What do Grainger, Tenaquip, Vallen, Fastenal, SPI, Whitecap, Source Atlantic, Wesco/Hazmasters, MSC, Cintas, Motion, Weber, Bunzl and Linde have in common?
You may recognize them as major Canadian B2B distribution companies, but they also share another identifiable trait: Each has a trusted sales professional looking after them – in this case, Laird Comber is leading their multi-dollar sales initiatives.
Beyond his home city of Toronto, Ontario and across Canada, Laird Comber has a reputation founded upon integrity and is known as a top-tier sales professional who savors the challenge of aggressive sales targets. He has a track record of surpassing sales goals and corporate objectives by formulating effective sales strategies that intensely focuses on people. By people, he includes the customer, the client and every member of the high-caliber sales teams he leads.
Recently Comber shared his insights on winning sales techniques, the fundamentals of leadership and team building, and the principles of successful negotiation, in a wide-ranging interview partially reprinted below.
Q: What are some of the keys to sales success?
Laird Comber: Clear communication is the foundation. From both the written and in-person perspectives, effective communication is central to developing relationships, on a team and especially with customers. To be at the top of your game in sales, you also need a strong work ethic, and must genuinely like interacting with people. Your personality should be adaptable and welcoming and must be authentic. Sincerity in ones enthusiasm for conversations and the interest shown in others is paramount. I summarize the other winning ingredients as: persistency, consistency and resiliency, coupled with self-motivation.
Q: How do you go about motivating your sales teams?
Laird Comber: I start by setting very clear goals and expectations. Beyond that, I believe it is important to empower your team members by giving them responsibility and autonomy to boost productivity. Let your leaders lead. Trusting your team to make decisions and having them take ownership of their work is key. Leaders must demonstrate honesty and ethical behaviors at all times. Trust is essential, and naturally built on integrity. Sales leaders must be accountable for themselves and the results achieved by their teams. In addition, leading by example sets a positive tone for your team and demonstrates the behavior that you wish to see exhibited.
Q: What are the best negotiation strategies?
Laird Comber: In negotiation, flexibility and adaptability set the stage for success. In addition, actively listening and paying attention to what the other party is saying will pay substantial dividends. Listen carefully to show that you are respectful. This is also an effective way of identifying common ground. Focus on a win-win approach — generally, negotiating entails making both parties feel good, so by emphasizing the gain on both ends the mindset for a successful negotiation will reveal itself. Frequently a productive approach is to negotiate in stages. Break down the negotiation into small sections, such as timing, price, competitive advantages and take-away wins for each criterion. Taking it step-by-step will make the process easier for both you and the prospective customer. The details of the negotiation won’t seem as overwhelming.
Q: How do you suggest companies go about managing change?
Laird Comber: For a dynamic business, change is the one constant. In the end, you will either manage change or it will manage you, but remember, you are in control and can help guide the final outcomes. Managing change is an ongoing process that requires a fair amount of strategic thought, patience and dedication.
To ensure proper alignment with the company’s values and culture, ensure that other top-level executives actively support and champion the change. It is in everyone’s best interest to be vested. This sets the tone for the entire organization. Be sure not to be too rigid. Some inherent flexibility built in to adjust the plan mid-route will help address unforeseen circumstances and help you avoid major pitfalls. Be sure to celebrate the smaller wins. This will keep the team focused on believing in and trusting the process. At the end of the day, a feedback loop may be warranted to make continuous adjustments and improvements along the way, as you navigate the uncharted stages of change.
