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Growing A Sales Team Organically with David Vanden Boom
Episode 5015th December 2021 • Transformed Sales • Wesleyne
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In this episode of the Science of Selling STEM, I had the pleasure of hosting David Vanden Boom, the Director of Sales at Hoover Circular Solutions (Hoover CS). He has experience in oil, energy, and chemicals, and is an expert in coaching, negotiation, business planning, operations management, sales, and market research. David is a self-directed professional with an MBA specializing in management and organization theory.

Hoover CS provides sustainable packaging solutions that facilitate circularity across the supply chain, yielding an optimized environmental footprint through reduced plastic, water conservation, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. It achieves that by combining its large rental fleet of reusable IBCs, catalyst bins, and ISO tanks with integrity management and fleet management services. The company paves the way for customers across the chemical, refining, and general industrial end markets to move away from single-use containers.

David started out as an elementary level teacher and moved up to teaching at the collegiate level before transitioning into the finance industry. He, later on, got into the chemical industry where he started in sales, and has thrived to where he is today. David’s wisdom in how to grow in a sales career all the way to the top is incredible, and you will definitely benefit a lot from what he will share. So make sure you don’t miss the episode. And as always, if you need help with any sales or leadership issue don't hesitate to book a complimentary clarity session with me HERE

On Today’s Episode of the Science of Selling STEM:

  • Interesting career transitions: Starting out as a teacher and evolving into other roles before settling on sales (01:54)
  • How he started working in the finance industry and some of his biggest takeaways from working in education (02:39)
  • Leaping into chemical sales through a connection he made in finance (05:31)
  • Why salespeople are always afraid to say, “I don’t know” (08:46)
  • What he did to find his footing in chemical sales (10:27)
  • The smooth transition he had into sales leadership and what helped him get there (13:27)
  • Growing your team to go into new markets or territories (17:08)
  • Situations where a sales person’s accountability is not an issue (19:31)
  • Taking pride in the relationships he has built with customers and colleagues (22:21)
  • Secret Revealed: A sales person’s greatest asset (23:55)

Connect with Wesleyne Greer:

Connect with David Vanden Boom:

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Thanks for tuning into The Science of Selling STEM! If you enjoyed this episode and want to learn even more about what it takes to transform your sales, don’t forget to tune into our other episodes and share your favorite episodes on social media!

Join The Science of Selling STEM community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and visit my website for even more content, information, and resources.

Transcripts

Wesleyne Greer:

As a sales manager, you are judged by the

Wesleyne Greer:

performance of your team, and you're praised when they do

Wesleyne Greer:

well. But one thing that you've not been able to figure out is

Wesleyne Greer:

how to get everyone on your team consistently hitting quota every

Wesleyne Greer:

single month. On the Snack size sales podcast, we discuss the

Wesleyne Greer:

science of selling stem sales leadership in the science,

Wesleyne Greer:

technology, engineering and manufacturing fields is

Wesleyne Greer:

difficult. You will learn from sales managers just like you

Wesleyne Greer:

that will give you actionable insights and tips on how to

Wesleyne Greer:

develop as a leader and achieve your revenue targets every

Wesleyne Greer:

single month. So pop your headphones in and get ready to

Wesleyne Greer:

listen to my guests today. They will give you information and

Wesleyne Greer:

inspiration to ensure that you have actionable insights that

Wesleyne Greer:

you can put into place today. Hello, and thank you so much for

Wesleyne Greer:

joining us for another episode of the science of selling stem.

Wesleyne Greer:

today. My guest is David Vanden. Boom. How are you, David?

David Vanden Boom:

I'm very well, thank you Wesleyne

David Vanden Boom:

yourself.

Wesleyne Greer:

I'm doing amazing. Thanks for joining us

Wesleyne Greer:

today. So let me tell you guys a little bit about David. He is

Wesleyne Greer:

the senior sales director with experience in oil, energy and

Wesleyne Greer:

chemicals. He is an expert in coaching, negotiation, business

Wesleyne Greer:

planning, operations, management, sales and market

Wesleyne Greer:

research. He is a self directed professional with an MBA

Wesleyne Greer:

specializing in management and organizational theory. So you

Wesleyne Greer:

are a person after my own heart, well see chemical. That is my

Wesleyne Greer:

world. So tell me, how did you start your career? And how did

Wesleyne Greer:

you end up where you are today?

David Vanden Boom:

Sure. That is actually a really good question.

David Vanden Boom:

I have one of those long and varied experiences. I'm actually

David Vanden Boom:

a teacher by trade. And I started out the first decade of

David Vanden Boom:

my career teaching anywhere from the elementary level all the way

David Vanden Boom:

up to some of the collegiate level courses. From there, it

David Vanden Boom:

was actually a transfer into the financial industry, thanks to

David Vanden Boom:

some of the family members who had helped on the weekends. And

David Vanden Boom:

it was a hop, skip and jump over to the chemical industry where I

David Vanden Boom:

initially started with sales. So it's been transitioning always

David Vanden Boom:

from education, to finance and into the sales market. And here

David Vanden Boom:

we are today.

Wesleyne Greer:

So tell me about you said you are helping some

Wesleyne Greer:

family members out I always like to understand what exactly were

Wesleyne Greer:

you doing in that financial market, helping the family

Wesleyne Greer:

members

David Vanden Boom:

not a problem, my great aunt was long

David Vanden Boom:

standing financial advisor. And on the weekends, I would help

David Vanden Boom:

her while I was teaching. And she ultimately pushed me to get

David Vanden Boom:

some of the licensing requirements in order to help

David Vanden Boom:

her and help her clients at that point in time. So I did get my

David Vanden Boom:

series six and 63, and series seven and all the other

David Vanden Boom:

wonderful series that goes along with getting into that financial

David Vanden Boom:

field. So as I work weekends, and as I said during my day job

David Vanden Boom:

was teaching, and that ultimately moved me from

David Vanden Boom:

teaching into the financial industry.

Wesleyne Greer:

So you went from being a teacher, so dealing with

Wesleyne Greer:

our next budding generation, so you went from the budding

Wesleyne Greer:

generation, to helping people achieve their retirement goals.

Wesleyne Greer:

So it really sounds like you went from one end of the

Wesleyne Greer:

spectrum to the other. So what in your teaching career helped

Wesleyne Greer:

you in the new career path of financial services?

David Vanden Boom:

You know, I think when you're in the

David Vanden Boom:

teaching industry or in the when you're in the education

David Vanden Boom:

industry, you're always there's not a one size fits all, in

David Vanden Boom:

terms of education and how you teach a student as opposed to

David Vanden Boom:

teaching another student. And in the financial industry, the same

David Vanden Boom:

thing applies, especially when you're your funding, educator

David Vanden Boom:

funding retirement, somebody's retirement plans looks

David Vanden Boom:

absolutely different from somebody else's financial or, or

David Vanden Boom:

retirement plans at that point. So there's that, you know, one

David Vanden Boom:

of the best things from having a foundation in the educational

David Vanden Boom:

industry is that there's no time clock. Yeah, the kids are there

David Vanden Boom:

from eight o'clock until three or whatever that timeline may

David Vanden Boom:

be. But your job as an educator is, always extends beyond that.

David Vanden Boom:

And I know that that's the case in many different niche

David Vanden Boom:

industries. But having that foundation and education really

David Vanden Boom:

helped exemplify some of those aspects that not that you're

David Vanden Boom:

always on the clock, but you're always thinking about how you

David Vanden Boom:

can improve and how you can improve your students or your

David Vanden Boom:

clients or your customers. That's one of the really big

David Vanden Boom:

takeaways that I've had from education.

Wesleyne Greer:

That's good and you have all of those licenses

Wesleyne Greer:

and then you said you worked in the energy and chemical industry

Wesleyne Greer:

so like your me and my husband all packaged up in one because

Wesleyne Greer:

he was a financial advisor. They're in his previous life.

Wesleyne Greer:

And so he's had to take all those certification exams also.

Wesleyne Greer:

Wonderful. So now going into the financial services industry,

Wesleyne Greer:

that's it's kind of like sales, right? It's kind of like your

Wesleyne Greer:

first step into sales. So you took that step into the

Wesleyne Greer:

financial services industry, and how did you leap over onto the

Wesleyne Greer:

dark side?

David Vanden Boom:

Well, the dark side always comes across

David Vanden Boom:

either from a connection or from a headhunter. So that transition

David Vanden Boom:

to chemical sales was actually with a connection from the

David Vanden Boom:

financial industry. And it was an individual who I was helping

David Vanden Boom:

that said, Hey, I have a friend who runs a company, make it

David Vanden Boom:

really use your help, why don't you go meet with them. And

David Vanden Boom:

simple cup of coffee later, I was in sales in the fine

David Vanden Boom:

chemical industry.

Wesleyne Greer:

So everyone, everyone, you know, one of my

Wesleyne Greer:

favorite phrases about getting your competitors rejects, I talk

Wesleyne Greer:

about it all the time on the podcast, stop getting your

Wesleyne Greer:

competitors rejects. So someone said, Hey, you're really good at

Wesleyne Greer:

sales. And financial service sales is not even b2b sales.

Wesleyne Greer:

It's not b2b sales. It's not chemical sales, you didn't have

Wesleyne Greer:

a chemical background, you were just a strong salesperson. And

Wesleyne Greer:

they took a chance on you. So when you started that job as a

Wesleyne Greer:

chemical salesperson, what were some of the synergies and some

Wesleyne Greer:

of the Oh, my gosh, what did I do moment?

David Vanden Boom:

Well, I'll tell you what the first Oh, my

David Vanden Boom:

gosh, moment is you're jumping into an industry, I had no

David Vanden Boom:

background, I'm not a chemist by nature, you know, I did not have

David Vanden Boom:

a good educational background in chemistry or in the items that

David Vanden Boom:

we sold at that point in time. So my Oh, my gosh, moment is I'm

David Vanden Boom:

here. I'm excited. I'm ready to get out there. What is it again,

David Vanden Boom:

that I'm selling. And, you know, I think part of the the thing

David Vanden Boom:

that really helped me is a really enjoy building those

David Vanden Boom:

relationships with customers and with clients. So that take away

David Vanden Boom:

from the financial industry that take away from the educational

David Vanden Boom:

background and industry is is one of those where I said, Okay,

David Vanden Boom:

I'm really good at talking with customers and listening to what

David Vanden Boom:

they're looking for what their needs are, and building that

David Vanden Boom:

into kind of my whole conversation with going into it.

David Vanden Boom:

And that was my okay, what can I transition? Or what do I bring

David Vanden Boom:

with me to the table as I make this leap into the dark side of

David Vanden Boom:

sales?

Wesleyne Greer:

The dark side. And I think that often times

Wesleyne Greer:

when sales managers are hiring new salespeople, hiring someone

Wesleyne Greer:

that doesn't know the industry doesn't know, b2b sales doesn't

Wesleyne Greer:

know petrochemicals, like you know, any of that you need to

Wesleyne Greer:

have a book of business, you didn't know the products they

Wesleyne Greer:

were selling, you didn't know any of the customers. And it's

Wesleyne Greer:

like, well, I don't have time to train them, right, and they want

Wesleyne Greer:

somebody who's ready made. But at the end of the day, when you

Wesleyne Greer:

get strong sales skills will outperform any day, somebody who

Wesleyne Greer:

has a book of business, because you're scrappy, right? You know

Wesleyne Greer:

how to listen to somebody you know how to say, Okay, I don't

Wesleyne Greer:

know the answer to your questions, but I do know how to

Wesleyne Greer:

write them down and go ask the other people that do know the

Wesleyne Greer:

answers.

David Vanden Boom:

Correct? And that's the right way of putting

David Vanden Boom:

it. I don't know the answer. And a lot of salespeople out there

David Vanden Boom:

really have a hard time saying, I don't know that answer. But

David Vanden Boom:

let me get back to you. Because I know somebody who does have

David Vanden Boom:

that answer. And I know that we're going to have a solution

David Vanden Boom:

for you. Let me get back to you. And that is a great tip. That's

David Vanden Boom:

a really good comment that you have on there. Why do

Wesleyne Greer:

you think it is that salespeople are afraid to

Wesleyne Greer:

say, I don't know what is it?

David Vanden Boom:

A lot of times it's our own upbringing,

David Vanden Boom:

where a we're in sales, and we need the sales and whether it's

David Vanden Boom:

the drive from our bosses or from management that we need to

David Vanden Boom:

have all the essential tools that are, you know, we can pull

David Vanden Boom:

out of our pocket at any point in time taking a step back and

David Vanden Boom:

saying, I don't have that answer. I think a lot of people,

David Vanden Boom:

when they say that phrase, they ultimately think she lost the

David Vanden Boom:

sale. But I think it's just another step in continuing the

David Vanden Boom:

communication that you have with that customer client.

Wesleyne Greer:

I love that. It's the fear of losing the

Wesleyne Greer:

sale, especially, you know, when you're at a time of year, like

Wesleyne Greer:

now we're in the fourth quarter, and it's like I need every

Wesleyne Greer:

single conversation must convert. Right. And so it's in

Wesleyne Greer:

your brain you have that thought, but I know a lot of

Wesleyne Greer:

times, you know, I will tell people so I'm gonna get Mr by

Wesleyne Greer:

trade. But a lot of times when I was in sales, I was calling on

Wesleyne Greer:

engineers, right? And so I had to learn how to speak engineer.

Wesleyne Greer:

And I would always tell my team when I was leading them, we know

Wesleyne Greer:

our product. We know our product better than anyone out there.

Wesleyne Greer:

The customer knows their product better than anyone out there.

Wesleyne Greer:

It's okay. When they ask you a crazy off the wall question. And

Wesleyne Greer:

you're like, I don't know. Let me go ask somebody who's smarter

Wesleyne Greer:

than me. And what does that do? It brings down the barrier and

Wesleyne Greer:

they start laughing right? It's okay. All right,

David Vanden Boom:

that's exactly correct. That's a great

David Vanden Boom:

point to bring home. It really is.

Wesleyne Greer:

Yeah, I love it. So you got into chemical sales?

Wesleyne Greer:

How did you find your flooding? How did you really figure out

Wesleyne Greer:

how to start learning the jargon, figuring out those

Wesleyne Greer:

customers,

David Vanden Boom:

you know, it all takes that picking up the

David Vanden Boom:

phone and calling customers that are their calling existing

David Vanden Boom:

customers, you know, having a conversation with not only your

David Vanden Boom:

teammates, or the people that are on staff or part of the team

David Vanden Boom:

of that organization, but also those that are broader reached

David Vanden Boom:

with the customers and client base, having those conversations

David Vanden Boom:

and learning the jargon, like you said, you know, learning how

David Vanden Boom:

to talk to them, but more importantly, how to listen to

David Vanden Boom:

them what they're actually looking for. So and that's the

David Vanden Boom:

biggest thing is listening to those customers and listening to

David Vanden Boom:

everything that's out there. And most of the time, we're so

David Vanden Boom:

focused, like you said, it's the end of the year, we're crammed,

David Vanden Boom:

we're trying to get everything done. We're trying to get

David Vanden Boom:

everything, you know, budgets accomplished and all of our

David Vanden Boom:

goals accomplished by the end of the year, that you take that

David Vanden Boom:

step and that meeting with the customer and listen to what

David Vanden Boom:

they're looking for, listen to how you can help them. And that

David Vanden Boom:

just builds that relationship from there.

Wesleyne Greer:

That's so good. As a new salesperson that one of

Wesleyne Greer:

the things that I love to say like, if there is an existing

Wesleyne Greer:

book of business, go learn from your customers, ask them

Wesleyne Greer:

questions, you're the new kid on the block, they're not gonna

Wesleyne Greer:

yell at you. And one thing that we all know is everybody loves

Wesleyne Greer:

talking about themselves. So they will tell you about their

Wesleyne Greer:

research. They'll tell you about their awards and their patents

Wesleyne Greer:

and everything that they've done to get them to where they are.

Wesleyne Greer:

And you're just listening and learning and asking questions.

Wesleyne Greer:

And then I also like to take it a step further, like, Hey, I'm

Wesleyne Greer:

the new kid on the block. What do you not like about the

Wesleyne Greer:

company? What have you had any issues, any kind of things that

Wesleyne Greer:

you want me to bang up the chain? Right, like, open the

Wesleyne Greer:

door?

David Vanden Boom:

That is so true. Actually, I love that

David Vanden Boom:

line, I still use the line. I've been in this industry for over a

David Vanden Boom:

decade now. And most of the customers that I have, or most

David Vanden Boom:

of the people that I meet, I still use that line. I'm new

David Vanden Boom:

here, what would you tell me that I'm missing? And once you

David Vanden Boom:

it's not a form of humility, but it brings down that wall between

David Vanden Boom:

you and the person that you're speaking with.

Wesleyne Greer:

That's a great breaks the barrier, right? It's

Wesleyne Greer:

the because that's what it is like you're new, I'm new. And

Wesleyne Greer:

there's a wall in between us, who's going to knock this wall

Wesleyne Greer:

down. First, we're going to talk about sports. We're going to

Wesleyne Greer:

talk about the weather, we're going to talk about all these

Wesleyne Greer:

niceties. But at the end of the day, I'm trying to learn and I

Wesleyne Greer:

actually want to get your business, but you don't want to

Wesleyne Greer:

actually talk to me about it, you feel like I'm wasting your

Wesleyne Greer:

time. So let's figure out how to break it down. And you don't

Wesleyne Greer:

always have to be so serious, because I think a lot of times

Wesleyne Greer:

in these very technical sales that we're in, people are just

Wesleyne Greer:

way too serious, right? It's just like, it doesn't always

Wesleyne Greer:

have to be so serious. We can break down barriers sometimes.

David Vanden Boom:

Correct. It's a point of commonality to I'm

David Vanden Boom:

new, you know, everybody wants to help somebody, no matter who

David Vanden Boom:

you are, they're gonna want to help somebody out. So that line,

David Vanden Boom:

I'm new, that gives them the opportunity to teach you

David Vanden Boom:

something.

Wesleyne Greer:

Absolutely. So tell me, you stepped into the

Wesleyne Greer:

industry. And then you made in a sense into a leadership role.

Wesleyne Greer:

What was that transition like for you? How did that work?

David Vanden Boom:

It was a smooth transition, I was very

David Vanden Boom:

blessed by having a really great team around me, and really great

David Vanden Boom:

individuals to work with that backed up by a great book of

David Vanden Boom:

business, or a great group of customers that made that

David Vanden Boom:

transition so smooth, it was almost like I was doing it

David Vanden Boom:

anyways. And once again, I go back and I reference my

David Vanden Boom:

background and education where, you know, trying to help

David Vanden Boom:

somebody out or trying to teach somebody or trying to learn or

David Vanden Boom:

continually learn has always been a great benefit and a great

David Vanden Boom:

benefit for anybody to have. If you're looking at going into a

David Vanden Boom:

leadership role. It's that building of a team or listening

David Vanden Boom:

to others, or the commonality that we had talked about that

David Vanden Boom:

you said, you know, breaks down those barriers that happens

David Vanden Boom:

internally are intrinsically an organization. And if you make it

David Vanden Boom:

a point that you're there to help them to help them succeed,

David Vanden Boom:

to help them to grow. And you not only say that, but you live

David Vanden Boom:

that type of philosophy, building a team and being in

David Vanden Boom:

charge of those individuals to help them grow. It happens

David Vanden Boom:

organically at that point.

Wesleyne Greer:

So when you stepped into leadership, did you

Wesleyne Greer:

have to build your team from scratch? Or did you inherit a

Wesleyne Greer:

team?

David Vanden Boom:

A little above? You know, there was a

David Vanden Boom:

couple of members that were already existing, you know, that

David Vanden Boom:

I've worked side by side with and some where we had to go out

David Vanden Boom:

and we had to hire some folks for some territories.

Wesleyne Greer:

So how was it from being friend to boss, talk

Wesleyne Greer:

to us about that transition in your career?

David Vanden Boom:

I think the biggest stigma when it says

David Vanden Boom:

friend to boss, or you move to that type of relationship is

David Vanden Boom:

when you start talking about money, because you know, in any

David Vanden Boom:

type of atmosphere, money is still a very personal thing, and

David Vanden Boom:

you can't be afraid to have that discussion. And the more upfront

David Vanden Boom:

that you are about everything, the better that communication or

David Vanden Boom:

the line of communications between each individual on your

David Vanden Boom:

team is going to be available and going to be open. So it's

David Vanden Boom:

been my experience, money is number one, the most difficult

David Vanden Boom:

thing when making that transition from friend to boss

David Vanden Boom:

or to leader or team lead, whatever phraseology you want to

David Vanden Boom:

use with it, once that conversation is done, though,

David Vanden Boom:

and you're there to help the individual, you're there to help

David Vanden Boom:

anybody that's on your team to grow the team to grow the

David Vanden Boom:

organization success, I think it happens by itself, at that

David Vanden Boom:

point, you have to, you know, I'm gonna keep using the phrase

David Vanden Boom:

that you said, but you're gonna keep breaking down those

David Vanden Boom:

barriers and breaking down some of the different aspects that

David Vanden Boom:

makes individuals on your team not want to communicate with

David Vanden Boom:

you, you break those down, and everything becomes a lot easier.

Wesleyne Greer:

That's good. That's a good perspective, that

Wesleyne Greer:

going from really working alongside someone to having to,

Wesleyne Greer:

you know, redirect them when they're doing something that

Wesleyne Greer:

they shouldn't be doing or praise them. Whereas before you

Wesleyne Greer:

guys were in the trenches together, it's like, oh, now you

Wesleyne Greer:

know how much money I make, huh, we used to make the same amount

Wesleyne Greer:

of money, but now you might be making a little bit more. And a

Wesleyne Greer:

lot of times, that's where that infighting comes, because a lot

Wesleyne Greer:

of times when people are moving up in the ranks, and they start

Wesleyne Greer:

leaving their former colleagues, they have lots of issues. And it

Wesleyne Greer:

sounds like you were like, Okay, we're gonna have this

Wesleyne Greer:

conversation, we're gonna get on the same page. And then we're

Wesleyne Greer:

gonna go out there and keep hitting these goals. 100%. And

Wesleyne Greer:

then you started building the team. So in hiring or do you

Wesleyne Greer:

said, you've built some new territories, so tell us as a

Wesleyne Greer:

relatively new sales manager, or maybe even somebody who may not

Wesleyne Greer:

be new, but they have inherited a team, and they're back filling

Wesleyne Greer:

positions, but now they're in growth mode. And so they have to

Wesleyne Greer:

define new territories go into new markets, what are some tips

Wesleyne Greer:

that you would have for those people,

David Vanden Boom:

you know, for the individuals that are going

David Vanden Boom:

into new territories, or for the individuals that are growing

David Vanden Boom:

your team going into new territories, it all comes down

David Vanden Boom:

to conversations, it all comes down to listening to your

David Vanden Boom:

customers listening to the customer base in that area. And

David Vanden Boom:

if it's an individual that you're throwing into that new

David Vanden Boom:

territory, it's coaching them, it's coaching them, how to ask

David Vanden Boom:

the right questions, and how to listen, not necessarily just sit

David Vanden Boom:

there and think about what their answer is going to be to what

David Vanden Boom:

your customers saying, but to listen to the customer's actual

David Vanden Boom:

needs, and then applying those particular solutions, you know,

David Vanden Boom:

going into new territories, you're going to have the same

David Vanden Boom:

set of goals and principles that you had in your existing

David Vanden Boom:

territories, especially if it's a foundation that's based on

David Vanden Boom:

having conversations with individuals and building those

David Vanden Boom:

relationships for the greater good of both of you.

Wesleyne Greer:

You talk a lot about listening and talking,

Wesleyne Greer:

right and coaching. And so I'm curious if we were to survey

Wesleyne Greer:

both your reps and your leaders, or your your managers, the

Wesleyne Greer:

people who you report to what would they define as your true

Wesleyne Greer:

leadership style?

David Vanden Boom:

Wow, that's a great question. I think they

David Vanden Boom:

would actually respond in very supportive, listening,

David Vanden Boom:

nurturing, and then through accomplishment, or successful

David Vanden Boom:

praise, if you will. Everybody has their own unique set of

David Vanden Boom:

skills that they bring to the table. And it's identifying

David Vanden Boom:

those set of skills, growing them, letting them know, Hey,

David Vanden Boom:

this is a great set of skills that you've got here, take that,

David Vanden Boom:

use that to your advantage as you go out, and you talk to

David Vanden Boom:

these customers, and you can really grow their own confidence

David Vanden Boom:

as their confidence grows. So do the communications and the

David Vanden Boom:

relationships that they have with those individuals. Does

David Vanden Boom:

that make sense? It absolutely

Wesleyne Greer:

does. And it's always really hard to toot your

Wesleyne Greer:

own horn. And so I like to kind of throw some curveballs in

Wesleyne Greer:

there. So that's I was like, what would they say about you?

Wesleyne Greer:

But I just did listening to you for the few months that we've

Wesleyne Greer:

been speaking, I would agree with you right that they would

Wesleyne Greer:

say that not only are you really able to meet your reps where

Wesleyne Greer:

they are and speak their language, but you're also

Wesleyne Greer:

holding them accountable and pushing them right, because you

Wesleyne Greer:

don't go from inheriting a team to opening up new territories

Wesleyne Greer:

and growing and building without doing some of those things.

David Vanden Boom:

You know, you brought up the term

David Vanden Boom:

accountability. And I think accountability is one of those

David Vanden Boom:

terms where if you've got a salesperson who is rockin and

David Vanden Boom:

rollin hit somebody who's hitting their territory and

David Vanden Boom:

building the relationships with our customers and clients, the

David Vanden Boom:

accountability portion of it kind of falls away because that

David Vanden Boom:

takes care of itself. Accountability would be I almost

David Vanden Boom:

refer to it as almost on the dark side of it. And it happens

David Vanden Boom:

to some points simply because if you have a rep or somebody who

David Vanden Boom:

isn't pulling their weight or or struggling, then that

David Vanden Boom:

accountability starts creeping up. Then you start looking at

David Vanden Boom:

your KPIs and what's going wrong and you're not hitting this goal

David Vanden Boom:

and you're not hitting these metrics. And that's a totally

David Vanden Boom:

different thing. Those accountability The aspects make

David Vanden Boom:

you take a step back and look at that individual on your team or,

David Vanden Boom:

you know, where are they struggling? How can you help

David Vanden Boom:

them? How can you help them grow? Does that make sense?

Wesleyne Greer:

Absolutely. I have this, this little matrix

Wesleyne Greer:

that I use. And I tell managers that every quarter you planning

Wesleyne Greer:

to plot your people on it, right? And it's really a quota

Wesleyne Greer:

and effort matrix. And so literally, you're like, where

Wesleyne Greer:

are you? Are you at quarter? Are you putting in the maximum

Wesleyne Greer:

amount of effort? And really based on where people are

Wesleyne Greer:

falling that quarter? That's where you need to focus your

Wesleyne Greer:

attention, right? And those people that are below quota, and

Wesleyne Greer:

not putting in the effort, I always say, Why are they here,

Wesleyne Greer:

because of uniting your number, and you're not doing the things

Wesleyne Greer:

you need to do, then why and those people that are hitting

Wesleyne Greer:

their quota, and they're putting in the most effort, they're

Wesleyne Greer:

knocking on doors, they're still making phone calls, they're

Wesleyne Greer:

still filling the funnel, they just need a little encouragement

Wesleyne Greer:

every out most of the time. It's those other two quadrants that

Wesleyne Greer:

you have to focus on, right, those people who are like, Okay,

Wesleyne Greer:

I'm below quota, but I am knocking on every door and

Wesleyne Greer:

nobody will say yes, right. So you, as a manager, get to say,

Wesleyne Greer:

How can I help you? What can I do? Because I know you want it,

Wesleyne Greer:

just a little tweak here, or maybe don't say this, or don't

Wesleyne Greer:

get so eager, I see what's happening. And then they win a

Wesleyne Greer:

sale, and then they win another sale, and then they're confident

Wesleyne Greer:

grows. And that is how you really turn those reps that are

Wesleyne Greer:

really struggling into top performers.

David Vanden Boom:

That's correct. And success breeds

David Vanden Boom:

success. And it keeps rolling to that point. And those

David Vanden Boom:

individuals are those sales individuals that are out there.

David Vanden Boom:

And they're putting the effort in and like you said, they're

David Vanden Boom:

knocking on the door, they just can't get a yes, they can't get

David Vanden Boom:

a sale, just a little tweak. Usually, that's all that it is.

David Vanden Boom:

And all of a sudden, you've got a basket full of success.

Wesleyne Greer:

I know. And you're like, wow, I remember

Wesleyne Greer:

when you were just struggling. And now you're at the top of the

Wesleyne Greer:

leaderboards. Right. And it's like, those are the things that

Wesleyne Greer:

good leaders hang their hats on.

David Vanden Boom:

That's right, good points.

Wesleyne Greer:

So tell me about a something in your career that

Wesleyne Greer:

you're really excited about having accomplished?

David Vanden Boom:

That's another really good question.

David Vanden Boom:

You know, when you take a step back, and you look at everything

David Vanden Boom:

that you've done, and I've been in basically almost any industry

David Vanden Boom:

you can think of, I think the most, or the thing that I'm most

David Vanden Boom:

proud of is the type of relationships that I've built

David Vanden Boom:

with colleagues and customers hands down. And it's, it's that

David Vanden Boom:

relationship, I don't want to call it relationship selling,

David Vanden Boom:

but it's having those relationships with the

David Vanden Boom:

individuals that I'm most proud of

Wesleyne Greer:

your relationships, you know, and

Wesleyne Greer:

what that made me think about is like, I tell people my word, my

Wesleyne Greer:

word is good, right. And if you think about your relationships,

Wesleyne Greer:

it's all built on, you are doing what you say you're going to do,

Wesleyne Greer:

right? You are the person that you say you are you show up the

Wesleyne Greer:

same way all the time consistently.

David Vanden Boom:

It's a really good point. And I think with

David Vanden Boom:

some of your listeners, I'll tell you the first time that I

David Vanden Boom:

remember the first time that I was on a sales call with a new

David Vanden Boom:

customer. And it was a competing bid on a project. And there was

David Vanden Boom:

a very good apples to apples comparison, the pricing was the

David Vanden Boom:

same very similar. It was a draw basically of who was going to

David Vanden Boom:

win this particular project with this customer. And I was sitting

David Vanden Boom:

right across the desk from this individual. And he said, Okay,

David Vanden Boom:

well what if I go with you, what do I get that's different from

David Vanden Boom:

your competitor. And without a beat, I said, you get me. And

David Vanden Boom:

with that, I'm going to work tirelessly to make sure that

David Vanden Boom:

everything that we say we're going to do is done to 110%. And

David Vanden Boom:

you know, for most of the salespeople out there, don't

David Vanden Boom:

forget that you are your greatest asset. And it's okay to

David Vanden Boom:

say that now it's not something that I say on a day to day

David Vanden Boom:

basis. There's humility that comes along with that, but keep

David Vanden Boom:

that in the back of your head that you are your greatest

David Vanden Boom:

asset. What is your customer getting? They're getting you

David Vanden Boom:

they're getting your time they're getting your expertise,

David Vanden Boom:

you're getting your your conversations, and that's a

David Vanden Boom:

great thing to keep in mind.

Wesleyne Greer:

I love that. I mean that that right there is so

Wesleyne Greer:

paramount that is speechless. Ever baby think about so I don't

Wesleyne Greer:

know, maybe 10 years ago, the company that I worked at and I

Wesleyne Greer:

sold for my younger brother is now a supervisor in that lab and

Wesleyne Greer:

they have printed emails right next to the instrument with my

Wesleyne Greer:

name on it, of how to do things. My business card is still on the

Wesleyne Greer:

instrument. Right? And it's because of what you said. They

Wesleyne Greer:

get you people buy from people and even in this world of

Wesleyne Greer:

everything is digital and this and that they buy from you.

Wesleyne Greer:

They're getting you when something breaks when something

Wesleyne Greer:

happens they want you Who? And I tell people when I have a

Wesleyne Greer:

customer that says, Hey, Wesleyne? Do you sell this? Do

Wesleyne Greer:

you do that? And it's like, I absolutely don't do anything in

Wesleyne Greer:

terms of marketing, or PR, but you trust me enough to think

Wesleyne Greer:

that I do. And you value my recommendation. That is an

Wesleyne Greer:

honor. It's not like no, you don't know what I do. And it's

Wesleyne Greer:

exactly what you said, it's the fact that people get you and

Wesleyne Greer:

salespeople don't say it enough. And you're right, don't have the

Wesleyne Greer:

big head and said all the time. Right, right. But you need to

Wesleyne Greer:

use it at the appropriate times when it's down to the wire, and

Wesleyne Greer:

it's you against a competitor, what's the differentiating

Wesleyne Greer:

factor you?

David Vanden Boom:

That's right, your hustle everything else that

David Vanden Boom:

comes along with it, you know, and you'll find that not only

David Vanden Boom:

that, you build that relationship with the customer,

David Vanden Boom:

all of a sudden, you got a referral, and that customer is

David Vanden Boom:

going to refer you to somebody else. Hey, I was working with

David Vanden Boom:

David and I really liked how he did it, I know that Jim over

David Vanden Boom:

there is going to need the same thing, Jim, go talk to David,

David Vanden Boom:

he'll take care of you. And then you build that relationship. And

David Vanden Boom:

all of a sudden, you've got a referral book of business that

David Vanden Boom:

continually comes at you when you're not even looking for it.

David Vanden Boom:

So not only have you established yourself as a very good

David Vanden Boom:

relationship building person, but you've established yourself

David Vanden Boom:

as an expert in the industry, simply because of your hustle

David Vanden Boom:

and your determination. And most importantly, yourself.

Wesleyne Greer:

Hmm, that is so good. David, I am so excited.

Wesleyne Greer:

That was yeah, that's good. People buy from people period.

Wesleyne Greer:

And I think that really sums up all of the things that you've

Wesleyne Greer:

talked about today, you talked about listening, you talked

Wesleyne Greer:

about being a resource, you talked about educating just by

Wesleyne Greer:

asking questions. And that's why people like you, right, as a

Wesleyne Greer:

manager, as a salesperson is anything. That is what people

Wesleyne Greer:

are attracted to the most. This has been an amazing, amazing

Wesleyne Greer:

time chatting with you.

David Vanden Boom:

No, I appreciate it. I look forward to

David Vanden Boom:

any of the conversations or any questions that you would have or

David Vanden Boom:

future conversations.

Wesleyne Greer:

Awesome. Well, if people want to chat with you

Wesleyne Greer:

and pick your brain or speak with you a bit more, what is the

Wesleyne Greer:

one best way for them to get in contact with you?

David Vanden Boom:

I'm still old school, I still appreciate a

David Vanden Boom:

phone call. Emails are great. But I love a phone call. If

David Vanden Boom:

you're good giving out a phone number, I have no problem with

David Vanden Boom:

that. Otherwise, emails or LinkedIn is always going to be

David Vanden Boom:

another way to get in touch with me.

Wesleyne Greer:

Okay, well, David's phone number will be in

Wesleyne Greer:

the show notes. So if you guys want to give him a call, you can

Wesleyne Greer:

literally just click his phone number in the show notes and you

Wesleyne Greer:

can connect with him. Awesome. Awesome. Well, thanks again so

Wesleyne Greer:

much for your time, David.

David Vanden Boom:

Thank you. I appreciate being on. Awesome.

Wesleyne Greer:

And that was another episode of the science

Wesleyne Greer:

of selling stem. Wasn't that interview amazing. I mean, how

Wesleyne Greer:

many gems How much do we have that we can really put into

Wesleyne Greer:

action today. Remember in everything that you do transform

Wesleyne Greer:

your sales. Until next time.

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