Building a High Impact Sales Team: A First American Success Story

Market leadership. Production numbers that consistently top stated goals. Sales people who create results — and thrive in an environment of support, integrity and challenge.

Aah…a sales manager’s dream, right? A nirvana with a beautiful office view, a reclining ergonomic chair, your favorite drink, soft jazz in the background…

Wait a minute! Your cell phone is ringing, it’s 7:30 a.m. Monday morning, you’re stuck in traffic, and end-of-the-month reports are waiting on your desk. You’re simply having a little day dream.

Or, maybe not…

Maybe you’re Mark Webber, leading one of your company’s top-performing title and escrow units. Webber, vice president and state manager for First American Title Insurance Company, can enjoy a picturesque view from his Salt Lake City office — and the results his sales professionals turn in — thanks in large part to a custom sales training system developed with consultant and coach Charlotte Landram of High Impact Systems.

“When you have a successful formula, you’re pretty inclined to let it continue to work for you,” says Webber, speaking of the sales team training and individualized coaching Landram developed for Webber’s network of 45 revenue-producing branch units and 30-plus sales representatives throughout Utah. “Charlotte is an energetic, relationship-driven person who fully understands the title business. We brought her in to do team training and lead meetings where our sales representatives could discuss issues, ideas and needs.”

“Training and coaching are essential in this business, but unfortunately I don’t have the time to work one-on-one with all our sales representatives, and neither do my sales managers. Charlotte fills this vital role on our team.”

Coaching skills that drive sales

“She brings energy and unifying effects,” Webber adds. “When she comes into our offices, she makes people participate. She requires people to make presentations in front of their peers…she gets them out of their comfort zones. All this experience helps people grow and become more successful.”

Training and coaching are intensive processes, according to Landram. “The highest levels of personal achievement and the best business results occur when my clients see that we’re both committing the necessary time and energy to the improvement process. One-on-one coaching sessions allow people to step away from their daily demands for a short time and work on key areas that can greatly impact their success.”

Charlotte is someone who understands our company direction, our values, the type of people we hire, and the positive results we’re after,” says Dan Paulsen, Utah sales manager. “I know she’s very effective at what she brings us by the numbers — and by the feedback I get from my sales representatives. When I send a congratulatory note to someone on our team for a job well done, about 70 percent of the time that person will reply back to me and explain a specific thing Charlotte helped them with or how she enabled them to succeed.”

“We work with her because she gets results, simple as that,” Webber adds.

Walk in with credibility, know-how to share

Landram, a veteran of the real estate business, offers the First American team not only customized training and coaching — but an insider’s value most sales consultants can only hope to offer.

“She’s one of us,” says Dawn Rae Wheeler, a First American sales representative who specializes in the resale market. “Having built a successful real estate business, she brings instant credibility. She speaks the language. She understands this business inside and out. She’s not simply a motivational speaker who drops in one day with a few ideas, and then is gone. Charlotte explains the systems that work, and how to plug those systems into your business so you routinely do the things that will make you successful.”

“I had no real sales experience when I started with First American,” explains Nina Arlook, residential and builder sales representative of Park City. “I knew about business and I knew a lot of people. I had great relationships with people, but my numbers were not where I wanted them to be. I didn’t know how to close...how to ask for the business. Charlotte helped me improve my presentation skills and taught me how to ask for the order. These two things have been keys to growing my business and increasing my income.”

Landram has worked with First American’s Utah offices for about two and one-half years. When she began the training and coaching project, company revenues and profitability lagged in the crowded Utah title market. Clients (and their business) came and went. Sales professionals struggled with inefficient client contact and retention processes. Now, sales representatives specializing in one of four disciplines in area branch offices (residential resale, commercial, builders’ services, and lender-directed transactions) enjoy phenomenal success in earning and growing their client business.

“Charlotte has taught me skills that are vital to my business,” says Brian Haglund, a residential resale sales representative. Whatever she suggests, I try. I’ve gained experience in so many areas, and I feel much more confident in handling situations that are a little out of the ordinary, or resolving potential conflicts before they affect my business.”

Train new ideas, coach fundamentals

Landram leads a custom-designed training program for First American sales representatives and managers every other month, exploring sales theories and practices, tools and techniques. Once each month, Landram phones each sales representative for their individualized “me” time, or her special brand of one-on-one coaching. During coaching sessions Landram follows up on concepts presented in recent team training modules, such as:

“The Five-Step Selling Process”
“High Impact Listening Skills”
She also helps sales representatives with specific challenges, such as:
How to be accountable to yourself (and your manager) for production numbers
How to manage your time smartly — not just busily
How to deliver a winning sales presentation
How to employ influence and persuasion techniques

“One of the biggest values in working with Charlotte is being able to go to her with a problem or challenge, and talking openly with her,” says Garin Clark, a First American sales representative specializing in lender accounts. “She has this great sense of what I’m experiencing — and maybe what I’m not even asking or describing -- and she’s able to offer several suggestions that help me get results.”

A 20-20 focus on results

Landram frequently coaches highly effective sales representatives who are striving to reach high levels of excellence.

“As salespeople, we’re very energetic,” says Stephanie Christenson, an eleven year veteran and a top producer in her sales region, “but we’re often all over the map. It’s hard sometimes to be as organized as we should be, and to stay focused on the right things.”

Landram has helped Christenson develop targeted client lists to help prioritize her time more effectively, as well as a marketing strategy to stay in touch with existing and potential clients. As a consequence, her business has more than doubled in the last two years.

“I now send notes and other messages to clients on a regular basis,” Christenson says. “I know the value of being in front of people all the time and reminding them how I can help them.”

Business growth built on meeting challenges and professional growth

Landram says one of the most rewarding aspects of her specialty is helping individuals and teams master high levels of performance — where they need it most.

“To be really successful and master anything — whether it’s a sport, a hobby, or a profession — we have to be very competent in a few key areas,” says Landram. “This sounds pretty simple, and it really is, once you understand what those key areas are, what your abilities are, and how to become more effective where you need to.” According to Landram, her First American clients have really created their own success.

“I’m around to help clarify and prioritize the challenges, and to help put together an improvement plan and lead work on that plan,” Landram says. “Our ongoing success however, is very dependent on leaders like Mark and Dan, who have a complete commitment to their people, maintain a long-term focus, and concentrate on a specific plan of action.”

“Their level of commitment is vital to the success they experience,” Landram adds.

“This year, we’re experiencing our highest rate of market share gain in the past five years,” Paulsen says, “One of our biggest challenges as a sales team is to keep that momentum going — and keep our attention on capturing more business and better serving clients.

“The training we’ve designed with Charlotte and her continuous coaching helps keep everyone on board,” Paulsen adds. “With her experience and unique perspective, she can give us a pulse on everyone, tell us what’s out there, and help us see what we’re not spending enough time on.

“I think as a team we’ve just hit third gear, and we’re preparing to shift into fourth. Charlotte keeps us focused on what we need to do to keep the momentum going.”

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