Farquharson/Tedesco on Business Development: Stamping Out Sales Whining

Sales whining is at an all-time high. The CDC in Atlanta has put it on the "Watch" list as complaining by salespeople (particularly in the printing industry) nears epidemic proportions. But fear not, PI readers, as this national crisis has caught the attention of your (t)rusty correspondents, and an action plan is being implemented. Through awareness, education and training, and the obligatory golf tournament in the Bahamas (hey, we need a fundraiser, right?), we believe that we can stamp out sales whining in our lifetime. First let's cover the symptoms to help you identify potential outbreaks in your area.

Look for the signs. If you or your sales rep(s) utter any of the following phrases, he or she might be suffering from an acute case of sales whining:

• "Prices are ridiculous out there. I've never seen them so bad. People are giving jobs away. Boss, I could compete if I had better pricing."
• "My production department just screws up the orders that I bring in. Why bother to try for any new business?"
• "I can't get around voice-mail. No one is calling me back. My introductory letters go out and I don't hear from anyone."
• "I have way too much work to do to prospect."
• "The prospect says, 'We already have a printer,' so I guess they are all set."
• "No one is buying printing. I know because I call and ask if they have anything I can quote on and they all say, 'no.' "
• "I don't understand it. They've always bought from me, but this time they switched vendors for a few dollars less. Go figure."

What is going on here? The times are changing, for sure. As pointed out in May, selling in 2013 is far more difficult than at any other time in recent history. Salespeople who have failed to adapt have been desperately hanging on to accounts without adopting the kinds of new/old sales activities required to grow business. The result? More whine than there is in all of Napa Valley!

So many of the problems salespeople squabble about are within their control to avoid or cure. But, what it takes first is a healthy dose of reality...

The days of automatic repeat orders are long, long gone. Sorry to be the guys to tell you this, Bunky, but you are only as good as the last job you shipped in. Your dog might be loyal to you, but your customers aren't. And, by the way, we question your dog's loyalty as well. Have you seen the way he looks at the neighbor's yard?

As for prices, yeah, that's an issue. Clients are shopping for the lowest cost. Can you imagine? The audacity of someone to seek out the best price on something as unique as ink/toner on paper after the hard work you've done to get something to quote on.

But, come to think of it, can you blame them? If all you are doing is throwing around quotes, why should the customer see you as anything more than a supplier? And it's not as if they are the only ones doing it, either. When you buy a car, do you walk in to a dealership, check out the sticker price, and write a check? Of course not. You call around, search the Internet and then haggle. And, why not? Cars are a commodity, right?

But what if the car rep (or the print rep) did some problem-solving, found out a little bit about the buyer's needs and then solved the problem with the perfect vehicle (print) solution? How important would price be then? And how likely would you (they) still be shopping around for a lower one?

Solve your own problems, salespeople, by improving internal communications with the plant and passing along kudos when an order goes smoothly. Manage your time better and make prospecting and new business activities a priority. Don't wait for the customer to call you with an order; call them with an idea. These problems are yours to solve. So solve them!

The best thing that you salespeople can do to is, well, your job! That is, make sure you are giving the new client a reason to place the reorder with your company other than having the lowest price. If you are not continually working for the client, you deserve to lose the work. Read that last line again so there is no misunderstanding: The job does not end when the delivery is made. It is simply another stage in the process.

Is there a pricing challenge to be overcome? There sure is. Is it worse than ever before? Yup. Our question is: Are you working for reorders by challenging every sales assumption and coming up with a new solution? If not, your dance card will be increasingly open. That's not a good thing!

And what about those voice-mail messages? Are you saying anything of any value that is worthy of a return phone call? Are you being creative in your approach? Are you controlling the things that are within your control? Oops. There's that word again.

What it comes down to is a return to the fundamentals and sticking with what works. Stop the whining and get to the tasks at hand.

What Is YOUR Job?

What is your job description? "I sell" is too broad. "I service" doesn't quite cover it. The job of a salesperson is to create a powerful brand (think "I sell ideas") and work towards supporting that brand by solving problems and earning orders (ask qualifying questions), challenging old assumptions and never taking a reorder for granted. Take that job description and apply it with perseverance and consistency and you have a solid sales approach. You will be the kind of rep that avoids pricing challenges and sells at profitable levels.

This is a tough industry facing some tough times. You certainly can whine the day away and be perfectly self-justified in your own mind. Prices are indeed brutal out there and the definition of the loyal customer has absolutely changed. Change with it or perish. Adapt or disappear. Step up or step out. You certainly will not be missed. PI

About the Authors

T.J. Tedesco is team leader of Grow Sales, a marketing and PR services company that has served graphic arts companies since 1996. He wrote "Direct Mail Pal 2012" and seven other books. Contact Tedesco at (301) 294-9900 or e-mail tj@growsales.com. Bill Farquharson is the president of Aspire For. Through his Sales Challenge and Tuesday eWorkshop training programs, Farquharson can help drive your sales. Visit his Website at www.aspirefor.com or call him at (781) 934-7036.