We have all heard the terminology about the so called “Hot Button.” “You have to find the prospect’s hot buttons…” “Push their hot buttons…” etc. But here is a question for you: What exactly are hot buttons? The last […]
Closing the sale is one thing. However successfully managing the account is yet another level of selling entirely. In particularly, when dealing with large, major or key accounts; after the sale management is where the actual selling begins. The […]
Every year I attend about 200 or more exhibitions and trade fares around the world and it doesn’t matter what country I am in or what market the exhibition is representing I always meet with the same types of exhibitor. […]
I have spoken many times on this blog about how the sales process has changed, and that the modern day buyer now makes their purchasing decisions in a completely different way to their predecessors. Modern day buyers are much […]
You did everything right. You maintained an excellent prospecting track and qualified the decision maker. You got through a tough gatekeeper screen, set a good appointment, and sealed it with cement. The sales interaction was flawless; you covered every […]
We all know the old rule-of-thumb in selling which is to try not to reveal or discuss the price of what you are selling, until after you have completed your sales presentation. However, dealing with today’s modern, more educated consumer, […]
Once in a while, (and it really should be just once in a while,) there comes the time when you absolutely have to lower your price to close the sale. While this may seem like a simple and easy operation, […]
You know the drill: you do a great sales interaction, cover as many objections as possible before they arise, ask for the order, and then continue to ask for the order. One of the oldest idealisms in professional selling is […]
Every day, I hear from salespeople who are confused, frustrated or defeated by facing what they feel is a nearly insurmountable Sales Objection: “I am sorry, but I am very happy with my current supplier/vendor. We have been doing business […]
For some reason, an intrinsic part of human nature is to desire that which is forbidden. It seems that whatever it is that we cannot, or should not have, are the very things we want most. Take anything, and […]
“Well, everything looks good. But I just have to ask my wife about this…” “Yes, it is a great offer, but I always discuss things like this with my husband first…” We are all familiar with the spouse objection, […]
You’ve spent years perfecting your craft and learning everything there is to know about what you sell and the competition. However, you have to be careful not to allow that knowledge to flow too swiftly. The Instant Response Of course, […]
Are you an order taker or a salesperson? What do both mean and what is the difference between the two? It’s a topic will normally cover on our Consultative Selling Training courses because one approach is all about fact […]
If you are still having problems with unqualified DMs (Decision Makers) when you show up, then perhaps you are not qualifying for the true DM when cold calling as strong as you think you are. It is very common for […]
Most sales people have aspirations of being the best in their field. Most have a desire to excel beyond their peers and rise to the top of their industry. One of the most frequent questions I get is, “How do […]
Most people in sales management or with a title that is responsible for leading a sales team, speak about leading by example. However, exactly what does that mean? Many who attend our Sales Training think that to lead your […]
“Find the prospect’s hot button and push it” One of my earliest sales mentors told me this during the first ever Sales Training that I attended. We’ve heard these thoughts before; but what do they mean? Is it to […]
You know the age-old Golden Rule—“Do not reveal the price until the end.” Even if you are new to sales, management has told you that you have to wait until the closing stages before you tell the prospect the price. […]
With the advent of the Internet and numerous sites like CareerBuilder and LinkedIn, job searching has become largely electronic. Yet hiring a sales team, especially those who will become long-term loyal assets to your firm, remains a difficult task. However, […]
Finding and hiring good people is a challenge in any industry. However, identifying and hiring people who can become top sales producers is a monumental feat few have been able to achieve with any level of consistency. However, I have […]
How do you view the profession of selling? Let’s face it; selling is unlike any other business or profession in the world. I am not referring to those who do a little selling as part of their overall job function. […]
It is imperative in today’s marketplace and dealing with the modern-day buyer, to understand the true nature of your job as a professional sales person. Your job is to help; to be of assistance, to serve. However, too many sales […]
Cold Call Objections No matter whether you’re a telesales rep, a business development manager, telemarketing agent or anyone who works in sales, you’ll receive lots of them throughout your sales career. What am I talking about? Cold call objections […]
Your mission is to cold call the company, find out who is the decision maker (DM), find out that person’s name, get pass the gatekeeper, reach this DM, and set an appointment. Whew! Even if you already know the likely […]
Let’s face it, you probably prefer to talk to one person at a time when you sell your services, as you can establish good rapport, deal with one question at a time and generally focus on just one challenge at […]
How frustrating is it when your client has gone through your proposal and your sales presentation and then said ‘I want to shop around and get some quotes from other suppliers’? It’s not obvious from his statement what exactly their […]
Commercials are the lifeblood for any company. A commercial can be anything that advertises its benefits to the final customer, and can come in many formats. How you feel about them will determine how successful that commercial campaign is. You […]
There’s a universal law that states you attract what you focus on. By focusing on ways which you can be productive in sales, you tend to see things that add to that productivity. And it works the opposite way, […]
Although we’ve spoken in the past about avoiding the discount question, there will come a time when we have to face reality and have to discount at some point. What I’m referring to is damage control and that’s what our […]
There will be occasions when the prospect does not go with your solution and chooses either to do nothing or go with a competitor. Even if you have the best solution available to the client, their buying decision may lie […]