I was tempted to write a blog about turning over new leaves, making resolutions and all that, seeing as it’s January—that magical time when people make all sorts of promises to themselves and those they love. But, I figured you probably already covered that with gym and church commitments, and by now have probably broken them and are “resolution-ed” out.
I do think, though, that there is a lot to be said for making some changes, but nice, small subtle ones. And more importantly, ones that have a chance of having an impact, because they involve ONLY YOU.
If there's one thing I have learned in 20 or so years of post-college work/life, it's when you have to rely on anyone else to make something happen, things get complicated. And the more people you need, the more moving parts there are, the more likely it is that nothing will ever change and you will be sitting in the same place six months or even a year from now.
So, what are some examples of areas that you can work on that revolve around you? Here are a few to get you started:
1. YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL—The more prospects you add to your pipeline, the more clients you will have in six months or a year. The more calls you make, the more appointments you will have. And the more face-to-face visits you execute each week, the more revenue you can expect to enjoy. These are empirical facts that only rely on a few basic truths to be realized:
a. As long as you are good at what you do—that you possess raw sales ability and can inspire trust and confidence in those you are attempting to work with and for—you will succeed.
b. As long as you know how and where to look for great, profitable customers, you will be golden
c. As long as you have a plan for growth that involves both new business and maintaining what you already have, you should be solid.
2. YOUR SKILLS—If you are Alec Baldwin in “GlengarryGlen Ross” and not Ed Harris, read no further; you are a selling star and drive a car worth more than I make in a year. But, if you feel that there is some room for improvement in your sales basket, get some help.
Read a book. I really like the VITO series by Anthony Parinello and get alot of inspiration from anything by Malcolm Gladwell.
Take a class. Give yourself the gift of an investment in your future. Or convince your boss to pony up the cash. I once convinced my boss to pay for Bill Farquharson’s training program, and we agreed to split the cost, or he would pay if I landed six new accounts in as many months. And guess what? Yep—I never had to pay up.
3. YOUR POWERS OF DELEGATION—Think of everything you have to do in a day, and then ask yourself honestly, “How many of these items can be completed by someone other than me? Do I have to estimate, write up, produce, quality check, pack and deliver each job that I sell?” If the answer is yes, my friend, it is time to start cleaning your plate and assembling a team of co-workers that can help you shoulder the burden. If you are fairly unencumbered and are free to sell most of the day but are still having trouble getting the sales, see #2.
Ms. Janet Jackson wrote a song all about control, and look where it got her. Actually, I have no idea where she is right now, but I think she has a bunch of Grammys and lots of money and fame, so follow her example, and take come CONTROL!
Join Kelly and fellow PI World blogger Bill Farquharson for a 60-minute Webinar on “Time Management” this Wednesday, Jan. 12 at noon ET. Information and registration is at www.GetPrintSales.com. And don’t forget to use Coupon Code “GPSJanuary” to save $10 off of the price!
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Blogger, author, consultant, coach and all around evangelist for the graphic arts industry, Kelly sold digital printing for 15 years so she understands the challenges, frustrations and pitfalls of building a successful sales practice. Her mission is to help printers of all sizes sell more stuff. Kelly's areas of focus include sales and marketing coaching, enabling clients to find engagement strategies that work for them and mentoring the next generation of sales superstars.
Kelly graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Political Science and, among other notable accomplishments, co-founded the Windy City Rollers, a professional women's roller derby league. She is also the mother of two sets of twins under the age of ten, so she fears nothing.