Virtual Selling
Virtual Sales Training vs. In-Person Sales Training
Life in the glowing box: it’s our new normal. We’ve grown accustomed to remote work, virtual team building, and digital-first culture. Most sales organization leaders have accepted the fact that some training will be virtual. But should it all be? Now is a good time for leaders to step back and consider: Does virtual sales…
Read MoreThe 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 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 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…
Read MoreA Lesson in Cultivating Receptivity from Shark Tank
Since 2009, entrepreneurs have pitched their ideas and dreams to a panel of ‘sharks’ on the hit reality show Shark Tank. The sharks – titans of industry who have made their own dreams a reality and turned their ideas into lucrative empires, listen to pitches and decide whether or not to invest their money in…
Read MoreHow to Write Sales Emails that Actually Get (and Deserve!) a Response
Statistically, emails from people we know are read more than emails from strangers. An article published by Fast Company details the findings of one thousand sales emails sent to the most difficult audience: executives. What drove the highest response rate? Familiarity. The sender knew something about the recipient, or they leveraged an existing relationship. Another important revelation was that the less generic the message, the higher the response rate.
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