There are all kinds of questions a sales rep can ask — closed-ended, open-ended, directive, etc. — but none are more valuable than the assumption question. While 80% of your competition use closed ended questions ? ?Are you the decision maker on this?" only the Top 20% use and understand the proper use of the […]
A Great Qualifying Call
A few weeks ago, my neighbor put in a new driveway using beautiful paving stones that dramatically improved the look of his property. Comparing my old asphalt driveway, I quickly went over to one of the installers and asked for an estimate. ?You have to call our office," he explained as he gave me their […]
5 Closing Questions You Must Be Asking
I get a lot of Ezine topic requests each week, and the majority of them are requests for different questioning techniques to use during the qualification stage. I?m glad to see these requests because it means people understand the importance of identifying and then spending time with buyers. I’ve written many feature articles over the […]
Straight Selling – The Quickest Path To The Top 20%
What?s one of the biggest differences between the Top 20% and the bottom 80%? The bottom 80% are still using stale, phony techniques that don?t work, and they are still trying to trick the gatekeepers and assistants as they try to get to the decision maker. All this does is identify them as another pesky […]
Stop Managing the Pipeline, and Start Managing Your Sales Team
How much time and money do you devote to your company’s sales pipeline? Think about the resources, the software, the meetings, the forecasting, the managing and measuring you do, and the time and effort you give it. If you’re like most CEO’s or VP’s or sales managers, your sales pipeline is your life blood. It’s […]
Should You Train Unmotivated Sales Reps?
I have been consulting with a lot of sales managers and business owners who need and want sales training, but they are concerned that the training might be wasted on some of their sales reps (sometimes as much as one-third of their team) because this portion of the reps are either resistant, or simply unmotivated. […]
How to Save a Sale
Last week I was speaking with a new prospect who had called in to inquire about one of my inside sales training programs. I went over her needs, matched up my training to fit those needs, gave her the price options and then closed on dates. And that?s when I got the old stall, ?Well, […]
Saving Gas and Selling More: 5 Secrets of Top 20% Producers
I don?t have to tell you that times are hard for companies these days. And that means hard on you, the sales rep, too. Now when companies tell you that they don?t have the budget, you really believe them, don?t you? Well not the Top 20%. Top 20% producers are still making 80% of the […]
Three Interviewing Mistakes – And How To Avoid Them
As the economy slowly recovers, companies are beginning to expand and hire sales reps again. If you?re looking for a job, or looking to change jobs, no doubt you will be sending your resume out, talking to hiring managers, and, if you?re lucky enough to get picked, even going on interviews. Over the years, I?ve […]
Three Ways To Qualify Interested Prospects
If you?re in a selling situation where you get to call back leads that have expressed an interest in your product or service, then consider yourself lucky. Whether they come from traditional advertising sources or from the internet, inbound leads save you the time, effort ? and often the terror! ? of cold calling. While […]