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COM MAR/APR 2013 $10


THE GREAT MYTH
OF TECHNOLOGY 6
LUXURY
MAKES A COMEBACK 34
Leader
-
ship
Issue
Leaders
hire
pirates
How women
lead differently
The
Its all about
engagement
Follow
by example
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contents
DEPARTMENTS
editors notebook
Leadership lessons
from an unlikely source
4
NEXT
The great myth of technology,
seeing beyond paychecks, and other
sales and marketing trends
6
sales training
How to get RFP-averse
sales trainers to participate
12
top performers
An assortment of new incentive
ideas from our advertisers
38
closers
Leadership guru Robert Sutton
on smart bosses and
embracing em the mess
42
cover story 24
Leadership
Looks
Like
What
Edited by
Paul Nolan
Its different things to
different people, but you
know it when youre in
the presence of it. f
Product P review 34
Luxury L makes a comeback
Marketing 16
Channeling your inner caveman
Meetings 20
Were more creative
when we get together
4 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
editors notebook
Find these and other online r exclusives in the Additional
Web Resources box at SalesAndMarketing.com t
Free webinars
Register for free online webinars on trends, tactics and research
presented by nationally y recognized y experts. If you f miss the live
presentation, registration gets you access to on-demand playback.
Receive our e-newsletter r
Our weekly e-newsletter y is chockablock with insights and guest
opinions from sales and marketing leaders. g The archive of articles f
is online and easily searched y by topic y or authors name.
Trusted incentive partners
Our online Incentive Manufacturers Representative Alliance
(IMRA) directory is y a full a listing of g non-cash f incentive suppliers
and their sales representatives. Find it under the Directories tab.
ONLINE
Paul Nolan, Editor
paul@salesandmarketing.com
Leadership lessons
from an unlikely source
People pay hundreds, y nay, thousands of dollars f to gain
leadership insights that will t catapult their t careers forward. If you f
like your wisdom wrapped in the wackiness promulgated by
muscle-headed motivation speakers, you may end y up spending
thousands more treating the g burns on your feet after t a hot a coal t
walk. But thats t another topic for another day.
The thing about g leadership t lessons is they can y come from the
most unexpected t sources, which is something you g have to be
aware of so f they dont y rush t right past t you. t
I thought about t this t while reading a g Q&A a with A General
Stanley McChrystal y in a recent a Foreign Afairs magazine. Of
course, military leaders y throughout history t have y long been g
looked to for leadership ideas that translate t well to the world of
business. But a t Ralph a Nader-loving pacist g like t me doesnt expect t
to nd much to admire from a guy a like y McChrystal, who served
as the commander of U.S. f forces in Afghanistan before being
forced into retirement following t unattering g comments g about
Vice President Joe t Biden and other administration ofcials in a
Rolling Stone g article.
Nevertheless, McChrystals insights on the lessons he
learned in his Iraq and q Afghanistan tours are poignant and t
worthy ofsharing. y
In Iraq, when we rst started, t the question was, Where is the
enemy? As we got smarter, t we started to d ask, Who is the enemy?
And we d thought we t were pretty clever. y And then d we realized that d
wasnt the t right question, t and we d asked, Whats the enemy doing y
or trying r to g do? It wasnt t until t we l got further t along r that g we t said,
Why are y they the y enemy?
Not until t you l walk yourself along f that g intellectual t path l do you
realize thats what you t have to understand, particularly in y a
counterinsurgency where y the number of r insurgents f is completely
independent of t simple f math. Figuring out g why t they y want y to t be
insurgents is crucial. And thats d something we g had never d practiced. r
What struck t me is that McChrystal, t a bombastic a gure who
was at the t top of the f org chart g in t a testosterone-lled a
organization, recognized that he t needed to be open not only t to y
not knowing t all g of the f answers, but also t to the possibility that y he t
wasnt even t asking the g right questions. t
Thats a characteristic a that can t help any of y us f make great
strides forward.
PUBLISHER Mike Murrell, mike@salesandmarketing.com, 952-401-1283
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paul Nolan, paul@salesandmarketing.com, 763-350-3411
ART DIRECTOR CC Susan Abbott, susan@abbottandabbott.com
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Michael Heald (Accenture); Mark Heerema (BetterYourBestNow.com); Naveen Jain
(Accenture); Sam Parker (SellMore.com); Tim Riesterer (CorporateVisions.com);
Tom Roth (WilsonLearning.com); Brian Solis (Altimeter Group); David Stein
(ESResearch.com); Robert Sutton (BobSutton.typepad.com); Robert Wollan
(Accenture); Todd Youngblood (YPSGroup.com)
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Gary Dworet, gary@salesandmarketing.com, 561-245-8328
Lori Gardner, lori@salesandmarketing.com, 952-451-6228
PRODUCTION CC MANAGER Tony Kolars, tony@salesandmarketing.com
CIRCULATION AA DIRECTOR CC
Vicki Blomquist, vicki@salesandmarketing.com
OFFICES Mach1 Business Media, LLC
PO Box 247, 27020 Noble Road, Excelsior, MN 55331
Phone: 952-401-1283 Fax: 952-401-7899 Online: www.salesandmarketing.com
PRESIDENT/CEO Mike Murrell
VP FINANCE AND OPERATIONS AA Bryan Powell
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Amy Allen, Caesars Entertainment; Greg Greunke, Greunke LLC;
Tim Houlihan, BI Worldwide; Mike Landry, Tumi; Michael Leimbach, Wilson Learning
Worldwide; Barbara Shuster, Marriott Corp.; Dave Stein, ES Research Group;
Jay Zemke, Clockwork Active Media Systems; Lee Salz, The Revenue Accelerator
Sales & Marketing Management Volume t 94, No. 2 (ISSN 0163-7517) incorporating
SalesForceXP is P published six times a year in January, March, May, July, September
and November by Mach1 Business Media. Copyright 2013 by Mach1 Business
Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text,
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BACK ISSUES, PERMISSIONS AND REPRINTS
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ADDRESS CHANGES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
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MAR
APR2013
Many social y media enthusiasts a
are convincing businesses, g
governments and
nonprots to use social
media based a on this
blind faith
supported by soft y
metrics that for t all
intents and purposes is
old marketing guised g as
newfound engagement. Just
because a business a is embracing new g
technology doesnt y mean t that it t is t
creating meaningful, g productive or
measurable experiences.
In many cases, y my research y shows that
expansion into new networks w is actually causing y
social blindness (the new media w equivalent a to t
banner or advertising blindness). g It also t causes
brand dilution because the experience is the
furthest thing t from g dened, reinforced or
integrated. This happens because organizations
are siloed. No surprise here. And, by nature, y
these silos contribute to the problem of
disconnected or competing experiences. g
Businesses are often experimenting with g new
technologies independent of t the f overall business
eforts. Meaning, what one t side of the f company is y
saying and g doing is g diferent from t the other.
Therefore, the experience starts to work against the t
brand, or the brand promise.
Its not enough t to know consumers w are changing how g
they communicate, y connect, discover and, in turn, purchase.
It is t not enough t to adopt the t technologies and networks
theyre using. Its not enough t to even ght for t attention for
these new networks. w Your path begins with discovery and y
rethinking the g new customer w journey.
The great myth of technology f
Its not the answerits part of the answer
While everyone
thinks they already
know that
is changing behavior, g the
reality is y that assumptions t
and blind faith are still playing
a role a in how businesses w are
approaching these g changes. Many
experts believe that mobile t and social
networks are the new channels w for
engagement. They place y their bets on
the number of users f each network
boasts, as well as by the y amount of t
attention press and bloggers pay to y
whatshot.
However, experts cannot tell t you
the role certain networks play in y the
customers decision-making cycle, g aka
the customer journey. Nor can they
pinpoint the t economic impact of t
activity or y conversations on the
business before, during and g after the transaction. That is t
why the y answer to the question of what f the t return on
investment (ROI) t of these f initiatives is, is elusive to them.
Instead, they come y up with new terminology w to y support
their blind faith.
BY BRIAN SOLIS
SALESANDMARKETING.COM MAR/APR 2013 7
What youll be talking about.
EDITED BY PAUL NOLAN
Socials missing link
A study conducted by Satmetrix in mid-2012 revealed
that less than half of the companies it surveyed tracked and
followed up on customer feedback r in social media. An
astonishing 28 percent do not track or respond, r leaving
customers to question their value r to the businesses that they
support. That lack of acknowledgment or engagement r leaves
the door wide r open to competitive courtship.
Acquisition of customers through social networks is only
part of the story. The brilliance of social networks is the
opportunity to transform negative experiences into positive
outcomes. Conversations inspire opportunities for product r
renement or innovation r to create remarkable experiences
from the onset.
In 2007, I wrote a piece a on how social media presented a
an opportunity to turn customer service r into the new
marketing, because retention is the new acquisition. For
companies experimenting with social media, its time to break
it out of the traditional call center and r create a proactive a
group of expert agents.
The rst mile of customer satisfaction r

keeping you and me


happy

must begin with reection and introspection. To


become customer-centric requires a change a in how we value
customers and the role they play in the decision-making
cycles of those who make choices based on the shared
experiences of others. The rst mile is then paved through
listening, governance and engagement.
To truly improve relationships and unlock advocacy requires
that social media strategists a work with customer strategists r
to create an integrated series of processes and dened roles
and responsibilities. Doing so delivers a holistic a experience
that turns customers into stakeholders and stakeholders into
protagonists of aspirational experiences. This is where your
efforts should begin.
In the future, the new customer hierarchy r will either work r for
you or against r you. And if customers are going to talk about
you, then give them something to talk about. Experiences are
now the new relationship.

Brian Solis
This is the end of business f as usual. But to t get anywhere, t
you have to prove it.
If you f can collect and t interpret the t data and a behaviors of
your customers, they will y lead to insights and the
condence to convince the skeptics and the fearful. The
truth is that the t market votes t with its dollars and those
dollars are already being y siphoned g away from y the inputs
you have in place today.
By entering y the g journey with y the intention of discovery, f
you will learn where youre losing dollars g and the new
places and supporting strategies g where they can y be earned
and re-earned. Dollars are being increasingly g earned y and
spent in t new touch w points. Discovery unlocks y information.
And information is empowering. Your work will
demonstrate which side of the f dollar youre on now and w
how to w be on the right side t of revenue f and relationships
over the next several t years.
Excerpted with permission of the publisher, Wiley,
from What's the Future of Business? Changing the
Way Businesses Create Experiences by Brian Solis.
Copyright 2013 by Brian Solis. This book is k available
at all bookstores and online booksellers.
Brian Solis is Principal of Altimeter Group, a leading
research-based advisory rm in Silicon Valley. He blogs
at BrianSolis.com.
8 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
Sales gets increasingly scientic y
Companies need to start crunching numbers, but shouldnt ask their k reps r to do it
While some people have been out in
front of this f predictive analytics thing
for quite some time, B2B sales teams
have been among the last to embrace
the notion that using science to
obtain a deeper understanding of
what customers want and how to
deliver it can transform sales
performance.
In the new book Selling Through
Someone Else: How to Use Agile
Sales Networks and Partners to Sell
More, three executives at Accenture,
one of the f worlds largest consulting
companies, address the challenge of
identifying a starting point for
applying analytics capabilities across
the end-to-end sales process.
It is important for a company to be
judicious about choosing its starting
point. Analytics can only be
successful if they f are acted on, and
that means the use of analytics f must
be connected to decision making,
state authors Robert Wollan, Naveen
Jain and Michael Heald. (Many of the f
book chapters are credited to other
Accenture employees, including the
one on Bringing Science to Selling,
which is authored by Jan Van der
Linden.)
The authors identify three routes for
nding the best starting point:
1. Choose a high-prole problem
For example, unpredictable shifts
in demand
2. Follow the value Find a true
lever for growth or support a
chosen growth strategy
3. Tie in with strategic objectives
Look for analytical approaches
that emphasize a small set of key f
objectives
But dont turn sales reps into number
crunchers, the authors warn. Most
salespeople do not have the appetite
or the temperament to spend
signicant amounts of time f
generating analyses. But they
should have the capability and the
willingness to act on the results and
outputs of analytics. f
Selling on the basis of facts f and
insights is a crucial skill for a
successful sales professional and will
become dramatically more important
in the next few decades as market
complexities increase and analytics
as a competitive advantage come
closer to maturity, they add. Just
dont ask salespeople to chase those
facts and insights themselves.
Data is just like crude. Its valuable, but if
unrened it cannot really be used. It has to be
changed into gas, plastic, chemicals, etc., to
create a valuable entity that drives protable
activity; so must data be broken down, analyzed
for it to have value.
Marketing commentator Michael Palmer in 2006
When your reps r meet new business
prospects, what do they do next? It feels
like Sales 101, but have you implemented
a follow-up a process? Have they walked
you through it lately?
Todd Youngblood, founder of r YPS Group,
a sales a process engineering consultancy,
offers his 10-step action plan on the
immediate next steps to take after you r
meet a new a business prospect (with the
emphasis on immediate):
1 Send a follow-up a email, and in doing so,
invite them to join an appropriate
e-marketing mailing list.
2 Follow them on LinkedIn, but only
send a personalized a greeting. Do not
utilize the generic greeting offered
by LinkedIn.
3 Observe what LinkedIn Groups
they are in. Youll not only get to know
them better, you might nd some new
prospect hunting grounds.
4 Follow them on Twitter.
5 Add them to a specic a Twitter stream, r
so you can monitor what r they are doing
and saying. Id recommend creating a
prospect stream, so you can see all
their activity r in one place.
6 Add to Facebook.
7 Add to Google+.
8 Add them to your CRM r as someone
worth pursuing, and appropriately
categorize them in the proper stage r
of your sales r process.
9 Once in the CRM, get creative with
some type of content to send them
that can help and serve them. This
can be a book, a an e-book, your
e-book, an article they will learn from,
etc. Something that demonstrates
what kind of partner you r will be.
10 And Id do some clever follow-up r (in
addition to email). Such as shooting a
short video on your smart r phone and
send it to them as an MMS message
(text message with multi-media).
Perhaps the message is to clarify
agreed upon action items
Todd Youngblood d is d presenting a g free
webinar on r the basics of building f and g
maintaining an g e-Repa digital extension l of
yourself at 1 t p.m. Eastern on April 18. l
Register at r SMMconnect.com. t
New prospect: w so now what? w
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10 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
Diferent strokes t for diferent folks, t the adage states. But
maybe weve been missing the g most important t message t from
that all t along. Its not so t much that diferent t people t enjoy
diferent things, t but that t everybody t enjoys y something. gg
A recent A study t of y sales f organizations at top- t
performing companies g reveals that they t are y more likely
to use recognition in the form of non-cash f rewards.
Specically, a majority a (55 y percent) of respondents f to a
recent survey t conducted y by Aberdeen y Group and
distributed by the y Incentive Research Foundation (IRF)
indicate that non-cash t incentives and rewards are a
vital component of sales f performance management.
Fifty-seven percent say t that y internal t
recognition for positive performance is a
critical non-nancial motivator.
The February 2013 y Aberdeen Research
Brief, Non-Cash Incentives: Best Practices t
to Optimize Sales Efectiveness, explores
howbest-in-class w organizations extend
beyond simple cash compensation to use
non-cash incentives and rewards as a vital a
part of t their f B2B sales performance
management eforts. t
A look A at k best-in-class companies
Aberdeen Group, a leading a provider g of fact- f
based research helping organizations g and
individuals make better business decisions,
surveyed 312 end-user organizations to better
understand how sales w performance
management is t most efectively t deployed. y BIC
rms (those comprising the g top 20 percent) had
higher customer retention rates, higher year-over-year increase
in the number of sales f reps achieving quota g and a a much a larger
increase in deal size/contract value t than industry average y rms
or laggard rms (those comprising the g bottom 30 percent).
The Research Brief, supported and distributed by
the IRF, found that organizations t with formal
internal sales employee recognition programs had
nearly 15 y percent higher t team quota attainment a
and 6 percent higher t customer renewal rate. In fact,
100 percent of t BIC f organizations use incentive travel
to motivate their sales force.
The study also y found that BIC t rms were:
LIeveneicenimoieIiLeIyiooeiveibaIiaise
90percent more t likely to y ofer public recognition and
94percent more t likely to y ofer peer-to-peer recognition
for progress towards goal versus all other rms
1veniyihieeeicenimoieIiLeIyihanaIIoiheis
to ofer group travel, 75 percent more t likely to y ofer
company-sponsored events and 60 percent more t
likely to y ofer peer-to-peer recognition as a year-end a
salesincentive
1veniysixeicenimoieIiLeIyihanaIIoiheis
to list teamwork t as a very a important y part t of t the f sales
processand 47 percent more t likely than y
laggardrms
You can download the full report at t TheIRF.org. t
The IRF funds and promotes research to advance
the science and enhance the awareness and
application of motivation f and incentives in business.
Top sales teams see beyond paychecks
Inc. magazine asked executives for
their favorite interview questions.
Everyone has them. And everyone
wishes they had better ones, says
writer Jeff Haden. f A few favorites:
If were f sitting here a year from r now
celebrating what a great year its r
been for you r in this role, what did
we achieve together?
For me, the most important thing
about interviews is that the
interviewee interviews us. I need to
know theyve done their homework,
truly understand our company and the
role...and really want y it, says Randy
Garutti, CEO of Shake f Shack. The
candidate should have enough
strategic vision to not only talk about
how good the year has been but to
answer with an eye towards that
bigger-picture understanding of the f
companyand why they want to
behere.
What things do you not like to do?
We tend to assume people who
have held a role enjoy all aspects of
that role, but Ive found that is seldom
the case, says Art Papas, founder
and CEO of Bullhorn. f Getting an
honest answer to the question
requires persistence, though. I usually
have to ask it a few times in different
ways, but the answers are always
worth the effort. I interviewed a sales
candidate who said she didnt enjoy
meeting new people. My favorite was
the nance candidate who told me he
hated dealing with mundane details
and checking his work. Next!
Getting beyond Tell me more about yourself t
Defeating discouragement, the
No. 1 sales momentum killer
In his latest book, To Sell Is Human, author Daniel r Pink extols k
the importance of buoyancy, f stating that the broadening
effect of positive f emotions has important consequences for
moving others.
Sales reps may be y able to laugh off the f emotional swings of
the profession after the r fact, but the reality is y the depths of
disappointment or frustration r they encounter y during r any given y
day can y bring productivity to y a screeching a halt. Negative
feelings, frustration, and disappointment are killers of your f
business, productivity and y income, says sales coach Mark
Heerema (BetterYourBestNow.com). a
He offers four tips r for ghting r off discouragement f and
keeping a positive a sales momentum rolling:
Change expectations: Reps cant expect a call a back from k
a voice a mail. They need y to stay in y charge so they are y not
reacting to lack of k action f on the prospects part.
The magic number c rule: r Every prospect y will take a
predetermined amount of attempts f to reach; the salesperson
just doesnt know what w that number is r until she reaches it. If
a rep a hasnt gotten the prospect to talk on k the phone, she
hasnt called them enough yet. Its simply a y mind a game. Are
they going y to get frustrated about it, or just r realize the
prospect will pick up k when the right number is r hit?
Play the y odds: Reps cant afford to lose a sale a because
they are y not prepared. If they f have y a 20-second a pitch, they
should have that down so pat that they could y do it in their
sleep during a bad a dream. If they f know y they w delivered y the
most effective cold call intro, request for an r appointment, or
answer to r an objection and the prospect still responds
negatively, what else could be done? As long as they swing y
the best bat they know y to w swing, theres nothing else they
can do. A salesperson A needs to own his part; if it f is
executed well and still doesnt work, move on. Someone
else is ready.
Set activity-based t goals: If salespeople f take action on
the most important pieces of their f sales r game, good results
should follow. Goals should be centered on results and
activities they can y accomplishi.e., the number of r phone f
calls they make y not the responses from prospects.
The power of r the f sales professional is in process, execution
and action. Keeping goals focused on activity puts y the
emphasis and pressure on the ability to y work toward k an end
that a salesperson a has control of. As long as the right activities
are done well, the results will follow.
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12 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
training
Ive taken some heat recently t from y sales
training company g executives y regarding
my position y on sales training RFPs. g They
would be happy, of course, f never seeing r an g
RFP again. But I t know from w experience
that under t the r right circumstances, t an RFP n
can make the diference between your
company selecting y the g right sales t training
partner and the wrong one. g
Coming out g of t sales, f sales consulting,
and sales training, I have a love-hate a
relationship with RFPs. I love them when
Ive written them for a customer a or
inuenced their content and, t as a result, a
have exerted some control over that
customers buying/decision criteria,
leading to g a win. a On the other hand, I
hate RFPs (actually Im y unemotional
I no-bid the opportunity) when one
surprisingly pops y into my inbox. y
When we rst started t sending RFPs g
to sales performance improvement
companies on behalf of f our f sales training
buyer clients, the responses from sales
training companies g were as you would
expect: resistance, frustration, even anger.
After all, many of y those f sales trainers
train their clients salespeople on how to w
get around t the RFP process. They ask y me
why they y should y have to do what they t
teach their clients not to t dorespond to
RFPs. After all, they say, y RFPs have been
written or inuenced by one y supplier,
putting anyone g else who chooses to bid
in a disadvantageous a position. As a seller, a
I couldnt agree t more.
On the buy-side of the f equation
When we are involved in a clients a
evaluation process for sales training, we
perform the requirements analysis and
denition. We do that independently t of y
any provider y or any inuence y they might y
have among the g clients stakeholders. Its
a bad a idea to a allowa w training a company g
to write your requirements, or have a
training company g actively y selling y in g your
organization while requirements are
being dened. g Your requirements tend to
mirror what those t trainers do best.
Sell to the customer in r the way
they want y to buy
From the buy side,we y expect anyone t
bidding for g the business to understand
how the w customer (our client) wants to
buyby employing y this g RFP process
and to demonstrate a willingness a to work
under those parameters. You can imagine
howimportant w it t is t for our clients to
understand how each w potential supplier
matches up against the t prioritized criteria
as stated in the RFPcriteria derived a
directly from y that comprehensive t and
objective assessment we t performed.
Weve found over the years that it t is t
important to t reassure each RFP
recipientthat:
Iis a ieaI ooiiuniiy
Ii has senioi execuiive sonsoishi
Ii is budgeied
1he iiming oI ihe evenis incIuding
launch are short term. t
We have eiIoimed ihe
requirements denition and wrote
the RFP without any t inuence y at all t
from any supplier. y
No suIiei has been in ihe accouni
since we were involved.
Its a bad idea to
have a training
company actively
selling in your
organization while
requirements are
being dened.
Some advice on
sales training RFPs
How to get RFP-averse sales trainers to participate
BY DAVE STEIN, CEO AND FOUNDER, ES RESEARCH GROUP, INC.
Lveiy iovidei ihai ieceives an RIP
has an equaI ooiiuniiy io vin
II you viII be emIoying an RIP iocess
and you vani io inciease ihe numbei oI
aiiicianis you mighi iiy ieassuiing
ihem viih ihose seven oinis
The short list
AIiei ihe iesonses aie iead anaIyzed
and ianLed a shoii Iisi is deieimined
Ai ihai oini ihe cIieni meeis viih
ieieseniaiives Iiom each shoiiIisied
comany io ansvei any and aII quesiions
1hais aIso ihe iime vhen ihe cIieni and
ihe shoiiIisied ims gei io Lnov
eachoihei
Duiing naIisi ieseniaiion day each
shoiiIisied iovidei oeis insighi inio
hov ihey viII coniiibuie io ihe cusiomei
achieving iheii saIes eiIoimance goaIs
and objeciives Ai ihai oini ihe cIieni
evaIuaies each ieseniaiion among oihei
Iaciois and maLes a seIeciion
The bottom line
As a iesuIi oI ihis iocess vhichevei
iovidei is seIecied is aImosi guaianieed
io have a successIuI imIemeniaiion
because aII ihe iisLs ievaids siiengihs
and chaIIenges oI boih iovidei and cIieni
viII have been ideniied and discussed
oenIy by boih aiiies beIoie a coniiaci is
signed 1his is one oI ihe suiesi vays io
avoid a saIes iiaining iiainviecL
ES Research Groups in-depth industry
research and independent evaluations of sales
training companies helps companies make the
right decisions about sales training programs.
Learn more at ESResearch.com.
training
Augment
your RFPs
If your prospects request RFPs,
Canadian-based marketing
strategist Jacqueline M. Drew
recommends offering insights
at the category or industry level,
not just client-specic insights.
Show you understand their
industry by including a little
research or interesting facts in
the sidebars of the proposal.
14 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
training
Are your salespeople r
coachable?
SamParker, founder and publisher of
GiveMore.com and SellMore.com, says
being coachable g means to be
AioachabIe
Aiieniive
Receiive
Cuiious
Objeciive
1iusiing
ShaeabIe
Condeni
It means t you must listen t with the intent
to learn rather than to showwhat w you t
know (not w coincidentally, t exactly the y type
of listening f required g in the sales process).
1o be coachabIe means io IacL aiiogance
and defensivenessto minimize pride
and ego ComIeieIy ieachabIe
ComIeieIy iiainabIe ComIeieIy
malleable.
1o need no moie iiaining oi coaching
is to stagnate or dieand in many cases, y
to be dismissed, adds Parker.
He asks sales managers, how much w
development attention t are you giving to g
your team? If only f 20 y percent of t your f
week is devoted to development, that
would be a full a day. Bump that to t 40
percent and t you would spend two full
days, beginning to g end, on training.
An 8-point check t on k coachability
Do you have a coachable sales team? Have them take this quiz, answering
honestly which of these f are true, and to what extent?
I usually allow my manager and r others to complete their sentences r
before responding. (If you f dont, u its not a t good sign.) d
When Im given feedback/criticism, I usually think about k it before
responding, waiting just a bit. (If you f dont, u youre likely not y giving t
it real t consideration.) l
When Im given feedback/criticism, I rarely nd myself defending f
a position or action r immediately. (If this f is true, youre probably
trying to g really learn y how you w can u improve.)
When Im given feedback/criticism, I ask questions k about it in order
to try to better understand r it. (A good sign.) d
I feel my works purpose is to serve my external customers.
(Youre gonna have to serve somebody. Bob Dylan)
I feel my works purpose is to serve my internal customers
(managers, colleagues and other d departments). r
Ive changed/revised my position/approach because of the f advice
of another f individual. r (If not, f how coachable w do you really u think y
you are? u No ? one is always right.)
My manager invests r time in my professional development (If not, f
it might t be t because of a f perception that youre t uncoachable).
Theres no rating scale here. These questions are simply meant to raise
awareness (when answered as objectively and truthfully).
Source: JustSell.com :
Continual learning is a basic
necessity to professional
improvement. In many cases,
its other people who help
sales reps advance. But they
must be open to coaching.
901 Lincoln Drive West, #304, Marlton, NJ 08053
Contact: Kimberly Biggs Email: kbiggs@okbusa.com
16 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
marketing
A Forrester A Research report revealed t
that 88 t percent of t executive f decision
makers want to t have a conversation, a
not a t presentation. a This means that if t
you, as a marketer, a want to t enable your
sales team to deliver successful sales
conversations, traditional tools such as
PowerPoint wont t cut t it. t
Fear not. Aberdeen Research found
that using t whiteboards g to tell a story a
during sales g conversations can improve
performance. Specically, they can y
helprealize:
highei Iead conveision iaies
shoiiei iimeioioduciiviiy
shoiiei saIes cycIes
II vhiieboaidbased sioiies can enabIe
more efective conversations, why is y
everyone still using PowerPoint g in t
marketing and g sales processes?
Sounds like an opportunity to y me
To solve the critical issues around
executive buyer engagement, you need
to connect with t your inner cave person
and begin telling your g story with y stick
gures, arrows and whimsical icons
and you need to develop a methodology. a
This shouldnt be t like a typical a sales
methodology, centered around sales
processes like opportunity management y
or account planning. t A whiteboard A selling
methodology should y be focused on what
your salespeople are going to g say during y
ameeting.
Incorporating whiteboards g into your
approach to executive decision makers
is great, but it t must t be t treated like a
systematic process if you f want to t ensure
the consistent quality t of y both f the message
and the delivery.
If youre f looking to g implement
whiteboards throughout your t
organization, here are three essential
steps to get there: t
Develop Marketing must g work t with
salespeople to create powerful, customer
needsbased messaging 1he visuaI sioiy
you tell should start with t customer
challenges as the design point. Also,
there are multiple objectives in the
buying cycle g that may t require y a dedicated a
whiteboardstory.
For example, you need a whiteboard a
story that y disrupts t the status quo. A
simple, concrete visualization of the f
threats and challenges that put t your t
prospect and t their outcomes at risk t is
critical to creating a g buying a vision. g I call
this the Why Change y whiteboard. Once
you get the t acknowledgement from t a
prospect that t they t must y do t something
diferent, they will y want to t know how w you w
can help them do it, and how you w do this
better than the competition. I call this
the Why You y solution diferentiation
whiteboard. Additionally, a highly a visual y
whiteboard may help y explain a complex a
implementation processes so it appears t
more approachable and doable for your
prospects.
Deploy y Whiteboard deployments need
to be easily adoptable y and usable for
salespeople. Start by t packaging y
whiteboards into a toolkit a that t contains t
boih coaching and cusiomeiIacing
content. Then, you must teach t your
salespeople to deliver your whiteboard
similar to helping an g actor learn his part.
You must assume t the role of director f
and provide a script a and t detailed
explanation of the f storyboard. Essentially,
ihis is a siebysie visuaIizaiion oI hov
the whiteboard is built and t the
Channeling your
inner caveman r
Stick gures, arrows and whimsical icons will set you apart
BY TIM RIESTERER, CHIEF STRATEGY AND MARKETING OFFICER,
CORPORATE VISIONS, INC.
marketing
corresponding conversation g
that goes t along with g each
visual reveal. You also need to
provide a video a coaching
example of a f golden a pitch,
demonstrating how g the w
whiteboard should ideally be y
delivered. Literally, this
should include showing how g
the pacing, tone and
transitions work to maximize
the impact.
Deliver r Salespeople need
to understand both the art
and science of whiteboarding. f
This means sufcient training t
on the use of a f pen a and a
writing surface, g and
becoming comfortable g with
having a g conversation a versus
giving a g presentation. a It also t means
understanding the g principles behind
why the y story needs y to be told the way
it has t been developed including an g
understanding of g storytelling f models g
that target t the t decision-making part g of t
the brain, which doesnt have t the capacity
forlanguage.
Also, practice makes perfect. This is the
part where t many whiteboards y fall apart.
Salespeople need to practice delivering
the whiteboard until they can y present it t
naturally while y demonstrating complete g
control of the f content. Its not just t about t
eliminating errors. g Its about building t
condence, taking ownership g and making
it their t story.
To use whiteboarding successfully, g
you must know t how w to w create a solid a
message, and deploy it y in t a way a that y can t
be easily adopted y and practiced, so that
salespeople can deliver the technique
with command. By implementing y these g
three steps, you can enable your sales
team to become world-class storytellers
and ultimately, help your company close y
more deals.
With more than 20 years of marketing and
sales experience, Tim Riesterer, Chief Strategy
and Marketing Ofcer at Corporate Visions,
Inc., is a recognized thought-leader,
practitioner and author regarding marketing
and sales messaging. His books, Customer
Message Management and Conversations
That Win the Complex Sale, focus on
increasing a marketing departments impact
on selling by providing sales-ready messages
and tools that salespeople can use to create
a compelling story that wins more deals.
TUMISPECIALMARKETS.COM | 800.669.3181
ABOVE.
AND BEYOND.
T
U
M
I
.
C
O
M


2
0
1
3

T
U
M
I
,

I
N
C
.
18 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
marketing
The use of online f video is at an t all-time
high and growing exponentially. g
According to g Kissmetrics, a provider a of
Web analytics tools, online viewers are
anywhere from 64 to 85 percent more t
likely to y buy after y watching a g product a
video.
People vastly prefer y watching over g
reading, states a Kissmetrics a blog post g
(blog.kissmetrics.com).
Car parts retailer Advance Auto Parts
has found that including t instructional g and
how-to videos both on its site and
Facebook has led to some surprising
ndings. Visitors who watch video stay on y
the site twice as long and g visit twice t as
many pages y versus those who dont see t
video.And, sharing those g how-to tutorials
on Facebook further increases the
retailers reach.
Web video spending will g nearly double y
from 7.9 percent of t all f advertising in g 2012
to 15 percent in t 2016, according to g
eMarketer Inc.
Web videos can be used to demonstrate
the unique features of a f product a or t how
to assemble, service or replace parts on a
product, which can increase customer
satisfaction and decrease your own
companys spending on g customer service
for equipment that t may t still y be under
warranty.
Forbes recently reported y that YouTube t
parent Google t introduced resources this
year to help small businesses create and
promote Web videos. Just as t with
Googles search advertising, Google
AdWords for Video lets small businesses
pay only y when y users watch their videos.
Companies can promote their videos by
keywords to appear in YouTube search
results, or display their y video ads on pages
with interesting content. g
YouTube also ofers free analytical tools
that enable t small businesses to nd out
how viewers w are engaging with g their
brands. Businesses can track how many w
viewers watched an entire video, or even
if theyvisited f the companys website
afterward.
Show & tell: video is a
must-have marketing tool
Email blasts are
a thing of the f past
eMarketer, which monitors trends in digital marketing, l media
and commerce, d recently spoke y with Maribeth Ross, Vice President
of NetProspex, f a business-to-business email and l ofine d data
servicescompany.
eMarketer: How do w you get recipients t to read the contents
of an f email?
Ross: What you t put above t the fold on the top of the f screen is
very important y because t you want to t capture their attention
right away. t There are a lot a of t schools f of thought f on t this, and the
way I y think about it t is t if I f am a recipient, a Im not going t to g open
something that g I t think is a product a pitch. t The recipient is t going
to ask, Whats in it for t me? The answer cant be, t We have a
great product. t Nobody wants y to invite themselves into a
salespitch.
eMarketer: What has t changed for companies doing CRM g
mailings, and what do t you think will change going forward? g
Ross: A trend A that Ive t seen in B2B customer-oriented
marketing is g taking a g personalized a approach. Once you have
permission to have that relat ationship p t with with th the er, customer, yyou
want to t make sure you prote ect it. t Soo w what oure youre t going going to g d send
them is highly relevant y conte ent t that t is is t highly highly personalized. personalized. yy One One
of the f best practices t Ive seen n associated ated wi with that is t making making
sure that any t customer y comm munications ions come come directly directly from f y
either their account manager t or assigned salesperson. You can can
still send it out t through t your marketing marketing automation t g system, but
you want to t make it look t like it came t from an individual, [as
opposed to] a larger a email program sent to t many people. y
eMarketer: What would t you say is y the underlying best g practice t
in content marketing? t
Ross: I always encourage our marketing team g to think like the
buyer. Put themselves t in the shoes of the f buyer and really gure y
out whether t it makes t senseif the f timing makes g sense, and if
the content is t important enough t to put in t front of t them. f
Sign up to receive newsletters at eMarketer.com. t
marketing
Viral video isnt just t for t water-skiing r squirrels
One Saturday morning in June 2006, Stephen Voltz and
Fritz Grobe posted a three-minute video online showing the
two of them dropping 500 Mentos mints into 100 bottles of
Diet Coke creating, in their words, a miniature Bellagio
fountain show.
Voltz and Grobe, former circus performers, say they told just
one person about the video and by that afternoon, 4,000
people had watched it. By that night, total views hit 14,000.
As we have made [more] videos, and as weve watched
countless other videos to viral online, weve tried to distill what
works and what doesnt. Weve looked hard at why most
attempts at viral video fail, and weve examined what make the
few that succeed so contagious, they state in their book, The
Viral Video Manifesto: Why Everything You Know Is Wrong and
How to do What Really Works.
A B2B video may not stand a chance against David After
Dentist, but Voltz and Grobe provide insights for producing
videos that will make a positive impression no matter the arena.
Be honest Dont try to conceal things. Dont worry about
getting every brand message perfectly delivered. Keep it real,
and nd something even better. As John Grant has written in
his book, The New Marketing Manifesto, Authenticity is the
benchmark against k which all brands are now judged.
Dont waste prospects time On the Internet, your
audience can leave whenever they want. And they will. If they
get bored, theyll be gone in an instant.
Be bold enough to be unforgettable The real risk in k
online video is in trying to play it safe. You dont have to be
wild and crazy to be unforgettable. Sussex Safer Roads was
powerful and poetic with its video Embrace Life Always
Wear Your Seat Belt (15 million views), showing a car crash
through slow-motion mime.
Let your brand be human Make your videos friendly and
relatable, not stiff and corporate. Humanizing your brand helps
create the emotional connection that will lead to sharing.
20 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
meetings
Were more e creative e
when we n get e together t
IMEX research indicates face-to-face meetings generate more ideas
Theres no arguing that g technological t advancements have
enhanced business communication, increased productivity
and provided a plethora a of a options f for everything from g sales
meetings to product demonstrations t to real-time training.
But are t our capabilities outpacing our g understanding
of the f impact these t new ways w of meeting f have g on overall
accomplishment of t objectives? f Its a question a that leaders t of
IMEX Group, a worldwide a meetings and incentive travel
advocate, wanted to learn more about.
More specically, IMEX executives were curious about the t
answers to four questions:
1
Does interacting face-to-face g improve
the
number
of
r
creative f ideas
you have over virtual meetings?
2
Does interacting face-to-face g
improve the
quality
of the f ideas
you have over virtual meetings?
3
Does interacting face-to-face g improve
the
variety
of ideas f you have
over virtual meetings?
4
Does interacting face-to-face g
improve the
social
experience
of interaction f
over virtual meetings?
Quantity and quality d
Given that most t meetings t involve some discussion of thoughts, f
ideas or creative solutions, IMEX and the Meetology Group y
decided it would t be worthwhile to try to y understand the factors
that afect t idea t generation a and creative problem-solving.
Success in these areas is fundamental to healthy organizations. y
IMEX worked with Meetology psychologists y at IMEX t 2012
in Frankfurt, Germany last y July t to y run tests on three groups
that mimicked t the three key ways y that people t meet
face-to-face, via video a conference and via phone. a They report y
that the t ndings clearly demonstrate y that working t together g
face-to-face generates more ideas, plus a marginally a higher y
quality and y a greater a variety of y ideas f compared to undertaking
the same task either on the phone or via video a link.
Speaking about g the t initial results, consultant psychologist t Dr. t
Paul Redford, who was instrumental in planning and g managing
the research, stated, Whenever you conduct a t new a experiment w
theres always a concern a that you t might not t nd t anything of g
statistical signicance. You hope for it, of course, f but the t results
and the data are a outside your control. So, I was genuinely
surprised to nd that our t Meetology Laboratory y experiments y at
IMEX produced clear, robust results. t A face-to-face A meeting
between two people who do not know t each w other resulted in
more creative ideas than the other two methods. The statistics
show there w is a signicant a diference t in the number of creative f
ideas generated, a marginal a but notable t diference in the quality
of those f ideas and also a greater a variety of y ideas f produced.
These results were all the more notable given that the t
participants didnt always t share the same language and did
not necessarily t know y each w other before the experiment.
A total A of 104 f participants took part in t the study. They were y
all attendees at IMEX t 2012, which took place over three days.
Participants were selected in pairseither known or
unknownto work together on a problem-solving a exercise. g
Each pair of participants f was scored on the number of ideas f
SALESANDMARKETING.COM MAR/APR 2013 21
meetings
that were t produced in three minutes, as well as the innovative-
ness of those f ideas. There was no right or wrong answer.
The participants were randomly selected y to adhere to one of
three conditions: communicating with g their partner through
video only using y headsets; g communicating with g their partner
through telephone only; sitting with g their partner and
workingtogether.
Participants were randomly allocated y one of three f creativity
tasks chosen to cover a range a of creative f thinking types g (see
sidebar). Known as the Torrance Test of t Creative f Thinking,
these tasks can be measured for quantity and y quality, that is, t the
originality and y creativity of y each f idea.
The results showed that, on average, the face-to-face pairs of
participants generated 30 percent more t ideas than the virtual
pairs. Similar results were also apparent in t the maximum
numbers of ideas f each pair generated. In face-to-face
conditions, the highest number t of ideas f generated by any y pair y
was 29, which was 50 percent more t than the total generated
under voice-only conditions y and 70 percent more t than were
generated under video conditions.
Interestingly, measuring the g positive interpersonal
experience of each f group revealed that the t face-to-face pairs
did not feel t more satised or close than those in either of the f
virtual conditions. The researchers concluded that this t
indicates it is t not the t positive experience of the f other that
increases the idea generation a in face-to-face meetings.
These ndings are very exciting y for g the whole industry and y
their implications are wide-ranging for g meetings and event
planners, and particularly those y responsible for developing
future direction and strategy, says IMEX CEO Carina Bauer. a
These results appear to suggest that t if t you f are a company a or y
organization that needs t to generate a high a quantity of y fresh, f
new ideas, w then getting a g group a of staf f or f other
peopleperhaps stakeholders or customerstogether in the
same room will produce measurably more y than other methods,
she adds.
This is not to t discredit the t part that t other t methods can play,
especially in y this age of crowds f -sourcing, for example. But it t
does suggest that t if t creativity f or y innovation is the aim, then
face-to-face collaboration is more efcient and t productive.
The Meetology Group y CEO Jon Bradshaw says, w The
meetings industry can y learn so much from the world of
psychology and y behavioral science. How people w behave is
directly related y to the outcome of the f meeting.
The games people pplayed
The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking taask used k in
the IMEX behavioral research all involve thhe generation
of innovative ideas.
Clouds with strings
Participants were asked if clouds had strinngs
attached to them that hang down to Earth, what
would happen? They were asked to list ass many
possible implications as they could.
Unusual uses for cardboard
Participants were asked to list as many
unusual uses as they could think of k for carrdboard
boxes. They were told not to limit themselvves to any
one size of box or any number of boxes.
Stuffed elephant
Participants were asked to think of k a stuffeed toy
elephant about the size of two sts on topp of each
other and list as many interesting and unusual ways
they could think of k for changing the toy eleephant so that
children could have more fun playing with it.
22 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
meetings
Smaller, on-the-fly
meetings gain ground
The U.S. meetings industry has recovered from the
corporate travel cutbacks of the f 2008 recession, but meetings t
will never be the same, according to g a new a study w by y software y
developer The Active Network (ActiveNetwork.com).
Active Networks Business Solutions Group studied meeting
planning patterns g in ve key destinations y over the past four t
years in their latest study, t Event Trends: t 2008-2012. The data
suggest that t organizations t have reinvented their event-sourcing
practices to t todays t corporate cost-control and savings goals.
The study shows y that requests t for meeting proposals g are now
exceeding pre-recession g levels but companies t are:
Mccring smallcr by paring y the g number of people f
attending events, g often to under 50
Mccring shnrrcr by reducing y event g length t to same-
or one-day meetings y
Planning nn rhc y by y sourcing y for g meeting services g
with less lead time in order to accommodate uctuating
eventbudgets
The rebound
After plunging precipitously g between y 2008 and 2009 as the
economy went y into t a tailspin, a average monthly unique y electronic
requests for proposal (eRFPs) across the ve cities in the study
Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York w and Orlando
surpassed 2008 levels by 6 y percent during t the g rst 10 t months
of 2012. f More signicantly, the total eRFPs received through
October 2012 stood 46 percent higher t than the recessionary low- y
mark in 2009, illustrating the g dramatic scale of the f recovery.
Small is practical
Half of f all f 2012 eRFPs tracked across the studys ve cities were
for meetings under 50 people, representing a g 5 a percent increase t
compared to 2008. Over the same period, the number of events f
with 51 to 100 and 101 to 250 attendees fell by 2 y percent and t
3percent, respectively. The shift to t smaller meetings, enabling
savings on airfare, hotel and food and beverage costs, requires a
diferent strategy t for y sourcing hotels g and venues.
Shorter can r increase efciency
Same-day and y one-day events y now represent w more t than one-
third (35 percent) of eRFPs, f up 14 percent from t 2008, showing a g
clear migration by companies y to shorten events to cut down t on
costs. In addition, two- and three-day events y fell from 46
percent of t eRFPs f in 2008 to 40 percent in t 2012. The trend is
expected to fuel the demand for mobile applications that
streamline meeting tasks, g such as downloading agendas g and
providing session g feedback, to help attendees do more with
lesstime.
Lead times shrinking
A full A 30 percent of t eRFP f lead times in the rst 10 t months of
2012 were just 60 t days or less, up from 27 percent in t 2008.
Likewise, lead times of 121 f days and more fell from 41 percent to t
38 percent over t the same time frame. The shorter lead times
reect delays t in meetings budget approvals t as companies watch
their wallets more closely, requiring hotels g to be quicker on their
feet and t planners to narrow their w focus accordingly.
Trends differ by r city y
Changes in eRFP meeting size, g event duration t and sourcing lead g
time over the last four t years vary from y city to y city. Studying the g
city-by-city trends y identied in the study can y help both hotels
and meeting planners g make more informed decisions about
promotions and destinations.
The data used for d the r Event Trends: t 2008-2012 analysis was drawn
from nearly 36,000 y unique eRFPs sent via t Active Networks StarCite
Supplier Marketplace r to a statically relevant y sample t of hotels f located
in each of the f ve cities from January 2008 y through October 2012. r
The eRFPs represent Active t Network customers in a wide variety
ofindustries.
More than one-third of events
in 2012 are one day or less
(Up 14% from 2008)
/ DAYS
/ ANNUAL PERCENTAGE
2012
26% 24% 16% 13% 4% 8%
1 2 3 4 5 6 or more
35%
9%
24% 26% 17% 12% 5% 8% 8%
2011
24% 27% 17% 12% 4% 7% 9%
2010
18% 27% 21% 13% 7% 9% 5%
2009
19% 25% 21% 14% 7% 11% 3%
2008
Less than 1
Average Event
Duration Composition*
* Average of ve US cities
GRAPHIC: EVENT TRENDS: 2008-2012, ACTIVENETWORK.COM
EEEEEeeeeeeeeennnnnyyyyy. MMMMMMMMeeeeeeeeeennnnyyyyyy. MMMMMMMMoooooeeeeeeee. yyy.. SSSooonnnyyy
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The sweetest rewards come with a choice.
Sony Incentive Program: the Peoples Choice Rewards
2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend


Consumer Electronics
Brand of the Year
cover story
24 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
L
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cover story
SALESANDMARKETING.COM MAR/APR 2013 25
Edited by Paul Nolan
s
h
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p
On the list of discussion topics with staying
power, leadership has few rivals. Love, sex and
death come to mind, but the t rst one t scares us, the
second one embarrasses us, and who really wants y to
think about the t latter, much less talk about it? t
Leadership, on the other hand, is fun to debate. Its
like sports and politics (perhaps that why t we y look to
those two arenas so much for leaders) in that people t
can have diferent opinions t and none of them f is
necessarily right y or t wrong.
You could ll countless libraries with the books that
have been written on leadership. Business books have
regaled a wide a swath of leadership f strategies, from
great war t generals like Sun Tzu to ctional TV
characters like Tony Soprano. y (As it turns t out, the
former may be y as ctional as the latter.)
Also like sports and politics, leadership prompts
impassioned and opposing views. g One of the f best
recent articles t regarding leadership g is a July a 2012 y
Wired cover d feature entitled Do You Really Want y To t
Be Like Steve Jobs? Its an intelligent and t balanced
look at the t upside and downside of the f late Apple
CEOs volatile personality and y his demandingand
often demeaningapproach to leading others. g (An
indicator of how f we w love to talk about leadership: t the
online discussion among readers g on that article t alone is
nearing 200 g posts.)
What does t leadership look like? What do t leaders do?
Its impossible to answer those questions in a single a
magazine story or y even a years a worth of stories. f If we f
get you t thinking about g the t questions and debating the g
topic in your circle of business f associates, thats as
important as t providing whatever g answers we could
come up with.
One thing we g knowis w that leaders t engage those who
work with them, which is why we y selected as the
centerpiece of this f package an article by Wilson y
Learning Worldwide g COO Thomas Roth on how
leaders create a culture a of engagement. f
Its important to t note, also, that while t this particular
issue is called our Leadership Issue, and this cover
feature spans only a y portion a of the f magazine,
leadership as a topicwhat a it t looks t like, how to w
improve at it, t and what new t tools w exist to t assist you t in
leadingis at the t heart of t our f entire content, both in
print and t online as SalesAndMarketing.com. We love
the subject. We enjoy the y fact that t its t always evolving.
And we welcome yourinput.
cover story
26 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
Weve all heard about organizations
with great strategies that somehow
fail to execute in the marketplace.
We also know of organizations
that have long-term, highly
satised customers who, for some
mysterious reason, stop buying.
On the e, surface it is t easy to y say that y there t are many uncontrollable y factors
contributing o t g these problems, such as politics or a global a economic crisis.
Ho However, me som organizations continue to enjoy greater y levels of success f in
sp spit itee of these f external forces. These organizations succeed because of
so some m thing lled cal g engagementa factor a that may t be y playing a g more a
signicant e rol t in business than previously believed. y
nt Engagemen represents t the conditions under which people (employees
and s customers alike) make an emotionally based y choice to be loyal to a
company. For customers, this choice is typically demonstrated y as reliable,
repeat ss busines t and voluntary, positive brand support. Employees
demonstrate engagement e through t a positive a expenditure of their f
discretionary energy y and y a clear a commitment to t the organizations vision,
strategies aand goals.
The ressul u ts of these f choices are evident, with studies supporting the g
notion that high h t engagement organizations enjoy higher y productivity and y
pr ots thhan ow ll engagement w organizations. Engaged customers provide
The leaders
role in creating
employee
engagement
BY TOM ROTH
cover story
SALESANDMARKETING.COM MAR/APR 2013 27
Four levels
of leadership f
Understanding the two sides of leadership
is important, but the bigger issue is how
to put them into action. Leaders need to
apply their leadership Essence and Form
on four levels:
Leading oneself:
Being clear on what one wants to be as a
leader is the rst step in leading oneself.
You need to lead yourself before you can
lead others.
Leading others (one-to-one):
One-to-one leadership skills are often
considered foundational, like
communication skills, goal setting,
delegating, etc.
Leading teams (one-to-group):
In addition to one-to-one skills, leaders
need to be able to lead and inspire
individuals to work effectively together
and achieve as a team.
Leading a work culture:
Many leaders focus on improving their
one-to-one and one-to-group skills.
However, todays leader needs to
understand what it takes to create a
culture that enables the full engagement
of employees.
greater revenue, sustain market share, t and are less susceptible to being
drawn away by y competitors. y Engaged employees provide greater
productivity with y higher levels of performance f and are less likely to y
be drawn away by y bigger y salaries or better working conditions. g
While the benets of engagement f are t well dened, these same studies also
suggest an t increased movement away t from y engagement for t employees.
These studies clearly indicate y that only t a y very a small y percentage of employees f
are fully engaged y in most organizations, t and an increasing number g of
employees are disengagingsometimes by seeking y employment g elsewhere t
or (potentially worse) y remaining in g a position a without putting t forth g the
necessary energy y or y commitment.
This is not news t to many. Comments from leaders indicate that while t
they understand y the importance of engagement, f they nd y themselves
fraught with t more questions than ideas about actually t creating y employee g
engagement.
Traditional approaches focus leaders in the wrong place
A rst A step t toward addressing this g issue is to clarify the y relationship between
employee and customer engagement. Many experts y today encourage y leaders
to create customer engagement, implying that g this t is under a leaders a direct
control. The reality is y that leaders t can only create y customer engagement
through their employees. Successful leaders realize that to t create customer
engagement, they have y to rst create t the conditions for employee
engagement. Only then y can leaders direct their t employees energies toward
creating the g conditions for customer engagement. The bottom line is, to keep
engaged customers, an organization must rst t have t engaged employees.
Engaged customers appear when engaged employees become an
unexpected addition to the customer experience. At the t customer interface,
Employee
Engagement
Conditions
for
Engagement
Conditions
for
Engagement
Leadership
Focus
Customer
Engagement
Engagement Leadership Efforts
Although its ultimately an employees
decision whether or not to be engaged,
leaders create the working and cultural
conditions in which employees are
recognized and valued, and feel challenged
by their work.
cover story
28 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
this addition is obvious. For example, its easy to y see an emotional connection
in action when you as a customer a feel that everybody t knows y your name at the t
corner cofee shop. What is t less obvious, but just t as t critical, is the engagement
of those f employees behind the scenesthose who are responsible for the
quality of y the f products, operations and processes. Great relationships t will not
make up for bad cofee, uncompetitive prices or failures to maintain
cleanliness in the cofee shop. Thus, all leaders, not just t sales t and service
leaders, must focus t on employee engagement.
But what t exactly t do y leaders with engaged employees do diferently? These
leaders understand the importance of managing f products, g policies and
operations. However, they also y devote as much or more energy on y creating the g
conditions for engagement. r While it is t ultimately an y employees decision
whether or not to t be engaged, these leaders create the working and g cultural
conditions in which employees are recognized and valued, and feel challenged
by their y work.
When times are difcult, many leaders y tend to focus on the numbers and
become controlling, which ultimately results y in less engagement. Successful
leaders recognize that they t need y to create the conditions under which
employees choose to be engaged, and that doing t so g results in customer
engagement.
Leading with both form and essence
So how do w leaders create the conditions for engagement?
Leaders need to demonstrate a clear a genuineness in their actions toward
employees. Just as t a shouted, a well-trained, habitual, Welcome to _______!
does little to evoke a genuine a emotional connection as customers enter a retail a
establishment, less-than-authentic behavior from leaders fails to motivate
employees to engage. Unfortunately, employees have seen far too many
examples of less-than-genuine f communication from leaders. Fortunately,
there is something leaders g can do about that t perception. t They can y pay
attention to two factors at play t in y the art of t creating f emotional g
connectionsEssence and Form: the being and g the doing of g leadership. f
Essence is the quality of y being f a g leader. a It involves t the values, emotional
characteristics, and clarity of y purpose f required to foster engagement. Think
about the t person in your life who had the most impact t on t you as a leader a
a person a to whom you felt compelled t to give your energy and y commitment.
Most likely, t it was t someone who had a strong a sense g of Essence f as a leader. a
Form is what a t leader a says or does. r It represents t those decisions, actions,
and behaviors that demonstrate t the leaders Essence. Key here y is consistency;
Form always reveals Essence. Self-serving or g organizationally-biased
leadership behaviors will rarely produce y employee engagement. Instead,
leaders need to understand their role in creating a g culture a of engagement, f and
act with t consistency between y what they t want y to t be as leaders and what they t
actually do. y
Tom Roth is Chief Operating f Ofcer at r Wilson t Learning Worldwide. He assists
executive leadership teams with issues related to d employee engagement, sales
force effectiveness, leadership development, strategy alignment y and t business d
transformation. Roth is a frequent international t speaker l representing r Wilson
Learnings point of t view f on w a variety of y issues, f including leadership, sales, employee
engagement, change, strategy implementation, y and customer d engagement. r
Leaders
hire pirates
So many companies have a culture that
encourages people to fall into line. These
types of organizations generally are able
to accomplish little more than improving
on the innovative ideas of others.
To really succeed in a fast-changing world
where yesterdays rules are being broken
every day, we need to learn to be brave
and resist the usual, the familiar.
You want people who dare to be different!
You want Pirateswhere the skull and
crossbones may not be a part of the
companys symbol, but theyre Pirates
nonetheless. People who take risks, live
at times a little on the edge, aunt rules
when justied, laugh loudly as the wind
lashes their face and their pursuers fade
from view into the distance behind. I
always want to work with people like this,
and so should you.
Whether you think of them as
nonconformists, dissenters, rebels, pirates,
nutters, positive deviants, or crazies, make
sure your team has a solid sprinkling of
them. They will challenge your thinking,
fuel your ideas, pump up your momentum,
boost your competitive edge, and quite
simply make your business a winner.
And make sure you yourself provide a
dose of this magic on occasion. Youre
unlikely to accomplish anything great in
your career without it.
Jay Elliot former Senior r Vice r President
of Apple, f in Leading Apple With Steve
Jobs: Management : Lessons t from a
Controversial Genius l
Get additional
sales management
insights by
subscribing to
our FREE
eNewsletter,
SMM Monitor
SMM Monitor is a free, three times
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news and business intelligence. In a byte-size
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di
6 THINGS SALESPEOPLE WANT
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30 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
Do women
lead differently
than men?
Its not black-and-white, but I do
think women tend to be problem
solvers and lead in a more
participatory way. Its less
hierarchical; in business as well
as in politics, we need to link
women who have access to
power with women at the grass
roots who are coping with human
rights abuses so that everyone
can do something about it in her
sphere of inuence.
Mary Robinson
former president r of t Ireland, f
interviewed in d Harvard
Business Review, March 2013
Which gender supplies better leaders for organizations? Based on research
conducted by Zenger y Folkman, a strengths-based a leadership development
consultant, the answer is rather clear. As far as the 16 researched
diferentiating leadership g competencies are concerned, women excelled in a
majority of y areas. f
On an overall leadership efectiveness index (a 49-item a index), females
were rated signicantly more y positively than y males. The 49 items were found
to be the most diferentiating t items g separating the g best versus t the worst
leaders. The items are associated with 16 diferentiating competencies. g The
Women claim a
leadership edge
Differences in Competencies
Male Female t
Takes Initiative 48 56 -11.58
Practices Self-Development 48 55 -9.45
Displays High Integrity and Honesty 48 55 -9.28
Drives for Results 48 54 -8.84
Develops Others 48 54 -7.94
Inspires and Motivates Others 49 54 -7.53
Builds Relationships 49 54 -7.15
Collaboration and Teamwork 49 53 -6.14
Establishes Stretch Goals 49 53 -5.41
Champions Change 49 53 -4.48
Solves Problems and Analyzes Issues 50 52 -2.53
Communicates Powerfully and Prolically 50 52 -2.47
Connects the Group to the Outside World 50 51 -0.78
Innovates 50 51 -0.76
Technical or Professional Expertise 50 51 -0.11
Develops Strategic Perspective 51 49 2.79
* Males were rated more d signicantly positively y on y one competency
(Develops Strategic Perspective).
cover story
overall index is the average rating from g an aggregate of
manager, peer, direct report t and t other ratings.
On 12 of 16 f competencies females were rated more
positively by y the y total of all f respondents manager, peers,
direct reports t and others. The bias of most f people t is that
females would be better at nurturing t competencies g such as
developing others g and relationship building. While this is
true, the competencies with the largest diferences t between
males and females were taking initiative, g practicing self- g
development, integrity/honesty, and driving for g results.
The data represents a managers and executives who
completed Utah-based Zenger Folkmans Extraordinary
Leader 360 assessment in t 2011. The company surveyed y 7,280
leaders, 64% of whom f were male and 36% female. The
company states y the clients tend to be progressive, successful
companies that have t a strong a belief g in f leadership
development. This is not a t global a random sample of leaders f
but rather t a sampling a of g male f and female leaders from high-
performing companies. g
Autonomy is motivating
There is a business case to be made for giving
employees a greater voice in the workplace. People
are more likely to embrace ideas and solutions of their
own creation. Thats why autonomy is such a powerful
motivator.
What does it mean to be a boss who provides more
autonomy to employees? You share more information.
Whenever possible, you get staff input on decisions that
affect them. You look for opportunities to give people
more choice in designing their work, not less. You give
them attention and support but you dont micromanage.
Your ngerprints arent all over their work. When theres
a tiesay, youve got a good idea and so does your
employeethe tie goes to the employee.
Jill Geisler in Work Happy: k
What Great t Bosses t Know
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cover story
32 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
Follow by w example
Most would agree that followers are critical to a leaders
success. But, if this is truethat followers are so
important then why do we pass down phrases like if
youre not a leader, youre a follower, and be a leader, not
a follower?
Today, the term follower has a negative connotation. But,
what will happen if no one aspires to be a follower?
Without them, how else can a vision be achieved? Barbara
Kellerman, Harvard Professor of Public Leadership and
author of Followership, said Followers are more
important to leaders than leaders are to followers.
This means that, as a leader, I need to nd the best
followers I can and treat them in the best way possible if
Im to achieve my goals.
Also, many of the qualities that are desirable in a leader
are the very same qualities we look for in our followers.
What distinguishes one from the other at the end of the
day? Sometimes it is a title. Other times it is a matter of
who has ultimate responsibility and accountability for
results. Steve Jobs is known for saying that innovation
distinguishes between a leader and a follower. At the end
of the day I believe there is a thin line separating the two.
As I think back over the followers that I admire the most, I
consider these musts to be self-evident. A follower must:
s $ISAGREE AND QUESTION ME REGULARLY AND PASSIONATELY
s /FFER IDEAS OFTEN OPENLY AND WITHOUT EGO
s %XECUTE WITH THE PRECISION OF A MASTER SURGEON
In the end, followers and leaders need each other. Both
should strive to be the best they can be in their respective
roles. And each should be cognizant and respectful of
those times when they shift from one role to the other.
Alan Derek Utley is the Director of r Leadership f and
Professional Development l for t a r global aviation l services
company. He blogs at AlanDerekUtley.com. t
Invite disturbing truths
People in power and organizations that are functioning at scale rarely
seek to discover truths that disturb their status quo.
Artists never stop looking for the disturbing truth behind the faade.
When reality arrives, they wont be surprised, because they saw it coming.
Sometimes they even encouraged it to come.
If not enough people doubt you, youre not making a difference.
Seth Godin in The Icarus Deception: How : High w Will You l Fly? u
A humble leader
can remain fully incharge
Too often, leaders view humility as a sign of weakness. They
fail to understand that the humble leader is one who can
open the door to improved levels of followership. Leaders
who value humility are the ones other people want to follow.
John Baldoni author of r Lead f Your d Boss: r The : Subtle Art
of Managing f Up
Find your
motivated
capabilities
"RILLIANCE COMES ONLY FROM EXPLOITING
your strengths. When leaders step out
of their comfort zones to take on new
challenges, they often discover
capabilities they did not know they
had. Being motivated by something
you are not good at will not enable
you to succeed as a leader, nor will
pursuing leadership roles that do not
motivate you. When you nd a role
that meshes your motivations with
your capabilities, you will discover the
SWEET SPOT THAT MAXIMIZES YOUR
effectiveness as a leader.
Former Medtronic r CEO c
Bill George in True North
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product review
Champagne taste e

luxury makes y a s comeback a


Masella
Collection
Blending style
and precision, this
elegant quartz
chronograph from the
Bulova Accutron Masella Collection includes 90
individually hand-set diamonds. Swiss made, in
stainless steel, with curved case, anti-reective
sapphire crystal and water resistance to 30
meters (style 63R136). For more details, contact
Adrienne Forrest of Bulova Corporate Sales
(CorporateSales@Bulova.com) at 800-228-5682
or visit BulovaCorporateSales.com.
What Recession? t screamed the Wall
Street Journal t headline l earlier this year
on a story a reporting y Americans g renewed
craving for g luxury goods. y While all eyes
have been focused on luxury-goods
growth in China, another market has t
quietly been y bolstering the g business of
high-end goods purveyors: The U.S., the
story stated. y
Brands like Hermes International,
Louis Vuitton and LOreal have enjoyed
strong sales g rebounds in 2012.
If youre f intent on t using some g of those f
luxury brands y in your incentive programs,
youll have to purchase at retail t because
they arent y available t at wholesale t prices,
nor do they work y through the large
merchandise incentive houses. That
makes it more t difcult to t stretch your
incentive budget, which most often t
results in fewer incentive recipients.
But the t thing about g luxury t in
workplace incentive programs, says Mark
Grube, Director of Merchandising f at g BI, t a
Minneapolis-based performance
improvement company, t is that it t can t
encompass so much more than what it t
does in the retailworld.
When a salesperson a looks at the t
merchandise they can y earn by hitting y
their numbers and sees a high-end, a
52-inch TV or V a name-brand a watch they
would never purchase for themselves,
that says t luxury loud and clear to them.
Luxury has y always been about making t
someone feel a little a special. This
collection of products f from incentive
suppliers achieves that in t spades.
Vera Bradley Weekender in r Midnight Blues
Reward your high-yers by getting them ready to roll with the Vera Bradley
Weekender. Its ve inner pockets, fully zippered front compartment and two
back slip k pockets offer outstanding organization. The convenient trolley sleeve
slips onto the handle of most rolling luggage for smooth sailing through
airports. For more details, contact Top Brands (sales@top-brands.com) at
800-431-2127. 800 431 2127.
SALESANDMARKETING.COM MAR/APR 2013 35
product review
A great Ovation
Show your recognition and appreciation to your clients or
employees with Ovation Rewards. Redeemable at more than
100 Fairmont, Swissotel and Rafes Hotels and Resorts
worldwide. Ovation Rewards have no expiration dates, and are
elegantly packaged and ready for gifting or recognition. For more
information, contact Robert Ward (Robert_Ward@frhi.com) at
773-275-8027 or visit frhi.com/ovationrewards.com.
Michael Michael Kors Kors Kempton Kempton Tote Tote
Your recognition recipients can make their workday travel
smart with this Michael Kors Kempton Nylon Small Tote.
Iconic gold hardware accentuates a chic, casual design,
while the organized interior boasts plenty of pockets.
Additionally, a top zip closure effortlessly secures items
in place. For information on using this or other fashionable
items in recognition programs, call Jeffrey Brenner of
Rymax Inc. at 973-582-3201 or visit RymaxInc.com.
Motivation thats crystal clear
Synonymous with luxury and good living, these Waterford Crystal Mixology sets
will show you the newest innovation in the art of ne crystal. Mixology represents
the latest advances in the science of entertaining from the Waterford laboratory
of luxury living. Both the DOF set of four and the coupe set of four include one
f of h eachT l Talon R d Red, NNeon Li Lime GGreen, Ci Circon P l Purple d and AArgon Bl Blue. FFor more
information, contact WWRD US Special Markets Department at 800-933-3370.
36 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
product review
Imported
from
Switzerland
Integral Jubile
made by the
Swiss watch brand
Rado features a black
ceramic case with an
18-karat, gold-plated trim
bracelet and xed black
trim bezel. Also features a
black dial k with gold-tone
hands and six diamond
markers. It has Swiss
quartz movement, a scratch-resistant sapphire
crystal and a solid case back, plus a push-button
folding clasp. Water resistant to 100 feet.
For details, contact Ann Mahan of MMSC Sales
at ann.mahan@mmsc-sales.com.
Why do so many salespeople love golf? Its better than
cold calls, Terry Colston y told this magazine some 15 years ago.
Colston, who at the t time was president of t Omni f Business
Products in Atlanta, was walking of g the f fourth green of the f
LaCanada Flintridge a Country Club y course in Pasadena, Calif.,
a Macanudo a in his mouth and a Heineken a in his golf cart. f
Think about it. t Five hours with somebody who y you want to t
buy your y product, as opposed to ve minutes with somebody
who doesnt even t want to t speak to you, he said. Nowhere can
you build a better a business relationship with someone than on
the golf course. f Theres camaraderie, a common a interest, and
quality time y with a customer. a You cant beat t it. t
There is perhaps no better match between a profession a and
apastime.
But to t call golf a f pastime a is sacrilege to many of y the f sales-
people who play it. y Tee boxes and fairways are as mucha part a of t
their business environment as t C-suites and conferencerooms.
If youre f looking to g reward your top performers and thank
your key clients y for their loyalty at y the t same time, why not y send t
themon a four a -hour sales call at Pebble t Beach on the Pacic
Ocean or Whistling Straits, g the Kohler, Wis., course that hosted t
two PGA Championships A (2004 and 2010).
Fairway Rewards y cards allow golfers w to choose from
thousands of pristine f public courses in all 50 states. Your sales
team is spread across the country and y so are your customers?
No problem, you can shop online and the cards can be delivered
to you or straight to t your recipients.
Perhaps you would like to tag along, g but you t dont have t
an 8 handicap like Colston. Thats OK. Fairway Rewards y also
has cards that can t be redeemed for lessons from the local pro.
Call 877- 77 270-7273 or visit FairwayRewards.com. t
All-Clad Copper Core r cookware
Undoubtedly there are foodies on your team! No other cookware in the world
can match the striking beauty and performance that All-Clad crafts into ve
bonded layers of copper, aluminum and stainless steel to create optimum
heat distribution and conductivity. This heirloom 10-piece set is accented
by the stunning copper strip encircling each pan. For more details, contact
Gordon Grifths of 20/20 Special Markets at 513-481-2345.
Fairway Rewards lets managers send top performers on
extended sales calls with key clients at the countrys top
public courses, including Pebble Beach.
Sand traps and sales pitches
This space contributed by Sales & s Marketing & Management g magazine t in support of the WWP.
1 to 1 Card
Aeropostale
Afnion Loyalty Group
AMC Theatres
Augeo Marketing
Bass Pro Shops/Outdoor
World Incentives
Bath & Body Works
Cabelas
Crutcheld Corporation
Elizabeth Arden
Red Door Spa
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Footlocker
GiftCard Partners
Giftango
GC Incentives
Hallmark Business
Connections
Hard Rock International
Home Depot
Impact Consulting
& Management
InComm
Jet/FuzeBuy
Lands End
Loyalty Innovations
Marketing Innovators Intl.
Marriott Individual
Incentives
MovieTickets.com
National Gift Card
Nike
PetSmart
Premium Incentive m
Products Magazine s
Reaf Marketing
Red Robin
Regal Entertainment Group
Regis Corporation
SpaFinder Wellness
Spa Week Media Group
Stoner Bunting
TJMaxx/Marshalls/
Home Goods
Vantiv
VPS Employees
Walgreens
Yard House Restaurants
BEST DEAL . EVERY MEAL.
We Salute You.
Sales & Marketing Management g magazine t and the
Incentive Gift Card Council (IGCC) proudly salute y the
following IGCC g member companies that collectively
contributed more than $30,000 in gift cards
to Wounded Warrior Project. The donation
was provided just before the holidays to help
lighten the loads of those f who have carried the
heavy burden y of preserving f our g freedom.
To learn more about the Incentive Gift Card Council
go to www.salesandmarketing.com/WWP
38 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
Bodum Chambord 8-cup coffee maker
A great way to reward the coffee lovers on your team, this
classic ch Frenc Press is the original and the purest way to
enjoy a t great cup of coffee. The simple design requires no
paper lter. The T user simply adds coarse ground coffee, hot
water and in four minutes, presses the plunger for delicious
coffee. For more information, contact Gordon Grifths of
20/20 Special Markets at 513-481-2345.
top performers
An assortment of new f incentive w ideas and marketing
A camera A for your r high-yers r
Your incentive recipients can relive the glory
of every hardcore, gravity-defying moment in
legendary Sony quality and share it wirelessly
over Wi-Fi

. No other mountable POV camera


combines Carl Zeiss

optics with a rugged


exterior that welcomes mud, snow and water.
No matter what your recipients dosnowboard,
surf, skate, bikethey can record it all in HD
and share their shredding with the world.
For more information, call 866-596-4823 or
visit sony.com/motivation.
Allarie II
From the Bulova Mantel Chimes Collection, the 13-inch-
tall Allarie II (style B7661), in a refreshing antique white
nish, offers a triple-chime movement playing Westminster,
Ave Maria or Bim-Bam chimes on the hour. In solid wood
and wood veneer with nickel-nish bezel ring and pendulum,
adjustable volume control, night shut-off and glass lens.
An elegant engraving plate is included. For more
information, call Adrienne Forrest of Bulova Corporate
Sales (CorporateSales@Bulova.com) at 800-228-5682,
or visit BulovaCorporateSales.com.
top performers
tools from our advertisers r
SALESANDMARKETING.COM MAR/APR 2013 39
Band + app + you = UP =
UP takes a holistic approach to a
healthy lifestyle. The wristband tracks
24/7 activity, food and drink, and sleep.
The app displays your data, lets you add
things g like meals and mood, and delivers
insights that t keep you moving forward.
For more information about using UP
in a promotion or incentive program, call
Eric Anderson at PMC at 272-203-5440
or email eric@pmcusa.com.
Billboard The Best In t Music
Get the performance you need with Billboard Music Promotions.
Billboard gift cards and digital downloads, in any denomination,
are the perfect incentive or reward to build business and brand
loyalty. All programs are created custom for your needs. The
Billboard Music Store features all the major labels and current
hits. Songs download directly to iTunes. For more information
and to receive a free download code, contact diane.driscoll@
billboard.com or call 212-493-4110.
Bon Voyage to ordinary and y
welcome aboard to extraordinary
Memorable events, meetings and incentives begin with
an unforgettable venue. Royal Caribbean International,
the leader in cruise ship innovation, delivers an
incredible value, ease of planning and a unique and
memorable experience. For more information, visit
royalcaribbeanincentives.com or contact Royal
Caribbean's Corporate Sales Team at 800-762-0458.
-Lite Tegra- international carry-on
e Tegra-Lit is a breakthrough travel collection that combines the highest levels
of ility durabi and impact resistance with the ultimate in lightweight ease and
erability. maneuve Tegra-Lite is made from Tegris

, a revolutionary polypropylene
lastic thermopl composite material created by Milliken

for use in lifesaving armor,


R NASCAR race cars and protective gear for NFL players. It is exclusive to Tumi
for travel and accessory products around the world. This lightweight, hardside
carry-on is Tumis most compact, wheeled carry-on design for those who travel
cally domestic and internationally. For more information, contact Mike Landry at
413-567-1567 or visit TumiSpecialMarkets.com.
top performers
40 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
Walgreens gift card t
Finding the perfect gift is easy. Over 25,000 products
to choose from, 8,000 convenient locations nationwide.
Volume discounts are available. There are no expiration
dates or fees, and the cards are reloadable. For more
information or to place an order, call 877-492-4222
or email giftcards.b2bactivations@walgreens.com.
Kosta Boda Contrast series t
Designed by Anna Ehrner with hand-applied
decoration of swirls of contrasting calligraphic
lines, each Contrast piece is a unique work
of art. These dramatic pieces work into k any
home dcor functionally or can be engraved
and displayed for reward and recognition.
Also available in black, blue, white and
orangethree sizes of bowls and two sizes of
vases. For details, contact Kimberly Biggs of
Orrefors Kosta Boda at kbiggs@okbusa.com.
Canon creativity
Built in Wi-Fi allows those you recognize to wirelessly transfer
images to social networking sites through Canon Image
Gateway to a PC or upload virtually anywhere on an iOS or
Android device with the free download of the Canon Camera
Window App. New creative Shot mode uses composition, coloor,
and lighting from an original image to create ve unique imagess
with an artistic air. Canon incentives get your incentive prograam
participants engaged. For details, contact Kimberly Carrette at
631-303-4808 or 50-CANON.
SALESANDMARKETING.COM MAR/APR 2013 41
20/20 Special Markets. . . . . . . . . 513-481-2345 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 13
Billboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212-493-4110 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 33
Bulova. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a 800-228-5682 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 5
Canon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-50-CANON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 44
ES Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508-313-9585 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 31
GC Incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-896-4781 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 19
Nikon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-547-8684 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 2
Orrefors Kosta Boda, a USA . . . . . . 856-626-1328 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 15
PMC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262-741-5508 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 11
Royal Caribbean International . . . 800-762-0458 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 43
Sony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 866-596-4823 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 23
Tumi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-669-3181 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 17
Walgreens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-492-4222 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 9
ad index
For more r information on
these featured products, visit
www.SalesAndMarketing
.com/Top-Performers.
You can also win a pair
of Maui f Jim sunglasses!
top performers
Motivate your people, r
promote productivity
At GC Incentives, we believe that employee engagement
is driven through purpose-based recognition. It builds
condence, it tells the employees they matter and it fans
the re of achievement. Turn to the SuperCerticate

REWARD, giving the recipient the freedom to choose


how to spend their reward. With no expiration date or loss
of value, the SuperCerticate

can be redeemed for one


gift card or a combination of gift cards from our extensive
list of nationally known merchants. Are you ready to start
rewarding? For more details, call 866-896-4781 or visit
gcincentives.com.
Nikon Coolpix P520 x
For the members of your team who are looking to capture
beautiful and sharp images no matter the distance, the
new Coolpix P520 will immediately engage them in your
incentive program. The camera boasts a 42 optical
zoom-NIKKOR glass lens. Lens-shift Vibration Reduction
(VR) technology helps users capture blur-free images
and Full HD video. The P520 can also connect to Wi-Fi*,
making it easy for users to instantly share favorite photos
and videos with family and friends. For more details, call
888-547-8684 or visit rewards.nikon.com.
*Via optional Wu-1a wireless mobile adapter
42 MAR/APR 2013 SALESANDMARKETING.COM
closers
Wise bosses
Wisdom sounds like a fancy a word, y but the t
way I y use it is t pretty simple, y thanks to
psychologists John Meacham and Karl
Weick. Wise bosses are devoted to knowing
what they t dont y know. t They act y boldly t on y
facts they have y right now, t but search t for
signs they are y wrongseeking a g healthy a
balance between courage and humility.
The best bosses t dance on the edge of
overcondence, but a t healthy a dose y of self- f
doubt and t humility saves y them from turning
arrogant and t pigheaded.
Know the customer
A boss A needs to develop both technical
knowledge and empathy. Although every
boss knows better, it amazes t me how
ignorant many t are y about what t it t feels t like to
be one of their f customers. When bosses
make concerted eforts to
understand what it t feels t like
to be a customer, a it makes t
gaps between knowledge
and action vivid and helps
them identify more y
efectiverepairs.
Link talk and action
The smart-talk trap
happens when bosses and
their people knowwhat w
needs to be done and keep
talking about g it, t writing
about it, t studying ityet g all t
that blabbering t becomes g an
end in itself rather f than a
stepping stone g to action. I
asked Pixars two-time
Academy Award-winner y
Brad Bird: What kind t of
people are especially poisonous y to
innovation? He answered: People who talk
quality but y dont t put t it t in t their own work.
You know, I dont mind t somebody whos y
green if theyre f engaged, because I know
theyre on the hunt. But there t are people
who know the w buzzwords of quality f people, y
but dont t actually t walk y thewalk.
Management vs. leadership
is a slippery slope
There is a diference a between management
and leadership, but focusing t on g it is t
dangerous. Yes, leadership is about things t
like taking a g long-term a perspective, vision,
setting a g strategy; a and yes, management is t
about operations, t details, implementation,
and the little things required to keep a team a
or an organization moving forward. g This
distinction is accurate, but dangerous t
because it distorts t how too w many bosses y
view and w do their work. It encourages t
bosses to see generating big g and g vague ideas
as the important part t of t their f jobsand to
treat implementation, t or pesky details y of any f
kind, as mere management work t best
done by the y little people. I am all for big
ideas, visions and dreams. But the t best
bosses do more than think big thoughts. g
They have y a deep a understanding of g their f
industries, organizations and teams, the
people they lead, y as well as other mundane
things. The ability to y go back and forth
between the little details and the big picture g
is evident in t the leaders I admire most.
Embrace the mess
The best bosses t strive to simplify things y
for themselves, their people, and their
customers. Simplicity, clarity and y repeatable
steps can reduce the burdens on people,
promote performance, and save money. Yet
there is a hazard a to this quest: people start
believing that g every t challenge y has a clear a
and simple solution. It is t impossible to be a
leader without facing t stretches g where you
and your followers are overwhelmed with
the complexity and y uncertainty of y it f all. t
When this happens, to maintain everyones
spirits, keep them moving forward, g and to
sustain collective stamina, sometimes it is t
best to t embrace the messat least t for t
awhile .
Excerpts from Good Boss, Bad Boss: How
to Be the Best and Learn from the Worst
(Business Plus, 2010). Robert Sutton blogs at
BobSutton.typepad.com.
The Gospel
according to Bob
Robert Sutton, the guru of good bosses everywhere, is working on a book with k
Stanford University colleague Huggy Rao on scaling. He describes it as the challenge
of spreading and sustaining actions and mindsets across organizations and networks of
peopleof spreading excellence or goodness from the few to the many. While we wait
for that, weve collected some of his thoughts on characteristics of strong leadership.
R
SAY BON VOYAGE TO ORDINARY
AND WELCOME ABOARD TO EXTRAORDINARY.
MEMORABLE EVENTS, MEETINGS AND INCENTIVES BEGIN
WITH AN UNFORGETTABLE VENUE.
Amazed. Engaged. Rejuvenated. When was the last time you felt that way about an event or
conference? You will on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Let us help plan your program. Our innovative
turnkey solutions will dazzle you with everything from complimentary ne dining and state-of-the-art
conference rooms to spectacular Broadway-style shows. And all for one very afordable price. Talk
to one of our Corporate Sales Managers today. The only thing cookie-cutter about our eventsis the
mold we use to create your logo inspired desserts.
For more information call 800-762-0458 or visit RoyalCaribbeanIncentives.com
Find out how Canon can make your Corporate Gifts
and Incentives Program work hard for you.
Call: 866.50.CANON
Visit: www.usa.canon.com/corporategifts
2013 Canon U. S. A., Inc. Canon, ELPH, EOS, EOS Rebel, VIXIA and PowerShot are registered trademarks of Canon Inc. in the United States.
imageANYWARE is a trademark of Canon. All rights reserved. All images are simulated. Products not shown to scale.
Giving Canon products not only shows your appreciation,
but enables anyone to create and share memories that will last a lifetime.
WHEN PEOPLE WORK HARD,
THIS IS THE THANKS THEY SHOULD GET.

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