A salesman was demonstrating unbreakable combs in a department store. He was impressing the people who stopped by to look by putting the comb through all sorts of torture and stress. Finally to impress even the skeptics in the crowd, he bent the comb completely in half, and it snapped with a loud crack. Without…
Therefore, it’s a good idea to remember the sound advice of Stephen R. Covey when speaking with your prospects: “The little kindnesses and courtesies are so important. Small discourtesies, little unkindnessess, little forms of disrespect make large withdrawals. In relationships, the little things are the big things.” As I like to say, treat every prospect…
An important lesson for any sales professional is to be coachable. If you refuse to follow the coach’s leadership, then you can’t function as the member of a team, the team can’t function, and no one can win long term. Take it from Peyton Manning: “The head coach tells us what to do, and we…
Few things irritate me more than hearing managers spout truisms like “sales is a numbers game” or “this is a people business.” Well, duh. Football is a game of yard lines and turf. Saying so doesn’t tell you anything helpful. Pithy words of wisdom can be beneficial, but too much of what you hear about…
Zig Zigler said the following: “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.” How true. It’s not enough to have the attributes that point you in the direction of success. It’s not even enough to have the talents and skills that…
Too many sales leaders put together a plan for their team only to leave it collecting dust on some shelf or cabinet. Margaret Thatcher knew better than this. She said: “Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.” I like to say that if your plan doesn’t have coffee stains on…
You’ve probably noticed when visiting the doctor that they will ask questions that are somewhat arranged in categories. Each question helps narrow the search for the solution or diagnosis. The doctor begins by asking broadly about how the patient feels, next asks about specific areas of the body that are in discomfort or pain, and…
How this for confidence and ambition? Steve Prefontaine: “Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.” Do you have this kind of attitude about your profession? Do you push yourself as far as you can go? If not, why not?
If I represent a major developer in an industry, chances are I have a product or service that meets my prospect‘s needs. But that’s not always the case, so what do I do in these situations? If my product or service doesn’t meet the needs of my prospect, I don‘t sell it! I give a…
If you find yourself defending your product against the objections of a prospective customer, you’re probably taking the wrong approach. It pays to remember that the job of the sales professional is not to sell as many or as much of his product or service as he can, but to assist prospects with finding the…