LiveHive and Top Sales World share insights and best practices from 10 sales thought leaders.

We now operate in parallel universes—the one in which we live and breathe every day, and the virtual world online. There’s so much information to aggregate, assimilate, and contextualize in order to be relevant to our prospects and clients. Between mobile, social, and big data, the sheer volume of information we handle on a daily basis is more than human beings had to manage even a few years ago. And it can become pretty overwhelming.

Still, I’ve always believed that if we stop learning, we might as well be dead. That’s why I appreciate it when sources I trust curate great content from a variety of thought leaders and put it all in one place. And with the New Year in full swing, there are several great ebooks circulating in sales communities.

One of my favorites: “10 Ways to Gain a Competitive Edge in 2015” by LiveHive and Top Sales World.

One Little eBook—Tons of Big Ideas

2015 is the year to differentiate ourselves and our companies from everyone else. Let’s be honest: For the most part, we look exactly the same to our buyers. So unless we can find ways to prove our unique value, we’ll just be little fish in one vast competitive ocean.

“10 Ways to Gain a Competitive Edge in 2015” is a meaty ebook with nuggets of wisdom that can help you increase sales effectiveness and fill your pipeline with hot leads.

Yes, I’m quoted in the book, but I took away some great tips from the other thought leaders featured. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Jonathan Farrington, CEO, Top Sales World: “You cannot have everything you want, but you can have anything you really want—you just have to know what it is, and then be prepared to make the necessary sacrifices to bring about its happening.”

• Joe Galvin, chief research officer, MHI Research Institute: “In sales, it’s the quota-winning deal closed on ‘December 32^nd’ that makes headlines, but it’s the Q1 deals that set the foundation for those game-winning deals.”

• Barbara Giamanco, founder, Social Centered Selling: “Technology can only take sales acceleration so far. Sales remains a people business. Your ability to respond quicker than your competitors, and to answer the questions that move the buying decisions to close are how deals are won!”

• Jill Konrath, Sales Acceleration Strategist: “Strive for maximum impact. Make sure that every interaction with your prospects and clients yields the best possible outcome.”

• Dave Kurlan, Objective Management Group: “Pay attention to metrics. Do the math.”

• Linda Richardson, founder, Richardson: “Coaching is employed 72 percent more frequently in best-in-class companies.”

• Keith Rosen, CEO, Profit Builders: “Make hiring a choice, not a need … You can’t make the wrong hire the right fit.”

• Tamara Schenk, research director, MHI Research Institute: “Your customer’s success is your success … The goal is to establish a shared vision of success, because without the customer’s decision to change the current state for a better future state, no buying phase will every happen.”

• Matt Sharrers, partner, Sales Benchmark Index: “You, as the leader, should have a big deal process that brings together all of the horsepower in the company.”

For more insights and tips that can help you have your best sales year ever, download the ebook here.

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