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| Suzanne Paling, author of The Accidental Sales Manager |
Suzanne Paling is the principal and founder of Sales Management Services. She has over twenty years of experience in sales consulting, sales management, and sales for both field and inside sales organizations. Ms. Paling founded Sales Management Services in 1998 to provide practical advice to business executives, owners, and entrepreneurs seeking to increase their revenue and improve their sales organization’s performance.
1) Let's begin by talking about your book, The Accidental Sales Manager. What's the idea behind the book? Why did you write it?
In my consulting practice I work with presidents of small companies. Most manage the salesforce. None have any formal sales experience. Not one of them wants the responsibility of overseeing sales. When I first started my consulting practice in 1998 and had worked with 3 or 4 presidents, I began to notice the common frustrations they all experienced as they attempted to hire and train new salespeople as well as run the sales effort. The book addresses the 15 or so mistakes that these otherwise intelligent, hardworking executives make with the salesforce.
2) In a short sentence, who should read your book? What kind of advice should they be looking for?
2) In a short sentence, who should read your book? What kind of advice should they be looking for?
Any executive who finds themselves "accidentally" managing the sales department and doesn't have the training or experience to do so. Most commonly, this would be the president of the company, though sometimes other executives take on the job. They should be looking for budget-friendly advice about what salespeople (especially newly hired salespeople) need to do their job effectively. As well, the book offers tips, forms, templates and checklists to guide them as they make the changes I suggest.
3) On the other hand, who shouldn’t? What will readers NOT find in your book?
3) On the other hand, who shouldn’t? What will readers NOT find in your book?
This book is not for a salesmanager working for a large corporation. Bigger companies have a training program, protocol, systems and processes in place that they will need to follow. Readers will not find a long-winded philosophical treatise on sales management. I don't analyze and question every aspect of the subject. The advice I give in the book is straightforward, practical and actionable.
4) What's the first thing someone should do after reading your book?
If they're hiring a new salesperson, they should put together a schedule for the rep's first 2-3 weeks. Have them work with an employee in every department in the company - at least for a brief period of time. During these 2 weeks, make sure the rep learns how to use the sales software, give a product demonstration and can answer most customer questions before they start calling on customers.
As far as the current sales staff goes, they should create a sales reporting system including a productivity report, pipeline report and sales forecast at the very least. Manage the effort. Make sure that the reps are turning in good quality reports on a regular basis.
About your preferences:
5) Besides your own website (http://www.salesmanagementservices.com), what other sales websites would you recommend?
5) Besides your own website (http://www.salesmanagementservices.com), what other sales websites would you recommend?
- Stop Telling Start Selling
by Linda Richardson
- Ask Questions Get Sales
by Stephan Schiffman
- Selling to VITO
- Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions
by Keith Rosen
About you:
7) How did you get started in sales?
7) How did you get started in sales?
I started my sales career in HBA. I covered the New England states (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire) for a perfume company.
8) Most memorable sale?
8) Most memorable sale?
The perfume company I was working for designed a display piece containing perfume, lotion, and body powder. I thought it would be ideal for a large customer of mine in Maine. I presented it to them and they turned the idea down flat. I couldn't believe it. Several hours after the sales meeting, I gave the buyer a call. I told him I thought the display piece was tailor made for their stores and that I was stunned when he said no to the proposal. He agreed and ended up buying display pieces for almost every store. It was a good lesson in never giving up.
9) Most disastrous sale (or funny situation)?
9) Most disastrous sale (or funny situation)?
For years, I called on an independent department store. The buyer loved my product and placed large orders. It just so happened that I really liked the clothes they sold. One day I arrived a little bit early to do some shopping before meeting with the buyer. I purchased several outfits. During our meeting the buyer placed an uncharacteristically low order. I was surprised and disappointed. When I got home and looked at my receipt, I realized I'd spent more in clothes at their store than they purchased from me. It was unbelievable.
About your work as a sales expert:
10) What is the biggest mistake you see as a sales expert?
Salespeople talk too much and don't ask enough questions.
11) What is the best sales advice you have ever received?
11) What is the best sales advice you have ever received?
Keep your questions open ended (can't be answered with a yes or no).
Ex: Do you like our product? (closed) versus What are your impressions of our product so far? (open).
12) What are you working on right now that makes you feel energized? What's your next big project?
Several of my clients are ready to hire again and that's very motivating to me. Right now I'm helping one client hire their first dedicated sales rep and another hire their first sales manager. Both of these clients have realized the revenue growth to justify these newly created positions. I'm honored that they asked me to help them.
13) What is the best testimonial/comment you have ever received?
12) What are you working on right now that makes you feel energized? What's your next big project?
Several of my clients are ready to hire again and that's very motivating to me. Right now I'm helping one client hire their first dedicated sales rep and another hire their first sales manager. Both of these clients have realized the revenue growth to justify these newly created positions. I'm honored that they asked me to help them.
13) What is the best testimonial/comment you have ever received?
Whenever a client tells me that I've made their professional lives less stressful by helping them to create a more organized and structured sales environment it really makes my day. That's why I do what I do.
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To know more about Suzanne Paling, author of The Accidental Sales Manager, please visit http://www.salesmanagementservices.com
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