In today’s changing economy, businesses must focus resources efficiently if they want to hold their competitive edge. Which is why it is no surprise that video conferencing has been embraced as a way to keep employees and clients connected without...(more)

We are all looking for the magic bullet.   And when we find something we like, something that seems to work, we can become rabid advocates for what we believe is the magic bullet.   But when it comes to sales methodologies, there is no...(more)

Are your questions drawing your buyer closer to you or making your buyer back away from you? It may depend on the order in which you are asking questions. Adjusting the sequence of your questions can make a difference in how the buyer...(more)

You know those types of people we refer to as marshmallows? They have a tough exterior, something about them seems hardened or brusque. But when we get to know them, they turn out to be softies. Actually sweet. They have a squishy...(more)

It used to be enough for a seller to deliver on the value that mattered most to the buyer. If a buyer expressed a preference for “made in the USA” and the seller had products manufactured in America, the value was recognized and the...(more)

Professional sellers know that it’s both easy to do and imperative not to do. Taking a customer for granted and assuming current customers will always be customers is short-sighted and irresponsible in selling. When customers begin to feel...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions I’ve met and worked with over 10,000 sellers in my career. I can only remember two who truly loved the work of genuine cold-calling. In the past few years, sellers seem to like...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions Ever notice how often professional sellers will express a certain shame or reluctance in admitting their job title? Someone says “so what do you do?” and the seller...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions Every sales training program and book about increasing sales offers a sales process. These step-by-step processes help sellers to orient themselves and move through a logical...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions A Seller's Guide to Averting Rejection There are, of course, right ways and wrong ways to respond to buyer objections. This blog post doesn't go into that. Instead, this post focuses...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions Before any sale can be made, a relationship must be opened. And if multiple sales are to be made to the same customer, that relationship must be maintained and maximized through...(more)

What Traits do you think of when describing a good sales person?  Typically they are personality traits: outgoing, thoughtful, positive, responsive, knowledgeable, etc.… Although personality traits are very important, there are six OTHER...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions In selling, the term “value added” has taken on a life of its own. This term has a variety of meanings and interpretations, which is confusing for buyers and sellers...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions Picture this. You are standing in a very large circular room with doors all around you. Every door is closed. Every door looks exactly the same. You’ve knocked on all of these doors...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions In the photo below, you’ll see an advertisement from the first century B.C. It is engraved on the streets of Ephesus, in the archaeological site outside of Kusadasi, Turkey. The three...(more)

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions The first time someone told me that a good sales rep is like a chameleon, I vehemently argued against the notion that sellers would ever “change their color.” How disingenuous!...(more)