By Ken Thoreson, President, Acumen Management Group

After indulging in men’s and women’s NCAA games all weekend it’s all about strategy.

In my view there are several levels of strategy to consider.  First, putting the right players on the floor to match up against the competition is key, and is the reason my first book was written: Hiring High Performance Sales Teams.  Without talent, you do not have a chance to win.  The good basketball teams are deep with talent and can go “large or they can small and fast” or they can focus on defense as well as offense.  Assessing and developing talent is what coaching is all about.  As you watch the Final Four this weekend, evaluate your sales team and its ability to win.  Are you accepting weak players or can your team push through the tough times and score.  I stress that recruiting is one of the most important jobs of sales management.  Build a continuous hiring program to find top talent.

Secondly, strategy and execution during the sale or game time must be brilliant!  This is where from a sales strategy perspective your value proposition must be sold, your prospect relationship developed and where you must out maneuver the competition.  If they come out man-to-man or in zone defense can your salespeople adapt?  If a full court press stresses out your team, can they break it with quick passes and move down the court for an easy lay-up?  Do you have them trained well enough to react to the situation and not simply lose the sale or give up a turnover? 

During this phase Sales Managers must also coach.  This is when your experience and creativity must take over by providing advice, insights and hopefully the right tactics to assist your sales team during this phase.

The third phase of strategy is the last two minutes.  During the sales process this could occur during the last week or two when everything is on the line.  The prospect could be confused, undecided or leaning towards your competition.  What play would you call?  Would you camp out at the prospects office?  Have your president call their president?  Drop your price?  The best coaches in the NCAA would call a time out and make sure the next two plays are drawn out, ensure everyone understands whom to foul, how many timeouts are still available and who should take the last shot.  Those situations are actually rehearsed during normal practice times.  Nothing is left to chance when the game is on the line.  Do you have your sales training plans designed for a rolling 90 days with all aspects of sales strategies built in?  The best sales managers do!

Ken Thoreson is President of Acumen Management Group – a key strategic partner of Resource Technologies, Inc.

Questions to consider:

1.  How many members of your sales team are on-target right now to exceed their sales goals for 2010?

2. How many members of your sales team have executable, proven sales plans in place to insure success for the second half push?

3. What are you doing to shore up the skills and performance of those members of your sales team who are not 120% of plan?

Want a cost-effective plan proven to be effective in producing results?

If you have one or more sales reps who are NOT 120% of plan year-to-date, then send them to our IMPACT Selling Workshop, May 18-19, at The Davidson Village Inn, here in Davidson, NC. 

Here’s what this program will do for you and your sales team:

1. Provide a detailed, objective Sales Assessment for each attendee that shows how he/she stacks up against the top sales professionals that he/she competes against every day.  We will show them how to leverage their strengths and understand their weaknesses (we all have some of both!).
2. Provide each attendee with an Rx based upon the Sales Assessment including CDs and Workbooks to shore-up their weaknesses.
3. Provide you with a copy of the Sales Assessment to help you coach and mentor each sales person.
4. Two days of intensive customer-focused, valued-added selling strategies that have proven to produce results in today’s “New 21^st Century”.
5. An action plan for each person to improve sales performance that you can then manage and hold them accountable for completing.
6. A sales system that will provide the discipline that sales professionals need to be successful in today’s demanding sales environment.
7. A guarantee that attendees will leave here with executable sales plans and strategies that they believe will produce results or we will give you their registration fee back on the spot!

Time is of the essence.  Every order your sales reps lose is an order that you will never get back.   

Register one or more of your sales reps for this program.  It will be the best investment you can make in your sales team and your company.  Remember, your company will never be any stronger than the sales people that you attract, hire, train, and ultimately retain!  We are here to help.

“I just had to say that the value in attending the Sales Leadership Summit was not just the understanding that the industry dynamics had changed, but also for the great tools I got while there. Tools that got results – fast! Great job. Great value for the money. Count me in on your next summit.”   Graeme Hampton, PhD, COO, Medical Justice Services

Here are just some of the topics we will be covering:

 * 5 proven ways to boost sales in 90 days

* The keys to building predictable revenue

* How to build sales compensation plans that work

* How to build a salesperson’s business plan focused on results

* How to motivate your team to higher levels

* How to hire & train winners NOW!

* How to coach, mentor and hold more effective sales meetings

Plus!!!  You will also receive as part of your registration:

* Your own Sales Leadership Assessment (a $375.00 value)
* The Sales Manager’s Tool Kit (a $495.00 value)
* The Sales Management Workbook (a $50.00 value)

The meeting schedule is structured to keep your travel costs low
and limit your time away from your sales team.  You don’t want to
miss this opportunity to develop and implement money-making
strategies to propel your sales organization through 2010.  Click
on the link below to learn more about The Sales Leadership
Summit and to register on-line: 

The Sales Leadership Summit: Las Vegas

The Sales Leadership Summit: Minneapolis

BONUS

Register by February 26 and save $200.00!!
Standard registration fee for the Sales Leadership Summit is
$895.00, but if you register prior to February 26th your special
registration fee is only $695.00!

Looking forward to seeing you at The Sales Leadership Summit!