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The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

How the Consumer Journey Can Help You Sell More Integrated Solutions

integrated solutionsMedia sellers today have more capabilities than ever to drive results for their clients. With all of the potential options, you would think that it has gotten easier to build a solution that will drive results, right? Nothing could be further from the truth! If anything, the sheer number of solutions has made it more challenging to determine when to use what when. And with all of those capabilities, their presentations have also become longer – many filled with a multitude of product one-sheets and then a laundry list of recommended products in the recommended solution.

That is a struggle that I hear from salespeople that I work with all over the country. It’s not just determining what should be in the solution, but how to present it in a truly integrated format where it is clear why all of the components are critical to a successful result.

Topics: selling digital advertising integrated media solution sales performance Sales sales process

Get Out Of Your Own Way: Asking For Referrals

Ask-for-Referrals

When was the last time you asked for a referral? Go ahead and fill in the date here ______________.  If the answer is yesterday, congratulations. If you can’t remember any time recently, you should stop and figure out why you are not doing this.

Think about it. When you are looking to hire a professional what do you do? Of course, you ask people you know and trust who they would recommend, right? Well, a referral is an implied recommendation. Clients who give you the name of someone to contact feel comfortable about the expertise you bring to the table and its potential to help the business or person they are referring. So, again, how often do you ask satisfied customers for a referral? I bet you are thinking, “Not often enough.”

Topics: referrals sales strategy Sales

Weekly Roundup: The Balancing Act Of Sales Management + More

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- WHAT'S MOTIVATING US THIS WEEK -

"When we tell people to do their jobs, we get workers.
When we trust people to do their jobs, we get leaders."

-SIMON SINEK

- DON'T MISS THIS -

<< FREE LIVE WEBINAR AUGUST 29TH>>

How Inbound Can Turbo Charge Your Outbound Sales Efforts — LEADG2

Outbound sales tactics are alive and well. The key is that your sales organization can't survive relying solely on this alone. That's where inbound comes in... In this webinar, we'll explore how inbound and outbound efforts work together to help your salespeople improve sales performance and reach revenue goals. We'll also explore tactical inbound sales strategies that you can start implementing right away. REGISTER HERE.

- WHAT WE'VE BEEN READING THIS WEEK -

<< If you only read one thing >>

The Balancing Act Of Sales Management: Person Vs Process  LinkedIn

Sales management is the most important role in revenue generation for any business but how do you balance 'managing the person' with 'managing the process'? How do you love and encourage your people, yet hold them to account for doing what's necessary in creating sales and customer success?

Topics: Inbound Marketing Sales Wrap-up

How to Stop Cold Calling and Get Your Salespeople Out Selling

salesperson_on_phone2.jpg 

research study by McKinsey Global Institute reported that salespeople on average spend less than 13 hours a week actually selling.

Considering that going out and selling solutions is what salespeople actually are best at, and what is most profitable for them and the company they work for, it’s a little disheartening that so much time is spent doing other things like office tasks, answering emails, researching leads, and internal communication (I’m guessing this includes one too many meetings a week).

However, I’m not so sure we can eliminate those other tasks and give salespeople back another 20 hours a week. And even if they had that extra time, I’m not sure they’d be spending it in the most effective way. It’s not about how much time we have to actually sell. It’s about how much time we waste on trying to get to that point of the selling process.

Topics: Inbound Marketing Sales sales and marketing alignment Inbound Sales

Busting the New Business Myth

account list analyticsI get it. I know it is important, but I’m sick and tired of hearing about new business. Truth be known, most sellers are sick and tired of hearing about new business… and their managers are sick and tired of talking about it!

Facts Behind the Myth

The majority of sales organizations are obsessed with new business because of one reason: they do a terrible job of keeping and growing existing business (AKA: customers).

Not all customers are created equal. World-class sales organizations segment them like this:

Topics: key account growth sales strategy sales performance Sales account list analytics account list management

Weekly Roundup: How Inbound Can Turbo Charge Your Outbound Sales Efforts + More

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- WHAT'S MOTIVATING US THIS WEEK -

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize
how close they were to success when they gave up."

-THOMAS EDISON

- DON'T MISS THIS -

<< FREE LIVE WEBINAR AUGUST 29TH>>

How Inbound Can Turbo Charge Your Outbound Sales Efforts — LEADG2

Outbound sales tactics are alive and well. The key is that your sales organization can't survive relying solely on this alone. That's where inbound comes in... In this webinar, we'll explore how inbound and outbound efforts work together to help your salespeople improve sales performance and reach revenue goals. We'll also explore tactical inbound sales strategies that you can start implementing right away. REGISTER HERE.

- WHAT WE'VE BEEN READING THIS WEEK -

<< If you only read one thing >>

How ABM Helps Sales and Marketing Work Together — LinkedIn

Marketing and sales should work together. It sounds so simple and obvious, in theory. In practice, however, many sales and marketing teams work independently, leaving them unaware of otherwise obvious opportunities. There’s a better way, and that way is account-based marketing (ABM). It’s a strategy that doesn’t just call for alignment between sales and marketing teams, but generates it.

Topics: Inbound Marketing Sales Wrap-up

Two Words You Need To Understand To Set More Appointments

set more appointments

 "My sellers do not go on enough sales calls."

- Every Sales Manager

I hear this all the time from sales managers. I also hear a similar version from sellers: 

“I could sell more if I had more quality appointments.”

 - Almost Every Seller

Imagine if every seller had one additional call per week, every week of the year. That’s roughly 50 additional appointments per year.

Topics: sales strategy sales performance Sales sales process prospecting

Weekly Roundup: Sales Experts Share The Skills You Need to Raise Your Salary + More

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- WHAT'S MOTIVATING US THIS WEEK -

"Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.
Don't wish it were easier; wish you were better."

-JIM ROHN

- WHAT WE'VE BEEN READING THIS WEEK -

<< If you only read one thing >>

4 Sales Experts Share The Skills You Need to Raise Your Salary — TalentDesk

Why should you pursue a career in sales? Hear from CSS Managing Partner, Matt Sunshine, as well as other industry experts as they speak to this topic and what skills a sales professional needs to increase their salary.

B2B Companies: Super-Serve Your Clients To Success— LeadG2

Not all clients are the same, and the best B2B companies know this and super-serve their clients however they can. By super-serving your clients with excellent communication, defined expectations, and focused efforts on their goals, you will assist your clients on their way to success, in turn setting the relationship up for future success and growth for your company.

Topics: Inbound Marketing Sales Wrap-up

The Art of Asking Questions: 8 Surefire Tactics To Brush Up Your Skills

art of asking questionsWouldn’t it be nice if you had a list of ten surefire questions you could ask during a needs analysis meeting that would lead directly to cash? That would be sweet… show up, ask the questions, and leave with an order!

Too bad that list does not exist. There is a list of guidelines to follow that will elevate your questions and your method of questioning to a higher level… perhaps to Rembrandt level. Salespeople can reach this level by perfecting the art of asking questions! 

Topics: Needs Analysis Sales sales process prospecting

Weekly Roundup: Guide to Target Markets, Get Meetings with CEOs + More

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- WHAT'S MOTIVATING US THIS WEEK -

"Don't let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning."

-ROBERT KIYOSAKI

- WHAT WE'VE BEEN READING THIS WEEK -

<< If you only read one thing >>

The Straight-Forward Guide to Target Markets — Hubspot

Every sales team needs to know their customer. Who is the ideal fit for your offering? What are their interests and priorities? Answering these questions can help you prioritize the deals you’re most likely to win.

Topics: Inbound Marketing Sales Wrap-up