As you burn through your summer, either looking forward to a well-deserved vacation or just coming back from one, you may be looking for a brief diversion from sales. And I have one for you! As some of you may know, in addition to inside sales consulting, I am actively writing the books I’ve always […]
Best Way to Spend the Fourth of July
Happy Fourth of July! If you’re looking forward to an extended holiday and want to know the best way to spend it, then I’ve got a suggestion: Why not spend some of it learning and getting better at your craft of sales? Why not come back to the office after the holiday better than you […]
Best Way to Open a Closing Call
Want the best way to open your closing presentations? Some reps have an entire presentation planned in advance, and then they launch into it, only latter getting to questions and comments. I used to do it that way, until I found that if I got to initial questions or comments (and yes, even objections!) first, […]
Assumptive Questions: The Quick Way to Improve Your Selling Skills
If you would like to instantly improve your selling skills—and so your open and close rate—you can do so by taking just a few minutes to complete the following exercise (don’t worry, it’s easy and fun!). What you’ll do is make a list of all the common closed ended questions you ask, and then turn […]
“How Are You?” Ask It—Or Not?
Who do you think knows why your prospect buys? If you have followed me for a while, you may know that my opinion on whether to ask a prospect, “How are you,” has changed over the years. What I’ve discovered, is that asking this simple and socially accepted icebreaker is more important than you might […]
Your Prospect Has All The Answers
Who do you think knows why your prospect buys? Who do you think knows when your prospect is going to buy? Or who they like to buy from? The answer, of course, is your prospect! The problem for many sales reps, is that they prefer to pitch and talk at prospects more than they actually […]
How NOT to Follow Up on an Email
I hope you’re not making this common mistake when following up on an email you sent: “I’m just calling to see if you got the email I sent you?” While this may sound like a reasonable way to follow up after sending an email, do you see how you’re providing your prospect with the perfect […]
One Key to Combatting Negativity
Good morning everyone! I just returned from a “Day of Development” seminar in Charlotte with the Jon Gordon company. Several of his books include: “The Power of Positive Leadership,” “The Energy Bus,” etc. Check them out on Amazon if you’re interested in learning more. There was a lot of great stuff in the meeting, and […]
How to Handle the Email Blow-Off!
What’s the number one blow off prospects use these days? “Can you email that to me?” If you think about it, that’s the perfect stall. They aren’t saying no, and it implies they might be interested . . . but face it—they rarely are. Not only is it hard to get prospects back on the […]
3 Interviewing Mistakes to Avoid!
Have you ever interviewed for a job you really want, thought your interview went well, and then didn’t get called back for it? I’ve helped sales managers and business owners interview hundreds of potential sales reps over the years, and I’ve identified 3 top mistakes that virtually eliminate sales candidates on the spot! Study these […]