Sales
Harvey Dorfman, Author: Mental Game of Baseball “Fear is a sign of intelligence… Whats wrong is fearful behavior” Harvey Dorfman, consultant to some of baseball’s elite teams and players, tells a story of former Oakland A’s star relief pitcher Dennis Eckersley. “Dennis admitted he was scared silly every time he pitched, afraid of humiliation and…
Okay, the market is down 20% in a few short weeks. People are being laid off and companies are cutting back. So what! While business may not be booming like it was a couple of years ago, people are still buying. The world goes on. The question is are they buying from you? In markets…
This Memorial Day Weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Bar Mitzvah of a very special young man, Joshua Feldman. Joshua is special because at the ripe old age of 13, he gave a speech that literally left everyone stunned—a speech that moved the entire congregation and left all of the adults with a…
Recently we solidified a new contract with a client whom I started talking to in 1996. Prior to the agreement, there were 62 points of contact with this client. Over the course of 5 years, 62 points of contact did require a moderate use of my time, even though many of these contacts were voice…
Who says you can’t make money attending cocktail parties? Just ask Debbie Rearley, a Titan sales executive for the Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhatttan hotel. A few months ago, Debbie met an executive of a major retailer at a cocktail party. In their conversation, the retailer talked about the need for space to interview associates…
Recently I stopped into a cellular store to inquire about a new hands free-system for the car. The salesperson is paid on commission. After checking to see if the item is in stock, the salesperson informed me it wasn’t and suggested I call back in a few days to see if it is in. Do you…
Buzz Marketing is the latest fad being talked about. The idea is to use a handful of carefully chosen trendsetters in a community to act as “influencers”. For instance, you can call up your friends or associates and act as an influencer regarding a product or service you highly recommend. If the pitch is done…
Tired of carrying all those brochures and spec sheets? Then go to the nearest dumpster and throw them out (you may want to check with your boss first). Companies now are getting smart and trim by providing their sales people with CD Rom’s the size of a business card. These CD’s are easy to use.…
In case you were wondering if Cindy Roth-Karr is related to me, you better believe it. Besides being a loving wife and wonderful mother who supports my efforts and takes care of family issues during my extensive travels, she is also a sales superstar. While I am usually hesitant to highlight family members, there is…
The consequence question highlights the impacts your customers are likely to face by ignoring the resources you offer. It is the key question for introducing positive change into a sales interview. It provides your customers with self-justification of why it is in their best interests to accept your proposal. The more realistic and compelling the…
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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.…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More