The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Many clients at The Center for Sales Strategy are essentially in the business of helping companies grow their business. 

In order to do that effectively, we teach salespeople how to think like a business owner. Thinking like a business owner takes the focus off what you sell (your products) and puts your focus on how to help your client or prospect achieve their desired business results. 

The better a salesperson becomes at thinking like a business owner, the better they will be at asking questions, establishing credibility, and ultimately becoming trusted and valued.

There are endless amounts of podcasts out there on business development and new ones being released daily. This article isn’t about all the great business podcasts hitting the market, but rather a handful of the best podcasts that we feel will help salespeople improve their business acumen and encourage salespeople to help their clients and prospects grow their business.

Sales managers are superheroes that possess special traits that help them save the day and lead their team to improved sales performance. Here's a few traits that stand out most about these savvy business leaders (as told by GIFs). 

The words you choose shape how buyers perceive your credibility, confidence, and intent.

Sales conversations are filled with familiar phrases.

"I'm just checking in." "Do you have five minutes?" "I wanted to touch base."

Most salespeople have heard them. Many of us have said them.

But here's the question worth asking:

Could the words you're using be making it harder for prospects to say yes?

The following blog post was first published in 2015 by the late Steve Marx, founder of The Center for Sales Strategy, and has been one of the most popular posts in the blog’s history. Even though the text is updated, the message has never been more relevant. To learn more about Steve Marx, click here.

Most of us don’t head to the supermarket without a list in hand, and without knowing exactly what we intend to come home with. I needn’t explain why.

Likewise, most of us wouldn’t start driving to an unfamiliar destination without first finding it on our GPS and clicking for directions. Doing so gets us to our goal with the least hassle and the most efficiency.

Sales can be fun. Sales can be stressful. Sales can be rewarding. Sales can be life-changing. Here are some gifs to bring a little humor into your week and get you on track to improve your sales performance (we hope you are as pumped as #5) and help your clients crush their goals with your solutions (see #7). And then, we hope you end up like #10. 

Can the right music actually help you sell better?

Whether you're prospecting, preparing for an important presentation, or simply trying to shake off the afternoon slump, the right playlist can do more than make your workday more enjoyable.

It can help you get into the right mindset.

Why every email shapes your credibility long before your prospect replies.

Email remains one of the most powerful tools in a salesperson's toolkit. It's often the first impression you make, the way you nurture relationships, and the channel that keeps opportunities moving forward.

But here's a question worth asking:

Can one poorly written email really cost you a sale?

The difference between being responsive and becoming an indispensable business partner.

Most sales professionals would say they provide excellent customer service.

They respond quickly. They solve problems. They follow through on commitments. They keep projects moving and make themselves available when clients need them.

Those are all important qualities. In fact, they're expected.

But here's the question worth asking:

Are you truly serving your clients, or are you simply servicing them?