This is why salespeople get a bad name. In a recent study it turns out that when you make a superfluous apology (knowing you didn't cause the problem or it was beyond your control) it has the result of making others trust you. Here's where motives come into play. I have a problem if you are apologizing for inconveniences you know you didn't cause only because you want to get … [Read more...]
Want to be more persuasive?
One of the basic principles of persuasion and influence is that we tend to comply with people we like. Why? We trust people we like. You need trust to influence others. How does this apply to you? The next time you meet someone new at a business function, a Chamber of Commerce meeting, or other business function, do something that gets you to be liked. What would that be? Stop … [Read more...]
Sell more by selling to the right prospects
Here's how I know someone is not going to make their sales goals. I ask them to describe an ideal prospect. Their response? Everyone is a prospect! Wrong. Everyone is not your prospect because you can't be all things to all customers. Here's how you can find the customers who you are most likely to sell to. … [Read more...]
Losing a sale. Now what?
At some point you’re going to lose a piece of business. That loss immobilizes some salespeople. They ruminate about the deal that went bad, what caused it and blame themselves. The reality is that all successful salespeople sometimes lose deals. They analyze what went wrong and resolve to avoid doing that again. They do this analysis once. Then they move on. If you find … [Read more...]