4 ‘musts’ of a successful sales strategy
February 1, 2012 by Bob Hill
Here are four innovative ways to better understand your customers needs, and provide the type of service that leads to more business: More…
February 1, 2012 by Bob Hill
Getting the most out of every customer: It’s a matter of metrics
January 27, 2012 by Bob Hill
All customers may have been created equal, but they don’t have equal value to you. In fact, some may not be worth your time at all.
7 ways to lose a sale
January 24, 2012 by Ken Dooley
There are a lot of excuses for lost sales. And then there are real reasons — that the salesperson can control.
10 ways to increase sales to present customers
January 12, 2012 by Ken Dooley
Successful salespeople know the driving principles that build credibility and trust with customers and lead them to buy more from you.
8 tips for effective after-sale service
December 30, 2011 by Ken Dooley
Effective after-sales service is not a slogan, advertising program, a button that everyone wears, or a banner touting a “we care attitude.” It is a mindset that good salespeople develop to improve customer satisfaction and retention.
4 ‘triggers’ that make sales easier
December 27, 2011 by Bob Hill
Studies show that prospects who are in the midst of a “sales trigger event” are eight times more likely to agree to buy. So, what’s a sales trigger event? And how do you recognize one?
10 social-media tips that will increase sales in 2012
December 19, 2011 by Bob Hill
Social media have become the valuable sales tools — if you use them correctly.
How to botch a sale in 1 easy (early) step
December 13, 2011 by Ken Dooley
In their haste to satisfy customers, many salespeople make a big mistake.
3 best practices your sales force needs in 2012
December 7, 2011 by Jennifer Azara
If “increase sales” occupies a spot on your organization’s 2012 to-do list, there’s brand new information you need to know about. More…
Five Myths That Hurt Sales
December 6, 2011 by Ken Dooley
Here are 5 bits of common sales wisdom and the myths that lurk within them:
- Selling is selling – a good salesperson can sell anything. We’d like to believe this one, but large sales and small sales require different skill sets – and not every salesperson has them.
In small sales, salespeople do most of the talking and may win the business thanks to their high energy, enthusiasm and glowing product descriptions.
In large sales, the customer may do most of the talking. Salespeople who listen well and ask revealing questions that move the sale to a closing may involve a complex business solution.
- Always call high. Just because salespeople can get appointments with top management doesn’t mean they will close the sale.
Research clearly shows that the most successful salespeople don’t call at higher levels than less successful salespeople. They start their calls at the level where the problems are, which is generally lower in the organization.
Once they understand the customer’s problems, they move up the ladder or get someone on the inside to carry their sales message – and solution – to the top for them.
- To get more orders, make more calls. There are two sides to this one. If you sell lower-cost products and services, making more calls generally translates into more orders.
But on the high-end side, there may be a negative correlation between the number of calls and the number of sales. Reason: To increase the number of calls they make, salespeople may cut back on researching prospects and call preparation.
- Ask open-ended questions. Some salespeople have an unshakable faith in the power of open-ended questions. Problem is, research shows, calls high in closed-end questions are just as likely to lead to sales.
In theory, open-ended questions result in open answers and closed questions in one-word answers.
In practice, 60% of closed questions during sales call result in answers of more than one word. About 10% of open questions get one-word answers. Also, closed-ended questions tend to be sharper focused and result in a specific answer.
- You never get a second chance to make a first impression. First impressions are critical in the small, one-call sale. But in larger, complex sales, there’s no correlation between openings and sales success.
You still want to make a good impression, but prospects will overlook a poor first showing, if they think the salesperson can solve the problem.
Adapted from Getting Partnering Right: How Market leaders Are Creating Long-Term Competitive Advantage by Neil Rackham.
The newest trend in online advertising
November 29, 2011 by Bob Hill
You know those Web ads that give you the option to skip them? There’s a method to that madness. More…
The secrets to successful cold calls
November 28, 2011 by Ken Dooley
The typical cold-call success rate is one in 50. However, if your salespeople use two advantages, they can increase the rate at least tenfold.
5 presentation lessons from the master — Steve Jobs
November 23, 2011 by Bob Hill
The late Apple co-founder will be remembered for a number of things, including his ability to attract and captivate audiences and the media. An analysis shows he used the same formula — one that anyone else can employ. More…
How to avoid the price-driven sale
November 11, 2011 by Ken Dooley
If it seems that all your customers care about is price, maybe your customers aren’t the problem.
Price check! Are you sure you’re still in the sweet spot?
November 7, 2011 by Jennifer Azara
Too many companies don’t pay enough attention to pricing to determine whether or not they’re getting it right.
The 3 new customer demands
October 20, 2011 by Ken Dooley
Customers used to be satisfied with a fair price, a quality product and reasonable after-sale support. Today, they demand a lot more.
Why your firm should have a presence on Facebook
October 17, 2011 by Bob Hill
Is your company capitalizing on the Facebook craze? If not, these statistics may cause you to start thinking social media. More…
Most say initial sales call has ‘little or no value’
October 10, 2011 by Ken Dooley
Conventional wisdom says the first impression is the lasting one. Potential customers often say something quite the opposite.
Creating demand: The key to thriving in a down economy
October 4, 2011 by Ken Dooley
The strategy of proving to the prospect that your solutions are better than the competition’s may not work, because demand may evaporate in hard times. A better step: creating demand.
6 steps to focused sales proposals
September 26, 2011 by Ken Dooley
When nothing less than a formal written proposal will do the trick with potential customers, make sure yours has these crucial elements.
