Sales Training Articles

Getting past call reluctance is one of the keys to successful cold calling. Understand what's causing the reluctance and work on a solution. The three main causes of cold calling reluctance are lack of a plan, attitude and fear of rejection. Cold Calling Tip #1: Have A Plan. Planning is a key ...

Every sales call you make needs to include the “Learn, Teach, Sell” concept. Today’s customer has many options available to them. Rarely are we in a position to sell to a customer something that is so unique and compelling that they have no other choice but to buy from us. To help create a ...

If you consider yourself a “multi-tasker” and often reply “crazy busy” when people ask you how you’re doing, then you should listen up. A recent analysis from the business research firm Basex, estimates that extreme multi-tasking costs the US more than $650 billion a year in lost productivity. So what can we do to minimize multi-tasking and get more done? We recently came across two sources for ideas: 1. The Power of Focus for Women, a book by Fran and Les Hewitt, p

Take out a blank piece of paper and write down all the things your customer values when doing business with you. What does that list look like? How many items did you come up with? What do you notice about this list? Now identify the top 3 items. Are you sure these are the Top 3? To make sure, take this list to your best customers and show it to them and ask them if you got it right. What was on your list…….. When I do this exercise with a group of sales people we will usua

What separates successful sales people from everyone else? I believe that most successful sales people, in virtually any industry, possess the following characteristics:nn1. They are persistent. Selling or running a business for a living requires a tremendous amount of persistence. Obstacles loom in front of us on a regular basis. But it’s what you do when faced with these barriers that will determine your level of success. I believe it was Brian Tracy who once said that a

Many sales are lost because of “sales.” To be successful in this profession requires listening to the customer. Unfortunately as salespeople, we often hear so many different things that we feel the need to provide solutions for all of their problems. When this happens, sales professionals can ...

“Excuse me, we’ve never met but would you mind giving me a list of all your friends and business contacts so that I might sell them my products and services?” Who would make such a foolish request? Yet, some of the things that are done in the name of networking are just about as foolish.nnNetworking is one of the most effective, and most widely used, means of promoting your business. It’s a process of connecting with others, to help build each other’s businesses thr

Think you have what it takes to be a consultant or a coach? I wasn’t so sure I knew when I first started in 1999. All I knew was I desperately wanted to work from home to raise my two sons after my divorce. It took a lot of trial and error to get to the stabile and profitable business I am ...

Many sales are lost because of "sales." To be successful in this profession requires listening to the customer. Unfortunately as salespeople, we often hear so many different things that we feel the need to provide solutions for all of their problems. When this happens, sales professionals can overwhelm the customer, causing them to become confused, and, ultimately, losing any sale. n nFor the salesperson, it all begins when Marketing comes out with what they perceive as the g

When you’re cooking a dish, you obviously need the right ingredients in order to create the recipe. Ingredients alone, however, won’t get you the whole way. You also need the right approach and technique. Without the proper finesse, your ingredients aren’t becoming a delicious meal anytime soon. Many cookbooks have tips and tricks for successful cooking, but the advice often varies between cookbooks. Even experts have differences in their viewpoints, after all. The same

Do You Have Sales Prospecting Woes? Get A Better Strategy! nnIn sales prospecting, your objective most often is to persuade a new customer to agree to meet with you face-to-face. To gain that commitment, you must convince the prospect that you are someone worth meeting. Every customer’s first major buying decision is whether to buy you—the salesperson. They’ll never decide to buy your products before they’ve bought you.nn You must begin to “sell yourself” in your

There are lot of people who will use their personal network for business. They will get the help of a friend or family member when they desperately need a sale. Also, with the personal network you have tons of people trying to boast your career by having your business cards passed out, and also by having your family and friends put in a good word for you. nnFirst to use your network you have to be a good person. This means that you have to be good and honest about your sales.

Even the worst salesperson will fall into an easy sale once in a while. Insurance and investment companies know that and that’s why they push you to meet with anyone who has a heartbeat. They know that if you meet with enough people you’ll eventually sell something to somebody, but that doesn’t mean you can sell. n n Far from it. It only means that you’re working the odds when you should learn how to sell, so the odds would be working for you. No matte

In my previous two articles, available on this site, I looked at how you as a service business can articulate your USP. So how can you pull this all together? If you can develop an angle on your uniqueness and as to why someone should be speaking with you then it should be the focal point of all of your communications, marketing and relationship building. One way of doing this is to develop a Strap Line.This operates by taking complex ideas or concepts down to a simple, easily communicable message. A sales strap line must accomplish 4 things:

Standing Above The CrowdnnIn today’s highly competitive business environment it is critical to find ways to separate yourself from the other companies who sell the same – or similar – product and/or service. Here are several strategies that can help you accomplish this:nnHelp your clients achieve their goals. Virtually every business person has specific goals they are striving to achieve. These can include everything from increasing their market share and sales, to redu

Donna is the owner of a home décor business, who came to me seeking help in closing the sale. She had recently lost a sale due to her fear in presenting her fees. Donna had met with the prospect several times, uncovered their needs, answered questions, handled objections, presented a proposal, ...

As a business owner, I receive my share of sales calls in a given month. More often than not, I’m away from my desk or out of the office which means I end up listening to the messages instead of speaking directly with the sales person. Here are a few of the common mistakes I notice and how you can correct them.nnMistake #1 – The message lacks focus or clarity. You are more likely to receive voice mail today than actually connect with the person you are trying to contact.

Would you like a marketing idea guaranteed to increase your sales? Would you like to stop people from shopping your product or service and losing business to your competition? Would you like to reduce the amount of rejection you're receiving? Would you like clients to understand they have ...

Your clients and potential clients want you to serve them and their best interests. You have the power to determine your sales success by exceeding the expectations of your potential clients and existing clients. As a service professional your clients want you to act on their behalf and in their interests as a trusted business advisor like their accountant or attorney would. n n The term client by its very definition means that you have the best interests and needs of the cli

The wheat is falling from the chafe. Just this past week two more sales people fell. It happens every day of every week of every year, and when the external economy gets tight it only escalates. No matter how good you think you are in sales you will fail if you fail to do what it takes to last. n n Just a few years ago the mortgage industry was so hot mortgage brokers were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of business walking in the door, not so today. When business is that goo

You don’t know what you want to be when you grow up, or at least you’re acting like you don’t. You’re like a frustrated employee who hates their job, but doesn’t see how to get a better one. You lack focus, but you don’t know what to focus on so you’re running around looking under every rock trying to find someone you can sell to. n n This stinks. It’s ugly, painful, and disheartening but it doesn’t have to be that way. Yo

Understanding why people buy and what that means to you is an important part of your sales development training. You can know more about your product or service than anyone. You can have your sales presentation down pat. You can know beyond all doubt that your prospect needs what you have worse than anyone you’ve ever met. Yet until you understand why people buy few, if any, will buy from you. n n Sales development training is a good phrase because it reflects how much lear

The Sale is More Complex TodaynnThe entire process of selling today is more complex than it has ever been before. It used to be that we would make a single call on a single buyer who would make a single decision on our product or offering. In this simple form of selling, we used the attention/interest/ desire/action (AIDA) model of sales presentation and focused intensely on numerous different ways of closing the sale. Then, once we had made the sale, in many cases we never s

TOP 3 FATAL SALES MISTAKES: WHAT NOT TO DO TO SUCCEED IN SALES!nnOver the past few weeks, I've found myself on the receiving end of a series of particularly heinous sales techniques - all of which were aimed at getting through a gatekeeper to a decision maker, and all of which ended disastrously for the sales reps involved.nnI firmly believe that, to improve our skills and the relationships we have with our prospects and clients, it's just as important to know what not to do

Following are a collection of excerpts from an eBook written by R.W. Goruk;rn"How to Sell More in a Down Market - The Leadership Secrets to Dynamite Sales Results" More information about the author and the book can be found at: Http://www.howtosellmoreinadownmarket.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Accepting the basic premise of How to Sell More in a Down Market is vital for succe

I recently hosted an event in New York and a woman signed up for one of my programs. We'll call her Sally. About a week after we met, I had a call with her and she said, "I thought it was just wonderful how you did that entire day and you didn't sell anything." I said, "Sally, you're in my program. You bought something." And she said, "Oh, yeah. I didn't notice." So that's the ultimate goal. You should be so fired up about what you do and you're just sharing your services and

Technology has become somewhat of a buzz word. Everyone is talking about this tech, that tech and the next tech. But beyond the hype, there is a tremendous amount of science and dedication to advancing mankind. It was only in the last 60 years that computers gained prominence as they saturated our world. This growth was not linear, but rather exponential in nature. Each new development led to another, and an ever-increasing number of applications. When these same firms that b

Do you view prospecting as an outcome or an opportunity? Do you think of prospecting in terms of a process or an event? The way you answer those questions makes a big difference in the results you experience. n n Many people view getting the attention of a prospect as the outcome. That’s not a good thing, and it causes you to miss many opportunities. Getting the attention of a prospect is simply an opportunity for you to develop and continue a relationship with that pro

The other day I was working out in the gym when a guy asked me to spot him on the bench press. For those of you not familiar with the term "spot," it means to watch and assist the lifter if they need help. Of course, I agreed to do this. As is customary when spotting, I asked him how many reps ...

It’s not uncommon as an entrepreneur to get stopped when it comes to charging what you’re worth. There’s always a time during the meeting with the prospect that the prospect will ask you “How much are your fees?” For many entrepreneurs, this is where you freeze. You may have thoughts like “What if I charge too much, will I lose them?” Or, “I better lower my fee so they’ll hire me.” And, then they hire you.

Mastering the necessary sales presentation skills will increase your results and boost your sales. A sales presentation doesn't begin when you are telling and showing the prospect how you'll solve their problems. It begins before you walk in the door to give the presentation. It begins with ...

This article is about how NLP can help to stand back and understand the intention behind behaviour and a route to creating results in sales and business environments.nnNLP and Hypnosis have a lot of tools around covert language and persuasion skills. Real persuasion only happens when you stand back from the situation and take the strategic view. Hypnotic language tools are really useful, but only when they are used from a strategic perspective. For example, a manager from the

Why be different when you can be the same as everyone else? Why stand-out when you can blend in? Why is blending in so much easier? Why is standing out from the competitive crowd often viewed as risky business? It all starts with your childhood. Now, I'm not a shrink but I do think it goes ...

Business in America – isn't it great? It's also challenging. So challenging, in fact, that you can never let up. Take it easy and rest on your laurels and you're “toast”, as they say. Well here's a great way to place yourself in the lead position, at least for awhile. ...

If you’re like most people you are probably working harder and longer than you used to. As a result, finding balance in today’s fast-paced world is more difficult than ever before. Yet, a healthy balance has also never been more important. Here are a few strategies that can help:nn1. First and foremost, you must love what you do. We spend over a third of our life at work – doesn’t it make sense to enjoy it? I learned many years ago that the more you enjoy your job or

nnn nnn Who is your customer? (Person) n What do they want? (Thing or Activity) n Why do they need it? (Reason or Justification and/or Criteria) n Where else can they find it? (Location) n When do they need it most? (Time) n How will you deliver it to them? (Process) n As Zig Ziglar says, “Questions are the answers!” And to what question is this the answer? That question is “How can you direct attention and lead a prospect down a particular path while gettin

In today’s competitive business environment, it often seems that the most important aspect of someone’s buying decision is price. People constantly ask for lower prices, compare our prices with the competition, and badger us to give them a better deal. Regardless of what you sell, you probably face price objections on a regular basis.nnI will never dispute that price is a factor in every sale. However, it is seldom the primary factor. If price was the only reason people b

During a recent visit to a local electronics retailer the sales person I usually dealt with was engaged with another customer so someone else helped me and answered my questions. I wasn’t ready to make the purchase that day but when I returned almost two weeks later my regular “sales guy”, had obviously been told what product I was considering. That meant that I didn’t have to go through the entire sales process again which saved me time.nnA couple of days later, I di

Have you ever noticed what happens when you buy a new car? Once you buy it, you start noticing lots of the same car on the road. What's that about? Or consider this: Jack and Tonya learn from Tonya's doctor that they're about to have their first baby. Now, everywhere Jack goes, he sees pregnant women. Fast forward nine months: Tonya has given birth to a beautiful baby girl. Now Jack stops noticing pregnant women so much and starts seeing babies everywhere he goes. This is c

Are you tired of excuses? Looking for a persuasion technique to get people to take immediate action? Are prospects saying things to you like: "I'll think it over and get back to you?" "I need to talk it over with my wife." "Call me next week and we'll set up an appointment." Then create a ...

So. You've met with the client. Provided a proposal. Asked when they wanted follow-up. You felt the meeting went well and secretly you were counting the dollars and where you were going to spend them. And then you've... Called, e-mailed, Called, e-mailed, Called, e-mailed, Called, e-mailed, ...

Let's say you're at your office and you're working away. Your phone rings and someone says, “Hello, my name's Mark. I'm with Financial Solutions. We offer a broad array of financial solutions. Do you have a few minutes?”nnWhat would go through your mind when you hear this pitch? Probably the same thing your prospects are thinking when they get a cold call from you. In other words, “How can I get this person off the phone as quickly as possible?” nnThis isn’t exactly

At first it may have been an exciting challenge trying to fill your appointment calendar each week. Soon what was once a challenge became a drudgery. Unfortunately, few of the appointments you secured resulted in immediate business meaning you had to work even harder to fill that appointment book. Plus, even though you continue to ask for referrals those referrals are few and far between. Have you been or are you in these shoes? n n Even though it feels hopeless now there is

The Internet has grown from a small network of academics needing a way to trade research into a world-spanning, ubiquitous marketplace and repository for nearly every possible kind of information and knowledge. How does a small business avoid being washed away in the constant tide of buying, selling and marketers hawking every conceivable item (and some difficult to conceive...)? nnThe Internet provides advantages for both customer and proprietor in that one can search for ex

Ok, confess you’ve said it yourself when approached by a salesperson. And you understand it in a retail setting, but what about service industry businesses? In your case when the prospect projects disinterest what do you do how do you handle it? n n What does “I’m just looking” or general disinterest really mean? It means you have a ready buyer! You don’t go to a car dealership because you have no interest in buying a car, and a prospect doesn&#8

There are cold calling scripts available for free. There are cold calling scripts available for a fee. You can read those scripts word for word or absorb the words and speak from memory. Yet still the results you want seem to be just out of reach. Why is that happening? What is wrong with the scripts? Are the writers holding something back? Better yet what do you need to do to get a script to work for you and get you where you want to go? First, know this: words are important

Gamers are always in search of the best CPU that can make their system fast.rnThey would never like to make their system slow or sluggish. So, for this, every gamer uses a CPU cooler to make the performance better.rnThere are numerous CPU coolers introduced till now, and each of them is best according to the features.rnBut when we talk about the flagship CPU cooler for the 11th generation, a user must be a little attentive.rnHe should know all the features of these CPU cooler

Whoo hoo, your sales are growing and now you’re wondering if it’s time to develop a physical presence in the marketplace. Most service professionals come to this cross-roads and take the next step without carefully considering the impact and the underlying concerns. n n Many service professionals like insurance agents and financial advisors are encouraged to get an office as soon as possible. Before you make that decision and take that step just make sure you&#821

More and more sales reps are complaining to me that they are getting stuck, can’t get through, can’t make direct contact and can’t get a return call. And, if I can be frank, it’s no wonder! Have you listened to the quality of the voice mail messages being left by sales reps who call your office or home? I have. If the calls I am receiving are any indication, it’s no wonder you may be having trouble. Let’s start at the very beginning… A good voice mail must be pr