were projecting that we would achieve our current year goals. Never mind that we weren't even on pace to achieve 3rd quarter.

Iron (willed) kids

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 20:44:00 GMT

I looked at the flyer filled with pictures of young athletes swimming, biking, running and smiling. Little girls were hugging each other and holding up medals for the photographers and little boys were high fiving their Dads. Would Thomas be interested? "Who cares," I thought. "I'm interested!"

Take a Stand

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:53:10 GMT

The client abruptly ended the meeting and declared that I had “wasted his time”. While there was no violence, this was the professional equivalent of being thrown out the saloon door.

Win or Go Home

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:09:00 GMT

“What are we going to do?” I thought to myself. “What are we going to do? We are going to lose, of course. We are going to go down in flames. Our playoff hopes dashed! Our best season ruined!”

Dead or Just Dormant

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 20:49:00 GMT

The problem was that by the middle of the day on Monday, I had spoken to or attempted to speak to all of my hottest prospects and all that was left was my not so hot prospects. And there were a lot of those.

Build Trust: Indict Your Industry

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 24 May 2010 22:57:18 GMT

When someone first meets with a person they don't know, they do not trust them at all. That's not just true in sales, it's just normal human behavior. People are guarded around strangers.

Answering the Cost Question

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:58:00 GMT

When prospects don't have a budget and finds themselves in the market for a customized solution for a product that they've never bought before or only buy very rarely, they will not engage fully in the sales process until the cost question has been answered.

Beware the Commonality

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:20:00 GMT

A plane roared low overhead and I twisted my neck to look up and through the driver's side window. A 737 heading into Charlotte Douglas International. I was getting close to my destination but it wasn't the airport. I was going to the golf course to meet with Dick. His message had been cryptic: "Timmy, meet me at the golf course near the airport at 6p. But, we aren't playing golf." I didn't know what that meant but any meeting with Dick Harlow was worth ...

Call Back to Add Value

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 02:52:00 GMT

Sellers who make face-to-face presentations are usually required to make phone calls to those same prospects in the event that the sale wasn't consummated. You're not alone if this phone call sometimes trips you up.

Good, Better, Best

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 02:19:00 GMT

Perhaps, this approach gained momentum because of the Sears catalogue. Back in the day, for those of you under the age of 30 who have no idea of what I speak, there was a publication mailed by Sears to nearly every household in America.

Smart Calling - A Book Review

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:22:00 GMT

Occasionally, I am asked to review sales books from those authors who haven't yet hit the big time and are hopeful that some publicity on Sales Loudmouth might help their cause. Of course, I am always flattered to be a part of anyone's success.

This month, there are two books up for review: ...

Familiarity Breeds Complacency

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 02:54:00 GMT

This was either going to be a very quick conversation or something that Dick wanted me to hear. As it turned out, the latter was in play and I was privy to another sales lesson from Dick Harlow.

Still the Fatal Flaw

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:32:00 GMT

Author's Note: This post was first published in November of '08. Recently, my team and I completed sales training that reminded me of this article so I looked it up and decided it was worth a second posting. I would love to know your thoughts.
________________________________________________________________________________

If I tell you the fatal flaw, will you avoid it?

Of course, you say that you will.

But, I'm not convinced because smokers know ...

The Real Sales Trainers

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:43:00 GMT

Okay, we could bang on these sellers for not doing everything possible to understand my needs, offer solutions and get a deal done. But, I am more interested in this observation. . .

Dragon Rider

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:14:00 GMT

The day was a little warmer and sunnier than March usually offered. My team had advanced to the Elite 8 and I had just closed a sweet deal with the local electronics store. I was pretty pleased with myself. ...

Understanding is About Clarification

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:54:00 GMT

I didn't hear Dick coming. Normally, he was whistling or greeting people as he walked through the sales bullpen. But, with my hands holding up my face and my eyes closed, I was oblivious.

Learning to Solve Problems

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:18:00 GMT

Dick looked around the room to make sure that his audience was still tuned in. As usual, I was on the edge of my seat.

Sell Like You're Living

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:57:00 GMT

I noticed that she was using the yellow icing knife in the green icing and was now unwittingly making a blue gingerbread man. I glanced at the cookies in front of her and saw a Santa with one eye, an elf with what looked like a bloody knife wound in his chest and a black star. When she reached for another color of icing, I grabbed her glass of eggnog and took a swig.

The Elements of Effective Sales Meetings

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:39:00 GMT

"My sales meetings just aren't as good as the ones you used to run when I was an Account Manager," I explained to Dick over the phone. "Would you have some time after work to give me some ideas about making them more effective?"

S.W.E.A.T

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:50:00 GMT

The room pulsed with the energy of the forty-person sales force - gathered to meet the new sales manager. Jody found a seat in the back corner where she could both observe and fail to be observed.

Redefining Failure

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:32:00 GMT

"As long as a person accomplishes some of their goals along the way I'm willing to give them an unlimited number of failures without labeling them a failure" I explained.

Establish "Finish Lines"

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:17:00 GMT

Just as its appropriate to create deadlines for prospects and clients where natural deadlines may not exist, it is also appropriate and effective to create finish lines for sellers.

Human Behavior Responds to Deadlines

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:14:00 GMT

Dick often used a question as a way to get into a topic. The correct answer was always a polite 'no' because then he could launch into a monologue. His monologue would include a story and an example and then a call to action. Lesson absorbed, I would head out to conquer the world of radio advertising sales.

Imperfect and Forgiven

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:59:00 GMT

Although I should have been listening to the message in the readings, I was obsessed with the noise and the absurdity of trying to worship in such a setting. "No wonder," I thought, "that people aren't excited about what is going on with the Catholic church."

The Myth of Experience and other shorts

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:24:00 GMT

Think about this: Until you've done something, you've never done it before. If the qualification for getting a chance to do it is to have done it. . . well, the circularity of it all is obvious.

Dump the Script during Panel Presentations

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:49:00 GMT

The competition exits stage left and we are greeted and ushered in to a too large room. The "prospect" is a five-headed panel sitting behind their laptops at individual desks - lined up side by side as if the Supreme Court itself was now in session.

Missed Opportunities and Strikeouts

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:06:00 GMT

Dear Readers:

This is a little different than my usual post as it has nothing to do with sales, selling or sales management

Relationships are about Performance

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:31:00 GMT

"Take a look at this," Jackson said to me with a look of disgust on his face. He was holding out a sheet of paper.

Lead with Credibility in New Relationships

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Since both credibility and trust statements work to engage prospects, sellers often think of them as interchangeable. However, when a relationship is brand new or in the absence of a relationship whatsoever the seller must lead with credibility.

Bitter Medicine

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:24:00 GMT

I am writing this long after you came to me to discuss your most recent loss. The pain on your face and the crack in your voice was too much for me. I could not be as truthful as you needed me to be.

A Distinction Shared by None

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:41:00 GMT

As we walked in, I noticed that the head of the HR department was seated at the circular table inside Tony's office. I was confused as Tony hadn't said anything about her being there. As I was trying to get my bearings, Tony closed the door behind me and asked me to sit down at the table. That's when I remembered the story of a previous manager. . .

Using Trust and Credibility

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Most sales training tends to focus on the "trust" aspect of the trust and credibility scale. That is, sellers are encouraged to prove to the prospect they are trustworthy because they enjoy shared experiences or because they are familiar with certain people or places.

Foundation of Engagement

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:25:00 GMT

Most of us are not trying to convince pedestrians to give us money or attend parties but the lessons learned about engagement are directly transferable to our typical sales process.

The Oatmeal Queens and other Dramas

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Sat, 30 May 2009 02:32:21 GMT

A friend of mine who works as a sales manager for an internet advertising firm tells me the story of two women sellers in his office. At about 9:00 every morning the two of them can be found in the break area eating instant oatmeal and catching up on personal matters.

On Being Listenable

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Mon, 18 May 2009 03:45:00 GMT

I am looking in the rear view mirror while stopped at a light trying to get Matthew's attention. He knows that I am looking at him and he is looking out the window to avoid my eyes...

The Statistics Tell the Story

timrohrer@comcast.net (TRohrer1) — Wed, 13 May 2009 01:46:00 GMT

When confronted with the cold, hard numbers that tell the story of their fading fortunes, sellers offer alternative stories.