Are you a “visual sales leader”?
The late great CEO of Coca-Cola Roberto Goizueta was an absolute master of this art.
In explaining the near infinite growth opportunities for the Coca-Cola company, he would oftentimes tell his troops:
“Each of the worlds six billion people drink on average sixty-four ounces of fluids a day, of which two ounces is Coca-Cola”
This “sixty-two ounce upside” captured the essence of his message and reinforced the core belief that Coca-Cola
had a near limitless growth potential.
Goizueta was especially skilled at capturing a complex idea and communicating it in a clear visual, yet inspiring way.
He was a true “visual sales leader”.
Do you do the same with your sales team?
Visual sales leaders use memorable simple concepts to make it perfectly clear what needs to get done.
They do it in easily understandable terms.
The simpler…the better.
But they make it unforgettable.
If you can distill your entire market down to its essential visual elements, and then MONETIZE it so your salespeople understand it without question…then, watch out.
Let me give you an example:
*You sell a specific kind of women’s dress
*The total market did $24 million in sales in 2009.
*Your total YTD 2009 sales were $4 million.
*Your market opportunity = $20 million
*Each of your ten salespeople has a $100,000 quota to achieve their sales goal.
Although I have never sold dresses in my life, a visual sales leader might say something like:
“When you place one of our dresses in the hands of ONLY one out of every 200 women dress shoppers in your entire geography then, congratulations…you hit quota”
“But…if you put one of our dresses in the hands of one out of every 100 women dress shoppers in your entire geography, then congratulations…you hit sales stardom”
Basic?
Yes.
Effective.
Most definitely.
In this example, you are simultaneously “leading visually”, while simultaneously “Setting the Bar Higher” (Course 2 in the Sales Management Mastery Academy program by the way).
Visual leading cuts through the crap…while reinforcing the predominant sales messages so your reps keep their eyes focused on the prize.
And the prize is the “sixty-two ounce upside”…
Tell us what you do to creat your own “62 ounce upside” by posting a comment below.
These past couple of weeks we’ve talked about underperformers, sales superstars, talents, and the right words to say at the right time.
No sales manager wants to make the torturous mistake of hiring a complete sales dud.