Shoulda’, Coulda’, Woulda’: What's In It For Me (aka WIIFM)

You try a SAYA sale and it doesn't work the way it was supposed to.

1. What actually happened and why? 
2. I wish I woulda’...!
3. Now that it’s over, what could I do? 

Send me a selling situation you’ve encountered that didn’t go the way you expected. I’ll attempt an autopsy what could help you and others to avoid those pitfalls. 📧 [email protected]

When we begin working with salespeople or sales companies, one of the very important components is the installation and effective use of sales and sales department “tools”. These include:

• The CRM (data storage and management software to warehouse and generate reports about all things prospect and client related.
• The Pipeline (a visual representation of where all your valued opportunities are in the sales process.)
• The Scorecard (a tool for tracking the cadence for daily activity, to control sales behavior toward goals and matched expectations)
• The Narrative (the Salesperson’s digestion, consolidation, and reporting, on a consistent basis, of his/her activities, productivity, and salesmanship)

Shortly after his company enrolled him in the Sales Club, I got an email from Aldo. I could smell the angst through the ether! “Why do I have to spend my time putting all this information in the CRM. I’m not really very good at this IT stuff, it’s a duplication of effort (I use a notebook that I carry with me and my own system of sticky notes to hit the highpoints.) Besides, I know where I am in relation to my clients as we go through my sales process, and Mary (his sales manager) doesn’t need to know til I close the sale. She just pesters me; hell, micromanages me about what’s going on! They’re my people, anyway!”

 Phew! Now there was a load of head trash waiting to get out!

 So, Aldo some answers, many of which you don’t want to hear!

1. They are not “your people”. Unless you are an independent consultant or manufacturer’s rep and being paid on a 1099, or some other weird arrangement, despite the base pay or salary you receive, your company owns the opportunities generated even if you generate them yourself while in their employ.
2. It doesn’t sound like your “system”, although it probably seems to work for you, would help someone who needed to take over your opportunities in your absence. (I know you don’t plan to get hit by a bus, but…)
3. Speaking of time, how much is spent chatting informally when the sales manager asks how things are going with ABC, Co.? Her time AND yours!
4. And one more thing, Aldo. You mention micromanaging. This mythical creature
   called “The Micromanager” occurs in only 3 instances:
   • You have an amateur sales manager for whom the only management style is data collection.
   •  Your sales results are not up to expectations, and you must be managed tightly till you improve.
   •  Your CRM, pipeline, scorecard and narratives are not reliably available, and the manager must “chase” you to have information about what you’re doing.

So, Aldo, reporting sales behaviors and progress isn’t just a chore - it’s a way for salespeople to secure resources, get better coaching, protect their deals, and earn more trust and opportunity inside the organization. Here’s a snapshot of the WIIFMs all salespeople can derive from keeping their CRMs and other data sharing tools up to date!

If I was Aldo’s sales leader, I would say (kindly, of course) Take the next couple of days and get your CRM and other tools up to date and running! Let’s speak on Friday at 3 and go over the completed information. The juice is worth the squeeze!