EIGHT SECONDS is not only the length of a successful bull ride, it’s also how long we have to leave a first impression on those we meet. For bull riders, that eight seconds is an eternity — but for the rest of us, it’s gone in the mere blink of…
Read moreTHOMAS WATSON, President of IBM in the fifties, insightfully declared, “Nothing happens until a sale is made.” A company’s sales effort is the ultimate driver of organizational growth. It is the most critical function within any company and requires advanced training and intestinal fortitude for success. Since the sales profession…
Read moreWHEN YOUR BUSINESS is young, you naturally welcome every new customer with open arms so you can find your footing, but too many business owners have trouble breaking that pattern even after their businesses are more established. If the “say yes to everything” mentality trickles down to the front line…
Read moreTHIRTY YEARS AGO, before caller ID and voicemail, we actually answered our phone to find out who was on the other end. Eek. Gasp. Horror. Since those days are long behind us, savvy sales teams have learned to view caller ID and voicemail as vital selling tools, not agonizingly restrictive…
Read morePLANNING ISN’T the most glamorous part of cold calling, but it’s worth the investment every time. It’s always been interesting to me — from a sales psychology perspective — how sales professionals often spend more time fretting about a potential rejection than actually planning for the cold call. Fear can…
Read moreCOLD CALLING has a bad reputation, and even the best sales teams dread dialing complete strangers. In reality, the make-or-break moment in most cold calls comes in the first 10-20 seconds of the call, beginning when you say your first word and going until the prospect gives you permission to…
Read moreNOTHING SHORTENS the sales cycle more dramatically than talking to the right person, right off the bat; so, why do sales teams pitch to contacts who aren’t the real decision-makers? Usually, sales teams prioritize the wrong person because of a lack of confidence. After all, the likelihood of outright rejection…
Read moreSALES HAS ALWAYS BEEN a psychological game. It always takes skill to close a sale, but half of the battle happens in your head. Too much rejection on any given day can invoke fear in even the most seasoned of sales veterans, deflating their confidence. The trick is to recognize…
Read moreTHE WORLD is made up of two kinds of people: those who try, and if they stumble, they dust themselves off and try again; and those who fear stumbling so much that they essentially quit trying. We all know which of the two is more successful in business. President Franklin…
Read moreCONSULTATIVE SALES is a discovery-based approach that puts the sales professional in the enviable role of partner or adviser versus the stereotypical pushy rep looking to close a deal at any cost. The selling philosophy was born in the 1970s and was ahead of its time. In fact, its principles…
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