Page 66 - Lighting Magazine November 2019

on the mArk
Mark Okun is a Sales Success Consultant for Bravo Business Media and President of MOC Performance Group with over 40 yearsí experience in sales, marketing, and business management within the furniture, lighting, and decorative plumbing industries. He is a monthly contributor to enLIGHTenment Magazine and conducts sales training programs, webinars, workshops and market seminars for retailers, sales representative agencies, and manufacturers. Contact Mark Okun via email at mark@bravobusiness media.com or call 800-425-5139 ext. 626.
all hands on deck are a requirement, and having a set time is difficult, sales associates must be self- motivated and accountable to accomplish their BYOB work within the workweek.
BYOB is a good time for professional develop- ment that can focus on product knowledge. For all intents and purposes, this is not catalog familiarity, but a much more in-depth, self-directed education that puts a focus on the team member becoming an expert in a specific area of expertise or category. Think about the power of a showroom if every member of the sales team was an expert in one or more areas. This is appealing to potential clients, and it builds the confidence an individual has in themselves and their peers have in them.
Another aspect of BYOB in the digital age is marketing. Back in the day of fax machines, the real sales professionals kept business cards with them because you never know when there was a chance to share what you do with someone.
In 2019, business card distribution and telling everyone what you do is still a sound practice, but now we have social media. Every person who has a public face representing their showroom is also a networking and marketing asset every day. Today, using digital marketing tools to supplement the showroom’s efforts will pay big dividends. All marketing today is a promotion, including self- promotion — and that is everyone’s job. Some peo- ple reading this might think this is a logical activity; others may not. In successful showrooms, the sales team is part of the marketing process.
One of our industry leaders requires the sales team (as a mandatory part of their performance) to market as part of their jobs. The salespeople
contribute to their defined digital marketing efforts DAILY! While this may seem a stretch for some, the juice is worth the squeeze. The way that you incorporate the team into the marketing of your showrooms will vary with the marketing plan in place. Any way that you bolster the showroom’s digital presence helps increase reach.
Salespeople who promote over digital platforms are more likely to lead in sales performance. The types of posting sales teams do are essential, too. Teams post about supporting a store-wide campaign or introducing a new style or product category, offering digital-only promotions that are time- sensitive and exclusive to followers of the show- room and the salesperson. This style of promotion encourages followers to make buying decisions.
The real driver of the BYOB program is the in- centives provided for success. Because the tasks that fall under this category are often based on self- motivation, an additional reward and recognition for doing the right job will bring along others to reach the same level of success.
Set your KPIs accordingly and make them attain- able, the key here is to reward the activity first and the results a bit further down the line. No matter the time of day, there are always slow periods that can be optimized. Time to follow up with current cli- ents and connect with potential customers, time to promote in traditional and digital ways, and time to invest in learning about the business and the clients we serve. This article has provided some ideas that will build the skills needed to increase the success of the individual, the sales team, and the showroom.
And, as always, Happy Selling!  www.enlightenmentmag.com
64 enLIGHTenment magazine | november 2019