Salesperson or Professional Visitor

March 8th, 2010

A lot more goes into sales than just being likable and willing to talk to people. If you believe that being friendly is all there is to being successful in sales, you could miss the other qualities and skills you need to have (or to develop). Often the outgoing people who we think would make good salespeople aren’t willing to do the more difficult things that are necessary to be successful in a sales position. While being outgoing can be helpful, that isn’t all it takes to be a good salesperson. Read More

5 Elements to Increase Sales

March 1st, 2010

All too often, salespeople focus on the wrong elements in their attempt to increase sales. They turn their attention to the features, benefits, and value-added aspects of their product or service in an attempt to differentiate it from that of the competition and ultimately convince prospects to buy. While these elements may eventually play a part in the presentation (more on that later), it is not the place to start. Read More

Selling is a Two Way Process

February 22nd, 2010

I once asked a group of sales training participants to define “Selling.” BEventually, a few answers emerged: “Convincing someone to buy what you have”; “Exchanging money for goods and services”; and “Getting someone to say ‘yes’.” No one could provide a more detailed definition of “selling.” Read More

A “Think it Over” is A No

February 16th, 2010

Even though salespeople often believe that prospects will need time to think a decision over, the reality is that (most of the time) they don’t. A “think it over” is nine out of ten times just a polite way of saying no. Unfortunately, the salesperson believes that the prospect needs time to decide, accepts the “think it over”, and leaves thinking, “I got one!” Read More

Selling Disappointment

February 8th, 2010

Suppose, for a moment, that you are a salesperson or business owner. You’ve been working on an excellent new prospect for several months. If your sales manager or business partner were to ask you how the deal was progressing, you might say, “Pretty well. I’m very hopeful.” Read More

Going Against Conventional Sales Wisdom

February 1st, 2010

Is there any advantage to following conventional wisdom? Or, by doing so, will you only be following rules made by other people? Rules that may no longer be appropriate…and may actually work against you.

Let’s examine some conventional sales “wisdom.” Read More

Don’t Put Your Business into the Commodity Box

January 25th, 2010

The most common issue business owners have been expressing to me is that their business is becoming a commodity. When salespeople make it all about a low price to separate your business from your competition, they are making your company’s product or service a commodity. When your salespeople start selling this way they put your business inside what I like to call the commodity box. From inside the box you are not competing on quality, service or the key indicator that separates you from your competitor. Instead you find yourself competing on price which puts the prospect in control and makes you look like everyone else! Read More

Stop Selling to Close More

January 19th, 2010

When you really want (or possibly need) to close a sale, it’s easy to drop into “convincing” mode.  You begin to sound like the stereotypical “high-pressure” salesperson explaining the benefits of the various features of your product or service and “justifying” the costs. Read More

Crush the Competition

January 19th, 2010

Competition is the reason your salespeople and many of your company’s other employees have work to do. If it weren’t for competition, businesses would lack the strongest incentives for change – new products, new processes, new markets, new strategies, new organizations, etc. Competition also encourages companies to introduce innovations that benefit their customers. And changes often mean new work and new opportunities for employees. Read More

Qualifying the Prospect

January 4th, 2010

When do you start qualifying your prospects? What do you use to qualify them? What do they qualify for?

When we work with sales people we often find they do not have a plan for qualifying prospects. Sometimes sales people who are new to the program mistakenly declare a qualified prospect is one whom the sales person has concluded needs the product or service the sales person is selling. In our system, it doesn’t matter what the sales person has determined. Read More