A while back, we explored some of the key takeaways from a content marketing trends report produced by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI), and I identified some trends worthy of more in-depth exploration. They included: Well-researched personas can help teams create successful content; however, too few content marketers (42%) are actually talking with customers to […]
Sales Activities
“What Could Go Wrong?”
It seems to be human nature that we don’t want to think about what could go wrong. Particularly in sales, we are continually optimistic, we want to be positive, particularly with our customers. So why would we ever want to talk about what could go wrong? Particularly when we are in the middle of the […]
Are You the Salesperson Creating Value for Your Customer?
I was talking to a team of sales people about engaging their customers with insight and getting them to think about their businesses in different ways. They happened to sell supply chain management software. The software, like most other supply chain software solutions enabled their customers to better understand and manage inventory, orders, quality, scheduling […]
How to Track Sales Calls and Increase Conversions
Whether you have an established business or a growing one, sales calls are an essential part of your success. According to a Bright Local survey, 60 percent of customers still prefer to call businesses as part of their online search. However, to translate calls from prospects to sales, you’ll need to track them. Unfortunately, many […]
Cold Calling Never Went Out of Style
Recently, someone made a comment saying, “It’s interesting to see cold calling coming back into style…” The comment startled me, and I can see where the speaker was coming from, but I couldn’t have disagreed more. The reality is cold calling has never gone out of style. As you look at the performance of consistent […]
The Well Informed Buyer: How to Sell to a Customer Who Knows Everything
Selling was relatively easier when there was no internet or smartphones. Today, every claim that a salesman makes can be instantly verified by the buyer. At the outset, this seems great because no one can trick the buyer into making a purchase any more. However, this also poses a challenge. As any SDR will tell […]
High Performers Spend Their Time Differently
Before reading this post, think about the following quote from Abraham Lincoln: If I have 6 hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first 4 hours sharpening the axe. I’ve had the great privilege of coaching/advising one of the highest performance sales teams I’ve ever worked with. They are led by a great […]
You’re Not Ready for That Call!
Somehow, it seems that a post on preparing for sales calls/meetings would be totally unnecessary. One would hope all sales professionals would have a plan for every call, if only to manage their own time very well. When I talk to sales people about the importance of sales call/meeting planning, the responses tend to fall […]
5 Quick Sales Tips
Here are 5 totally random sales tips that I found helpful in my business last week. 5 Random Sales Tips When you use these sales tips on a regular basis it will keep your business rolling along. Keep it simple! When you keep it simple it is easier for your customers to buy from you. […]
Great Selling is Like Great Music
Over the weekend, my wife and I had the opportunity to go to a couple of concerts. One was with a great symphony orchestra, the other was with a college freshman orchestra. Both were playing classics, but the difference in the experience was profound. (By the way, both were far more capable than I, I […]
