Bill Guertin | 800 Pound Gorilla Blog on SalesGravy.com

800-Pound Gorillas are do-ers. They get up in the morning eager to seize the day, make things happen, take a few licks, get back up, try a different direction, and succeed.

As 800-Pound Gorilla sales professionals-in-training, all of us need to be aware of when we get into the habit of using “kinda just”y language in our conversations with prospects.

“Hi, Jim, this is Bill Guertin with ABC. I kinda just wanted to reach out…”

Kinda-just is NOT self-assured.

Every one of us slides into language modes that give others the impression that we’re unsure, apologetic, or tentative in our approach. Other words that we sometimes get into the habit of using might be:

“Were you thinking about…?”

“Have you checked out…?”

“Is that something you’d be interested in?”

“Um… y’know… I mean… “

As a general rule, people want to do business with others who are self-assured in a way that they themselves would like to emulate. As Jeb Blount so eloquently put it in the title of his book, People Buy You in addition to the product or service you represent… and the language you choose to use is part of the “you” package.

This is not pushy, intimidating, or slick. It’s being comfortable with the language of forward motion, rather than of indecision.

“Here’s the reason I’m calling…”

“What have you done along the lines of…?

“Has ___ been a concern of yours?”

“Let’s each do this…”

“I’d like to schedule a follow-up so that…”

These are the word choices of the dominant players in the market you serve. Adopt them, and more like them, and you’ll be on your way to becoming the 800-Pound Gorilla of your industry.

– Bill Guertin is Chief Enthusiasm Officer (CEO) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a sales/marketing consultant group that works with companies and individuals to help them become the dominant players in the markets they serve. Clients include many of the ticket sales departments of professional sports teams in the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, and more. Reach out at bill@The800PoundGorilla.com with your comments and suggestions.

Howard Schultz of Starbucks has chosen to leave the Global Leadership Summit high and dry.

Schultz, the well-known Starbucks’ president, was scheduled to be one of the featured speakers at the Summit, broadcast live today and tomorrow to over 150,000 people from Willow Creek Chruch in Barrington, IL. His books were promoted as a part of the deal, and his message on leadership was looked forward to by those in attendance (including myself). However, Schultz chose to cave in to minority interests.

According to media reports, political consultant Asher Huey began a petition on change.org claiming that “Schultz was speaking at a conference hosted at and sponsored by an anti-gay church. This is unacceptable.”

“The church has long practiced dangerous conversion therapy to ‘cure’ people of their sexual orientation… Not denouncing these practices is tacit approval.”

728 people signed the petition.  How many others do you think that Schultz has alienated by his last-minute action?

It is not clear whether this was the reason Schultz pulled out of the conference, but that will be known tomorrow.

As leaders, we actually become stronger when it becomes obvious what it is that you stand for. Far from alienating others, it crystallizes your authentic personality and lets people know who you really are.

What do your actions say about you?

The promise of a “great deal” or a “one-time-only opportunity” is an age-old advertising message that gets everyone’s attention, even in the world of sports tickets.  But is “the deal” what people really want, or is it something else?

We’ve all bought a cheap pair of shoes, a shirt, or a bargain electronics item, and soon after we bought it we were sorry we did.  You know what I’m talking about.  Just look in your closet for that shirt you bought for peanuts that you’ve never worn.  Ever.

Let’s say you’re shopping for a new car, and you don’t have a lot of money.  Your intention might be to be frugal – to get the most car you can for the least amount of money.  That’s your intention.

The reality is that for most of us, the bells and whistles on a car look and feel great.  It’s hard to resist those little extras you weren’t prepared to pay for, but now seem like a shame to turn down.  Those leather seats sure feel nice.  The satellite radio is sweet, and it’s only, like, $199 more, and the service is free for a year.  The towing package would could in handy for those used jetskis you’ve been looking at.

Your intention was to be frugal, but the reality is that we all want the best that we can reasonably afford.

That’s the magic concept.  We all want the best that we can reasonably afford.

So the question is: What becomes “reasonable,” and when?

That’s where we come in.  Our job as a professional sales rep is to help build the “reasonable” value case on behalf of the buyer.

What would make ownership of your product or service more valuable?  What is the combination of benefits that make your more expensive options more “reasonable” to your prospect than your loss-leader package?

As a sales rep, we really have two jobs.  One is to sell the prospect on the IDEA of our product.  (If they’re calling you, this step may already be accomplished.)  Once the idea is fully connected in the brain of the prospect, the second job is to build the VALUE of the purchase that the prospect can reasonably afford, relative to his or her tastes, wants, and budget.

Not everyone will find your super-special lowball-priced item to be what they really want.  Don’t just sell them what they’ve asked for; have the guts to ask the right questions to determine if the prospect is a legitimate candidate for the super-special deal.  You may find that the benefits of your higher-priced inventory are indeed more “reasonable” for them.

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-  Want to know the four qualifying questions I train to find out whether or not the lowball package is right for your prospects?  Just E-mail me at bill@The800PoundGorilla.com with the words “FOUR QUESTIONS” in the subject line, and I’ll send ‘em right to you… and to learn more about my 3-day “Sales Dominance” program for sports ticket sales executives, click here.

Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of blue-chip clients includes the ticket sales departments of dozens of teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer.  He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market.  Subscribe to his Sports Ticket Sales Newsletter at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.

As a sports ticket sales rep, you’re used to hearing ridiculous and off-the-wall excuses from your customers as to why they’re not interested.  One of the most airtight and hard-to-fight objections, however, is the budget issue.

This objection takes several forms.  A prospect may say anything like, “It’s not in the budget,” “My budget’s been cut,” or “I just don’t have anything left in the budget”.

These are actually three VERY different objections, and need be handled differently!  Let’s take each one separately and break it down:

“It’s not in the budget.”

-          Here are some ways we can address this on a call:

o   “That’s all right.  No one budgets for ideas they don’t have yet.  That’s why I called today.”

o   “I hear that a lot… and once my customers get around the budget issue and see what positive things come from these seats, the budget is never an issue again.”

o   “Probably not.  A lot of companies haven’t figured out the value of seats like these, so they don’t budget ahead for them.  It’s a good thing we’re talking today!”

o   “That’s OK.  I’m sure you’ve had good ideas that have come up that weren’t in the budget that were able to get done somehow.  Right?”

“My budget’s been cut.”

-          Many budget cuts have been forced upon managers from their higher-ups, and they have to deal with the problems it has created all day long.  Here are some suggestions on how you can respond to a budget cut:

o   “Wow… I imagine that’s caused a lot of headaches for you.  What sorts of things have you had to do without?”  (Find out what has changed in their work life, and then address those things that your product can help them solve positively, cheaply, and effectively.)

o   “That’s tough.  Was it across the board, or did some things have to go completely?”  (Learn a little more about what had to go, and you’ll see where the company’s priorities lie.)

o   “That’s pretty common.  It sounds like more work for you!  Do you ever get out yourself to see a game?”  (If they’re the decision-maker, a well-placed comp game might overcome any budget issues if they enjoy themselves.)

“I just don’t have anything left in the budget.”

-          This means there’s money there, but it’s been apportioned to others.  All we have to do is figure out whether or not the money can be RE-apportioned:

o   “I understand.  When does your fiscal year start?”  (Find out when their 12-month calendar starts.  Some companies run on a “calendar year”, Jan-Dec; others start their fiscal year at different times.)

o   “So if there WERE budget left, you’d consider these seats?  Do I hear you correctly?”   (Get their buy-in on the “if” part!)

o   “Let me ask this: is your budget actually SPENT, or is it just sectioned off until the need comes up?  If something came up that was more cost-effective than what you originally budgeted, could you look at it?”  (You’re suggesting that what you have is more cost-effective and potentially a better buy than what they’re currently lined up to spend their money on.  Press on to see if the money’s actually gone, or just placed in different buckets waiting to be spent!)

Don’t let the budget be your arch-enemy!  Stick with it, keep the conversation alive, and you’ll have a much greater chance of success.

BONUS: There’s another objection we’re hearing a lot today, and it has to do with being able to justify buying our tickets after just laying off employees.  I’ve got several suggestions for answering that challenge in my latest Sports Ticket Sales Newsletter; just click this link to access it:   http://tinyurl.com/lbldtm

Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of blue-chip clients includes the ticket sales departments of dozens of teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer.  He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market.  Subscribe to his Newsletter at www.The800PoundGorilla.com.

You’re going out on a date.  A first date.  You don’t know your new friend’s tastes, budget, or anything about them, but you do know that you’ve decided to start off your evening by going out to eat.

You hit “Restaurant Row” in your city, and as you approach the many choices for eating out, a hundred different things go through your mind:

-          What does he/she like to eat?

-          Do I have enough money to go to the expensive place?

-          Do I want to get messy?

-          What am I hungry for?

-          Will the atmosphere be right?   Will it be too loud to talk?

-          Are we appropriately dressed?

-          Am I going to run into someone I don’t want to see?

-          Do they have enough parking, or are we going to have to walk a long way?

It’s a little snapshot of time, but in that moment, you’ll make a mutual decision based on lots of little things… and all those influences add up to the choice you’ll make in that moment.

This scenario is just like what your customer goes through when you call them about your product or service for sale.  A hundred different influences are acting upon your customer’s thought process at that moment in time, bringing them to a “snap judgment” – a quick conclusion about your offer:

-          They may have just ushered a bad sales rep out of their building

-          They may have just learned that their best client has dumped them for a competitor

-          They may have bill payment problems, shipment problems, or personnel issues

-          They may just have ended a “gloom-and-doom” meeting, a “come-to-Jesus” meeting, an insufferable budget meeting, etc.

-          They may have personal issues at home that are weighing heavy on them

-          They may be overwhelmed by all they have to get done in their day

-          They may have someone in their office that’s out sick, and everyone has to cover

-          They may be hiring new people, training new people, or re-educating their current staff on new tasks, and it may be frustrating and time-consuming

-          They may have learned about something that the company is considering that could impact them negatively

Just because they react negatively to you doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in your product!  Depending on the way their day is going, your product could literally be the FURTHEST thing from their mind at that moment.  They may not want to tie up their brain for something like your product, but it may very well be something they WILL be interested in talking about at the right time.

Don’t give up.

Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of blue-chip clients includes the ticket sales departments of dozens of teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer.  He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and his second book, The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market, will be published this fall by John Wiley & Sons.  Subscribe to his Sports Ticket Sales Newsletter at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.

We’re terrified of cold calls.  Can we admit that?

There’s nothing that strikes fear in the hearts of men and women quite like the icy grip of the COLD CALL.  Even the name sounds like a bad B-movie: “You never know who’s on the end… of a COLD CALL!” (Cue terrifying shriek, bad music)  “Rated “R” for Run Toward Another Job Right Away.”

The reason we hate them so much is because we know how we feel when we RECEIVE them!

Think about your feelings when someone calls or visits you out of the blue looking for you to buy something.  You’re thinking about all the negative words that people use to describe salespeople, and don’t want to be thrown into that same category.  Right?

So here’s the secret:  Don’t sound like a salesperson!

Ask yourself:  What do salespeople say, do, and act like that turns you off?  Jot down a few of those things.  Then decide that you’re not going to do those things!

What can you do instead?  Here are a few ideas that I use in training sports ticket sales reps, but can be adapted for any selling situation.  Use these as idea-starters, inspiration, or read them right from the sheet, but make sure you understand the intent, and when you customize them, keep the intent intact:

-          “Hi… Sales department, please.”  (This is an indication that you’re a revenue-producing call, and the receptionist is almost always instructed to route MONEY calls to the sales department.  Be prepared to answer questions as to what you’re interested in ‘buying’, so the person can route you to the right desk!)

-          “I have the weirdest question you’ve had all day.”  (Choose your weird question from the several below, or make up your own)

o   If sales are down at your place, who’s the one that usually gets the maddest?   That’s who I need to talk to.

o   Who’s the biggest baseball (or your sport) fan in your office?  That’s who I need to talk to.  (When you reach that person, say: “If you thought Season Tickets would be a good idea for your company, who would you have to convince in order to get them?”)

o   When was the last time your company went out and did something FUN as a group?

o   Who’s in charge of smiles at your place?  The one who’s got to keep morale up, and keep employees happy.  Would that be you?

-          “Could you help out a starving salesperson today?”  (gets receptionist/gatekeeper smiling and on your side!)

-          “I have called all over, and I hope you finally have the answer I’m looking for.  Do you know who would handle (sales incentives/group outings/etc.) at your place?”

-          “Is the boss around?”  (informal, non-threatening, familiar tone)

-          “Hi… who’s in charge today?”  (wait for response) “Good!  Is he/she nearby?”

There are plenty more non-traditional ways to start a conversation, which I train in my 3-day Sales Dominance program for sports ticket sales teams.  These should get you going in the right direction.

Always remember that cold calling is a game – a serious, results-oriented kind of game — and if you inject more FUN into it, your voice will reflect that fun, and you’ll be more successful as a result.

Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of blue-chip clients includes the ticket sales departments of dozens of teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer.  He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and his second book, The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market, will be published this fall by John Wiley & Sons.  Subscribe to his Sports Ticket Sales Newsletter at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.

We all know who Bertha is.

She’s the ever-present Gatekeeper… the evil lord of the Decision-Maker’s precious  appointment book, telephone, and front door.  She eats unsuspecting sales reps for breakfast.  She’s been around the block, and knows what you’re up to.  You’re a Salesperson, and as far as she’s concerned, you’re the enemy.  She’s made up her mind; her boss’ office is the end zone, and she’s the entire Steelers front line.

When Bertha asks, “What is this regarding?”, we all know where she’s going.  She wants to get to the bottom of why you want to waste her boss’ time, and if she doesn’t get a satisfactory answer, you’re getting flushed like last night’s Taco Bell.

As a professional sales rep, it’s critical that you answer Bertha quickly and confidently. One hesitation – just one hint that leads her to believe you’re tentative, nervous, or don’t know your stuff – and you’re toast.  So Rule #1 of getting past Bertha is: Be Ready For Bertha.  Don’t count on your last-minute, off-the-cuff wit to pull you through; you must be prepared for questions like “What’s This Regarding?” and answer them with confidence.

(NOTE: Want to know my best responses to the question, “What’s This Regarding?”  Just E-mail me at bill@The800PoundGorilla.com with the words “BERTHA” in the subject line, and I’ll send ‘em right to you.)

Rule #2 is: Play Her Game.  This is her turf.  In order for you to win, she has to believe that SHE’S in control.  You won’t beat Bertha; your best bet is to win her over, which leads us to:

Rule #3: Treat Bertha Like She’s The Decision-Maker. You don’t know how much the Decision-Maker counts on Bertha to help him or her decide what to do.  Many bosses ask their assistants what they think about certain vendors or product lines.  They often ask their assistants questions like: “What’d you think of that person that just walked out the door?”  Most every Bertha has an opinion, and even though they may not take their advice, they listen to their responses, and it does influence the Decision-Makers’ thinking.

One of the other things to consider is that Bertha may actually be a better prospect for what you’re selling than the Decision-Maker… in which case you’re better off getting to know her in the first place.

In many of the sales training programs I conduct, I’ll ask one or more of the executive assistants that work at their own company to come into our class.  I conduct a brief interview with them, Oprah-style, and ask them what sorts of things impress them from the many salespeople that call them in their role as gatekeeper for their boss.  I’ll also ask them to tell the group what really gets them angry, and tell a story or two about someone that really blew it with them on the phone, and will now NEVER get through to the boss, no matter what.  We’ve heard some pretty amazing stories!

I also ask them, “What single piece of advice would you give to your sales reps here in the room when they’re dealing with gatekeepers like you?”  Here are the four boiled-down responses that are most common:

-          Recognize them as someone with a brain, not as something to “get past” in order to achieve their objective.

-          Speak to them as a human being.

-          Don’t lie to them.  (They eventually find out, and it’s not pretty!)

-          Give them respect and courtesy.

As I teach in every sales training program I conduct with teams across the nation:  Sales is a game – play to win!

Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of blue-chip clients includes the ticket sales departments of dozens of teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer.  He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and his second book, The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market, will be published this fall by John Wiley & Sons.  Subscribe to his Sports Ticket Sales Newsletter at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.

Incredible as it seems, Charlie Sheen may be more successful after his crash-and-burn drama with CBS than as the star of the nation’s most popular TV comedy.

How is it that Sheen, a former (?) drug addict and binge drinker, with children in his home of former wives and girlfriends, and two live-in playgirls to which he is not married (!), has “risen” to this level of notoriety?

In my recent book, “The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market”, I outline 12 characteristics of those companies and individuals that command an “unfair share” of the attention in a given marketplace.  These characteristics of “800-Pound Gorillas” have been studied and adapted by many companies since the book’s publication.

We in America enjoy building up our heroes, and then take great delight in tearing them down, which is a partial explanation of how Charlie Fever has succeeded to date.  Here are the real reasons why he has become the dominant player in the news, on Twitter and Facebook, and seemingly everywhere else:

-          He’s Quotable. Outrageous quotes have always dominated the media’s interest, but no one has done a more masterful job of creating so many quotable moments in so little time as Sheen.  When asked in an interview if he was on drugs at that moment, Sheen replied, “I am on a drug.  It’s called Charlie Sheen.”    Who would have thought that “tiger blood”, “winning”, “Adonis DNA”, “fire-breathing fists” and “my big, beautiful warlock brain” would have spawned so many posters, T-shirts, and copyright lawsuits?

-          He Thinks Bigger Than Anyone Else. Three million dollars an episode?  That’s what Sheen believed he was worth to the creators of his “Two and a Half Men” TV sitcom.  When he didn’t get it, the fireworks began.   The concert promoters at Live Nation have now announced the Charlie Sheen nationwide live appearance tour, where Sheen will get to tell his side of the story in person, to audiences who care enough to spend their hard-earned money to find out.  You’ve got to admit, he’s a big, bold thinker.

-          He Rattles The Cage. Outrageous?  Shocking?  Yes, and all on purpose.  Sheen knew he was negotiating from a position of strength, and used the leverage he had to wage war against his employers.   Instead of agreeing to a measly $1.8 million per episode, he chose to fire off to the media – at first on live radio, then several taped TV interviews –  about what jerks they were.  He knew it would cause a stir, and he knew he had the leverage to be able to pull it off.

-          He Does What Others Won’t. We’re somehow fascinated when someone actually tells us about their illicit, illegal activities with such bravado.  We’re oddly amused to learn that each of his two live-in girlfriends don’t mind having the other around.  Who tells their boss off like that and gets away with it?  That’s the stuff of 800-Pound Gorillas.  He knows that other people don’t live like he does, and chooses to live out loud in a way that’s uniquely Sheen.

-          He’s Passionate. If nothing else, Sheen has taken this “cause” of his and brought a degree of passion and energy to his communication that hasn’t been seen in Hollywood, Washington, or anywhere else in recent memory.

You may not like him (I don’t), you may not agree with who he is or what he stands for (check, and check), but the massive exposure that Sheen has created for himself has indeed put him in 800-Pound Gorilla territory.

Want to know the rest of the story on what makes an 800-Pound Gorilla?  Find out at www.The800PoundGorilla.com.

You have a prospect who’s genuinely interested.  They’re asking all the right questions, and you’re responding perfectly.  All seems to be going well, and it looks like you’re about to close the deal.

All of a sudden, your prospect says, “I’ve got some other pressing things that are going on right now, so I have to go… but I have all your information, and I’ll call you back later.”

ARGGH!  What happened?

Most, if not all, conversations that end abruptly like this are out of our control.  We can do our very best job and not be able to make the deal happen.  But what more can we do to assure a positive outcome (a sale) without sounding pushy, overbearing, or insensitive to their other obligations?

Here are a few responses that I teach in my “Sales Dominance” Program for Sports Ticket Sales (which you can easily adapt to your own product or service!) to overcome this situation and move it to a positive end at that moment:

-          “Well, as hard as it is to reach people by phone today, if we can just get it done right now, it would only take a few moments, and we won’t have to go back and forth with phone tag.  We’ll probably SAVE ourselves some time in the end!”

-          “I’ve got a lot going on too, but if we can just get it done right now, it won’t take but a few moments, and I’m LIGHTNING FAST on the computer!  Would that be OK with you?”

-          “We can do that, but I can’t guarantee that these same seats will be here when we get a chance to talk again.  There’s 10 other people on the phones selling the very same area we’re talking about right now.  All I need is a deposit so I can put your name on them, and we can work out the rest later.  How does that sound?”

-          “OK… but if where you sit is important to you, I should make sure you know that I can’t hold the seats we’ve been talking about unless I have a deposit… and the longer we wait, the less attractive the seats become.  Can I get your credit card information for the deposit, so we can hold these seats now, and take care of the rest of the details later?”

-          “Well, this IS where you want to sit, right?  The thing is, I can’t hold any seats unless there’s at least a small deposit on them, and we’re selling seats here every day.  Do you have just another moment or two to wrap this up so that you’re sure to have these seats we’re looking at right now?”

[These are the TAME responses… for three more bold, out-there, how-could-you-ask-that sorts of answers to the “Call Me Back Later” stall, just E-mail me with the word “BOLD” in the subject line, and I’ll send those to you right away.]

For the person that simply HAS to end the call now, here are some tips to make sure the end result is as positive as possible:

-          Make sure that you set a date and time for you to return your call. Simply saying “I’ll call you back later” or “Let’s talk next week” isn’t specific enough, and may lead to weeks of phone tag.

-          Ask for their E-mail address, so you can send them a reminder for your follow-up call.  Those who are busy will truly appreciate that you’re sending them an E-mail reminder, and by seeing that E-mail, you’ll have far more people who will remember that they’ve agreed to talk to you on that date and time.

-          Do what you promised you’d do. You’d be amazed at how many people SAY things they’ll do, and never follow up!  Be sure to actually CALL on the date and time you arrange.  By being punctual and keeping your word, you’re earning their trust and showing how much you respect them, their time, and their potential business.

Bill Guertin is CEO (Chief Enthusiasm Officer) of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a dynamic sales training and consulting company whose list of blue-chip clients includes the ticket sales departments of dozens of teams from the NBA, NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer.  He is the author of the Gold Medal-award-winning book Reality Sells, and The 800-Pound Gorilla of Sales: How to Dominate Your Market.  Subscribe to his Sports Ticket Sales Newsletter at www.The800PoundGorilla.com, or follow Bill on Twitter at www.twitter.com/800poundgorilla.

In a time where jobs are scarce and cutbacks are the rule, one organization has taken steps to create jobs and opportunities for success.

The Major League Soccer National Sales Center is located in Blaine, MN, on the campus of the National Sports Center, the epicenter of many major youth and college-level sports tournaments throughout the year. Launched in mid-2010, its intent was to take 10 to 12 brand-new sales rep candidates at a time and turn them into road-ready salespeople over a 9-week period of intense, specific education in ticket sales for MLS teams.

“So far we’ve had three separate groups through the NSC, and all 31 candidates have found employment with an MLS team,” beams Bryant Pfeiffer, MLS’ Team Liaison and VP, Club Services, and the driver behind the National Sales Center. “We’re creating fully-trained salespeople for our member soccer clubs to hire.”

The NSC is a brand new concept within professional sports. “There have been sales training programs within individual teams, and some companies who do outside sales training, but from our research there’s never been a league-wide effort to organically grow their own sales talent for all its teams to benefit from,” says Pfeiffer. “So far, the candidates have been outstanding, and the teams that have hired NSC candidates have been thrilled with the results.”

Pfeiffer works closely with NSC Director Brett Zalaski, who conducts the 9 weeks of training for each class. As a part of the curriculum, candidates place live sales calls on behalf of several current MLS teams, so they’ve already had a realistic taste of what’s to come when they’re hired in a team selling environment with clubs like the Houston Dynamo, San Jose Earthquakes, Los Angeles Galaxy, or any of the 18 teams in the league.

The program is free to participants that are selected, and each student is conveniently housed in the dormitories on the National Sports Center campus, which gives the program a college-like feel. “We believe that students that grow close to each other in this 9-week class will stay connected, even when they’re hired by teams in another part of the country,” says Pfeiffer. “Those connections will help them succeed even more quickly.”

Pfeiffer has brought several unique ideas into the Sales Center, including working with a local improv comedy company in Minneapolis called the Brave New Workshop to help train their candidates in selling. “There’s a huge overlap in the principles of sales and improv comedy,” explains Pfeiffer. “We’re teaching skills that successful improv comedians use to help our reps be more successful in dealing with unfamiliar situations, accepting rejection, and thinking on their feet.”

As difficult as it has been to grow ticket sales in all major sports, Pfeiffer believes the National Sales Center gives Major League Soccer’s teams a leg up in improving their sales results. “We’ll know for sure several months from now, when the sales results from our first class can be compared to other sales reps hired from other sources, but so far the results have been great.”

Thinking of investing in sales training? Those who are thinking ahead certainly are.
Find out more about the National Sales Center at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgXjHuSD5kE .