Matt Sunshine, on January 14, 2020
Historically, the term sales collateral referred to one-sheets and brochures that often hung on a wall, and when the sales team met with a client or prospect, they would grab a one-sheet to help build their case—and it worked great! In the 21st Century, you need more.
Craig Jones, on December 17, 2019
Someone once said that perceptions can’t be wrong because it’s a perception, an opinion and impression of someone else. However, perceptions are often wrong because if they were right, they would be called facts.
Whether we deserve it or not, we’re judged by every person that we connect with. The words that come out of our mouth firmly establish an imaginary tattoo on our forehead as we stand in front of a quality prospect.
Perception is everything, and how you’re seen by your team, prospects, and clients is a key to success. New research shows that you have 27 seconds to make a positive impression and 1 minute to prove value in any given situation. Like it or not, how you look, dress, and speak helps people to form an opinion of you.
Kurt Sima, on December 12, 2019
The things you do are often more powerful than the things you say.
New business prospects are more likely to increase their engagement level when they know a seller truly cares about them and their business. Think about your own buying habits—are you more likely to do business with someone who cares about you compared to a slick talking salesperson who only cares about making a sale?
Alysa Hinshaw, on August 14, 2019
What do the best managers do to get their salespeople to pick the right prospects? They become the gatekeeper. No prospect should ever get on a salesperson’s Target list until it has been fully qualified against a set of objective criteria, a target business profile.
When helping a salesperson determine a high priority prospect, ask them the following questions using the following criteria: Dollar Potential, Access, and Fit.
Trey Morris, on June 24, 2019
"Silence is golden"—usually this is said right after your children leave the room and you finally have a moment of peace.
Kurt Sima, on May 13, 2019
Before choosing which prospects to target, it’s best to generate a long list of leads so you can narrow to the best leads. Using the categories you’ve identified as a good fit your business, decide which sources on this list are right for you to generate your own list of leads.
Anyone in sales knows that it can be tough to get that first appointment with an ideal prospect. You might have to leave a voicemail, send an email, try to connect on LinkedIn, show up at their house, or volunteer to clean out their garage!
When trying to stand out, don’t overlook the option of sending a business letter.
You know what we’re talking about right? A short message on your letterhead, placed in an envelope, and sent via the Post Office.
If you decide to use this as one way to get in front of prospects, here are some guidelines to follow.
Kurt Sima, on April 30, 2019
Here are three questions for sales managers and sellers:
Most sellers are time-starved with no time to waste… especially when it comes to developing new customers. Investing time selecting quality, new business, target prospects makes all the sense in the world because some prospects are better than others, and qualifying them will help save time in the long run.
Alysa Hinshaw, on April 24, 2019
Have you ever stopped and wondered how many other salespeople are trying to get a meeting with the same prospect as you? It’s a pretty overwhelming number when you think about it. Day-in and day-out, decision makers are being bombarded with voicemails, emails, drop-ins, and various other methods your competition is using to gain access.
In today’s competitive marketplace, it’s tough to cut through the clutter. Leading with a compelling insight that you can turn it into a valid business reason (VBR) is essential for your prospect to want to connect with you.
Trey Morris, on March 20, 2019
I've always found it fascinating that the greatest athletes of all time -- whether it be Michael Jordan or Tom Brady -- always practiced. Every single day, they would go to the gym or go to the field, and they would practice the basics.
I find that interesting, because in sales, rarely do we ever practice. Pretty much every needs analysis or presentation is game day. We walk in, ready to play, and hope it works out. We don't spend much time rehearsing, practicing, or game planning, and I think that's a mistake.
As a sales manager, it's your job to help your salespeople get better at what they do. So, how do you do that?
