The Endangered Sales Person’s Path to Longevity
by
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Given the extent of confusion in the world today, the pervasive epidemic of loss of trust and civility, is it any wonder that the sales person does not have the same value he or she once enjoyed? Perhaps the opportunity is ripe for the sales person to re-emerge as a necessary element in the core business formula. However, the return must begin from the very beginning of basics and fundamentals before timely, relative, and effective methods and processes to satisfy the new attitudes of today’s “digital” customer can be enacted. ### Control is now in the hands of the buyer. Buyers now provide each other with more brand information than before. They learn their needs for products and services, and, whether or not those products and services are needed in the first place. They have become digitally knowledgeable. Not only do they prefer not to interact with the sales person for information and post purchase follow up, they no longer need to. Much of the present technology has kept the sales person from engaging initial face to face contact, from establishing confidence, from presenting competence, and from validating value and overcoming objections from real time, real world experience. ### Changes in the business climate have not been lost on a battalion of sales trainers, motivators, and process seminar companies. A quick look at just the first two Google pages of these should have one scratching his or her head. These companies report that they have presented new, sure fire techniques as well as successfully trained and motivated literally thousands and thousands of sales people across the country and each company announces ownership of the number one position. Thousands and thousands? If that were true, why is it that more than two thirds of the sales people today do not make quota? And again, if that were true, why is it that the major concern sales management has about investing in these events is that, shortly thereafter, many, if not all, of their sales people have either forgotten or do not apply what they experienced at company expense? The best way to overcome these problems is to re-examine the basics, the fundamentals of the generic sales process as to establish a firm baseline of knowledge upon which the salesperson can re-establish successful methods for today’s markets as well as absorb and apply (if found to be resonant) what was presented at the seminars and training events he or she may attend. ### The book is based on the philosophy of Tao and Occam’s Razor Theory, both of which are grounded in simplicity. It presents and dissects what makes a top performer and examines the steps of the generic sales process, that, regardless of all the psychological and futuristic rhetoric, are difficult to separate from the reality of the process. ### Of all employed sales people in this country (approx. 12.3% of the total employed population) studies have indicated that some 55% should not be in sales at all, and of the remaining, 64% are in the wrong sales job. Considering this country spends some one trillion dollars on sales forces annually, one might make the case that half of that is wasted. It follows then, that helping prospective and existing sales people come to the conclusion that either they should not be in sales or are in the wrong sales job, has to have value to the company bottom up in terms of time, potential lost business, and money ill-spent. Of the studies researched, 50% of sales managers report they are too busy to train or develop their sales force; 50% of sales people have no planned approach, and 50% of sales people have no playbook…and the entire book explains that deliberately vetting plans and planning each step of the sales cycle is most prudent. The average American company spends $12000-$15000 to hire a sales person but only an average of $2000 to train them. It is an indictment that from the start, many sales people begin at a disadvantage. ### Inbound marketing and inside sales have increased exponentially as technology advances, again rendering previous sales methods and strategies obsolete. Who needs a sales person when one can conduct the entire transaction online? However, there is one truth in sales that is indestructible: people buy from people. And therein also lays the impact of the latest generations, clearly more cyber savvy than their predecessors they have, by default, changed the face of sales. The book talks specifically and frequently about taking ownership of whatever needs be done, in an individualistic manner. It further provides a technique and exercise to help the sales person connect with who he or she is and how to make the subject distinctively personal. After all, people buy from people and no one will listen to someone who does not appear to be genuine. The book endeavors to help the sales person evaluate and benefit from the organic capacities he or she may possess. Either it exists or it doesn’t The internet is crowded with information about selling: how to techniques; psychology of selling; psychology of buyers; how to read body language to your advantage; consultant selling, solution selling, commodity selling, financial selling, prospecting, closing, qualifying, training, consultant services, and on and on and on. Find what you like, see if you can make it yours; if it resonates, try it. To imply that the methods herein are the only ones that work would be the height of conceit and erroneously proselytizing. Let us come to understand why the new sales mantra may well be: question, listen, keep it simple, and make it yours. ### Some time ago, I was delivering one of my seminars to a sales team in the mid-west. It was winter and the snow was falling. I live in Florida and enjoy a tan year round. One of the sales people in the audience said: “Look at your tan; you obviously don’t work very hard.” I responded: “You are correct, I don’t work very hard. I work smart.”
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About the Book
“What a piece of work is a salesperson, to work with people who many times defy reason, when having to master infinite skills and labors, including to think, act, speak, dance, and overall, perform well while endeavoring to present a form and image delightful, pleasing, and acceptable to the potential customer? Yes, an angel, a god, a conundrum” (John Fabiano). With concern for the future of the salesperson who is at risk of disappearing from core business processes due to the explosion of technology and changing attitudes, John Fabiano presents a consideration for success and longevity, different from traditional sales doctrine, emphasizing a return to sales basics and fundamentals as a starting point for the individual salesperson to retune his or her efforts and methods. Fabiano speaks from experience and research of contemporary findings that clearly indicate sales today is losing not only value but also necessity. He believes there are ways for the salesperson to come off of the “endangered list,” but such will require working smart and building on a foundation that works simply and ethically and is distinctively owned by each individual. “Sales is not a battle, a war, or an athletic competition . . . Such assume that the customer is the enemy, the opposition, and is to be defeated, implying that the salesperson is the winner and the customer is the loser. That doesn’t make sense when the object of the exercise is to provide the best and most reasonable solution to satisfy the customer’s needs. Sales is a simple process with altruistic overtones and shading and needs not be complicated when reasonable and ethical people collaborate to enact responsible and mutually effective business agreements.” Praise for The Endangered Sales Person’s Path to Longevity “As one who has toiled successfully on both sides of the office door—sales consulting and sales management—reading this book felt like a great affirmation of all the best things I’ve learned from my mentors over the decades, minus all the bad stuff” (Patrick Cuccaro, managing director, Affairs to Remember Caterers, Small Business Advisory Council alum, Yelp!; past chairman of the board, Georgia Restaurant Association Advisory Board, Special Events Magazine).
About the Author
John Fabiano put himself through college working summers at yacht clubs and marinas in the Hamptons. He graduated college with degrees in the arts and theatre and post graduate degrees in Performing Arts Management and Play Direction and was a Graduate Fellow at Wayne State’s prestigious Hilberry Repertory Theatre. Prior to entering the corporate world, he developed audiences for several different performing arts venues.
He has said that the business of show business is simple as it is “an ass in every seat, providing there is a good product on the stage.”
In his lifetime he has sold radio advertising, vacuums, violets, Volvos, and other various products and services. He owned a billiard parlor-tavern, held credentials as a financial advisor, taught special education in an autistic unit, and delivered seminars on pre-need funeral arrangements.
He ascended from the position of a sales engineer directly to increasing levels of sales management, eventually reaching the position of National Sales Manager for a global communications company. During that period he consistently qualified for performance above plan recognitions and bonuses.
A former avid sailor and fisherman, John, (who goes by “Doc” to his friends) has traveled extensively, cruised the Bahamas, fished a couple of oceans and seas, swam with and lassoed sharks in Bora Bora, was awed by the Northern Lights in Anchorage, witnessed the green sunset flash from Moorea, watched Mona Kea erupt from a small plane, and lounged, beer in hand, in a hammock watching a Tahitian dance group rehearse on a black sand beach in Papeete among other eclectic experiences.
He got his first writing job at 16, covering the waterfront for his hometown weekly newspaper for the grand sum of $.50 a column inch.
Today an artist and writer, John lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife, Beth, herself a top performer in her industry.
“Buy the ticket, take the ride.” Hunter S. Thompson