I got the SPINs!!!

Quite a bit has happened since the last time I wrote. Among other things, I flew off to Toronto for a Sales Fundamentals course until February 1st. It was awesome. The class consisted of a variety of sales positions – ISP’s (Inside Sales – acquisition), FISP’s (Inside Sales – retention), and Field Sales. The course was based on the SPIN selling model by Neil Rackham – Situation, Problem, Implication, and Needs-Payoff. There was a lot to learn, especially in the way of how important it is to probe for problems, look for implied needs, and to hold off on a solution until the need is unveiled. Even though this type of model can be very useful in an FISP role, it was geared more towards face-to-face contact with customers, as we learned a lot about reading people, and therefore, reading cues and gestures. Regardless, I’ve become more aware of myself and how I function in my sales role, and it allowed me to step back and guage how I could improve myself as a sales person. Not to mention I fully plan to get on the road and do face-to-face sales calls in the near future!

I actually bought a sales book when I was in my second year of University called How Winners Sell by Dave Stein that I have yet to read, but will hopefully get to soon. It explains seven key factors of what separates a mediocre sales person from a true professional. I feel like I have a lot to learn yet.

Despite having a few responsibilities to keep up on while at work, I plan to dust off the Driver/Sales lead program that was in place several years ago, but has taken a back burner, most likely due to lack of time on behalf of the busy sales reps in our region. Like I’ve explain in previous posts, being based in the smaller populace of the Maritimes usually requires hybrid roles, where one person can be responsible for more than what someone in, say, Toronto would be responsible for. And because many of the SME’s located downtown and all around the industrial park are my clients, I want to make sure all the bases are being covered. Calling one business from time to time isn’t enough. If the drivers can actively keep an eye out for leads, all the better. And who better to do this than the drivers! In my personal opinion, they are quite honestly the most important sales and retention factor we have in this business. They are the business. They see my customers everyday and they decide if they want to have a smile on their face that day or not. Each of them are extremely important. And because this program isn’t necessarily used as often as it should be, I am still waiting for feedback from the people who know how to set-up the system. I’m optimistic about it! The drivers I know are hilarious and really great people.

Besides that, I’ve been busy planning various projects and trips for my vacation times. I’m thinking Newfoundland, Boston, and the Dominican as possibilities for this coming year. I’m dying to go to Thailand, but that might take a couple years yet…

Keep Bizzy!