Less is more. Instead of opening your calls like: “Oh hi, this is _______ _______ with ________ and my company, XYZ, is a leader in national and international shipping and freight services with offices in the top metropolitan cities across the world. We offer one of the lowest overall freight charges on transportation, and also […]
Is Sales Really Just a Numbers Game?
The answer is yes. And no. First the no part: Sales is much, much more than just “rolling the numbers,” as they used to say. Skill level of the sales rep is the most important thing; however, there are other variables like the type of lead—inbound versus outbound; the territory; existing client or new prospect; […]
5 Questions for Influencers
More and more these days, decision makers hid behind their assistants or other influencers. Many sales reps get frustrated by this and often try to get past these very important people, thinking that only the decision maker is worth talking to. Big mistake. As I’m sure you’ve no doubt noticed, influencers have, well, a big […]
Four Ways to How to Handle: We Already Have Someone
Prospects are good at blowing sales reps off the phone. Believe it or not, they have scripts just like you do, and one of their favorites is: “We already have someone who handles that.” This is an easy stall to get around—if you know how. And after reading today’s post, you’ll have several ways to […]
Two Simple Words to Open More Doors—and Close More Sales
The first word is “please.” This may sound elemental, but I rarely hear sales reps use it when speaking with gatekeepers. Instead, they just barge in and ask if so-and-so is available. Or they just say they’re trying to reach so-and-so. Rarely, however, do they use the most effective opening of all: “Hi, is ________ […]
Why Wanting to Win Isn’t Enough
“It’s not the will to win that matters – everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” –Paul “Bear” Bryant football coach You may want to win, want to make more money, want to be in the elite class of closers at your company, BUT: Are you willing to put in […]
Quick Tip to Become a Better Communicator
How long does it take you to respond to an email? How about a text message? Or a phone message? The answer, I suspect, is “It depends on who it’s from.” Let’s get more specific then: How long does it take you to respond to a client or to a prospect’s email or voice message? […]
A Better Way to Follow Up on Emails
Many sales reps struggle when following up on emails they’ve sent out to prospects (or even clients!). When they get the prospect on the phone, they open with: “Did you get the email I sent?” OR “Did you have a chance to review my email?” These kinds of openings just create stalls, such as: “No, […]
5 Reasons to Follow a Script
Before you get on your high horse and tell me you wouldn’t be caught dead using a script, consider: If I were to record your prospecting and demo calls for a week, and then transcribe what you say, what would I get? Your script. You see, even if you think you would never use a […]
Can You Make Your Goal This Year?
Can you make your revenue goal this year is the same thing as asking: Can you run a marathon? You know, a 26-mile marathon race? Listen carefully to what your mental answer is: Yes or No. When I ask that question at a sales conference, the majority say no, they can’t. They think about the […]