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- 5 Quick Cold Calling Tips that Get Results!2 September 2010, 3:53 am
Written by Art Sobczak, President of Business By Phone Inc. Featured Author in the new book, Mastering the World of Selling Sales Tip One: Never place a cold call. Always know something about the person/organization you call so that you can customize your call to their world, therefore sparking interest, and setting you apart from [...]...
- You Need More Mojo.1 September 2010, 1:51 am
More Mojo. We all want it. No matter how much of it you have, you want more. And the kicker is that you really need it. You need more mojo. You do. If you just lost that big deal yesterday then that’s all you’re thinking about today. And if you’re smirking right now because you just [...]... - It’s The Message Not the Medium Contest!30 August 2010, 2:21 am
Written by Tibor Shanto, Renbor Sales Solutions [Contributing Author] Last week I did a piece on texting as a form of cold calling. As I anticipated there was a lot of reaction to it, and as predicted most of it was negative. Can’t say I blame people, it is intrusive, intimate and personal; but one [...]... - Results-Driven Words (Part 9 of 10)30 August 2010, 2:06 am
Written by Hal Alpiar [Contributing Author] THE WORDS YOU SELL Even though the boss may not like to admit it, when people buy your products and services, they also buy you! Prospects and customers need to feel they can “connect” with a sales rep. Not every purchase satisfies this need, but most do. You are, after [...]... - Texting as a Form of Cold Calling!17 August 2010, 2:56 am
Written by Tibor Shanto, Renbor Sales Solutions [Contributing Author] “The medium is the message.” -Marshall McLuhan A while back I wrote a piece about e-mail as a form of cold calling. We had some interesting reactions… This was top of mind as I was listening to a recorded webcast by a former CMO of a [...]...
- Back to School Reading: Part 12 September 2010, 9:03 pm
For the past few weeks, I've been on a reading frenzy. As a blogger, I get sent tons of new books to review. As a prolific learner, I order a bunch more. As a reviewer, I only share those I really like - which is something I'll be doing in the upcoming month. I hope you enjoy these two books...... - If You're Crazy-Busy Too, This Might Help1 September 2010, 12:48 pm
Ever read a book and saw yourself in it? That's what happened recently when Mike started reading my new book, SNAP Selling. As I described today's frazzled prospects who are struggling to get everything done, it hit home. But what really bothered him was when I pointed out that their frenetic multi-tasking actually caused them to accomplish less. He knew...... - Top Sales Resources: August 201030 August 2010, 1:42 pm
Check these resources from colleagues whom I highly respect: A-Game Selling By Leisa Mohler-Erickson In this ebook, Leisa says, "Back to basics" strategies are akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic --a losing proposition to effectively leapfrog the competition." She's absolutely right. Achieving an A-game requires a laser-focus on driving meaningful behavioral shifts throughout the ranks. Download A-Game...... - What Do You Need to Master the World of Selling?24 August 2010, 10:04 pm
Just a quick note today about a new book that's out called, "Mastering the World of Selling." This book, edited by Eric Taylor and David Riklan, includes articles from top sales experts, premier training companies, as well as the old masters. As someone who was selected as a contributor, I can assure you I gave them my "best stuff." So...... - Social Selling to Crazy-Busy Prospects23 August 2010, 2:44 pm
Recently I had a chance to talk with Umberto Milletti, CEO of InsideView, about his perceptions on the changing sales landscape and the emerging concept of "social selling." Jill: How do you see social media impacting salespeople? I'm talking about things like blogs, twitter, Digg, YouTube and more. Umberto: Salespeople are now facing a new breed of prospect that I......
- Getting Past Superficial Answers to Our Important Sales Questions8 August 2010, 12:26 pm
I had a great massage a couple weeks ago. The massage therapist, Shantel, did a great job. But in addition to a great massage, she also did something great that also applies to the art of successful selling.... - Knowing What to Do vs. Doing It: Successful Selling Requires Knowledge AND Action19 July 2010, 12:36 pm
Successful selling requires sales behaviors that yield the desired results.Sales behaviors are determined by both knowledge and self-talk. Once knowledge is present, the salesperson's self-talk can either lift a salesperson to a new level of sales achievement or can act as a limiter on career and income growth.... - Retail: Customer Service is Good but Selling is Better15 July 2010, 12:41 pm
Customer Service. Every consumer looks for it. Every retailer strives to provide it. But the term is so overused and so under-executed that I have tired of hearing and thinking about it. In my own consumer life, there have been so many missed opportunities by individuals and stores where I have shopped to provide excellent customer service that I'm just about at the point where I want - no, need - to give noogies to every retail salesperson / clerk / customer service representative that I come ... - Do Commission Salespeople Hate Commission Salespeople?12 July 2010, 12:37 pm
I was having a casual chat with a friend this weekend who happens to be a very successful commission salesperson in the business-to-consumer space. I'm not sure how we got on the subject, but she told me that, as a consumer, she avoids dealing with commission salespeople. When I asked her what she meant, she said she avoids buying from commissioned salespeople because "they don't care about me, they only have their own interests in mind." She went on... - How's Your [Selling] Eyesight?8 July 2010, 12:04 pm
The tasks of everyday life require good eyesight. Thankfully, my close-up eyesight is quite good. I can read my morning newspaper, see my breakfast eggs, and clip my toenails without any problem whatsoever (rest assured, I don't do all three at the same time). But thanks to my nearsightedness, I can't see...
- Contest – It’s The Message Not The Medium!1 September 2010, 7:59 am
Back on August 16th, I posted a piece on SalesBlogcast Mindshare, a great blog I contribute to regularly; the post was titled Texting as a Form of Cold Calling!, which based on a comment I heard by a CMO. He had stated clearly that one way to approach him, given his busy schedule and mobility, was [...]... - PRIDE – Part I – Proactive – Sales eXchange – 6030 August 2010, 7:37 am
I speak to many people whose cards say they are in sales, but when you speak to them, you begin to wonder. To be honest I am not surprised, because I find that a lot of people “end up” in sales rather than selecting sales as a profession. Just look around and see how many [...]... - Need Some Sage Advice – BlackBerry, iPhone or Legend?27 August 2010, 7:16 am
My contract with my wireless carrier expires this week, not a big deal, I am not in love with my carrier, but I think they are no better or worse than the others, I have the same uncared for feeling as the other carriers’ customers do, I am sure. Nevertheless, unlike in the past, the [...]... - Big Claims Are Not As Effective As Real Claims You Can Deliver To25 August 2010, 7:54 am
Many sales people and organizations are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves and impress buyers, in the process they sometimes reach further than they have to, and risk having the opposite effect to the one they intended. One method used by many is accentuating the size of or the degree to which their product [...]... - 4D – Four Deep – Sales eXchange – 5923 August 2010, 7:38 am
Certain clichés take root and become part of the tapestry without much if any re-examination of their current reality. Sometimes there is no harm in this, but other times simply accepting something just because it has been around a while, and is repeated by many who have not given it a second thought or spent [...]...
- Let’s Clean Up Our (Sales) Language2 September 2010, 12:15 pm
One of the many tragedies of the American Civil War was that technology outpaced battlefield tactics. Civil War soldiers fought the same way as their forefathers in past wars. The problem was that their predecessors didn’t have the same high-powered (and surprisingly accurate) rifles. The results were horrendous. A similar problem exists in sales. It’s [...]... - Should Sales Managers Focus on Top Performers or Low Performers?24 August 2010, 9:23 pm
It's a question we hear a lot: Should I spend my time with top performing salespeople or bottom performers? Aren't you better off investing your time with responsive salespeople? After all, a good coach brings value to great players and sub-par ones. The same is true in sales management. However, if the salesperson you're coaching won't [...]... - Handling Rejection19 August 2010, 6:27 pm
Salespeople face rejection daily. And handling it appropriately is a critical sales lesson. Here are two, very different tales about handling rejection: The Wrong Way to Handle Rejection Just like any business, we are regularly approached by people looking for jobs. And, because we believe managers should always be on the lookout for talent, if [...]... - The Most Critical Characteristic for Success in Any Endeavor16 August 2010, 11:46 am
According to our research, regardless of what you do, Personal Accountability is the most critical personal skill you can exhibit. Personal accountability, by our definition, is... The willingness to take responsibility for one's own actions. A person who's able to take the blame for mistakes (and the credit for wins) is far more effective at [...]... - The Fine Line Between Confidence and Arrogance13 August 2010, 7:37 pm
There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Here's what I mean... Confidence is the feeling or belief that someone can rely on you. Arrogance is having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities. Here are some differences between the two. Arrogance is exaggerated, meaning it's "larger" than reality. Confidence is [...]...
- Three Steps to Getting Hiqh Quality Referrals From Your Clients1 September 2010, 6:58 pm
Are you finding that you’re just not getting the number of quality referrals you want from your clients? Chances are you said yes because that’s the case with most sellers. Oh, sure, we all have some clients that will give us referrals all day long. Just ask and they’ll give you name after name. Other [...]... - Please, Seller, Cut Out The Lies31 August 2010, 4:02 pm
What does partnering mean to you? Is a partner someone who you join with to accomplish a common goal or is a partner someone you use to accomplish your goal? According to The Free Dictionary, a partner is “one that is united with another or others in an activity or sphere of common interest.” Synonyms [...]... - Guest Article: “So you Say You Have a Sales Process?”, by Rick Page26 August 2010, 1:26 pm
So You Say You Have a Sales Process? By Rick Page The Second-Best Process Finishes Second – and Sometimes Doesn’t Finish at All. We talk to many sales executives about sales effectiveness and of course we do discovery with prospects to see where their needs are. Many of them say that they already have a [...]... - Are You Ready to Master the World of Selling?24 August 2010, 12:05 pm
I want to take just a couple minutes to let you in on something special… …something that could easily make this your BEST YEAR of sales EVER! Eric Taylor and David Riklan, the Creators of the “Mastering the World” book series, are releasing their newest masterpiece… It’s an INCREDIBLY valuable resource for ANYONE working in [...]... - On Being an Optimistic Realist19 August 2010, 4:02 pm
Pessimists. I don’t understand them. My wife is a pessimist. At times she drives me crazy. I get calls and emails from far too many sellers and sales leaders who are pessimists. I don’t understand why they persist in selling, a vocation that will drive an optimist nuts, much a pessimist. I’m an optimist—an unadulterated, [...]...
- Stop Breaking a Sweat During Your Cold Calling
Use Prospecting to Target Your Cold Calls More Effectively Let's just face it. As a sales professional, cold calling probably isn't your favorite thing to do. It's something that you do because you absolutely need to in order to keep your business running smoothly. You probably run through your list of ... ... - Overcoming the Four Top Pricing Objections in a Complex Sale
The most common objection that you will come across in any sales deal is pricing. The prospect will always, without exception, attempt to bring your price down. Your job, as a top salesperson is to find out why the prospect is objecting to the price. Once you have this information, ... ... - Six Major Sales Objections and How to Overcome Them
Customers Who Don't Know What's Good for Themselves? You are an expert complex sales professional and you know how to use prospecting to your advantage. Before you even make a cold call you have already done solid research on your client and are ready to deliver to them multiple reasons why ... ... - How Unnecessary Meetings Can Kill Your Sales Productivity
To Meet or Not To Meet? Salespeople are generally award based on the amount of revenue they are able to bring in. For this reason, it is in the best interests of sales professionals to only be engaged in activities that further this goal. Unfortunately however, things don't always work ... ... - The single biggest mistake sales managers make
Attention Sales Managers: No One Person Can Save Your Organization! Like all people, sales managers are often susceptible to the lure of universal solutions. One of the most common of these false solutions is the "God's Gift" syndrome. If you are a sales manager, this is the type of thing that you ... ...
- What is different about Guerrilla Social Media Marketing?26 August 2010, 6:06 pm
I have been asked by a number of people what the difference is between most brands and a brand that employs guerrilla social media strategies. Today I thought I would share an excerpt from my upcoming book that answers that question. An excerpt from “Guerrilla Social Media Marketing” by Shane Gibson and Jay Conrad Levinson: What is [...]... - Social Media for B2B Marketing and Sales24 August 2010, 10:29 pm
A common question I get from business to business focused marketers and sales professionals is: “Does social media marketing and social networking really work in the B2B space?” I posed this same question to Jeff Booth CEO of Builddirect.com and here was the answer he gave me: “Social media is not really about B2C or B2B it’s [...]... - Social Media Calendar23 August 2010, 6:58 pm
There are many aspects to success in social media. Having a solid goal, knowing your core target market and of course monitoring social media conversations and your brand. Producing great content and engaging community are also vital. All of this has to be grounded in a solid implementation plan in order to work over the [...]... - The Customer Owns Your Brand3 August 2010, 6:25 pm
I saw this great example of how a customer owns your brand in social media. While some Realtors may blog and tweet the links, or others build Facebook page shrines in their likeness, Jack Bernard has been branded by his customers online. You obviously want both, but this creative list as to why he’s the [...]... - Guerrilla Social Media Marketing – Foreword by Guy Kawasaki2 August 2010, 7:31 pm
Since late 2009 Jay Conrad Levinson and I have been working on our new book Guerrilla Social Media Marketing. It’s the latest in the Guerrilla Marketing series of books, the top selling marketing series of books of all time (20 million copies sold). I know Jay personally and when the opportunity came up to write [...]...
- Sales Tip #31: ask more questions2 September 2010, 2:30 pm
As a salesperson, it is your mission to discover exactly what your customer requires by asking the necessary, most pertinent questions. The process of discovery is of paramount importance in your selling career and learning to ask the correct questions is a very necessary skill to acquire. Only when you have discovered what it is that your customers require can you begin to present them with the appropriate solution. Cold-calling can become a thing of the past if you become adept at learning as ... - Sales Tip #12: Educate your customers30 August 2010, 7:00 pm
If a prospect does not understand the products or your proposition, it would be useless to continue an attempt to sell without first clarifying what is being presented. So when an objection indicates that the prospect lacks understanding, you need to become an educator, or a teacher. Action Step: Ensure that you are able to identify the causes of various objections. This way you will be well-positioned to educate your customers when they don’t fully appreciate the product that you’re selling... - Sales Tip: relationships are eternal26 August 2010, 5:00 pm
The Japanese believe that business is temporary, but relationships are eternal. Stop simply offering your products and start building relationships. Relationship-building is imperative in selling. There are products on offer for sale everywhere – but not everybody is an expert. If you can build a solid relationship with your customers and convince them of your expertise in the industry, you will enjoy a long-lasting mutually-beneficial working relationship with them. Action Step Take... - Closing Technique #1: The Trial Close24 August 2010, 1:05 am
To be successful in closing, you must have the will to win. Selling is a win-win situation or it’s a lose-lose situation. There is no “fence-sitting” involved here. It’s all or nothing, and adopting a winner’s attitude will take you far along the road to success. Closing should not be a separate event from the rest of your presentation – it should be integrated into the proposal and it should flow naturally and easily. But, just like the rest of the process, closing should be planned... - Sales tip: how to get repeat orders17 August 2010, 2:30 pm
The professional salesperson knows that she must get repeat orders; that she must build up prestige; and that a satisfied customer is the best advertisement. By building prestige, being honest and trustworthy in your dealings, you will get repeat orders from satisfied customers. These actions are all interlinked – but the starting point is your winning attitude to being an asset to your customer’s business and adding value to his decisions and processes. Building solid relationships based on...
- Can You Sell Better Than the Saleswomen of the Tibetan Mountain Passes?2 September 2010, 10:03 am
As you travel through Tibet, you will encounter thousands of people selling things, including Buddhist prayer bowls, prayer wheels, and prayer beads, carpets, art work and, of course, jewelry. I fully expected to see this in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. What I did not expect was to encounter some of the greatest salespeople I [...]Can You Sell Better Than the Saleswomen of the Tibetan Mountain Passes? is a post from: The Sales Blog | S. Anthony Iannarino Related posts:If You Are Not Going to ... - The Last Few Miles Are the Most Difficult, but the View is Worth It1 September 2010, 7:24 am
I disappeared. I disappeared from the blog, I disappeared from work, and I disappeared from everything else for thirteen days. (Thanks to all of you who were kind enough to email me, call me, and direct message me to make sure nothing happened to me!) A few months ago, I was offered a chance to [...]The Last Few Miles Are the Most Difficult, but the View is Worth It is a post from: The Sales Blog | S. Anthony Iannarino Related posts:Can You Sell Better Than the Saleswomen of the Tibetan Mount... - Is Your Year in Sales the Same Year Over and Over and Over ?17 August 2010, 2:37 pm
Just a few questions: Is your sales year this year the same sales year you had last year? What is different about this year for you? What are you personally doing to make this year different for you? Is what you are doing measurable? Is it having the impact that you need it to have? [...]Is Your Year in Sales the Same Year Over and Over and Over ? is a post from: The Sales Blog | S. Anthony Iannarino Related posts:Who Do You Have To Be To Evolve? It is not the strongest of the species that su... - In Sales, There Are No Rules and You Have to Know Them All17 August 2010, 12:41 am
Say their locking him up, they got him on the run, Might as well sue all the doctors when they don’t get it done, Not everything everybody does, works all the time, son. –Preacher in the Ring, Part II by Bruce Hornsby Yesterday’s post on win-loss reviews sparked an interesting conversation. The object of studying [...]In Sales, There Are No Rules and You Have to Know Them All is a post from: The Sales Blog | S. Anthony Iannarino Related posts:What Your Company Expects of You Your sa... - Taking Stock: A Real Sales Win – Loss Analysis16 August 2010, 12:39 am
After your dream client has made their decision, and they are either your new dream client or they are back on your nurture list, you need to review why you won the deal or lost the deal. This analysis is fraught with dangers, including focusing only on why you lost or getting mired in the [...]Taking Stock: A Real Sales Win – Loss Analysis is a post from: The Sales Blog | S. Anthony Iannarino Related posts:In Sales, There Are No Rules and You Have to Know Them All Say their locking him up,...
- What’s On Your Mind1 September 2010, 1:48 am
Lovin’ all the wonderful tips, ideas and resources that have been flooding in each week! Here’s a question I hope you’re brave enough to share. Have you ever made a DOOFUS sales mistake? Please share so other fabulous women can learn from you!... - What’s On Your Mind25 August 2010, 3:12 am
Wow, summer has flown by! Your Sales Diva has been keeping herself busy, though. I can’t wait to share with you what I’ve been up to. My Diva question for you this week… What would be the biggest piece of advice you’d give to a newbie entrepreneur?... - What’s On Your Mind?11 August 2010, 2:49 am
I love hearing from my subscribers! That’s why each week I have a new, exciting question for you. I want to hear what you have to say! Remember – when you post your response – we post your website. (Talk about FREE PUBLICITY!) My Diva question for you this week… What part of sales or marketing [...]... - The BEST Secret To Keep Your Customers Thrilled!9 August 2010, 3:00 pm
It was one of those days. I had lots of work, feeling like there wasn’t enough timeto do it all, loads of visitors expected at any minute and my dog had just decided to throw-up on the carpet. And in the midst of it all – I dashed outside to check my mailbox. It was stuffed full of fliers, [...]... - Is This Stupid Sales Myth Soaking You?6 August 2010, 5:00 pm
A few weeks ago my youngest niece got into a VERY big water fight. The problem is that her Super-Soaker Gun had a major leak in it. No matter how quick she was with adding water and hunting down her opponent – she immediately ran out of water! And she was getting completely DRENCHED. One of the things I love [...]...
- How To Get More Clients Online: Part 1 – The Power of a Content Rich Website29 August 2010, 10:31 am
This is the first in a series of posts on how to get more clients via online approaches for your professional business. It’s written specifically with small and independent consultants and coaches in mind – but the lessons are applicable to other professional businesses. If you’d like to learn more about how to get clients [...]How To Get More Clients Online: Part 1 – The Power of a Content Rich Website is a post from: Get More Clients in Less Time: Practical Strategies, ... - The Secret of Writing a Bestseller…24 August 2010, 5:54 pm
…get some friends to help. And if those friends are the very, very best in the field, it really, really helps. What on earth am I talking about? I recently contributed a chapter (Selling for the Independent Professional) to the newly released book Mastering the World of Selling by Eric Taylor and David Riklan, published [...]The Secret of Writing a Bestseller… is a post from: Get More Clients in Less Time: Practical Strategies, Proven Results... - How to Nurture Business Development Capabilities13 August 2010, 4:49 pm
I’m currently on vacation in France, sipping on Stella Artois and musing on why the French always seem so much more sophisticated than we Brits. For holiday reading I’m skimming through Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book – “What the Dog Saw” – a collection of some of his New Yorker essays. I like Gladwell. Sometimes his [...]How to Nurture Business Development Capabilities is a post from: Get More Clients in Less Time: Practical Strategies, Proven Results... - How To Build Yourself As The Authority Figure In Your Industry7 August 2010, 4:04 pm
Today’s article is a guest post from Travis Petelle of Breakthrough Business Solutions. Travis has picked up on my ideas on Authority Marketing and shares some excellent tips on how to build an authority position in your business. Building yourself as an authority figure in your niche could possibly be the best thing you could [...]How To Build Yourself As The Authority Figure In Your Industry is a post from: Get More Clients in Less Time: Practical Strategies, Proven Results... - How Not To Keep In Touch – IBM Style3 August 2010, 11:38 pm
It’s important that you keep the contact details of your prospects and customers up to date. But here’s an example of the wrong way to do it… I got a phone call a couple of days ago from IBM – or rather from one of their offshore call centres. Is that Mr Brodie? Yeah, that’s [...]How Not To Keep In Touch – IBM Style is a post from: Get More Clients in Less Time: Practical Strategies, Proven Results...
- Coca-Cola Checks In with Facebook via RFID25 August 2010, 3:00 am
August 24, 2010 It’s been exactly 100 days since I’ve blogged as I’ve been tied up with a new marketing role at ReachLocal. After seeing this video I had to share and applaud Publicis E-dologic for a pain-free way to integrate social sharing with Facebook. Coca Cola – The Real Life Like – (2010) Israel Talk about connecting the real world [...] ... - Paciugo Launches 4 New Gelato Flavors including one with Bacon17 May 2010, 1:43 pm
Paciugo is launching 4 new flavors in May including one with Bacon. I was excited to interview the co-founder of the local Dallas business with 43 locations and a talkable brand. [...] ... - Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Social on Twitter and Facebook28 April 2010, 2:28 pm
April 28, 2010 Today Baskin-Robbins is running their 31 Cent Scoop Night to Benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. I discovered this campaign last week on Twitter and have been impressed by the level of full integration across multiple channels. As a marketer and social media enthusiast, I’m always looking for ways to demonstrate what a well orchestrated and [...] ... - New LinkedIn Feature Allows You to Follow Company Profile26 April 2010, 1:10 pm
April 26, 2010 As I was going through business cards Sunday inviting people to connect, I noticed LinkedIn had recently added a new feature. The “Follow company” capability allows you to follow all of the updates to a company profile. Since I have a Business account, I’m not sure whether this is a free feature or not. However, I [...] ... - What to Share on Twitter20 April 2010, 1:36 am
April 19, 2010 The 80/20 Rule of Twitter Basically the premise of this is 80% of the time you should be talking about someone other than yourself or your business. The other 20% is you sharing your own content. When I look at a business new to Twitter I often discover they are primarily sharing their own content such as [...] ...
- Increase Sales with ABS, Not ABC29 August 2010, 8:48 pm
If you have been in sales for long, it is likely that you have probably been sold at one time or another that you should "always be closing." "Focus on ABC!" This statement is as tired as the manipulative closing...... - Laid Back Networking VII16 August 2010, 4:48 pm
It's coming! It's coming! It's Laid Back Networking VI! Once again, Jeff Garrison of Sales Habitudes and Drew McLellan of McLellan Marketing Group invite you to ... Show up Bring a couple of bottles of your favorite beer (cooler and...... - Personal Business Brand vs. Corporate Brand28 July 2010, 6:26 am
If my father told me once, he told me a thousand times. "Jeff, remember, business is for making money." He usually said this in the context of a "keep your fixed expenses low" speech. Now I find myself repeating this...... - Selling Ice Cream in February (A Story of Sales Paradigm Shift)14 July 2010, 8:21 pm
Winning Sales Paradigm has been the subject of conversation a lot lately. Coincidentally, following a lunch of sharing philosophies and stories about sales, Tom Wheeler of Modern Woodman sent me this email. I want to thank him for his generosity...... - In This Economy, I Just Can't Sell ...6 July 2010, 10:57 pm
Recently I participated in a conversation with a few sales people during which one was asking the other, "How do you sell a product that is twice the cost of mine? I can't get anyone to buy in this economy."......
- Trade Show Mistakes Costing Business Dearly12 April 2010, 7:26 am
... - Avoid Personal Flat Battery Syndrome23 March 2010, 11:48 am
... - Gain Business through Promoting your Expertise9 March 2010, 4:24 am
... - The Lone Ranger had support; do YOU have enough?25 February 2010, 3:28 am
... - Is your Business a Nest Egg or a Future Millstone?17 February 2010, 4:54 am
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- LinkedIn: Should you share your connections?1 April 2010, 2:36 pm
Recently I attended a local technology networking event. There seems to be about one a day here in Cambridge, but in general they’re pretty good and you get to meet some interesting people. This event was no exception and I left having had some useful chats and with a few business card in my pocket. [...]... - 2010 Sales goals – Q1 Review18 March 2010, 6:03 pm
You will recall that in late 2009 we looked at how to set sales goals for 2010. Well it may have escaped your notice but it’s getting to the end of Q1, so how are you doing? With a week and a half to go, now is about the right time to start worrying if [...]... - Poacher turned gamekeeper – When someone wants to sell to you5 March 2010, 12:56 pm
One of the most interesting and entertaining experiences for sales people is when someone tries to sell to them. Common opinion is that sales people are easy to sell to because the sympathise with person selling to them. I’m not really sure whether this is the case, personally I quite like to torture the person [...]... - Some useful air travel tips24 February 2010, 2:35 pm
Over the last week or so I’ve come across some interesting articles and tips on air travel. Given the amount of time we sales people spend travelling I decided to pass them on. I hope you find them useful… Book Airline Flights Past Your Destination for Cheaper Fares Save Money by Shipping Your Luggage Dealing With Flight Delays [...]... - A prospecting no no17 February 2010, 5:28 pm
It’s a amazing sometimes how you find new prospects. The other evening I was in the pub with some friends and introduced a new acquaintance, Bert, to an old friend of mine, Fred. After a minute chatting it turned out that the organisation Fred worked for was a prime prospect for the service that Bert was selling. [...]...
- New Blog & Web Address21 December 2009, 5:47 pm
Please join me at the new location that will host both my blog and my website: http://tomhackelman.net Once you visit, please click on the RSS feed and subscribe to regular updates from my blog postings. I look forward to seeing you there! ... - Shift from Dreaming to Doing9 December 2009, 8:23 am
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." -- Walt Disney Walt Disney's theme parks are the result of a lot talking and years of dreaming, but Walt Disney made them a reality. When his park opened in Orlando, he had already passed but his family knew the truth. While he wasn't there to personally witness the actual opening of his theme park, he had, in fact seen it in his mind as he dreamed of what could be. The key for Walt Disney is he took action. In spi... - World Changer or Wannabee?7 December 2009, 12:07 pm
Most of my professional career I've been surrounded by the wannabees. The wannabees are the individuals who crowd around the cubicles and chat because they hate going out and making sales calls. The wannabees are the ones who leave the office first thing in the morning and head to the gym or the local coffee shop because the world's just too tough out there. It's the wannabees who complain that they're left behind or worry about layoffs or wonder why they can't get the promotio... - Looking for Leaders2 December 2009, 9:34 am
The problem today is we have far too many managers. Managers, unfortunately, are sheep herders. Their primary function is to maintain the status quo and make sure specific preset targets are met. Managers don't think beyond the proverbial box; managers are instructed to keep everything inside the box. Don't even think about coloring outside the lines. In today's world -- in the economy, in politics, in business -- the world is looking for leaders. Leaders who hav... - Are you providing real value?2 December 2009, 8:48 am
If you really want to grow and increase market share in 2010, then review what you are doing right NOW as well as how your activity plans for next year will help focus your efforts on providing real value to your current clients as well as those accounts you are pursuing. One of the best ways to provide real value is through free educational events. What subject can you share with your clients and prospects about that will aid them in their business? Who can you invite that can speak on a...
- How To Create Marketing Messages that Sell26 July 2010, 12:12 am
I share in this post my methods for creating marketing messages that are relevant, compelling and persuasive, walking through an example from my own life. No related posts.... - How Having Fun Can Increase Your Marketing ROI21 June 2010, 1:02 am
I read an article recently where one of the points I don't feel was given enough attention, that is, there is "a simple human truth: it's hard to laugh alone." No related posts.... - The Death of Business14 June 2010, 2:25 am
The sky is falling! The sky is falling! It's the "death of" business! Here are some recent articles where I have noticed this "dying" trend: No related posts.... - How To Build a Website Using WordPress and Thesis Theme Part 317 May 2010, 3:27 am
Part three of how to use Wordpress and the Thesis Theme to build a website, plugins for video, print-friendly, Facebook Like, post to Facebook, Myspace, Twitter. Related posts:How To Build a Website Using WordPress and Thesis Theme Part 1 How To Build a Website Using WordPress and Thesis Theme Part 2 ... - How To Build a Website Using WordPress and Thesis Theme Part 22 May 2010, 8:18 pm
Part two of how to use Wordpress and the Thesis Theme to build a website, using Thesis Hooks to add a Clickable-to-Home Header Image. Related posts:How To Build a Website Using WordPress and Thesis Theme Part 1 How To Build a Website Using WordPress and Thesis Theme Part 3 ...
- Going for the No6 August 2010, 3:09 pm
First, I’d like to thank you all for your Ezine topic requests. I do my best to answer them, and generally I look for multiple requests on the same subject. And there are a lot of them because let’s face it ? we?re all struggling with the same objections though in different forms. For example, one [...]... - Another Way to Double Your Sales in 90 Days20 July 2010, 3:00 pm
Sounds too good to be true, doesn?t it? Stan Billue, a top telemarketing sales trainer in the late 80?s, claimed that he had a sure fire technique that could double your sales in 90 days if you just followed it. So I did. And it worked! The technique? Record your calls. Everything that you are [...]... - Double Your Sales With This One Technique19 July 2010, 3:00 pm
I talk a lot about the techniques that separate the Top 20% of the money earners from the other 80%. As you know, my Ezine is dedicated to providing you, often word for word, with the exact tools, tips and strategies that you can use to become a Top 20% producer. And today I’m going [...]... - Five Sure Fire Ways to Overcome Call Reluctance15 July 2010, 3:00 pm
Have you ever sat at your desk, shuffled your leads, looked at the clock thinking that lunchtime was way too far off, and then prayed for the phone lines to go dead? Has the phone ever seemed like a 500-pound weight? If so, then you know what call reluctance is. Before I became a Top [...]... - How to Qualify Before You Send Information14 July 2010, 3:00 pm
In response to last week’s article on ?Just send some information,? someone wrote and asked this: ?Sometimes it takes five to seven ?touches? before someone will buy, and sending information begins that process. How do I strike a balance or know when to just cut bait and not send anything?" I understand it’s important to [...]...
- The Greatest Executive Challenge: Changing an Organization’s Culture26 March 2010, 7:00 pm
Culture is established from the inside out, not from the outside in...You will have maximum cultural impact when you can cause people to want to take a certain action, and enable them to cause others to want the same...The following four characteristics highlight the power of influence and why it is more effective than control...... - The Lost Art of Lost Metrics: Turning Past Losses into Future Wins23 March 2010, 2:09 am
Many sales organizations track the reasons why their deals were lost, but this only paints part of the picture. Let us examine one highly valuable lost metric that is often overlooked…... - Whiteboard Thinking: A Thousand Words are Worth a Picture9 March 2010, 8:48 pm
We’ve heard it said that a picture is worth a thousand words. If that is true then the converse is also true: a thousand words are worth a picture. What I mean is that if it requires a thousand words to explain, then it’s complex. If it’s complex, then it needs to be mapped out. It needs a picture. The 7 steps to "Whiteboard Thinking" will help you to define and simplify any complex problem so you can tackle it with clarity and confidence.... - How to Inspire End User Adoption21 December 2009, 1:02 pm
What if 100% of your sales team members are not passionate evangelists of your process (imagine that!)?...The following guidelines will help you to continuously increase adoption...How do you drive adoption? You don't. You inspire adoption!... - “Weighted BANT”: A Simple Lead Qualification Methodology7 December 2009, 1:47 am
Here's the challenge with BANT that many companies will admit: "If I hold to all four criteria, then I will not qualify enough leads. But if I remove any one criterion, then I will qualify too many leads. Either way, I can't win!" Yes, you can win. There is another way that is easy to deploy and can be quickly configured in most SFA or CRM systems......
- Daniel Pink on the Surprising Science of Motivation2 September 2010, 11:00 am
... - Unique Strengths & Talents-How to Identify Yours When Looking For a New Job?1 September 2010, 11:00 am
Identifying your unique energy, passion, talents and strengths is fundamental in determining the best role to meet your needs in the marketplace. Here are 9 steps to support you in relation to your ability and the needs of the market. “Where your talents and the needs of the world collide, there lies your vocation” Aristotle ... - Max Your Interview Technique!31 August 2010, 11:00 am
... - Money as an excuse for not changing careers?30 August 2010, 11:00 am
Is economic motivation and need really enough by itself to keep you in your current career? It would appear to be so, as employers continue to have the upper hand in the labour market. The scales are tipped heavily in favour of employers who have used economic reward as the primary lever for ensuring employee retention. The international economic situation remains bleak in many developed economies and employment opportunities are limited for many workers. It looks like wages are remaining stati... - Celebrating Career Transition27 August 2010, 11:00 am
Being in and enjoying the present moment; interestingly, the summer season is a particularly poignant time in my life. The following reflections reveal the positive difference I’ve made to myself because of the opportunities I’ve created, actions I’ve taken and changes I’ve made as a result of career change. I am thankful and appreciative for listening to myself and taking action in relation to my career development journey...
- Loyalty Counts!2 September 2010, 9:54 pm
Sorry, Friends and Visitors ~~ It’s only been a day, and “Barnegat Girl” still has my mind and my heart captive (See 9/1 blog post below), so I’m taking off tonight instead of my usual Friday. Please return tomorrow for a post I promise that YOU will relate to, entitled: “Aha! Foiled Again!” Barnegat Girl & Hal... - Teenage Trooper1 September 2010, 7:07 pm
“BARNEGAT GIRL” 10/15/97 – 9/1/10 R.I.P. “The BEST Golden Retriever Girl In The Whole World” We are in deep sadness for having lost a dear family member and great friend and companion today. It’s never a good time for letting go. This is especially true for the one who’s been the loyalest, sweetest, and most fun-loving guardian of our [...]... - Business Separation and Divorce1 September 2010, 12:48 am
Feuding Families, Combative Couples, Peeved Partners and Belligerent Boards Constant arguing, bitter and mean-spirited discussions, “business infidelity,” resentment, continuous bickering an... - DECISIONS, DECISIONS . . .30 August 2010, 10:12 pm
First and third OR first and reverse? Given the enviable place to have runners when you’re up (first base and third base), you might think tonight’s post is another baseball story, or first down and a reverse hand-off in football . . . Sorry, sports fans: This one’s about an unusual car, and your unusual [...]... - What are YOUR “Best Business Interests”?29 August 2010, 10:20 pm
What you target for your business may not be healthy! Think of it this way: You really want a bacon-wrapped sausage smothered in melted cheese on a slice of buttered white bread with side orders of scrapple and syrup, chili cheese fries , Buffalo wings and onion ring...
- Have you ever been CAUGHT? > Fwd:Twitter Support: update on @coachingtrain28 August 2010, 2:16 pm
**Confidential** We do the dirty work for our readers>> Even if you are not a spammer "perception is reality." This is the second time @coachingtrain has been suspended for pushing the twitter system to its limits in order to provide its readers with the the most accurate and up to date information available on the [...]... - Review: The Facebook Effect (via Sarcastic Mister Know It All)27 August 2010, 7:46 pm
I tend to write about Facebook quite often on this blog. Part of the reason is that you can't avoid mentioning Facebook in one way or another these days given its ubiquity. Another part of the reason is that, honestly, I'm a big fan of Facebook and what it's been able to accomplish. I thought [...]... - Re @coachingtrain suspension26 August 2010, 10:43 pm
@coachingtrain is back up Will forward additional details They took away half of our followers Twitter Support ticket is still being work on Sent from tech team iPhone On Aug 25, 2010, at 6:35 PM, Andrew Bommarito wrote: > We are mobile > > Just checked email though > > Nothing back from twitter yet [...]... - Re @coachingtrain suspension25 August 2010, 10:35 pm
We are mobile Just checked email though Nothing back from twitter yet Sorry coach We will keep you posted Sent from tech team iPhone... - Twitter: Account Name @coachingtrain *Suspended*25 August 2010, 6:53 pm
Attention Twitter Users: Live testing for your social media today! Twitter: Account Name @coachingtrain is suspended. We appreciate your patience during this time and will update you as soon as possible. Also attached are the 'suspension" screen shot and the "letter to twitter" screenshot (very funny letter format ) The results from Twitter will be back [...]...
- Tone Matters26 August 2010, 5:48 pm
By: Eric Young, Director of Sales & Sales Trainer One of the often-used clichés in sales is “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” This cliché has actually been so overused that people have forgotten how true it really is. At Vorsight, I often hear BDAs trying to copy the effective talking points that their peers use, but end up failing because each BDA has a different “voice.“ The importance of finding your voice really hit me during a recent vacation with my family in F... - Vocus’ Next in Line Lead Generation Meeting Queue10 August 2010, 5:56 pm
After reading our article in the Washington Post, Lanham, MD based PR and communications software juggernaut Vocus invited us in to see how we could help them with lead generation sales training. During the conversation, they told us about an interesting process that they use to ensure that each of their inside sales reps are equally fed intro sales meetings by the separate lead generation team. I asked them if I could share it with our community and they said OK. Here are the details: Each me... - The “Ah Ha” Moment9 August 2010, 10:59 pm
By: Ted Martin, Director of Sales & Sales Trainer When discussing sales training there are common conversations surrounding different methodologies, presentation styles, why/when do you need it, etc. The one thing we do not discuss is the “ah-ha” moment. By: Ted Martin, Director of Sales & Sales Trainer When discussing sales training there are common conversations surrounding different methodologies, presentation styles, why/when do you need it, etc. The one thing we do not discuss is t... - Get Organized - The Importance of a Sales Process1 July 2010, 5:30 pm
By: Bill Mooney, Director of Sales & Sales Trainer In my experience conducting inside sales/prospecting workshops my favorite question to ask the attendees is, “What characteristic do you think the most successful salespeople share?” Some typical responses include: Personable Outgoing Persistent Charming Tenacious Determined Focused By: Bill Mooney, Director of Sales & Sales Trainer In my experience... - 3 Reasons to Develop a Peer-Peer Sales Coaching Program24 June 2010, 6:45 pm
By: Eric Young, Director of Sales & Sales Trainer One frustration I frequently hear from sales managers is they wish they could be in “5 places at once” on the floor working directly with their team. Because they have other priorities (and because of the laws of physics) this is not realistic. Thus, many managers are in a bind. On the one hand, they want to diagnose skill gaps and drive performance improvements before these issues emerge in a territory review; on the other hand this is n...
- Stop the social media leak early2 September 2010, 2:02 pm
You know those scenes in Hollywood films where a gas leak is slowly creeping towards a lighted cigarette, or something equally flammable? (I think Batman Begins was the latest blockbuster to use this fool proof suspense tactic when a hapless taxi driver happens to throw a cigarette butt into the main gas tunnel - might want to get onto town planning there...)Either way, those scenes are a good way of describing the relationship between social media and businesses. When the leak first starts it's... - Contact Mining - more than just a name31 August 2010, 12:59 pm
Everyone's looking for a name, a path into the business, a contact to cling onto. But searching for names can bring back more than just a static phone number. Yes it's important to know who you're targeting but it's also important to make sure you're in line with their ideologies.By monitoring a potential contact online you can follow comments made, campaigns launched and general business activity that can lead to a phone call at just the right time. Imagine if a CEO has just given a key note sp... - Why a fuzzy search just won't work26 August 2010, 2:15 pm
A journalist is a funny creature. I know this because technically I've been one and I know exactly what they're thinking. A couple of tips about journalists:1) Know that every time you're speaking to a journalist they're wondering how they can turn what you're saying into a pun.2) They like to throw around strange words and phrases to feel satisfied that they've had a rather productive day.So rest assured if you're interested in management changes you can't just Google the phrase 'new CEO' and e... - Building a history of sales intelligence24 August 2010, 11:33 am
Sometimes a deal may not go quite according to plan. Any salesperson reading that will be hitting their hand against their forehead sarcastically uttering 'well duh!'. Rarely will the pipeline unfold exactly how you planned it and sometimes it's your versatility and ability to maneuver around tricky situations which make or break a contract. There may be times when you even miss out on the deal completely, or don't make the sale successful. It's all too easy to write it off and move on but as I'... - Automate sales intelligence....because it's hard enough just to keep up with the diagram!19 August 2010, 1:20 pm
There's not a great deal I need to say about the above. Other than the fact it's pretty amazing. If you can find me a human eye that can keep up with that level of content I will pull away their mask and show Robocop like mechanics behind his facade. There's just too much noise to go it alone when looking for business insights and potential sales triggers. That diagram makes logging onto the Internet feel like leaving the house to be instantly swamped by content zombies (maybe that's just me...p...
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