THE WORLD’S BEST SALESPEOPLE excel at asking engaging questions and actively listening to a prospect’s response without interruption. They master the art of posing high-impact questions that generate insightful responses which offer a glimpse into a prospect’s decision-making process, competitors also under consideration, the likelihood of purchase, or even the…
Read moreLET’S FACE IT. Many people don’t have a positive reaction to the word “sales.” It’s often associated with old-style, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer tactics that involve selling a product or service even when it’s not right for the customer. Consultative selling is much more effective. Some call it needs-based or strategic selling. This…
Read moreIN SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE, Stephen Covey wrote, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” This principle alone has the power to solve an industry-wide sales challenge: underdeveloped listening skills. In today’s Information Age, prospective customers often come to the table armed with enough facts to make…
Read moreEVEN THOUGH you will need to identify your prospect’s needs before you make a successful sale, your knowledge won’t mean much if your relationship with the prospect isn’t built on trust. Smart buyers are generally willing to consider the guidance of salespeople, but only if trust has been established first….
Read moreREGARDLESS OF THE STRENGTH of the sales pitch, or even the quality of the products and services, the reality is that people buy from those they like and trust. The challenge for sales professionals is to master the art of instant rapport with someone you may be meeting for the…
Read moreEIGHT 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…
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