Sales work isn’t easy. As a sales coach, I’m sensitive to the inherent struggles of sellers. In an age of economic pressures and empowered buyers, your challenges are significant. It’s difficult and frustrating when you feel you...(more)

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been hearing a new drumbeat in the world of selling. Actually, it’s not a new sound. It’s a rhythm that was helping us all keep pace a decade ago but got replaced. It’s back because it is a classic...(more)

In sales, we are experiencing an embarrassment of riches and yet we are impoverished.   Just look around the offices of most sales organizations. You'll see computers, telephones with headsets and auto-dialers, mobile devices, CRM systems, and...(more)

On average, salespeople spend less than 35% of their time actually selling.    This finding, reported in Clearslide’s "4 Reasons Why It’s Time to Reboot Technology,” is not a big surprise to most sales professionals. But it...(more)

There’s a fine line between assertive and aggressive when you are a seller. Most sales people err on the side of caution because they want to avoid being thought of as the stereotypical, pushy seller. I suppose that’s why one of the most...(more)

Learn to counter-balance a customer’s concerns. Don’t confront them. It was an unusual sales approach. At a county fair, a lady on a solar energy booth grabbed me as I walked past, and without introduction, popped the...(more)

For any type of product in any given market area, there’s a limit to how much business there is to go around. That total number is the “whole pie.” It’s determined by the buyers in your market area, by the demand for the product...(more)

If your sales prospects avoid your calls, your process may be part of the problem. Try taking a new approach with these 10 Surefire Ways to Get More Callbacks for Your Sales Prospects.   1. You need to make yourself relevant. 2. In addition to...(more)

Closing sales without discounting price is an important strategy for any organization. But too often the negotiation relies on price as its biggest closing tool.  Why is that?  Maybe it's because other compelling values have not been created...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions Auto dialers and CRMs, along with Sales Managers everywhere, are being questioned by Sales Reps due to escalating expectations & monitoring systems requiring more aggressive...(more)

Be persistent but understand that people are busy.  Create a routine by leaving a short break between communications.  Instead of every day, every three...(more)

Be honest from the beginning about what you are a capable of providing.  This will open the door for your prospective customer to be upfront with...(more)

Quickly elevate discussions to senior management level, get feedback and provide detailed updates on a regular...(more)

Create relationships throughout your organization.  Ask for input; create your own team atmosphere.  Your boss will see that you are more resourceful and will depend on your resources making you an integral part of the...(more)

Understand the differences between what each product has to offer and the services provided along with it.  Differentiate your company and include your organization in the discussion in order to emphasize the positive result for the customer. ...(more)

Take the extra time needed to answer all questions and give honest feedback.  This may include getting others from your organization involved in the response such as operations, quality or logistics.  Focus the customer on buying an updated...(more)

Create an intense and robust initiation program to teach new employees how to get things done within the company.  Include product training and process training.  Have them visit and work in production facilities and/or distribution centers to...(more)

Organizations understand and support new growth dollars, not just ideas.  If you have a great idea, do your research, find allies within your organization, integrate business development techniques and present your case after having real market...(more)

Notify customers, keep communication open, work with them on short and medium term volume requirements, meet with operations and develop a plan to increase capacity.  Do not just pick and choose customers; this will hurt you in the long...(more)

Leverage internal resources and manage customer expectations.  Make sure that this problem becomes a company problem and not just yours to deal...(more)

Formulate a schedule so that when things get off track you have a plan to fall back...(more)

Segment your customers into “maintain and grow”, “regain lost accounts”, “new target accounts”.  Have an action plan for each category.  Too often we focus on new business while existing business slips, or...(more)