Register now:
June 4–6, 2009 in
Vancouver, BC

Thank you, Ken and Carol, for a great 3-day re-do of TTT. I am so excited and encouraged with all you've done to improve all of CRG to better serve us. The tools are better than ever and I am so much clearer as to how I am going to use them in my classes.

Carol Stanley
Stanley Group

Secrets of Sucess Journal
This 52-page PDF outlines and provides a summary of most of our 100+ resources. It also provides valuable articles that you can re-purpose or forward to others.

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Selling in Challenging Times

Guest Author

Kurt Newman
President and Founder
Sales Consultants Pty Ltd.
Sydney, Australia

Kurt is an expert on sales processes and maximizing sales results in individuals, teams, and organizations. For over 17 years, he has been teaching and leading others to maximize their sales performance. Kurt is also a CRG Licensed Associate.

www.salesconsultants.com.au

We have been fortunate to experience positive growth for almost 20 years, which has spoilt those of us in sales. The success cycle has been so long that fewer than 50% of today's business-to-business salespeople have ever sold during an economic downturn.

Those who were in sales in the previous economic dips of 1991, 1987, and 1982 will remember what it was like.

So what happened in previous economic downturns?

1. Risk
   Clients—particularly prospective clients—became more risk-aversive and preferred to deal with suppliers they knew and trusted, and who had a good track record.



2. Decisions
   Some financial forecasters say this current cycle will remain for at least 2 years; others say the phase may last longer. That is enough to challenge the most optimistic individual. The situation has already impacted many salespeople, particularly the younger people.
   
   For example, the general manager of one national company usually signed off on all sales training and development needs for 6 years. In the tight economy, that procedure changed to a requirement for input and agreement from five state managers—it was consensus-based buying. That sales process takes considerably longer. Unless a solid relationship had been developed with all buyer influencers (the five state managers), the sale could be in jeopardy.
   
   Profit margins were reduced because the selling cycle was longer due to the need for additional selling activities to secure the same amount of business.
   
   During slow times, the decision-making process can take up to 40% longer.



3. Sales Efforts
   The new protocol meant a dramatic increase in the volume of sales calls, proposals, demonstrations, and presentations.
   
   Sales pipelines became full of mediocre opportunities that resulted in minimal, if any, impact on sales. Sales forecasts were often "rubbery." Clients became more cautious and, unless the salesperson could clearly demonstrate greater value, the status quo remained.



4. Pressure
   Clients were pushed to buy with high-pressure selling. Who likes to feel they are being pressured to buy? That shows a lack of respect and a limited selling ability, and it can permanently damage the relationship between the salesperson and the client and the client and the represented company.
   
   If a sale is made, there is always a strong risk that the order will be cancelled as soon as the salesperson leaves. The competitor who doesn't employ these desperate tactics is the one that will get the business—now and in the future.



5. Discounting
   That might have appeared an easy fix to a short-term problem. Discounting, however, created other problems. Greater volume had to be sold to generate the same amount of profit and, if that wasn't achieved, the company was in a weaker financial position.
   
   When the economy did turn and grow, that company was not in a position to take advantage of opportunities. In fact, some of those companies were taken over by a stronger competitor. Discounting also negatively impacts the whole industry and is too great a price to pay.



6. Cold Calls
   Simply increasing sales activity levels without a sound sales strategy did not necessarily produce more sales. In that economic environment, prospective clients were reluctant to change suppliers and preferred to stay with those they knew, liked, and trusted.

The selling environment has changed. To survive and grow, we must adapt.

How do we take advantage of our current economic conditions?

1. Think survival and growth
   Salespeople who are only in survival mode tend to overreact to problems and their decisions are often fear-based. To begin thinking growth, set clearly defined written goals for the next 30 days. Then identify the action steps you need on a daily and weekly basis to make it happen.



2. Re-evaluate the people with whom you associate
   You cannot afford nor would you want to be affected by people constantly speaking of gloom. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy . . . the law of psychological reciprocity . . . what you think about most of the time will happen. Associate with and develop networks of people who have a positive, uplifting attitude.



3. Build a brick wall around key clients
   Concentrate on the best selling opportunities. Even if you know who your key clients are, why not validate their position by ranking them in terms of revenue contributed, from the highest to the lowest.
   
   
   Rank
   
   • the top 1–20 clients as Category A;
   • clients 21–75 as Category B; and
   • clients 76–100 as Category C.
   
   You now know where to allocate most of your time. Thoroughly qualify each sales opportunity so your sales pipeline is full of genuine business potential. That method will also make financial forecasting more accurate.



4. Focus on selling value, reliability, security, stability, safety, and peace of mind
   Value doesn't have to be a tangible, like product quality. Intangible value can build strong loyal relationships. For example, forward articles of interest of a personal or business nature that are important to the client. That shows you are thinking of him or her and that you care. Provide a guarantee or a warranty. By demonstrating reliability through your behavior, you will create an emotional sense of ease.



5. Differentiate yourself by becoming more competent
   There are 6 competency levels in Relationship and Consultative Selling, yet the mean average across the many industries is 3. Through further learning and sales coaching, a salesperson can achieve Level 6 and create a point of difference. The difference, if it is to be of value, needs to be experienced and appreciated by the client. Level 6 salespeople consistently outperform others with more sales at better profit margins.



6. Re-evaluate your prospecting
   Develop an ideal client profile based on the attributes of your best clients. That can be used as a guide to prospecting. Use all the paper-based and electronic tools available to you. Re-contact dormant and lost accounts. Develop hot referrals by asking clients for the names of at least two people they know who would be interested in your product/service. Ask them to contact the referral by phone or email or in person. The referral will then be expecting your call. Giving a referral is personal; it gives the client an opportunity to give back to you. Your generosity is their reciprocity.



7. Hold firm on price
   That can be particularly challenging when competitors are discounting, but don't give in. During the last recession, customers paid 12% more for equivalent products than they did in stronger economic times. Refer to and apply activities 1 to 6.

Notes:

• One of the keys to any successful relationship-selling process is understanding your selling style as well as your client's buying style. That is why for the past 15 years, we have utilized CRG's Sales Style Indicator with the Sales Style In-Depth Interpretations in our sales training programs and sales coaching processes.



• Unless you recognize the different buying styles and their needs, your sales results will be reduced. In our opinion, CRG's Sales Style Indicator is simply the best sales style assessment tool available.

CRG's NEW Corporate Learning Center (CLC)
Now Available after 2 Years of Development!!!

Easily manage your employees, clients, and large groups.

Notify your clients, distribute assessments, and view results all from within the CLC.

Access the Manager's JSI and the JSI Compatibility Report—products that are exclusive to CLC accounts.

The Corporate Learning Center (CLC) is designed specifically for CRG's corporate and institutional clients—or anyone with larger groups who wants to engage CRG's Online assessments to easily manage their employees, clients, and participants.

All corporate users are kept under the umbrella of your Corporate Learning Center. This private center setup does not have any CRG site navigation.

Each Corporate Learning Center can support a hierarchy and permissions of up to 10 levels—enough for a big international company to set up offices in locations around the globe.

• In CLC's Management Console, you can create organizational units (groups), add users, and distribute assessments.
• As an administrator or an individual with permission, you can view the results of others and be notified that the assessments have been completed.

Coming Soon: Additional Options for the CLC

• Job Style Indicator Compatibility Reports, where you can have several applicants' PSI results compared to a completed JSI. This option of comparing multiple applicants to one position is possible only through the CLC interface and digital dashboard.
• Manager's JSI, where more than one person can complete a JSI on a single position. Through this process, the hiring and/or succession team can better determine the best style needed to fulfill a specific position. This assessment will be accessible only via the CLC.
• Style 360° assessments, where someone can complete the PSI, SSI, or ISI on you. They will be ready this Spring. Watch for upcoming announcements.

The intuitiveness in the CLC makes the administration of CRG Online assessments and reports easy!

Corporate Learning Center Private Login

The CLC is your organization's private entrance into the CRG assessment center. No CRG site navigation or links will appear in your CLC. All participants in your CLC will login from your co-branded landing page, created specifically to serve you and your constituents.

Subscription Fees Apply to the CLC

Subscription fees are based on the number of users within the Corporate Learning Center. As the administrator, you can add or delete participants at your discretion.

Purchase the subscription level that will work best for you!

CRG Corporate Learning Center Subscription Rates

Basic Package for Permitted Users

• 3-month minimum
• You Save 2 months' fees when you prepay 12 months.

CRG's Affiliate Fees apply to the CLC subscription fee,
so you save even more if you are a CRG Affiliate or Associate.

We will be adding additional features and capabilities to the CLC in the months to come.

CRG´s 3-Day Train-The-Trainer
Certification Workshop

Find out why CRG´s Personal Style Indicator is preferred by over 80% of professionals who—once they attend this CRG workshop—no longer feel comfortable using alternatives like DiSC, MBTI, and True Colors

If you are a leader or an independent/internal professional developer desiring to make a difference in other people´s lives,
this TTT event is for you!

To have credibility using our transformational resources with others, you must experience the power of our processes first hand.

This is the best TTT session most of you will ever attend.
Watch these comments from our most recent TTT attendees.

CRG´s resources have had the privilege of helping build and holistically Enrich People´s Lives—individuals, families, educational institutions, small businesses, associations, and Fortune 500 companies.

Register nowfor a TTT event in Vancouver, BC.

June 4, 5, 6, 2009
October 15, 16, 17, 2009

Space is Limited

If you are interested in learning more about this transforming program, please contact Carol. carol@crgleader.com Toll-Free in North America: 1-866-852-4347 International Clients: 604-852-0566

Download the TTT PDF

The $1200.00 worth of materials included with the TTT and our Risk-Free Guarantee ensure you lose nothing and gain everything!

Take yourself and your organization to the next level.
Attend our TTT session!

Note: If you qualify for the Alumni rate,
you can participate at less than our cost!

Upcoming Events

The third edition of CRG's Secrets of Success Journal is now available to download.

The print version is available from our CRG office.

Our Print Shop capabilities have expanded. If you have a short run digital print job (less than 2500 – 5000 units), CRG can respond to your needs. Think of us as an alternative to Staples or Kinko's.

Please... if you find any errors or difficulties in the new site, please contact CRG immediately. We will respond quickly to correct programming mistakes.

CRG President and CEO Ken Keis is available as a conference speaker and radio and TV guest—and for interviews in print.

For the past few years, Ken has been rebuilding CRG and revising each of CRG's 12 core assessments. With the assessment project completed, Ken has more time for speaking, training, and media events.

Since 1989, he has conducted more than 2000 presentations and written over 2 million words of content. Ken has recently presented at career, HR, and leadership conferences across North America.

To see Ken in action, please click on this link.
http://careerresourcegroup.com/?cat=15

Find out more about Ken´s topics and availability. Contact Sherry at sherry@crgleader.com Toll-Free in North America: 1-866-852-4347 International Clients: 604-852-0566