When you call someone for the first time, it can be a bit unnerving to get their voicemail. But it needn’t be, if you prepare effectively. It always surprises me how many salespeople are not prepared for voicemail. These days, […]
It sounds strange that a salesperson could be considered non-assertive. Surely assertiveness is a key constituent of being in sales, isn’t it? Surprisingly, many salespeople lack the resources required to behave assertively. This may come across as submissive, passive-aggressive or […]
Well, we all know the old sales person’s mantra, “Never take NO for an answer!” Indeed, some sales people try to live by this greed. However, in attempting to live up to such a rigid and unrealistic standard, sales people often […]
Are you looking for a sales video funny? Whether it’s for a Sales Training session or maybe a sales meeting that you’re running it’s always good to lighten the load! So I’ve hunted high and low and found 5 of […]
Gavin Ingham once said “Most salespeople make a sale to a client and then move on to the next one. Most clients think that salespeople only ring them when they want to a) sell something new or b) renew their contracts. […]
Are you feeling overwhelmed with the number of telesales calls to make, prospecting to do, admin to catch up on, proposals to complete? Join the club! There are many people out there who are in despair, not knowing what to […]
Scientists tell us that humans have more than one brain. Some people you know may disprove that rule (only half a brain?!) but the truth is that everyone has three parts to their brain: firstly, there’s the reptilian brain, […]
Brand is often described as ‘a variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic’. Apple’s brand, for instance, is characterised by the statement ‘Think Different’. It creates a label in people’s mind that attracts them and builds trust in the […]
One definition of assertiveness is being confident and direct in dealing with others. Assertive people know what they want and aren’t afraid to ask for it. They also respect the feelings and needs of others and are prepared to […]
How do you make a decision? Ever thought about it? Many of us have, and have used the facts behind decision-making in identifying how they should work with clients. But many more haven’t studied this subject and consequently lose the […]
There are times when the customer simply wants to let off steam. Maybe the delivery you promised hasn’t arrived. Or some of the equipment has broken down. Or there’s simply too much pressure on the prospect and they must let […]
Last time, we discussed how your ‘elevator speech’ could be full of mistakes and not do what it’s supposed to do, i.e. open your conversation effectively with a prospect. We covered six of those mistakes and why they shouldn’t be […]
This is an interesting and, for some salespeople, a ‘killer’ response from a prospect when you are presenting your solutions. Your product may be the best in the make, you may have all the gizmos that impress other clients, you […]
This sales blog is an excerpt from our 450 Sales Questions – click to download your complimentary copy. Although rapport should be built all throughout the sales interaction via the tonality that you use, your body language gestures and through active listening […]
Many salespeople we talk to are happy to discuss their sales techniques and what they do right with their clients. The topics often drift onto which customers they love dealing with and which they would sell to the devil himself […]
We often get asked on our Sales Training how salespeople can improve their sales. They want the golden ticket, the one thing that will mean the million-pound deal, the loyal customer, the added business. Naturally, there isn’t just one […]
Most companies agree that loyal customers are the lifeblood of their business. Clients who return continuously to restock or re-purchase make it easy for companies to provide service and back-up because the effort needed to ensure satisfaction is minimal. But […]
You might think that this article is about the famous line: Always Be Closing! It isn’t. It’s about something completely different and in my opinion will be much more valuable to you than those hard selling words of the […]
So, you’ve got to the part of the conversation where the customer asks the £64,000 question, hence indicating they are interested but haven’t yet been persuaded to think seriously about your solution. What do they really want and need when […]
What do you consider to be the greatest skill that any salesperson should develop to the level of excellence? Presentation skills, negotiation, telesales and asking for the sale are all contenders. Although all these are important, the key skill that […]
If you’re in any kind of sales position, you really want to make buying and using your products easy and profitable. That’s the real reason why people buy them in the first place; to make their lives or their businesses […]
Excellence is a word that is bandied about so much these days that it can often lose its meaning or its differentiation. The dictionary defines it as ‘being exceptional, being superior in some way, achieving extreme merit, pre-eminence or distinction’. […]
We often conjecture at what great salespeople do to create the status of being ‘great’. Attend one of our Advanced Sales Training programmes and you’ll find out! If, however, we were to study those people who are not so […]
Every person you have ever met has a strategy they use to make decisions. Whether it’s to go for a particular food or to choose a particular career, the way people decide is hard-wired into the parts of our […]
You’ve been there many times. You’ve convinced the customer that the product is right for them and the quality is just what they want. Then the bombshell hits – they start talking about price. Price is always a mirror of […]
Being sales savvy is to have the business acumen, practical knowledge and active ability to carry out your sales job effectively and efficiently. Most salespeople would mark themselves fairly high when asked if they are savvy when it comes to […]
There’s more to lead generation than just cold calling. Nowadays most companies have an inside sales team of some sorts that react to incoming calls and other engagement opportunities. In today’s world, it’s necessary for you to combine your outgoing […]
Unfortunately, conflict is an unavoidable aspect of the human condition, and is likely to creep into the conversation any time expectations differ. Conflict can raise stress levels and leave long-lasting effects on employee health, decreasing job satisfaction, and increasing absenteeism […]
When I managed a team of salespeople it was always interesting to hold meetings with them when their sales targets hadn’t been met. I often had to smile to myself when they were avoiding eye-contact, rubbing their hands together, […]
From time to time on our Sales Courses we’re asked about the best way to breach the subject of taking notes in a client meeting. Some state they’re worried about asking or simply taking out their notebooks because it may […]