Many of you have heard me refer to my mentor in my sales training sessions over the years. He passed away last weekend. He taught me a lot about sales & believing. Bob believed he could sell to anyone, because he believed he belonged with CEOs and once they met him, they would prefer doing […]
Over 24 years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting and observing thousands of effective salespeople. Many times when we try to figure out why some salespeople are more successful than others, we quickly look to the techniques they use, the actions they take, or the skills they have mastered and use. In addition to techniques […]
“People with strong networks and good mentors enjoy more promotions, higher pay, and greater career satisfaction.5 They feel a sense of belonging, which makes their lives meaningful.” Yet not all networks are equal. Roy Baumeister, a social psychologist who studies social belonging and rejection, believes that men tend to build broader, shallower networks than women do and […]
My 90 year old mother, Helen, died peacefully in her sleep April 18,2015 in Charleston, West Virginia, the city where I grew up. Although it was expected, I was not prepared to let her go. Saying good-bye to the person who brought you into this world, and perhaps loves you more than anyone else, is […]
Because of today’s strong economy, CEOs are considering investing in their sales efforts to increase market share and position themselves to be tomorrow’s industry leaders. Billions of dollars are spent every year on training to improve sales results. Why should leaders not invest in sales training until they evaluate their sales force top to bottom? […]
When you get ready to have a sales conversation for the first time, your mood matters. HOW you approach a conversation with a customer IMPACTS what will happen in the interaction. Your attitude, energy, perspective or mindset, focus and intentions all get communicated to your customer within seconds of interacting. MOOD Something happens on an […]
How can sales managers help to create great sales cultures? We know that when there is too little accountability on a sales team, several things can happen including: Low performers continue to be paid base salaries without producing minimum results Goals and expectations for actions and results are set but nothing happens when they are not […]
A customer walks into a retail setting, looks away from the salesperson, and picks up a written brochure to read. The salesperson approaches, reaches out their hand, warmly introduces themselves to the customer and the customer turns toward the salesperson and coldly says, “I’m fine — I just want to look around.” The salesperson continues, […]
Having a sales hiring process that upgrades your talent is a smart way to grow sales and raise the bar for your team. THE CHALLENGE Leaders know the value of a great sales hire. A strong salesperson often means the difference between achieving the profit goals of the company and quickly escalating expenses. The challenge […]
One of my favorite things to do is to inspire salespeople. This is because I know they touch so many people’s lives at precisely the moments they need assistance, guidance, clarity and powerful support. When we make large purchasing decisions, we are really creating our future. We will live with our decision at times for […]