Sales
Listening is by far the most recognized but misunderstood skill that is critical to your success in influencing others to accept your offer. This short video will provide you with a couple of tips on how you can dramatically increase your sales revenues and power of influence by listening better to the people you serve.
Fifteen years ago I was sitting on a plane next to my client, Bud Howard, who was then the Vice President of Sales for Hertz Equipment Rental Corp (division of Hertz). We were in the middle of a three city tour which he hired me to keynote his national sales meetings. It was one of…
Companies and individuals have done the cost cutting. Jobs have been eliminated. Dealerships have been closed. Costs have been slashed. All this has done is help people weather the economic slump. Getting out of the slump is a different story. The only way out is by selling something.
Many books have been written and seminars delivered on the development of so-called ‘closing techniques.’ Most advice on these so-called closing techniques is ludicrous. “Presto change-o,” they promise, “say this and people will magically want to buy from you!” Yet any commitments we “win” by reciting high-handed or manipulative phrases are likely to be short-lived,…
If both you and your client expect to make a profit, then you must have a strong and harmonious relationship between the two of you. Building and maintaining that relationship can take up an enormous chunk of a financial advisor’s time and effort! Here’s some advice on making that investment pay off.
Most salespeople don’t reach their ultimate level of success for one or more of the following three reasons: 1. They’re not that good. 2. They don’t sell effectively. 3. There are issues (delivery, quality, pricing, competition, etc.) outside of their sphere of influence that get in the way of their selling. I have yet to…
This is a really good book. But it is not a book about sales tactics. If you’re looking for the 28 best closing techniques, 15 cold calling scripts or tricks to reach the decision-maker, you need to look elsewhere. Ron Karr’s book is about strategy. And the focus is on team leadership. Now you might…
On This Memorial Day, we take time to thank all those, both past and present, for their heroic efforts to protect our freedom of choice, freedom of speech and our liberty. In thinking about today, my mother comes to my mind. She fought in two wars- Lieutenant in the British Army in WWII and a commander of a battalion…
You can have some really strong traits that will make you successful in life. What you have to watch out for is that one weakness that can bring down your house of cards. Annie Duke, poker champion and contestant on The Celebrity Apprentice, is a great case study of how this can happen. Annie’s ability…
Stories are going around how companies and suppliers of professionals are doing work for free to assist their clients in need. They rationalize this because business is slow and they want to keep their employees busy. They also want to be there for their clients. You want to be there for your clients? Become relevant!…
Do you know that sometimes you have to go slow to go fast? Recently, I installed a new productivity software program. And like many of you, I figured I knew immediately what I had to do, so I didn’t bother reading the instructions. After two painful hours of trying to get the software to work…
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As we’ve all seen for the last year or two, there’s been a lot of shoplifting. A pack of thieves breaking into stores, stealing massive amounts of merchandise, and leaving before the cops come. If they’re caught, they’re back on the streets in a couple of minutes. Shoplifting has gotten to such a high degree…
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When I think of sales success, I think of a Banyan tree. Look at this tree. It is so magnificent. But look at the integrated network of roots. It’s amazing how it grows. Now, here’s what’s special about a Banyan tree. It’s not like normal trees that have one trunk coming down, and it’s not…
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I want you to meet Alex. Alex is a van driver who picked me and a few of my colleagues up from the hotel in Albuquerque this weekend to take us to the airport. It was a seven-minute ride. During the ride, Alex asked us if we had traveled to many different cities and ordered…
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If you truly want to keep your competitors out of your accounts, you must become part of the inner woven fabric of your client’s organization. Consider that loose piece of thread sticking out of the bottom of your sweater, and you start pulling it. All of a sudden, you inadvertently pull apart the entire sweater.…
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A few years ago, I was meeting with Steve Forbes in the Forbes building in his private library. The meeting was to discuss the presentation he was about to give to the National Speakers Association that I was president of. Rather, it was to get him to agree to give that presentation. What struck me in…
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As you create your sales plan for 2024, what’s the one issue you must pay special attention to? That one issue is your ideal customer profile, because that’s going to determine whether or not you gain velocity in your sales efforts. Picture business 2012: I was just voted as the Vice President of the National…
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In the early ‘90s, I trademarked the phrase “The Question Man™.” I believed then, as I believe now, that the answers to your success lie in the questions that you ask. At that time, I had a great client, Hertz Equipment Rental, that rented backhoes. It was a division of Hertz Rental Car Corporation. The VP of Sales was…
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When times are tough, and the flow of customers into your business is slowing down to a drip, what’s more important: marketing or sales? I had that conversation yesterday with the CEO I was coaching. He sells very high-end custom furniture. Because of the economy, he was complaining that the flow of traffic into his…
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Does anything in life come easy for us? Yes and No. When we engage in activities aligned with our strengths and skills, they often come easily to us. On the other hand, tasks that we dislike or lack proficiency in can be challenging. However, that is not what I’m talking about here. Recently, I had…
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