I Am Sales – Brett Alexander

Brett Alexander – Director of Sales at U.S. Signal

Below is the result of our interview with Brett Alexander on Feb 12, 2010.

Sales Overview

How long have you been in sales?  21 years.

How did you get started? I wanted the opportunity to have uncapped income and flexibility in my schedule.

What is the impact of sales on your life? Sales makes me a happy person because I love what I do.

What do you like most about sales? I like helping people solve problems; I like winning; and I like the money!

What sales method do you follow? My own philosophy of listening and taking great care of my customers; always doing the right thing — BIG customer advocate!

What made your best manager so good? My manager supported me when I needed it; didn’t pester me with nonsense.

What made your worst manager so bad? The manager wasn’t my advocate; was not trustworthy;and was not able to think outside the box.

How do you prepare for a big meeting? I prep to be as thorough & succinct as possible. I also practice, practice, practice!

Selling Track Record

What is the most you ever sold in a year? $2.5 million

What is the biggest order you ever booked? $850,000

How long did it take to book your biggest order? 18 months.

Why did the customer buy from you? They trusted I had their best interests in mind.

What did you learn from the process? Be patient and take good care of the customer.

What is the biggest order you ever lost? $300,000

Why was the order lost? As it turned out, we were not a good fit.

What was learned from loss? Focus on areas where your strengths are.

Private Life 

What is in your library? Books on how to better yourself, along with financial publications.

What are you reading now? The Wall St Journal; Kiplingers; and industry publications.

What is your favorite movie? “It’s A Wonderful Life.” I love this movie because the little guy wins by doing the right things.

Who is a role model to you? My grandfather.

How do you relax? I read!

What 3 people would you like have to dinner? Warren Buffet, Mick Jagger, and William F. Buckley.

How do you start the day? With a brisk walk.

How do you end work each day? I make a list of things to do tomorrow.

Technology & Strategy

What smartphone / pda do you use? The Motorola Q for voice and e-mail.

What PIM/CRM do you use? None.

How do you stay organized? I make lists and prioritize.

How do you prevent a slump? Keep postive attitude and work hard—it will get better.

Changes

How have markets/sales changed in 5 years? They are all more competitive.

What industry trends do you foresee? In my industry, the biggest trend is wireless last mile to compete with loops provided by tarditional ILECs.

How do you want to be described in a sentence? Passionate!

Alternative Universe 

If you were not in sales, what would you do instead? I would be a business owner.

Closing Question

How is it to be interviewed by the Sales Whisperer? Pretty cool! The questions asked were very good—they made me think.