I have recently worked with many college student helping them prepare for interviews and getting off to a good start in new sales roles. They are all bright, hard working and overall very impressive. Early on, I had to eliminate expectations/ideas normally associated with experienced salespeople and found it was important to identify “where they […]
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Onboarding new sales reps?
Onboarding new sales reps can be challenging, particularly if you are either in a small organization or have many other priorities to juggle. In my first sales role I was sent to Dayton, OH for 3 weeks of training. When I returned I was told to “go sell”…not the greatest way to start. Here is […]
Get customers to commit to a next step!
How many meetings with customers have you left where there was no agreement on the next call or meeting date? How often after meetings are you saying “I wish I had asked for (A DESIRED NEXT STEP)?” I know I have done this my share of times. How to ensure it becomes part of your […]
Want to win more Requests for Proposals (RFPs)?
We all have been there…spent a ton of time on an RFP and got “nothing”. If you look back at some of the RFPs you have responded to, did you feel like you were guessing about what it would take to win? I certainly had a few early in my career…not a great feeling. Winning […]
How are you thanking your customers (and prospects)?
It has been a tough year for many. I realize this may seem very basic…there is so much going on, however, this relatively small (yet important) task can easily get lost or delayed. Thanking your customers and prospects for their time will certainly be welcomed. Customers are obvious, how about your prospects? It is easy […]
Quality of sales calls vs. quantity
When you are contacting prospective customers, your goal is…of course, to find those that are interested in the solutions you offer. Customers get tons of calls, emails, notes on social media…and ignore most if not all. Making a ton of calls and getting ignored sounds tiring and not very rewarding. How to approach making a […]
Following up on video conference sales calls
Customers are busy, have lots of distractions and certainly do not read many emails. They scan…so…when you send a cover note your objectives should include: Keeping the note to “one screen” Making the information you are including (and likely attaching) EASY to find 1st paragraph Thank the customer for their time in your recent call […]
Why testimonials are more important than ever
Think about how often you use social media to see what other people have said about home exercise equipment you are checking out, curbside take-out at a local restaurant or organizations that are accepting donations. Why are we seeking input from others? We want to save time in our search, reduce our risk of making […]
Working on your largest deal ever? Nervous about it?
Have you transitioned from working on $5,000 deals to $250,000 deals…or some similar dramatic increase? Early in my career, I went thru this transition and got some great advice from a VP Sales I reported to. Here is an outline of what he suggested. Your approach in front of the customer In some ways a […]
Structuring a “Thank you” note after a meeting
Building a working relationship with a new customer is challenging. Sending an effective “Thank you” note can help differentiate you from your competition and keep a customer conversation on track. Here are the key ideas to keep in mind: One screen – so customer does not have to scroll a lot to read it Bullets […]