You may be celebrating a great year or mourning a poor one. Now is the time with the year winding down to think about and prepare for next year. You want to do better next year and trust me. Next year, it will be different. Next year will change. Why will next year be different? You have probably noticed that nothing stays the same. Companies get bought and sold. … [Read more...]
Holiday Parties Are Different for Sales Professionals
What are you doing this Friday or Saturday night? Like many sales and business professionals you are heading to a holiday party. Are you looking forward to the free food and booze? Are you even thinking this is a party? Holiday parties are different for sales professionals. Think of the event as another sales call and this time, you are the product. Whether you realize it … [Read more...]
Sales Prevention Department
You have more competition to make a sale than you think. You probably know your competitors can take business from you. There are others in business who can prevent you from making the sale. I call these people members of the Sales Prevention Department. They are different people depending on your particular selling situation. Do you know who are in your Sales Prevention … [Read more...]
No risk. No reward in Sales
You’ve probably heard the saying “No risk. No reward.” It applies to selling. What happens if you are uncomfortable with risk? It’s time to address your discomfort because in sales, no risk means there is no reward or at least it is far less likely. What is risk? Risk refers to the degree of uncertainty and/or potential financial loss inherent in business. Another … [Read more...]
After You Make the Sale. Now What?
You may think once you’ve made the sale that the hard part is over. You are mistaken. The work has just begun. You can make your sales work simpler by considering what you do next. Here is a plan to work on your business after you make the sale. Keep it simple. When I look at the choices to make, I always prefer the one that is simplest to get the job done. I once … [Read more...]
A Good Mistake Can Help You Sell
You don’t have to be an athlete to make a good mistake. Let’s say you have great technique hitting a tennis ball. You pull the racket back with the right grip, swing and the ball still hits the tape and doesn’t go over. Your coach tells you that’s a good mistake that will help your game. Just like tennis, a good mistake can help you sell. What is a good mistake? A good … [Read more...]
What If? is a Sales Question for You
Your customers have questions for you. They want to know about your product specifications, your delivery capabilities, or your proof of performance. Successful salespeople can answer these questions and customers then buy. What about the questions you should ask yourself? What if...is a very important sales question for you. What if I lose my largest customer… I once … [Read more...]
Maximize Your Time
How do you decide where to spend your time? You have lots of choices. Some choices will produce more sales and others just waste your time. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine how to maximize your time. Spend your time to get results. Are you getting results? Many people believe networking can grow their business. Meeting with decision makers in … [Read more...]
Deal With Toxic People
You’re lucky if you go to work every day and truly enjoy the people you work with. Sometimes it’s the people at work who make your job so tough. These are people with short tempers, boundary violators, and other habits that turn people off. I call these people toxic. You must have strategies to deal with toxic people at work. Can you spot toxic people? It shouldn’t … [Read more...]
Say No to Increase Sales
Do you remember the last time your manager asked you to do something and you said yes, but really wanted to say no? The same thing might have happened when a customer made a request and you really wanted to say no. It’s hard to say no to managers, customers and friends. Sometimes you have to. Here’s how to say no to increase sales. Say no to your manager. Saying no is … [Read more...]