Flipping a coin and determining whether it will come up heads or tails depends more on the fact that a tossed coin obeys Newton’s laws of motion than a simple random chance. With sales opportunities, like pennies, a bias has a huge bearing on the result. So if you want to improve your odds flipping a coin or managing a sales opportunity, spend some time thinking about how to create and maintain a bias in the mind of your customer.

How do you forecast a bias?

As with predicting the outcome of a coin toss, you might be surprised that a bias will skew your forecast. Ivars Petersen is a mathematician who illustrates why unexpected results shouldn’t come as such a surprise. The Lincoln penny provides a striking example of such a bias. Stand a dozen or so pennies on edge on the surface of a table. Then bang the table so that the pennies topple over. You’ll find that nearly always more heads than tails are face up. Sometimes all the coins end up heads. On the other hand, spinning pennies tend to land tails more often than heads.

Probing creates awareness that creates a bias.

April is Mathematics Awareness month. I’ve instantly created a bias in your mind about April, besides the first day being All Fools Day and showers that bring May flowers and that fact that there are 22 selling days in April. Now you have a mind full of data and awareness about April.

It’s no different than creating a sense of awareness with your customer. Just answering a customer’s question creates no advantage when new bias data is added to the customers mind. Essentially he now perceives everyone your response as the same as any other response.

By probing the customer for more information and understanding what’s driving their need, you now have ample opportunity to create a greater awareness (bias) of your products and services. This is not to say that you should stand there and rattle off 100 of your best features. Quite the opposite is required. Give them only the information they will value the most. You now have the bias on your side of the coin. Find out too if your competitor has a bias e.g. brand name, better warranty, less risk and ‘one up’ your own bias.

MosaicCRM Experts Corner

Beyond the operational aspect of CRM, most databases are chucked full of analytical data. One problem we see is that this analytical data is rarely configured for optimal ‘bias’ applications e.g. learning what customers want to buy at this very moment.  What do they look like, how much do they spend, when, how often is too often seen as information overload when in fact just the opposite is true: customers now get exactly what they want because you know them inside out.

As a side note, we do see social media as collaborative CRM data used as a vehicle that communicates with customers but this isn’t the same as using your CRM database for predictions analysis.

To maximize CRM’s return, it operates best in a forward looking mode and least optimal in a rear view looking transactional recording mode. For example, one of the best known predictors is credit analysis. Wouldn’t every organization want the same level of predictability with their customer base or at least their pipeline? Start with defining CRM data models and routines to optimize predictable outcomes and biases for:

• Cross Selling/Up Selling
• Supporting Customer Loyalty/Retention
• Minimize Customer Attrition
• Improving Sales Forecasting/Decision Making
• Better marketing relationship with the customer

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Written by
Bill Noonan, CEO MosaicCRM

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Writers are experts at crafting ‘The Button’.

It’s the last scene in a TV show designed to hold the viewer’s through a commercial interruption (or is it a message?). Well, they’ve already pushed by button by their frivolous cover up of their intent but they invariably keep my attention. The ad is entirely about interrupting my train of thought and in no way is a message and is very similar to a cold call without any preparation or value on behalf of the caller.

A message is some useful information I need. An ad is just an interruption. Never mind the definition at this stage. It’s vital you do things that keep you customer’s attention. Anything!

Keep your customers attention with a strategic system.

First you need a system. It can’t be done by chance alone. Just like the TV writers, you need a gripping story line and a strategy to make it happen. And just like the advertisers, you need to constantly and repeatedly interrupt whatever your customer is doing and gain their attention. Remember it’s not too likely that the law of averages is on your side. If you get a lot of ‘cant’s, won’t, and might’s’ … without a definitive attention keeping plan, you’re pretty much cooked.

Let’s see if we can’t improve your odds with these simple steps:

1: Leave your customers with them ‘wanting more’.

Often we are just too eager to fill in every conceivable blank in a misaligned effort to satisfy our customers every whim. The lesson here is not to divulge everything. The reason is simple: when the customer has all the information they need, you are technically and fundamentally useless. It stands to reason that they can now make a decision because they have all the information at hand so why on earth would they be interested in your interruption at this stage?

Customers think they have all the information and merrily go off making crazed buying decisions (mind now that they’re only crazed if they didn’t buy from you). Just as often they make the wrong decision. That’s why you have to keep their attention on you and stay in the game until the very, very, very end.

2: Never underestimate the power of FREE.

Somewhere your strategy has got to include something with ‘Free’ in it. That’s because it’s irresistible. And if you get to keep their attention with this offer, make it worth their while because you can use it over and over again. Get your marketing folks on this now!

3: Keep changing what you’re doing.

Just like every advertisement you every see, it keeps changing, some seemingly every nanosecond. It’s impossible to keep your customers attention with a monologue. Change your voice and inflection frequently, move around or at least make important gestures to important features, get involved and become important enough that they will pay attention to what you have to say.

4: Take a pause.

For heaven’s sake, take a pause. That’s right, a mini-break, a pause, snap out of it, plan a stop and this gets the attention of the customer to come up for air so they can think or do something.

5: Ask for input.

If you want to involve your customer, just ask for his input or ideas. Think of how well this technique works when a speaker asks for a show of hands or comments. It’s works the same way for you.

6: Keep it fresh.

This is probably one of the hardest things to do, from both sides of the fence. From your customer’s prospective, they may have seen and heard someone like you or your product dozens of times. Conversely, you may have this rather unfortunate sense of déjà vu with just too many of your customers. Make it a part of your strategy to insert another person, item or issue that gets both you and your customer sitting up and taking notice.

FREE MosaicCRM Expert Tips

Here are a few FREE techniques on using your CRM tools to get attention:

• Profile Accounts: In the B2B world generalist, mass marketing is dead. Clients today only read messages that are specific to their current needs. Adding a Rating, Type, Industry and Status profiles add significant ‘readability’ advantages when added to the usual geographic and product denominators.
• Automated and Personalized Contact: Templates work especially well. Design Sell Sheets that are personalized to each Contact on a regularly scheduled email/mailer.
• Mass Email/Mail: use your Advanced Search tools to create specialized Account/Contact lists for News Items, Free Something or other topics that will get their interest.
• Track Birthday/Customer Anniversary Dates: automatically schedule calls, emails, cards and letters
• Track Biz Networks: Track Contact’s business network updates
• Insert Objectives: Use Call/Meeting Objective and Topic inserts for important Calls or Appointments as a reminder to help keep on track.

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Written by
Bill Noonan, CEO MosaicCRM

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The best way to be lucky is to be smart. To this point, let’s expand upon the concept of doing the right things, versus doing everything right, as selling smart. Time and again I have seen the salesperson doing everything right, but for some reason they just weren’t successful. The subtle, yet big difference was they were not doing the ‘right things’.

I was reminded of doing the ‘right things’ during a sales process meeting with a label printing company. The owner of the company remarked that sometimes his sales staff skipped doing one ‘right thing’ or another.

For the most part, his people were doing everything right: good prospecting, follow up and eventually they got around to bidding. However, in their haste, the sales staff often ignored most important ‘right thing’: preparing a sample for their customers to see and hold.

“But you don’t understand” they pleaded, “The customer is all ready to go… all they need is a price.” Then POOF! Things went decidedly unlucky and obviously more than a price was needed to close the deal.

Dumb luck works too.

Unquestionably there’s always ample pressure on sales people to produce. It’s at these times we have to step back and give luck it due chance. Sometimes it’s just a matter of dumb luck. You know, when out of the blue you pursue that opportunity, you did the right things because the customer is allowing you to, and presto, the deal’s done.

Often it’s not as simple or as dumb as it appears. Likely you did all the right things. Be very alert to Customers that try to short change you doing the right things.

Hard luck stories.

There’s no shortage of hard luck stories. Everyone’s had a fair share of them. But when it comes to hard luck, maybe a bit of good luck can change your predicament. To get out of a hard luck spot, stop selling: Stop selling what isn’t selling that is.

Too often we get all hung up on a product or program and ignore what will sell, even if it is less glamorous or less profitable. The point here is if you’re on a lengthy dry streak, it’s unlikely your cadre of fine prospects can change your predicament unless you change. So the good luck part is when you finally give up on chasing rainbows and move on to what will sell.

Worst Luck Yet: You’ve got a lottery sales style.

The worst luck yet is when you blindly believe selling is a numbers game. In this case you will probably do everything right. You’ll make the calls, follow ups etc. Unfortunately, you won’t be doing the right things. It’s very much like a lottery: you throw your numbers in and hope you win. Improving you luck here is to think smarter. Besides, if you’re smart you won’t buy lottery tickets, but that’s a whole other matter.

Define what your very best customer looks like and stick to those. It’s usually an easily managed and finite number. Now that’s selling smart. Makes you lucky too!

MosaicCRM Experts Corner

Some simple process techniques to your CRM program can improve your luck many times over:

• Define: At every stage of the sales process, define what has to occur e.g. Sample Sent
• Set Activities: Include specific activity types that include the ‘must do’ right things
• Profile: Scrub lists that match your ideal customer, competitive advantage and sales ability then ignore the rest
• Track: Look at Closed Deal Analysis, Aging, Customer Retention and other parameters to tell you what is and is not selling

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Big $$$ in Unlucky Things.
Even though we seek luck, we are also reminded to avoid unlucky things. The whole Feng Shui craze is based on the unlucky ways we organize our lives. The list goes on: the number 13, broken mirrors, black cats, even being born under an unlucky star.

But alas, there’s no end to helping you find luck, for a price. There is a web site that promotes, for a fee, how to command more luck. I’m not making this up. They come complete with savvy lines like “Are you suffering from the illusion of lousy luck?” not to be outdone by “Exciting breakthrough for the terminally unlucky”. Maybe I should try my luck out selling this crap. They even promise a 55% commission. How lucky is that?

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Written by
Bill Noonan, CEO MosaicCRM

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There was no race without practice and everybody understood that.

There was no bitching about ‘practicing’ or ‘I already know that’ or ‘I don’t have time’ responses that are all too common from sales organizations. The other interesting point I observed about myself that even though I thought I knew it all, I learned tons from each practice: about my skills, specific crew members and our overall capability. What looked easy wasn’t so. All valuable stuff you would want to know heading into a exhausting 25 hour race.

Too many organizations don’t ‘practice’ selling and ignore their crews.

I’ve often been frustrated with the lack of results with sales training.  When I think back on it, what I was really missing was sales practice. Sales practice has to be a defacto element of the sales routine: you have got to keep it continually replenished with streams of new learning, strategies and ideas.

The better you are, the more you practice.

Practice is a continual process that builds one technique at a time.  The complicated notes and nuances of human relationship skills, product intelligence, negotiation tactics and persistence take practice. This couldn’t be more accurate for anything that takes a certain level of skill to master and sales is no exception. The interesting thing about professional racers is that the better they are the more they must practice.

It seems to be a prevalent attitude of sales pros that the better they are, the less practice because they already know it. This syndrome might be the single biggest mistake in your selling or management career. Because what really happens is that these salespeople, like racers, progress only to the level of their natural talent, then level out and begin to drop.

Like racing instructors, they will all tell you their ‘practice’ of the basics when training students has always come back to help them in difficult situations. Like pit crews, support crews are no longer this behind-the-scenes personnel who no one sees, recognizes or knows. Now they are in many cases integral to the overall sale.

Better means more.

If you don’t quite buy this theory, then you only have to look at any pro. You don’t really buy the idea that points leader Jimmie Johnson, of NASCAR fame, to maintain his superior game skills, could do this despite practicing less and less? No, it’s not even reasonable. The better a sales person or manager you are, the more practice time you need.

I know some people will wince here but my experience is sales and at the track rubs against popular human relations theory: keep management and resources for the failing sales staff to a bare minimum. Conversely, the majority of their time and money must be spent with the A players. It’s hard to beat this logic. The pity is that a lot of really good talent is ignored while a mountain of effort and attention is spent on people who simply do not have the talent to become even adequate salespeople or racers.

Selling practice builds self-confidence.

You would race on a track without practicing the difficult turns. Ditto sales: practice builds self-confidence in handling difficult situations. Too many reps, even the experienced ones, avoid or fudge difficult situations through a lack of confidence. Most salespeople ignore some prospects because of a lack of simpatico, lack of knowledge or familiarity of particular circumstances, or just a plain and simple lack of interest.

Psychological ‘reality’ shock.

It’s simply not reasonable to assume that any available sales person, or manager for that matter, can play to a client… maybe it is because they don’t have, pardon the pun, the right pitch. Look at any Formula 1 racing team that sets the ‘practice’ bar that any sales organization would be wise to adopt:

• ‘A’ level sales personnel, like the very best drivers, must come prepared and dialed into practice. This means only outstanding sales and support personnel are included and are not distracted by day to day crap that is seemingly more important.
• Drivers and crews are expected to generate better times. What a concept: practice and we expect you to generate better sales volume!
• Practice conditions must prepare the drivers and team for the psychological reality of live races. In sales, the practice routines must match the real world circumstances.

CRM Experts Tips

• Add Practice and/or Team Selling meetings to your standard activity menu for every pipeline account.
• Many CRM’s provide for document storage/sharing: Upload practice topics, agendas and guides.
• Share the wealth of business intelligence: Search the database for sales and proposals made to the same or similar companies in your organization.
• Include support personnel in the account access rights where appropriate: get them dialed into the issues and solutions.

The legendary Wyatt Earp coined the phrase ‘Learn to take your time in a hurry’ and for a gunslinger, that is darn good advice. There are more than a few comparisons to sales that a gunslinger can teach us. So before we go out and shoot the whole CRM database up and then wonder what to do with it, let’s see how these techniques can help us:

1. Timing has to be on your side

It’s amazing how every gun fight seemed to be at a specific time on a specific day, usually high noon if are to believe Hollywood. But it makes sense that we establish a firm time for action and not just a soft appointment time.

Depending on your task and what you have to do, make sure you and your client know what time is needed. Nobody’s got any time, so plan it right, and lay out exactly what you have to get done, where and when.

2. Pick your target carefully

If you’re carrying a big shotgun then you might have a little more leeway. I agree that the shotgun is seductive, mostly to sales managers, but rarely is it beneficial. The reality is that most of us are selling to a specific audience and with limited projectiles like budget and time.

3. Superlative sense of timing

There’s more than a little déjà vu here: being at the right place at the right time is always an advantage and an absolute necessity if you are going to thrive every month.

When it comes to pulling the ‘closing’ trigger on your customer, too early and you might miss, too late and someone else has taken you out of the picture. Pay attention to timing. Don’t let your manager or outside pressures unduly influence what you know to be good timing.There’s nothing much sadder than sales personnel who are forced to pull the closing shot way too early i.e. even before the customer has been adequately targeted. You see this a lot when quotas aren’t realized or anxious managers take the shot gun approach. Be wary of this.

4. Don’t hesitate

When the stars and the moon all line up, don’t frig around. If you’ve called the showdown or your customer called it, go for it. If you don’t, well then don’t be surprised if you’re asked to hang up your guns and move on down the road.

5. Be prepared for anything, including the posse

What if you miss or everything backfires on you? Are you prepared for these events? You should be because the first couple of shots, like rapid fire proposals, can often go astray and things can backfire on you.

The point here is you should be at the showdown with more than one bullet in your gun. Heck, go with more than one gun! Often the extra gun e.g. your VP or other significant player can have a really intimidating and beneficial effect. Just when you thought you had it all worked out with a single target, along comes the customer’s posse. Make sure you have your own posse on call. Sometimes it’s better to show up with a group of supporters rather than being the lone gunslinger.

MosaicCRM Experts Corner

Timing is the single biggest issue and it affects everything you and your client do next. With this extreme level of importance, start by adding definitive ‘timing’ periods and qualifications to your sales process.

• From Qualification to Close, each step of the process deserves careful timing scrutiny. Power through the client qualification stage and you miss real opportunities.  Hang on for dear life to a feeble ‘call me’ response and you never progress.
• The Sales Stage is a good place to start. Each stage or gate in the pipeline should have a definitive time that is pre-agreed with your customer e.g. a suitable time that is relative to your specific situation e.g. 5 days. This technique focuses you and your client mainly because no real pipeline opportunity or client will hang forever and ever.

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Written by
Bill Noonan, CEO MosaicCRM

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