The 3 Biggest Differences Between a Sales Leader and a Sales Manager

Effective sales management can be the difference between a company that thrives and a mediocre one that barely stays afloat. Yet, many of the best sales managers still mistake the description in their job title for something that is even more crucial to sales success - leadership. If anyone thinks for even one second that just because someone is given the job title of sales manager that they naturally become a leader, you need to think again. Sales Managers manager things, Sales Leaders lead people.

Leadership may seem like a simple concept, but it is in fact so complicated that it perplexes many of us. After all, leadership is so much more than just endless positivity, pick me up speeches and a charming disposition, just as sales management is more than simply assigning tasks, overseeing those tasks and reviewing performance reports.

One of the best definitions of leadership, as applied to sales, comes from former president Dwight D. Eisenhower. Eisenhower described leadership specifically as “the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because HE wants to do it.” Another famous definition comes from Peter Drucker, considered by many to be the foremost authority of modern management. Drucker was quoted saying that “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results, not attributes.”

Let’s tackle the first definition. Any sales manager worth his or her weight in water can simply use their authority to get their reps and underlings to perform their required tasks. I think we would all agree on that, but do we really want to lead a group of professional adults through the use of fear? I would say No.

What that would do is create a sense of obligation, rather than ambition. Constantly asking reps to do things can create a culture of resentment. Additionally, it is unlikely that tasks performed in such a negative setting will be executed at a maximum level of quality. Therefore, true leadership must entail getting your followers to buy-in and fully commit. They must believe in you, respect you, and in the best cases they feel a desire to impress you.

On the second point, sales success is mainly a function of results - how much product did you sell? Was it more than predicted? Are your book of business, the company and its revenue growing? All your sales leadership means little to nothing if the results aren’t there. That’s exactly why the best sales managers and sales leaders are also numbers-driven, relying on the end results as evidence of their effectiveness. Running their organizations analytically and by the numbers allows them to make stronger decisions based on real data, not assumptions or instinct.

Sales Leadership requires more of a long-term vision, while sales management largely occurs on the front lines, or the down-in-the-trenches level, sales leadership is more about setting a higher-level, big-picture vision and direction. Sales leadership is about being strategic as you lead your organization and comes about as a result of the sales leader setting their vision into motion while defining the culture of the sales organization. After all, they do author the sales plans, define, implement and communicate sales processes and sales effectiveness drivers, and author the sales playbook that communicates vision, strategy, processes and tactics.

Lastly, sales leaders must empower their sales managers and sales reps in order for them to succeed. Many times the GM - considered the upper tier of sales leadership in most organizations will often step on the toes of their sales managers, preventing them from properly executing tactics. As the great Ronald Reagan once said, “Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.”

Sales management is more about day-to-day execution and coaching teams to sell more effectively than actually leading the team. Sales leadership must be the one who extracts full buy-in and commitment from all members of the sales team below him or her, to the point where everyone sincerely wants to follow this leader and they have the utmost confidence in his or her vision.

Sales leadership is very critical to both the short term and long term success of your business. Without great sales leaders, businesses would suffer or even fail. The greatest thing a true leader can do is to produce more leaders. While the sales managers are not as powerful, or as important to the overall success of your business, according to the experts, developing your sales managers into great sales leaders should be your ultimate goal.

Thank you for reading. Feel free to comment or add anything to the story. I look forward to getting others feedback. 

Thank you,

Dennis Wagner

President & CEO
TheDennisWagner.com

www.thedenniswagner.com

https://about.me/dennis_wagner

5 Easy Steps to Building a Great Personal Brand

Your personal brand is how you appear to the others around you, It's how you appear to the world. Therefore, it serves to reason that a strong brand is preferable to one that is unpolished and boring.

Once people know who you are and begin to identify you with a specific area of understanding or expertise, you'll be well on your way to becoming the go-to person in your industry.

The BIG question is, how do you become more recognized? How do you build your authority and your following?

If you're looking to build your personal brand, here are five easy ways to go about building a brand you can be proud of.

1. Understand and be your authentic self.

Imagine how hard it would be to build a brand around your "fake" self. You would have to act a certain way, appear a certain way, and say certain things, regardless of how you felt about it. Some professionals suggest going about building a personal brand by shaping and molding what others see, but this is exhausting to maintain in the long run.

Your brand should be a reflection of who you are. Do you know what you believe? What you stand for? What your strengths and weaknesses are?

Never forget, that people connect with other people. If you don't appear to be a real person, or if it just looks like you're faking it, how likely do you think others are to trust you? Even if they do buy into your fake persona for a while, the slightest bit of inconsistency could prove problematic.

Building a personal brand is first and foremost developing an understanding of your true self, and then sharing that with the world. Take your masks off and don't be afraid of being vulnerable.

2. Speaking engagements.

If you're looking to build your brand, then you should be speaking on a regular basis. Naturally, this will mean developing your communication skills. If you speak in exactly the same manner others do, you will never stand out from the crowd.

Speak from a place of knowledge and power. Show that you know what you're talking about, and answer questions in a way that serves your audience.

Show that you are confident. Some may criticize or disagree with you. The important thing is to remain open to feedback. Thank others for sharing their views, and if the points they raised were legitimate, determine how you can improve and do better next time.

Speaking engagements are opportunities to be seen and heard. Start small, and keep building. You may not land high-quality speaking engagements off the bat, but if you keep swinging, you'll build your following and get invited to speak at bigger, more notable events and conferences. Buckle down and offer the greatest amount of value you possibly can everywhere you go.

3. Write thought leadership articles and participate in interviews.

Thought leadership articles and interviews establish your credibility. As with speaking engagements, landing the best opportunities takes time and effort, but if you remain open to what comes your way, pretty soon you'll be showing up everywhere.

Take a look at the press coverage we've received to date. Anybody who regularly hangs out online should be aware of many of the brands listed there, but even if they aren't, they probably know about publications and media outlets like Fox News and Time. This shows that others see you as an authority.

In addition to that, here's an example of an interview I’ve done, covering one of the topics FE International is most known for; selling websites.

Getting an "in" with the media, online publishers and publications can prove challenging. However, it is a powerful way to show that you know what you're talking about. Every outlet you build a connection with increases your brand authority.

Related: 9 Things True Thought Leaders Always Do

4. Build your online presence.

Do you know how you're appearing and coming across online? This is something you're going to want to monitor on an ongoing basis, and improve upon whenever and wherever possible.

Do you have social media profiles? If so, are they fully fleshed out with all of your information? Do they present you in the best light possible, and make you look professional? Are you using high-quality professional photography? Are you interacting with others and sharing their content?

Do you have a website for your personal brand? One of the best ways to rank in search for your name is to build a website. This gives you considerably more control over your online presence than social media. It can't hurt to add new content to your site on a regular basis, either. You can get a domain with this GoDaddy coupon for just 99 cents – so there’s no excuse to delay. Try to buy your own name if you can.

Don't forget to Google yourself regularly to see how you're coming across, how others might be perceiving you, and what they're saying about you. You'll have a tough time building a great personal brand without making a real effort to monitor and tweak it.

5. Remain a student of your industry.

No matter how well you know your industry or area of expertise, it would be wise to remember that things are changing at a faster rate than ever before, and you have to stay up-to-date with the latest changes and trends.

It takes time to build your personal brand. If you fail to stay relevant, all of your effort will be wasted. If you don't want to be discredited, then you'll want to keep a steady supply of articles, trade journals, blogs, and books on hand.

It also pays to learn new things, develop new skills, and to expand your knowledge. If you're not growing, then you're stagnating, and that's the last thing you want to do as an entrepreneur.

Odds are you already know how important it is to stay on top of your game, but a friendly reminder never hurt anyone.

As you begin to sharpen your personal brand, the right opportunities will start coming your way. People will begin to see that you're know what you're taking about, and they'll invite you to be a part of their stories or news pieces.

However, don't forget how important it is for you to have accomplished something yourself. You can't talk about what you haven't done, because that will take away from your personal brand. Be open about your shortcomings and weaknesses. This will make you all the more human and relatable.

Here Are 10 Ways Weak Managers Try To Bully You

1. A weak manager will tell you that your education and training is sub-par. Even though it was more than adequate when they hired you.

2. A weak manager will remind you that no matter how reasonable your ideas are, they are not in line with the company’s direction and therefore should be squelched. Even though upper management has never seen or heard anything about your wonderful ideas.

3. A weak manager will warn you that if you share your opinions with other people in the company, you’ll embarrass yourself. 

4. A weak manager will tell you that you must funnel all communication through them, rather than directly to your intended recipient.

5. They’ll tell you not to speak at cross-departmental meetings, but to let them represent your department and its views.

6. A weak manager will rewrite your report or presentation and put their own name on it.

7. A weak manager will assign someone to train you on a subject you could teach, yourself.

8. They will swoop in and second-guess your work, making tiny corrections to everything you do so you’ll remember who’s the boss and who isn’t.

9. A weak manager will tell you that other managers have said negative things about you, to keep you off-balance.

10. Lastly, a weak manager will criticize you at every opportunity and never, ever praise your work – but when you succeed, they’ll praise themselves for hiring you!

These types of behavior results directly in uncommonly high employee turnover. That costs the company a lot of money once you consider recruiting, interviewing, screening and training. The cost is huge. If you are an owner or in upper management, and you have noticed an uncommon amount of turnover within a certain department I would start looking at the department as a whole from the top down. There is no place in any workforce for this type of behavior. 

If your employer refuses to fix the problem and you consider yourself a valuable asset, start your job search immediately. If they give you grief over taking a couple hours off so you can interview with other companies, Quit! Don't allow them to drag you down, and stop wasting your time trying to lift them up. 

Price Doesn't Sell Product or Services, Up Front Value Does

Have you ever worked with that one sales person who asks the customer for their money right after the handshake? You know who I am talking about. They usually make the prospect so uncomfortable that it is nearly impossible to salvage a sale. Don't be like them. Let me explain.


You can absolutely sell more stuff by giving up front value to potential clients. I see the same mistake over and over all around the internet. Big Flashy Ads that say “if you pay me, I will show you how to do this or let me help you master this for X amount” are starting to be big turn offs. Plus, if you only have one tool in the toolbox, then you really have no perceived long term value to them.


With that in mind, I would seriously consider changing the way you sell online. Most all of the biggest brands and names in internet and social media marketing have already made these changes, my advice to you, is to follow suit. “Evolve or Die” as Craig Charles of BrainyQuote fame likes to say. From this moment on, if you are prospecting clients in any way, shape or form.. be it, online, in person, on the phone or whatever, you have to start giving them examples of up front value to prove why you are the go-to person for their needs.


Example: If you have a landing page up, with a free video offer for opting in, that’s a great start. But assuming once they see a 2 minute FREE video, you can immediately ask them for money to buy your stuff, is just insane. I guess you can, if you are the most persuasive writer ever, but for the other 100% of us, we have to take a few more steps before we can just ask for money. I think of internet and social media marketing, no differently then I think of face to face or phone marketing. I always put a human element to it. Try this, If you just met a random person on the streets that ask you for directions to the local Lexus dealership, just accross town, and you try to sell them your latest and greatest mobile GPS unit, you are going to miss a sale. Why? You missed the chance to prove your up front value by demonstrating how easy your mobile GPS unit is to use and how accurate it is, and you should have used it to offer them free directions and asking them if can you follow up with them later to see if they made it to their destination safely. Now that is VALUE ladies and gentlemen.

If your landing pages are converting but you are not getting sales, then you need to survey your list and find out why they did not buy. Don’t be afraid to ask them the tough questions like; Did I do something wrong? Was the video of any value to you? Did you learn anything new? or did I just plain suck? They will almost always be more than happy to give you all the feedback you need, and sometimes far more than you want.

If you are immediately asking for money at the end of your two minute video presentation, and they are not buying, you need to spend more time creating percieved up front value and bonding with your prospects. In this particular scenario, at least the landing page is converting and you are building an email list. If you want to improve your conversion rates almost immediately give everyone on your list something of real value that they can use instantly, something that will help them succeed. Give them additional videos, sales tips or branding merchandise that you have lying around so that they can see, first hand, that you are a valuable asset to them.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!

5 Steps to Developing the Perfect Sales Pitch!

The 5 Steps to Developing the Perfect Sales Pitch

1. Describe

Describe the types of products you sell or the services you offer. Be short and sweet. Respect their time.

In fact, try to sum up your products and/or services in around two-three sentences.

I would say something like:

Businesses hire me to strategize or consult with them about their sales process & online marketing needs. Companies also hire me/our team to manage their social media campaigns on their behalf.

That’s the cornerstone of what we do.

Yes, we do a lot more but that's the long and short of it for someone who’s given you only a minute or two of their valuable time.

2. Add Your Benefit Statements

Take the two-three sentences you created and add benefit statements to them.

Mine would look like this:

Businesses hire me to strategize or consult with them about their sales process & online marketing needs. One of the best compliments I’ve been given was when a client with aggressive deadlines and little to no experience told me that working with me was like working with a close member of their own team and that my personalized attention is everything they hoped to get when hiring a consultant.

Be enthusiastic and sincere. The client can tell the difference. It is your job to help them succeed.

Companies also hire me/our team to manage their social media campaigns on their behalf. I often find that too many businesses spend large amounts of time and money on social media without any true sense of direction. It’s not your job to dibble-dabble and see what works; it’s mine. My clients love that they can spend precious time elsewhere while we figure out the most efficient strategies for performance.

Depending on how interested the person with whom I’m speaking seems, I can cut those sentences down by using only keywords.

You can see quite clearly how they add value and state the most obvious benefits our services provide.

Helpful TIP: Not exactly sure what the benefits of your products or service are? Ask your current clients! Happy clients are always more than willing to share. Pay close attention to your reviews.

3. Be Helpful

Because it’s all about THEM, not YOU.

Create one sentence that sums up how your company/products/services help people.

Again, be brief. Try to use ten-twenty words or less.

Mine might look something like this:

Our every communication with customers counts, the quality of those communications is paramount.

My mantra: Think Social, not Social Media. It's okay to have fun and make online friends.

Obviously you can’t lead in with this statement. It’s only clear once you’ve described your products or services and added the benefits.

4. Qualify

Now you’re entering the part where your companion is either interested or not. You’ll be able to tell by body language and their level of enthusiasm.

If they’re still interested you can move to qualification and you should communicate with complete confidence when it comes to the kind of client you’re interested in working with.


Give an example of referrals and testimonials. Use keywords from the conversation to be more specific.


My example:


Business owners who are finding Facebook irrelevant, hard, or not seeing a return on investment are a perfect fit for our social media management program.


Then give an example of a referral that wouldn't benefit the most; my example:


We have worked with small startups all the way up to million-dollar brands! We’d love to help anyone and everyone, but ideally our happiest clients have a healthy monthly budget somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000.


Now you’ve set boundaries confidently. The person you’re presenting or pitching to knows:

If they’re interested
If they’re a qualified lead
If they know of others who may possibly be interested in your business

5. Ask for Referrals & Follow-Up

By now the conversation is flowing back and forth and you probably have a good idea of the interest level of the person you’re speaking to.

If all signs point to “I would be your perfect client” you should take this time to ask questions that will help you custom tailor the end of your pitch.

Ask them about their:

1. Likes
2. Dislikes
3. Interests
4. Responsibilities

From here you can really get a feel for follow-up. Meaning you need to make a plan for what’s next!

Send a follow-up thank you, ask for a phone chat or meeting, jump on a Google Hangout/Skype session and demo your product. Ask for the sale after all completed demo's. They can only say Yes or No/Not Yet.

Don't forget the often missed or forgotten step of Asking for Referrals & FOLLOW UP!.. FOLLOW UP!.. FOLLOW UP!

Use this 5 step process to create as many mini pitches as you can. The more you pitch the more you sell.

Communicating with confidence should be easy once you’ve given your plan a little insight. Now put these 5 steps to work. You'll be glad you did!

How To Build An Automated Sales Funnel Using Free Video Marketing

While most automotive Dealers, General Managers and General Sales Managers are aware of the incredible effect video can have as part of the marketing mix, I still see a lot of dealerships paying big for third party leads and calling it a day. This is a huge mistake as a worthwhile video strategy is the most powerful automated marketing tool available to a sales team and its mostly Free. How about that for ROI?


The good news is that it's not too late to right the ship. Some of the most successful dealerships are now using video marketing from initial contact through to post-sale customer follow-up, and this comprehensive approach has everything to do with how your customers consume information. Today’s customers go through more than half of the buying process independently, so it’s critical to have a complete video journey on your website to guide prospects in the pre-purchase phase in order to cash in when you close the sale.



What’s the Ideal Content Mix?

Create video for the entire sales funnel, I know you’re wondering, “Dennis, how much video content should I dedicate to each stage of the sales funnel?” Based on what I’ve seen work for the most successful dealerships on YouTube, here’s a list of a highly functional video content mix I’d suggest as a rule-of-thumb.


Top of the Sales Funnel Content:

To attract prospects initially, you’ll need videos on high-level products with mass appeal. Collateral in this stage needs to have an authentic tone, and aim to help viewers make important buying decisions that matter to them rather than push your products. So what should you create?


I’d recommend you produce:

Introduction Video: You don't get a second chance to make a first impression so make it count (don't forget to smile). Tell the consumer a little about yourself, where you work, what you do as a profession, a little about your dealership, talk about your confidence in the product you sell and what makes you different from the man or woman down the street, and most importantly, your direct phone number, your email and website information. Be confident!


FAQ Videos: Showcase your expertise with a series of video about your new car line-up including a product knowledge session while recording each video. Show all of the safety features, fuel economy figures and other unique features that make your vehicle different from the one down the street. This helps improve your SEO, and your content ends up serving as your first line of customer education.


Repurposed OEM Content: Add any or all OEM videos to your YouTube channel. Lets face it, the OEM spent a huge amount of money to create, produce and edit each video they release, and they are usually considered WOW factor material for most YouTube Channels. They are pretty awesome!


Fun Content Showcasing Company Culture: Show off your unique co-workers, show us what the inside of your dealership looks like, ultimately show us why we should care about you and why you love to do what you do and where you work.


You can optimize content in this part of the funnel with video calls to action. For example you can prompt a viewer to watch another video with your video closing, have them check out your online customer reviews - if you want to coach viewers further down the funnel – guide them to your website for conversion.


Middle of the Sales Funnel Content:

After using top of sales funnel content to guide your viewers to your website, you’re now looking to help consumers evaluate and justify your product with more, in-depth or long-form content.

In this stage prospects are determining if you’re right for them, so you’ll want to produce:

Detailed vehicle videos (a great mix of makes and models tagged correctly)

Client testimonials (what your current customers are saying about you)


Try setting up a meeting or a call with a prospect in this stage by sending out a personalized video in an email. A targeted, personalized social message is a surefire way to impress a prospect.


In terms of optimization, mid-funnel content is where you can start introducing email gates for collecting viewer contact info. Leads at this stage have already shown an interest in your specific product and you can start to send them more targeted content based on what you know they’ve been watching already.


Content at the End of the Sales Funnel:

Videos can help you seal the deal when it comes to closing and they can help you post-purchase when you want to reinforce that you were the right choice before, during and after the sale.


Content in this stage can include:

Dealership Sponsored Campaigns or Functions Video: Create videos tied to specific dealership campaigns or functions and release them at exactly the right time. If you know your customer is going to be at an event you’re also attending, for example, create a drop-by-and-say-hi video to encourage a meet-up. Ask for referrals at this time!


Customer check-ins: follow up on your customers use of their new car; how have their first 2-3 weeks been with their new car? Do they have any additional questions? Ask for referrals at this time!


Instructional videos: Post-sale can often lead to more questions about your services, so create a video to cover any issues you note customers might have. (how to check the oil, where to fill the washer fluid, how to work that complicated navigation system..again) You could also showcase your friendly service & parts departments at this time. Ask for referrals at this time!


You’ll want to make sure you’re easy to contact. Because it can sometimes be difficult for an anxious consumer to set up a time to demo your vehicles, video assets can become the Salesperson that never sleeps for your dealership. You will have a 24 hour per day assistant working for you while you spend time with your family and friends.


A well-positioned and thorough series of why-buy / why-me and or how-to video can provide your customers with the information they need, so they won’t need to contact you with a huge list of unanswered questions about your product. As mentioned, 70% of the purchasing decision is made before your customer even communicates with the dealership and, for this reason, bottom of funnel content can also engage customers in the earlier stages. Every feature, nuance or function of your dealership and your daily work routine should be captured on video and available as a resource on your website.


Overall, video is a very persuasive medium; it’s engaging and consumers can use it to make their way through the entire sales funnel at their own pace – you just have to set up the content journey. Map your content to the funnel, set up your ideal content mix, and connect your video marketing to ROI.


How did I do? Please leave any questions or comments below and I will respond in a timely manner, and please share this if you find this information useful.

Fee system revs up auto revenue - Classified Intelligence Report

Page 14 Vol. 16 No. 5 Classified Intelligence Report

BY SHARON HILL            

                
        
Since Craigslist began charging U.S. auto dealers $5 per listing,                 revenue has soared and the site delivers better results.

Craigslist will generate automotive revenue of $53.7 million this year in the cities canvassed by the AIM Group. That’s up one-third from 2014. We estimate another $20 million in additional markets.

Not all dealers stuck with Craigslist once they had to pay, but we’ve heard those who did are finding better responses, higher quality leads and a positive return on investment.


Matthew Brown, founder of the LotVantage classified listing application, talked with the AIM Group one month after fees began in November 2013. He predicted the charges would “legitimize Craigslist and clean up the mess of spammers, duplicate vehicles and traffic leachers.”


He was right.

“Fees definitely changed the [automotive] industry on Craigslist overnight,” Brown told us recently. “Many dealers initially reacted by sitting on the sidelines. That was great for those who didn’t, because the amount of inventory got annihilated. When listings were free, 15 to 20 minutes after posting, your ad became two to three pages deep because of spam and the placement of fake vehicles up to 25 times a day. A disreputable dealer’s inventory of 50 vehicles became a thousand listings. With the introduction of fees, those companies had a rude awakening and disappeared.”

Page 15 Vol. 16 No. 5 Classified Intelligence Report

Dennis Wagner, 26-year CEO of Denny’s Auto Sales in Lexington, Ky. and founder of training firm All Things Automotive Inc., agreed.

“When listings were free, ghost posters – fake listings – were everywhere,” Wagner told us. “They would bury your inventory. No one would ever see it. While there is still some of that, Craigslist finds it pretty quickly. And, while many dealers try to sneak their inventory in as private- party listings Craigslist discovers that, too. They regulate it pretty heavily now.”

Brown believes that most legitimate dealers are back advertising on Craigslist. That’s because Craigslist works for them, and LotVantage has proven that.


“We have metrics, and a phone number that tracks the number of leads for an ad,” he said. “We’re finding sales success at the rate of one good lead per ad, so they’re paying a low $5 for each Craigslist lead.”


Wagner said that many dealers have returned to Craigslist because it made economic sense. "Third-party leads cost about $20,” he said.


Wagner has actually increased his Craigslist advertising since the fees began. “My ROI is absolutely positive now,” he said. “The lead quality has gotten a little better as well.”


Brown cautioned that success depends on moderate vehicle value, with asking prices of $15,000 or less bringing the best results.

“I wouldn’t want to tell a new Ferrari dealer that Craigslist is the place to put his money,” he said. “But for the mass-manufacturer dealer with pre-owned inventory, Craigslist can be great.”

Wagner doesn’t rule out advertising an occasional high-end vehicle, especially if it’s a hard- to-find car or truck, or if the dealer offers sub-prime financing.

“If you offer financing you can sell a $50,000 car on Craigslist, though you will probably get twice the response by advertising a $6,000 vehicle,” he said.

 





Dennis Wagner of All Things Automotive said Craigslist's fees for U.S. auto dealers has eliminated most fake listings.





© 2015 Advanced Interactive Media Group LLC info@aimgroup.com +1-407-788-2780