When I came into media, my main challenge was to sell something invisible. I learned that people buy ideas more than things. They buy concepts, promotions, and methods for getting people into their stores.
In the early 90s, the media industry in New Zealand was entering deregulation. The government had decided to “open up the airwaves” and issue new opportunities for starting radio/media companies. Doug Gold the original owner of More FM (now Mediaworks) recognized an opening when he saw one. He obtained several licenses to operate new radio stations in cities and towns all over the country.
Culture First- The Rest Follows.
Doug had created an amazing culture and fun way of doing business at media companies he had previously managed. Once word got around that he was starting a new venture, former staff flocked to be on the journey with him. Some would not be receiving any incomes for several months, but they trusted him and believed that his latest project was going to be special.
The challenge for the new media enterprise was that they would be working in one of the most competitive categories in the world. Media bleeds money like a wounded bull and it is riddled with failures, obnoxious personalities, and owners with huge egos.
Doug’s personality, on the other hand, was just the opposite. He had courage, belief, and an unbending single-mindedness; the usual hurdles would not present a problem for him.
Starting off on an unusual note, Doug launched his new company with a product called The Gold Key program. When Doug had researched the best way to enter the advertising market, he had sought advice from hundreds of clients.
Needs Matter
He asked questions about everything. He asked what they wanted in their advertising, examined the paths they took in sales and marketing and observed their needs.
He knew it would be a lot easier—and less daunting—to ask for someone’s business if he already knew what that prospective customer needed. He was involved in every aspect of the business, down to the formatting of his own stations’ programmes.
One of the insights Doug gained from his research was that his advertising clients were sick of just buying “spots and dots.” They wanted to belong to a group, a modern-day tribe of sorts.
Doug also discovered that clients needed to advertise and promote themselves on a continual basis. Constant exposure paid off and made advertising more affordable to small-to-medium companies. Many big companies already supported their products and services this way, and it worked well.
They were the big guys, though; they could afford it; with their resources, they could simply outshout anyone else’s marketing. Now even the little guy could compete.
When it has gone it’s gone.
Most media companies generate their income through advertising. It’s their inventory, just like all the stock in a retail store. The only difference is if that “inventory” is not sold that minute, hour, or day, then the opportunity at that moment is gone forever. Once the advertisement that was due to be sold at midday is NOT sold, it’s gone. The use-by date has expired.
The American Express of Media
Doug understood his clients and the market, so he created a membership program. Way before XERO and Apple introduced their subscription services.
He asked his clients to commit to him for twelve months. Each advertiser would receive a monthly allocation of commercials; in return, they received benefits like travel deals, access to unsold airtime, and upgrades to better commercial times. While perks like this are common today, they were a novelty in media back then.
Selling this way works best in a seminar situation, in what is often referred to as “one-to-many” selling. Every client who attended Doug’s seminar received valuable information on how to advertise and promote their business.
Any advertiser who agreed to a membership also earned a free chance at winning a brand new BMW. This was unheard of at the time. It was mind-blowing, really, and took the market by storm.
In year one, Doug and his amazing team sold $1.2 million in revenue before they even opened the media company and before one song was played. In today’s dollars that would be around $4.6 million. What sold it?
Creating a Selling System.
The key was a combination of belief, systems, a great team, and innovation. Doug generated hundreds of memberships and improved his already stellar reputation.
Over several years, Doug’s product became known as the Image Plus program. With my other founding partner, Brian Duffy, driving the helm, and me writing all the sales manuals and implementing the training programmes, we then took on the world.
These days, that one product is part of a suite that my old company NRS Media sells in over 400 media companies in twenty-three countries, in eleven languages. In the past ten years alone, the Image Plus program has generated over $300 million annually in revenue for its clients.
The start of something special. These days you would have called it a start up. The only difference that over the next 20 years, NRS Media never borrowed a cent, zip, zero. All self-funding.
An idea tested refined, then proved.
Why did it sell? The market was ready for it.The media companies advertisers wanted to buy it, and in the end, there were 40,000 of them that bought it every year for 15 years.
In my next blog, I will unveil the secret to creating the system that built that one product, which went on to dominate direct selling in media across the globe.
I am always being asked what makes good sales training and coaching? Here are five tips I hope can help you make the right decision when it comes to hiring any sales trainer or sales coach.
1.The sales team don’t see the sales training as relevant to them.
Usually what happens is that a sales person will be sent on a sales training course and they get there and it’s straight out of a manual. Taught to them by rote and disappointing.
2. The ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t suit their business situation.
The trainer has not spent the time to evaluate the sales persons needs. Tailor making specific programmes work better. Before any training ask the sales trainer to work with you on YOUR outcomes for the training programme.
3. Lack of Outcomes once at the course.
This is similar to point two, sales people have different needs, just like their clients, many times sales people arrive at course and at are never asked what their specific outcomes today for this course.
4. Sales trainer, not a sales person.
In this case, it’s more about creditability, if the trainer has no experience selling in any form, it’s difficult to build rapport with the audience you are training. The theory is fine, but not realistic. Sales experience is must for a trainer.
5. Learning as you go.
If the training is not carried out in an environment of learning and facilitation it’s seen as boring and lacking in depth. In the ever increasing world of soft skills training involving your participants in ‘learning by doing’ is a must.
These tips have certainly helped my clients and may help you.
Good selling
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mike Brunel – Author, Sales Trainer and Coach at Mikebrunel.com. Mike started mikebrunel.com after being a successful entrepreneur. He was a co-founder of NRS Media a global leader in media sales. His products and services generated $350 million a year in revenue for his clients. He sold that business in 2014 and now consults to business owners throughout New Zealand and beyond. He works with any business that wants to increase sales that have a sales turnover of 1/2 million up to $10 million. He works closely with digital and marketing services to help attract sales for his clients.
Over the festive holidays I got talking with a young salesperson that sells hardware out of a super DIY store. His job is to be on the road most days, visiting building sites and converting builders, plumbers and such like into customers.
As we got talking I asked him, “What is your biggest frustration with your job right now”
Well he said “Writing up the orders” I laughed for a bit, but he didn’t. He was genuine, he found that the most frustrating part of his job.
The truth is that productivity is very critical to your success. I explained to him that if he could not do it himself or found it hard, then he better find someone who could help him.
Share the load
Productivity is so critical to your success. I wanted to make sure he saw this. I explained to him as far as I’m concerned, you MUST be doing this to increase your productivity, no matter how small or large your business is.
What is it?
Get someone else to do it… Outsource it.
I knew a top biller on a TV network that outsourced everything except his one to one, face to face appointments.
Here are 3 tips to get you thinking about how you can share the load and focus on what you’re good at.
Spend more time on what you love about your sales job – Many salespeople do not like do the paperwork. Get someone to do it for you. It’s that simple. Doing up contracts and such like can be taught to someone.
Stop wasting time on time consuming tasks – Very similar to #1. If you dread doing something in your work, then that’s a signal to delegate it. I learnt that a little while ago and it is so true, if you’re about to do something that you do not want to do, guess what happens? You procrastinate. So, therefore delegate it.
Have more free time to spend with your friends and family – We all want time with our friends and family, don’t we? Outsourcing the tasks that free up spare time, it potentially allows you to be happy and organised. Do you want that?
As the year unfolds and you think about your workload, maybe also think about what you dread every day and delegate.
Whatever career you decide to take in sales, it’s always good to get some help.
Mike Brunel started mikebrunel.com after being a successful entrepreneur and founder of NRS Media. He co-founded NRS Media in Wellington, New Zealand, expanded it into a global powerhouse in media sales and training, and was eventually responsible for opening offices in London, Atlanta, Toronto, Sydney, Capetown, and Bogota. He has hired hundreds of salespeople around the world.
He made a lot of mistakes when it came to hiring his superstars. Check out his How to Hire A Super Salesperson Each and Every time – It’s packed with tips and ideas on how to hire great salespeople. Don’t ever Hire Bad Salespeople Ever Again. Promise!
Having worked in the commission remuneration space for most of my life,
I’m a great believer in Effort = Reward.
I’m asked a lot by sales organisations how does one structure a commission for newbies.
Standard Commission Rates
From experience if you do have a standard commission structure for your team it’s important to think about making sure that you do not tamper with that too much.
In the case of newbies that you want to harness and grow your business, it makes sense to offer a more attractive commission structure in the beginning than just the standard commission system.
In media sales for example, and I’m sure other commission-based companies, like real estate, mortgage brokers, and others could also do this.
Different Commission Rates
Rather than offer them a different commission to the rest of your team and then have to reduce it at some later point, it makes sense to offer newbie recruits an additional bonus percentage for, say, the first six months.
It may, for example, be an additional 2% or 4% above the standard commission rates. Obviously, the actual amount will depend on the commission structure in place at your company.
Why a Bonus Commission?
Because this is offered as a bonus commission, the new salesperson is always aware of what the standard structure is and does not feel that he/she is being disadvantaged when they go on to the normal commission structure.
Another option is to progressively reduce the bonus commission percentage until the new salesperson is on the standard rate.
After six months, for example, the bonus commission might reduce by 1% each month until the salesperson is on the normal commission structure.
This allows a fast track approach to get your newbies up to speed.
If you would like any help on this type of remuneration and other ways to compensate your team let me know.
Whatever career you decide to take in sales, it’s always good to get some help.
Mike Brunel started mikebrunel.com after being a successful entrepreneur and founder of NRS Media. He co-founded NRS Media in Wellington, New Zealand, expanded it into a global powerhouse in media sales and training, and was eventually responsible for opening offices in London, Atlanta, Toronto, Sydney, Capetown, and Bogota. He has hired hundreds of salespeople around the world.
He made a lot of mistakes when it came to hiring his superstars. Check out his How to Hire A Super Salesperson Each and Every time – It’s packed with tips and ideas on how to hire great salespeople. Don’t ever Hire Bad Salespeople Ever Again. Promise!
10 minutes later, three yarns in the mix, and don’t forget the glazed eyes, they either think you are:
A salesperson
Or a jerk
In the Sales Mindset Blueprint that I am releasing in March, I do an exercise to help you overcome the one mistake that every salesperson makes.
What is that mistake?
Talking about themselves and their solution and not the customer and their problem.
The skill is to come across with integrity and more importantly being authentic
Start with the problem.
If someone asks what you do, ask this question. “Are you frustrated with your sales team inability to ask for the business?”
Or
You know how when your salespeople come back to you and say “They are just not interested in our product.”?
That’s what I do, I help you fix that problem.
As you can see I try and start with the problem.
I try not to say.
“I help your sales team do this and that and then this blah blah blah….”
I do my best not to fall into that trap, and I know the most successful salespeople start with the problem.
Easy step by step process
My exercise in the Sales Mindset Blueprint elevator pitch module is to ask this simple question:
“What do you do”?
I then help show you how to nail your script using phrases to outline the problem as clearly as possible, focusing on their problem and then telling them how you can help.
This give me confidence, and also the client gets confidence.
Why does this approach work?
You may be asking yourself why this would help you.
Simple, it opens up the conversation, because you made it about them and not you.
At the end of the day it’s always about them isn’t it?
Have a great week selling.
Whatever career you decide to take in sales, it’s always good to get some help.
Mike Brunel started mikebrunel.com after being a successful entrepreneur and founder of NRS Media. He co-founded NRS Media in Wellington, New Zealand, expanded it into a global powerhouse in media sales and training, and was eventually responsible for opening offices in London, Atlanta, Toronto, Sydney, Capetown, and Bogota. He has hired hundreds of salespeople around the world.
He made a lot of mistakes when it came to hiring his superstars. Check out his How to Hire A Super Salesperson Each and Every time – It’s packed with tips and ideas on how to hire great salespeople. Don’t ever Hire Bad Salespeople Ever Again. Promise!
Did you miss out on a sale today because you could not handle that objection you received from your client? Or you visited half a dozen clients, presented your best proposal and still were not successful?
I am about to show you a technique for getting those most difficult objections answered in a way that you will feel more confident, overcome that frustration you are having currently with your clients, and get management off your back.
Here is how it works.
Did you realise that most objections come in two areas of a sales call?
Appointment setting
Proposal or presentation
Get the appointment.
I am going to talk about the first one, appointment setting. The number one mistake that many salespeople do is try to answer the objection straight away on the phone instead of getting the appointment.
Why do they do that? Many salespeople forget that they are purely phoning to get the appointment.
A business owner might say “I’m not interested” Once a salesperson hears that objection, they try to answer it instead of ignoring it. Why ignore it?
Because by not ignoring it what you are allowing to happen is giving back control to the client.
You are losing control. When this occurs you feel stupid and you lose confidence and give up.
Instead of hearing the objection, acknowledging it, and asking again for the appointment you just want to answer it.
Or give up on the first objection and hang up.
Here is what to do instead: If you hear an advertiser say “I’m too busy” do this step-by-step approach.
Acknowledge the objection. Acknowledging the objection with a statement like “I understand” or “I appreciate that you are busy so therefore I won’t keep you long” These are called softening statements, or acknowledgement phrases. By saying I understand what you are actually saying to the client is that ‘you hear them’.
Do not answer the objection. The key however, is not to get into a discussion with the client but use a well crafted reply to get the appointment. Please remember your first task is to get the appointment. You may use something like;
“I understand, I know you are busy, that is why I will only keep you for a minute, I wanted to come and see you and talk about a few things to see if we are a fit. I have some research on your industry that I would like to share with you.”
Well scripted answers like these allow you to stay on track and stick to your objective.
Keep answering the objection. Using steps 1&2 by using other well crafted answers to overcome those new objections that clients have thrown at you. Here is one for “I’m not interested”!
“I understand, many of my clients tell me that, but when I sit with them and work through some of my specific questions designed for a business like yours, they do become interested. Would it be okay if I could sit with you next week?”
Using these simple scripts will certainly help you to overcome these common objections.
In the upcoming Sales Mindset Blueprint we have created a game that will help you get better at matching up the concerns your client may have with questions that help you discover the problem.
We will keep you posted on where to go to register for the objections game soon.
Have a great start to 2020.
Whatever career you decide to take in sales, it’s always good to get some help.
Mike Brunel started mikebrunel.com after being a successful entrepreneur and founder of NRS Media. He co-founded NRS Media in Wellington, New Zealand, expanded it into a global powerhouse in media sales and training, and was eventually responsible for opening offices in London, Atlanta, Toronto, Sydney, Capetown, and Bogota. He has hired hundreds of salespeople around the world.
He made a lot of mistakes when it came to hiring his superstars. Check out his How to Hire A Super Salesperson Each and Every time – It’s packed with tips and ideas on how to hire great salespeople. Don’t ever Hire Bad Salespeople Ever Again. Promise!
