The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 3, 2014

As a sales professional what you need is practical and executable inputs that will help you close the year strong, and set yourself up for a profitable 2015. I say silly because all the theorist and soothsayers will be brimming with advice, pulled from their memories and favourite web sources.

Top of Funnel 306

Top of Funnel Closing Guarantee Funnel 306

The Pipeline

MAY 29, 2014

By Tibor Shanto - tibor.shanto@sellbetter.ca. On May 8, 2014, I had the opportunity to do a Google Hangout with Stewart Rogers, of Salesformics (affiliate link). We touched on a range of topics relating to sales, sales tools, automation, social selling and more.

Video 257

Video Cold Calling Closing Social Selling 257

The Pipeline

DECEMBER 19, 2011

Slow to Close or Slow to Die? If you are stuck in a stage or a sale too long, it is less likely to close. The challenge sometime are those opportunities that do not conform, but are still viable opportunities, the ones that cause you to ask: “is this one slow to close, or slow to die?” August 2008. April 2008.

Pipeline 222

Pipeline Closing Top of Funnel Hiring 222

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 9, 2015

Odd how the biggest proponents of Open Ended questioning, end up using questions to create a Closed Ended buying environment. You can hear it when they “wouldn’t you agree that if…., then you would be able to …. better (faster, cheaper, etc.)…. You do not need to have a relationship to do that, you need to have and demonstrate expertise.

Lead Rank 120

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Closing Leads 120

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 24, 2021

But the fact is that if your close ratio (initial meeting to signature) is 4:1, you only have one choice. Get rid of the three that will not close on the first confirmation. How much time do you want to spend with those that will eventually not close? A further 30% close in the 5 th meeting. The discipline.

Sales Qualified Lead 259

Sales Qualified Lead Data Meeting Closing 259

The Pipeline

JULY 7, 2020

Three events that led to the fourth, the close. And $70 for the close, which was usually a foregone conclusion due to the setup. Making it easy to come in in the morning, and you set yourself up much better for the close. He mapped out a successful sale, more accurate to say, he choreographed it. An approved proposal, $10 more.

Incentives 430

Incentives Incentive Commission Sales Qualified Lead 430

The Pipeline

AUGUST 24, 2021

This makes it interesting for them as they figure out how to close the deal, but what about the prospect? Now they will be a problem because most have a closed mind dead set against anything original or curious. If you are truly curious, read on, and watch the video below. They think there is no metric for, when there is; the results.

SME 391

SME Margin Video Quota 391

The Pipeline

AUGUST 10, 2021

Take closed ended questions, most people have bought into the myth that they are bad. It very much is a closed ended process, that executed right, will allow you to have a meeting where you can leverage open ended questions. Questions come in many styles, each suited to different pieces of the puzzle that make up the entire picture.

Fashion 329

Fashion Campaigns Outbound Education 329

The Pipeline

DECEMBER 22, 2020

Many of us are running on two tracks now, closing the year right, and the unusual holidays we face. So, I share a discussion I had with a close chum. By Tibor Shanto. Rather than pontificate on a finer point of sales, I wanted to add a bit of holiday spice to today’s video.

Face-to-face 220

Face-to-face Video B2B Closing 220

The Pipeline

MARCH 19, 2019

As detailed in my recent piece about the must of consistently prospecting , it starts with a commitment to a life-long habit of starting enough deals to drive every stage of the pipeline, including the close. The required number of Closes per month or quarter? Number of Proposals you have to present to get on Close?

Prospecting 306

Prospecting Proposal Cold Calling Quota 306

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 8, 2022

With a 4:1 closing average, every time I close a deal, I must get four more to stay afloat. Some people hide from prospecting in their pipelines; pretending the opportunities, individually or collectively, are more real than they are. It is easier to hide in the shadows than be definitive, both in measures and actions.

Pipeline 339

Pipeline Call-back Follow-up Quota 339

The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

There is not only the opportunity to close the year strong but to set yourself up for a great start to the new year. By Tibor Shanto. Prospecting is always a core activity for successful sales professionals, but never more so than in Q4. Given that we are almost at the start of Q4, here are 5 specific actions you can take in order to do both.

B2B 261

B2B Prospecting Closing Opportunity 261

The Pipeline

OCTOBER 26, 2021

Whatever will close in January, and those that won’t, must already be in your pipeline by late October. Rather than focusing on the close, the sale, focus on small incremental progress. This allows you to disqualify deals as quickly as possible, leaving you with the ones more likely to close. Need Help Now.

Top of Funnel 188

Top of Funnel Face-to-face Incentives Incentive 188

The Pipeline

MAY 29, 2020

People are now part of a bit of a captive audience but that doesn’t mean you can shortcut to a close. It’s not about just increased social selling activities but IMPROVED social selling. Building relationships still matter. HOW TO VIEW.

Social Selling 284

Social Selling LinkedIn Closing How To 284

The Pipeline

JANUARY 27, 2021

It all starts at 11:00 AM ET today, registration closes at 10:00 AM ET , grab a seat, and make a difference! How to design an individual coaching plan tied to your sales process without reinventing the wheel for each rep. The importance of leading indicators in coaching for impact now. The proper use of the Activity Calculator for results.

Coaching 369

Coaching Maximizer Closing Sales Process 369

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 14, 2020

Everyone says: “Get me in front of the right person, and I’ll close them.” Companies who understand they must “go on the offensive” and take a proactive approach to find new customers and new sources of revenue. ” But you know you want those who can get themselves “in front of the right person.”

Prospecting 369

Prospecting Buyer Revenue Pipeline 369

The Pipeline

DECEMBER 17, 2012

The buyers are usually the better closers, simply by closing you on the fact that they have other options, and unless things are done entirely on their terms, you’ll lose the deal. The more one capitulates here, the clearer it becomes that the buyer is closing the seller on the deal they want. What’s in Your Pipeline? Tibor Shanto.

Sales Qualified Lead 281

Sales Qualified Lead Face-to-face Buyer Discount 281

The Pipeline

JULY 13, 2021

Sure, you may not close that big deal in the summer (although you might), there things you can do to drive pipeline success. And while there is no doubt that the pace may be different, there are ways to take advantage of the “ summer lull.” So even as you head out on your vacation, I have to ask, is your pipeline a summer holiday?

Pipeline 362

Pipeline ACT Sales Cycle Account 362

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 19, 2019

We’ll look at it in the context of time to decision, not close, but the buyer’s timeline, decision. Then the step after that, and all the steps, all the way to close. When people see that you are helping them understand rather than closing closing closing, you’ll find an entirely different quality conversation.

Travel 213

Travel B2B Call-back Sales Qualified Lead 213

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Think conversion rates between stages, open to close ratios, and all the good ones in-between. One type of blended pipeline consists of short, mid, and long-term closes. Since we’re talking Q1, the smartest salespeople closed Q1 last year. Look at your pipeline, the flow, the levels at each stage with real next steps.

Referrals 274

Referrals Pipeline Decision Maker Pivotal 274

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Quota attainment remains under 60%, closed forecasted deals aren’t much better. By Tibor Shanto. Despite advancements in tools, methodologies, and other attempts, sales as a profession continues to struggle. One has to ask what is being enabled by the new breed of soothsayers. A structured and enabled mess is still a mess.

Objections 351

Objections Forecasting Quota Buyer 351

The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019

” People achieving quota is down, the close rates are relatively flat, and sales leaders are openly questioning the activities of their teams. Despite all the tools, processes, enablement initiative, and more, more and more are asking “So, where’s the revenue?” What’s a sales leader to do? Join Us Today!

Revenue 268

Revenue Quota Relationals Tools 268

The Pipeline

JANUARY 26, 2021

Companies close, get acquired, and a range of reasons beyond fault. The familiar expression “measure twice, cut once”, has validity in B2B sales as well. Specifically, churn , lost revenue that must be made up for in addition to new revenue goals. Churn is not a negative or a fault, but a factor.

Churn 310

Churn Quota Margin Exercises 310

The Pipeline

MAY 25, 2020

People are now part of a bit of a captive audience but that doesn’t mean you can shortcut to a close. Connections Matter More Now Than Ever, It’s not about just increased social selling activities but IMPROVED social selling. Building relationships still matter.

Social Selling 391

Social Selling LinkedIn Energy Enterprise 391

The Pipeline

MAY 11, 2021

I worked for a leader who a every kick-off would rally the troops with an uplifting close. We all accept that sales is about taking a fact and giving it possibilities; but all within reason. There was a time when embellishment was tolerated in context. We used to call it “The Magic Show.”

Quota 341

Quota Lead Rank Forecasting ROI 341

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 8, 2013

Then came the real Duck sale, the series of unrelated questions that if answered affirmatively, they hoped will lead to a close. You would think that if there aren’t any buyers, there would be no sellers using the technique, but it continues to thrive, along with the Ben Franklin close and other such tricks, one has to wonder why.

Closing 281

Closing Tools Lead Rank Lead Scoring 281

The Pipeline

JUNE 1, 2020

People are now part of a bit of a captive audience but that doesn’t mean you can shortcut to a close. Connections Matter More Now Than Ever, It’s not about just increased social selling activities but IMPROVED social selling. Building relationships still matter.

Face-to-face 279

Face-to-face Social Selling Energy Trends 279

The Pipeline

AUGUST 27, 2019

Which is OK, it’s just not good to lead with, because you’ll have to close with it as well. Its too bad salespeople cannot connect the euphoria they feel when they closed a deal with the fear they have when the same deal started as a prospecting event. Some sellers say quota is not a factor in this ritual. Well you can.

Wireless 264

Wireless Discount Face-to-face Scale 264

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 11, 2013

One practice was to paint closed ended questions as being inferior, substandard, in those days, even communist in nature; may sound extreme, but in reality, closed ended question were uniformly vilified. In fact the pendulum swung so far that closed ended question were just plain bad. and/or Social Selling. Tibor Shanto.

Call-back 313

Call-back Face-to-face Cold Calling Consultative Selling 313

The Pipeline

JANUARY 19, 2021

For a tribe that fixates so much on the close, salespeople are way too reluctant to reveal the outcome. By Tibor Shanto. Preferring instead to take the buyer on an unnecessary journey. If prospects like the outcome they will take interest in the process. What’s The Ultimate?

Territories 241

Territories Energy Up-Sell Software 241

The Pipeline

AUGUST 4, 2014

One point of key difference is shoes; yes I said shoes, we’re you expecting closing techniques? ” Bob (not his real name either), goes to the other extreme, what he does to his shoes before key meetings is nothing short of a ritual; in fact when you consider his closing ratio, it approaches being a religious experience.

Pipeline 281

Pipeline Buyer Closing Meeting 281

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 16, 2021

There is a balance between time spent prospecting, and time discovering and closing. But if you look at things in totality (notice I avoided holistic), you can often make better decisions. Your pipeline should dictate you actions and where you spend your time. Looking at things strictly on an opportunity basis limits you momentum and success.

Pipeline 308

Pipeline Quota Video Resources 308

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 27, 2013

Not long ago I posted a piece about the positive side of “closed ended” questions , and their place in the sale cycle. Sellers can and should take the concept of open ended and closed ended, and apply it to actual sales meetings. With expected bravado, he proclaimed “to close the deal man!”

Sales Meeting 306

Sales Meeting Meeting Sales Cycle Objections 306

The Pipeline

APRIL 17, 2014

When you rush ahead of the buyer, because you are familiar with the scenario, you’ve seen and heard it before, you tend to want to “close” too early, usually relying on old school “closing techniques”. The idea of getting ahead of the buyer has an old school ring of pain and needs based selling.

Buyer 300

Buyer Objections Sales Leadership Sales Cycle 300

The Pipeline

JUNE 19, 2017

Let’s say you close all the deals in your pipeline, let’s say; what will you work on the next day? All kinds of opportunities to close at the peak, desperately prospecting (praying and hoping), at the bottom. We have all been on the pipeline roller-coaster.

Prospecting 224

Prospecting Pipeline Energy Forecasting 224

The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

Over the years we have shared close views on the fundamentals of prospecting. Starting off with my friend Bob Howard, founder and CEO at Contact Science. Bob has developed a prospecting app that is based on science and driven by numbers.

Webinar Metrics 250

Webinar Metrics Conference Objections Follow-up 250

The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

In this latter group I would take a close look at those opportunities that based on past experience have the attributes of a deal likely to close this year, and those that, on sober consideration, are not likely to close this year, but will/may likely slip into next year.

Harvest 120

Harvest Maximizer Pipeline Groups 120