Articles

Key contacts at your prospects/clients are naturally changing their mindset toward friends and family as we approach the holidays.  What happens? This creates opportunities for you to… Read more: Build client relationships near the holidays

Clients push for pricing because that is their basis of comparison.  Have you presented pricing too early and regretted it?  Here is a process that will help… Read more: When to present pricing

Most of the time (maybe not in all cases) you do NOT want to completely stop your pursuit and try to reconnect with the customer closer to… Read more: Customer delays decision, now what?

What does it really mean when you hear this objection? What next? Focus on learning Start asking open-ended questions!  Some you can ask to keep the conversation… Read more: Handling objections – “We have a similar solution”

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… Read more: Get customers to commit to a next step!

If selling is new and/or uncomfortable for you, immediately hiring a sales rep may not be the right move for your company.  Many CEOs/Founders of small companies… Read more: Before hiring your 1st Sales Rep…

Sometimes client contacts are reluctant to help.  Before you write them off as a gatekeeper, consider that there are varying ways in which client contacts may be… Read more: Dealing with a gatekeeper?

Assuming you have sales goals you are focused on, it is easy to find yourself racing to the next opportunity once a deal is closed.  The shortest… Read more: Building relationships post sale?

I wish there were quick and easy answers on this topic.  Suggestions you might find on the internet to, for example, offer a time limit on special… Read more: Clients delaying scheduling meetings?

Why is having a pipeline to track opportunities important?  You are likely juggling priorities, making selling one of many responsibilities.  This could help make the most of… Read more: How a pipeline helps you sell more

It is relatively easy to start a “pilot” with a prospective client…particularly if it is at no charge.  The common challenge…how to get the client to start… Read more: Turning “pilots” into revenue

I wish there were quick and easy answers on this topic.  Suggestions you might find on the internet to, for example, offer a time limit on special… Read more: Sales stalled? How to create a sense of urgency

What opportunities almost closed in the past 1 – 2 years?  Excited to try again?  Business you lost can be a good source of potential opportunities.  Listen… Read more: Pursuing business previously lost?

Please do not immediately lower your price…when you get this objection an opportunity has been created for you to better understand the client’s perspective.  An approach to… Read more: Handling Objections – Price is too high

Does the following sound familiar regarding a potential client… Two things you can do to help schedule follow up meetings… #1 – Send and leverage an agenda… Read more: Follow up meetings challenging to get?

If you are new to selling, how to start a conversation with a new client contact can be uncomfortable.  Many in this situation will tend to start… Read more: Starting a conversation with a new client contact

When you are contacting prospective customers or partners, your goal is…of course, to find those that are interested in the solutions you offer.  Customers get tons of… Read more: Quality or quantity of sales calls?

I recently worked with Prepare 4 VC to share some ideas with their community on this topic. Here is an overview and the video…READ BELOW and WATCH!… Read more: Video – Orchestrating a successful follow-up meeting

Clients will frequently want to know about pricing as early as possible.  How you present your pricing can directly impact the rest of the conversation with the… Read more: Clients picking apart your pricing?

Have you been grinding away at trying to grow your pipeline?  Taking a look at where you are trying to find opportunities can sometimes give your effort… Read more: Grow your pipeline rapidly – Connect with partners!

Qualifying a new potential client can be challenging.  Consider they may not know or trust you…yet.  Using a summary of solutions you offer to support a conversation,… Read more: Qualify (and educate) clients at the same time!

While you surely focus most of your time on your clients and partners, helping others without expecting something in return can be highly valuable.  Ted Pizzo, Senior… Read more: Why invest time supporting others

During a normal year people are on vacation for some portion of the summer, including your competition.  This year, as you would expect, may have more people… Read more: Why double your effort this summer

Selling can be hard work.  Sales cycles to organizations small and large can take months.  In order to energize your pursuit of the “next deal(s)”, taking some… Read more: Celebrate your wins!

You have made progress in the customer seeing value in your solution, maybe they have mentioned they “would like to partner”…but they have some reason they want… Read more: Deals getting close but not closing?

Particularly if you are pursuing opportunities that involve multiple contacts at your client, it will be critical to pay attention to company culture.  In talking with Al… Read more: How your client’s company culture impacts your selling effort

We all have lost deals.  Some were a surprise (some not).  It happens even when you have done a great job planning, paying attention to detail and… Read more: Learning when you lose a deal?

Managing distractions is not easy whether you are trying to get more comfortable selling or a veteran.  If selling is not your favorite thing to do, it… Read more: Distractions in the way of selling?

Have you recently started a new sales role or is your pipeline of opportunities not large enough?  Finding new opportunities (and growing your pipeline) may be easier… Read more: Ramp up your pipeline quickly

I used to think endlessly grinding was how I should approach looking for new business.  It took me a while to realize that the inevitable fatigue was… Read more: Why mini-breaks can help you sell more

Have you ever “winged” a presentation?  I know I have in the past…generally, I did not like the results.  If you pursued being an athlete, musician or… Read more: How much do you practice presentations?

Particularly if you are new to selling, asking for an order or to close a deal can generate some anxiety.  If you have participated in athletic or… Read more: Asking for an order feel awkward?

This is a common topic…my 7/23/2021 email focused on reflecting on your preparation.  I thought some ideas on how you might move forward would help… Do not… Read more: Getting “ghosted” by a customer?

People are naturally resistant to change.  Customers become comfortable/complacent with current solutions even if there are deficiencies.  How might you address this challenge? Identify why there is… Read more: Handling objections – customer does not want “something new”

What do you want to accomplish in 2021? We all have many distractions…so here is the challenging part…establishing and staying focused on the goals.  Why have goals?… Read more: Got goals?

We all face many challenges in our selling effort.  Some issues you cannot control (e.g. supplier, technology, weather).  However, you can control how you communicate with your… Read more: Got issues you cannot control?

You are one person with “X” amount of time…where do you focus your selling effort?  Deciding between smaller opportunities that have shorter sales cycles and larger opportunities… Read more: Which sales opportunities to pursue?

Since face-to-face meetings are still rare, communicating the value you provide has become increasingly difficult.  This applies whether you are in a sales role currently approaching customers… Read more: How to make it easy for the customer/hiring manager to pick you!

Large accounts are worth pursuing many times because of the potential payoff.  Making progress in large accounts requires patience, thoughtful planning, and persistence.  After you start doing… Read more: Have enough contacts in your large customer?

We all wish this would happen quickly.  However, many times the customer perceives risk in change.  Some thoughts on how to make the decision to change more… Read more: Getting your customer to leave a competitor

In my 4/8/2021 blog post I shared some thoughts about pursuing opportunities when competitors might be ahead of you.  Ok…let’s assume you have decided to move ahead… Read more: How to use your proposal to further qualify a customer

So you are pursuing an opportunity and find out that competitors are ahead of you or more entrenched than you currently are.  Should you bail or continue… Read more: Competitors are ahead of you…pursue the opportunity?

Sometimes executives at client organizations are elusive.  They filter who they choose to spend time with.  The question for you is…who can help you connect and how… Read more: Challenging getting to executives at your client?

How you prepare is a HUGE factor…watch this 53 second video for more! Feel free to contact me directly for ideas and/or help on this or other… Read more: Brief Video – Want more success with prospecting?

You know you will get them…how to address them?  You can either hope you do not get them or take a proactive approach.  Likely you will be… Read more: How to approach tough questions from customers

How do you know if you are on a good track toward closing a deal or at least gathering the necessary information?  One approach is to start… Read more: How do you define a “Qualified Opportunity”?

How you can learn a ton from co-workers and drive more business!

In my 1/14 post I shared some thoughts about what is fair/not fair to assume about college students who are interviewing.  A common concern I hear from… Read more: College student interviewing for a job?

How to get your customers to start thinking of you as a partner instead of a vendor.

Do you have many competitors? How are you approaching trying to stand out?  Some ideas for you in this 49 second video…

The sudden shift to work-at-home might have made it easier to reach important contacts for a few months.  However, companies are figuring out how to have calls… Read more: When is the best time to contact customers/prospects?

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… Read more: What I learned from helping college students

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… Read more: Onboarding new sales reps?

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… Read more: Get customers to commit to a next step!

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… Read more: Want to win more Requests for Proposals (RFPs)?

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… Read more: How are you thanking your customers (and prospects)?

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,… Read more: Quality of sales calls vs. quantity

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… Read more: Following up on video conference sales calls

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… Read more: Why testimonials are more important than ever

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… Read more: Working on your largest deal ever? Nervous about it?

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… Read more: Structuring a “Thank you” note after a meeting

What does it really mean when you hear this objection? Customer is focused on other priorities…OR… You did not prepare well enough for the call You did… Read more: Handling Objections – “I do not have time”

I imagine you have heard from a coach, professor or a manager there are two things you can control…your effort and attitude.  Whether you are in a… Read more: You got Springsteen’s energy and effort?

Chief Financial Officers frequently play an important role in decisions customers make.  Whether they are actively or passively engaged, you should assume they are involved.  Have you… Read more: How a salesperson should approach a Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

The challenges that selling presents can generate anxiety.  The next question is…how do you deal with it.  Do you face it head on, viewing it as a… Read more: Dealing with anxiety in a sales role?

Customers are trying to finish 2020 in the best shape possible and are planning for 2021.  They are likely working on 2nd drafts of plans for 2021… Read more: How a sense of urgency NOW with customers can grow your business

How easily can you/your company answer the following questions: How are your leads qualified? How are your leads tracked? This is challenging particularly in smaller organizations. Here… Read more: Do you know where your leads are?

Most reps have wrestled with this question.  One approach does not fit all situations.  Some ideas that can help you decide how to proceed… Key Factors There… Read more: Should you send your proposal ahead of the presentation?

The first question in your mind should be “what do I need to learn” and/or “what am I missing”.  This, many times, will reveal what you need… Read more: How do you react when the customer says “No”?

Sometimes ideas for new opportunities to pursue are easier to identify than you might think… How to identify new opportunities quickly and get an action plan in… Read more: Ramp up your pipeline quickly – brainstorm with a mentor!

A former co-worker of mine at Hewlett Packard Enterprise has a great way of thinking about the process of building trust with customers.  Progressing from a first… Read more: Building trust with customers

Consider how much disruption you have been dealing with over the past several months.  Your customers are doing the same.  Customers have less time to consider options… Read more: How easy are you to buy from?

Differentiating your “selling effort” whether you are a salesperson, marketing/operations/engineering professional or interviewing can come down to one concept…respecting the time of every person you encounter in… Read more: 2 questions to differentiate you from competition

Since most presentations are virtual for the time being, it is harder than it used to be to share your passion and energy during a presentation.  We… Read more: How standing up improves presentations

You, as the Sales Rep, are the face of your company to the customer.  Part of our jobs as Reps is to engage your Senior Management with… Read more: How close is your CEO to your customers?

I have had the good fortune of reporting to some great Sales Managers.  Hopefully you are reporting to one you like right now.  If you do, you… Read more: Like your Manager? What to do before they leave.

I have posted my sales related goals fairly consistently.  When I did not, I felt my efforts “lacked focus or direction”.  In a recent inspiring conversation with… Read more: Why making your goals visible will help you sell more!

Time is on your side…while this is a good Rolling Stones tune, it may also be true that, due to the restrictions we are living with, you… Read more: Selling in the coronavirus climate: Find training/coaching that builds your confidence

If you are considering changing sales roles and/or going into a sales role…read on…some insight that will help you prepare. Ken McGovern, President of KMR Executive Search,… Read more: Inside the mind of your next Sales Manager

If you were to segment your business, what percentages would follow key characteristics such as: Number of companies Company size Spend with your company Geographic location Industry… Read more: How resilient is your customer base? Enough to reach your goals?

Customers, as you may know, have “buying seasons” where they are focused on bringing in solutions they view as critical to their business.  Understanding when your customers’… Read more: Understanding your customer’s “buying season” and timing your effort

If you have cooked for other people and/or have been a server in a restaurant you may have a good start on the skills required to be… Read more: Thinking about a sales role? Cooking for others (or serving) is a good start!

Since face to face meetings are rare due to concerns regarding the coronavirus, communicating the value you provide has become increasingly difficult.  This applies whether you are… Read more: Make it easy for the customer/hiring manager to pick you!

You likely had an approach to preparing for presentations that worked…until about late February.  Creating a new process or adjusting your current process is likely necessary in… Read more: Adjusting how you prepare for sales presentations

Selling already requires preparation, creativity, patience and persistence.  Considering business is harder to find and sales cycles have become longer, your willingness to “keep at it” while… Read more: Keeping your sales toughness

Looking back on my first job as a salesperson for NCR Business Forms starting in 1982, I realized I learned a lot from the first few months… Read more: What I learned in my first job might help you

I am still hearing frequently it is considered “tone deaf” to try to drive a sales opportunity forward with many customers.  Consistent with this theme, Avi Smith-Rappaport,… Read more: Not Selling in the coronavirus environment: Maybe the best questions you can ask your customers

Why is it usually hard to schedule your executives to connect with your customers?  In addition to having a lot of demands on their time, they were… Read more: Selling in the coronavirus environment: What your executives can do for you

Since access to your customers is more difficult, getting feedback on how deals are progressing is more challenging as a result.  My March 31, 2020 post was… Read more: Selling in the coronavirus environment: How to keep deals on track

Depending on how your company is addressing challenges with sales reps’ performance due to the restrictions, communication with your manager may be more critical than ever.  Thinking… Read more: Selling in the coronavirus environment: Managing your Sales Manager

How is the use of video conferencing impacting how your presentations are going?  Are the same slide presentations and proposal documents working well?  When we were all… Read more: Selling in the coronavirus environment: Presentations, proposals need to speak for themselves!

Before we all had to start working from home we had a lot of options for managing existing customer relationships.  Maybe you had easy access to key… Read more: Managing customer relationships given Coronavirus related restrictions

It is relatively early in the fiscal year for most companies.  If your year did not start as you hoped and/or was derailed by the coronavirus situation,… Read more: Want a higher close ratio?

The current coronavirus situation is, of course, creating enormous challenges for many businesses.  Challenges of this magnitude will turn the customer’s attention internally.  They are less likely… Read more: Getting the customer’s attention in challenging times

How many presentations have you done in the past few months?  What kind of grade would you give yourself on how they went?  I know sometimes I… Read more: Feel confident going into your next presentation

In my post on 3/4/2020 the focus was on differentiating yourself in the interview process by doing homework on the company and contacts…becoming an expert.  Let’s assume… Read more: Looking for a new sales role? How to impress the hiring Sales Manager.

Whether selling is something you are comfortable with or not, a critical part of the interviewing process is understanding the competitive landscape.  Here are some questions to… Read more: How to differentiate yourself when you are interviewing

Managing communication internally with your team and externally with the customer can be the difference between winning and losing a large/complex deal! Why does communication need to… Read more: Managing communication when pursuing a large/complex deal

Over the past week or so I have covered three important components of a sales pursuit strategy: 2/14/2020     Key contacts and their roles 2/18/2020     Mapping the customer’s… Read more: Understanding your competition

Over the past week I have covered two important components of a sales pursuit strategy: 2/14/2020     Key contacts and their roles 2/18/2020     Mapping the customer’s decision process… Read more: Understanding your customer’s decision criteria