The Sales Blog
You want exponential growth. You want a curve that bends sharply upwards. It’s easy to be tempted into believing that the next big idea to come along, the next shiny object, will be what finally unleashes the potential within you (or your sales organization). But, as painful … [Read more...]
The military strategist Clausewitz described the fog of war as friction. For Clausewitz, war was different in practice than on paper. You can have a strategy, a plan, and well-rehearsed tactics, but as soon as you come into contact with the enemy, there are so many variables that … [Read more...]
There’s a lot of confusion about what a cold call is and what a cold call is not. Whenever I write about cold calling I get emails and comments from people who insist the cold calling is dead. A few days ago I even had Jeffrey Gitomer comment to that effect on this post. But I … [Read more...]
Price and Value If you sell something with a price of X, your customer won’t buy it if they perceive what you sell to be worth X. They have to believe it is worth more to them than X. It must be worth X+. (That + is the value) Here is a simple example. If you buy a book on … [Read more...]
Almost daily I see social media folks with good intentions suggest that cold calling is dead. They (incorrectly) write that selling is dead, that no one likes salespeople, and that even salespeople don’t like being salespeople. With good hearts, they suggest things like … [Read more...]
The human brain is really made up of three brains. The oldest part of the brain (from an evolutionary perspective) is the archipallium, or reptile brain. It includes the brain stem, and the cerebellum. This part of your brain is responsible for all of the automatic functions of … [Read more...]
There are all kinds of ideas about what works and what doesn't work in sales. Some of it contains a truth, but not the whole truth. Buyers are doing a ton of research. It’s true that buyers are doing research. Maybe some are 57%, 67%, or 117% through their buying process … [Read more...]
Yesterday I wrote about ten things I wish I'd have known before I started selling professionally. Here are ten things that I wish I'd have known before I started managing a sales force. Balance activity and effectiveness. When I first managed salespeople, I was … [Read more...]
It’s about creating value. I resisted selling early in my life because I believed salespeople took advantage of other people. I thought that they were sleazy, self-oriented, and manipulative. Only later did I learn that it was all about helping other people get the results they … [Read more...]
The article is titled “Oracle Blames New Sales People for Missing Targets.” “What we really saw was the lack of urgency we sometimes see in the sales force, as Q3 deals fall into Q4,” Chief Financial officer Safra Catz told analysts on a conference call. “Since … [Read more...]
Leaving A Trail of Negativity Behind You