Arnie entered the reception area hurriedly, and found just enough breath to tell Mary Lucille, the Executive Assistant, that “the traffic was awful out there today. That’s why I’m ten minutes late, which I’m sure you and Stewart will understand.” That’s Arnie’s first common sales call mistake. No, neither Mary Lucille nor Stewart will understand or excuse Arnie’s tardiness. He should ...

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. Mistake 1: Ungrounded ...

Many sales reps think that somewhere inside their customer's headquarters is a single decision maker. But today, even CEOs reach consensus with their direct reports before making important decisions, according to Neil Rackham, author of SPIN Selling. h4. Meet the Decision Makers In a recent Selling Power magazine article, Rackham observes that decision making for the purchase of any significant product ...

When Michael Jordan came out of retirement for the second time, he said he needed the competition - the chance to prove himself against younger players - more than the money. Many successful businesspeople who could afford to retire keep on working. Warren Buffett still picks stocks. Bill Gates's concession to success is to no longer work on Sundays. Successful people ...

You go to a sales seminar to learn how to sell; you read Sales Horror Stories to learn how not to sell. Heed the warning and avoid the mistakes our brave contributors made. Read, learn, make your own mistakes, and then deposit them into the Sales Horror Crypt. h4. Lingerie Sales Monster.com member kristysg reveals this tale: I was in the ...

If you’ve been exposed to the sales world in one form or the other, you’ve probably heard of the infamous “Dog and Pony Show”. That’s where you’re invited to come to your prospect’s office and make a presentation in the hopes you’ll persuade them to buy what you have. Of course, that’s the plan, but not usually the reality. If you’ve ...

Selling is not easy, even in the best of times. In a downturn, the sales force still has to write orders just to keep the doors open. You have to use your time wisely, use available technology tools and software. You need to be creative, listen, work hard, have role models, be a self-starter, set goals, plan, be passionate, personable and ...

“Repetition is the mother of all skill.” ~ Tony Robbins, author of Unlimited Power In sales seminars and sales training programmes I often talk about the difference between sales skills and sales techniques… Sales techniques are something external to you, they are something that you hear or that you know. Sales skills are something that you own, they are yours ...

Sometimes the deal is already dead before we even realize it. At times it’s a function of price, technological fit, deployment time, track record etc. These are all measurable, quantifiable reasons for losing a big deal. Too often though when the deal has died it has nothing to do with a specific quantifiable issue. I often work with clients, coaching and ...

Musashi was said to be the greatest Samurai General in history. Musashi once said that in times of crisis, stress and turmoil that you never raise to your positive expectations, you raise or fall to your level of training. The same thing holds true in business. Our ability to perform successfully and consistently has a lot to do with our training, ...

Edification is what they refer to it as in the direct sales industry. When selling in a team, edification or promotion of our team mates ensures that the whole team can contribute to closing the deal and servicing the client. Every team has a rainmaker, or star and they ’re often the senior sales rep, sales manager, or even the CEO. ...

I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of hearing about how bad the economy is. The truth is, many parts of the economy have stabilized and many sectors are on the rise. In fact, I'm excited about the Economic Recovery that is happening right at this very moment. Haven't heard about it yet? Perhaps you're listening to the ...

I recently purchased some advertising space in a national magazine. I have been a subscriber for years and knew everything I needed to know to select them as an advertising vehicle. I called them with one intention, to place an order. When I called their office, the salesperson began doing what she felt was appropriate; to start selling me. She began ...

As you can imagine, I am often asked by sales leaders, anxious to recruit the best salespeople they can afford, just what is it that makes a consistently top performer, what are their characteristics, where are their strengths, and what differentiates them? Over the past fifteen years I have trained and developed thousands of sales professionals, from foundation right up to ...

Here's a joke for you: Susan breaks up with Jack, a man her mother adored, and begins dating Mike. Every time her mother calls, she asks Susan about Jack, how he is doing, what he is doing, if she ever sees him, etc. One day Susan becomes so annoyed she finally says, "Mom, enough about Jack. It's over. I'm dating Mike. ...

Details (yuck!) are the bane of a sales professional’s existence. None of us want to crunch puny little numbers throughout the day. Save that for the accountants who eat that stuff up. Let us be free to sell, sell, and sell some more. The only puny numbers we’re interested in are numbers like ‘ones’ and ‘zeros’, as in the number one ...

Commitment to your job sometimes requires digging into your own pocket to purchase a uniform or treat a client to 18 holes of golf. But such unreimbursed expenses can pinch financially, unless you learn IRS rules for deducting work-related costs from your taxable income. Fastidious record keeping and advice from a tax professional can also help mitigate the suffering. "Many of ...

Companies, when they interview, focus their attention on learning about the candidate. However, equal importance should be placed on the candidate interviewing them so that both sides can make a solid decision on the relationship. My wife Sharon and I dated for exactly two years before I proposed to her. Over our two year courtship, I got to know her likes ...

Dear Seller, I only have a few minutes, but I understand you're interested in what you can do to capture my attention and entice me to want to set up a meeting with you. Let me say this loud and clear right now - you have no idea what my day is like. You may think you do, but you're missing ...

Recent exhaustive surveys suggest that only 5% of professional salespeople reach and remain at the highest level, which we call Level 3. A further 15% attain Level 2 status, but the majority, i.e. a massive 80% remain at Level 1 in terms of potential achievement. Level One salespeople sell products and depend on having the right technical solution for the ...