Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Sales Science and other links

Got this in my e-mail this week. You can subscribe (free, of course) and get it in your e-mail:

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This Month: Injecting Science into the Art of Sales

Dear Scott,

A change initiative isn't a stand alone effort, sitting off somewhere by itself. Change roots itself into a company's culture when the process and tools are completely incorporated into an organization's established methods. If it isn't integrated into the big picture, it can be confusing for the sales force and actual adoption of the new process is minimal.

Passive resistance is sometimes the elephant in the room; those that nod their heads in seeming agreement but don't actually change can keep an initiative from being successful. Every implementation that wins full adoption has one common thread: executive sponsorship. Managers who understand the benefits and are passionate, who keep the initiative alive and embed it into everyday sales tools help drive change by demonstrating that the change is enterprise-wide--and it's not up to the individual contributor to decide whether to participate.

Change adoption has a different definition for different people; that's why it's crucial to pinpoint its meaning. Integration doesn't just mean continual learning and reinforcing of the program. Sales leadership needs to be clear in its communication around expected results, best practices and how progress will be measured. Front end commitment to a communication plan is essential, so the sales force understands that the initiative is here to stay.

Best regards,

Sam Reese
President and CEO
Miller Heiman Inc.

Process Excellence:
Inject Science into the Art of Selling

Any large-scale change or effective process implementation requires strong commitment, precise coordination and widespread cultural adoption. The foundation for any successful change initiative is executive sponsorship--obtaining C-level support. Then, concentrate on the elements that drive acceptance of a new process: training, mastery, measurement, enablement and reinforcement.

Drive Change.

Halliburton: Combining Passion and
Process for Sales Results

As a publicly held company, Halliburton Co. is keenly aware of its responsibilities to shareholders, who expect results in any environment. Peter Bernard, senior vice president of business and development for Halliburton, knows the necessity of passion for results--and also of having the right processes in place for ongoing sales success. Bernard describes the five steps to sales process adoption.

Read Halliburton's success.

Datapoint: Beyond Passive Resistance:
Motivating Sales Teams To Adopt Change

No matter how innovative and effective a projected change may seem, individuals must implement it in order for the initiative to be successful. People fall into three distinct groups when it comes to attitudes toward change. The largest of these groups--60 percent--passively resist change by neither supporting nor acting against it. Organizations can motivate adoption by avoiding these eight common pitfalls.

Overcome resistance.

Ask the Expert: You asked, we answered

Question: "How do you define a buying influence when a third party administers the purchases--and the user is screaming 'I am the owner'?" Read the answer here.

Have a pressing sales performance issue? Share your concern and Miller Heiman will connect you with an expert who can help. You may also call 877-678-3386 to speak with an expert directly.




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