Purchasing and Negotiation Training

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Editor’s note:  Stu Schlackman is a frequent contributor to this blog.  In this Part II of a two part series, he specifies the analogous prosesses of physics to sales, analogies that might appeal to the average scientic inclined buyer.  In Part I, he relates the sales process to some concepts of physics.  

Back to our formula analogy

There are three points that seem to be present with every winning sales team. m times v equals p:

• (m) The first point is all team members must buy into the leader’s vision on where the team is headed. More motion equals more momentum. With the team in motion, there is an attitude of “Playing to win”; everyone does what it takes to close the business. Here the leader leverages the strengths of each team member and doesn’t focus on someone’s weakness. Momentum is apparent to the customer and becomes contagious. The team’s every action expresses: “We will do what it takes for you the customer to be successful.” “Playing to win” puts the customer first, and our commission, second.
• (v) The second point is gaining “confidence”. Velocity is speed aligned along a specific vector, distance traveled along one direction in a unit of time. As each team member closes a piece of business, it boosts the confidence of every team member that is aligned with the goals and philosophy of the team. Just look at any sports team that has “momentum” moving the ball down the field or firing the ball across the plate. They know what’s working for them. Your confidence from knowing who you are and how you can help customers will be conveyed in your behavior when meeting with the customer, be they Gold, Blue Green or Orange personalities.
• (p) The third point comes from exercising points one and two: Performance. “Playing to win” times “having confidence” leads to an increase in “sales activity”. The sales plan is working. Team members are now at the point that things are clicking. They know what works for them and they maximize their performance.  By repeating successful activities and picking up the pace they have gained momentum.  With more successes, the team becomes full of energy.  Since activity levels are increasing, a little rejection does not hurt: they maintain successful inertia. They are busy with multiple opportunities to help customers succeed in their goals and objectives.

Sales is a game of momentum

Everything we just covered holds true for a customer service team or an information technology team. You gather momentum as you exercise social intelligence. Understanding personality styles will add a new dimension to your team’s social intelligence that can bring it to the next level.  Understanding each other’s motivations and leveraging the specific strengths of each member, generates a team impulse to succeed. Great teams play to win, have confidence in themselves and their teammates, and enjoy a flurry of activity throughout the year! In short, they perform.