2010
Fall 2010–Its a great time to be visible
There is a magical moment in the sales cycle and it’s happening right now. From late November through late January, it’s a wonderful time to be visiting clients.
2009
Spring 2009—Management Stepping Up When Times Are Tough
This quarter’s newsletter focuses on what managers need to be doing. It’s up to them to keep the troops com-mitted, motivated, excited and focused. Without an effective sales force, we cannot be successful.
Summer 2009—It’s a Great Time to be Gracious
Sometimes salespeople have to say ‘no’ to their customers. In the spirit of being gracious, let’s explore how to do that effectively.
2008
Spring 2008—Selling In Challenging Times
Whether it is a temporary slippery slope, a slowdown, a mild recession—or worse, we still need to be out there beating the bushes.
Summer 2008—Empathy as the Key to Building Relationships
“basic qualities that any good salesperson must have (are) empathy and ego drive.” They described empathy as “the central ability to feel as other people do to sell them a product or service.” Ego drive was defined as, “the personal desire and need to make the sale…because he [sic] has to.”
Winter 2008—Selling in an Environment of Uncertainty…and Fear
Yes, there are lots of scared people out there. People are worried about their business, their people, their jobs, their future and their well-being. Sales professionals must be sensitive to this and, with that in mind, be particularly careful in the way they deal with their buyers, customers and clients.
2007
Summer 2007—Becoming a True Value-Add to Your Clients
… this newsletter is devoted to looking at the value we bring to our client relationships. We will discuss the “Value Pyramid” which evolved from the “Value Chain” that Nadine Keller of Precision Sales Coaching developed years ago and helped us to include in our training curriculum.
Winter 2007—Five Things To Think About When Planning for 2008
Think about what you can do to become more effective—whether it is physical, spiritual, intellectual, or whatever. When you stop growing, you start declining. If you will pardon the cliché, don’t forget that “tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life…”
2006
Spring 2006—Offering the Unsolicited Idea
…“You need to bring something new to every sales call.’ The words scared me to death. How could I bring something new to each call
Winter 2006—Facilitation Skills. A Way to Elevate Sales Calls
We want you all to think yet again about how to differentiate yourselves. If you are familiar with our thinking, you know that we believe in constantly improving your skills.
We want you to think about a skill set that doesn’t come to mind very often—facilitation skills.
2005
Spring 2005—Team Selling, the Internal Component
…there are no better resources to salespeople than other salespeople who share the same challenges every day.
Summer 2005—Finals Presentations, it’s Show Time!
This newsletter focuses on the Finals Presentation— that critical meeting when an organization formally tells its story. It’s the moment of truth, “Showtime.” So it better be good— no, it better be great. That is what we will talk about here.
2004
Winter 2004—Planning Better by Assessing Performance and Thinking Proactively
It is never too late to plan or too early to assess performance and, with that in mind, this newsletter offers ideas as to how to do both more effectively.
…the joint sales call. It’s a potentially great opportunity when you bring resources to visit a customer. Unfortunately, too often that opportunity falls short of this potential.
2003
Winter 2003—Passing the Selling Baton
This newsletter takes a hard look at the turnover call. It is a unique sales call that provides all parties with a chance to learn more about each other and benefit from the change.
Spring 2003—Prospecting – A Comprehensive Approach
If you are going to land new customers, you have to beat the bushes. The days of customers coming in “over the transom” are nothing more than a fond memory for most of us. Prospecting requires time, energy,courage and tenacity. Yet the pay-off can be significant.
2002
Spring 2002—Planning for 2002 – The Sales Action Plan
Your sales goals have most likely been established by now. If you are like most salespeople, they were given to you without much input from you. The reality is that most organizations use a top-down approach; salespeople are, for the most part, told what they are expected to do in the upcoming year.
Summer 2002—Why Needs Determination is so Challenging
For over 20 years we have been asking salespeople a very simple yet important question– do you understand all of your customers’ needs? About 80% of the people
we have asked say, yes.
Winter 2002—Why Buyers Buy
As complicated as some of us try to make the sales process, when push comes to shove, it is all about the relationship. People buy from people they like. They buy from people they respect as business colleagues. They buy from people they believe. And they buy from people they trust.
2001
Fall 2001—Salespeople as Problem Solvers
“I want my salespeople to bring me solutions to problems I don’t even know I have.” That was a quote we heard from a focus group participant not too long ago. We will never forget it. It now drives virtually everything we teach.