Yesterday, President Clinton met with Kim Jong-il to secure the release of two journalists who the North Koreans convicted of entering the country illegally and who were sentenced to 12 years hard labor (which must be as close to Hell as one can imagine). President Clinton … [Read more...]
Sales 1.0 vs. Sales 2.0
August 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Not everything about the old sales tools, techniques and processes were good and some were dreadful. But they weren't all bad. Some of the reason the old tools sound "sales-y" is because the object was to sell something. That outcome hasn't changed. Not … [Read more...]
It’s Not Your Sales Manager’s Job
August 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Motivation, that is. It is not your sales manager's job to motivate you. In fact, he can't motivate you. Truth be told, he can't even threaten you or inspire you. Anthony Robbins can't motivate you. No one can. All they can do is speak to the greatest motivational … [Read more...]
Are Salespeople Born Or Made?
August 2, 2009 By 1 Comment
It is now an age-old question: Are salespeople born, or can they be made? It is true that some of the essential attributes commonly possessed by salespeople are part of their DNA. Some salespeople have a natural charisma, the ability to develop rapport, and great communication … [Read more...]
How to Badmouth Your Competitors (and still remain professional)
July 31, 2009 By Leave a Comment
I had a customer complain about one of my competitors during a sales call earlier this week. Complaining is really too gentle a word in this case. She was really on a roll and ripping them to shreds. I listened without making any comments of my own, noting her complaints for … [Read more...]
100 Ways to Succeed in Sales: #8.1 Sell Within Your Own Organization II
July 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
What about up? In 100 Ways to Succeed in Sales 8: Sell Within Your Own Organization I, I noted how important it is for a salesperson to wire their own company exactly the same way they wire the prospect's: by building relationships, delivering value before claiming … [Read more...]
100 Ways to Succeed in Sales: # 8 Sell Within Your Own Organization
July 28, 2009 By 1 Comment
There may be no harder lesson to learn in sales. Half of the sale takes place with the prospect. For great salespeople the other half takes place within their own organization. These professionals use the same skill sets that allow them to penetrate and create relationships deep … [Read more...]
100 Ways to Succeed in Sales: # 7 Don’t Sell to Those With No Orders
July 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
During tough economic times, it is easy to fall into the trap of simply doubling your effort. If your closing percentage fell by 50%, then you must double the number of prospects in order to generate the same sales. This is an activity-based solution that isn't always sound … [Read more...]
Is Your Sales Closing Percentage Too High?
July 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment
It's easy to know that you have a closing percentage that is too low. You compete for a lot of deals and you don't win many. Diagnosing the problem is a bit more difficult. A low number of wins can be the result of poor sales rep performance, competing for deals that you … [Read more...]
Still an Effective Close (mostly): The Puppy Dog Close
July 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
One old close that is still effective is the Puppy Dog Close. If you have the kind of goods that you can allow the prospect to take home and fall in love with, it is rare that you ever get them back. My wife and nine year old daughter came across this little girl at the local pet … [Read more...]
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