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Browse published articles attributed to Mike Brooks, with full-archive search.
At a company I’ve consulted with over the last nine months, there is a manager, Brad, who would never think of taking a full week away from the office. "Much too much to do, and I don't really need it anyway." He tells me. “When was the last time you did take off on a real vacation?" I ...
I get a lot of ezine topic requests each week, and the majority of them are requests for different questioning techniques to use during the qualification stage. I'm glad to see these requests because it means people understand the importance of identifying and then spending time with buyers. I've written many articles over the years that address these kinds of questions, and if you've missed any of them I encourage you to visit my blog here.
Many sales reps send me emails asking the same thing, "How can I sell against my competition and win the deal?" They tell me it gets more and more difficult as there is always someone who has a similar product for less money, or who can offer their kind of service with more bells and whistles, etc. What can they do? Let's look at a few facts and then put together a sales strategy. To start with, if a prospect hasn't bought anything yet, it means they haven't found exactly what they're looking for, right?
Ever had a client or prospect never get back to you? Because you're in sales, then I know it's happened to you (or is happening with several of your clients or prospects right now!). If you ever find yourself in a place where you've qualified a prospect, sent information to them on your product or service, and then find that they just won't return your calls or emails, then I've got a guaranteed email that will get you a response.
If you are a business owner or sales manager responsible for getting your team of sales reps to make their numbers or achieve sales quotas, then I feel your pain. If you're like many of the sales managers and owners I work with, then I know you're being pulled in many different directions. You're busy; you have endless meetings to attend to, reporting to do, and on top of it all you have many different personalities to deal with on your team, and each of them have different skill levels, motivation levels, etc. It can seem like an overwhelming job.
Your results in sales – and all of life – are completely dependent on what you think about all day long. Your thoughts lead to your actions, and it is your actions that determine your results. But everything starts by your mental attitude, by what you dwell on all day long.
You hear it all the time -- if your price is higher than your competition you're told to “build value." You’re instructed to stress the quality, the warranty, the features, etc. But your prospects have heard all that before, haven’t they? Want a better way? Let’s face it -- prospects will ...
Motivation seems to be one of the toughest areas to get a handle on. Many managers tell me that some of their reps are already motivated and don't need their help in that area (usually the Top 20%), but that the majority seem to need constant motivating, mentoring, counseling, or out right ...
I get so many requests asking me how to handle objections, that I thought I’d go ahead and give you the secret method that I reveal in my in-person trainings – the definite way you should handle and deal with all objections. This is a Top 20% favorite and it works because you are not ...
Welcome to the New Year! So, are you ready to start cold calling, prospecting and reaching out to prospects? If so, you’d better be prepared for what is sure to be one of the biggest brush off objections this year: “I’m too busy/don’t have the time to talk to you now.”
Success in sales, as in all of life, starts by first developing and maintaining an expectant attitude of success. Simply put, all top performers expect that they are going to succeed, and because of this they consistently take the actions that lead them to achieve their goals and become successful. It is their mental attitudes that allow them to meet obstacles, set backs and temporary failures with a new resolve to keep trying, or to try something different, until they succeed. That’s what makes them top 20% producers.
Many business owners and sales managers ask me if I have a proven system or a way to identify and hire top sales reps. They have tried everything, they tell me. They check references, review similar work experiences, talk to ex co-workers, hold multiple job interviews, and sometimes they even ...
Let's face it - every now and then sales don't seem to be going our way and we can begin to get into fear about making our numbers, making our mortgage, taking that vacation, etc. While we may not be able to control the ebb and flow of sales, what's important is that we keep control of our attitude and expectancy level. In other words, keeping positive, reflecting on wins, and expecting success is what always drives a top producer through the seemingly slow times in sales.
You know how big I am on the 80/20 rule in sales. I see it in every company and industry I work in, and, as many of you know, I’ve dedicated myself to helping sales reps and companies elevate their skills and techniques, so they can start producing sales and income like the top 20% of sales reps do. Often I get asked just what the top 20% make in actual income, and today I can tell you…
People ask me if I believe in the Law of Attraction. I tell them that not only do I believe in it, but I use it every day to attract the kind of life I want. In fact, using the Law of Attraction is as important a part of what I do as is picking up the phone and speaking with clients, conducting training programs, creating products, etc.
Someone once said that worrying is praying for things you don’t want to happen. What a great saying, and, like all sayings, there’s a lot of truth in it. When you think about it, praying is when you concentrate on one thing and then you meditate or “pray” on it to the exclusion of all else. Usually, too, when you pray you put a lot of emotion into it and, of course, you have a lot of faith in what you are praying about. When you think about it, isn’t that what you do when you worry about something as well?
If you are prone to anxiety, there are some things that are best to avoid. One broad category of material that should be avoided is violence in the media. I know that this might sound very obvious, but I'm often surprised by how frequently I hear that a client is experiencing anxiety yet is watching a lot of horror movies or violent crime programs (e.g., CSI). In essence, when we become anxious, we are perceiving threats to our physical or psychological well-being. The brain
5 Questions To Ask During the Closenby Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales I get a lot of ezine topic requests each week, and many of them are requests for different questioning techniques to use during the qualification stage. As many of you know, I've written many feature articles over the years ...
I don’t know about you, but for me this week betwee Christmas and New Years Eve is the week that I solidify my goals for the New Year. As always, I balance my goals and so set them in all areas to maximize my growth as a person and as a professional. I have goals for health that include diet and exercise; goals for my career that include income and professional growth; goals for creative expression that include writing and photography; goals for relaxation that include travel and leisure, etc.
When I was on vacation in Hawaii, I met a salesperson for Starwood properties. She was selling ownership units (used to be known as timeshares) for one of the more beautiful properties on Maui -- the Westin, Kaanapali Beach, Maui. She told me a little about the great value of the properties, ...
I hear over and over again how important the first few seconds of a phone call are to make a connection and grab interest, and my question to you is -- are you still opening your calls with the standard, “How are you today?" If so, then you've just turned off about half of your ...
I once heard an interview with a police detective that directly relates to sales. The detective was talking about various interrogation techniques, and he said something that I thought was brilliant and totally applies to the importance of listening while selling over the phone. The detective ...
I was reading an article by my favorite sports writer, Peter Kings, last week, and he had this small section about his recent visit to the Ranger’s dugout:
I don't know about you, but 24 hours in a day isn't enough. And 8 - 9 hours for work just barely covers the paperwork, order follow-up, client calls, e-mails that need answering, voicemail messages, etc. "You mean you want me to prospect and find closing time, too? What, are you ...
If you are a sales manager or business owner, then you probably know and understand that fine line between being a leader and exercising authority, and trying to fit in as part of the team and wanting people to like you. Managers struggle with this all the time, and many would be leaders lose ...
Most sales reps hate getting objections. Their hearts sink into their stomachs, their palms start to sweat, and they start wondering how they're going to pay the rent. Sound familiar? When sales reps ask me how they should handle objections, they are often surprised by my answer. I tell them ...
If you are a sales manager or business owner, then you probably know and understand that fine line between being a leader and exercising authority, and trying to fit in as part of the team and wanting people to like you. Managers struggle with this all the time, and many would be leaders lose ...
People ask me all the time what I think makes up a qualified lead. It's simple, I tell them. There are five things that every Top 20% producer knows when he or she hangs up the phone with a prospect. Know these five things and chances are real good you're going to close this prospect. Leave ...
First of all, did you know that you are talking to yourself all day long? (You’re thinking, “Do I talk to myself? What does he mean, talk to myself? I don’t talk to myself!”) Psychologists estimate that you are talking to yourself at a rate of 1,200 to 1,500 words a minute (in contrast, when we ...
Years ago voicemail was all the rage. There was no e-mail, so people tended to honor and even return their voicemail messages. It was a good time... But that's history now. Email has changed everything, and people now hit the delete button on their voicemail messages the instant they hear ...
I don't know about you, but 24 hours in a day isn't enough. And 8 - 9 hours for work just barely covers the paperwork, order follow-up, client calls, e-mails that need answering, voicemail messages, etc. "You mean you want me to prospect and find closing time, too? What, are you ...
You've read many books and articles on why having specific goals is so important. Goals help keep you focused, keep you motivated, reinforce progress, etc. And I'm sure you're all familiar with the rules of goal setting -- make them specific, write them down, put a timeline on them, keep them ...
You hear it all the time -- if your price is higher than your competition you're told to “build value." You’re instructed to stress the quality, the warranty, the features, etc. But your prospects have heard all that before, haven’t they? Want a better way? Let’s face it -- prospects will ...
You've read many books and articles on why having specific goals is so important. Goals help keep you focused, keep you motivated, reinforce progress, etc. And I'm sure you're all familiar with the rules of goal setting -- make them specific, write them down, put a timeline on them, keep them ...
Don’t Answer Objections, Isolate Them! By Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales Most sales reps hate getting objections. Their hearts sink into their stomachs, their palms start to sweat, and they start wondering how they're going to pay the rent. Sound familiar? When sales reps ask me how they ...
I don't know about you, but 24 hours in a day isn't enough. And 8 - 9 hours for work just barely covers the paperwork, order follow-up, client calls, e-mails that need answering, voicemail messages, etc. "You mean you want me to prospect and find closing time, too? What, are you ...