Sales
Imagine you have been waiting on a long line for the cashier in a supermarket. After 20 minutes your turn is finally approaching and out of nowhere someone cuts in front of you. What would you do? Depending on your personality and values, the answers would vary from being quite physical to saying “hey buddy,…
Who says Opportunity knocks only once? Opportunity knocks often. Question is what knocks do you want to accept.
In today’s economic turmoil, the question facing all sales executives is how they can close business when no one is buying. This reminds me of my first sales position when I was hired by Royal Business Machines in 1980 to sell copiers. They just came out with the Royal 115 Copier, their first plain paper,…
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of introducing Steve Forbes at the 2008 National Speakers Association Convention in NYC. Putting politics aside, he emotionally grabbed everyone when he proclaimed this is not all doom and gloom. There is business out there, things will turn and hang in there. I don’t know about you, but…
Sales Wisdom From Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston Is there something you always wanted to do but have never gotten around to it and feel it may be too late? For me, it was playing the piano. I always wanted to learn, but now figured I do not have the time nor the patience to…
When a customer says no to you, what do you think? Sales superstars know that real selling doesn’t even begin until the customer says no. If you don’t believe me, just ask Mike Evans and Steve Tolkach. Both Mike and Steve were honored by the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) this past January…
The economy is bad. People are not buying. Business stinks and you can’t make a living these days. Do you believe that? If so, you need an attitude adjustment right now. Remember this: As you sit there thinking about how bad things are, someone is buying something from your competitor. So stop thinking about how…
As we look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving this Thursday, we should take time to reflect on our successes this year and the gaps we need to fill in order to increase our sales success next year. When it comes to sales, there are 3 areas to look at which can produce immediate results. Calling on…
Do you know when to hold ‘Em and when to fold ‘Em? Poker players of all skill levels are flocking to Poker Boot Camps to make sure they have the upper hand when they are gambling with their hard earned money. These 2-3 day boot camps are held in groups of 60 or less by…
Have you been victimized by a Sample Bandit lately? Sample bandits are the prospects that are always asking for demonstrations, samples and quotes yet never buy from you. The important thing to remember is: you cannot be victimized by these bandits if you are not a willing participant. You can control who wastes your time…
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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