International expert tips executives on sales performance

By Alfred Wandera

A renowned international sales expert, Craig Christensen, tipped sales executives drawn from the East African Community on sales performance.

Speaking at Serena Hotel in Kampala during a sales performance breakfast meeting, Christensen, observed the need for sales executive to understand the needs and interests of their clients before getting out to sell .

Franklin Covey Head of Sales and Practice, Craig Christensen talking during a breakfast presentation to sales representatives from East Africa, at Serena Conference Centre on February 10, 2015. PHOTO/ Kennedy Oryema

Franklin Covey is a sales performance consultancy firm based in the US, which has helped sales leaders and development professionals evolve sales teams to enhance performance, achieve sustainable results and gain the ultimate competitive advantage for the last 15 years.

“I have noticed globally that sales people do not listen; are focused on their own success and not their clients and they are not prepared for meetings. Simply, they do not know what their clients want,” said Christensen.

“I have been in sales since I was 8-years-old and I remember I used to move door-to-door of my neighbours asking them what they wanted. The question sales people must be asking themselves are: how do we capture someone’s interests without dialoguing with them?” added Christensen, 55.

He said with the advancement in technology and invention of social media, people have changed the way they buy.

“People don’t need to speak to us. They are getting information on internet and social media. So we need to change the way we sell. Maintaining the old selling strategies now cannot take us any far. What is important is helping our clients succeed. The passionately and skillfully we focus on creating success for our clients, the more successful we will be,” said Christensen.

Christensen said top sales performers have ability to focus in order to help their clients become successful.

“The moment a client associates you with their success, they are free and willing to open up to you about their needs. How do we ensure that our sales people achieve this? Although training is important, you need to do more than just training.  The answer is in changing people’s behavior.” said Christensen.

He maintained that great sales persons are not born, it is not about being intelligent to succeed, great sales people don’t have unique personalities and neither do they need experience. Rather, Christensen reiterated the need for sales people practicing sales in order to be on top of their games.

“You need to prioritize, prepare and plan. The ability to execute and implement is what makes the difference among sales persons,” he said.

Vision Group CEO, Robert Kabushenga talks during the Franklin Covey and Vision Group sponsored sales  performance practice presentation  at Serena Conference Centre on February 10 2015. PHOTO/ Kennedy Oryema
 

Vision Group CEO, Robert Kabushenga, who attended the event, said one does not need to have graduated with a business degree from the university to become a great sales person.

“Most CEOs think that looking at finance reports and attending meetings outside office is important and leads to great sales. I have realized that I need to spend every time with my sales people. Every day we are focusing on the results we want to achieve tomorrow,” said Kabushenga.

Kabushenga said the change in behavior at Vision Group has seen the company realize more sales in the previous six months than in the whole of last year.

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