Why do people enter into the sales profession? We have heard quite a few answers: Real answers from real people in real sales jobs. Hang out with salespeople for long enough and you will learn that these are common reasons early in sales careers. Keep hanging out with them and you will learn that these
10 Things I Wish I had Known Before Getting into Sales Read More »
It is no mystery that our job in sales is to find problems: Uncover the PAIN. Get to the real issues. Dig deep and get to the root of things. This requires communication (questioning) skills. Questioning skills that allow us to have conversations about business problems. Again, business problems. Most prospects don’t pay money to
Don’t Want to Upset a Prospect? Join the Peace Corps Read More »
Sales is hard enough on its own. Prospecting. Rejection. Scheduling appointments. Researching the prospect. Understanding the competitive landscape. Knowing your prospects PAIN points. Uncovering budgets and spending patterns. Manipulating the decision-making process. A pretty tough game. There is no need to make it even harder by saying stupid things. But, some salespeople do. Oh, do
Drop the Sales Jargon: 10 Ways You Are Sounding Like Every Other Salesperson Read More »
Negotiation. One of the worst occupational hazards of the sales profession. Most will say: Not fun. Nobody ever looks forward to it. We want it to end up a win-win for both sides (but does it ever really turn out that way?). It is inevitable. Inevitable? Does it have to be? Hmm. Hear me out.
Not Another Negotiation! Read More »
As people (in our personal life), being agreeable with others (friends, family members, etc.) is a fine quality. A quality that rarely (if ever) will get you in trouble. There is no harm in being a “great guy” or a “very understanding woman.” In our personal life. As employees (in our business/work life), with management,
Where is the Value in Always Agreeing with Everything Your Prospects/Customers Say? Read More »
Hang on: Explanation coming. Think of yourself or your Sales Team (on sales calls, on the phone, on e-mail, while prospecting, during follow-up, dealing with customer issues, and on and on and on . . .) What are they doing? What are they saying? How are they acting? In June of 2026 you likely have
When Salespeople Do What Everyone Else Does they Reduce their Product to a Commodity Read More »
“You don’t understand, Dave, our business is different.” If I had a nickel for every time I heard that over the last 30 years, I’d have a stack of nickels this high! (it’s a pretty high stack). Nineteen out of twenty times when a business owner or VP or Sales Manager says this about their
7 Examples of how Your Business is No Different Than All the Others Read More »
If you think it does not matter where you sit on sales appointments, you are wrong. If you think your customer is always “in charge” and will tell you where to sit, you are also wrong. Where you sit matter and . . . you do have a say. Please note: This is written and
Seating Chart? Are you kidding me? I’m in sales! Read More »
It would be hard to think of a better day to discuss Equanimity than Cinco de Mayo! A big thank you goes out to Troy Frye for introducing me to this word – Equanimity. But how does it relate to Sales, let alone Cinco de Mayo? First off, Equanimity has nothing to do with Cinco
Equanimity? What is that? Read More »
Could Zig Ziglar have said it any better? Not a chance. He nailed it with this one. Maybe he could have said “showering” instead of bathing (who takes baths anymore)? Still a great quote. Daily. Key word there. Motivation is a daily chore. Like house chores. Take a day off from motivation and your house
Motivation: Don’t Wait for your Boss to Do It Read More »