sales,differentiation,price,salespeople,buyers,pain,questions,Joe Zente,z3,zthree,tab austin

5000 senior executive B2B decision makers were recently asked: “When faced with a buying decision, what makes the final difference in your purchase selection?”

Paying close attention to the results of this survey can make a enormous impact in your top and bottom lines, so here goes…:

• 19% of respondents said their purchase decision was based upon Company Brand or Reputation.

• Another 19% said it was based upon their perception of Product, Service or Quality.

• Contrary to popular belief (and to the #1 excuse you probably hear from your salespeople and sales manager), only 9% said that Price was the deciding factor.

• Interestingly, 53% of surveyed senior executives said that the Field Sales Interaction was the #1 factor in their decision.

In other words, the interaction that buyers are having with your salespeople have a greater effect on buying decisions than all other factors combined.

Surveyed buyers also felt that only 14% of conversations with salespeople had any significant or commercial impact.  This means that salespeople are perceived to be flapping their gums in the vast majority of their conversations, creating ZERO value or differentiation 86% of the time.  Burning up valuable time in this way is a huge waste and is no way to win points with busy decision makers.

Additional research indicates that the vast majority of all value and differentiation is not perceived as a result of comparisons, presentations, benefit statements, testimonials and demos, but instead from personal, emotional connections, effective facilitated dialogue, pain discovery and good questioning.

If you own a business or run a sales organization, these statistics and data should inspire many questions, including but not limited to…:

• Am I spending my money and resources wisely and proportionately?

• How do MY salespeople really stack up compared to our competitors?

• How effective are they at messaging, listening, questioning?

• Can my sales team really take me where I want to go?

• Am I selecting the right salespeople who are capable of differentiating?

• Is my sales training, development and management program effective?

Answering these questions and addressing them effectively can be the difference between blowing your competitors out of the water, or being left in their dust.

Best wishes for a spectacular 2013 and beyond!

Copyright © Joe Zente 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Well, the election is finally behind us.  Some people are euphoric, others are pissed.   Loads are fearful.   Some are simply clueless.

And many are confused.

Two things that have changed little since Tuesday is the intensity of emotions and the volume of diverse (and often misleading) opinions.  Neither of these will help much in running a successful business.

As business owners, there are many questions that lie before us.  The one I’m hearing the most since Election Day is:

“What am I supposed to do now?”

Here are a few suggestions:

• Get the FACTS:  Accept very little of what you hear.   Stay plugged in and validate everything.
• Focus upon OPPORTUNITIES:  The greatest opportunities are often created by virtue of confusion, uncertainty, turmoil and pain.  In other words, this environment is target rich for those who focus upon the best ways to not only survive, but to also take advantage of the current situation.
• Be Proactive.
• Control your emotions.
• Take a deep breath:  Relax and have fun.  Things are rarely as good or as bad as they may appear.
• Beware of “experts”.  Instead, surround yourself with Trusted advisors.
• Make a Plan:  ALL stress results from uncertainty.  There is ZERO benefit or virtue in worrying.   The best CEOs in the world understand that running a business requires a clear understanding that every business and economic climate is fraught with uncertainty, so they develop the key skill of dealing with ambiguity.

Independent of the political and economic climate, the fundamentals of business and leadership always prevail.  So follow these simple steps and enjoy your joyful prosperity in 2013.

Copyright © Joe Zente 2012. All Rights Reserved.

I’m still reeling, but I think I’m beginning to recover.

I am also inspired beyond belief.

Last week I was honored to host the TAB Texas Synergy Conference, a truly unique, three-day event that was likely the largest assemblage of successful business owners in the history of our great state.  The North End Zone of Darrell K. Royal Stadium was stuffed to the gills with the most talented CEOs in Texas.

The energy was electric, the speakers were phenomenal, the peer learning was abundant, and the sharing was unprecedented.

Every year, I visit with hundreds of business owners and sit in dozens of CEO board meetings, but it is difficult to describe the magic that occurs when you consolidate this much brainpower, innovation, thought-leadership and business expertise in one place at one time.  True Synergy.  1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 1,000.

I came away from the conference energized and optimistic. 

Energized to apply all of this new knowledge and wisdom to help our clients grow and to take my own four businesses to the next level. 

Optimistic in the future of Texas. Despite the economy, political climate, or result of the upcoming election, I am confident that this group of entrepreneurs can take on any set of circumstances or obstacles, turn lemons into lemonade, and create loads of jobs and prosperity.

I’m privileged and proud to know you all.

Joe

Copyright © Joe Zente 2012. All Rights Reserved.

It’s that time again. A time of optimism, renewed spirits and a fresh slate. The gyms and yoga studios are overflowing with people ready to REALLY do it this year. Business owners are planning to achieve new growth and profit targets. Salespeople are going to blow away their quotas. It’s the season to launch New Year’s resolutions.Unfortunately, by April the exercise machines and lap pool will once again be dormant and most salespeople will be formulating creative excuses for mediocre performance and forecasts.

It is estimated that two thirds of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Approximately 5% of those who make resolutions keep them for the year. 19 out of 20 fail! But we are talking about others. We all know that YOU are one of those special people who always keep your resolutions. Right?

Whether your New Year’s promises involve health, finance, business, sales or relationships, the fact that 95% of resolutions are consistently broken all stems from the same set of core issues. So if you are looking to help your buds achieve their 2012 resolutions, encourage them to follow these simple steps:

1. Let’s be Real: We all behave the way we are behaving because we CHOSE to behave that way and have now developed habits. Habits are COMFORTABLE. People behave the way they are currently behaving because they WANT TO. Changing a habit requires work. It requires a person to leave their Comfort Zone. And people HATE to leave The Zone (just ask any Sales Manager striving to get salespeople to start making more calls). Returning to an existing habit means returning to a happy, comfortable place. One that feels good.

2. Start with Why: Of the 15 million resolutions you could select, why did you pick this one? Is it really compelling? Does it connect so much to your Personal and/or Business Vision that is makes you JUMP out of bed each morning? If not, your chances of succeeding just plummeted from 5% to below 1%. Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the right side, write all of the positive things that you will quantifiably gain and emotionally feel by successfully executing your resolution. If possible, engage all of your senses. How will your new picture look, smell, feel, sound,…? On the left side, write down all of the consequences of failing. Then decide if you are truly committed to your new goal(s). If not, the odds of success are miniscule, so you might want to re-consider and/or go back to the drawing board. Continue with this iterative process until you are ready to Unconditionally Commit.

3. Surround Yourself with Power: You are now ready to succeed. Post your list in front of your desk (and/or on your morning mirror) in a highly visible place so you are reminded daily of the rewards and consequences of keeping your promise. If possible, enhance your list with pictures, screen savers, and props. Visuals and affirmations create tremendous symbiotic stimulus to the brain.

4. Develop Your Success Recipe: Create a specific, written, daily, plan for achieving your goal. If you can’t break your plan into little specific pieces, your odds of success decrease dramatically. As you go through this process, replace current, limiting habits with better, empowering habits. When you begin to replace and overcome small bad habits, the big ones will shortly follow. Most importantly, get into the HABIT of keeping your daily commitments.

5. Change your Paradigm: You have the power to get your brain to believe whatever you want it to believe. It ALL starts with Self-Talk. Hold on, this is extreme… How much would your chances of keeping your new commitments change if failing meant that your children (or others you love deeply) would starve? Would you behave differently on a daily basis? Would your chances of success improve? Is there ANY possible chance you would break your resolution? I seriously doubt it. Planning to succeed from a new paradigm changes everything.

6. Go ALL IN: Decide, Commit and Declare: You have the power to accomplish absolutely anything and to transform your entire world, but remember, your Self Talk rules. You can talk yourself right into exceeding your goals, but you can also talk yourself out of succeeding. It’s your choice.

Make a Declaration: DECLARE to yourself (and to everyone you know) that you have decided and committed to transform (your business, your life, your health, your relationships, etc…). Declare to yourself that you are All-In. Write it down and expect to succeed.

Never say to yourself (or anyone else) that “I’m going to try to (Lose weight, increase sales by 50% this year, etc.)”. Trying is less than All-In. Far less. “Trying” is a built-in excuse. It gives you permission to return to your Comfort Zone. Become aware of your other self-talk excuses. If you give yourself permission, you’ll be back in your The Zone in a heartbeat.

7. Don’t Go it Alone: Enlist Help. You now know your new goal is non-negotiable and that Failure is NOT an option. Your resolution is the single MOST IMPORTANT new promise you are committing to this year. You know that attaining it will bring tremendous rewards and propel you much closer to your personal and/or business vision. Your Self-Talk is so empowering that you are compelled to leap out of bed each morning excited to execute on your new, powerful, valuable habits. So spread the great news…

Tell everyone you know: Peer pressure from those you love and respect will be huge factor in your success.

Find an Accountability Partner: This can be anyone who commits to holding you accountable to your behaviors and thinking, including a professional business or personal coach.

Consider a Peer Support Group.

8. Make it FUN: Be thankful and find joy in what you are doing. Your new resolution is important and you ARE going to keep your resolution, so seek ways to make your success process an enjoyable ride.

If you follow these steps, your journey will be as fulfilling as your destination, so I’d love to hear from you. Please email me with your stories of success as you continue to develop great habits and achieve new heights on your way to exceeding all of your goals.

I wish you abundant success, peace, joy, happiness and prosperity in 2012.

Happy New Year!

Joe

Copyright © Joe Zente 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Many First (FIC) and Second in Commands (SIC) have become the least productive positions in the work force.

Yes, we are talking about the class of people that excelled in their
youth sports teams, school, extra curricular activities, and in early
business life.  These are the people that have always been successful
and incredibly productive.  However, today they are overwhelmed with
non-productive work and distractions that keep them from doing what they
do best – the things that bring great results to the organization.

First in Commands should have the Freedom To Grow.  What is keeping
them from this potential growth?  Fear of implementing new ideas because
the company is frustrated with change is one area.  How about Internal
problems with personnel and structure?  Poor performance in the company
could be keeping them up at night.  Oh, and repeated mistakes that cost
the company money is always a good distraction.

The distractions of business keep the FIC from being able to reach
his or her potential.  The frustrations and struggles make the FIC focus
internally and they are hindered in their ability to meet their
potential.

The Second in Command is similar but it is usually the FIC that
causes the problems.  A non-productive and “noise heavy” FIC will look
over the shoulder of the SIC.  They will get in the middle of
productivity in the organization because they have a compelling need to
know what is going on.  They will walk around the office and distract
people with questions and issues.  The SIC will spend the majority of
their time following the FIC to clean up the mess.   I have worked with
SIC’s that will tell you that they spend at least half of their time
following up, and dealing with issues caused by the FIC.

Now don’t get me wrong.  This is NOT a FIC problem.  It may seem that
way on the surface.  This is a SIC problem that is masking itself as
the FIC being a bad person.  The reality is found in how the SIC manages
the relationship with the FIC.  FICs are compelled to do things because
they don’t know what is going on or they are not getting their “up at
night” items managed.  When they feel like something is out of control,
they are compelled to check.  It is the SICs responsibility to make the
FIC feel safe enough to get back to doing what they do best.

When a SIC does what they should in keeping that FIC safe (and
eliminates the noise), the SIC will have the freedom to ACT and perform
in the organization.

Many SICs tell me, “My FIC needs to just trust me and let me do my
job.”  Well, the reality is that the SIC needs to upwardly communicate
and manage the business, and the FIC, in a way that keeps the FIC from
being anywhere near their job.

Picture this:

- FIC is focused and spending 80% of their time doing what they do
best.  They are working in their unique abilities and talents and are
bringing great results to the company.

- SIC is aware of all the FIC’s issues and concerns.  She is managing
the FICs perception of the business and communicating all the issues
proactively.  She now has hours of time to get focused on the things
that need to be managed.

This is a productive leadership team.  What a great example to the
rest of the organization.  This is the example we need in the work force
today!

Looking to connect with other First in Commands or Second in Commands?  Join the course here!