Schedule Downtime to Become More

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Last weekend we got into the Holiday spirit by attending a Christmas parade in Encinitas, the next town up the coast from us in Solana Beach, CA. After finding a parking spot, I happened upon the flashing sign in the attached photo. Upon first impression, it struck me as the very thing NOT to do as I round out the last month of a very busy year filled with family and the team at Flannery Sales Systems. However, as my personal, community and business commitments pick up around the Holidays, I do find it critical to schedule downtime for myself in order to maintain my balance and sanity.

Each morning, I start the day with a twenty-minute quiet period. During this time, I’m usually alone, although lately our new dog has decided to join me. I make it a practice to put away all my electronic devices, news sources and other “outside” influences. The only thing I keep is a reading on how to focus on the present moment and remember all the things I have to be grateful for.

My latest, favorite read during this time is a book by Terry Hershey called Pause: Becoming More by Doing Less. The chapters are broken into weekly two to three page reads, each with a focus on a different aspect of spiritual development. Each reading helps me put my mind in a positive place and prep me for the day ahead. On the rare occasion I don’t get the chance to start my day with this twenty-minute reflection, I feel like I’m running hard all day, and not nearly as effective, or present, as when I do.

There’s no shortage of information written on the consequences of neglecting to take care of yourself and succumbing to the manic pace that has become the “new normal”. This frenetic behavior has many subtle and often dangerous outcomes. Recently, I stumbled upon an article that summarizes this perfectly — The Disease of Being Busy.

Developing a practice of quiet reflection is about reduction, not addition. At this stage in my life, I have so much to be grateful for, and I find that my daily meditations help me slow down so I can savor each moment. Here’s hoping that you and your family have a blessed, happy and relaxing Holiday season. I look forward to connecting with you in 2017.

 

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Executing the Basics Won a Championship

Do Simple BetterThe article below (and picture to the left) were originally posted to our blog in 2015, and again in September 2016. The second posting was when the Chicago Cubs began their historic run to win the American Baseball World Series Championship.

While we all look for the shiniest, new object to help increase our results, don’t forget to overlook the very fundamentals on which sales (or sports, music, language, art) success are founded. This lies in the basics as listed below, and having the first line Manager Coaching salespeople to improve their selling skills.

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The quote on a t shirt worn by Joe Maddon, the Manager of the Chicago Cubs (an American baseball team) inspired me. It said “Do Simple Better”. Professional athletes focusing on how to do the simple things, better.

Hmmm, Do Simple Better. What does that mean to your team? In Sales, this is what the focus should be on, and as fundamental as it sounds, doesn’t always happen in the heat of identifying, developing and closing a healthy Sales Pipeline filled with qualified Opportunities.

  1. Understand the Prospect/Customer’s Primary Business Objectives (PBOs): what is the Decision Maker hoping to accomplish if they purchase your product or service?
  1. Identify the Challenges: what is happening in their business today that inhibits them from reaching the PBO? And what is the impact, financial and otherwise, if they don’t make a change?
  1. Align Your Capabilities: how do your capabilities help the Decision Maker to address the Challenges? Be specific in matching the capability, and make sure the prospect identifies the VALUE they could obtain through the use of your capabilities. If they can’t, you should be able to help paint the picture on value.
  1. Agree on a Clear Next Step: what is the next step that the prospect and you are taking to move forward?  My colleague John Golden calls this an advance, as opposed to a continuation. Are we advancing this opportunity to the next step, or in a stall with one of the above mentioned items incomplete?

Items # 1 through 4 are the SIMPLE, or The Basics for sellers in early Opportunity development. They should all be discussed, documented and agreed to with the Decision Maker BEFORE sellers create a quote, write a proposal, ask for technical support or Marketing resources, build a presentation or respond to a tender/RFP.

Sales Leaders, it’s time to Coach your sellers to get the Simple right. Right now.

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