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Press Releases  Greg Winston to Speak at Inc. Magazines Annual Awards Conference Greg Winston has been selected to speak at Inc. Magazines annual Awards Conference March 30, 2006. Greg will present “Compensation Strategies” in an effort to showcase the importance of proper incentive strategies and their relationship to sales staff motivation. Winston adds, “compensation doesn't create sales success, compensation doesn't manage – we must create sales systems tied to both corporate vision and the teams personal vision.” The 24th Annual Inc. 500 Conference and Awards Ceremony will be held in Georgia's First City-Savannah. And speakers include Former President Bill Clinton, Bernie Marcus, Co-founder, The Home Depot, Bill Palmer, Founder and CEO, Commercial Casework, and over 45 industry leaders. All conference activities will be held at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center March 30th – April 2nd. The Future of Effective Selling by Janet Herder Janet shares secrets to building an effective sales force from business coach Greg Winston. I recently had the good fortune to attend an excellent speech by motivational guru and business coach Greg Winston. I've seen Greg speak several times now, and we even brought him in to speak to Hobbs/Herder at a recent company meeting. But I felt the topic of this most recent speech is highly applicable to real estate management. In all businesses, we're all looking for maximum performance from our sales staff. That’s why I decided to share some key points of Greg’s speech in this month’s Manager’s Memo. I hope you enjoy the article, and if you'd like more information about Greg, you can access his Web site at www.gregwinston.com. A New Vision The first topic Greg discussed was the inefficiency of generic sales training. It’s his opinion that sales training must be specialized to your company that is based on your company’s individual needs and environment, not just the industry as a whole. For example, look at the difference between a Ford salesperson and a Mercedes-Benz salesperson. They're dealing with different products, different clientele, and a different approach to the market. Each company’s sales training should reflect its individuality. Set the Bar Higher When it comes to your sales force and their collective performance, Greg Winston believes the first thing you need to do is look inward. Ninety percent of the competition in your company is internal, wrapped up in the perceptions in the minds of your sales force. If your agents are defeated before they set foot out the door, they stand no chance of competing in the market. That’s where your sales manager comes in. The sales manager’s role is to set the tone for your sales team and will determine how well your team performs. In most cases, if you can change the way a person thinks, you can change their performance. One mistake Greg advised everyone to avoid is to promote a sales manager from the ranks of your sales force. Someone who is a high performer, sales-wise, won't necessarily make a great manager. Sometimes they are like fish out of water. When hiring a manager, keep in mind that the sales manager’s job is to make heroes, not to be the hero. The traits you're looking for are the ability to work and communicate well with your sales force – the real “performers” in your company. Three Simple Truths That Will Help Improve Your Sales Force 1. There are shorter product service lifecycles and intense competition. Size no longer matters. The Internet and a strict focus on customer service allow the small companies to act like the big boys, making it more difficult for customers and clients to differentiate. 2. People buy things based on differences. Make sure prospective customers and clients understand what you can do differently than your competition. 3. Consumers are experts. Don't underestimate your prospective customers and clients. They are well-informed and expect more at every turn. Rating Your Current Sales Force Consumers tend to buy from people they like. That means making a personal connection with the customer is more important than ever for your agents. Here are two questions that will help you rate your agents’ effectiveness: 1. Do they develop rapport? An agent has five seconds to make a good first impression. Are your agents engaging and friendly right from the start? 2. Do they have an effective presentation? Read Steve Shull’s series on effective listing presentations to gauge your agents’ effectiveness. Smart Hiring Leads to an Effective Sales Force Most people tend to hire based mostly on personality. This can be a costly mistake. Instead, Greg Winston advises that we keep these three items in mind when hiring: 1. What duties will they perform? Rather than using the interview to gauge if you have a personality match, you should use that time to set expectations and get the applicant to open up about personal goals and aspirations. This will provide incentive for them and a plan rather than allowing them to meander aimlessly, once hired. Also, don't allow yourself to get into a pattern when interviewing. Mix things up to keep it fresh. Know exactly what you're looking for in an applicant before you begin your search. Get Motivated! A motivated sales team sells. An unmotivated team does not. Build a supportive culture that provides a good working environment and a motivational atmosphere. Finally, here are a few important questions to ask yourself about your company: 1. Do you attempt to get work done through other people or are you just doing it yourself? Managers delegate – you are not managing if you are doing. 2. Do your salespeople have difficulty understanding what you want from them? Consistency is key. 3. Do you have high turnover? If so, find out why and address the problem. 4. Is your team motivated? Ask yourself how you can help. 5. Are you helping your team step outside their comfort zone? By nature, people don't tend to try new methods. They seek out the comfortable and repel taking risks. If you make it safe for people to step outside their comfort zones, they will take risks for you. Create an environment that encourages new methods and allows your agents to take risks. Contact us By Email: info@GregWinston.com By Phone: 949.388.2545 Thank you for your inquiry. |
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