Get ready for a rant about bad sales practices. I am on a tear to protest the wasteful, ineffective, and unqualified pitch emails — apparently mass blasts — from salespeople who (I can only surmise) must be trying to avoid a phone call. These emails always request an appointment or a demo — almost always ... Read Post

As a sales professional with many years under my belt, I’m always looking to learn more about my chosen career. Sometimes, those lessons come at the most unexpected times from the most unexpected sources. Enter my encounter with a lovely young lady who made me seem like a novice salesperson: a preteen Girl Scout I ... Read Post

In the Beginning… Salespeople have always had to keep track of their opportunities. Traditionally, most carried around a briefcase or notebook to keep track of everything job related. As a result, opportunities could fall by the wayside, customers could fall by the wayside, appointments could be missed, orders could get lost, and numerous other details ... Read Post

You’ve just finished up an interview, congratulations! If you’re the hiring manager, you will expect a “thank you” email from your interviewee. Here’s what this important follow-up task should accomplish — relevancy and impact. Is the candidate thoughtful? Clear? Focused on the right things? Here’s how interviewees can tackle the post-interview “thank you” email: First ... Read Post

Recently, one of my clients, the CEO of a division of Logitech (the mouse people), proudly announced that he had made only two of what I consider to be the seven fatal mistakes people make when they’re working to grow their sales. What about you? Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, the owner of a small ... Read Post

When I speak to audiences of sales professionals and ask, “How many of you sell value versus price?” everyone raises their hand. But my next question “So how do you do that?” is frequently followed by an uncomfortable silence. Many consider themselves to be value sellers but few are able to articulate what that really ... Read Post

Improve Sales Results with Shorter Prospecting Calls Long meetings that drone on are rarely productive. This is especially true when having an initial meeting with an unqualified lead. Unlike an actual selling conversation, a prospecting or qualifying conversation needs to be short and to the point. You just got a referral from a client or ... Read Post

There is no shortage of advice one can get when trying to determine the basics when talking with potential new customers and clients. How to converse with prospects: asking the right questions and asking insightful questions will give you a better understanding about who you are connecting to and how you may be of service. ... Read Post