If you do everything to the best of your ability and follow best practices for a new sales person you can still have;

• A territory that will never perform
• A market or product dramaticly shift
• Ownership or Management change
• Fundamental changes in commission structure
• Oppressive micro management
• A dysfunctional sales force

In each case you will need to determine if you can overcome the situation or if you need to get out all-together.

At the end of my last post I used the term ‘fog’ as in “The Fog of War” a term used to describe being in a situation that does not allow for perspective.  I often don’t know what I should be doing or if I’m doing things correctly… I’ve been trained and I’m following my training but I don’t know that what I’m doing is correct or best practice.

Being new in an office is very different to being new in outside sales. In an office one can observe and mimic others as well ask quick simple questions anytime… I played phone tag with my manager for most of the day today. In outside sales you are alone for most of your first 90 days and being alone with everything new the fog can envelop you.

The good thing is when a fog lifts it was like it was never there, you don’t remember it and the day can seem more clear then ever.

I was listening to a sports radio show in the car, they were talking about a player who was a franchise player in a small market who was then traded and didn’t do as well with his new team at first.  I was quickly seeing parallels with my situation, I was a key person in a small company and didn’t like where I was going and  didn’t see a ‘championship’ in the future. I asked for the ‘trade’ as did this player and I feel that I’m struggling a bit in my new role.

The radio guys then talked about how the player had turned his play around in the last few weeks and how there is an adjustment period with a new roll, new team and ultimately remembering who you were. Right now I’m buried in paperwork, e-mails, meeing new people and making mistakes… so much is happening that I cannot remember who I was… I’m looking forward to being out of the ‘fog‘ of beign new.

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I traveled with my Manager last week visiting accounts in my territory that I had setup.  I don’t think my manager likes me that much and this week she quit smoking… her attitude towards everything was less than encouraging. Her tone of voice was negative or condescending with everything she said… I’ve seen this before however this week was bad.

I think she has several reasons to not like me… she’s not known as a friendly person and may not like others, she didn’t have much to do with hiring me, I’m a man… she gloats about the other women in the company and really focuses on the female contacts in my territory, being a man I’ve quickly entered the ‘boys club’ that makes up our upper management… that can’t be good from her point of view.

I hope that she either starts smoking again or I can improve our relationship over time… I don’t like where it’s going.

The SalesMachine blog is great, Geoffrey James has perceptive insight into sales and posts almost daily.  Recently he linked to a Body/Mind presentation that I agree with and would like to share with you.  I recently installed a chin-up bar above the door in my home office, it has allowed me to get quick upper body workouts in just minutes a day… I need a healthy body to keep up with the new position.

I have been thinking of the recent advice I’ve received along with all the sales training and knowledge I have collected over the last 12 years and I’ve come to a conclusion.

Appointments are the key to success.

Book appointments… it’s that simple, if you can book appointments you will be successful and I have math to prove it.

Unintelligent slob + few appointments = unsuccessful

Unintelligent slob + most appointments in the organization = successful for an unintelligent slob

Polished and persuasive + few appointments = unsuccessful

Polished and persuasive + most appointments in the organization = highly successful

Before you start your new, better outside sale job you need to quit your current one. When you give your notice you will either be walked out or asked to work your two weeks.

You should prepare for both scenarios no matter what relationship you have or think you have with your employer. The key to both scenarios is to be professional and keep from burning bridges.

Every industry has its founders… they know everything and everyone, have nothing to gain and everything to offer. After you have gained some industry knowledge, book a lunch or coffee with a few of the founders. Be sure to listen… and do whatever you can to keep them talking.

I am now in a pattern of shadowing others… I know that it’s good for my training and overall preparedness… however I don’t need to have anyone questioning me about being scared to venture on my own.  I shadowed for my final time with ‘The Dude’ who is a easy-going guy with very natural people skills, comfortable to be around and likes to surf.

The Dude has the credentials and knows the product from a user and rep point of view. His sales approach is one of buying coffee’s and answering questions when asked.  The couple of ‘business’ situations I did observe he took them with serious yet relaxed attitude… like trying to catch the next wave.  He wants to be a friend and give everyone the biggest discount or extended warranties without negotiation… he wasn’t looking for confrontation or angles.