2015

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What Is Sales Without Relationships?

No More Cold Calling

Try a “No Toys at the Table” policy for sales reps. When did it become the norm to answer the phone during dinner or to check email while having a conversation? We’re so wired for 24/7 connectivity that we have developed FOMO —fear of missing out. The unfortunate result: While we stay up-to-date on what’s happening online, we’re not paying attention to the people right in front of us.

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7 Critical Sales Leadership Challenges

Steven Rosen

That could crush your sales organization. Let’s face it, being a sales executive has become increasingly more difficult. Chances are next year’s sales objective is going up and your budget is being reduced. You are facing challenges of do more with less, increased competition, pricing pressures, staff turnover, and increased expectations from customers.

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15 Sales Tips from NSA ‘15

The Sales Heretic

As a sales trainer and keynote speaker, I am, of course, a member of the National Speakers Association. Which means that last week I was in Washington, D.C. for the 2015 NSA Annual Convention. More than 1700 of the world’s top professional speakers and trainers gathered for four days to learn from each other. The [.].

Course 260
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B2B Marketing and Mobile: 10 Ways To Do It Right

Sales and Marketing Management

'Issue Date: 2015-04-13. Author: Paige Musto, Director of Communications, Act-On Software. Teaser: Reckoning with mobile’s influence is no easy task, but it’s far from impossible – if you know what to prioritize and which minor adjustments to make to your existing marketing programs. Here are 10 ways you might get started in your mobile marketing efforts.

Marketing 258
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How to Improve Email Deliverability and Optimize Each Send

Learn how to optimize email deliverability and drive greater email ROI. What lands your email in the customer’s inbox? Understanding those factors, otherwise known as email deliverability, is critical to getting the most return on your campaign investments. But the “rules” around which factors land you in the spam folder aren’t always easy to keep up with.

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“The Challenger Customer” – More Than A Sequel

The Pipeline

By Tibor Shanto – tibor.shanto@sellbetter.ca . A Review of The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results. by Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner, Nick Toman. What often differentiates great sales people from the also-rans is their understanding that their success in delivering revenue and retiring quota, is the result of a dynamic alignment and balance between selling and buying.

Customer 257

More Trending

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10 Mistakes Salespeople Make and Why You Can’t Afford to Make Any of Them!

The Sales Hunter

It’s not my nature to be negative, but sometimes the best ways to point things out is by expressing it in a negative manner. Here are 10 mistakes salespeople make (hopefully you will see why you can’t afford to make even one of them!) 1. Failing to gain a relationship with others beyond just […].

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Is Account-Based Marketing the Holy Grail for Lead Generation Nirvana? [PowerOpinions Part 1]

Pointclear

According to a report by SiriusDecisions, 2015 State of Account-Based Marketing (ABM), more than 60 percent of companies plan to invest in technology for ABM to better align sales and marketing over the next twelve months. Is ABM the Holy Grail to lead generation or just another black box solution destined to cost a lot of money, distract marketing and end up getting more bad leads to sales faster than ever before?

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Why Good Salespeople Are Hard To Find

Increase Sales

What makes for good salespeople? Some might respond with top sales skills. Others may suggest a great sales process. While there may be some who believe outstanding marketing is behind good salespeople. All of these may contribute to creating a sales force that is both efficient and effective; however I think the main talent, attribute, skill, call it what you will is something that is far more illusive and harder to identify.

Hiring 203
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The Seven Deadly Sins of Salespeople

HeavyHitter Sales

    In the late sixth century, Pope Gregory described the seven deadly sins from the least serious to the most, as superbia , invidia , ira , avaritia , tristia , gula , and luxuria. Translated from Latin, they are pride, envy, anger, avarice, sadness, gluttony, and lust. What do you think are the seven deadly sins of salespeople? Here’s my list, in order of least to most severe.   Chattering.

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ABM Evolution: How Top Marketers Are Using Account-Based Strategies

In times of economic uncertainty, account-based strategies are essential. According to several business analysts and practitioners, ABM is a necessity for creating more predictable revenue. Research shows that nearly three-quarters of marketers (74%) already have the resources needed to build successful ABM programs.

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Predictive Sales Analytics: The New Normal?

SBI

Most principles used in B2B selling today have been in place since the late nineteenth century and coincide with the rise of large mass manufacturing firms. National Cash Register, Westinghouse Electric and others created large, organized sales forces and with them, standardized sales and sales management techniques. It was innovation in technology that drove innovation in sales.

Analytics 109
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3 Reasons Sales Teams Should Never Ask for Referrals on LinkedIn

No More Cold Calling

Don’t alienate your social networks by asking for referrals the wrong way. Are your reps just clicking buttons to invite people to connect on LinkedIn? Or worse yet, to ask for referrals? The “standard” invite has become pretty standard. But it’s not enough for salespeople, whose job is to build relationships. Where’s the “hello?” Where’s the conversation?

Referrals 258
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What to do With a Nice Rep Who Just Can’t Sell?

Steven Rosen

I love sales managers. They are great people who are dedicated to helping salespeople succeed and drive sales performance/sales in organizations. One thing that drives me crazy is when I work with a sales managers who are reluctant to fire reps who are not performing and will never be good at sales because they a good at admin and responsive to their manager.

Hiring 252
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Why You Can’t Motivate Anyone (And 16 Things You Can Do Instead)

The Sales Heretic

© Alexskopje | Dreamstime.com I am not a motivational speaker. While I am occasionally described as one—and I do speak at conferences, annual meetings and other events—the fact is that I’m not. For the simple reason that I can’t “motivate” anyone. And neither can you. Whether you’re talking about a prospect, a member of your sales team, a [.].

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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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Do Great Salespeople Make Great Managers?

Sales and Marketing Management

Issue Date: 2015-08-03. Author: Gregg Schwartz. Teaser: Finding great managerial talent is always a tricky and uncertain proposition, but your team will often be better served if you look beyond the top sales performers. Finding great managerial talent is always a tricky and uncertain proposition, but your team will often be better served if you look beyond the top sales performers.

Sales 253
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4 Ways to Make Sure You Never Miss a Sale’s Call

The Pipeline

The Pipeline Guest Post – Jason Rueger. For small businesses, every contract and sale counts. That’s why you want to make sure you never miss a sales call. If you do, you may lose the customer, develop a reputation for being unavailable, or both. Here are some tips for your business that will ensure you never again miss an important sales call.

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Sales excellence – listening is not a spectator sport

Sales Training Connection

'Listening isn’t a spectator sport. You have to get in the game. You must convert from thinking about listening as something that is passive – to something that is active. Here are seven best practices to help salespeople do a better job at active listening: Make sure you understand what the customer is saying before you move on to the next topic – try summarizing.

Sports 109
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10 Ways to Increase Your Motivation and Your Sales

The Sales Hunter

Does your level of sales drive your motivation or does your motivation drive your sales? Yes, it is a chicken or egg type of question. In my mind they drive each other, but in the end I want to close as many sales as possible, so it means my motivation needs to be at […].

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Cloud-Based Solutions: The Sky Is the Limit for Retail Success

Speaker: Ryan Bryers, SVP of Global Engineering

In a rapidly evolving industry, the shift from traditional on-premise systems to cloud-based solutions has become crucial for retail success. While many businesses still rely on store-level infrastructure, it's time to embrace the unlimited potential of the cloud! With technology giants like Google, AWS, and Azure leading the charge, the true value of the cloud extends far beyond cost savings.

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Beware The Rise Of The Instant Expert

Fill the Funnel

Beware the rise of the instant expert, typically self-proclaimed. It used to be that when we listened to someone with a microphone and a video camera, we trusted what they were saying. We believed in their research, their integrity and their reputation. We were disappointed some times, but it was a rare exception. When we read something that was published in a book we attributed expertise and some deeper level of understanding on the topic.

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Are Salespeople Really Expensive?

Increase Sales

First glance at this headline many mid-size to small business owners to even sales managers probably internally believe “heck yes, my salespeople are expensive.” Possibly some may even have a second thought about how to reduce that cost. Cost is the word that determines if those in leadership roles have either a scarcity mentality or an abundance mentality.

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When Things Dry Up!

Partners in Excellence

Marketing has been developing fantastic content. They are leveraging every analytic tool imaginable, they’ve got marketing automation tools, they’re active on social channels, doing everything possible to generate demand. Sales people wait for the coveted SQL–the Sales Qualified Lead. Regardless of what’s been agreed between marketing and sales, to a sales person the SQL is a buying ready (hopefully PO ready) lead.

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Smart Selling Visions: Up-Close with Top Revenue Leader Greg Sherrill, CEO of @ChannelRocket

SBI

This post is part of a series of Executive Interviews of top sales and marketing solutions company executives. We ask the same questions of every executive so readers can learn about their unique positioning and their vision for the industry. . This week I interview Greg Sherrill, CEO and Co-Founder of Channel Rocket. Nancy: What does Channel Rocket do?

Up-Sell 109
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The Battle of the Authoring Tools: A 10-Point Comparison for Picking the Right One

Speaker: Chris Paxton McMillin, President of D3 Training Solutions

There are plenty of great authoring tools for developing eLearning, but the one you select could directly impact your course's outcomes. Depending upon your learners’ needs and your organization’s performance goals, you could be overlooking considerations that impact the both effectiveness of your courses and how long it takes to finish them. From general capabilities to specific workflow structures, some aspects are critical when it comes to learning objectives and deadlines.

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4 Steps to Make Your Sales Life Easier

No More Cold Calling

'LinkedIn’s Koka Sexton shares four no-sweat solutions for increasing sales productivity. You’ve got your head down, drafting a proposal or implementing a complex solution with a client. You’re firing on all cylinders, while still trying to make time for sleep and maybe even a little exercise. Business is booming, and the adrenaline is coursing through your veins.

Referrals 256
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Top 10 Reasons Why New Sales Managers Fail

Steven Rosen

Welcome to Steven’s Top 10. I will be publishing a new top 10 list every week. Feel free to add additional points to the list and if you have any lists you are interested in please let me know. Of course my focus is on sales, sales leadership, executives and business. Your firm is growing and needs a competent, energetic sales manager to increase revenue and direct sales operations on the frontline.

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16 Words (and Phrases) That Undermine Your Credibility

The Sales Heretic

'Our words can either help or hinder our sales efforts. The right words can ease our buyer’s fears, stoke their excitement, and move them to action. The wrong words can annoy prospects, insult them, and even scare them off. Some of the most dangerous words, though, are words we’re not even aware we’re using. They’re [.].

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7 Secrets of Success in Sales

Sales and Marketing Management

Issue Date: 2015-07-31. Author: Jamie Thomas, Vice President Talent Acquisition for Combined Insurance. Teaser: Building a successful sales career is challenging, but it can also be interesting and satisfying. To help determine if you have what it takes to build a career in sales, here are seven best practices that are the foundation of most every successful salesperson.

Insurance 250
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How to Leverage Intent Data for Better Outcomes

Speaker: Susan Spencer, Principal of Spencer Communications

Intent signal data can go a long way toward shortening sales cycles and closing more deals. The challenge is deciding which is the best type of intent data to help your company meet its sales and marketing goals. In this webinar, Susan Spencer, fractional CMO and principal of Spencer Communications, will unpack the differences between contact-level and company-level intent signals.

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How To Lose A Sale With Your First Response – Sales eXecution 282

The Pipeline

'By Tibor Shanto - tibor.shanto@sellbetter.ca . When you initially approach an unsuspecting prospect, how you present what you sell will go a long way in determining the outcome. Yet when you ask sales people to tell you what they sell, a large majority and their managers get it wrong. They will usually tell me things like: I sell hardware – software – any kindaware.

How To 257
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Sales management coaching – the power of questions

Sales Training Connection

'Sales Coaching. Asking questions is an underpinning of successful selling. The notion – ask, listen, and then talk is a powerful principle in the science of successful selling. Asking questions is also an underpinning of successful interactions between salespeople and their sales managers. Consider this …. Effective coaching is not so much about teaching people, as it is about helping them to learn – that’s why top coaches ask more than tell.

Coaching 101
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10 Rules for Using Social Media to Prospect

The Sales Hunter

1. Don’t think social media is going to replace traditional prospecting methods. View social media as another tool to help you prospect. Most of all, never allow yourself to take the quality time you devote to prospecting and spend it doing social media. Biggest mistake you can make is thinking all you need to do […].