The salespeople I work with sometimes tell me how well they are doing. There’s only one problem. They’re not doing all that well. Why? They are the ones who think they’re doing well. Here’s what I tell sales managers to use as they gauge their salespeople’s success. You can use the same criteria to judge how you explain your own … [Read more...]
Anxiety and Sales
Today it seems that anxiety is a part of today’s selling and business. You may be afraid of losing your job. Maybe your customers are not making purchases and that’s starting to be a concern. Perhaps your customers are buying much less from you than before and there’s nothing you can do to change that. All these situations –and more--can make someone anxious. Here is some … [Read more...]
Plan Strategically: Get More Done Now That You Have a Lot of Time
You can get more done at work. A friend recently commented, “You are so involved in so many things. How do you get so much done?” I had never really thought about how busy I am and how much I get done. Doing things makes me happy and the thought of nothing to do terrifies me. It’s not that I don’t like being along. One of my passions is reading. It’s more that I enjoy a … [Read more...]
Selling is Different: Selling During Coronavirus Quarantines
I think it’s safe to say, whether you are new to sales or a road warrior, that selling during coronavirus quarantines is one of the biggest challenges you are facing in your selling career. The challenge now isn’t about a new and stronger competitor. You aren’t facing a problem of your own creation. You and almost everyone else are faced with a dangerous health issue while … [Read more...]
Things You Can Do During Coronavirus Quarantine
Are you bored stiff yet? Or are you working feverishly to stay afloat? Salespeople are in a slightly different position with what we can do and work since we have some control over our actions. Hopefully your company is in a strong enough position to survive this unique crisis. Here are some things you can do now during the coronavirus quarantine and still stay safe. 1. … [Read more...]
Work with a Snake (The Human Kind)
Don’t be shocked the next time someone you work with says something nasty about you. You might hear it in front of other people who are important to you. You might learn about what was said behind your back. Don’t be surprised. Why shouldn’t you be? You missed some very important signals that the person was giving you about his … [Read more...]
Edward De Bono: Sales Questions for Better Sales Results
You may not know Dr. Edward De Bono and how he relates to sales questions. He’s the designer of the 6 Thinking Hats process. This process helps groups and individuals create better solutions for problem solving. Sounds like something that would be helpful for sales? It is. Use it to ask better sales questions. Here’s how I used 6 Hats Thinking to move a customer through a … [Read more...]
Think Like a Customer
Many salespeople think they know why a customer should buy. After all, they know their products and services and can tell you any number of reasons why a customer should buy. So why does a prospect not buy? It’s because salespeople don't think like a customer. They have their own agenda. Salespeople too often walk into a sales … [Read more...]
The Efficient Salesperson: Smart Selling
Have you thought about how you can work less? Some might think that’s being lazy. I prefer to think of it as being efficient. My goal is for all salespeople to do the least and get the most. That’s what I call smart selling and being an efficient salesperson. Here’s what you can do to sell smart. What should I do? Have you noticed that some tasks really don’t … [Read more...]
Strategic Selling: Protect Yourself As You Sell
You may think your product is what you sell and what customers pay for. You would be only partially correct. You are part of your product. Your strategic selling covers not only how you sell your product, but all that you do to protect yourself as you sell. Be protective of your selling time. Athletes don’t let anything get in the way of their practice to improve … [Read more...]