SalesHQ

Despite your desperate hopes and prayers, business isn't just going to wander into your business. You need to get out there and hustle, and we've got the tips to help you do it. The Basics 1. Create quality marketing tools. This doesn't mean you need to allot 75 percent of your budget to printing costs, presentation slides and a Web site. ...

Have you ever gotten frustrated when you realize that your prospects keep stereotyping you as a "salesperson"? And because of that, they don't give you the trust and openness that you deserve, and that are essential if you're going to help them solve their problems? That's what's been happening to Michael, who calls companies to set appointments with decision makers. "I ...

Sooner or later, we all backslide into old ways of thinking about selling that lead us down the wrong path with potential clients. A few weeks ago, I had a phone conversation with Julie, who has been struggling with the old-style selling methods that her manager insists are the only way to sell their company’s technology solution. Regardless of what product ...

When I talk to people about goal setting, I'm often surprised by their reactions. A lot of people tell me that they haven't gotten around to setting life-time goals and identifying their values and coming up with specific, measurable bench marks, etc. They tell me that goal setting takes too much time and energy, and that it will require days and ...

Do Your Market Research Just because you build it or sell it doesn't necessarily mean anyone will buy it. The first essential step is to research your potential market. Who needs what you are offering? Is there space for your product or service in the market or is the market saturated? Is the market national? Is it a niche? Can you ...

New products and services are the lifeblood of organizations. The sales force eagerly awaits their arrival, hoping for a short-term competitive edge in a cut-throat marketplace. Yet when new products or services are launched, many sellers become their own worst enemy. They make these seven critical mistakes that slow down or even totally derail their best sales efforts. h4. Mistake 1: ...

You may have a drug problem. Many people today are hooked on a commonly abused, yet elusive drug whose widespread use seems to be flying under our radar. That drug of choice is adrenaline. The classic symptoms? Saying "Yes" when you mean "No." Overcommiting or overbooking your schedule, then finding it difficult to deliver on deadlines or complete tasks. Procrastinating until ...

Only 20% of all sales people are top performers, which means that they regularly close at least half of their qualified prospects. At the other end of the spectrum, about 20% of the sales force are underperformers, brand new or on their way out. This means that the significant majority of sales people - roughly 60% - can be classified as ...

In today’s information-rich world, there’s no excuse for not staying current with the goings-on in your field, whether it’s real estate, technology or Web marketing. But while every industry and industry niche is awash in news sites and publications, you can uncover even more information by adding industry blogs and user-generated news sites to your reading list. Despite the proliferation of ...

Performance indicators in most organizations are not aligned to the goal of the organization. In addition, they are rarely designed to measure a single process and be unaffected by factors outside the single process. The usual result is that members of the organization only concern themselves with high level process indicators. For example, the value of sales ($'s) or the quantity ...

Most people have a goal at sometime or other. Children have a goal; to go to school, to do well at school, to do well at sport, to leave school, to get a job. Adults have goals; to get a better paying job, a more fulfilling job, to buy a car, to buy a house. From time-to-time though having attained a ...

Pick up any newspaper and you’ll find stories about how bad the economy is. Foreclosures are snowballing, the unemployment rate is inching up, gas prices are soaring, there are fears of runaway inflation, food prices are way up, layoffs are increasing, the stock market is down, the world as we know it is coming to an end. For salespeople, this onslaught ...

Obtaining continual feedback against a set of established criteria is vital if an organisation is to retain its existing top clients and seek to improve its standing and the quality of its service levels to them. h2. There Are At Least Six Benefits Of Regular Feedback. 1. Feedback reveals your customer’s current and future plans. 2. Seeing your business from ...

The other day, I got a call from Brian, who was a first time visitor to my website. He told me during our conversation, "I see other people at work playing the old numbers game. You know, they make as many calls as they can, hoping that a few will turn into sales. "And they are making sales. Ari, if the ...

You probably know this scenario well: Your main contact at a company has expressed interest in possibly purchasing your product or service. You’ve had the pleasant conversations, you’ve heard “Yes, we’re definitely interested” and “Yes, I’m the decision maker,” and you’re excited about making the sale happen. You’ve put your heart and soul into doing what you’re best at -- explaining ...

Making more sales while retaining your integrity - is it possible to do both? Based on e-mails I continue to receive daily, the answer is a resounding "yes." Eliminating traditional sales thinking and tactics does take effort, because the messages of the sales "gurus" you've read over the years can continue to bubble up in your mind, especially when you're in ...

Dear friend, During my teen years, my father who is a Psychologist, dedicated a few years of his career as a specialist helping parents get their adult children back from being brainwashed into cults. He was one of a handful of experts who was skilled at “deprogramming” these cult members and helping them transition back into a normal family environment. I ...

There is a profound purpose to selling at the executive level and winning over the relevant leaders. Obtaining quality leads and closing sales are two of many benefits for establishing these senior executive relationships. Intuitively you know being connected at the top has its advantages, but you may argue that you’ve made plenty of sales without ever meeting the senior executives ...

Performance has many components. For example, our activities and abilities are typically what many organizations focus on. Yet beneath the surface, our beliefs about ourselves, our customers, our job, etc. can either help or hinder our performance. You may have heard the expression, “Whatever you believe you can do, you will and whatever you believe you can’t do, you won’t.” It ...

When I present to sales organizations searching for the Holy Grail to sell in this economy, I start with a very basic question. "What is your job as a sales person?" Usually, that question is met with silence for a moment; and then I'm peppered by a plethora of descriptions. "Sell something to someone!" "Generate revenue!" "Hit quota!" I'm always amazed ...