I write this blog post during the holiday season in 2018. I was doing some of the odd jobs associated with life and thinking as I worked about how gratitude works. Family and Gratitude This year we again gathered with family and friends to celebrate gratitude around the Thanksgiving dinner table. Our tradition has been…
In an ideal world you would never have competitive bidding. But, hey, check it out. The world we live in is not ideal. Buyers continue to make us compete for business. So how do the best sales people survive and thrive? It’s not that they never bid. But they do it on their own terms….
Have you ever found yourself in a competitive commodity selling environment where your competitor (Brand X) offers inferior quality and/or service or a cheaper price for what your customer is buying? Here are a few thoughts Never knock the competition. It will only sound like sour grapes. Instead, tell your prospect about your product or service,…
OMG! I just lost a sale! What will happen to me? How do I explain it to my boss? I feel terrible. I thought I did my best but still no deal! Be mentally tough. It’s Not Personal Don Miguel Ruiz in his book The Four Agreements suggests we shouldn’t take anything personally. This recommendation…
Every now and then, selling done right pays off in unexpected ways. Here is a favorite customer success story. I attended a “meet-and-greet” for subcontractors sponsored by a Midwest construction company bidding on a contract in Maryland some years ago. At the event I met with the buying team for my scope. My company was…
Dreaded objection! It’s part of the selling process. Learning to handle objections is key to becoming the best sales person you can be. So here it is time to close the deal. You have invested time and sweat into preparing the proposal to solve the prospects problem. All through the selling process you have gotten…
Fundamental selling behaviors and activities are what great sales processes are built on. Like Einstein’s theory of relativity, they connect all elements of the process to yield the desired result. Fundamental Selling Survives Over Time For those who remember the Bob Dylan song from mid last century “Times They Are A Changin’” will no doubt…
So you think practicing your sales skills is a waste of time? Interesting, since most star sales people practice all the time. Like people in other walks of life, champion sales people consider practice essential. Practice Makes Successful Sales People As soon as the first game of his comeback had ended, the basketball super star Michael…
The art of sales prospecting is a “state of mind.” The best prospectors are always looking for new opportunities. Always have your antenna up. Prospects are everywhere! Prospecting – The Art Of Finding New Business Our oldest daughter is a Disney Vacation Planner and a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant. It’s a joy to be out…
Most buying decisions are made emotionally and one of the strongest emotions known to man is pain. People will go to great lengths to alleviate or avoid pain, including paying top dollar. Successful professional salespeople master the art of getting the prospect to open up and reveal not only needs, but real pain. Finding the…