ing – tell me his expectations.” He also shared his own expectations with his new boss. “I had already developed my own goals in writing – one-year plan, a five-year, and 10-year – and I handed them to him,” recalls Abruzzio. Abruzzio was very cautious, howev-
er, about how he would establish and maintain his credibility. “It’s a mistake to be overly aggressive in stating what you can do. Like walking in and saying, ‘Hey, I am going to grow the business 20 percent,’ when you do not truly know the financial ramifica- tions of that,” he says. “If you go in saying 20 percent and you only gain 2 percent, you lose credibility. The number one mistake is trying to do too much in too short a time.”
INSIDE/OUTSIDE The company’s sales organization includes a network of 50 indepen- dent rep offices and a dozen internal managers who maintain and support those relationships. Abruzzio spent the larger part of his first weeks on the job meeting these people, but he didn’t discuss their performance. Instead, he gathered as much infor- mation as he could. “When you talk about being successful in any posi- tion, I think it’s always more listening and asking the right questions.” One of the things he learned was that there were quality issues with one of the company’s products. He worked to solve that problem and, in the process, established himself and built rapport with the rest of his sales organization. “It was an early win for me,” he says, “which tied into knowing who you have to deal with to make sure that it gets done – and building relationships externally and internally as well. All of my sales managers are out of the office and this helped them know that, ‘Hey, I can call this guy and he’s going to get things changed.’ It’s imperative to get an early win, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a sale.”
Another way to get an early win
is to dive into your Rolodex. Wil- liam Cabot did that when he used his industry contacts to open doors to several executives within his new company’s customer base for his salespeople. “I am a salesperson my- self, at heart,” he says, “So I do have to feel like I’m contributing.”
Going into a new situation with guns blazing may sound exciting, but it may not be the most effective way to start on a path to success. Some- times, being grounded and curious – and earning your credibility along the way – are the ways to set yourself up for the long term.
VIDEO: HOW TO ALIGN SALES AND MARKETING – PETER STROHKORB
10
Scientifically Proven Sales Hacks 2. Choice Architecture
Scientific research has verified that the way a choice is presented shapes how it will be perceived and acted on. Choice architecture focuses
on structuring
choices in a way that is consistent with how the brain formulates decisions.
For instance, a salesperson who sells widgets can ask a prospect, “Does it make sense why so many companies are choosing our widgets because of their strength and durability?” After positively answering the question, the prospect is now far more likely to make a commitment that is consistent with the value they just affirmed.
Get your FREE copy of all 10 scientifically proven sales hacks to help your sales- people become more persuasive, compelling and influential with their customers.
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