blog

Worried about all the folks with fear running their lives right now.  Saw this little article on Wikihow.com and liked it as a simple way to re-frame fear and scarcity and head for abundance.  Our mindset is the most powerful thing we have in business, and happily, unlike the Dow Index, it’s in our control.

Always Be Opening

Our clients have challenges right now.  Many of them are in shock or have been hit directly.

Many of our clients are tightening down.  Many also know they need to look forward and be poised for positive possibilities.

What are you letting dominate your dialogue with your key clients and prospects?  Fear or openings?

Opening to create new business

The Stop Selling and Do Something Valuableprinciple “Always Be Opening” is a principle that keeps business in flow even when scarcity seems to be shutting tight the doors. While pop culture versions of sales professionals often have them snarling “Always be closing” at each other, I have found time and time again the inverse to be vastly more effective. When you are focusing on continuous opening, rather than closing, no one has to protect themselves around you. Instead they are invited to play in the realm of possibility and exploration which doesn’t push for the final and sometimes “too early” commitment to buy in the conventional sales approach.

But isn’t commitment the point of doing business?

Well, yes and no.

Of course we ultimately want to do business with someone, but not at the expense of ramming the door down and forcing them to take us on.

We’re really talking about a MUCH higher order of commitment.

Seek commitment to positive business possibilities for your client.

In the safety of possibility, the potential client can relax with us, discuss their dreams, their fears, their needs and their desired directions. In the safety of possibility we can be a positive conduit in our speciality, helping potential clients dream, design and choose directions.

And the result? We are often either a) chosen right away to make that outcome happen or b) remembered as being particularly helpful and knowledgeable without being pushy and inappropriately aggressive and are called upon when the time is right to go forward (or at the very least we are the favourites of the bidding process).

Don’t forget - less on price!

I’m hearing stories about how on-the-ground folks are using Always Be Opening in these current tough times.

There’s a female professional services manager who uses the “Always Be Opening” mantra to present to new clients. She finds it keeps the door open - especially in her own mind - to remember that it’s about sharing needs and ideas rather than forcing an outcome.

There’s a search professional who talks knowledgeably about how 2009 is one to stay close to major clients, take them out to lunch every 3 months and listen to their woes and needs, staying close and ready for the burst of re-hiring in 2010.

Pair it up with Selfless Listening

Selfless listening is about listening without a secret agenda. It’s relaxing away from your immediate business needs and shifting all your attention on theirs. Selfless listening means being present to your client/potential client and letting the conversation truly be about THEM for that period of time. Selfless listening pairs well with the principle of “Always be opening”, because good listening is the heart of how to behave in an ABO manner. Good listeners - authentic listeners - will create openings all the time and will hear those small shifts in tone or details of insight that those rushing into the gap to sell something often miss.

Don’t lose sight of your own agenda.  Just relax it for a bit.  Your client will actually help you bring it back to yours because they value your selfless listening to theirs.

Clients don’t miss closers.

Who they love to meet with are openers, particularly ones who are in a realistic but positive frame of mind, who can support them in navigating these troubled waters and who can come up with multiple ways for them to succeed.

Given the last post on being On Purpose, I thought I would give you some questions to ask of your organization - and of your clients’ organizations - that will keep you in purposeful motion.

Are the leaders of this company on purpose?

Are boundaries clear on zero tolerance issues?

Are ears and eyes open to adaptation and innovation?

New client needs emerging?

New improvised solutions?

Positively acting with target clients?

What’s needed now?

I wrote last week- a favorite rant - about the importance of practice in building repeatable excellence.

A short form way of referring to “repeatable excellence” - let’s say “Tiger” as in Tiger Woods. Tiger could be your power animal. I love those Accenture www.accenture.com magazine ads… I want to save every one… “90% straight line > 10% go with the flow”. Go to the website and you can check them out… they are on a rotating pattern.

The Fewest Things To Make The Most Difference

What surgical insight did the Business Week from last week’s post give us?

• Practice is a critical differentiator. Yeah, yeah.
• Work hard is critical. Yeah, yeah.
• Different practice is the key. Okay, now I’m listening.

One of the keys to practice is that you become capable enough in the behavior that you can “play” and “observe” and still be present.

Follow the flow…

Practice creates solid foundations.

Solid foundations creates repeatability.

Consistency creates trust - in your organization, with your clients, with future clients.

Consistency creates the opportunity to observe and adjust to situational differences. Instantaneously.

Adaptation - innovation - creativity - that’s what powerfully ”spices” your consistency.

Observation creates quality feedback so the baseline is adjusted and the innovation can become part of the repertoire.

Be Your Best… you tiger!

To those who read “Stop Selling & Do Something Valuable” you know that the book is full of practical stories of professionals being more powerful through using tools. Know what else?  The most powerful tools are invisible… Many people in my circle are tired of my comic book and cartoon obsessions. I did get some great dialogue after “The Dark Knight”… including some email pinging between my wife, my friends and my kids in Australia and China… group effort to indulge my Batman fetish!) there’s another angle to behaving like a superhero with your clients.

No… don’t get yourself a rubber suit or a utility belt. The things I refer to are Invisible… qualities rather than anything you can slip on in a Bat Cave.

1. What are your values and your commitment to serve?  How do you demonstrate them in day-to-day behavior and process?

2. How do you demonstrate your mindset of personal accountability, integrity and care of others.

3. Be present.  Be in more than one place at one time.

4. Trust is in the small stuff.  Sweat the follow through and consistency.

5. Leave while you are still valuable.

Don’t outstay your welcome…exit (gracefully) when you’ve delivered what’s needed. Your focused intention to support your client in all ways, and then exit smoothly will create a feeling of trust that will zoom your relationship from transactional to trusted member of the inner circle.

P.S. If you’re wondering how to accomplish the third one without getting a cloning machine, it’s all in your added communication… your utility belt of tools… okay, yes I said these were invisible tools but sometimes you need back up.  An Agenda will make you present AND engage a client before you get there, and often - if not always - solve problems, clarify important issues and make the client feel cared for, even when you’re not in the room.

You will be moving the ball forward even when you are not there.

Bill Clinton is off the political stage again…for now.  But I thought it might be interesting to consider what did Bill Clinton taught us about strategic sales.

The Conclusion:

Many of us remember the catch phrase “It’s the economy, stupid!”  It was famous for keeping Clinton and his team focused on the key that would make the difference in the 1992 election.

What has this got to do with strategic sales? 

It’s easy for us to get focused on “strategic”, “advice”, “relationship”, etcetera… isn’t it what many of us   want?  Be in the advisory game, not the product game.

The reality is that clients dont’ go looking for “relationships” with providers.  They are built on a series of successful transactions.  One at a time.  Don’t make each event “valuable”?  Then don’t pass Go.

 The power of focus and tactical execution:

the back story… as a speaker Clinton was a rambler, a meander-er.  He could talk on anything, riffing whatever was the latest issue or the opposition’s attempt to call him out…but that wasn’t what was needed to close the deal for the presidency.  He put signs everywhere to remind himself that “It’s the economy, stupid!”

By focusing on the economy in 1992, he came from behind and won big. The phrase was so powerful, spin doctors took it to use in elections around the world.  It worked because it kept him focused, it kept his eye on the right ball at the right time.

So how does Bill’s message to himself relate to strategic sales professionals?

You got to walk your talk.

Every strategic sales professional uses words like “strategic” and “value-added”. That’s all very nice to demonstrate that you know what words to use - but like all business terms they lose power with repetition and no follow through.

Remember “It’s the transaction!”

Clients don’t measure the words; they measure the actions and results.  They want solid execution of transactions - the confidence in your focus - before we earn the right” to be seen as “strategic” or “preferred relationship”.” And it is an earning process.  No “know us”, no relevant solutions, no service.  All the quack, quack in the world will not prop up empty “strategic words”.

So … execute solidly - early and often.  Take care of the details.  Build on a solid foundation. Do Something Valuable.  As I like to say “Know Your Client Warm”.  Get out your copy of “Stop Selling and Do Something Valuable” and do up that agenda or summary letter.  Engage your client with it.  Create a path to be more strategic and earn the trust of the people (in your client’s organization) in the meantime.

P.S. Bet Hillary wishes she had committed to one simple focus this year, rather than over-reaching and under-performing.