The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Everybody wants to sell faster! No matter your industry or product, every organization is in a hurry to close more business. And on the surface, that sounds like a good idea — but it's not.

Too often, we're in such a hurry to close the sale that we rush and make mistakes in the sales process that actually slows down the act of closing.

In our haste, we tend to overlook certain obstacles in our path in an effort to sell quickly. These obstacles often come up as a surprise to the client, which can derail the conversation and cause us to back-track and overcome the objection, which takes more time than if we had discussed it from the beginning.

Does your organization have a turnover problem? Do you worry that your top talent will leave for another opportunity?

It may be time to refocus on people development and revisit employee growth plans.

We all know that ongoing coaching, training and development are important and key factors in retaining employees long-term. According to LinkedIn, 94% of employees say they would stay in their role longer if their company invested in their professional development. Yet in another survey, nearly 59% of employees claim they had no workplace training and that most of their skills were self-taught.

- MOTIVATION -

"Don't worry about failure. You only have to be right once."

- Drew Houston

- AROUND THE WEB -

<< If you only read one thing >>

What do selling and tennis have in common?

Bernie Weiss, President at iHeartMedia New York and Author of Ace It! How Sales Champions Win New Business answers that question, plus offers some sales performance tips.

Tune in now or keep reading for a brief overview.

There are two poisonous mistakes that will kill a presentation: using jargon and using stock phrases.

Making either of these mistakes will drastically reduce the chance of getting a second meeting with a prospect.

Let's start with HOW NOT to start a presentation and finish with the HOW TO of communicating an engaging proposal.

Most companies scale back recruiting in response to a financial crisis. Did you know that 1 of the 3 most effective responses is to hire top performers from the competition?

Companies looking to hire the best talent should pay attention to these recruiting trends we’ve seen in 2021 and what it means for future years.

"4 out of 5 Sales Managers admit appointments, whether in-person or virtual, are more challenging to secure than five years ago."

This nugget of information came from The Center for Sales Strategy 2020 Media Report.  

My initial response to this new data was...DUH!

I'd like to speak with the one manager who thinks getting a first time appointment is "easier" than 5-years ago. They must know something that I don't know!

I don't care who you're or what you're selling, but getting a first-time meeting is tough! Now, I realize there are a ton of legitimate reasons why that is true, but NO ONE CARES! Excuses won't help you get to your sales goals, get you a promotion, or pay your rent.  

What you need is a solution to help you get that all-important first-time business appointment. What you need is a Valid Business Reason.

- MOTIVATION -

"Don't find fault. Find a Remedy."

- Henry Ford

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<< If you only read one thing >>

“To know your prospect, you must become your prospect.” 

- Ancient Chinese Proverb

This quote came from a salesperson who knew how to get an appointment.

Getting the first appointment with a prospect is getting harder year after year, and making yourself relevant to the prospect is the first step in overcoming that challenge.

As a daring and ambitious salesperson on the search for customers to serve, you must seek relevance like a duck seeks water. The question is how.

What big rocks should sales managers focus on? What should they be doing or learning right now to ensure success?

On this episode of the Sales Leadership Series, Scott Sutherland, VP/Market Manager of the Phoenix Market at Bonneville International, joins host Matt Sunshine to answers these questions and discuss sales and executive leadership tips.

Tune in now or keep reading for a brief overview.