I often say you learn something from everyone. Sometimes it’s what to do. Other times it is what not to do. Selling is a tough enough business that it’s always better to stay away from the wrong things to do. Here are some of the dumbest things I’ve heard (or done) in sales just so you can save yourself from making these same mistakes. 1. Tell them John referred … [Read more...]
Get Referrals: How to Ask and Who to Ask
Do you know how to ask and who to ask for referrals? Getting referral business is a wonderful way to sell. It’s always great when customers refer business to you. The referrals you get often aren’t enough to be your sole source of business. You should expect to ask for referrals to add to your sales. You may wonder how to ask for referrals and actually get the information … [Read more...]
Saying No In Sales
Saying No Is Something You Just Might Have to Do Saying no might happen when you sell. Do you know how to say no? You may think that the only way to close a sale is to say yes to everything your prospect requests. Finding points of agreement and ways to deliver on them are certainly parts of selling. Saying no in sales is also an important part of your work. Knowing when … [Read more...]
Fire a Prospect: When Can You Stop Calling on a Prospect?
Do you know when to stop calling on a prospect? Hope springs eternal for most salespeople. I’ve been to too many sales meetings where salespeople repeat week after week, “This deal is going to close soon.” Yes, the word “soon” does mean different things to different people. My thought, when I hear this claim about deals closing soon, is “not likely.” How will you know when … [Read more...]
Solve Your Sales Problems
3 Ways To Avoid Frustration and Failure Can you solve your sales problems? Do you know which ones you have? Not making your sales? Working with a difficult customer? Facing a challenge that’s immobilizing you? These are all problems that you might face in sales. What can you do about them? You need to have a process to solve them. Here’s how to get started. First … [Read more...]
3 Selling Rules
Some rules are made to be broken, just not these sales rules! 1. Never touch base. Your credibility is a key part of your sales success. That credibility comes from your expertise, your authority and your availability. You must avoid everything that detracts from your credibility. When you touch base you are detracting from your credibility. Expertise … [Read more...]
3 Ideas to Become a Sales Success
Sales Superstars & What They Do for Success Do you sell the way sales superstars sell? I’ve written before about how to identify successful salespeople so managers don’t get “sold” by salespeople who are really under performers. But monitoring sales numbers isn’t the same thing as knowing what salespeople do to become a sales success. Here are 3 ideas for you to … [Read more...]
Sell more with your brain and less with your mouth.
The More Important Sales Skill is Thinking Thinking is an important sales skill. What does it mean to sell more with your brain and less with your mouth? Most salespeople think that talking is the most important sales skill. They are wrong. Thinking is the more important sales skill. Thinking is important well before you get in front of the prospect or … [Read more...]
Prevent Sales Losses: 3 Strategies to Use
You can make competitors work harder and prevent sales losses. Your selling continues after the sale so you keep your competition away. You’ve worked hard to close the deal. Now you have new business. It’s business you want to keep for a long time. Too many salespeople think the sale is over when the customer agrees to buy. Your sale is not over. More sales work … [Read more...]
Regret & Sales: Don’t Let It Stop Your Sales
Regret does not have to stop your sales. Have you ever done something in business or sales that you later regretted? Maybe you said something. Perhaps it was something you did or didn’t do. I’m sure you have. We all have. What you do after that regret will determine whether you move along and are productive in sales. Regret is something we all experience. Regret … [Read more...]