Everywhere you look these days, experts are proclaiming that people are 60%—or more—of the way through their decision process before they contact you or your company.
In short, they’ve been online, studying their problem or looking for better ways to achieve their objectives. And, they’ve checked out some options.
I never wanted to be in sales. I only went into this field because I had an idea to start a company. The SCORE consultant I met with told me my plan wouldn’t succeed unless I learned how to sell.
I love reading articles, books, and all things sales. Some I read to learn, others for pleasure – some people just write well; and then there are those that I read just to see how badly I disagree with the writer and their views. Among these my favourite by far, the ones I read for a laugh, a good deep belly laugh, are the articles that usually have headlines such as “The Secret to…”, where the author wants readers to believe that they have discovered or uncovered THE SECRET element that will forever demystify sales and selling; along the lines of Edison’s light bulb. As though before reading the piece we were stuck in the dark ages, having to make wick and gather wax to make candles, then rub sticks together making fire to light our candles. But now, thanks to this immensely generous pundit, finding prospects and closing sales will be as easy as switching on the light. I know that when they wrote the thing they did not intend for me to giggle, but making the reader laugh is usually their only redeeming value.
“I really care about my customers,” Terry told me as we were driving to an appointment. “I try to do the very best I can for them and make sure that their needs are met.” “Sounds good,” I thought to myself. “But I wonder if it’s true.”
People love to complain about micromanagement, even when at times they are just being actively managed, which is a perfectly good and welcome practice for front line management. While I agree that true micromanagement is neither effective nor desired, at times it is easy to understand why some managers turn to it. I also find that many who feel t
The competition has been fiercely pursuing this account, but you feel like you have the edge. All indications are that you are going to win the business. Then, a call comes in from the Procurement officer who says:
For many companies, implementing a CRM is not an easy task because for decades sales people have been “doing it their way” and now, all of sudden, we are asking them to standardize their communication and organization methods.
Wow, what a title! For those of you who are already a bit wary, I challenge you to continue reading; if not for the ideas and thoughts herein, then at least out of pure curiosity.
Before you go any further, let’s agree on a couple of things first:
After a lengthy buying process, the time has come to submit pricing. Countless hours are spent formulating a glorious proposal that details your comprehensive solution. Proud of your accomplishment, you present your proposal to the buyer. Skipping the sections about your company and your solution, she flips right to the pricing page. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t think it would be this expensive!”
It’s that time of year. You’ve just been handed a new, higher quota for 2016. Or, you’ve set your own goal to achieve a personal milestone. If you struggled to achieve your objectives in the past, here are three videos that highlight the latest research on this topic. I think you’ll find these strategies helpful.
