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A Woman’s Touch

Women succeed using their own selling styles. Why not manage and reward them just as uniquely?

Given the hundreds (if not thousands) of sales-oriented seminars, workshops and training sessions that occur each day in these United States, it's unbelievable that just two months ago, sales consultant and author Jill Konrath staged a sales conference that was the first of its kind. Ever!

Sales Shebang, a two-day event in Minneapolis in early November, was created for females who sell products and services within the business-to-business arena.

About 80 attendees—half of them from outside of Minnesota—shared insights on the  same topics that are discussed at other sales seminars—cracking corporate accounts, shortening sales cycles, improving presentations, and winning big contracts. It was all addressed, however, from a female perspective.

Konrath says attendance at the event (which had limited marketing) and initial feedback confirms that women in sales want and deserve seminars that are tailored to their unique needs. A second Sales Shebang is planned for this Spring in San Francisco.

"Many women feel alone out there — like a fish out of water — even though there are plenty of us in business-to-business sales," she says.

Indeed, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 29 percent of the nearly 2 million adults working in non-retail sales are women, and many of those are top performers in their companies. Yet sales, more than any other field, remains dominated by men's sensibilities and strategies.

"What bugs women most is when it looks like a man just assumes that the male-brained way of doing business is the best way," says management consultant Ronna Lichtenberg.

"Look carefully at how your organization sets objectives and measures performance. This is the area where I consistently see male-brain bias creeping in. What you believe you are measuring, and what you believe to be the fairness of your measurements, may not be in sync with reality."

Your incentives may be manlier that you realize as well. This feature provides a few ideas that are more in tune with the women on your team.

Interactive Web Feature:  Hover your mouse pointer over our saleswoman below to learn what can really move her...

In Their Ear
Today’s must-have music accessory for your must-have sales superstars! The new iPod classic gives music and video room to move. It has plenty of energy (up to 40 hours of audio playback), a sleek, anodized aluminum design, an enhanced interface, and can be equipped with as much as 160 GB of storage for up to 40,000 songs or 200 hours of video.
Contact Incentive Concepts at 888-862-9283 or visit www.incentiveconcepts.com.

Till They Drop
The Macy's Shopping Experience Award includes deluxe accommodations for two in the chosen city; a $500 Macy's Gift Card; a private reception, fitting room and lounge area; the services of a personal shopper and fashion expert; and a Special Guest discount card worth 12% off everything in the store.
Call Exclusive Travel Awards at 800-465-1765 or visit www.exclusiveawards.com.

Sparkle and Shine
Until recently, the use of fine jewelry for women in incentive and reward programs was limited to diamonds, pearls and watches. "The growing floor space dedicated to fine jewelry in major specialty stores is a sure indicator of the power of jewelry to produce sales," says Ann Mahan, National Sales Manager for MMSC Sales, which is the special markets representative for Lois Hill Jewelry, the No. 1 fashion jewelry brand at Nordstrom.
Call 310-590-4588 or visit www.mmsc-sales.com.

Leather Up
“The concept in creating the new Voyageur Collection from Tumi was to provide a  deep collection that today’s professional woman can coordinate through all of  the bags needed on any business trip,” says Mike Landry, Director of Special  Markets for Tumi. “The style is intended to be somewhat reminiscent of the Golden Age of travel in the 1920s and ’30s, when a trip on a commercial flight  or a cruise was a true event.”
Contact Landry at 413-567-1567 or visit www.tumispecialmarkets.com.

Embrace Uniqueness
No two color patterns are alike in the dazzling designs featured in the Contrast line of decorative bowls from Kosta Boda. Now available in five colors and two sizes.
Contact Kosta Boda Special Markets at 800-433-4167, Ext. 1228 or e-mail corporatesales@okbusa.com.

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