Sales Process Podcast

Our special guest for this Remodel Buddy Podcast is Joanne Hernon, CEO of Sales Solutions. You can Listen to this Podcast by clicking on the Play button below.

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Written Transcript of our Podcast with Joanne is Below:

Tim: Hello and welcome to another edition of Remodel Buddy podcast. I’m Tim Nagel, COO of Remodel Buddy and today we’re going to be talking with Joanne Hernon of Sales Solutions USA. I’ve always said it’s important to build a culture of success in your office. A culture of success that thrives with sales because let’s face it, without sales we just throw away the key to the door because we need sales to create revenue. Whether we know it or not we’re all in sales. For some people it’s a little more challenging than others. Everyone has their weaknesses and their strengths. But let’s talk to Joanne today about what it takes to become a successful salesperson and really develop that culture of success in our office. Hi Joanne how are you doing today? Joanne: I’m doing great thank you. Tim: I’m glad to hear that. I’m very thankful that you could be here with us today to talk about sales and how people can implement that in their remodeling and home improvement industry. I was taking a look at your website and you have a nice intro there, a nice video. I really like that. And I see you made mention of people that are struggling out there. What do you see business owners and sales personnel struggling with the most Joanne? Joanne: What I see business owners struggling with most often is how to hire good salespeople and then how to focus and motivate sales people. Usually a business owner for many businesses, large and small, tend to be really the best sales person for their business because they’re so passionate about their own business. They want to somehow try to get people who are going to be as passionate as they are and that just really doesn’t happen. So what they need to do is really develop a process for not only training but giving the salespeople a tool. I find that a lot of business owners across every industry don’t do that for their salespeople. Therefore, sometimes their salespeople are running in all direction, they don’t feel motivated. Maybe their compensation structure isn’t motivating. But usually it’s not as much about the money but really about finding that vision of the business, finding the mission of the business and understanding the value proposition. I know I’m delving into some different things here but when your sales team knows those things they can feel very motivated to sell for you because they’re excited about your business. Tim: You mentioned some good things, hire, train, I heard somebody say once, what if I hire someone and train them and invest all that time and then they leave? Well then the other side is what if you don’t train them and they stay? Joanne: Right. Tim: What are some good things to do to hire somebody? If you’re just starting out and want to start a sales force, what are some things you do to hire somebody? Joanne: That is the funny thing. Salespeople are really good at selling themselves in an interview and it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to be great salespeople. So the first thing to do is to, if you don’t have somebody else who can do that for you, sometimes the objectivity of somebody else helping with the interview process is helpful. Because what I see a lot of times is that people hire salespeople they like but not necessarily that would be great salespeople. Tim: Do you think its hit or miss hiring somebody in an interview? There are certain qualities or traits you look for Joanne: There are certain qualities that I would look for. So some of the things I would look for are people who are able to listen and not just be over talking me. I would listen for how they really interact with me. I would make sure they’re asking me questions as well as letting me tell them about the position. These are all skills that make a good salesperson, so I look for that in the interview process. And make sure they’re also demonstrating some of those skill sets. I think the other thing as far as your interviewing process is really having a set of questions that you’re going to ask each and every salesperson so you have a standard that you’re looking for. So everybody gets the same questions so that you’re really comparing apples to apples. The things you want to find out are really how do they handle tough situations. How do they handle rejection when they’re in the sales process? You want to make sure they understand sales the way you understand it too. You want to have a sales philosophy and you want to make sure people also agree with that. It just depends and I was talking to somebody, I was part of a panel discussion and one business owner looks for somebody who is hungry. Therefore, his salespeople are the typical type of salespeople we think of where they call people until they frustrate them so much that they just give in and buy. Tim: Don’t have a good approach? Joanne: Right and that works for him. That’s how he wants to manage his salespeople. So he finds people that are going to be hungry and aggressive. Whereas, other people want to build a brand that has more of a long term relationship building sales. So it is really not about just schmoozing but really about solving people’s problems. Tim: I know when I was hiring salespeople working with a national home improvement company; I hired a lot of salespeople. And I can’t really say that there is one specific trait that I look for. I definitely look for high energy people because I think in sales it’s something you definitely can’t be passive with. I think high energy is important. You mentioned listening, asking the right questions, I guess this would parlay to a good salesperson representing your company. But yeah hiring is definitely a good process. You also mentioned having a set of questions to ask people and ask the same questions to everybody so that it’s a level playing field. Those are some great tips. You mentioned hiring is part of a process and then training obviously. When you bring on a salesperson or someone else brings on salespeople, what type of training do you think is the first step into indoctrination into someone’s business? What do you vision seeing? I know it’s a broad question, very broad but give me an idea of what you think about training. Joanne: There are a couple of things. First of all, there is a standard way to train sales. I mean there are some very standard things across any training program you take and across any industry. You can train in any industry some basic sales skills. The thing that is important I think though right off the bat and I train salespeople when the business doesn’t have this part and it’s a little bit more difficult then when businesses do really establish this. I’m going to go back to the value proposition. It is when a business really understands their value proposition and understands the brand they want to represent. No matter what that business is, as a business person you want to represent yourself in the business world a certain way. And when you really understand that that’s really the first thing you want to let your salespeople know because they’re going to be the first contact to your clients. So you really want them to be able to communicate that as well. And the value proposition, which we can continue to delve into, is key before even you get the sales skills going. A lot of people out there who have been in sales for a long time have a lot of the sales skills and when they get trained in any formalized training program they’re like oh I’ve been doing that already. It is really bringing that awareness to what they’ve already been doing. But what is important about teaching that selling process is really giving them the language necessary to communicate that value proposition in a way that also encourages the prospective client to also be involved in the selling process. Let me see if I can explain that. Tim: Let me ask you a question here because I think we’re on the same page. The language, what do you mean by the language? Joanne: I’m going to use what some people think is a bad word but really it’s about scripts. Tim: Why is that a bad word? Joanne: I think people think of scripts and it brings up memories of them sitting down to dinner and they get a phone call and you’re like should I answer this? You pick up the phone and somebody is on the other line and they’re trying to sell you long distance and you can tell they’re reading from a paragraph and they don’t let you get a word in edgewise. That is what we think of scripts. But really the way that when you provide that formalized training there is a way to provide sales scripts that it is conversational and they are sound bites but it is within a conversation. So a client doesn’t know that you’re using scripts but you are providing the prospective client with powerful language in a way that is going to answer their problems. Because in the end that’s all the prospective client cares about. Tim: Right is assessing their needs. Joanne: Yeah and so with our clients we help them develop that value proposition. Then what we do is we put it into what we call a solution matrix. That means when a client has this problem here is how you respond to that problem. You don’t want to present the whole solution to all of your prospects, you want to ask them questions to find out which problems they’re having, then you present the right solution matrix benefit statement that applies to that problem. Tim: So I keep hearing the same things over and over again. It sounds like you’re saying be prepared script, conversational, be prepared. Joanne: Yes. Tim: And have a set process, ask questions, assess needs, very good. Joanne: And everybody is not saying exactly the same thing but everybody is on the same frequency let’s call it. So you want everybody to be at least aligned with each other and this is across your whole organization. It’s not just the sales team. We don’t need to get into that part of it but still you want that consistency in all your messaging. Tim: Same frequency, same page. Joanne: Yeah. I mean we work so hard to make our messaging so clear on our marketing and then a lot of times people tell salespeople there is your phone start calling. We haven’t given them that message. So I think it’s critical. Tim: I have a good question for you and I think this plays right into what we’ve been talking about. We hear many times, especially in the home improvement industry, in the remodeling industry from my experience the businesses they’re very sales oriented and they’re training salespeople and they may have new salespeople somewhat frequently. With home improvement businesses in particular but we hear many times about the 10 steps to selling. There are many versions of it and it seems like there are a lot of different versions out there that are 10 steps. Just looking at the 10 steps I guess it comes down to really just having a process again. You know warm up, needs assessment, I feel the important thing to remember here is a process. I keep hearing you say that. Language, scripts, prepared, process. Do you have a set of 10 steps yourself or do you feel that you are more interested in customizing it per who the business is? Do you feel there is something universal in these 10 steps? Joanne: Absolutely and I call it a sales funnel but it’s the same thing though. Tim: Okay. Joanne: The imagery for me of a funnel for the sales process makes a lot of sense because what and it is universal; it’s a boiler plate and can be applied to any business. But the thing about the sales funnel theory I use is really what it’s about is you have your stages of the sales process. It is prospecting, qualifying, needs analysis, solution presentation, proposal, negotiation, close and follow up. Those are, quickly said that’s the process I take my clients through. Tim: You want to go through that one more time a little slower for everybody? Joanne: Sure of course. So its prospecting and that’s everything you do to get the prospect into the door whether it’s cold calling or all of your marketing. But at that stage they are first a suspect before they’re a prospect. So the first thing you need to do is qualify in or out that prospect. And that is really critical. I believe in the new world of selling it is important not to just have a shotgun approach and try to make everybody your customer. Tim: Well said. Joanne: Not everybody is your customer. So you have to figure that out right up front. So you spend your time and resources on the most qualified client. So what is a qualified client? There is the process you need to define. What makes them qualified? Then once they’re qualified you need to have a way that and I call it the ABC’s of closing and I took it from Glengarry Glen Ross. Tim: Oh very good play by the way. Joanne: Very good. Tim: I like the sales speech, second place gets a set of steak knives. Joanne: Right, coffee for closers. Tim: Yes coffee is for closers only. Joanne: Yes but you have to be closing at every stage. The way I teach closing is not something you do at the end after you’ve pitched somebody but you do all along the way. So you’re always closing. You’re always asking okay are we; are you ready to move to the next step? You want to get permission to move forward in the sales process. So there is a momentum building. Then we take them through the needs analysis which is really a process of evaluating their needs and asking them questions and being able to listen and take in information, not only data but we also at that point want to be taking in emotional information, buying signals, dominant buying motives, which is really the underlying reason why somebody is wanting to buy your service. I know we’re talking a little bit about remodeling but remodeling is a very emotional process for people. It’s their home and they’re stepping into what could be a long process of unrest and dust and all that. So there are some very key signals that you can get to help that prospect move then to the next stage, which is your presentation of your solution. And within that there is a certain way you work and you want to work. And you want to present that to your prospect and it’s not just about price. If you’re able to present the solution in a way that really that prospect understands is going to resolve their problems, price is not an issue. So that is why it’s important to present only the parts of your solution that have to do with their problems.\ Tim: Is that your 5th step so to speak? Joanne: I think so yeah, so presentation. So I might not have 10, we’ll see how many I have. So then the next one is a proposal which makes sense and along the way again remember going back to the closing, you’re always setting them up for the next stage. So you’re saying well the next stage is and you’re setting up the next follow up. You’re setting up the next reason to make a connection, always. And you’re always finding out, you’re asking questions about timing and I’m throwing in a lot of information. I mean this is all part of a master… Tim: Right and it comes back down to the basic and pretty much what you’re saying and I don’t know if everyone has heard the story before but your suspect, which you’re turning to a prospect which you’re going to qualify them. But you’re walking them down a hallway and you’re shutting all the doors along the way and guiding them towards the one door at the end of the hallway. Joanne: Yes. Tim: Which is where you want them to be, so you’re guiding them, you’re doing it by asking the right questions. Joanne: Which goes back to the analogy with the funnel which is that in the funnel if you think of all of your prospects and suspects as balls at the top of the funnel, as you bring them through the process that number is going to be smaller and smaller until you come out with a customer at the end. Tim: Right. Joanne: And so then there is the proposal which makes sense, especially for a remodeling business where you present your pricing information. And a negotiation stage and then at the end is the close. But see if all the other stages are done skillfully, the close is just, you know once… Tim: It’s a formality. Joanne: It’s a formality, it’s a transaction. It is send me the check and we’ll get started. That is all I have to do to close. If I’ve gotten someone to that stage, I know that’s all its going to take. Tim: That is so well said and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in sales meetings and I’m sure you have too and the people listening and a representative will say, oh just teach me how to close, I need to know how to close. Joanne: Yeah. Tim: Well you know what; we should probably spend about 10% of our time maybe going over closing techniques because the other 90% should lead you right to it. Joanne: Exactly. Tim: There shouldn’t be anything to it except like you said a formality, a transaction. I mean it’s about identifying and following a process, your sales funnel that leads them into being a customer. It is just so well said and obviously you’re very experienced at it. Joanne: And it’s also, the one thing I teach a lot of my, when I go in and train selling is that it is as important to qualify people out as it is to qualify people in. you don’t want to be spending time with people who are really not going to be right for your business and chasing down business. I think the idea of selling is this kind of a chase, like this cat and mouse chase and if I catch you you’re going to become a customer. I think that is a thing of the past. And really as a business, to really establish what is necessary for us to work with a client, what do we need to do? What kind of qualities do they have? If you’re not thoughtful about who your customers are, I know I’ve done it, I’m sure you’ve done it too Tim where you’ve brought on a client and you’re like I don’t know about these people. Then you end up wasting a lot of resources, your ROI on any money you got from them is totally gone because they weren’t right for your business and they ended up becoming trouble clients. Tim: Back to the qualifying process, reevaluate your qualifying process, well said. Joanne: Right. Tim: It kind of leads me to summarize and I know there are so many things we can discuss and you’ve done such a great job of helping our members. But I really want to sum it up and ask you one final question. We have a lot of remodeling and home improvement companies that have customers that are interested in their services obviously. And many of them just give bids and they’re not following a process. Maybe the biggest reason for that is the fear of sounding too salesy. So if you’re going to give some advice to someone fairly new to sales or even to people who are experienced in sales and ideas of how not to be so prototypical I guess, stereotyped and feeling like they’re very salesmanish what would your advice be? Joanne: If you’re authentic about how you approach people and your deal is that you really care about doing a good job for people and you know how to communicate that in a way that is powerful to the prospect, how can that be salesy? Tim: Well said. Joanne: You’re really just being honest about your skills and how much you would love to help that customer. Tim: I guess maybe they feel that they should learn, maybe they should learn the process more thoroughly and feel more comfortable with it and just be authentic like you said. Be themselves just again getting back to the basics of being yourself and comfortable with your process and practice it so that it isn’t salesy. But you’re right; it’s just about being passionate about yourself and being prepared. And you probably won’t come across very salesy. Joanne: No and if you’re just sending bids, if you’re just in the business of sending bids you’re going to be a 3rd bid. I mean you’re not going to be somebody they’re going to look for to solve their problems. If you’re a 3rd bid it’s going to be based on price. Tim: There wasn’t any value, well said. Joanne: And then the kinds of customers you’re going to be working with are ones that only see you as a price, a low price. Tim: Well said. Ding, ding, I wish I had a bell. Joanne: So if you want to be a commodity then don’t think about those steps. But if you really want to get out of the price war business and really want to start to work with the kind of projects you want to work with, you apply these techniques you’re not going to sound salesy. You’re just going to sound like you are the solution for them. Tim: Well thank you very much. Joanne: Thank you; it’s been a pleasure Tim. It’s always a pleasure.