Inside Sales
The Best Way to Establish a Relationship with a Prospect
There are 5 things I have learned in 25 years of prospecting. (I know, that’s only one thing every five years), but hear me out… I’ve learned more, but these five seem not as obvious as others, like “know your customers,” which I did not when I made my first prospecting call in September 1993. …
Read MoreThe Secret of the One Percenters
Have you ever witnessed greatness? I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to personally watch some of the greatest athletes of all time. I’ve experienced the unrivaled performance of Michael Jordan, Nolan Ryan, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Peyton Manning, Tiger Woods, and even Trevor Brazile (every blog needs a rodeo reference). I can testify to some of the…
Read MoreA Surprising Tip for the Toughest Presentations
Think about your most difficult presentation, your toughest audience, or the time where you had little to no shot at changing the minds of the decision-making team. Despite the odds, you showed up anyway. Got it? You remember the day? I promise you it doesn’t come close to the audience Erin Gruwell faced in the early…
Read MoreThe Problem with Sales Techniques
The #1 Technique to Becoming a More Effective Seller: Don’t Focus on Techniques As I read all the advice and articles posted about the secret, magical words to say to a sales prospect that will always make them say yes and become a customer, I hope that everyone is reading the fine print: These ‘techniques’…
Read MoreThe One Thing Missing from Every Sales Process
Every sales process is missing one step. When I’m passionately trying to make a point, I’ve been known to overstate reality to boost my argument. I use words like “millions” or “never” or “always,” especially with my wife, to win the argument or sell an idea. This isn’t one of those times. I have reviewed…
Read More2 Reasons Traditional Objection Handling Isn’t Effective (& How to do it Right)
So, you had a productive call/meeting with a potential client when suddenly they show some hesitation. “I’m not really sure about …,” they say. In response, you give some stats from marketing and share a success story, and you both agree to reconnect. But you never do. The reason why: you didn’t overcome their objection.…
Read MoreAn Invitation Precedes Influence
When most people think about selling or persuasion, they think of the presentation or the “talk.” While important, there is a more critical step that must occur before the words leave your mouth. And when communicating with those closest to me, I’m ALWAYS tempted to blow by this step – especially if it’s a critical…
Read MoreHow to Impact & Improve Sales Rep Performance
I have spent the last 25 years singularly focused on answering one question: How do you improve a sales rep’s performance? There may be higher callings in life, but this is the path I’ve chosen, and after 25 plus years, I believe I’ve discovered the most important ingredient to not only catapult a rep’s performance,…
Read MoreWhat Key Ingredient Is Missing from Your Sales Pitch?
Do you ever feel at a loss for why your customer decided to buy from the competition? You had the perfect pitch! Your data was clear, your argument was succinct, your logic was flawless, your recommendation was a perfect fit. So what happened? The truth about decision-making, including buying decisions, is this: almost all people…
Read MoreMaster Your Sales Presentations with 3 Easy Steps
It’s probably safe to say that we’ve all had a case of the pre-presentation jitters. The level of nervousness can range from slight anxiety to full blown panic. Think about it – we’ve all been there before. It’s the night before your big presentation, you’re practicing your pitch, furiously reading and re-reading your notecards, nervously…
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