June, 2019

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It’s Not Small Talk; It’s Smart Talk

SalesProInsider

For two weeks I looked forward to a sales appointment. An appointment where I was the buyer, not the provider. My company desperately needed the service being offered and I had high hopes I was going to get a solution to a nagging issue. Imagine my surprise then when Mark showed up at my office, sat at my table, opened his portfolio and said, “Well, I typically like to just get right into it.

Sports 125
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What You Should Worry About in Sales

Anthony Iannarino

We sometimes worry about things that are not nearly as important as what should command our attention. Automation. You should worry less about automating client acquisition and more about acquiring clients. There is too much focus on automation because it is possible, not because it improves effectiveness. Too much focus on efficiency comes at the expense of effectiveness.

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Rejection Limiting Your Success?

The Pipeline

By Tibor Shanto. There is a line in the original animated Aladdin when Jafar states, “You’ll be surprised what you can live through.” Something that can also be used to describe sales and prospecting. For two reason, first is that change always comes outside our comfort zone. Making any growth or development we achieve, as something to have “lived through,” nowhere more so than in prospecting.

Quota 295
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Who’s Coaching the Coaches on Coaching?

Steven Rosen

Coaching the Coaches The question of the day is, who’s coaching the coaches on coaching? The reality is, there is no one coaching the coaches. That’s right. Second line sales managers (SLM) don’t coach their FLMs on their coaching. The reality is, they have one-on-ones, but their meetings tend to focus on business issues, follow up items and people issues.

Coaching 334
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The New GTM Playbook: 18 Ways to Future-Proof Your Sales Team

Longer sales cycles. Increasingly discerning buyers. More meetings. Intensifying competition. Economic uncertainty. Go-to-market teams of every size, in every industry, are grappling with these challenges firsthand. Thankfully, there’s an answer. We’ve developed an entirely new way for GTM leaders to identify and execute proven, data-driven strategies that drive revenue.

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Why Technology Is Ruining Our Mental Health

No More Cold Calling

Do you really need to sleep with your phone? Call or text me anytime. You won’t disturb me. My phone and smartwatch are turned off when I’m sleeping. They’re nowhere near me. They’re in the kitchen charging. There’s nothing so urgent in my business that my sleep needs to be disturbed. We still have a landline, just in case our kids or grandkids need to reach us.

Wireless 311

More Trending

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How AI Can Accelerate Sales and Bridge the Marketing Gap

Sales and Marketing Management

Author: Krishnan Venkata The rapid pace of digital innovation is forcing companies to undertake profound transformation of their entire business strategy and activities. This transformation is permeating all areas of the enterprise – from marketing to sales to product development and even finance and human resources. As part of this transformation, companies are increasingly turning to AI-based solutions that are capable of extracting insights from massive data sets at a previously unthinkable s

Marketing 274
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How To Build Value Before Having To Add Value

MTD Sales Training

Many salespeople tell us that the way they differentiate themselves from their competition is by adding value to their products, in order for the customer to see why they are charging the price they are. Nothing wrong with this, of course. It adds meaning to why they are positioned where they are. The customer can see exactly what they are getting for their money, and by adding value. ?

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Make It Small

The Pipeline

By Tibor Shanto. Not a popular refrain among sales types, which may explain why nearly half of B2B reps will miss quota this year. In a world obsessed with ‘big,’ even more so than sales success, make it small may seem counter-intuitive. And so it is, but so is being a card-carrying member the 80% on the wrong side of the 80/20 rule. While I am not working with sales teams, I am buying.

Discount 268
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3 Key Components of Value Propositions

Jill Konrath

Today’s overwhelmed buyers don't care about what you're selling. They only care about what it does for them. That's why value propositions are so important today.

Buyer 266
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Supercharge Your Sales: 5 Steps to Effortless Selling

Sales teams often lose precious time hunting for updated sales materials, while marketing struggles to keep these assets accessible and current. It's not just about managing; it's about seamlessly finding, presenting, and sharing critical sales content. All of this takes place within an intuitive, unified platform. Dive into Showell's groundbreaking content management realm.

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The Number of LinkedIn Contacts You Have Doesn’t Matter

No More Cold Calling

Connections and relationships are what count. Should I accept every LinkedIn invitation? I’m frequently asked that question. It’s a personal choice. Some people do. Some people only connect with people they know in real life. Others screen every invitation; they write to people first and ask why they want to connect. I’m in-between. I view every invitation.

LinkedIn 307
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I’ve Mapped My Customer Journey, Now What?

SBI Growth

What Is the Purpose of This Customer Journey Map? According to a recent article from Invesprco, “Customer journey maps give businesses a way of getting into their customers’ heads, helping them gain valuable insight and understanding regarding common customer pain points.” The.

Customer 275
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12 B2B Sales Questions to Close Deals Faster

Zoominfo

When it comes to B2B sales calls, the primary goal of the sales rep is to extract valuable information from the other person on the line. If you’re a seasoned sales professional, you already know the best way to get information is to ask smart questions. But this is often easier said than done. Good questions and the answers they produce can make a huge difference in your ability to close deals faster.

B2B 252
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Are You Serving or Selling?

The Sales Heretic

It has been said by many leadership experts that a great leader is a servant. A true leader isn’t ruled by their greed or their ego, but by their desire to help others. I would argue that not only is this true, but that it also describes great salespeople, professionals, and business owners. Contrary to [.].

Coaching 241
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Redefining the CDP: 8 Data-Driven Designs for Successful Customer Journeys

In this guide, discover 8 use cases for how a customer data platform can tackle common challenges faced by marketing, commerce, service, and sales teams. With helpful diagrams and simple explanations in each use case, see how Salesforce’s CDP, Data Cloud for Marketing, powers personalized, real-time experiences across marketing, with capabilities that include: Optimizing ad spend Powering dynamic website content Increasing upselling and cross-selling Resolving service cases with marketing data B

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Objections Are Not Fatal

The Pipeline

By Tibor Shanto. Too many salespeople confuse objections with rejection. Let’s be clear, rejection hurts and can kill. But for sales pros, objections are not fatal. [link]. The post Objections Are Not Fatal appeared first on TiborShanto.com.

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5 Actions to Generate More Sales from Existing Customers

Sales and Marketing Management

Author: By Brad Soper, Lisa Jaeger and Alexander Stahmer While there are no shortcuts to creating and implementing an effective, long-term sales strategy, there are five actions sales teams can take to get that strategy on track – and keep it there – by generating more sales from existing customers. . Segment customers by their potential. Correct segmentation is the most effective way to prioritize customers and manage them in a targeted way.

Customer 238
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To Get B2B Leads, Pick Up the Damn Phone!

No More Cold Calling

Have you forgotten that selling is social? “Turn off your computer. You’re actually going to have to turn off your phone and discover all that is human around. Vintage telephone on old table sepia photo. us.” That’s what Eric Schmidt, then chairman and CEO of Google, told the graduating class of the University of Pennsylvania in May 2009. Ten years later, his advice is even more relevant than it was back then—for college graduates starting their careers, and for salespeople looking to get B2B le

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Partner Enablement – the Key to a Successful Indirect Go-to-Market Strategy

SBI Growth

Why Are Your Partners Producing Far Less Than Expected? Selling through the channel can be the most rewarding or painful aspect of your GTM strategy. When a partner takes on the promise of representing your products and brands, it is.

Strategy 275
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Retail Tech: Empower Associates, Optimize CX, and Boost Productivity

Speaker: Andrew Regan, Managing Partner at BlueSeed Retail Ltd.

Did you know that 70% of new retail technology fails to deliver expected benefits and can often decrease customer value, service, and experience? With that in mind, how can we empower our store associates to leverage new technology to optimize the customer experience and boost productivity? This exclusive webinar with Andrew Regan will dive into strategies to empower retail associates for success with new technology.

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Putting Some Hollywood into Your Sales Presentations

Understanding the Sales Force

Last week I wrote about First Impressions and today's topic is presentations. That's quite the change in direction from Consultative Selling, Sales Process, Assessments, and Performance. What do Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocket Man, Miracle and Argo have in common and what do they have to do with selling? What do Unbroken, Hunt for Red October, and A Few Good Men have in common and what is their relation to selling?

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Building Trust in Sales: A Guide for Sales Professionals

Zoominfo

Trust is the foundation of any successful deal. Think about it: you wouldn’t buy a car from a sketchy salesman or a house from a realtor you don’t trust. Why would your B2B sales prospects be any different? In B2B sales, the quicker you build trust with your prospect, the more likely it is that you will close a deal. Yet, it’s easier said than done.

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Plan B or No Plan B?

The Pipeline

By Tibor Shanto. I recently saw a photo of a protest addressing climate change, that read “There’s No Planet B.” Technically and scientifically speaking I am sure there is a Planet B, but the point was not lost. We best figure things out cause there no second chances. That level of urgency and intensity has a different effect on different people, but it leads to action.

Resources 252
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Promoted! You’ll Need Sales Manager Leadership Skills, Too!

Connect2Sell

The role of a sales manager involves sales outcomes and manager responsibilities. There’s something else, too, that sets the most successful sales managers apart from others. That something extra is what inspires members of the team and ignites engagement and performance. It’s leadership. To be one of the best, you’ll need it all -- sales manager leadership skills.

Promotion 232
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Connect, Care, Convert: Secrets to Establishing Trust with Niche Markets and Turning Them Into Clients

Speaker: Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach®

Niche markets represent a huge opportunity for the financial services industry in America. From college students and women to communities of color and low-to-moderate-income households, niche populations have specialized financial needs – but they often underutilize many valuable financial products and services. How can you better connect with these consumers?

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Artificial Intelligence and the Future of B2B Sales

Sales and Marketing Management

Author: Jeff Winters You wouldn’t expect Michael Phelps to skim the pool for dead mosquitos before a big race — he’s too busy warming up. So why drown your B2B sales team in administrative tasks better served by artificial intelligence? It makes about as much sense as asking Phelps to spend his time cleaning instead of swimming. Most salespeople have far too many mundane responsibilities on their “to-do” lists.

B2B 232
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Why Every CMO Needs a Chief of Staff

SBI Growth

As CMOs are more involved in shaping the global corporate strategy, they are less able to manage the day-to-day Marketing execution. They increasingly need a right-hand person to help with the daily operation. This person is the CMOs Chief of.

Strategy 268
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How to Know if You Are You Really Selling Consultatively

Understanding the Sales Force

Most of the CEOs and sales leaders I speak with agree that their sales organizations need to be more effective at taking a consultative approach to selling. At the same time, they insist that they talk about it often and that their salespeople are doing OK with a consultative approach. OMG's Sales Force Evaluation usually reveals that they aren't doing much more than talking about it, as their scores for the Consultative Seller competency are quite low.

How To 237
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What is Your Attitude Towards Prospecting? 20 Things You Can Do

The Sales Hunter

Is prospecting a four-letter word in your mind? If you had to choose between prospecting and having a root canal, which would you choose? Maybe you wouldn’t choose the root canal; however, you certainly would rather have a cavity filled than have to prospect. Relax! You’re not alone. It’s always been said that the things people fear most are death, taxes, and public speaking.

Harvest 215
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Strategic ABM Gifting: A CMO’s Silver Bullet to Engage the Enterprise

Today’s customers are hungry for human connections, but how do you break through the digital noise? How do you connect on a more personal level? A strategic ABM gifting campaign can help. You can target accounts and prospects by sending gifts or direct mail. It will help you stand out from the crowd and increase your chances to connect. Download Sendoso’s complimentary eBook to learn: Effective ways to level up your gifting strategy for the enterprise customers.

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Five Data Points To Sales Success

The Pipeline

By Tibor Shanto. There is a lot of talk in sales about numbers, metrics , KPIs, and many ways to assess success and progress. Rather than measuring everything, we focus on five data points to drive sales success. Sadly, most salespeople do not know these simple data points, either intentionally or other unknown reasons. At the same time, many managers do not have a continuous improvement plan for their reps, no long game at all.

Data 249
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Data Decay & B2B Database Marketing [Infographic]

Zoominfo

Data decay happens naturally because of how often people change jobs or titles, companies go out of business, and mergers occur. Because of this, many organizations are working with a B2B database that is cluttered with outdated, invalid, or incomplete contacts. Dirty data impacts all areas of an organization, including marketing, lead generation, customer relationships, and finance.

B2B 213
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How Engaged Accounts Can be Known and Then Treated More Effectively

SBI

Transforming Sales: How Engaged Accounts Can be Known and Then Treated More Effectively. In this series, we ask Sales Tech Executives to describe how their solution can transform sales in a significant way. This week I interview John Steinert , Chief Marketing Officer of TechTarget. NANCY: WHAT ARE THE TOP AREAS OF FOCUS IN THE NEXT 12-24 MONTHS FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO TRANSFORM THEIR SALES ORGANIZATIONS?

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