Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter

Toyota became the no 1 car maker of the world because they were known for good quality products. Quality that people can trust. But then they had to recall their cars because of accelerator pedal issues, a very serious issue for Toyota that damaged their sales, brand and more important the Trust of their customers and potential customers. Trust is the 9th code of the Sales Ninja. When you have good quality products, we tell people about it because as consumers we want to brag about our wise choice to go with the brand we chose.

In our trainings we talk about Trust takes time to build - but can be gone in an instant. In this case for Toyota, people’s trust with their ‘quality’ products is gone so fast because of the accelerator issues. It’s going to be a tough ride for them because it takes A LOT of time to rebuild the trust again. Bottomline is this, as a seller, you put so much time and effort into building trust, don’t screw it up by breaking the trust by not delivering your promises, hyping the facts or what not. Be consistent Be competent.

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 onwards Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

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I’m in my office today. Someone rang my door so i went out and see who is it. It’s a directory sales woman in her forties. I opened my door and see what she has for me. She wants to give me a free directory, which i told her, “do you have a digital version?” She replied i can go to their website and download it, alright cool, i’ll do just that. She then asked me a qualifying question, not a very good one, but at least she tried, “do you want to advertise?” I replied…

Me: What’s the purpose of advertising?
She: Well, for people who do not know who you are, you get to reach this people. (this answer is good)
Me: Ok, but i think the directory won’t reach the people i want to reach.
She then launched into a mini pitch about how many thousands use their directory, bla bla…
Me: The new way to reach people is online, you see, i didn’t even want your directory even though it’s free.
She: Alright, we also have an online advertisements you can do. Millions visit bla bla…
Me: I’m currently not keen though but thanks for visiting me today.
She walks out.

I almost gave her a free sales training lesson. But i was busy preparing for my training tomorrow, i just let it be. Hope she reads this post to learn something. Here are some quick lessons:

>> I let her in my door, very seldom people are friendly (except for me =) when you walk door to door. She never build any rapport what so ever. All she is interested in 1: get rid of the heavy directories she is holding 2: try to promote her advertisements to me. Sales Ninjas will build rapport first. Just use common sense, you walk into someone’s office uninvited with no prior conversation or schedule and you expect to sell them on the spot? Be real!

>> She cares more about selling her stuff, which is what i call a Seller Focused Mindset. Talking how good her product is is about the Seller. She need to switch to a Buyer Focused Mindset. How?

>> Ask great questions. Questioning skill, or some call probing or interviewing or needs analysis skill is a skill that all sales people must be great at but apparently pretty weak in.

What sort of business are you in? I see you have some books and cds there (i have a display right in front of my office), what are they? Who are your clients? I asked because as a directory sales person, i see a lot of clients and they may need your sales training. Why don’t we keep in touch? Can i have your business card so i can refer to you anyone who is looking for training. (you give before you take).

You seem to be very successful (compliments and praise boost egos!), how do you plan to grow your business further? (Boom! this is a lead in to sell her advertisement to reinforce my strategies and plan – but of course she never cared to asked). I will then tell her, well i plan to A, B and C, which she should then come back, sounds great, it seems you know what you want to accomplish already, i have something that may be able to help you achieve some of your plans, i work by planning too, how about we schedule a time some time next week so i can come see you and understand more of what your business goals are and see if i am able to help you out. How does that sound?

If she uses the Sales Ninja approach, i will grant her a meet up on the spot! I only deal with professionals, not amateurs. And i’m sure i’m not the only one out there expecting the best.

>> Never argue or try to persuade or convince. When i said, this directory won’t reach the people i reach. She went into the ‘i also have an online version’ mode. Terrible. She should have clarified with me, “What makes you think so?” or “What have been your experience with our directory?” or “Which method do you prefer then?” If i say, i prefer online strategies. The most likely response from MOST sales people when they hear a need will be = Well, we also have online, bla bla.. Yuck! Sales Ninjas would go, why online? Is it ok you share with me some of what your online strategies are? Sales Ninjas always get information not just give information.

>> Never bother to get contact. Maybe i don’t have a need right now. How about 3 months from now? 6 months? 1 year from now? Sales people must understand they need to get in front of the buyers when buyers are ready to buy and not just when you want to sell. Buyer needs will be created by events or situations or great questioning techniques of a sales person. How is she going to sell me if she doesn’t even have my email or phone number? She thinks i don’t have a need (or rather she didn’t identify it), so don’t bother keeping in touch with this chap. Can i suggest it takes multiple contacts before a buyer wants to buy anything from the seller? Prospecting is not just about walking into someone’s door and hoping this person wants to buy from you. It’s keep prospecting, keep educating and keep keeping in touch.

Why so many sales people struggle out there? Because they have old sales mindsets and uses ancient sales methods and techniques. This was meant to be a short post but the more i write the more emotional i get. I hate to see sales people struggle. I love selling. I’m very successful at selling. Coming from the bottom of society if i can make it others can make it too! And that’s my goal, i will transform all these sales people into the ultimate sales professional – The Sales Ninjas!

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 onwards Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

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Junk food is like habits. The more you eat it the more it eats you. Habits come from practice. Procrastination is a habit. When ever someone needs to do something and he doesn’t, that’s practicing procrastination and that becomes a habit. When ever a sales person needs to ask for the order and he doesn’t, that’s practicing hesitation and that becomes a habit. After a while, their closing skills suck. And the root cause is identified!

Every once a while we eat junk food and that’s ok, it’s enjoyable. But would you eat junk food everyday for the rest of your life? Actually, some people would, but hey, most will not. So if you will not load junk food into your body everyday then why practice junk practices everyday? In Sales Ninja Warrior (a sales motivation breakthrough program), i talk about “when ever you feel like giving up, that’s the best time to continue!”. You see, one of the codes of the Sales Ninja is Commitment, it means getting things done regardless how painful it is or how tough it is, you persist and get things done because you are committed. Imagine you and your entire sales force practicing Commitment in everything that you all do? What would that do to your sales performance?

So begin practicing Commitment with yourself and then instill that to your sales team. What would happen if you do not?

The sales director of a client of mine had a best practice of following up on the minutes of meeting within 24 hours. Meaning after you meet a client, you return to your office, you need to send a summary of that meeting within 24 hours. The very first time i’ve met them, i came back and send the buying committee the summary. The sales director was so impressed that he forwarded my email to all his sales leaders (cc-ed me) that they should all do the same thing. My guess is this, the sales leaders themselves are not practicing the 24 hour MOM practice, would the sales team practice it? Not in a thousand years. That’s one junk food for the team. And eating this junk food for years result in lots of problems.

Practice the right things today!

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

   Click here to subscribe to Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter

I have a confession to make… Although i love the internet, i have not been spending enough time and effort on facebook. I typically only log into facebook once a week. I know i know, that’s like 10 years for some of you.

I was talking to my wife about this issue and she gave me a very good idea. She suggested why not i log in everyday and just post something on my facebook wall – could be an article i am writing about, a company that i am training, a company that i am exploring to train, something that hits me, what ever that is useful. That way, people in my facebook account can get updated with what’s happening with me. I totally agree with that.

In today’s world, some people prefer reading emails, some prefer rss feeds, some read direct from blogs, some through facebook and some prefer instant messengers. In Sales Ninja philosophy, we have a concept called multiple attacks! That’s means we must reach our target customers through multiple channels. I’m very good at this in the offline world and currently doing my bit online. And that’s my confession. So next year 2010, my strategy is more time and effort online to reach more people.

What? I’ve just disclosed my corporate strategy to the mass? Ok, more time and effort online is just pure common sense. I know many people don’t even have blogs and don’t even know how to use one. So i’m ‘kinda’ a little ahead. But anyway, i’m already doing about 2 to 3 post a week on my blog, so that’s pretty ok. On twitter? More time and effort on that as well. I think facebook should be the key because of it’s large number of network. So right now, i’m going over to facebook and post a link to this post! Hey, that’s leverage! And then i’m going over to twitter to post a link back here. One post, 3 places, can’t be that hard to do this everyday right?

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

   Click here to subscribe to Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter

Few years ago I did a 3 days sales training for a relatively large company. When i arrived at their company i was briefed by the HR head that the CEO will drop by at the end of the training to do the closing and boosting. I said that’s great. It was 4pm on day 3, the training is scheduled to end at 5pm and i still don’t see the CEO. So i went over and asked the HR head what time specifically will the CEO arrive so i can end on time for his speech. He said…

Oh, i just gave him a call and he said he can’t make it. It was a Sunday and the CEO was held up by his family at the shopping mall and based on the traffic he can’t leave the mall. So the HR head was assigned to do the closing and boosting on behalf of the CEO. Amazing isn’t it? This company was undergoing a major change in their compensation plans and strategy and i was called in to improve the skill sets of the sales team. I sincerely hoped they will succeed, but looking at the ‘Commitment’ level of the CEO, i feel a different outcome will be achieved rather than the one they envisioned.

I cannot stress enough the code of the Sales Ninja – Commitment. Sales Ninja lives by 10 codes: abundance, courage, commitment, contribution, duty, focus, honor, honesty, trust and improvement. When one have committed to do something, it must be done. In warrior days, warriors rather die than break their commitments. But apparently modern days, words are cheap. People say things they don’t mean. They don’t deliver what they say.

So if you are sitting at a sales leaders’ position, i have two principle for you as a Sales Ninja Shogun (Sales Ninja Shogun is a 3d/2n experiential Sales Leadership Program. Shogun is a Japanese word for leader).

1 – Your sales team’s result is your result!

Explained briefly: if your sales team is not performing, you failed as a sales leader.

2 – You must get things done through others!

Explained briefly: you may be in the sales director or gm or ceo role and may not directly manage your sales force, but guess what, if you didn’t build your Shogun Managers to build your sales team, you failed as a sales leader.

I am privileged because in 2010, i will be working with 60 different sales leaders to transform their sales force. Sales transformation begins at the top. No blaming sales team. Sales leaders step up first.

Unconventionally,
HANZO NG
Sales Ninja Grandmaster

© 2009 Sales Ninja Training. All Rights Reserved.

Hanzo Ng is Sales Ninja Grandmaster, lingo for Chief Trainer of Sales Ninja Training, Asia’s #1 Unconventional Sales Training. Sales Ninja Training specializes in helping small-medium, listed and global companies transform their sales people into the ultimate sales professional known as Sales Ninja. For more information on our sales, motivation and leadership trainings, visit http://www.SalesNinja.com

   Click here to subscribe to Sales Ninja Killer Newsletter