by Tom Woodcock, Seal the Deal

I’m often contacted for references on top-notch sales aces. Contractors and suppliers that are willing to over-pay to get an established, proven sales rep. Instead of developing or finding their own, it’s easier to poach a sales person that is already built. The fact they’re riding the efforts of the company that found and developed that individual is inconsequential. They need someone to get them business right out of the gate. I’ve witnessed this philosophy in action dozens of times and rarely does it result in a successful outcome. What usually happens is the rep promises they can bring customers over and exaggerate what percentage. The reality ends up being that they bring one or two with them, but nowhere near what was expected.

The opposite side of the coin is hiring inexperienced people that “seem” to have a good sales ability only to find out they can’t bring in the results. It can be very frustrating as you turn over personnel left and right in hopes you find a diamond in the rough. You interview, test and review resumes until you’re blue in the face, getting the same type of rep every time.

What’s the answer? How do I find that sales ace everyone else seems to have? There’s got to be a way.

There is. But the problem is, it takes research, engagement, cost and effort to pull off. Understanding that you’re going to have to invest your time and reasonable expense to find this individual is the first step. I haven’t found a test, interview process or recruiting service that serves as that magic sales wand yet. Let me help a bit. Sales success requires four, non-negotiable, basic requirements. Not that others can’t have some success, we’re talking about aces here. The four are:

• Personality—Let’s be honest, if someone is not likable and does not have strong communication skills, their chance of success is minimal. You have to be able to talk to people. Work a room. Make people laugh. These are basic to interaction with customers. They also need to have a good appearance. Sorry, how the rep looks makes a difference.
• Discipline—The willingness to make personal calls and do phone work is imperative. Running a structured schedule which includes prospecting and follow-up allotments is standard procedure to an ace. Seat-of-the-pants time management will never produce maximum results. Great reps don’t need to be babysat.
• Intelligence—Can the individual think on his or her feet? Is the individual capable at presenting options? A decent product or service knowledge is important. Aces need to be sharp to be able to steer a customer. Weakness in this area usually results in discounting or price reductions.
• Work ethic—Sales takes work. The rep is going to lose some evenings and weekends. Though the schedule is not always 9-5, it’s intense. A willingness to stick with a deal or position through to success is key. If it was easy to be an ace, they’d be everywhere.

The truth is, selling can be a simple process or very complex one. In the construction industry it’s often made more complicated than it really needs to be. Many contractors are faced with being the sales rep themselves. They already know format of competitive bidding can be frustrating, but if you don’t let the pricing mechanism dictate your actions, you can see through the fog. I help some very intelligent contractors who have to work not to buy into the conventional wisdom on bidding. It’s extremely easy to get sucked into the “it’s all about low bid” crowd. The pressure to focus on pricing can be intense. It takes discipline and effort to realize there are other factors in the construction-buying decision. Failing to recognize those factors can lead to a lack of understanding of why you’re not winning projects. Getting on bid lists is a small accomplishment, but getting inside information on the bid process, needs or results is significant. An ace will understand this immediately. This is not achievable through a great Facebook page or social media activity. Achieving it requires customer engagement and relationship. Being connected to your customer base is old school but necessary. The impact of social media is beginning to level off which brings us back to good ol’ fashion customer contact—where the ace lives.

I still thoroughly enjoy helping a client get connected to the customer base and first watch bid volume increase then customer penetration. They develop strong relationships that even turn into friendships. They do not just entertain their clients but connect socially. It isn’t a matter of throwing money at them, but treating them as people, learning their preferences and likes. Then, in the end, taking advantage of that position and securing quality opportunities. The investment of time and treasure produces significant returns if you stay with it. The easy thing to do is write the necessary customer contact off as time-wasting and expensive. To be honest, the majority of contractors tend to lean in that direction. The ace will persevere to get the desired results. The process of connecting with a wide swath of customers is simple in nature if you don’t complicate it. Getting in front of them and doing so consistently will pretty much meet the requirement. Talking about life in general will incorporate business conversation nine times out of 10. Forcing conversation or pressuring a customer usually backfires. You’ll experience a lot of one-appointment-and-done results. Relax as much as you can and ask reasonable, personal questions. An ace is genuinely interested in their customers’ opinions and lives. The customer appreciates it and wants to know about them. Stepping out in this fashion will grease the path to success.

Personal contact is very difficult for some people. It’s a struggle to meet new people and feel comfortable. It can sometimes seem amazing that aces can connect at the drop of a hat. If you have one of these unique individuals, don’t saddle them behind a desk or computer. Top-notch people skills can be very difficult to find. Though, often these talented team members need structure and support. For those selling contractors who dread connecting with people or working a room, putting yourself in the position to do so is half the battle. Pushing yourself to introduce yourself to a new business contact breaks the seal. Most people feel exactly as you do, so that little step can begin the relationship process. If there’s no other choice but you having to connect with the customer base, you have to learn how to make a first move. It’s easy to hide behind Linkedin or Twitter, send an email or post on a wall. The problem is it simply relegates you to virtual invisibility. White noise per se. Gaining the separation from competitors everyone is now saying is necessary requires personal contact. The more you try to structure your approach, the more complex it becomes. Ten-second elevator speeches and cute ice breakers are easily spotted. Trying to get out what you do in the first 90 seconds is amateurish and flat out cheesy. The construction consumer is much more astute than in generations past. The ability to secure information and project knowledge is at our fingertips. The more you’re simply yourself, the more impact on the customer. Let’s face it, being yourself should be easier. As I train dozens of construction personnel on selling, I find the greatest impediment being the willingness to get around people as much as possible. It’s much easier to make excuses why you can’t get around potential customers than raise the priority of such behavior in your schedule. Paperwork, project visits and financials are actions with immediate results. Sales is the definition of delayed gratification. Accepting this premise and persevering anyway will separate you from a high percentage of the competition.

Finding a sales ace or becoming one is not easy. Many contractors settle for less than desirable sales efforts and people. More time is often spent evaluating project managers than pursuing strong business development people. One final caveat is sales training. A good sales training program can improve an existing team and fire up an ace. Finding a program that fits construction is difficult, but they’re out there. This can help sales personnel see what they’re missing or educate them on a sales trend taking place in your market. The challenge is to invest in your sales efforts. Sales is simply the most important aspect of your business, period! Without sales, nothing else matters. If you don’t win projects, it doesn’t matter how well you can manage them. Giving proper focus to your sales personnel and plan is critical. In my experience, few contractors invest the time to even recognize an ace, even if it’s right in front of you. Now you know what to look for!

Tom Woodcock, president, Seal The Deal, St. Louis, Mo., is a speaker, trainer, and author of the book You’re Not Sellin’, They’re Buyin’! He can be reached at (314) 775-9217 or www.tomwoodcocksealthedeal.com.