Despite the gloomy economic indicators, the business of pharmaceutical sales managers of large corporations is still not out of sync. Here are some tips to help sales managers stay on top. Chris Sharma, Nordstrom
– Position: Salesperson; Age: 45
– Job: Selling shirts, ties, cufflinks and suits
– Responsible sales: When a customer came to return a cufflink without a receipt, he still gave the money back.
– Catchphrase: If you ask a customer, “How can I help you?”, they will most likely say, “No, I’m just looking.” So when someone looks closely at a tie, I’ll say, “That’s a nice color. Would you like to try it on with a shirt or pants?”
– Recession survival skills: “If a customer is willing to buy, I will take their phone number and call them if the number they need is late. I often call customers to let them know that new products are coming in.”
LaShonda Anderson-Williams, Microsoft
– Position: Sales Manager; Age: 35
– Job: Selling software to manufacturing companies
– Closing the deal: I once had an order that needed to be signed off by the last day of the fiscal year. I called the CFO’s assistant, who had the document. I sent her a gift bag. The next day she brought it up to her boss to sign. For a $1.2 million deal, I spent $40.
– Recession Survival Skill: Don’t just expect to meet with the client’s IT director to sell your product. Read the client’s annual report to find out who wrote the part, “the company will grow 12%,” and meet with that person.
Sam Sebastian, Google
– Title: Country Director; Age: 37
– Job: Sell advertising to local businesses, real estate brokers and clients like GE and FedEx.
– Live presentations: We never open Power Point, because if we do, it becomes a sales pitch, not a conversation. The materials are just support.
– Email Tip: Before attending conferences, I usually send an email outlining what will be discussed at the conference and who will be attending. This may seem like a small thing, but it can help you avoid getting sidetracked.
– Recession Survival Skills: We will invite executives to the company to disseminate information and let them ask a series of questions about online advertising.
Freddi Vaughn, Xerox
– Title: Customer Relations Manager
– Job: Sell Xerox products (from printers to manufacturing equipment) to the US Department of Agriculture, the Social Security Administration, and NASA
– Career peak: Recently convinced NASA to sign a $36 million contract with Xerox
– Recession Survival Skills: Be aware of competing contracts and their expiration dates. If you want to replace those competitors, you need to start working at least 1 year in advance.
Peter Foss, GE
– Title: President of Olympic sponsorship and business activities; Age: 64
– Job: Selling infrastructure construction contracts to Olympic host cities
– Career high: In Beijing, Foss’s GE Group won 400 projects, generating $700 million in revenue. That was thanks to GE’s business approach and the appointment of a manager at each stadium to oversee everything from lighting to wastewater treatment systems.
– Recession survival skills: I would go to clients and give them all the data on what is driving raw material prices and how much of an increase is reasonable.
Jeffrey Zoyonse, Hartford Financial
– Title: Regional Sales Manager; Age: 36
– Job: Selling personal financial services
– Strategy: Instead of giving people a chance to answer yes or no, I would offer two positive options: Instead of asking, “Will you meet me?” I would say, “Would it be better to meet in the morning than in the afternoon?”
– Recession Survival Skills: Even when business cycles slow down, customers still want to do business with people they feel are doing well. I have to make sure my posture is always good.
Kelly Moore, American Express
– Title: National Business Development Director; Age: 41
– Job: selling credit cards and spending management tools
– Career high: Moore recently signed a series of contracts with hospitals. That was because instead of starting with small hospitals, she went to large hospitals and discussed American Express's health care industry surveys and analysis.
– Recession survival skills: Focus on quantity. Offer benefits that help customers save money.
Mario Palomino, Pepsi-Cola North America
– Title: National Customer Service Manager
– Job: Selling beverages throughout North America
– Career high point: To convince Americans to buy Aquafina water, we developed a program where people would exchange plastic bottles for jackets.
– Recession survival skills: When the economy slows down, it can be difficult to convince customers to take risks. However, it is the perfect time to implement bold ideas.
Richard Shank, AT&T
– Title: Deputy Director of Business Center; Age: 40
– Job: Sell AT&T networking equipment to companies in the Midwest
– Career high point: We just had a global deal with Monsanto, the world’s leading biotechnology and crop protection company. To get that deal, we sent AT&T people around the world to meet directly with their regional leaders.
– Recession survival skills: Actively build relationships and organize discussions to get customers to consider your offers.
To survive in a recession, you should focus on volume and offer benefits that help customers save money.
NCĐT
