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The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Employee Morale and Retention – Money Talks, but Caring is Key

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Have you ever watched a TV show and been able to connect a character’s behavior to something specific in your life or work experience? I had that happen to me recently. If you watch the Bravo reality series, Flipping Out, you are familiar with Jeff Lewis and his reputation for being opinionated, outspoken, slightly neurotic with a quick, dry wit and a direct communication style. I actually love his personality! However, he can easily rub others the wrong way and he often has major conflict with those closest to him. 

On a recent episode, Jeff admitted how valuable his design assistant Vanina is to him and how much he relies on her for the success of his business. He explained that he’d recently given her a substantial raise to let her know just how much he appreciates her. Regardless, in this episode, she broke down in tears and admitted she was ready to leave because she felt overworked and underappreciated. 

Magic Needs Analysis Questions

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Like buried treasure, salespeople have been looking for a short list of magic needs analysis questions forever. So where is that list, and what are the questions on it? Not sure where the list is, but here is an insight into which questions can really get the prospect talking and revealing the trouble or growth opportunities that you might be able to address: Ask questions early on that are relevant to their unique situation today. You can build these questions easily with just a little research. For example… 

Topics: Needs Analysis sales strategy Sales

If Your Sales Team Was in the NFL, Would You Make the Playoffs?

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If you ask me, it’s the best time of the year… the NFL season is here! Tailgating, road trips, barbecue, fantasy football, the joy of victory, the agony of defeat! Every team, or at least the diehard fan, is overflowing with optimism that “this will be the year!” The NFL is home to the best of the best, but only 12 teams will make the playoffs, and one and only one will be left standing in Minneapolis after Super Bowl LII (that’s 52 for those that would have to look it up like me).

Would your sales team make the playoffs, or perhaps even make it to the Super Bowl? Fans who are passionate about the “Xs and Os” of football know there are great “game plan coaches” and great “game day coaches.” The best are great at both. They have a great plan (game week), and great execution (game day). To be a great sales leader, you need a great plan AND great execution. You can’t just give the pre-game speech, and you certainly can’t coach in hindsight after all the points are on the board (think month-end revenue). You have to be a great game day coach, ON THE FIELD!  The best sales plan in the world will only get you so far. Here are the keys to being the best game day sales coach you can be.

6 Elevator Pitch Examples to Inspire Your Own + More

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We hope you've had a great week! It's Friday, and today we're sharing what we've been reading online this week! Here are our "best" from around the web.

16 Elevator Pitch Examples to Inspire Your Own — HubSpot

When someone asks, "What do you do?", you need a short, snappy, easy-to-grasp explanation of your company and its products. The person you’re speaking with might turn out to be a perfect fit or know someone who is. If you’re looking for some inspiration, these elevator pitch examples illustrate six different ways to describe what you can offer.

Topics: Inbound Marketing Sales Wrap-up

Are You Crippling Your Sales Growth By Not Delegating Effectively?

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“That’s okay, I’ll just do it myself.” I have uttered those words many times in my life and regretted it because I put too much on my plate, or because I offended the person I said it to. 

It may seem quicker and easier to do work yourself because it takes time to ask someone for help, explain what you need, and hand off the responsibility to others. The problem is, over time, that way of thinking negatively impacts productivity and growth. 

Recently, I was talking with a sales manager who said, “By the time I explain how to do this, I could just do it myself.” That may be true, but I told him to think about how that impacts the development of his direct reports. People will not grow if you do not give them responsibility in an area of strength. If they’re not using their talents, they are not growing. It’s not just about getting the work done, it’s how you grow and develop people. 

How the Best Reps Answer "Can You Just Tell Me the Price?" + More

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We hope you've had a great week! It's Friday, and today we're sharing what we've been reading online this week! Here are our "best" from around the web.

1How the Best Reps Answer "Can You Just Tell Me the Price?" — HubSpot

The problem with discussing price is that it puts the buyer and the seller on opposing sides. At least, that is how we are programmed to engage in such discussions. When price is mentioned, sellers automatically go on the defensive, build their trenches, and hunker down, hoping the assault will pass if we evade the questions long enough. And buyers keep sending over pricing grenades. hoping that one will explode and open up a breach in the trench. Here's how to change that dynamic.

Topics: Inbound Marketing Sales Wrap-up

7 Reasons Awkward Silences ... Are Actually Powerful Sales Tactics + More

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We hope you've had a great week! It's Friday, and today we're sharing what we've been reading online this week! Here are our "best" from around the web.

17 Reasons Awkward Silences ... Are Actually Powerful Sales Tactics  — HubSpot

In sales, awkward silences are actually good — that is, if you know how to use them to your advantage. Consider the following positive outcomes of awkward silences, and the negative ramifications of breaking them.

Topics: Inbound Marketing Sales Wrap-up

5 Lessons I Learned as an Ad Salesperson and as an Ad Buyer

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I have had the rare pleasure of being on both sides of the advertising desk, both as an advertising salesperson and sales manager, and as an ad buyer at a marketing agency.

For 15 years, I sold and managed for radio stations in Dallas and Chicago and loved every single minute of it. Radio was my career, my hobby, my passion. I never thought that I would ever leave radio. Then one day, an “advertising guy” called me and wanted to take me to breakfast.

I spent the next 6 years as the Vice President of Business Development for a mid-size full-service advertising agency in the suburbs of Chicagoland. The ad agency side has been an incredible adventure. I had direct access to clients and had become the consultant that I was trained to be in radio. I worked hand-in-hand with the client as we grew their businesses together. No longer was I an adversary, but truly a marketing partner. 

Here are some of the secrets that I've learned from being on the “other-side-of-the desk”: 

Topics: Needs Analysis Sales media

Coaching Salespeople: Handle with Care!

Coaching_SalespeopleHave you noticed that almost everything you interact with throughout the day comes with recommended care instructions? Some are simpler than others, but for the most part, there is a certain way that everything must be treated in order for it to thrive.

I may not always do it, but I know that I am supposed to:

  • Wash wool sweaters on cold and then lie them flat to dry
  • Change my AC air filters every 3-6 months
  • Wash my workout clothes without fabric softener in warm water and then dry on low
  • Run 48 ounces of undiluted white vinegar through my Keurig every 3-6 months
  • Feed my puppy ¼ cup three times a day, and make sure there are no meat by-products in her food
  • Keep my orchids in bright, but indirect, sun although they require some time in the shade

But, I’m the first one to admit that I have ruined more than one delicate garment by accidentally throwing it in on hot and drying it until it shriveled like a raisin. As a matter of fact, an unfortunate number of my possessions have passed through my hands as if disposable because I didn’t read the care instructions—or even more likely—I was just moving too fast to be able to give them the totally customized care they needed.

Of course I’m not writing this article to teach you how to wash your delicates. Let’s agree, a silk top is a silk top. It can be replaced. But what if we’re talking about a person? It’s not so easy, or inexpensive, or even humane to replace a person because you failed to know how to care for him. That’s a whole different league of handling with care!

Topics: developing strengths Sales

23 Follow-Up Sales Email Templates to Send Instead of "Just Checking In" + More

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We hope you've had a great week! It's Friday, and today we're sharing what we've been reading online this week! Here are our "best" from around the web.

123 Follow-Up Sales Email Templates to Send Instead of "Just Checking In" — HubSpot

Salespeople shouldn’t send “just checking in” emails for one very simple reason: They don’t work. Buyers feel like the rep is virtually poking them, making them reluctant to answer. Not only do “checking in” messages rarely garner responses, they can even turn prospects against their senders. But reps still need a way to get in touch with buyers who’ve gone dark. Enter these 23 email templates.

Topics: Inbound Marketing Sales Wrap-up

It Pays to be Smart: Finding a Valid Business Reason to Connect

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I love when I hear a story and it stops me in my tracks. I love it even more when the story is about a salesperson that did something really smart! 

That happened to me recently. I was facilitating a workshop and one of the managers shared a great story of a salesperson who created a very strong Valid Business Reason to get the attention of an important prospect. 

Topics: Sales

Five Ways to Beat Cold Calling Boredom

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We know continuous and relentless cold calling can wear you down. It’s a numbers exercise at best, and unless you really enjoy leaving voicemail messages and constant rejection, the process can be boring and downright taxing. But, there are ways to spice things up so that you’re not only more engaged, but also way more productive. Here are five recommendations we have to help you:

Topics: Social Media Sales