The Luxury Of Choice - Sales Skills Podcast

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In this episode of the Luxury of Choice podcast, host Steve Vaughan, along with fellow sales trainer Jonathan Cooper and Debbie Airey, delve into the complexities of the "player manager" role in sales. In other words, both managing a sales team, whilst maintaining personal sales responsibility such as a territory, key account, product line, etc.
They discuss the challenges and benefits of balancing sales responsibilities with management duties, emphasizing the importance of time management, clear expectations, and effective coaching. The conversation highlights the need for strong customer relationships and the potential pitfalls of neglecting team dynamics. The episode concludes with practical advice for new sales managers and the significance of being attentive to both numbers and team needs.

• Being a player manager can be a great learning experience.
• Understanding the expectations from both management and the team is crucial.
• Time management is essential when balancing dual roles.
• Coaching is a key skill for any sales manager.
• Clear communication with customers is vital during field visits.
• It's important to listen more than you speak as a manager.
• Handling underperformance requires difficult conversations early on.
• Not every great salesperson is suited for management roles.
• Building trust within the team is essential for success.
• Asking for help should be encouraged in management.

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche and Jayne Green are Sales Trainers from george james ltd. You can email the show at: [email protected]
The trainers on LinkedIn:
Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/
george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

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In this episode, Steve Vaughan interviews Joe Keeler, the Managing Director of Belbin Ltd. They discuss the concept of Belbin team roles and how they can help teams work better together. The Belbin team roles theory originated from research conducted at Henley Business School in the 1960s and has since been applied in various industries. The theory identifies nine distinct clusters of behavior that are crucial for team performance. Each team member has a preferred team role, and understanding these roles can help teams identify gaps and optimize their performance. Belbin is a tool that helps teams understand their strengths and weaknesses by identifying nine different team roles. These roles include the Resource Investigator, Team Worker, Coordinator, Shaper, Implementer, Completer Finisher, Plant, Monitor Evaluator, and Specialist. Each role has its own unique characteristics and contributions to the team. Belbin can be used in various contexts, including team building, recruitment, and sales. It helps individuals become more self-aware and understand their impact on others. The future of Belbin lies in promoting the importance of teamwork and celebrating diversity within teams.
Key Takeaways:

• Belbin team roles theory originated from research conducted at Henley Business School in the 1960s.
• There are nine distinct clusters of behavior that are crucial for team performance.
• Each team member has a preferred team role, and understanding these roles can help teams identify gaps and optimize their performance.
• Managers should be realistic and recognize the strengths of each team member to effectively manage and get the most out of their team. Belbin helps teams understand their strengths and weaknesses through nine different team roles.
• It promotes self-awareness and helps individuals understand their impact on others.
• Belbin can be used in team building, recruitment, and sales strategies.
• The future of Belbin lies in promoting the importance of teamwork and celebrating diversity within teams.

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche and Jayne Green are Sales Trainers from george james ltd. You can email the show at: [email protected]
The trainers on LinkedIn:
Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/
george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

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On our latest interview show, Steve talks to Luke Evans from Heddway. Luke specializes in provided training for mental fitness and a positive mental approach. Luke tells Steve:

• How his personal journey from growing up in the Welsh Valley's to working as a trainer for a leading pharmaceutical company has led to him starting his own business to provide mental fitness training
• Why training skills is not enough; training attitude and approach is just as important!
• What is mental fitness and how does it differ from mental health
• How businesses can get an immediate ROI from mental fitness training in reducing lost hours due to stress and anxiety

Luke is very open about his personal challenges in learning to manage his anger and depression and how he taught himself to manage these challenges in a positive and productive way.
To find out more about Luke and Heddway:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/heddway/about/

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche and Jayne Green are Sales Trainers from george james ltd. You can email the show at: [email protected]
The trainers on LinkedIn:
Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/
george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

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In this episode of 'The Luxury of Choice', host Steve Vaughan, along with guests Jayne and Jonathan, delve into the common phrase 'my order is stuck in purchasing'. They explore the implications of this phrase on sales forecasting and revenue projections, the importance of understanding the buying process, and the necessity of engaging with purchasing teams early in the sales process to mitigate delays. The conversation emphasizes the human aspect of purchasing and the need for salespeople to build relationships with purchasing professionals to facilitate smoother transactions. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the intricacies of the buying process, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer relationships, particularly with purchasing departments. They discuss the challenges salespeople face, including fear and preparation, and highlight the significance of addressing terms and conditions early in the sales process. The conversation concludes with insights on leveraging purchasing departments as enablers in achieving sales goals.
Key Takeaways :

• The phrase 'my order is stuck in purchasing' often indicates a breakdown in communication between sales and purchasing.
• Salespeople should engage with purchasing teams early to understand their processes and requirements.
• Understanding the customer buying process is crucial for sales success.
• Building relationships with purchasing professionals can lead to smoother transactions.
• Salespeople often overlook the importance of the purchasing process in their sales strategy.
• Purchasing teams are not the enemy; they are part of the sales process.
• Salespeople should educate themselves on the buying process to better navigate it.
• Effective forecasting in sales requires close collaboration with purchasing teams.
• Purchasing can be overwhelmed by demands from both sales and internal teams.
• Engaging with purchasing early can help avoid delays and complications. Understanding the buying process is crucial for successful sales.

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche and Jayne Green are Sales Trainers from george james ltd. You can email the show at: [email protected]
The trainers on LinkedIn:
Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/
george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/

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In this episode, Steve, Pru and Jonathan discuss customer objections in the sales process. They define customer objections as concerns or disagreements raised by customers that can halt the sales process. They explore the reasons why customers raise objections, including misunderstandings, competitor influence, biased opinions, and the need for certainty before making a decision. The hosts emphasize the importance of clear communication and understanding customer perspectives. In this conversation, the team discuss the importance of understanding customer objections and concerns in the sales process. They emphasize that objections are actually good news because they indicate customer interest and provide an opportunity to address any doubts or uncertainties. They also highlight the distinction between real objections, which are genuine roadblocks, and false objections, which can be overcome or minimized. The hosts stress the need for salespeople to actively seek out objections early in the sales process and to ask probing questions to fully understand the customer's concerns. They also touch on the topic of price as a common false objection and the importance of handling objections with patience and empathy.
Takeaways

• Customer objections are concerns or disagreements raised by customers that can halt the sales process.
• Objections can arise due to misunderstandings, competitor influence, biased opinions, and the need for certainty before making a decision.
• Clear communication and understanding customer perspectives are crucial in addressing objections.
• Objections can be seen as opportunities and buying signals rather than obstacles. Objections are good news in the sales process as they indicate customer interest and provide an opportunity to address concerns.
• Salespeople should actively seek out objections early in the sales process and ask probing questions to fully understand the customer's concerns.
• There is a distinction between real objections, which are genuine roadblocks, and false objections, which can be overcome or minimized.
• Price is often a false objection, and salespeople should seek to understand the underlying reasons behind the objection.
• Handling objections requires patience, empathy, and a focus on seeking to understand the customer's perspective.

Steve Vaughan, Jonathan Cooper, Pru Layton, Christian Walter, Pascal le Floche and Jayne Green are Sales Trainers from george james ltd. You can email the show at: [email protected]
The trainers on LinkedIn:
Steve Vaughan https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-vaughan-salestrainer/
Jonathan Cooper https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cooper-18716b1/
Pru Layton https://www.linkedin.com/in/pru-layton-b46a3528/
Christian Walter https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-walter-a1857b1/
Jayne Green https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayne-green-salestrainer/
Pascal Le Floch-Riche https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-le-floch-220ba46/
george james training website https://georgejames-training.com/