Bernadette McClelland

MARCH 30, 2023

How We Burned The Boats and Lived To Tell The Story TODAY is the day ONE YEAR AGO EXACTLY we flew out of Australia with 6 suitcases, 2 carry-ons and 2 backpacks and our head, heart and gut saying ‘do it’! What possessed you to sell everything?' How could you leave your kids and your new grand-daughter?'

Networking 397

Networking Licensing Up-Sell Banking 397

Mr. Inside Sales

OCTOBER 30, 2023

I don’t know why sales reps always default to: “I’ll call you again in a month…” Or 60 days or 90 days, etc, but why would you want to miss all the sales this prospect will place in the meantime? The smart thing to do is to get a specific idea of when your prospects buy and even ask them when their buying schedule is.

Call-back 240

Call-back Face-to-face Follow-up Gatekeeper 240

Understanding the Sales Force

JANUARY 9, 2024

Back in August, I wrote an article about Dinger’s torn ACL and how the Veterinarian went about her sales process to strongly recommend (sell us) the most expensive surgery. We brought Dinger back to the Vet to confirm our fear, and today’s article discusses a topic I don’t often write about, repeat business.

Proposal 193

Proposal Call-back Account Conversion 193

Bernadette McClelland

SEPTEMBER 5, 2022

We started out at 8am and up … and up… and up… we climbed. Not only were my legs getting their regular workout but as we climbed another few hundred feet so were my lungs. And my belief is that jumping back out is something not enough of us do in our life and career. It was stunning! High 5 us!!

Everest 370

Everest Call-back Sales Leadership Exercises 370

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 25, 2024

What are their problems, how do we help them better understand them? How do we identify the GAP between where they are and where they need to be? How do we help them close that gap, achieving their goals. With Keenan and his team, selling success is all about the customer, not what we sell.

Up-Sell 109

Up-Sell Sales Leadership Motivation Closing 109

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 8, 2022

Nothing says interest than actions, words have no meaning, actions do. In order not to get a false sense of security from your pipeline, do the following stress test every week. But many are gateways to the next, you can’t do step three before completing steps two and one, in sequence. Why You – Why Now.

Pipeline 339

Pipeline Call-back Follow-up Quota 339

Understanding the Sales Force

JANUARY 9, 2024

Back in August, I wrote an article about Dinger’s torn ACL and how the Veterinarian went about her sales process to strongly recommend (sell us) the most expensive surgery. We brought Dinger back to the Vet to confirm our fear, and today’s article discusses a topic I don’t often write about, repeat business.

Proposal 156

Proposal Call-back Account Conversion 156

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 2, 2024

There seems to be no passion for what sellers do. Selling is one of the toughest things to do well. We fail frequently, despite doing the best we can do. We fail frequently, despite doing the best we can do. We are constantly driven (or drive ourselves) to do more.

Trends 102

Trends Resources Sales 102

Understanding the Sales Force

MARCH 25, 2024

You must pull out all the stops and sell your value without trying to win with low-margin, low-retention pricing. When you encounter unfavorable selling conditions, refuse to accept them. It was 2pm, well past the lunch-hour rush, and the new host asked if we had a reservation. We didn’t. ” Decision made.

Decision Maker 182

Decision Maker Hotels Cancellation Travel 182

Mr. Inside Sales

AUGUST 18, 2023

Here’s what not to do: DON’T open your conversation with, “How are you?”—if Instead, see below what to do. What you should do: Introduce yourself, “Hi, {prospect’s first name}, this is __ with __, how are you doing today?” If they ask you how you’re doing, respond with, “I’m doing well today, thanks for asking.”

Face-to-face 256

Face-to-face How To Gatekeeper Decision Maker 256

Mr. Inside Sales

FEBRUARY 19, 2023

That’s why most people get burned out in sales. That’s why most salespeople find sales discouraging. That’s why many sales teams don’t make their quotas. How do you do that? You do it by qualifying and asking the tough questions and being honest about what they are telling you and being willing to walk away.

Face-to-face 255

Face-to-face Gatekeeper Decision Maker Licensing 255

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 11, 2024

It’s crazy to think that we purposely design our organizations to fail. Who would think of that, particularly in selling? We are driven to succeed, to over achieve our goals. We constantly talk about winning. If this is true, why do we see year after year of declining performance and results?

Scale 110

Scale Maximizer Quota Revenue 110

Understanding the Sales Force

JULY 17, 2023

Based on the non-stop rain and humidity we have had for the last 6 weeks in Massachusetts, you could probably make a case that not only do we now have a rainy season, but where our house is located, we must live in a rain forest. When I chose option #3 we were qualified. Hold that thought. Disconnected.

Groups 156

Groups Comparison Buying Cycle Exercises 156

Understanding the Sales Force

MARCH 13, 2024

Personally, I substitute Baseball for the middle topic because college baseball is in full swing and we’ve been traveling to watch our son, a college senior, play college baseball. But if option 2 is so brilliant and obvious, then why do so many salespeople become so defensive and remain dug in to option 1?

Decision Maker 193

Decision Maker Data Hiring Proposal 193

Understanding the Sales Force

MARCH 13, 2024

Personally, I substitute Baseball for the middle topic because college baseball is in full swing and we’re traveling to watch our son, in his senior year, play college baseball. But if option 2 is so brilliant and obvious, then why do so many salespeople become so defensive and dug in to option 1? Replace them!

Decision Maker 170

Decision Maker Proposal Distribution Territories 170

SMEI

APRIL 25, 2024

In today’s fast-paced business world, professional selling plays a vital role in driving economic growth and innovation. In this blog post, we’ll explore the critical role of professional selling and why it’s more important than ever. That is why better selling is so urgently needed now.”

Microsoft 96

Microsoft Consumer Closing Motivation 96

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 24, 2024

I just couldn’t think of a better description of something that dominates too many selling conversations. Whether it’s the initial purchase, or the renewal/extension, we and our customers waste too much time in p **g contests about price. We present our price, the customer’s moral obligation is to object to the price.

Discount 77

Discount Proposal Objections Positioning 77

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 18, 2024

As we spoke, it struck me how we revel in these questions. Customers asking us about the product capabilities, drilling deeply into what the products and solutions do. These are the discussions we strive to get since it is all about us and what we sell. Why shouldn’t we be answering those questions?”

Customer 120

Customer Revelation Buying Cycle Lead Rank 120

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 11, 2024

Preface : Jill Konrath is one of the most well respected author, speaker, teacher on all things selling. She’s written 4 masterpieces on selling. She and I are concerned with the increased polarization we see in our communities and society. Why I Love Sales Sales was never a career option I aspired to.

Face-to-face 106

Face-to-face Sales Methodology Compensation Segment 106

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 7, 2024

Marketers sell! At least Carlos Hidalgo sells. Sometimes, “we” have mis-conceived notions about selling, thinking that only those in some sort of formal sales role sells. But selling goes far beyond the titles. And some of the very best have never had a selling title. Preface : Surprise!!

Up-Sell 109

Up-Sell Intent Call-back Positioning 109

Partners in Excellence

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

But in what world do we consider that acceptable? Even though it’s 2-4 times better than other approaches, why do we consider that an acceptable response rate? Why aren’t we challenging ourselves to figure out what it takes to get 5% or more? It’s like so much other data we see.

Scale 107

Scale Outbound Sales Cycle Up-Sell 107

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 5, 2024

Some of you may be reading my series, “ Why I’m So Interested In Selling.” Some have run multi-billion sales organizations and companies, some are managing their own territories selling millions a year. At the same time, they are viciously focused on doing the work. We focus too much on shortcuts, hacks.

Sports 108

Sports Territories Maximizer Industry 108

Anne Miller

MARCH 13, 2024

How do you stand out? That’s why using literary devices like metaphors, analogies and similes is so powerful. A marketing company: We are marketing Sherpas; we lead you safely up the inevitable mountain of business challenges you face to achieve your goals. A firm that modernizes codebases: We are re-modelers.

Lead Rank 118

Lead Rank Networking Face-to-face Follow-up 118

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 31, 2024

While I haven’t met Daniel, it’s fascinating to read his perspective on selling. Like so many other participants, Daniel didn’t set out to be in sales, but found himself selling. Being in sales allows me to do this day after day, working with companies of all sizes and from all industries. My job is fun!

Engineering 115

Engineering Quota Industry Sales Process 115

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 15, 2024

We always exchange stories of sitting at those tables, doing designs on paper. That’s why I’m interested in Sales!” Why Am I So Interested in Sales? I then spent another 4 years in the private sector selling engineering and planning services (see Why Will Buyers Create Their Own Distinction? ).

Lead Rank 111

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Retail Engineering 111

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 9, 2024

“How do I avoid or minimize objections?” ” “How do I best handle them?” ” “Should I do everything I can to avoid them?” Selling conversations, problem solving conversations are about change. We look at alternatives, evaluate the pros and cons of a change and solutions.

Objections 107

Objections Conversion Customer Strategy 107

Partners in Excellence

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

We were talking about his prospecting challenges. ” We talked about some of his strategies. He tried to connect what he learned they were doing with his prospecting efforts. ” He said, “I don’t know, that’s why I’m prospecting him… ?” How do you know if he has the problem?

Ideal Customer Profile 118

Ideal Customer Profile Face-to-face Trade Show Prospecting 118

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 13, 2024

We were at Endicott, New York, where most of entry sales training was conducted. Through our first year, every few months we’d see each other in Endicott at another class. We lost track of each other–John ended up going to senior executive levels in IBM, eventually was the General Manager of IBM Global Finance.

Face-to-face 108

Face-to-face Up-Sell Revenue Training 108

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 30, 2024

All credit for this post goes to Scott Gillum and his fantastic post: Why Relying on AI Won’t Improve Customer Experience. Reading it caused me to start reflecting on how much we misunderstand about AI and how we leverage it in selling. People helping us make sure we are addressing the right issues.

Buyer 73

Buyer Analysis Data Research 73

Adaptive Business Services

MAY 1, 2024

Gary and I have stunningly similar sales backgrounds as well as our belief in the importance of developing selling fundamentals. If you do not have historical data to compile ratios on yourself, you will need to start out with some average ratios, or reasonable goals, experienced by the company sales force. Presentation purposes only.

Ideal Customer Profile 71

Ideal Customer Profile Hiring Cold Calling Buyer Persona 71

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 17, 2024

We started sharing ideas about sales performance, particulalry in some of his early leadership and entrepreneurial roles. We continue those conversations to today. A line that stood out, “If you accept sales is about moving people, then it becomes easy to stay positive about selling. ” Why am I interested in selling?

Insurance 77

Insurance Insurance Outbound Inbound 77

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 25, 2024

We don’t have a set agenda, we talk about what we are seeing, usually it’s me whining about the state of professional selling. I’m afraid too many people will latch onto that concept and miss the real point of this post which is the revenue/growth potential we lose. Think about that for a moment.

Competition 108

Competition Customer Buying Cycle Vendor 108

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 29, 2024

Let’s imagine we had a game show, a group of CROs and we are giving them the choice to select what’s behind Door # 1 or Door # 2. We seek to get the prospect to a demo then close them. Door # 2: This strategy focuses on Business Focused Selling. Selling cycles are increasing.

Face-to-face 79

Face-to-face Sales Cycle Quota Loyalty 79

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 12, 2024

We started sharing ideas on LinkedIn, then Kelly has invited me to appear on his podcasts. Like me, Kelly is a “grinder,” he doesn’t believe in tricks/gimmicks, he believes top performers do the work. From a practical viewpoint, selling provides more opportunities for growth – personally and financially.

Lead Rank 101

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Hiring Engineering 101

Partners in Excellence

AUGUST 11, 2023

“We do not learn from experience, We learn from reflecting on experience.” This is such an important principle for all of us in selling and leadership, but somehow we seem so preoccupied with activity and busyness, we fail to take the time to reflect and learn from those.

Coaching 91

Coaching Quota Groups Data 91

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 5, 2024

Preface: Somehow, I got to know Craig Jamieson because we were “hanging out in the same places.” But Craig has hung in there, we have conversations and exchange ideas and opinions about the state of selling. ” Craig continues a through line we’ve seen in other articles. I do identify as a hunter.

Hiring 73

Hiring Retail Cold Calling Commission 73

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 21, 2024

In working with Jose, I’ve come to deeply appreciate how he thinks about driving growth and performance improvement in the teams he leads, and his general approach to selling. ” Why I’m So Interested In Selling I worked as a sales engineer and trainer for a technology company, where I was exposed to fascinating technology.

Hiring 73

Hiring Engineering Promotion Quota 73