Quotes

"Don’t gamble! Take all your savings and buy some good stock and hold it till it goes up, then sell it. If it don’t go up, don’t buy it.”
 Will Rogers

"Be glad that you’re greedy; the national economy would collapse if you weren’t.”
 Mignon McLaughlin

"The only reason a great many American families do not own an elephant is that they have never been offered an elephant for a dollar down and easy weekly payments."
  Mad Magazine

"Gentlemen prefer bonds."
  Andrew Mellon

"If you owe the bank $100, that’s your problem. If you owe the bank $100 million, that’s the bank’s problem."
  JP Getty (He could have added, “If you owe the bank $100 billion, that’s the government’s problem.”)

 

Memo from Frank Lee – On promoting through magazines

Dear Subscriber,

I was reminded of my agricultural heritage recently when I visited my family in South Africa. Since I had been featured in Implement & Tractor magazine, I took some magazines to show my family. The first people I showed it to were Maynard and Paula, my niece and her husband. Instead of seeing the article, they immediately looked at the photos of the latest tractors and began gushing over them. They ignored me for a few minutes while they discussed the “huge” tractors in the magazine. Farmers!

Talking of farm equipment magazines – I am constantly surprised by how few Ag salespeople receive these magazines. Those who do read them from cover to cover. But many do not even see them. Why not?

Not only do these excellent magazines provide very useful information on both their own as well as competitive products, they also provide the salesperson an opportunity to promote his brand without appearing boastful.

For example, in the latest NAEDA Equipment Dealer magazine, there is a photo of a Challenger combine. Here is part of the editorial – “And with a two-year, header to spreader warranty with no cap on hours, the combines are backed by the most extensive coverage in the business.”

If I were a Challenger salesperson, I would cut that out and use it to help persuade my customers. This is not me speaking; this is an authority that reinforces what I tell the customer. The fact that it is published in a reputable magazine gives the claim legitimacy and credibility. There were several items in this magazine that could be used by salespeople if they only had a copy. Should you as the sales manager not subscribe to these magazines and make sure every salesperson gets one?

There are several equipment magazines. The three most popular are – Implement & Tractor, Farm Equipment, and Equipment Dealer by NAEDA.

 

International Ag University (IAU) featured in Implement & Tractor

The next issue of Implement & Tractor will feature IAU’s latest graduates. Makes me real proud! Get your copy or see them online at www.implementandtractor.com.

 

International Ag University (IAU) – Information

Read more about IAU on our web site. Just follow the links in the Ag section to IAU. For more information, call me at 800-898-3743 or email me at franklee@sales-academy.com. We have a 12-page brochure that spells out the curricula for salespeople and sales managers. You can view this brochure from the main IAU page on the web site. Or call us and we will send it to you.

 

International Ag University (IAU) – 2008 "Mixed" Classes

We are starting 4 “mixed” classes this fall. These classes allow salespeople from all colors to attend although we limit participation to those not in direct, geographical competition.

There will be a 2-day sales manager class in Reno, NV October 20-21 for those sales managers who enroll salespeople in the sales program.

The new “mixed” sales classes will be held in Stockton CA (start date November 12-13), Reno NV (start date October 22-23), Sioux Falls SD (CLOSED) and Saskatoon, Canada (start date December 18-19).

Call us now if you would like to enroll salespeople and sales managers for this unique experience.

 

Quotes from Homework Assignments of IAU Students

On leveraging customers – “Having my current customers sell me (to others) is easier than selling myself. It speeds things up.”
James Rothmann, Sioux Falls 201

“Customer tried the Scrooge and Stonewalling negotiation techniques, trying to delay, but time was on my side. I won.”
Bryon Hilgemann, Sioux Falls 201

“I am consistently building my new customer base, asking for the sale every time, and increasing my sales dollars. I am a visible sales consultant who represents my store and my product in a very professional manner. This makes more sales for the dealership.”
Justin Berry, Sioux Falls 201

“Justin has exceeded his 2008 goal with 3 months still to go.”
Bob Biersbach, Manager of Justin Berry. Sioux Falls 201

“Starting every day with a plan is helping me to be more efficient. I have found that I have been able to get more done in a day.”
Mike Estreen, Green Bay 101

 

Sales Management Problem of the Month

Here's a question for sales managers. Please email your responses to franklee@sales-academy.com. Responses will be shown in the next issue.

You are the president of a small company. Your sales manager was arrested over the weekend for sexually molesting a child. He has been released on bail. He swears he is innocent and that the charges against him are trumped up. He is confident he will be exonerated once he goes to trial. This could be several months away.

The salespeople (and others) are very unhappy. Some called you on Sunday and want you to fire him immediately. They feel customers would already have judged him and that he will be an excuse for them to buy somewhere else. He would cost them sales. Besides, they do not feel comfortable working with a child molester. Some salespeople have even threatened to administer their own form of justice. Up till now, all the salespeople have respected him, liked him and followed him to record sales. Over the last ten years, he has consistently developed the salespeople to become the best sales team in your state. This swift change of attitude took you by surprise.

While you really like him and would not want to lose him, you, too, are disgusted by his behavior even if it has not yet been proven. You want to believe him. Your business is in a small community.

Putting morals aside, what is your best business solution?

 

Responses To Last Month's Problem

This was the problem:


And the response:

Do a coin flip. There is no easy or painless way to resolve this situation. Offer the losing customers some form of special if they will buy something else. Then hope they don’t sue you.
Barry S., Sales Manager, Pittsburgh, PA

Convene a round table discussion with your salespeople – pronto! Get each one’s version of their sale. As a team, discuss the best way to resolve this. Perhaps one customer may be persuaded to buy something else. Perhaps another may not be that committed to the sale. After full and honest discussion, have the team make a decision. This at least keeps the sales team intact and makes each salesperson part of the solution. Then act on the solution as fast as possible. You may want to convene a separate meeting on how to make sure this does not happen again.
John J., Vice President of Sales, Miami, FL

You’re the sales manager – act like one and make a decision. The salespeople have to go along with you. This is a situation that may happen again. Waffling now will make the next time even more difficult.
Melanie K., Salesperson, Dallas, TX

There is something wrong with your system for this to have happened. You should look into this and see how to prevent it happening in the future. Meanwhile, discuss each sale with your salespeople to see which customer would be the most disadvantaged by losing the purchase and what would be the biggest impact on your business. That’s the customer who should get the item. The other salespeople should be able to understand if you explain your decision to them. You might make a special concession or provide a special bonus commission if they can sell their customers into something else.
Kevin U., Sales Manager, Singapore

It may be tough to admit but the customer who gets the item is the one who will complain the loudest. You know this before any decision-making discussions so why waste time? Simply identify that customer.
Alice N., Salesperson, Cape Town, South Africa


Sales Academy specializes in behavioral sales training. This includes the world-renowned Sales Call Reluctance Program and Customized Sales Training for large and small companies.

If you would like to discuss the sales training needs of your company, send me an email at franklee@sales-academy.com or call me at 1-800-898-3743.

 

Sales Tip: Getting an appointment

This was a winning telephone talk from Warren Blesh. He sells insurance.

“Tony, my name is Warren Blesh and I work in your area. I had a great Texas salad at your place the other day. I take the guesswork out of restaurant insurance. I have a few ideas that can help you. I’d like to also show you why other restaurants value what we do. Can we meet…? I’ll even buy my own lunch.”

 

Books and Audio Tapes Available for Purchase

1.  Earning What You're Worth; the Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance.
By George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson ($22.95)

2.  P.A.S.S. C.A.L.F. - 8 Behaviors of Sales Success in an Agricultural Dealership.
By Frank Lee ($10.95)

3.  P.A.S.S. C.A.L.F. - 8 Behaviors of Sales Success in an Agricultural Dealership.
By Frank Lee, read by Bob Gee (Audio Cassettes) ($12.95)

4.  Managing Iron Salespeople - How to Manage Salespeople in an Agricultural Dealership.
By Frank Lee with foreword by Bill Fogarty. ($19.95)

Click on “Articles and Books” on this site.
To order, follow the “Order” link or call, email or fax and we will bill you.

Tel: 1-800-898-3743    Fax: 972-874-2864
EMAIL: franklee@sales-academy.com
WE ACCEPT VISA OR MASTERCARD

 

Sales Articles Available

There are several articles and white papers on our web site that you can download and use. Just click on “Articles and Books”. You will also come across several articles written on sales call reluctance written for the IRMI web site. Just point to “Articles and Books” and drag down to “Call Reluctance Articles for IRMI.”

 

Frank Lee
Sales Academy Inc.