I Can Really Relate to Your Newest Post
I received several emails from last week’s post “The Law of Limited (Sales) Performance.” I would like to share one in particular, along with my reply.
I know as Managers in any organization we have all had the same feelings and struggles as Kris.
Email from Kris:
I can really relate to your newest post, even though my role is more service based rather than sales. I’m struggling a bit right now with a few of my men that I know are far more capable than what they’re putting forth, and having some difficulty in finding a means to challenge or motivate them with hopes that they will re-engage themselves in their work. I also find myself stepping in way more than I have been to make sure things are done correctly. I’ve been wondering lately maybe it’s me? Maybe my expectations are unreasonable? Not sure… I’ve never asked anyone to do anything I haven’t done myself or wouldn’t be willing to do, but I remind myself that not everyone has the years of experience I do and perhaps can’t do things as fast or good as I can. I don’t know Wes, maybe management just isn’t for me? I’m a hands on guy and it’s been a struggle for me to let go. I’d think almost eight years later I would feel better about it but I don’t.
Kris
My reply:
Kris, I think as managers the challenge to motivate and inspire our team is always work in progress.
The Law of Limited Performance is a very strong force in any organization whether sales or service.
Please don’t think that because I recognize the law exists and have written on the topic that I don’t still have the same struggles as you are having. I think you recognizing and showing concern that your team may not be achieving it’s potential shows that you do have what it takes to be a great manager and coach.
The first thing I would suggest you think about is “How you think about your people?”
Do you feel strongly that your people are capable of doing what you are asking?
Ron Willingham in his book “Selling Integrity” which I refer to often says:
“Change your internal beliefs and perceptions about people and you’ll see your people change.”
He goes on to say:
“By changing your own actions and behaviors, you can change the actions and behaviors of your people.”
I’m not trying to be preachy but I think it all starts with looking at yourself first.
If you’re ready:
Here is a step-by-step process from “Integrity Selling” I use that may help you work with improving your team:
1. Recognize current belief boundaries:
-Understand how they see themselves.
-Analyze your beliefs about the person.
2. Help set achievable goals just outside their comfort zone.
3. Determine why achieving these goals is important.
4. Agree upon and action plan.
5. Express your belief in their ability.
6. Reinforce the smallest evidence of progress.
7. Help them see failure as a learning experience.
Kris, I think you are exactly what companies look for in a manager. Never think that having high expectations of your group and holding them accountable is a negative in being a manager.
I think you said it best when you said you don’t ask them to do something you have not already done yourself or willing to do yourself.
However, I caution you to not expect them to be “Kris”. That may be to much to ask from those without your drive and experience.
I would use all the knowledge and experience you have to begin coaching and encouraging your team to be the best they can be.
Use encouragement and praise when possible and hold them accountable when appropriate.
But most importantly, let them know you believe in them and are always there for them.
I certainly believe you can!
Thank you so much for the email.
Wes
PS: You may see some of this in a future post along with your feedback if you have no objections.
If you are having the same struggles as Kris and would like to share what you are doing to defeat the “Law of Limited Performance”, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
If you would like to have future posts automatically sent to you, please subscribe below or click on the RSS feed button in the upper right hand corner of my website and choose how you would like to receive this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Law of Limited (Sales) Performance
So, what is the Law of Limited Sales Performance? (I’ve added “Sales” to this law but it applies to any organization.) 
It is a law that permeates it’s way through most Sales Organizations. If allowed, it will guarantee mediocrity in your Sales Team.
The Law of Limited Sales Performance says that Sales People will figure out the level of performance their Manager will settle for and soon get to that level.
Managers then assume that this is all the Sales Person is capable of achieving and quit challenging the Sales Person to get better.
Now, both the Manager and Sales Person begin to reinforce what the other believes.
I have to admit that I have been guilty of settling and not always challenging our Sales Team to do better than I thought they were capable of. I suspect that (at times) years ago as a young salesman I may have only performed to the level that was expected of me.
Maybe we all have been there sometime in each of our lives.
But I was fortunate to have a manager that had very high expectations of me and our Sales Team. We were encouraged and expected to be the best we could be. He was always raising the bar of expectations and demanded an increasing level of Sales Performance.
I have tried to follow his example and encouraged our Sales Managers and Sales Team to do the same.
It is time for all of us to step up the effort to defeat the Law of Limited Sales Performance in our organizations.
1. Begin setting frequent incremental goals that begin to exceed the current expectations.
2. Publicize the success the team is achieving.
3. Start doing hands-on-coaching with your Sales Team.
4. Hold yourself and your Sales Team accountable to achieve higher and higher Sales Performance.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said many many years ago:
“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of being.”
Sales People
Fortunately, as Sales People we have the ability not to let others limit us to what we are capable of achieving. Our performance will only be limited by the limits we place on ourselves.
Also, when pushed to improve our performance (if done correctly) we have the ability to do more than we ever dreamed possible.
Sales Managers
As Sales Managers we must remember that our beliefs and expectations will greatly influence our Sales People’s self-beliefs and expectations.
The Law of Limited Performance has been around forever. You can see it nearly everywhere you look. When you see it, think about the impact it is having on that organization.
Just by being aware of this Law and making the needed changes, we will begin to overcome the natural tendency of mediocrity!
If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
If you would like to have future posts automatically sent to you, please subscribe below or click on the RSS feed button in the upper right hand corner of my website and choose how you would like to receive this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Who Was Your Favorite Teacher?
Before reading any further I would ask that you stop, read the 3 questions below, think for a moment, then answer these questions:
- Who was your favorite teacher?
- Who was or is your favorite boss?
- Who is you favorite friend?
For most of us these are very easy questions to answer. It is my hope that you have been lucky enough to have several people to include in each of your answers.
But maybe a little harder question is “What do each of these people have in common?”
I was given this same exercise several weeks ago in a Sales Seminar. While it was easy to come up with the answers to the first three questions, figuring out what they had in common was somewhat elusive.
After a couple of minutes of discussion I decided that these were people I could “Trust”.
But why did I Trust them?
This question was much easier to answer.
They all “Cared” and more importantly I feel they all “Care or Cared about Me.”
I would suspect you too found the same common denominator in you answers.
So why the reason for this exercise?
In Sales and Sales Management positions I think we work hard to create a trust between Ourselves and our Customers.
In almost every Sales Process Model is the need to build Trust in the relationship.
Heck, without Trust there won’t be much of a relationship.
Without your Customers knowing you truly care and more importantly “you care about them and their Company,” trust will be hard to build and without Trust, success will be even harder.
But when your Customers realize that you care and you are a person they can trust, a lasting relationship can now be built. Once you have that relationship and you become their “favorite” Salesperson you will be well on your way to the success you deserve.
As I continue to think about my favorite people, I wonder what each one of them see or seen in me?
I hope if asked they would say “Wes Cared”.
I think I will sleep a little better tonight just thinking about the people who care.
If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
If you would like to have future posts automatically sent to you, please subscribe below or click on the RSS feed button in the upper right hand corner of my website and choose how you would like to receive this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
January Tip of the Month – Before Coffee
A few weeks ago I noticed on twitter a tweet declaring: 
“Many people spend more time preparing their coffee than planning their day.”
I was guilty of this when I was fresh out of school. I would show up for work minutes before being late, tucking my shirt tail in, combing my hair and wiping the sleep from my eyes. Never once thinking about planning the day ahead.
If you fall in this category, I have 7 things you can do starting today to help you begin to plan and organize your day.
This is my routine:
- Before going to bed, I think about the things I did not get done or any unfinished tasks that I need to finish. (I guess this should be last on the list but my planning starts the night before.)
- I allow a few minutes first thing in the morning to again think about what I did not get done the day before and start deciding whether those items still need to be on my to-do list. I do this while preparing my morning coffee. (Who said I couldn’t do two things at the same time.)
- Before jumping into the day’s work or opening emails, I review my calendar and begin creating my to-do list for the day. (I will usually look at my calendar right before shutting my computer down the day before as well.)
- Next, I go ahead and create a list of things I need to get done today. (I’m old fashioned and write this list on a yellow legal pad.)
- Finally, I identify the must-do tasks and put a star by those. If possible I do those things first.
- As I progress through the day I scratch off the tasks when completed.
- Before heading home I review the list for things yet to be done and as I mentioned above look at my calendar to see what I have coming up.
It’s really that simple!
I have found that if I don’t have my day planned first thing in the morning, I usually end up getting nothing done or feel completely out of sync for the day.
But that’s just me!
If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
If you would like to have future posts automatically sent to you, please subscribe below or click on the RSS feed button in the upper right hand corner of my website and choose how you would like to receive this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Starts with a Great Foundation
I am often questioned why I work so hard teaching and emphasizing the Sales Basics. We all want to hear and learn about the latest and greatest thing that is going
to help us grow sales. It’s almost as if we look or wait long enough we will find the easy button to success.
Until we find that easy button, the key to being successful in nearly anything we do, including sales, starts with a Great Foundation.
It starts with a Great Foundation
I was raised in a Construction Family. My Dad and many of my Uncles were General Contractors and built or helped build many of the recognizable buildings in our town. Most of these buildings were built back in the fifties, sixties and seventies (you can tell I’m getting old as this doesn’t seem so long ago) and are still standing today. While some of these buildings don’t look the same as they did back then, they continue to be great buildings with thriving businesses occupying many of them.
I have no doubt the reason these buildings are still standing and in such good shape is their foundations are strong. I’m sure there was never a thought of cutting corners especially on the foundation. Dad knew the foundation had to be done correctly to ensure the building would be strong and last. I remember Dad using the same people throughout his years of contracting. Not because they were the cheapest but because he knew he could trust them to help build the best building possible starting with the foundation.
The Bank Building
One building in particular is a fifteen story bank building which resembles the United Nations building in New York. Dad was initially hired by the Architectural firm who designed the building to oversee and inspect the project to make sure it was built in compliance with the plans. Not long after the project started he became the Project Manager and later the General Contractor finishing up the building. All this leads up to the point that he knew the building was built right and strong.
Within in a year of the building being finished it was struck head-on by a very strong and deadly Tornado. At the time it was the strongest tornado ever recorded. The May 11th tornado devastated our entire downtown and unfortunately killed 26 people. While other buildings were left to rubble or twisted so badly they had to be condemned the bank building structurally stood strong.
I remember shortly after news that downtown had been destroyed, Dad jumping into his truck and heading downtown. Within a few hours he was back at the house making calls to suppliers and sub-contractors to begin securing the building. I didn’t think much about it until recently but even with such a devastating hit on downtown he never questioned the strength of the bank building’s foundation and structure. He knew it was built strong and never feared it collapsing or needing anymore than just “fixing up”.
Back to Sales
Much like building a building, a successful career in sales (or anything else) must start with a strong foundation you can trust. If we get the foundation right we can build a strong and long lasting career. With a commitment to making sure we have sound and strong fundamentals in place, we know we can weather any storm. If we have the basics down and continue to practice doing the fundamentals right, we will be prepared for any set back and when the latest and greatest thing comes along we will be ready.
Personal Note
Dad passed away nearly twenty years ago. It brings me great pride to see the buildings he built and knowing how proud he was of his work. I also know that he and Mom worked hard to build as strong a foundation in me and my brother as he did with his buildings. They never skimped or cut corners. Always encouraging and sometimes making us be our best. I believe he knew the foundation he built for and in our family would remain strong and last for years. He knew that we could survive the worst of storms and would need no more than a little “fixing up” from time to time.
So when asked why I spend so much time teaching and training on the basics I guess it’s because I was raised that way.
If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
If you would like to have future posts automatically sent to you, please subscribe below or click on the RSS feed button in the upper right hand corner of my website and choose how you would like to receive this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Goals and Plans
We are well underway in the New Year. I hope you have taken time over the past few weeks to think and come up with a few goals you are committed to achieve this
year.
If you have your goals identified, it is time to begin writing and preparing a plan to help you achieve these goals.
The “Plan” is the roadmap you will use to reach your goals.
Sometimes we have difficulty distinguishing between Goals and Plans.
James Clear in his article on Entrepreneur.com “Forget Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead.” does a great job explaining the difference in Goals and Plans or as he calls them “Systems”:
- “If you’re a coach, your goal is to win a championship. Your system is what your team does at practice each day.”
- “If you’re a writer, your goal is to write a book. Your system is the writing schedule that you follow each week.”
- “If you’re a runner your goal is to run a marathon. Your system is your training schedule for the month.”
- “If you’re an entrepreneur your goal is to build a million dollar business. Your system is your sales and marketing process.”
His premise in the article is if you only focused on the plan or system you would still reach your goals. It’s the plan or system that is most important not the goal.
I think this is mostly correct!
For example:
If your goal is to lose weight and you only focus on the scale each week will you lose weight?
Probably not!
But if you have a plan or system in place to control what you eat and requires you to increase your daily exercise routine do you really need a scale to reach your goal?
Again probably not!
All the stepping on the scales you do will do nothing to help you lose weight with the exception of the calories you may burn walking to the scales.
The same goes with setting goals to improve your sales. Just setting a goal will have little effect on your sales performance. It will be the plan or process you put in place that requires you to do the things each day to improve and grow your sales that will make the difference.
Before you say “Wes” you said in an earlier post that just by setting a goal and writing it down you are 10x more likely to achieve your goal. I still standby what I wrote.
While a goal without a plan or process is less likely to achieve the greatest results, a well thought out goal with commitment and written down is much better than no goal at all or a goal that you don’t take the time to write down.
Back to our example, if your goal is to lose weight this next year and are truly committed, even without a plan you will begin to watch what you eat and try to exercise more each day or week. If you can maintain this commitment, at the end of the year you will most likely step on the scale and weigh less. However, without a process or plan in place you may not be able to optimize your weight loss and begin to get discouraged at some point during the year and go back to eating as you did in the past.
Same goes with setting sales goals. Even without a plan, if you are committed to grow sales, you will increase your activities needed to grow and improve your sales. If you can keep up the pace your sales will improve and you can reach your goal. But without a plan or process in place this level of activity may and probably will slowly diminish as will the chances of reaching your sales goals.
So here’s my takeaway.
At the very least:
If you are struggling to come up with clear SMART goals that you can commit too, you may want to make sure you have a plan or process in place that will at least ensure you are headed in the right direction.
or
If you have a good clear goal you’re committed to achieve but can’t seem to put a plan together, make sure you write your goal down and share it with others you trust.
I’m not trying to give you a way out of the goal setting process but trying to make sure you do “something”.
I see too many Sales and Account Managers give up during this process and just drift along without a plan year after year. Never reaching their full potential or achieving their desired results. I encourage you not to find yourself in this position.
There is some very good information on the web to help you with the process. I would suggest going to MichaelHyatt.com. Michael Hyatt has devoted a great deal of time and effort in helping his readers understand the Goal Setting process. His thoughts are priceless.
Also, James Clear at JamesClear.com who I sited in this article writes a blog that discusses breaking bad habits and putting processes or systems in place to help you improve your everyday life.
You may also want to look back at past articles I have written on the topic of goal setting.
I believe setting good goals and creating a plan or process around these goals is clearly the way to best insure you achieve what you desire.
Let’s make this year our best year ever!
If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
If you would like to have future posts automatically sent to you, please subscribe below or click on the RSS feed button in the upper right hand corner of my website and choose how you would like to receive this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Why Do Good Customers Leave – Reoccurring Theme
Why do good Customers leave?
Maybe it’s because we stop treating them the way they want to be treated!
Let me make what I think is a good or maybe not so good analogy.
Dating:
When you first begin dating you don’t really no how things may end up. So you do your very best to empress and show your best side. In reality you’re selling your “butt” off.
As things progress, the need to empress slowly goes away as you begin to gain trust and a level of comfort in the relationship.
If all goes well marriage is the next step and a partnership begins. ( It gets no better than this we think.)
For the first few years all is great (the honeymoon period). However, we may begin to overlook the little things that made us so attractive while we dated. We begin to take things for granted.
Slowly, things begin to fade. The shine goes away. If we are not careful and start doing the things that made us attractive while we were dating, someone new may come along and begin treating them the way they want to be treated.
Let’s stop right there. No need to go any further as you know how the story will end if we don’t change something quick.
Is this a reoccurring theme in your personal life?
It’s like the movie “Groundhog Day” except you are the star.
Selling:
When you first begin calling on a customer you don’t really know how things may end up. You do everything you can do to empress them and show you are the person they’ve been looking for.
You would never think about canceling or showing up late for an appointment.
You’re engaged in their business and come prepared with ideas and suggestions that provide value and you start to become someone they can trust.
As things progress you make sure to pay attention to details. You always do what you say you will do and when possible over-deliver, exceeding any expectations.
Next thing you know, you have become more than a salesman. You become thought of as a partner and trusted advisor.
You may want to think of this as the “honeymoon period.” You can probably do no wrong. Most if not all of your ideas and suggestions are welcomed and valued. Even if you make a mistake or your quote is little more than the competition it is often overlooked or shrugged off as not important. (It gets no better than this we think.)
But at some point the honeymoon ends and the shine starts to fade.
Without the work and effort you gave your customer initially you may begin seeing your sales go away. The trust and value you created will begin to leave as you become more and more complacent in the relationship.
Where you would never be late for a meeting, you start showing up a few minutes late or just cancel it for something you feel is more important.
The little details begin to be not as important as you know/think your customer will understand.
Before you know it, your customer becomes unsatisfied and starts looking for someone who will provide them the things you once provided.
Again, let’s stop right there. You know how he story will end if no changes are made.
Is this a reoccurring theme in you sales life?
Groundhog Day all over again.
I hope you can begin to see the reoccurring theme.
Dating and Selling are much the same. The work really begins after the courtship and honeymoon ends.
If you see your relationships starting to slip away you must begin treating them way you did when you first started dating or calling on them.
You must consistently show and remind them you are still the person they were looking for.
You have a huge advantage over your competitors as you already know what they want in a relationship.
Don’t wait to long to get started nurturing and rebuilding your relationships as time is not on your side.
Remember Groundhog Day and get yourself away from this reoccurring theme!
If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
If you would like to have future posts automatically sent to you, please subscribe below or click on the RSS feed button in the upper right hand corner of my website and choose how you would like to receive this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Much to be Done
With the holidays quickly approaching there is much to be done. Christmas presents to be bought and wrapped, fudge and cookies to be made and maybe a party or
two to attend.
This is a great time to celebrate our successes over the past year and to be thankful for all the past year has given.
I can think of no better profession to be a part of than that of a Sales Professional and for that I am truly thankful.
But with one year ending and one soon to arrive we must begin setting goals and planning for next year.
Over the past several months I have discussed the importance of planning and setting goals. If you would like to refer back to some past articles, just click here on Goal Setting.
It is my hope that many of you are already setting goals and making plans to reach your goals. I am reminded of the article which we discussed how
“Those that set goals and write them down are 10 times more likely to achieve what they desire than those who don’t set goals.”
I encourage you to spend some time over the next couple of weeks thinking about the things you really want to achieve over the next 12 months. Don’t be afraid to think about goals that will require you to stretch and do things differently than you have in the past. I am asking that you think about:
- Goals that can and will make a difference in you and your families lives.
- Goals that will help build long lasting relationships with customers and co-workers and
- Goals that help you improve or become the person you want to be.
Write your goals down, think about them, then choose 3 to 5 goals you are truly committed to achieving over the next 12 months.
Don’t worry about making your plans to achieve your goals just yet, we will get to that after Christmas.
For now enjoy the holidays, celebrate with your family and friends and begin to think about the successes you want to celebrate next Christmas!
If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
If you would like to have future posts automatically sent to you, please subscribe below or click on the RSS feed button in the upper right hand corner of my website and choose how you would like to receive this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Tune the World Out and Your Customer In
Just how good are you at staying focused, not letting outside distractions interfere with the task at hand and being fully engaged with those around you?
I think as Sales Professionals most of us think we are pretty good at it. Heck, I’ve always been able to walk, talk and chew gum at the same time. But when it comes to being able to really focus and fully engage on more than one or two things at the same time I’m not quite as good as I thought.
A few months ago at a sales training seminar, we were given a homework assignment that didn’t seem too hard. We were asked during dinner to turn our cell phones off and focus on the person or persons we were talking to and not get distracted with what was going on around us.
Simple huh?
It was not as easy as you would think.
We went to dinner at a popular sports bar and grill. Football and baseball were on all the TV’s. The place was packed and very noisy. We had a group of over 12 people at our table all wanting to talk at the same time. The guy setting across from me was determined to discuss old movies that he considered “classics”. We had been in class all day and I knew I had calls and emails that needed attention. Not to mention tired and ready to go to bed. (I’m getting old and like to go to bed early)
In this atmosphere how could we possibly concentrate on anything?
The next day in class we discussed how hard it was to tune out the distractions and concentrate on what the person we were talking too was really saying and the effort it took to stay involved in the conversation. Especially, if we were not the one driving the conversation or interested in the topic. But I think we all agreed how enjoyable the dinner was and how much we learned just by staying fully engaged in the conversations.
Surprisingly or maybe not so surprising was the thing that most of us found the hardest was not being able to check our cell phones every few minutes as normal.
The purpose of the assignment was to remind us how difficult it is to focus on our Customers with so many distractions constantly going on around us.
How often do you call on a Customer and find you are not focusing on them or what they have to say?
If you are listening, are you fully engaged in the conversation?
Can you “Tune the World Out and Tune Your Customer In?”
So here is your homework assignment for the next few weeks.
Before each sales call:
Turn your cell phone off.
Tune the outside distractions out.
Then:
Focus on your Customer and their needs.
Listen and fully engage in the conversation.
I believe you will quickly see the quality of your sales calls improve and as you become more engaged you will see your Customers become more engaged as well.
This is something called the “Theory of Reciprocity” which is – responding to a positive action with another positive action. I will discuss reciprocity in a future post as I think this is crucial in the sales process.
Please give this assignment your best efforts and let me know how it goes. I can promise you it won’t be easy but with practice and intentionally eliminating outside distractions your sales performance will improve.
And don’t forget to always “spit”out your gum before making the sales call!
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
If you would like to have future posts automatically sent to you, please subscribe below or click on the RSS feed button in the upper right hand corner of my website and choose how you would like to receive this blog. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Stop Start and Keep
Three questions you need to be asking your Customers – Start Stop and Keep.
- What do we need to stop doing?
- What do we need to start doing?
- What do we need to keep doing?
I first heard this series of questions while listening to “The Sales Playbook Podcast” by Paul Castain. I regularly listen to this podcast and recommend it but be aware he is hard hitting and at times uses colorful language that may be a little offensive to some.
The Stop, Start and Keep series of questions is an effective feedback mechanism that allows others the opportunity to evaluate our efforts. By asking these questions your customers will be able to express their wishes, identify their concerns and let you know their expectations.
Too often, we do things the way we do because “that’s the way we have always done it.” By asking these 3 questions you may quickly realize that some things need to change and some should not.
**Be careful, if you and your organization are not willing to listen to the answers to your questions, don’t ask the questions.**
Be prepared to hear that some of the things you think you do best may be some of the things your customers want you to “stop” doing.
Your customers may also ask you to “start” doing things that may require additional capital or require you to do things differently.
While the “stop” question will be extremely valuable to hear and to understand the changes that may need to be made and it is the “start” question that will provide opportunities in the future it’s the “keep” question that will help you identify your true value to the customer.
If your customers have difficulty identifying things you are doing well and that you need to “keep” doing, you may not have the relationship with them you desire. If they don’t perceive value in what you are currently doing it is obvious change is needed.
On the other hand, you will know you are providing value to your customers if you are doing the things your customers want you to keep doing. You can be assured it will be the things that add value to your customers that they will ask you to “keep” doing.
Remember it’s not what you think you do good or bad, it’s what your Customer thinks that makes the difference.
Asking the question is the key. Don’t be afraid of the answer as you will never know unless you ask.
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