Sales Coach Debi

While conducting interviews last week, I encountered a wonderfully prepared resume which was followed by letters of recommendation and a good phone interview. Sadly this candidate chose the most inappropriate attire possible. Whatever you do when seeking a professional opportunity, don’t overlook the importance of appearance and first impressions.

I realize that how we dress is a matter of choice and personal preference and even cultural background.  And in fact, a wardrobe can easily be updated and the wearer coached.  But poor clothing choices can create poor first, last and lasting impressions.

For most professional positions in sales, it’s a safer bet to remain on the side of polished, conservative and professional.  Don’t assume that the interviewer wants to see your cleavage, tops of your thighs, flip flops or the top of your underwear. When an interviewer is faced with a significant dress code challenge, they consider all the other candidates they have and no matter how well you interview or look on paper, the challenges of coaching on attire can be viewed as a delicate, HR challenging topic.

Don’t assume that conservative professional attire will keep you from setting yourself apart from all the other candidates either. To set yourself apart, do your research on the company and on the people you’ll be interviewing with and have a clear plan on how you’ll bring benefit to that organization. I’ll provide additional interviewing and career search ideas in a later blog, but for now, back on the topic of attire.

No excuses not even budget. If you have minimal budget for business attire, start now in the discount stores like Filene’s Basement or Marshall’s to name a few. Even Target has great inexpensive choices.

Discount shopping may require a little searching and an eye for seeing how separates can come together to create a professional look.  So if you don’t feel comfortable, bring someone that dresses for success with you or take a picture with your phone and send it to a friend for advice before going to the check out.

Try things on and ask for opinions from people that care about your success on your clothing choices before an interview. The market place is competitive and it’s not enough to just be the best at what you do. Take the time to prepare all aspects of the interview process including attire. You have only moments to create that first, last and GOOD lasting impression. We’d love to hear about your ideas, suggestions or dress for success – success stories.

This week I observed a Regional Trainer named Hyla, swoop in from California to help manage the sales teams during the absence of their Leadership. The tricky part of swooping in during major change is to do so gently yet firmly. The ability to do this without overturning the sales teams ATTITUDE applecart is an important skill — that sadly, for many is not always intuitive.

Hyla initiated an open door needs analysis with each sales person. She then applied focused listening techniques.  Considering the needs of each person – Hyla outlined the structure and set expectations. These expectations were another change so based on what Hyla heard in the sales team discussions, she incorporated the Feature Advantage Benefit (FAB) sales technique to encourage early adoption of the changes.

As for the more tactical activities, a contest was developed to make preparation and prospecting fun. The sales teams in this district regained focus, momentum and attitude was on the upswing for most everyone on the team. This month the sales teams laughed, joked and focused while they sold one of the largest months ever.  Patience is a Virtue, Gentle Firmness is a Leadership Skill, Encouraging Early Adoption is a Sales Technique, and in sales-like sports – ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.

We all like to feel that we are in control of the things around us. It is the lack of control that creates resistance. Sometimes just asking a person what they think about the changes coming and how they think the changes will impact them,  helps them feel as though they are respected enough to be included and can therefore plan ahead or can be coached to address the changing tides.

Without some consideration for those affected by change, many may feel as though they are being swept away by a strong current. Or worse yet that they are being swept over by a current because the tiny boat they’re in is insignificant.

Kudos to this Hyla for getting the people involved in the changes in a way that helped them maintain the right attitude and take ownership quickly.

We’d love to hear your thought or success stories.

Last week I had a sales person, let’s call him Vinnie Bag-a-Donuts. Vinnie told me he looked on LinkedIn but too late.Vinnie waited until AFTER the appointment went in the wrong direction. Then when back in the office, disappointed that the customer was going to RFP and Vinnie wasn’t going to help write it, that he then looked on LinkedIn only to discover that Vinnie and the potential customer both belonged to the very same small community church.

Sincere common interests help you look more the like person instead of a sales person. This lowers resistance and enables effective communication. It’s not like you have dig through newspapers, magazines and phone books. It’s just a few clicks.

So take a few minutes and go to Google Advanced Search or LinkedIn for starters.

If this step was not already completed before you made the first phone call – you work too hard and probably made calls that didn’t but could have gone better. Don’t neglect to do this homework before the appointment.

More on Linkedin Profiles … The Value

• Look for common connections, schools attended, previous places of employment, clubs associations and groups your contact belongs to in order to find commonality.
• Clubs & associations also help you understand this business and its’ suppliers. (You know what to do with suppliers-See my earlier blog).  If you are assigned this vertical market, join those associations. This also increases the amount of warm calls verses cold calls you’ll need to make.
• Where they worked previously and where they went to school provides common interests but also helps you determine if your company has relationships or services sold to any of these businesses, their school or their suppliers. (instant credibility)

Small steps in research can save you BIG on time, effort and commissions.