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The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Sales Managers Can Help Salespeople Close More Deals

Sales Managers Can Help Sales People Close More Deals

I know what you’re thinking…  NO, I do not think sales managers should close deals for their salespeople. Doing that (consistently) only causes more issues, but that's not what this is about.

The reality is, while pending business is great, what we need to see is salespeople closing business.

Topics: Sales close a deal

Stop Spinning Your Wheels: Selling Techniques for Fast Closes

speed up sale

 

Stop spinning your wheels on lousy prospects!

Slow kills deals.   

Every seller knows (and loves) the feeling of a textbook sales process that goes from identify to closed-won, quickly.  The benefits of moving prospects to customers quickly through the pipeline expose several key leading indicators of the health of your sales team and sales process.

Topics: Sales

International Super Spy: Selling Techniques from a Veteran Salesperson

International Super Spy

If you have kids or watch a lot of Tik-Tok, you're familiar with the Backyardigans song 'International Super Spy'.

It's a catchy little tune that will not get out of your head. As silly as the song is, it reminds us that part of your job as a salesperson is to be a spy. No, not a real spy, but one that targets prospects and does some sleuthing to uncover inside information before your first Discover meeting.

The Discover meeting is the most important meeting you will ever have with any client, ever! If improving sales performance is important, read on!

Topics: Needs Analysis sales strategy Sales

Hold Your Applause

Hold Your Appaluse

Thank you! Thank you!  Really, Thanks. Please hold your applause until the end of the sales meeting. 

What? 

You mean that you haven’t been interrupted during your sales meeting by thunderous applause from your salespeople?  Really?

Topics: successful sales meetings Sales

The Link Between Healthy Habits and Healthy Pipelines

The Link Between Healthy Habits and Healthy Pipelines

Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, Mark Cuban — all agree that one habit is a key ingredient to success.

Practicing good health habits by eating right and exercising each day is what these billionaires, and 21 others, agree helped create the foundation for their businesses and financial success. Your habits and routines determine your success and your future. In order to see the true benefits of any effort, you must be disciplined and consistent.

The same holds true when developing new business. It takes that same effort and discipline to consistently create a healthy sales pipeline.

Topics: business development Sales prospecting

5 Greatest Needs Analysis Questions You Can Ask Any Prospect. Not.

needs analysis questionsPerhaps you got excited when you read the first part of the headline.

I got excited too, wishing there was a list of “magical” questions that could be asked of any prospect with a great result. The problem is, such a list does not exist.

Sorry to burst your bubble.  

Topics: Needs Analysis Sales sales process prospecting

So You’ve Hired Some “Green” Salespeople. Now What?

So You’ve Hired Some Green Salespeople

All sales managers know that it’s important to have a full staff of salespeople in order to hit your goals. But you know how risky and ineffective it is simply to hire anyone who can fog a mirror. It’s essential to hire only the right people. 

When searching for the right talents, skills, and experience, strong sales managers recognize that talent is primary.

Topics: Sales sales training

5 Steps to a Precise Internal Sales Diagnostic

internal sales diagnosticThis article was originally published on Sales & Marketing Management.

Sales leaders are responsible for more than closing deals. Teams depend on them to see the big picture, measure current strategies, and evaluate new opportunities. Sales diagnostics help leaders see their operations from all sides so they can identify bottlenecks and keep revenue climbing.

Topics: sales performance Sales sales process sales diagnostic

5 Ways Automation Enables Deeper Relationships Between Prospects and Salespeople

5 Ways Automation Enables Deeper Relationships Between Prospects and Salespeople

 

For most sales reps, the benefits of employing automation tools are manifest. Who wouldn’t want to hand over humdrum tasks to digital systems so they could spend more time on activities that are fulfilling. Studies have shown sales professionals typically spend only 11% of their time actively selling, which is doubtless something many workers in the profession would like to change.

However, many of these same salespeople live in fear that reliance on automation will damage their ability to build deep and meaningful relationships with their clients.

It makes sense because often times we associate the word “automated” with the impersonal. Although it may sound counterintuitive, many of the processes facilitated by sales automation software actually make it easier for sales reps to dedicate additional resources to enhancing client relationships.

Topics: Sales marketing automation

What Sales Language Do You Speak? Avoid These Two Poisonous Sales Presentation Mistakes

Sales Language

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.

Topics: sales strategy Sales