The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Too often, I see salespeople attempting to mix selling activity with negotiation activity as though customers and prospects seamlessly flow between the two processes. In reality, they don’t. If you want to be successful in sales in the long term do your selling first, and when you have a prospect who is ready to negotiate a deal you should engage in the good negotiation practice knowing it is largely too late to do any significant selling. I see salespeople trying to make last-minute persuasive appeals to buyers in an attempt to show value and preserve their price during the negotiation. There are a number of reasons why that falls flat: 

1. A professional sales process requires a free flow of information throughout.

Needs are identified, the prospect shares views and concerns, and the salesperson shares expertise and solutions. This is as it should be and most times results in a proposal both buyer and seller have crafted. But when it comes time to negotiate price and terms, parties have a tendency to begin holding back information—the buyer trying not to make it seem like they absolutely need your solution and the seller being careful not to reveal information that might give the buyer an advantage in the exchange. Power is the key element in negotiation and neither party wants to hand more of it over to the other during the haggling phase.

When salespeople mention why the left their previous job, you often hear complaints of unreasonable budgets. Along the lines of, 'My sales manager was crazy! There was NO WAY that could hit that budget." As a manager, how do you make budgets attainable? And as a salesperson, how do you meet that goal?!

Recently I have had several managers asking about the value of a personal marketing resume for salespeople that are struggling with getting that initial call. Personal marketing resumes can be valuable in getting a prospect's attention and communicating how your salespeople can help, if done well. So, how do you get a personal marketing resume started, and what do effective ones include?

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.

1. 125 Conversation Starters For Virtually Any Situation — HubSpot

A good conversation starter can transform an awkward, stilted conversation into an interesting, enjoyable discussion. That’s important in sales, as having several conversation starters up your sleeve will help you form connections with prospects, referrals, and potential partners. In other words, the ability to start a conversation translates to real business. What makes a good conversation starter? Here are 125 ideas.

Good salespeople are looking for a new job every day. They need to be “hired” by their clients and prospects on a regular basis. When I was a sales manager, how someone applied for an open position was my indication of how they would approach a prospect. Even now, as I’m going through applications for designers, I think of how my actions parallel that of a busy prospect.

It’s March, and basketball madness is upon us. Three of the key elements in basketball are the goal you are shooting at, the equipment you use (basketball, shoes, etc.) and the plays you run. Sales is no different. You need goals, equipment, and plays.

I was performing a sales diagnostic with a client recently and thought of this comparison as I was evaluating their sales performance. That’s when the connection between March Madness and sales hit me.

By the year 2020, it’s estimated that there will be over 6 million inside and outside sales professionals in the U.S. alone. They represent an incredibly valuable resource for companies across a variety of industries, and it’s clear that sales leaders nationwide are continually searching for new ways to get the most out of their sales teams.

It makes sense then that the sales acceleration technology market recently reached approximately $13 billion in North America, as companies dedicate themselves to finding better ways for their salespeople to connect with customers and improve productivity. Almost every sales manager will be faced with the prospect of searching for acceleration software, and there are several steps that must be completed before, during, and after any such search.

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.

1. How to Regain Your Prospect's Trust After You've Messed Up — HubSpot

It can be a difficult task to build trust and credibility with prospects and customers. It is even harder when attempting to rebuild trust after it has been damaged. There's an elephant in the room that can feel uncomfortable to talk about, but is impossible to ignore. How can you get past the elephant in the room to get back to selling? The following four-step process will help you rebuild trust with your customers and prospects.