Perfection is a challenge for any human to accomplish and fortunately I don’t have to rely on a human to manage my sales contacts. When I compare what a human requires, it becomes easy to understand why a computer program is so attractive. The computer doesn’t take breaks or go on vacation. It is rare for a computer program to forget anything as long as there is power in the lines, there is action.

The computer will replace a salesman’s best friend when it is programmed to perform the duties a salesperson doesn’t like to do. In my case, the program reminds me of every contact or communication I need to make and it makes many of them for me. If I forget to make a call or overlook one, it reminds me that I need to take action. When I used to do this with a paper method, it would take hours to perform what now takes minutes and I have more time for additional sales calls.

The Sales Manager Replacement

Now that my sales manager is a computer, I don’t mind the gentle reminders that come with the program. The contact reports I generate are filled with details of all my calls and I can track what has occurred in all my accounts. The computer program actually completes these tasks for me. Yes, I hate to fill out most contact reports, I’m human aren’t I? In reality, I am the one that is controlling the situation; the computer simply does what I have programmed it to perform.

The sales manager replacement only happens when I forget something. Best of all, I never have to attend those long meetings where they ask me what I did. The sales contact reports list all my activities and it has made my life easy. Management is thrilled with the higher level of contact I am making now that I have empowered the computer to perform many of my tasks. It is like doing the work of three or four salespeople instead of struggling to do my job.

Why This Isn’t Crazy!

If you are thinking, this is crazy; no computer program can do this. You are wrong! Think of it this way, every sale follows a path or an action plan that leads to sales. When a company can program these events and automate them for salespeople, the sales process is automated. The trick is to work with a consultant that specializes in automating the sales process.

Typically, the consulting firm will analyze the business and determine what the typical sales actions are. These will be applied to a sales process and the events will be triggered so they are automated for maximum effectiveness. The salesperson will actually be removed from many of the time consuming activities that are performed by the computer. In many cases the computer program can eliminate as much as 90 percent of the time wasted activities the salesperson would normally attempt.

The automation of the sales process will increase the sales activities and this will lead to increased sales. The computer can be programmed to perform human tasks that are ritual in nature but are required to build relationships. If you aren’t sure if your sales program can be automated look at your typical day, is it filled with similar activities? The answer is probably, yes! These routine activities are the activities that can free a salesperson to accomplish more. In many cases a salesperson will be able to perform the job of several salespeople and in other cases; a business owner might discover that a salespersons role can be accomplished by a good Customer Service Representative (CSR) who enjoys working with computers. The secret to success is building the sales process and the action plans for the computer.

Most organisations review the performance of their employees on a regular basis, usually annually. The term appraisal however, is disliked by many, conjuring up images of a superior passing judgement in a god like fashion. The answer must be to establish good relationships between both.

Every manager has to appraise subordinates and the mechanics of it vary from ticking little boxes, through marking on five-point scales, to writing an open ended report. These notes however, are mainly concerned with relationships.

The primary purpose of an appraisal is to help the subordinate.

Reasons for an Appraisal:

- To provide feedback of individual performance.

- To plan for future promotions and successions.

- To assess training and development needs.

- To provide information for salary planning and special awards.

- To contribute to corporate career planning.

The three main principles for appraisal and counselling interviews:

1. Everything written should be shown and shared

- Secrecy breeds suspicion

- Suspicion destroys a counselling relationship

Two specific aspects often withheld are those relating to: -

a) Poor performance

b) Potential promotion.

In the first the secrecy reflects the manager’s own anxiety, telling someone they are doing badly is not easy.

The second, promotion, is difficult as telling the subordinate of potential promotion is very likely to be interpreted as definite, with keen disappointment if it does not happen.

If there is something a manager feels they cannot communicate to a subordinate then that is probably a good enough reason to exclude it from the appraisal report.

2. The Appraisal report should be finalised in the presence of the subordinate

- All fair and above board.

3. The subordinate should contribute a major part to the appraisal

- Self-appraisal is particularly effective in two areas.

Attitudes In Relation To Performance:

First, the area of weak performance, most individuals will be surprisingly open and honest about themselves if the appraisal or counselling is a supportive relationship.

Analyse rather than criticise.

Secondly, the area of career progression; managers tend to see a subordinate’s future in terms of the other people in the department and how, particularly, the manager’s own progression developed.

Giving the subordinate the chance to talk may reveal totally different aspirations.

Emotion:

There is always an element of emotion in appraisal interviewing. Both manager and subordinate each have positive and negative feelings and appreciating what they are can help understanding.

The Manager:

Positive feelings: -

- Wants to be helpful and understanding, but may be inclined to offer advice too closely related to their own experience. Needs to remember the subordinate is an individual in their own right.

- Wants to be kind and tolerant and liked by their staff. However, they must be prepared to point out the realities of any situation.

Negative feelings: -

- May be fearful of the interview itself and whether they may make a mess of it. These fears diminish with practice.

- Fear of the interview becoming emotional and perhaps creating hostility in the subordinate. This is overcome by developing relationships where expression of feelings is normal.

- May have feelings of envy i.e. the subordinate’s youth, health, qualifications or career opportunities. It is essential to control them.

The Subordinate:

Positive Feelings: -

- Wants to be liked by the boss. However they must not allow this to make them dependent and subservient.

- Wants to be helped to improve.

Negative Feelings: -

The most likely one is fear of criticism of their work or their behaviour. Until the manager allays this fear, the interview will be meaningless and achieve nothing. Only the manager can allay this fear by establishing a counselling relationship, which shows they are fair and can be trusted. It is possible that a member of staff will perform at an acceptable level without motivation, but in many, indeed most cases their results will not reflect their true potential.

A good manager is always conscious of the need to motivate whenever an opportunity occurs. The assessment interview, properly planned, can be the most potent force for improvement.

Attitudes must be understood before motivation can take place:

We all have attitudes, towards work, politics, religion, fluoridation of water and so on. Those, which are the concern of management, are those, which are related to the job.

- Are they positive, neutral or negative?

- In what areas must we know what they think?

- How can we find out what they think?

- How can we influence their thinking?

If the manager knows their own attitudes and those of their staff, then they are better equipped to manage them.

People think in settled, standard ways, dictated by their attitudes, which form, as it were, the filter into their receptiveness. This can even determine what actually does come to their notice.

Some attitudes and beliefs cannot be changed, they are so deeply held, whilst others can fairly easily be changed provided open-mindedness is a strong attitude.

A person’s standards will be directly related to their attitudes. If the standard is unacceptable to the manager then it must be changed.

In a group of sales people who have undergone the same selection process to meet the same job description, there will be a considerable overlap of attitudes, but it must not be assumed that each set is identical. People will have their own unique set of attitudes.

We must not fall into the trap of judging others by our own attitudes. e.g.

- What would I do if I were them?

- What would they do if they were me?

TRADE SHOWS and WHEELCHAIRS Trade shows are hard work, and even more so for attendees who may use a wheelchair. For some, the chair may be new and temporary but for most attendees, it is where they live.

Here are six tips for making life easier for everyone on the show floor ....

1. Well, let’s just be honest. Those folks in the chairs know that they are in the chairs. It’s your responsibility to make them as comfortable in your space as any other visitor. Quick no-no or two -- don’t gawk -- don’t ask stupid questions -- don’t raise your voice (they have a leg problem, not an ear problem). If you have a genuine interest, most folks will tell you their story quickly.

2. These days, wheelchairs are smaller and allow more mobility. Watch out for them as they zip around the corners and scoot out of elevators. The problem is we look straight ahead, and not down. Especially at a show, an event or in a crowded hotel, you need to sweep your eyes up, down and around.

3. It’s important to maintain eye contact, as with any visitor, but rather than hunching over, pull up a chair so you’re both at the same eye level and have a normal conversation.

4. Just as people with vision problem may have a person with them as a guide, so too may people in chairs. While it’s polite to acknowledge the guide, address your comments to the visitor, not the guide.

5. If you’re showing video, using a computer or have a demonstration at a 40" height, be able to adjust it for people in a wheelchair or who may not be able to see at that height. In a double deck exhibit? Have a duplicate on both floors.

6. Make sure aisles are wide and clear. When designing your exhibit, be sure chair and table legs don’t angle out and there are no sharp edges on any item or graphic in your exhibit. These will snag not only those in a wheelchair, but careless walkers as well.

A little thinking before the show can save a lot of woe at and after the show.
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Julia O'Connor - Speaker, Author, Consultant - writes about practical aspects of trade shows. As president of Trade Show Training, inc,, now celebrating its 11th year, she works with companies in a variety of industries to improve their bottom line and marketing opportunities at trade shows.

No one likes to lose. For that matter, no one wants to lose. No one even wants to be associated with losers. So overcome this hurdle and instill in your listener or audience a vision of winning. Thinking we can win and seeing that victory in our mind's eye stirs our internal motivation. When we help others think of past victories or we instill the vision of victory in them, we can motivate them to take action. Olympic coach Charles Garfield states that the highest performers are driven by a sense of mission.

Master Persuaders present a winning package to their prospects. When people sense victory or accomplishment, they will make sacrifices and become energized to reach their goals. Somehow or other, they will find a way to succeed and win. If they sense defeat, however, they'll exert little personal effort, they'll come up with lots of excuses, and they'll exhibit a lack of energy for the cause.

Motivation is a true art. When you understand the human nature and the role influence plays in it, you will not only be able to motivate, but you will also have earned the right to motivate and inspire others.

Learning how to persuade and influence will make the difference between hoping for a better income and having a better income. Beware of the common mistakes presenters and persuaders commit that cause them to lose the deal. Get your free report 10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands and explode your income today.

Vision is a powerful tool in helping others to see the big picture-in terms of both where today fits into the future and where they fit into your plans. When we can define and promote our vision to others, nothing can help a cause more. Your cause could be your product, your service or your idea. As a persuader, you might be telling your prospect how your product will change the way he does business and will increase his profit. As a parent, you might be teaching your child about the future and what it might hold for her if she studies hard at school and stays off drugs. As a manager, you might be helping the company's employees see where suspending pay raises for one year will increase stock prices, thereby enabling them to have more secure jobs next year. No matter your persuasive role, turning your prospects on to your vision is a powerful technique.

Most people don't mind buying into a vision if they know exactly where they fit into it and what they have to do to achieve it. Hence, solid visions must excite and influence others to take action. Vision gives us energy, passion and a reason for living, growing and working hard. When those around you have a sense of your mission and share your vision, you have developed followers who would be willing to sacrifice almost everything for your cause. Vision creates converts and evokes commitment and determination in others, as long as you provide the plan as well as the way and the why.

Creating a sound vision begins with focusing on our destination. You must, therefore, know where you are going. Remember the movie Alice in Wonderland, where Alice runs into a fork in the road and asks the Cheshire cat for advice on which one she should take? The cat asks, "Where to do want to go?" "I don't know," replies Alice. The cat then responds, "Well then, it doesn't matter." Stephen Covey said, "To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you better understanding where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction."

Vision is such a powerful force because it keeps us focused on the future. Vision gives a sense of directional purpose to people, most of whom don't currently have a clearly articulated purpose or direction in their lives. All human beings yearn for direction. That's why somebody with a vision is so alluring to us. This tendency is also why so many corporations are developing vision and mission statements. When everyone participates in the process and buys into your vision, you have long-term influential capabilities.

Vision helps to eliminate fear and procrastination and creates courage and persistence. Walt Disney said, "We can reach all our dreams, we just need the courage to pursue them." When you create a vision, you must think big. Disney further elaborated, "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency." True vision affects your audience, even when you are not around, because a contagious vision influences our thoughts and imagination twenty-four hours a day.

Recent exhaustive surveys suggest that only 5% of professional salespeople reach and remain at the highest level, which we call Level 3. A further 15% attain Level 2 status, but the majority, i.e. a massive 80% remain at Level 1 in terms of potential achievement.

Level One salespeople sell products and depend on having the right technical solution for the customer’s specification.

Level Two salespeople sell solutions, which changes their image from sales rep to business consultant and positions them as a potential strategic resource.

Most salesmen and women manage to advance from Level 1 to Level 2 fairly easily but unfortunately; many find breaking through that final glass ceiling extremely difficult i.e. moving from competitive sales professionals to collaborative sales consultants.

Level Three salespeople are able to first identify and then capitalise upon the political component within the buying process. They develop and sustain strong commercial relationships at all levels within their accounts and these relationships endure because they are based on mutual respect and trust. Their clients feel secure, so secure, that they would be fearful of changing supplier.

Level Three salespeople rarely, if ever, lose an order that they really want because they are always in control of the sales cycle. They have identified that in marketplaces where product uniqueness and technical expertise are no longer enough, it is they themselves, that make the difference i.e. their superior skills.

Three additional areas, which set Level Three players apart from the rest, are:

Commercial Acumen: Collaborative sales professionals have high levels of strategic awareness and they can communicate comfortably with board level players, i.e. the economic buyers using common language and terminology. Level 1 and 2 performers, unable to demonstrate credibility when discussing financial, commercial and political issues, are usually left behind and require assistance from a manager or director.

Competitive Courage: In order to achieve consistent levels of success in today’s environment, it is necessary to be able to pro-actively target competitors and their client base. Any individual, who lacks the guts for a fight and is not comfortable with competitive selling, will severely restrict their potential.

Being Focused On Political Activity: You can of course question the legitimacy of politics, but you cannot deny their existence. The sales professional that fails to recognise the importance that politics play in virtually every complex sale, will almost certainly consign themselves to a career at Level 1. No one ever said that we must take part in the political game, but recognising that a game is being played, whether we like or not is essential i.e. what you understand you can manage.

However, I fully appreciate that most organisations will not necessarily need to populate their sales teams with Level 3 performers even if they could find and afford them. There will always be tasks, functions and indeed markets where Level 2 or even Level 1 salesmen and women can comfortably exceed expectations. What is important is that we ensure we have the right Level where we need it most i.e. round pegs in round holes. If an organisation is attempting to compete in a market sector where Level 3 skills are required and yet their team is predominately at Level 2 in terms of expertise, experience and development, they are unlikely to consistently win the business they need, in order to fulfil their financial ambitions.