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 ever thought a deal was moving forward only to hear “the CFO has an objection”? It is critical to proactively develop a working relationship with the CFO at […]
Tag: #sales
Dealing with anxiety in a sales role?
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 challenge, or do you find it gets in the way of your progress? During a recent conversation with Lisa Schermerhorn and Kevin Martin from Peak Performance Mindset Coaching […]
How a sense of urgency NOW with customers can grow your business
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 and are beginning to make decisions about priorities…meaning, what projects will get funded and who they spend with. Assuming 2020 has been challenging for them, they are “crazy […]
Do you know where your leads are?
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 is a story from a close friend of mine who runs a manufacturing company in CT that illustrates this challenge. New opportunity, easy to close and it got […]
Should you send your proposal ahead of the presentation?
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 are many to consider…here are some of the primary ones: Role(s) of contacts in the presentation? How well do you know the contacts? History with your company and […]
How do you react when the customer says “No”?
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 to find out about key areas including: Timeline and Timing Funding Decision Process Timeline and Timing Customers usually have a timeline in mind…when they want to the solution […]
Ramp up your pipeline quickly – brainstorm with a mentor!
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 place Contact someone who can act as a mentor Create a grid with customers listed on one axis and product and/or services your company offers listed on the […]
Building trust with customers
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 meeting to a customer buying from you usually requires time, patience, persistence and planning. Read below! Meet Me Hopefully the first time you meet a prospective customer it […]
How easy are you to buy from?
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 much less make decisions. They want convenience more than ever before. While maintaining a robust pipeline may be challenging now, demand for what you offer will return. Customers […]
2 questions to differentiate you from competition
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 your “target” organization. This includes everyone from the person who answers the phone to the executive you are trying to meet with. Why a reminder about basics? I […]