Bernadette McClelland
AUGUST 20, 2012
'Excuse me, you have spinach in your teeth… Ever wondered why some people can’t bring themselves to call it as it is – tell you that you have spinach in your teeth, loo paper on your shoe or god forbid that your fly is undone…? I recently wrote a post that pushed the boundary of political correctness, although my intention was a positive one, and a friend of mine told me she cringed when she read it.
SBI Growth
AUGUST 23, 2012
Here it comes, the 2013 budgeting process. On top of finishing out 2012, you need to determine which Sales Strategy initiatives to prioritize in order to make the 2013 number. Avoid the conventional lip service you pay sales strategy development ; that’s old school, develop a sales strategy that the sales team understands and can really rally behind.
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Understanding the Sales Force
AUGUST 20, 2012
Understanding the Sales Force by Dave Kurlan I read the Steve Jobs biography and although he was a very talented designer, innovator and inventor, it was clear to everyone who worked with him, and even to Jobs himself at the end of his life, that he was an a **e. A simply horrible human being. Despite his miserable people skills, he was on a mission to design products that would change the world.
MTD Sales Training
AUGUST 23, 2012
I imagine the title of this piece not only grabbed your attention, but also caused a bit of confusion or even shock. First, let me clarify exactly what I am saying. There are only TWO objections that exist. That’s all; just two. They come disguised as dozens of other issues and appear to be tons of objections. My contention however is that there are but two real objections , and understanding this will help you close more sales today.
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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.
The Pipeline
AUGUST 24, 2012
In the first two installments we looked at the anatomy of the typical objection to a prospecting call, that is being an Interruption , and the Conditioned Response to Interruptions. I also told you how 80% of the time you will get one of five common objections: Status Quo. Lack Of Interest. No Time. Bad Experience. Wants to Know More First. These will come in different flavours, different rhythms, but they will come, and they will be one of these five.
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The Sales Heretic
AUGUST 22, 2012
My buddy, Shaari, was staying with me for a couple of weeks in between overseas assignments. (He teaches English in various countries around the world.) His next job is in Afghanistan, so he needed a heavy winter coat. We headed out to the nearest sporting goods store. When we arrived, we found a few lightweight jackets, [.].
No More Cold Calling
AUGUST 23, 2012
Do what top salespeople do: ask probing questions, and get the answers to seal the sales deal. Sales pundits suggest salespeople must change the way they sell: stop pitching products, become consultants and strategic advisors. Let’s get real. Top salespeople don’t pitch. They never have, and never will. Top salespeople ask good questions, they listen, ask more questions, and extract information and perspectives from the client where other less-experienced salespeople are clueless.
The Pipeline
AUGUST 22, 2012
In the first post of this series , I talked about the importance of context when it comes to objections, and understanding objections to begin with. We looked at aspect of context, now let’s look at nature of objections in order to make it easier to manage, handle and leverage them for more engagement. . Understanding that prospects are more rejecting the interruption than you specifically, now let’s look at how they deal with those interruption, the nature of the objection.
SBI Growth
AUGUST 24, 2012
“Businesses are idea marketplaces where business managers compete for attention, budget and headcount by selling their idea. Successful business managers, those rewarded with promotions, teams and bigger budgets, are the people who know how to sell their ideas effectively.” Bruce Gabrielle, Speaking PowerPoint. How do you plan on selling your sales strategy recommendation to the CSO?
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Sales and Marketing Management
AUGUST 19, 2012
Issue Date: 2012-08-20. Author: Jim Swift. Teaser: While the science of customer purchasing behaviors has been around since the dawn of commerce, these principles have not been applied to the B2B space. Times are changing, and when it comes to adopting such successful B2C marketing techniques within the B2B space, the time is now. While the science of customer purchasing behaviors has been around since the dawn of commerce, these principles have not been applied to the B2B space.
MTD Sales Training
AUGUST 22, 2012
Of course, you must prepare for the sales interaction, and that includes making sure the tangible and technical tools are all in order. However, you also must make certain that your mindset is in proper order. Below are three very important ways you can mentally prepare for the sale. #1: Lose The Personal Problems. I know this is much easier said than done, but you have to rid your mind of your personal problems.
The Pipeline
AUGUST 23, 2012
Guest Post – Megan Totka. Sales people are tasked with some of the biggest challenges in the working world. Rejection comes with the territory and simply cannot be a deterrent for future attempts. Adaptation and the ability to learn quickly about a variety of topics are job requirements. A good salesperson consistently closes deals. A great sales person sells things, but also combines an air of expertise with a genuine feeling of concern for the client.
SBI Growth
AUGUST 19, 2012
This post discusses how to get your prospects interested in you versus your competitors. It offers a basic 4 step process to benchmark your demand generation content. Demand generation content refers to web pages, blogs, eBooks, white papers, webinars, newsletters, and many others. Its role is to generate leads. If you would like to benchmark your content, attend this session.
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Understanding the Sales Force
AUGUST 22, 2012
Understanding the Sales Force by Dave Kurlan It appears that I have written enough articles about music and selling to include a series about the connection. One of the constants in the music business is that the artists must choose between writing and recording songs that are either consistent with what made them famous (giving their core audience more of what they want) or adapting and creating music which would appeal to a potentially newer audience (and perhaps alienating their core audience
MTD Sales Training
AUGUST 21, 2012
I talk and teach constantly about “ buyer traits ” and how to recognise and deal with different types of buyer personalities. However, over the years I have noticed that sales people also have some distinct traits or selling styles as well. So, I thought I would share this educational, Water Cooler titbit about a few Sales Personality Styles and some of the potential drawbacks of each.
The Pipeline
AUGUST 20, 2012
. Last month I posted a piece call “ The Reality Of Prospecting Rejection “, in it I argued that rather than trying to avoid rejections, sales organizations and sales people need to adopt and adhere to a specific prospecting process, and leverage it for consistent results. The goal is to adopt a method for dealing with rejection, rather than trying to avoid them.
SBI Growth
AUGUST 18, 2012
HR Executives want to get the elusive “HR seat at the table”, meaning a seat at the CEO’s table where he or she is regarded as a strategic peer. This has been an ongoing topic in HR circles with the net answer to “how” apparently being: deliver high impact returns aligned with the business strategy and efficiently control costs. One of the fastest ways to accomplish this is for the HR director to partner with the SVP of Sales in solving Sales problems – which leads to improved revenue results.
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.
The Sales Hunter
AUGUST 22, 2012
I know it may seem odd to ignore something your customer says, but when they request a discount, this tactic is worth trying (at least initially). It is not unusual for a customer to challenge you on price or even to make a general comment about the price being “too high,” simply because they think that is what they are supposed to do as a customer.
Score More Sales
AUGUST 21, 2012
Growing one’s visibility in their industry niche is something many sellers are working to do now. Last month over at the Inside View blog, Koka Sexton wrote a great post called How to Generate Expert Credibility (highly recommend you read this). It is so true that by positioning oneself as a subject matter expert raises visibility. Once you have raised your visibility as a top influencer – hopefully through talking online about subjects and issues on the minds of your clients and pot
Anthony Cole Training
AUGUST 21, 2012
So far in this series of articles about hiring sales people I've covered the following: Why is recruiting so damn hard. 4 Mistakes in Hiring. 2 steps to avoid unnecessay interviews. Typically when we work with sales organizations to upgrade their sales force through improved hiring we help them first map the recruiting process. This is done so that there is a more consistent approach to hiring.
Sales and Marketing Management
AUGUST 23, 2012
Most customers are honest and open. Though the concessions they’re asking for might be unreasonable communications experts know that every point of view is reasonable to the person holding it. The exception is when the other person is playing games. Here’s how you can combat some of the games customers might play during tough economic times like these when they’re under pressure to get all they can from their resources.
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Even in today’s data-driven sales world, cold calling remains a fact of life for many go-to-market professionals. Fortunately, today’s sales leaders have a crucial advantage over their predecessors: market intelligence and outreach platforms that can warm up virtually any introduction.
The Sales Hunter
AUGUST 24, 2012
If you want a successful sales meeting, it has to include recognition of performance. . Recognizing performance is the #2 secret on my 10 Secrets to a Successful Sales Meeting. (If you missed the #1 secret , it’s here.). Salespeople love recognition, so you need to have a process in place that people can look forward to as being their time to shine.
Score More Sales
AUGUST 20, 2012
We have a very high respect for the Sales Force Effectiveness Blog over at Sales Benchmark Index. They regularly have great and highly valuable content, covering key topics and issues on the minds of sales leaders and C-level leaders around sales and leadership. I noticed this tip from a post of theirs called 51 Tips for Sales Leaders – a fabulous list, by the way, so be sure to read it and come back.
Anthony Cole Training
AUGUST 20, 2012
This may not have happened to you but I have talked to sales managers where 'this' has happened. You are meeting with a potential sales candidate and: You know almost immediately that this candidate is the wrong one for the position you are looking to fill. Your interview is stuck in the middle of an already busy day and you are not as prepared for the meeting as you would like to be or should be.
Pointclear
AUGUST 21, 2012
James Obermayer, Executive Director and CEO of the Sales Lead Management Association and President of Sales Leakage Consulting is a regular guest blogger with ViewPoint. A cascading failure is a failure in a system of interconnected parts, in which the failure of a part can trigger the failure of successive parts. Such a failure may happen in many types of systems, including power transmission, computer networking, finance, bridges, sales and marketing, (the last two are our words).
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?
The Sales Hunter
AUGUST 20, 2012
If any of your sales involve customers using a credit card to pay, this sales closing technique might be just right for you. First, let’s set up the situation. You’re talking with a customer and you know you’re close to closing the sale. Then suddenly when it comes time for them to give you a credit card, they get cold feet. Although this is a situation that more commonly occurs in B2C situations, it is also happening more and more in B2B too.
Increase Sales
AUGUST 20, 2012
After listening to a former client share her story about a past employer, I began to wonder how many bully leaders are in today’s workplace. There is a lot of emphasis on bullying in our schools and to a far lesser degree about “hostile work environments.” Yet, with all this information, there still appears to be a lot of bully leaders who are quite clueless about how to be an effective leader.
Anthony Cole Training
AUGUST 19, 2012
What is it that you want your sales candidates to accomplish as successful sales people? If you identify that then you can now use that information to create a profile of the ideal candidate. Create that profile and you will begin to attract more of the right people for you evaluate, interview, hire and on board. It starts with getting to talk to more of the right people.
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