Be Relevant – Business Selling has Changed. A collection of suggestions and advice to guide you.
Listening is more important than speaking…right? I mean, would I be wrong saying that it is TWICE as important as speaking? Looking at the equipment…two ears, one mouth…even I can make the maths work on that one. I guess I am only partially joking. Let’s just say that everyone agrees listening is higher on the […]
Nothing is more frustrating than putting all of your effort into sales activities to close a deal, only to get to the close date find out your deal is dead. The frustration is on MANY levels…including the folks who are reporting the business. It’s management’s job to forecast the business. Forecasting deals is the center […]
Social media is eating the world. Think about this. 65 percent of adults are using social media. That in itself is amazing, but when you think of how they are using it…you can start to see the opportunity that companies like Microsoft are seeing. Let’s see…
Over the last few posts, I have been writing about the way selling has changed over the last decade or so. I get a like here and there, a “relevant” and maybe a nice comment, but the reality is, while some folks agree, there is very little that has been done to change the way […]
Ever meet a great salesperson? What trait in their personality struck you? I would be surprised if ‘calm demeanor’ wasn’t on your list. Look, I get it…sellers typically have a bad rap, and it’s primarily a reflection of really fantastic marketing about the image of sellers. The fast talking snake charmer that somehow managed to […]
I’m guessing you clicked this link because you are a salesperson. You are curious about my statement that product selling is dead. Don’t let the way you are performing against your quota influence whether you agree or disagree. Take a minute and think about the reason you became a salesperson in the first place. It […]
In 2014, I read a whitepaper about one of the fastest growing trends affecting IT today. It put me on the path I am on right now…and opened my eyes to the enormous opportunity and threat facing business today. “The 2014 State of Digital Transformation” white paper by Brian Solis (available for free download here), […]
Don’t Go It AloneTake individual risk out of the equation by selling in your territory from a franchisee’s point of view. Successful franchises have a solid support structure. The franchisor (the company you sell for) does all the testing, makes the costly up-front mistakes, takes the risks, and establishes the marketplace. Today, dynamic relations between the franchisee and […]
Monday…Already?! For a sales professional…Monday mornings shouldn’t be dreadful. If they are, chances are you aren’t executing your plan…or worse, you haven’t mapped one out. First things first…get your head straight. You are the only person who can change your outlook. Shift your view – recognize that you are in a rut…and that it can […]
Big data touches every industry…and every individual in creative and unique ways. This presents massive opportunity for business, and no longer resides solely in the realm of IT. Gartner predicts that by 2017, more than HALF of tech spending will occur outside of the IT department. Cloud is the enabler of this shift, and the time […]