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3 Reasons Why Major Account Copier Reps Are Setting Themselves Up For Failure

 

Failure and success live with us as major account copier reps. View it as the two headed monster. You can’t have one without the other.

SETTING THE TABLE OF FAILURE

The best major account copier reps don't close every prospect. In most cases, it would be fair to say they don't even close on the majority of the prospects.

Why I am being so harsh?

Major account copier reps have developed the dreaded disease called lackitis prospectitus.

These dreaded disease attacks 1 out of every 2 major account copier reps. Lackitis Prospectitus doesn't happen overnight. It is a slow growing, self-induced disease. Through years of scientific research I have pinpointed the cause, identified the culprit and even created a name for the culprit.

Allow me to introduce you to... Managementus Enablementus - otherwise known as enablement by management. 

When major account copier reps spend a majority of their time managing their lease portfolio's, moaning and groaning about how busy they are, not paying attention to net-new business because of all the "stuff" they are doing while then being rewarded extravagant President's Club trips, I call this Managementus Enablementus.

The way it is now is the not the way it will be

THE HARSH REALITY

Article upon article on sales tells us how it is harder than ever to sell. The buyer is now in control and ignores sales reps throughout most of their buying journey according to industry pundits. Major account copier reps are still stubbornly trying to sell in chronological order and dictate their sales process to their clients or prospects.

The modern buyer has evolved. They are much more sophisticated in the way they evaluate their buying options as well as their buying decisions. Less major account copier reps are making their quotas year after year. Let alone developing net-new business.

More sales deals are ending up in “no decision” status than ever before. Deal sizes are dwindling. All these sales metrics by industry pundits are very sobering for major account copier reps but this doesn’t mean you simply accept this and effectively give up! Unfortunately, most of you have given up. You have let complacency, your ego and yes fear set in.

What if major account copier reps examined the way they engaged and sold? Is it conceivable they could sell smarter and more effectively than they are today? The status quo, not only is it working it’s getting worse as a major account copier rep; fight back and look for better ways to improve your results.  Rather than simply lamenting, bitching and moaning - let’s do something about it.

Start doing something about now! A great place to start is a mouse-click away...

3 REASONS WHY MAJOR ACCOUNT COPIER REPS ARE SETTING THEMSELVES UP FOR FAILURE

Your mind plays a huge factor on your ability to succeed or fail. If you’re afraid to fail, you’ll stop yourself from trying new things. You will miss out on having the opportunity to broaden your skill set as well as try a wide variety of new experiences to help you grow as a sales rep. Take a deep breath and be willing to take the leap.

Ask yourself:

“What can I gain, what do I want to learn, and what opportunity will be lost if I prevent myself from taking new actions?”

FAILURE TO ADOPT A NEW MINDSET

Staying ahead with new ideas and trends within the office technology world while adopting new competencies or skills represent the basics in sales development to help reps remain competitive in a rapidly changing business environment. Being open to new ideas and approaches does not come easily. In fact, change rattles the cage of most major account copier reps as without the right mindset, learning will not occur.

Major account copier reps must develop the mind of a champion. They must adopt and develop a growth mindset.

Successful major account copier reps who adopt a growth mindset thrive by treating their minds like muscles, stretching and developing them to learn new things. Failure is not being able to move forward and seize the opportunities to stretch for the things one values.

A growth mindset is based on the belief you can cultivate your ability to learn. It’s not about getting things right the first time, it’s about learning something over time. This is what you as tenured major account copier reps must realize, in order to succeed inside this highly connected, rapidly changing digitally business world, you must adopt a new mindset.

FAILURE TO ADAPT TO CHANGE

In today's sales environment, the gap between relevance and obsolescence is growing wider every day. If major account copier reps are to stay relevant then they must adapt to change. They must do so before "change" beckons the call.

I leave you to ponder this picture for a moment...

In order for major account copier reps to stay relevant they must get connected, connected with their current clients and more importantly connected with future clients. They must adapt and self-educate themselves with emerging trends inside their industry; to anticipate new direction and foresee the writing on the wall which demands innovation.

Major account copier reps set themselves up for failure because they fail to adapt to emerging threats, their competition.

"If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less."
General Eric Shinseki

Major account copier reps stay relevant and adapt to their changing environment by:

  • Welcoming and learning from failure
  • Asking for help and soliciting feedback
  • Becoming voracious learners through self-education
  • Becoming focused on the process of growth
  • Becoming extremely accountable to themselves and their clients
  • Checking their ego at the door

FAILURE TO BUILD AND TAP INTO THEIR SOCIAL NETWORKS

Sales in all facets has evolved immensely in the last 5-10 years. We can thank the internet and Google for driving much of the change. It is unfortunate, as many major account copier reps along with their dealerships are wrestling with how to adapt their selling effort to these changes.

One huge area major account copier reps are setting themselves up for failure is not effectively building and tapping into their social networks.

Reality, like it or not, the presence of all types of social whether it is social media, social selling or social networks is here to stay. It is not going away any time soon. If anything it is getting bigger and all more encompassing as it intertwines into our daily sales lives.

Believe it or not a vast majority of your clients and prospects are online.

Your social networks as a major account copier rep, offer an excellent opportunity for you to demonstrate your expertise. Yes, I know it is a tricky endeavor as you try to manage your time and patience levels but failure to cultivate your social networks will become your recipe for disaster.

Traditional techniques are still alive and well albeit some time consuming limiting the exposure a rep can achieve within their client base. Social in all aspects enables major account copier reps to expand their reach exponentially simply by using technology allowing them to socialize on a grander scale.

Adapt the mindset and skill set as you tap into your social networks for help in growing your business. Consider these three things:

  • Find out where your clients and prospects hang out online
  • Listen, listen and continue to actively listen to what is being said online
  • Reach out, start conversations, build relationships geared towards moving offline

In the sales world of today, intelligence is key. Social is changing and influencing the way your clients and prospects view you as a major account copier rep. You need to know how to engage them. This is the harsh new reality of sales my major account friends.

ONE LAST THING

My question to all major account copier reps and their managers, why are you allowing and accepting a failure to adopt and adapt growth mindset thus settling for the sales status quo. This is equivalent to a sales jail death sentence.

You all must set aside and squash “that’s the way we’ve always done it”mindset. This would be acceptable if your sales conversion rates for profitable net-new business was 2-3X higher year over year. We know the harsh reality as your sales death spiral hits you by not adopting, adapting and leveraging your social networks for business growth.

I understand where you all are coming from. I have walked and continue to walk a day in a life of your shoes.

I am fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social selling aspects into your current sales process to grow net-new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way.

"Sales reps, trying to set yourself apart from other reps in a competitive industry where most manufacturers are basically offering “like for like” products is extremely difficult, so this is where Larry and his social selling strategies come in to play. The strategies that Larry delivered will NOT deliver results overnight, however even after a only few months I can see the benefits of the longer term strategy starting to manifest into positive results." Matt Corscadden, Konica Minolta Australia

In 2016, Larry was recognized by ENX Magazine, “The Difference Maker” as someone who is making a difference inside the copier channel. Larry is passionate about helping sales reps succeed in creating their online brand image

You can find more blog posts inside the Social Sales Academy website.

I appreciate getting the opportunity to share my LinkedIn stories. Integrating the use of LinkedIn was my “game-changer” in the highly competitive copier world. With great pride I transform, coach and inspire B2B Office Technology Sales Professionals to grow net new business by helping them tell their story and communicate on LinkedIn. My commitment is to help office technology dealers thrive in a changing marketplace. You can follow me on LinkedInTwitter, as well as at the Social Sales Academy

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