Category Archives: Client Relations

Jack of All of Trades Master of One

Jack of All Trades Master of One

So one the biggest questions when hiring a new sales person is do I hire someone with industry knowledge or do I hire someone that knows how to sell. Well it really depends on the make up of your organization. Ask yourself these questions, does my company have a strong sales management team? Does my company have a strong technical staff that can support a strong sales person? Is the sales person going to have other teammates to learn from? Why am I hiring a salesperson? Do you need a hunter or an account manager?

If you find a candidate with strong sales skills chances are they will be a driven person with a desire to learn as much as they can about your products and services to be successful. Sales is a skill in its self and takes years to develop. With the advancement in technology it could be said that more and more people lack people skills, and in sales you will almost always be required to effectively communicate. A salesperson needs to have social skills that allows them to uncover needs and deliver necessary messages. I would argue that it would be easier to teach a new hire about your industry as opposed to teach a new hire how to effectively prospect and sell.

If you find a candidate with industry knowledgable and no experience in sales you are taking a gamble. You need to make sure your company can support the efforts to give this employee attention. That does not mean that you shouldn’t hire someone that has never sold. It just means that you need to make sure the candidate is willing to learn that skill and that your company is in a position to invest in their learning efforts. Is selling an art or a science? I believe it’s both and that will take time to learn and develop.

A GREAT sales person can be a jack of all trades but should strive to be the master of one….Selling!

Would you sell ice to an Eskimo?

Selling Ice to an Eskimo

I recently came across a “sales person” that proudly told me that they could “Sell Ice to an Esikmo”. After hearing this comment I wonder if this person was really as good as they thought. Yes, I know it’s a figure of speech, however it’s exactly the opposite of how I wish to be handled by any sales person or how I wish to groom a sales team. I believe there are plenty of top notch sales people, and they share the same qualities of most of my dependable and loyal friends. To be in sales you must be more than just nice or convincing. You have to listen, consult, and deliver on promises. Selling me on a product or service that I do not need or want is not an effective long term sales tactic.

The same qualities you love about your great friends are the same qualities of a SUPER STAR sales person. Close friends aren’t just important to you because they have a good personality, attractive, or they buy you things. Quality friends like quality sales people are dependable, available, and LISTEN. It really peaks my interest when I overhear someone telling a person that they have only met on the surface they would make a good sales person. Why have they come to that conclusion in a few minutes? This is generally because the other person views them as friendly, good looking, or witty. Of course those are redeeming qualities and very good ways to get yourself in the door, however they do not close deals or create lasting relationships.

Successful Sales People are not “Self Important”

Are you so busy or so important that my business is not important to you? Each client or customer wants to feel like your most important client. Of course you want people to respect that you are busy, however are you always too busy? If you are too busy for me now, are you going to be too busy when I buy from you? Where is my fast talking salesperson when I have an issue? Even though my issue may be trivial to the sales person it’s important to me as a client and if it’s important to me than it should be very important to the salesperson.

Successful sales people are busy and even though they are busy it’s important for them to make sure their clients are handled. Return calls, acknowledge emails, write thank you letters….successful sales people make time!

Being reliable is way more attractive than looking good!

Looking good is important and having pride in the way we carry ourselves is extremely important. In most business to business sales scenarios the sale cycle is going to take months and sometimes years to land a deal. After many interactions with a prospect they will have formed many impressions of you that is far more important than your appearance. So look good and consult your client even better.

You sure are funny however you have no idea what is important to me.

Who doesn’t like to be around witty people? I love when someone can bring a smile to my face. However, when I am buying something I am usually looking for quality, dependability, and affordability. A good salesman listens to what I need and if he uses humor to lighten the mood that’s a bonus, and if all we do is laugh I will start to wonder if my sales person is laughing all the way to the bank.

I really like when you buy me lunch AND I really prefer when you deliver results.

When I really stop to think about the most endearing quality in a great friend I would have to say it has to be “dependability”. You know that friend that you do not talk to on a regular basis and sometimes you even miss their phone call (and they still do not hold a grudge), but when you really need to talk to that friend they stop what they are doing because they know you need them. They are DEPENDABLE. Life is busy and people are busy, good friends however always seem to be available when you need them. That is the same quality I enjoy in a sales person. Buyers remember sales people that helped them, that were knowledge, that made their life easier. Just because they may not buy from you on a regular basis they will remember that time you were dependable and they will I promise call you the next time they need to buy.

So for all those innocent Eskimos that bought ice I hope they know that there are many amazing salespeople that will work hard and earn their business! Sales people of course are promoting their products and if they are good sales people they will believe in what they sell and if you are not their customer base they will move along politely to actual buyers that need their service!

Be Contagious

Koncept CARMA is not spelled wrong. It’s spelled different because we are different,and it means something.

So what does the C in CARMA mean? It means to “be contagious“. Your attitude and emotions are contagious to the people around you. Whether your mood is good or bad it will have a tendency to rub off on others. Don’t let your negative thoughts jeopardize an opportunity, and do not let someone else’s negative disposition discourage you.

1. Choose to be the positive energy that enters a space.

Have you ever walked into a meeting and the person you are meeting with has an extremely bad attitude from the start? Do you mirror their actions and clam up or do you allow yourself to overcome their attitude?

It’s both hard and intimidating when facing negative people. I challenge you before you interact with others (family, friends, coworkers, clients etc.) tell yourself you are “happy, strong, confident, and nothing can ruin your day”. Even if you come in contact with someone who has an overbearing strong attitude that exudes negativity stay focused on being positive. It’s not the easiest thing to carry out and it’s certainly not impossible either. Being aware of your attitude and others’ puts you ahead. We can’t change other people’s attitudes by telling them to stop. We can influence their moods by staying focused on what is good and our response. If someone is angry, upset, anxious, or uneasy that is even more reason to create a positive contagious environment.

2. Being Positive isn’t always possible.

What do you do when you find yourself unable to be positive? This can happen to the best of us. We all have bad days.

Call or visit someone who you know can help lift your energy levels. Read uplifting and positive quotes. It’s okay to have days where you feel off. Give yourself permission to feel upset or negative and also recognize it will pass and it is temporary. Remember your attitude is contagious so do not put yourself in a situation where you might influence others. Your bad attitude should not become another persons’ problem. If you are meeting someone for the first time and you are stuck in a bad mood they may get a bad first impression. Tell yourself happy thoughts until you finally get that positive energy back. Eventually if you tell yourself how good life is you will start to believe it!

3. Others will gravitate to your energy!

When I am down and need motivation the people I want to surround to myself with are positive high energy people. I do not want to associate with other Debbie Downers. It’s much healthier and refreshing to seek others that I know can lift my spirits. Positive Energy will help others want to engage with you. If you are speaking to a group your audience will feed off your energy, if you are networking you will be less intimidating to new contacts, and if you are in a meeting the other person will develop a better relationships faster and trust you.

Always remember our attitudes are Contagious! I will always choose being around a positive high spirited group over being around negative energy!

Koncept Carma Welcomes Logan Stewart

Logan Stewart

Koncept Carma is excited to welcome Logan Stewart as a Sales Intern. Logan is currently majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Finance at Stetson University in Deland, FL. He has played Lacrosse at Stetson for 3 years, 2 of which he was team captain. As a Junior, he also had to step up as coach of the team and lead Stetson to their best season yet. Outside of school and Lacrosse, Logan is an avid lover of the ocean. He has been diving, fishing, and spearfishing most of his life. Logan ultimately is not looking for just a job, he strives for a lifestyle. He welcomes new opportunities that will allow him to achieve his goals to ultimately find a career that he will be passionate and dedicated to.

Koncept Carma looks forward to working with Logan and believes he exudes our company image. Koncept Carma believes that hard work, dedication, and positive outlook will position our team to open many doors for us and our clients.

The Koncept of CARMA

Many people have asked me, what is Koncept Carma? My first thought is to answer them with the scopes and services that our company provides. That is what we do, and does not answer the question of “What is Koncept Carma”. There is an actual Koncept of CARMA that the company operates and runs on. It is the way we see our business and view ourselves professionally.

So let me answer that question “What is Koncept Carma”. The Koncept of CARMA is about giving all you’ve got and knowing that the rewards will come eventually. It’s about understanding and embracing the theory that hard work, persistence, and taking the “high road” will eventually lead us to success. Rewards are not instant and they are not all monetary. The benefits of Carma is worth waiting for and it is not in our best interest to seek immediate gratification.

The most challenging experiences in both personal and professional life have helped me to build on my Koncept of CARMA. In the past I have learned that if I focused on the end goal and followed a true path anything is possible. This means you do more than just show up for life, work, projects, and relationships. You must prepare and be ready for the unknown. Understanding the importance of patience and persistent are not the same as living by the theory. Many of us appreciate the value of hard work and we show respect for those that have done it, and many of us are still looking for short cuts. Short cuts do not help you grow and experience. Stop worrying about how easy it was or seems for others and focus on building your own goals and future. It may not be easy and sometimes not pretty. The beauty will be found further down the road and will be well worth the wait.

I am going to give you a glimpse into the Guiding Principles of CARMA.

Contagious!

Your attitude is contagious. Stay positive and radiate that energy to those around you.

Acceptance!

Accept what is given to you and build on it. Incorporate “Yes and” into your life.

Relevance!

React to people, situations, and ideas with relevance. Think before you act or speak.

Mantra!

Know your guiding principles and build your own confidence.

Adapt!

Adapt to individual situation.

Rotaract of Metro Orlando – Road to BayHill

Koncept Carma was happy to be a part of the Rotaract of Metro Orlando’s Road to BayHill Putt Putt Golf Tournament earlier this week. Thank you to the team for coming out to play in the rain and for supporting a great group and a worthy cause.

Opinions are great…when they are delivered properly

You are having a conversation with someone and they blurt something out that is offensive and rude… you don’t know what to say or feel. The crazy part is you did not even ask for their opinion. At first you are a little embarrassed because they caught you off guard, then you get defensive and protective, and then you get completely turned off. Whether they are a long time friend or a first time contact a rude opinion can be detrimental to the relationship. Many times you will not get another chance to redeem yourself. In business and sales it is even more crucial to be conscious of the delivery of your opinions. Learn how to be a strong business person that delivers your message without being rude or harsh.

Never offend your customer by bad mouthing their current services or processes. You will not earn respect by telling them the way they have done business or are currently doing business is wrong. You may have a great product or service that is going to make their life easier, but criticizing their current method you will quickly offend the client. When offering a product or service tell them some key features, and help the client see why your service will benefit them. If you have to constantly insult their current vendor or practices you may never get an opportunity back in the door. Let the customer tell you the faults of their system and products. Sometimes sales people come in so aggressive that the client refuses to make upgrades just to avoid the offensive sales person.

Don’t offer unwelcomed opinions. Let your prospect open up the door about the current way they do business. Listen carefully to what is working for them and what isn’t work. Repeat to the them what you heard. Acknowledge that you understand their needs and wants before you pitch your solution. You can do this by saying “I know you are currently getting this, and would you be interested in something that could help you with that and more?” If you give them your reason for why they should use you before you know anything about their current situation you will come off pushy and ignorant. How can you help them when you don’t even know about their business or problems?

Do not use slang or negativity. Using words that are slang or negative come off as impolite and abrasive in business. I did business with an acquaintance once and he used the word “dumb” to describe something I did that he did not agree with. He found this to be a perfectly acceptable way to converse with me to get his opinion across. I’m not sure if that is the way he always spoke to his business acquaintances or if he just felt comfortable with me. Instead of me taking him serious, I ended the business relationship. Why would I want to work with someone that would use a word as simple and negative as dumb when discussing business matters? When you are doing business with friends or casual acquaintances speak to them just as you would any business partner. Using slang or negativity will only leave you looking unprofessional and potentially insult the other person.

Do not assume everyone has your same sense of humor. It is great to have a playful side when doing business, but be careful when you are in business meetings. You can keep conversations upbeat and enjoyable but never talk about sensitive issues that could potentially offend someone. The person may even seem to laugh at your humor but secretly could be very offended and not give you a second chance. If they choose to take the subject to an inappropriate place try to change the topic quickly so that you are not put in an uncomfortable position. Maintaining a level of professionalism is important even when you go off path into lighthearted conversations.

Great sales people tend to become very passionate about what they are selling. It is a wonderful place to be in when you truly believe in what you are pitching, but it is so important to make sure you walk a fine line of giving your prospects solutions for their business as opposed to insulting their business.

Emotional Intelligence in a Virtual World

The technology world advances around us instantly, and there is no question that technology changes and influences the way we interact with one another. Teams are able to collaborate and strategize in virtual forums across large regions. We communicate and meet people that may have never crossed our paths without the web capabilities. It is vital in the global marketplace to have the ability to communicate virtually and it is certainly welcomed. Even for those that want to fight social networking or virtual meetings it’s hard to avoid using one of the social media sites. Over a billion people use Facebook to communicate with friends and family, over 260 million people use Linkedin for business, over 70 million use Pinterest, and over 230 million Twitter users. All of these tools potentially add great value to our life and interactions. My question is, are the constant online and virtual communications jeopardizing our “emotional intelligence”? Do we now have a greater need to educate ourselves on Emotional Intelligence and why it is so important?

What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ)?

Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer are leading researchers on emotional intelligence, they defined emotional intelligence as, “the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions” (1990). It is often questioned if you can improve your EQ or if it’s an inborn characteristic. I believe your EQ can be improved and therefore also can be hindered. The more we rely on communication from a distance or through the internet we take ourselves out of face to face communication. Yes, you are still communicating and you are still able to foster relationships. However, you cannot recreate all social interactions virtually. So how do we better our Emotional Intelligence when the world is becoming more virtual?

Ways to Increase Emotional Intelligence in a Virtual World

Improv Workshops. Provide and attend corporate training and workshops that will allow your team to engage directly and face to face. I am continually amazed how many businesses communicate solely from email and instant messaging. Many of the people in the same building talk all day through email without ever saying word in person. Businesses have increasingly turned to Improv Training to assist with team building and people skills. Employees and Management can become consumed with the idea that they have too much to do to attend company meetings. The exact opposite is true if the training is effective. Building a sense of team within your organization will increase productivity. It is important for the culture of the company to start from the top and filter through the company. Improv Workshops for business help your team to understand the different personality types. Improv teaches the teammates to work together and to make each other look good. When the teammates make each other look good they create a quality project and create a strong partnership within the organizations.

Networking Groups. If your company is remote or you have limited interactions with others during the day attending networking events. Networking Groups generally are excited to welcome new members and make connections. The group will help you learn about different personalities and businesses. Even if you believe you have amazing people skills it is still important to utilize those skills and make face to face interactions.

Engage in Real Communication. When you are communicating with connections on facebook, twitter, linkedin, or pinterest try to find a real connection. Does this mean you need to call them all or meet each one for coffee? No. Take the time to notice their post and add insight. You can like comments, articles, and posts. On occasion take time to understand the person you are connected to and empathize with their reasons for communicating. We have a tendency to make assumptions without truly understanding the person that is posting. Many people are quick to start debates on a post or blog. It’s very easy for information to be misinterpreted because they did not understand the person’s thought process.

Technology, medicine, architecture, science, and many other industries require a high level of intelligence to help advancements. The same is true for communication and social skills you need to study and practice the science of emotions and people’s interactions. Social Media sites help to connect friends and contacts, and it is important to build on the social interactions past the email, post, or text messages. Take the time to understand the people you interact with and examine your own interactions. Emotional Intelligence will help you in your professional and personal life, and for some of us it comes more natural and for others it needs be to explained and practiced.

Victim of Email

A few years ago, I was meeting with a client. This was not my first time meeting the client and we had a developed a strong business relationship. We had met several times before including meetings before I earned his business, and then on a fairly regular basis when he became my client. Each time I met with him, I always amazed by his calm demeanor and the attention he gave to our meeting. I was impressed because most of my other clients in similar roles to his were always somewhat preoccupied, rushed for time, and were almost always looking at their phones. It is not that they did not see our meeting as important, they were just busy and they had lots of fires going on around them.

So during this one particular meeting with my client, we started talking about productivity and his secret to getting things done and not being reactionary to things that were happening throughout the day. His secret…he only checked his email twice a day. He checked his email in the morning and again at the end of the day. He turned off the notifications and alerts and went about his day looking at his list of things to do. At first, my question was “what if you miss an important question or request”. He quickly told me that if someone really needed information he could be reached on his phone. Most of the time emails that come through are quick questions that will only take a minute to answer, and many times the question could wait for an answer. When you stop to answer those quick questions you pull yourself away from the tasks you are currently involved in, and then you begin the quick cycle of losing attention and time.

Here is what I learned to help stop being a victim of email.

Check Email Twice a Day. Start your day going through email. Answer questions, file responses, and for things that need more attention add those to your list. At the end of the day check for new emails and do the same as the morning. You will be able to answer and file quickly as opposed to starting and stopping other tasks.

Teach people how to communicate with you! When you are meeting with prospects, clients, and partners explain to them that you do not check your email on an hourly basis. Explain to them that you do respond to email at the end of the day, and if they need immediate attention to call or text you. Set an automated response, thank the sender for the email and advise them that you check email at the end of the day. You are informing senders that email is a great way to get you information, however if they need immediate attention they need to call you directly. Most things can wait.

Use Email to Recap Information. This does not mean that the end of each phone call or meeting you immediately send an email. Take notes during the call or meeting and send a follow up email during your scheduled email time. Take time to focus on what needs to get done and make use of email recaps during your email time. You will be surprised how much gets done when you use email only at the designated times.

Things Get Resolved On Their Own. Have you ever been a part of email chain that creates 10 to 20 other emails? Imagine coming on the back end of the email. You miss the 20 emails that are exchanged and can skim through the emails to see what else if anything needs to be done. Most of the time you are copied on the email to keep you in the loop or minimal input. You will be amazed at how many things are taken care of and you didn’t spend an hour reading all the responses as they swarmed your inbox.

Email is a a great way to communicate. It helps to put information and thoughts in writing. You are able to go back and find conversations that took place in the past. Email is a great forum to give updates and to transfer information within a group and share documents. My problem with email is that it has the potential to completely take over my day if I allow it to. You will be amazed when you stop a simple distraction such as email and make it a task of it’s own.

The Power of Networking

Some feel that networking is a waste of time….and really I have one comment for those people. You are doing it wrong!

Networking is not a time to get free drinks and food. Networking is not a time be the cool kid in school. Networking is not just showing up. Networking is not just joining a group.

The first step is to make the effort to go. Don’t worry if you don’t know anyone. You are networking to meet people! Don’t give yourself 10 excuses as to why you shouldn’t go. It’s always easier to tell yourself why you shouldn’t go, but guess what the people that decided an extra hour after work was worth it just increased their network. What did you do?

If you decide to go to a Networking event…..and you should decide to GO! Go prepared. Take business cards. Be ready to give that 30 second elevator speech on who you are and what you do. Don’t be scared to meet new people…chances are the people you meet are going to be relieved to have someone to speak with.

Be open to talk to everyone! Find out what others do in your industry and outside of your industry. When you least expect it the person that you would have never imagined to have a need for your services turns out to be the greatest contact you made all year. If people are at a networking event and they are treating it like a high school dance then chances are they probably won’t be someone that adds much value to your business. The same is true for you. Do not discount people or undervalue them as a contact. Find out what they do and listen to how they do it. Chances are you will learn something.

Networking is not a Frat Party. Well that seems like a basic concept, and you would think most people get this. Give yourself one too many drinks and then you might forget the purpose of networking. If you know that two drinks is all it takes for you to start rambling chances are you should have one drink and then stick to water. Yes, it’s an informal event and everyone is having fun….guess what it’s still better to have control.

Networking is not limited to after work events. Network with social media. Read blogs and comment on blogs. Reach out to business and personal acquaintances for breakfast, lunch and coffee. It’s great to have one on one conversations to see what your network is working on. Help promote each other. Join associations and get involved on committees. Just joining and sitting in the background is a start but really get involved. You will be surprised how much more it helps your business.

Practice networking. The more you network the easier it becomes. You feel less awkward walking up strangers and introducing yourself. You realize you have nothing to lose. Start going to events with people you know and have them introduce you to people and do the same for them. Eventually you won’t mind going by yourself.

Networking is a great tool when used effectively! Good luck and go meet some new people!