It is a safe and generally smart practice for a salesperson to under-promise and shoot to over-deliver. So why would you ever want to vary from this “under-promise” strategy? If you want to keep growing personally and discover new ways to help clients, once in a while you need to stretch a little and promise something you don’t normally deliver, but feel quite confident you can get done. There is risk involved in this, but if you get it right, you’ll delight the client and add a new capability to your tool kit.

In almost any relationship (not just marriage), there is a period in which the parties are utterly thrilled with each other. Whether you are working with a new client, or if a recent job change makes you the new kid on the staff... there seems to be somewhat of a grace period that gives us considerable latitude early in these new relationships. Think about why that might be:
When Boston Scientific CIO Rich Adduci attended the first iPad reveal two years ago, he instantly knew the device would be a game changer for sales and marketing teams. He described the moment watching Steve Jobs walk onto the stage like a light bulb going off in his head.
Cold calling can be an inefficient use of a sales person’s time and talent. As a manager, I want sales people spending the majority of their time on activities that are directly tied to revenue. It’s important for our sales people to be in front of clients and prospects helping to address business challenges—which is why we at Cox Media Group Louisville recently launched an
A friend of mine was recently complaining about a computer vendor that had failed to deliver on some training that was promised as part of a major purchase. Oh, the training was conducted… it just wasn’t effective (at least, in the buyer’s opinion). For weeks after the equipment was deployed, “People were still spinning their wheels, trying to figure out the new system,” he explained.
What do a great party hostess and a great manager have in common? They take ownership of the outcome. Whether you are planning an amazing party or ramping up a new sales person, there are similar strategies you can follow to make sure everyone is engaged, and everything runs smoothly.
On a recent business flight, I happened to engage a fellow passenger in conversation. His business was selling steel to manufacturers who make things (almost anything) with steel components.
Let me create the scene: you’re meeting with your new prospect
Who is worth your new business development time? Not every new business prospect is. Here are 6 things to consider when selecting a new business prospect:
