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HTSS180 - How to hire top salespeople - Scott Sylvan Bell

HTSS180 - How to find the best salespeople

One of the most common questions business owners and managers ask is "How do I find the right salespeople". If this is the case for you then you must get clear on what you want from your sales team and your office. Most business owners and managers don't understand how important culture is with a thriving business. 

Ethics in sales matter

Make sure to get ethical salespeople. This must be non-negotiable. The best salespeople are always in demand. This is why you should do everything possible to increase your skills and talents. Training from companies is important as well to set the stage. 

How to find top sales talent

Make a list of the traits you want in your team. You will also want to make a list of the traits your team has. You will need to bridge the gap between the 2. It costs too much to hire the wrong person, it takes too long to recover from their mistakes as well as the leads lost. It's not just that you want to find salespeople, you want the people who are:

1. Coachable
2. Team players
3. Able to ask for the sale
4. Want to be in it for the long run – looking for a home
5. You want ethics – quick wins are not always good wins – Car dealer that tried to hire me

Working with the top salespeople

Salespeople are a different breed, they like to compete, they can deal with rejection, and can be a little quirky to others. Top salespeople have an attitude and confidence that can be unsettling to others. Your office will complain about how top salespeople act and how much money they make. 

Building a top-performing sales team 

1. You can hire top salespeople talent
   1. When you hire top salespeople you reduce costs (closing rates increase bottom lines / look at marketing costs).
   2. Office managers hate how much top salespeople make – it bothers them
   3. Salespeople can become territorial
   4. Other salespeople will call top salespeople liars, cheats, and frauds. (You have to know that sometimes this is the truth – if you want to know check-in with clients – you can get the sales team to knock it off – it’s the 80/20)
   5. You have to be the type of company a closer wants to work at – culture
   6. If you are a closer you are the prize – not the other way around – this hurts manger and business owners feelings when this idea is shared 

2. You can build a top performing sales team 
   1. This takes time
   2. Look for people who will implement /
   3. Ask about failures in your interview process and what the person thinks about when they need to stop
   4. What have they done to increase their skills on their own -
   5. Look for industry standards – keep track of numbers

You can buy a company to acquire a top-performing sales team 

If you are really struggling to find top salespeople you can buy a company with a team in place. In some instances, it is easier to acquire a full team along with the management. This action has to be done correctly or it can create problems in the company. 

1. 1. Acquisition costs may be less
   2. They already know that they are doing
   3. When you get the management and team you may be able to bypass growing pains
   4. Instant momentum when done right (dumpster fire when done wrong)

How to foster the sales team to win more 

At the end of the day you can get your company to grow more. Its under proper management a sales team can grow consistently. 

1.  Get training schedule up and running
2. Bottom level people will complain
3. Allow for an opt out for closing rate
4. Don’t make everyone do push ups

How to hire salespeople

• Define what you want (closer or someone to groom)
• You have to get good at the interview
• Order of operation – good salesperson first then people who are new – when possible
• Some people suck at the interview, some people don’t
• Closers come with opportunities and problems
• Opportunities – deals get closed
• Opportunities – The office may not like closers
• Push back on the salesperson and ask for examples – scenarios and then give them “I wanna think about it”
• Know they top salespeople have three traits (good looking, social awkward and funny)

Some people you have to see do some of the work – they don’t interview well. Sometimes you have to look for a diamond in the rough

How to keep salespeople

• Pay them for their work
• If you like them closing deals bonus them out (step up basis) give them a reason to stay
• Give them the resources they need
• Congratulate them when they do well,
• Give them a reason to talk trash -
• Have a good culture – this matters

You can find the closers as well as the diamond in the roughs, you just have to be willing to look and do the work. 

HTSS179 - The sales training HACK you must learn and develop - Scott Sylvan Bell

The Sales Hack formula for coaching and training 

There are hacks to sell more goods and better coaching. What you need to know this is hard work. Being in sales is not supposed to be easy. H.A.C.K. is an acronym for you to work from.  Most salespeople say they "want it" until they have to put in the hard work. 

The failure rate in sales and closing deals 

Most salespeople and entrepreneurs don’t see the failure to success ratio (this is the number of times you fail vs the times you succeed). Most industries look at a 30% closing rate as good which means you fail 2x more than you succeed. You will have to take the hits to up that level. You need focus, skills, dedication, and a knowledge that failure isn't permanent unless you make it permanent. 

Bad experiences in sales and business 

As salespeople we have all been through bad experiences,  thank goodness you are looking to learn and improve. Correction in sales may lead to tough conversations. Sometimes you need to find a new coach because they cant help you. Salespeople may get their feelings hurt when they think coaching is what they want to hear and not what they need to hear. Sales coaching only works when you do. This explicitly means you must put in the work. You have to be willing to be uncomfortable, take the steps and implement. 

Testing your process in sales 

You can learn from the world of marketing,  test to see if something works and then reframe your position. You must get past the feeling of looking dumb, silly, or otherwise.  When you get coached you have to put in the actions. If you have had coaches you may have been corrected over time and been OK with it. You must have a good belief between coaching and success  

The HACK formula for sales success 

If you need a framework for sales success here is the acronym you can use:

• Help ask for it – At the end of the day it helps when you want the help
  • Salespeople who have no skin in the game don’t really end up doing anything with the training or coaching
  • You have to be all in with the ask and be humbled
  • You can ask someone at work, a manager or even hire someone
  • Tough conversations are part of the ritual – sometimes you want to hear something and your are shown another way.
• Action
  • This should be self-evident, not all salespeople think about this
  • You will have to step out of your comfort zone
  • It's going to be hard – you will have good times and bad times
• Coaching
  • Coaching isn’t always easy for the salesperson or the coach.
  • You have to put in the effort and not just do the minimum
  • There is time involved – which means there is risk for you
  • A good coach is going to want for you to win and not just get paid
• Kick butt
  1. The process is all about calibration
  2. There is a time where things may seem slow you also have to build up to momentum
  3. There will be a point where you get stuck again and need to get the coaching or training – will probably evolve over time  

How to pay for coaching and training in sales 

If you want to get to the next level in sales you have 2 options. You can learn on your own and this process takes longer and can be costly. You can hire someone to show you what you need to know. Here are the ways you can get coaching:

• Save for it and pay for it 
• Ask someone to help you out 
• Trade and or barter for sales training 
• See if you can get someone to underwrite you and or pay for it 

MIH - Make it happen 

HTSS178 - 7 Basics of negotiation skills - Scott Sylvan Bell

7 basics of negotiation skills you must have 

Basic negotiation is a need you must have in sales and business. You will find for some business owners and salespeople negotiation freaks them out. This means you have a huge opportunity to close more deals and make things happen. You have to be willing to learn how to negotiate with other people and or business owners. 

Regret after negotiating a deal 

You always walk away from deals thinking you could have done better, this is normal. You will get better with negotiation over time. Everyone could have done it better once you explain the deal. Monday morning quarterbacks are real once you share your side. You really can't pay attention to what others say after you do a deal. 

Negotiation creates anxiety for others 

You have to get over the anxiety and then put in the work. Your skills can only be improved from learning the negotiation process.  You will be beyond the book at some point. Roland Frasier shared this phrase and it's a perfect way to explain how negotiation works. Most people are not willing to put in the work and or the effort to close deals. If you just work for a few minutes a day you can get huge leverage. 

The best books for negotiation 

There are a few great books on negotiation. You will want to pick up Start With No from Jim Camp and Never Split the Difference from Chris Voss. These 2 books on negotiation will give you the skills and the knowledge you need to have a fundamental framework. These 2 authors can give you enough to get a jump start and then take action to get started. 

The 7 basic negotiation skills you must have 

1. Put in the work – know what you are looking for and what you are not looking for (it may come down to your data, comps, questions, and even examples).
2. He who asks gets – you have to ask for what you want.
3. There is a dance to negotiation – the back and forth – vocal pitch and tone, pace
4. Everyone complains about price - All people are taught over time to complain about the price 
5. You must remain calm – you can overplay your hand / you can come across as aggressive
6. There is always another deal – You can get wrapped up in sunk costs fallacy, there are plenty of deals out there. 
7. Have fun when negotiating – it's just a product or service  

 

Negotiation basics you need to know 

You must get to the point of negotiation. So many people never get here or they “have to think about it” out of fear of negotiation. There is typically small talk when people meet with you. Get started by selling on the 2^nd hand market. You can use Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, or anything similar. You can start this by finding 10 things around your home that have some sort of value but no meaning to you. 

How to visualize negotiation 

If you would like a visual representation of negotiation you can draw a plus sign. North to south is more of something or less of something (product or money) – east to west is more time and less time. These quadrants that are created will cover about 80 - 90% of the items you will negotiate for. You can literally draw this out every time you get into a negotiation. You can get stuck on a quadrant and lose out or you can use it as a guide to get what you want. 

Negotiation in sales

Your buyer is nervous when you negotiate. Make the process really cool and really easy for the most part. There is power in remaining calm for yourself and for the people you meet with. There are elements where you do have to emotionally engage to help you get what you want. Most people don't want to deal with an aggressive negotiator, you use this emotion when you need it for emphasis. Most people have the fear of making a bad deal, paying too much or getting bad terms in their mind.

How to renegotiate and save face

There are times where deals need to be renegotiated. Buyers remorse sucks this isn’t a reason to renegotiate. If you do have to go back and share there was a mistake made you can open the dialogue but before you do you must know your "reason why". This question is going to get asked by the people you meet with. Know that you can renegotiate deals, but the other group doesn’t have to respond. It may be that you need to tell them the truth, they were too good and negotiated too well against you and your team.

Communication in negotiation 

Communication in negotiation will come down to questions, reason why, stories, ask for favors, and even having fun. You can fail by walking into the worst parts of negotiation:

• automatic or max level discounts - This puts you in a bad spot 
• Desperate - You will get taken advantage of or cause people to walk away 
• Terms / price - Know what you can do and have planned levels when possible

 

 

HTSS177- Why am I struggling in sales - Scott Sylvan Bell

Why am I struggling in sales

Questions about struggles in sales are more common than you would know. When it comes to sales you have to know what is normal and what isn’t. Finding yourself without closed leads can happen over time or it can happen quickly. Distractions are common, you have things going on in your life besides closing deals. 

Sales is repetitive and so are struggles 

You must get the reps in, it's just like going to the gym. You have to put in the work and the effort. There are cycles to sales, you do good and then you don’t

You have to get used to:

• Your presentation – Comedians go to small towns to work on their sets to get their timing right
• Your timing in the conversation and interactions with your buyer 
• Your comfort – the average salesperson takes 200 – 600 presentations to feel normal
• It took me 500 videos to get used to being in front of a camera
• Confidence is felt, heard, and spotted – On the spectrum so is a lack of confidence and arrogance
• What happens when you face emotional meltdown
• How you hold and keep your Attitude

Why am I so bad at sales

• No preparation or lack of presentation to the buyer 
• No role-play or practice 
• No patience with people and their objections 
• Not putting a sale on the horizon – future pacing – if vs when (this takes 7-10 times) urgency.
• No networking with other salespeople and or closers
• No working with others to increase your sales skills. 

 

Why is sales so difficult?  

So many books say build rapport with your buyer. The problem is at some point rapport works against you and your process. Rapport can help you close deals and at the same time when you cross the line of interaction you end up hurting yourself. Yes, you do need to build rapport and interact with your buyer and you also need to have some tension in the sales process. You cant always agree with the buyer, you need surprise and you need tension. 

Sell on price and die poor

So many salespeople say raise the price to discount it. This doesn't require sales skills it requires a calculator to make something happen.  It's also common for salespeople to say to price match in order to close a deal. The problem with price matching and is that it becomes addictive. When you sell on price you will die poor.

Comfort in sales  

What they don’t tell you is you need to be comfortable for the buyer to feel comfortable – the go-to move is rapport but fake rapport is felt. Most salespeople ask the questions that every other salesperson asks. There is not point and it feels like a routine. You can't just stay in the learning lane forever. There will be a point where you have to put in the work and the effort.  You will be beyond the book at some point, which means your skills and talents will have to increase over time. 

HTSS176 - Entrepreneur mistakes and failure - Scott Sylvan Bell

Costly Entrepreural mistakes I have made – please learn from them  

As an Entrepreneur, I have made some mistakes over time. I am hoping that my mistakes will help you. Some of these have been very costly with time, energy, effort, risk or money. YOu have to look at the time you have vs the time you are spending on events. 

Common mistakes made when growing 

When listening to these mistakes you can take a look and do the opposite.  Trying to learn everything before moving forward isnt an option. There is a point where you are beyond the book. You do have to put in the action at some point and have it result in a profit. 

• If you are not using paid traffic you have a hobby and not a business – Todd Brown
• Not building a list like I should have
• Not maintaining Scottbellconsultant site
• Not creating articles on a consistent basis (podcasts as well)
• Doing more content creation than client acquisition
• Not building a Facebook group(s)
• Not networking enough
• Not partnering and or JV – its easier to work with the right partner (sometimes this doesn’t work)
• Not automating faster – Calendly to quiz to video (etc)
• Not buying the right tool – doing it wrong has cost me way more than just buying the right app, service or consulting?
• Not getting into consulting sooner -
• Not multi-purposing my content this whole time
• Not creating my own mastermind
• Not charging enough early on – really you must charge more
• Not having a few projects to work on (not too many)
• Not saying no fast enough

Mistakes I have made with other people as an Entrepreneur   

It's not just mistakes I have made by myself, there are also things I have done with other people. Being in business is not a hand holding sport by any means. There are actions you must take on your own. 

• Sticking in and waiting for people instead of jumping
• Recognizing the never-ending rainbow – realize when you are being led on
• Not setting drop-dead dates / walk away time frames (go – no go situations)
• Not hiring the best – Hire the best cry once
• Operation time suck
• Common - Trends

HTSS175 - Nobody is coming to save you in sales or business - Scott Sylvan Bell

Nobody is coming to save you in sales and business 

The title may sound negative, its meant to help you understand what you are up against in sales and business. When you watch Shark Tank some entrepreneurs are left to figure out their problems and don't get any money. 

Problems in sales are cyclical  

We all go through cycles. Most entrepreneurs have lost it all before. Entrepreneurs go broke all the time. Stats say most millionaires have lost it all 2x before they made their money. The truth is you have to save yourself, this means you have to put in the work. Look for ways where you can talk out your problems and spot where you have issues. 

Jay Abraham says "you are the solution to someone else’s bigger problem"

Desperation in sales 

Desperation is a tough spot to be in. Desperation has an inward focus (strong focus) everything is all about you especially when you are at the bottom. Solutions happen when you put your feet to pavement or action to marketing. When you struggle there may not just be one single silver bullet especially if you have tons of bad habits or crisis. The mistake can be looking for the easy way out (it may be the hard thing that saves you). You must be willing to put in the work and take action

What if nobody is coming to save you in sales?

What if you take the path that “Nobody is coming to save me”. How would this shift your world view? What new actions would you take? You must take action to move forward and create momentum. You must “want it” and know your reason why

How to create momentum in sales 

• Network – does matter
• Your vision drives decision
• Work you put in place pays into the future 

A warning about opportunistic people 

Opportunistic people may be hanging out to take advantage of you. The more desperate you are the more danger you are in. In the end people who can and will take advantage of you will find you. 

Emotions you face in sales and business 

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Frustration
• Resistance 
• Loneliness 

Motivation

• Dopamine
• Positive – excited / aware
• Surprise
• Relief

Actions

• Look for what inspires you
• Keep a journal – learn from your mistakes (by the way we all fail – its impossible to live and do business and not fail)
• Be willing to pay for knowledge
• Partnering may take you further 
• Look to grow your network
• Can you treat what you are going through like a puzzle
• How can you be creative
• Who can you call
• Podcasts
• Look at the gain and not the gap 
• Look to your drive and goals.

HTSS174 - How to protect your time at work and in sales - Scott Sylvan Bell

How to protect your time at work and in sales 

People will chew through your time. You will want to think of your time like an attorney. This may sound aggressive, look at the time value of your money. This may give you insight when you try to connect with others. These examples will give you some ideas of what you can do. 

Have a morning routine to protect your time in sales 

• Check emails till at a specific time
• Return phone calls at a specific time 
• Use airplane mode on your phone so you dont have to answer it 
• Have a set time and day for your meetings.
• Shop when most people are not in the store
• Run from drama – people will pull you into stupid stories (play stupid games, win stupid prizes)
• Cut negative people out of my life – look for flags knowing when you look for red flags you will find them.
• Don’t do conceptual ideas, talking just to talk… plans that will never go anywhere. Constant planning isn’t worth it – this eats time and sucks.
• Don’t get caught up in social media drama
• Have set times to create content – I have running docs when I come up with ideas.
• Make sure all of your docs are cloud backed up in multiple locations 
• Work your ass off on the plane and don’t like to be interrupted
• Do work in batches (podcasts, videos, content creation)
• Have tons of content on your phones and laptop. Always have and extra book if I do need to wait
• Set appointments when I can for everything, I don’t wait in line. I will pay to be moved to the front of the line.
• Have things delivered instead of going to the store
• I don’t answer the front door – ever. The family needs to call me before they come over.

Learn to say “no” – most salespeople are scared to reject just as much as they are scared to be rejected. You have put time, energy, or effort into your skills and knowledge. Don’t jump on the phone for just about anyone. 

Don’t let people pick your brain

• They are looky lous.
• They don’t take action

Systematize everything and anything you can

Make videos for repetitive fees

• My marketing video
• Make people jump through hoops
• Use quiz software (think jotform, quizly)
• Use a VA to answer emails / respond back – do postings and or editing
• If it doesn’t sound appealing, just say “no”.

 

HTSS173 - What to expect when private equity buys your employer in sales (Part 2) - Scott Sylvan Bell

What to expect when private equity buys your company (Part 2)

When a company buys another it's automatic that the rules will change. These changes will take place quickly or over time. YOu have to be prepared for the changes and know its a not a matter of if they change but when. 

New management with private equity take overs 

There will be games that can get played against you. Companies that acquire are typically larger, they swallow the old one. The new company has goals and outcomes they want. The new execs will pick key people who were labeled as “critical” and “needed”, they are sizing up the team for who to keep and who to let go. The acquiring company has put new people into leadership without knowing the lay of the land, the legacy people and they change up processes. New people are pushed to be integrated and it screws up the dynamics. This is the case of too many things at one time, the dust doesn’t settle soon enough.

The problems with quick changes in a business 

New takeovers do not take the time to ensure there is a full understanding of how the company works (demographics, sales process). Larger companies assume they can flip the switch overnight. This is business sabotage. Salespeople jump ship and the competitors sneak in and steal clients. (targets are prioritized).

How companies lie when they sell their companies 

When companies are ready to sell, they inflate numbers, sales, roles, and even future events. They are rebuilding the house before they sell it. Sometimes companies are bought for one aspect of the company and the rest are closed down, sold off, combined, or traded. Sociopaths are upgraded because they are willing to play the games.

Time consuming games played against salespeople  

You spend more time on new systems than you do selling when companies want to add to your schedule. 

• Momentum is funky
• Clients are concerned
• Old resources for closing deals are no longer there (products, services, people)
• Reporting
• Email
• Computers
• Resources
• Pipelines are screwed up
• Competing product lines will battle
• Pay discrepancies and benefit discrepancies (the smaller company typically has lower pay with a bigger commission structure) salary + bonuses / monthly number ramp up and down based upon numbers. Start-ups can have higher rewards.
• The smaller company keeps the same players (execs) and keep the company as a division, this becomes a fight because its start-up mentality with money.

Scenario 1 – company offers you a new role, you quit your old rule, and just before you start they pull the new job away from you

Scenario 2 – company offers you a new role, they ask you how to fix all of the problems, you give the answer, the job never materializes and they let you go

Scenario 3 – You get called to the carpet from the management team because the fake pipeline built before the sale is what you are being held to. When companies sell they inflate their numbers and their sales pipelines. New managers don’t care, they want you to hold to the numbers they want to hold you to the fake numbers

Scenario 4 – Territory changes – salespeople will say they have contacted people so they can swoop in on areas and freeze you out. You are upsold into believing that you will have new clients but that is already in the pipeline. You can't touch them.

Scenario 5 – Territory changes with protection, the acquiring company may already have some of the clients.

Scenario 6 - The new company will starve out pipelines and stop marketing, they reduce product offerings

Scenario 7 – Lead generation is stopped from the bought company, marketing stops and so does momentum. It takes a while to get going again.

Scenario 7 – The Kobyashi Maru – no way to win

Scenario 8 – Top salesperson has honed their skills for a long time, they have good retainment. They keep horrible & toxic people in management that squeeze out top people.

Scenario 9 – Bad new territories -

Scenario 10 – CRM updates and gather intel before they let people go.

Scenario 11 – Give us your new plan and we will bring you up

Scenario 12 - The new company has you train their people and then they fire you

Scenario 13 – Pay gaps are not dealt with

 

What you can do

• Keep in contact with people in your industry
• Keep an up to date resume
• Have social
• Keep an eye out for the games that are being played
• Be aware that when you look for red flags you find them
• Have a “go no go” conversation and map out a plan

 

HTSS172 - Sense of urgency in sales and how to get it - Scott Sylvan Bell

Sense of urgency in sales and why it matters

You must have urgency in sales. This is an absolute. You have to know how to use urgency in sales the right way. There is a scale of urgency that starts with 0 or apathy and goes all of the ways to high pressure/desperation.

Intentions in sales 

People feel your intentions when you meet with them. As you meet with people they feel your good energy as well as bad energy. When you meet with people There is something about people who have a hefty income that values their time, they put a sense of urgency into what they are doing. When people don’t value their time, they lose the urgency. Money is the grease for momentum. This has quite a few implications. When you meet with people you need to size up what direction they go.

Your income matters in sales  

Some salespeople will say things like "What's wrong with making 60k per year"? You can size up where salespeople by how they are taking. Urgency if future-facing – there is a direction in the conversation. No urgency is past-based, non-forgiveness in some conversations.

What you can do to show urgency in sales:

• Set an agenda
• Set a timetable
• Talk about outcomes
• Have a positive belief about money
• Have goals
• Celebrate your wins

Dangers in sales 

If you look at the formula for urgency it is something like this:

Confidence + certainty = urgency 

Desperation speeds up time but can also create more problems. When you sell to people who are desperate they may come back and say you took advantage of them. 

HTSS171 - How gratitude changes you and your sales - Scott Sylvan Bell

How to have gratitude in your life and in sales 

Its not uncommon to see people who are in a slump to ask what to do for help. The answer given may surprise you. As salespeople, we get caught up in our own internal events and then reprogram ourselves into losing deals. One of the greatest tools you have for your ability to grow is gratitude.  

Managing emotions in sales 

Your emotions betray you in sales. You can be on top one minute and on the bottom the next. The more desperate you are, the more common it is for you to lose deals and discounts. Some trainers and other salespeople will tell you to give away a sale in order to get back to closing deals. This advice can be a dangerous mistake. 

How to get out of a sales slump 

Everyone has their own opinion of what you do in a sales slump. Some of the sales advice is bad while some of it is good. You have to think through your sales process in order to beat sales slumps. Here is a huge hint, you don’t start with the sales slump you circumvent it. You have to be willing to put in the work before you need it. This is counterintuitive thinking at its best. Your secret power in sales comes down to gratitude. There is a sense of humbleness in gratitude.

Gratitude in business and sales 

You can feel and hear when people are grateful, when people are spoiled and when people don’t care. The real question for you is what are you grateful? If you are in a sales slump is everything all about you?

Here are some items you can do to hold onto gratitude:

• Journal daily about what has gone right in your life 
• Focus on the good things you have 
• If you are religious you can turn to prayer and or meditation 
• Donate time to teens, the elderly, and even homeless shelters
• Donate money to charity or worthy causes 

There is a power from the universe that will give you the smackdown, you get too big for your sales pants, and wham it gets you. Life has a way of giving you the lesson you need when you need it the most – hopefully you listen

Here are other things you can do to have gratitude in your life:

• Share with others why you are grateful
• Talk through opportunities with those who are struggling
• Give sincere compliments to others
• Buy some gratitude – overtip a server, buy something for a homeless person, mentor someone