http://guruknowledge.org en-us http://guruknowledge.org N/A daleking@guruknowledge.org Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:39:55 -0400 20 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1866/1/Win-the-Battle-Lose-the-War/Win-the-Battle-Lose-the-War.html Dealing with customer concerns, problems and issues is a fact of life when you sell a product or service. And every person in sales has to certain customers who are more challenging to deal with. Some situations start as minor difficulties but quickly escalate into huge drawn-out battles. Unfortunately, many sales people unknowingly cause situations to escalate. Here is what I mean. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1860/1/10-Simple-Steps-to-Selling-Yourself/10-Simple-Steps-to-Selling-Yourself.html Every day of your life you are selling yourself, nothingwill happen until you're successful at doing that. We're all in the selling business whether we like it or not.It doesn't matter whether you're a lawyer or an accountant,a manager or a politician, an engineer or a doctor. We allspend a great deal of our time trying to persuade people tobuy our product or service, accept our proposals or merelyaccept what we say.   alan@themotivationdoctor.com (Alan Fairweather) Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1859/1/Sell-Feelings-Not-Facts/Sell-Feelings-Not-Facts.html I've been hearing for years that a successful business needsto have a USP (unique sales point). The problem is that mostbusinesses find difficulty in identifying what their USP is.And even if they have a USP, eventually they find theircompetitors doing the same thing.   alan@themotivationdoctor.com (Alan Fairweather) Mon, 22 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1833/1/Handling-the-Cold-Potato/Handling-the-Cold-Potato.html Do you have prospects that seem to give you the run-around? They expressed interest in your product or service when you first contacted them but now they don't return your calls, reply to your emails or seem interested in making a buying decision. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1786/1/Lessons-from-the-First-Salesman--The-Serpent/Lessons-from-the-First-Salesman--The-Serpent.html The serpent is one of the oldest and most widespread mythological symbols. “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made,” Genesis 3:1. The serpent is indeed the original salesman. It is no wonder that when being derogatory about a person’s characteristics one might say that they are slippery like “snake oil”. But (for our purposes) the serpent must have been one heck of salesman. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Evan Sohn) Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1785/1/Recession-Selling--making-the-best-out-of-the-worst-or-the-very-bad/Recession-Selling--making-the-best-out-of-the-worst-or-the-very-bad.html It is no surprise that trying to sell in a tough market is one heck of a challenge. Think of the opposite – just how easy it was to sell when everything was going great. Companies buy to either (a) drive revenue or (b) cut costs. Y2K, Sarbanes Oxley, SEC and HIPPA compliance are long gone (unless you are one of the lucky ones) so forcing a company to spend money to get into compliance isn’t an option for most of us. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Evan Sohn) Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1782/1/Keep-the-Sale/Keep-the-Sale.html Does this sound familiar? After dozens of phones calls and emails as well as several face-to-face meetings, you finally reach an agreement with a prospect who is intent on buying your service, product or solution. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1780/1/Keeping-Your-Cool-When-the-Customer-Gets-Hot/Keeping-Your-Cool-When-the-Customer-Gets-Hot.html A day in the life of a business person can be filled with joy and satisfaction or it can be frustrating and stressful.  When things go wrong, some people lose control. Holding emotions in check and reacting professionally under fire are not always easy.  It is particularly difficult to be nice to people who are not being nice to you.  lydia@mannersthatsell.com (Lydia Ramsey) Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1779/1/Six-Secret-Sales-Weapons/Six-Secret-Sales-Weapons.html If you are involved in sales, and who isn't, you know the terms, techniques and tips for attracting potential customers, creating the desire to buy, gaining trust, closing the deal and maintaining relationship. lydia@mannersthatsell.com (Lydia Ramsey) Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1777/1/The-Buyers-Lament/The-Buyers-Lament.html  Dr. Seuss published his first book, The Cat in the Hat, fifty years ago. It's since become a childhood classic. My mother loved Dr. Seuss's books from the moment she discovered them. I'm not sure if it was the simple rhyming schemes or the outlandish drawings that attracted her most.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jill Konrath) Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1776/1/Selling/Selling.html A few months ago my friend was in the midst of web site redesign. Her son, who had just left a web design firm to start his own company, was doing the work for her. Several times she suggested that I might want talk to him. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jill Konrath) Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1700/1/Think-Before-You-Speak/Think-Before-You-Speak.html You are talking to a customer and after you present your product, service or solution, she asks, "What discount can I get?" or "What can you do about the price?" Think before you speak otherwise this innocent-sounding question will cost you money right off your bottom line. While it's tempting to offer a discount or better price resist the desire to do so.  Here's why. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1696/1/How-Can-I-Sell-More-when-I-Have-so-Much-to-Do/How-Can-I-Sell-More-when-I-Have-so-Much-to-Do.html That's a question I'm often asked whenever I'm talking to a group of salespeople. I'm sure you can empathize with the feelings behind it. You have new products to learn, paperwork to complete, hundreds of customer problems to solve, meetings to attend, inside people to cojole, managers to mollify - and, on top of all this, you are expected to sell something! daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dave Kahle) Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1695/1/Characteristics-of-a-Professional-Are-You-Serious-about-Your-Job/Characteristics-of-a-Professional-Are-You-Serious-about-Your-Job.html "I wish my people were more professional," executives and managers often commiserate to me. Even with those who don't voice it, that unspoken yearning often hovers just-under-the-surface of their conversation.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dave Kahle) Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1597/1/10-Tips-to-Increase-Your-Sales/10-Tips-to-Increase-Your-Sales.html Want to take your business to the next level? If so, take these actions. They're guaranteed to make a difference in your sales results.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jill Konrath) Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1596/1/Presentations-of-Mass-Destruction/Presentations-of-Mass-Destruction.html Finally! After months of trying, you have an opportunity to make a presentation to decision makers from a company you would love to have as a client. This is your big chance ...   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jill Konrath) Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1595/1/Four-Disciplines-of-Extraordinary-Leaders/Four-Disciplines-of-Extraordinary-Leaders.html "The best leaders are great because of the way they think. Extraordinary leaders separate themselves by the way they communicate what they are thinking. They have, the 'Universal Edge,' in that they understand their audience, and know how to make a connection." -Doyle Slayton daleking@guruknowledge.org (Doyle Slayton) Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1594/1/7-Foundations-for-Sales-Greatness/7-Foundations-for-Sales-Greatness.html There are 7 key areas to develop when laying the foundation for your sales team. Build on these principles, and you will set your team up for greatness! daleking@guruknowledge.org (Doyle Slayton) Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1593/1/Are-Routines-Holding-You-Back/Are-Routines-Holding-You-Back.html What routines are preventing you from increasing your sales? Whether you realize it or not, you are a creature of habit. Unless you do shift work, you probably get up at the same time everyday, follow the same routine to wake up and get yourself ready for the day, drive the regular route to work, do the same things once you get to work, and take the same route home at the end of the day. Once there, you probably have dinner, watch television or read the newspaper, and follow some sort of routine once it's time to go to bed. You set the alarm for the same time and when it sounds the next day, you start the cycle over again.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1488/1/Take-Out-the-Trash/Take-Out-the-Trash.html Is your head trash piling up?The term "head trash" came up during a conversation with a colleague and he used the phrase to describe the mental garbage that affects the performance of most sales people. Head trash is a collection of limiting thoughts or ideas that prevent you from taking specific action that will help you generate better results. Here are a few examples of how head trash can affect you. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1441/1/Dale-King-Interviews-Jill-Konrath/Dale-King-Interviews-Jill-Konrath.html Dale King: Today, I'm interviewing author, leading-edge sales strategist and business advisor, Jill Konrath. Jill is the author of the instant sales classic, and highly-acclaimed "Selling to Big Companies." It's been an Amazon Top 25 seller since it came out over two years ago. Hello Jill, how are you? daleking@guruknowledge.org (Dale King) Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1436/1/Are-You-Creating-Your-Own-Sales-Obstacles/Are-You-Creating-Your-Own-Sales-Obstacles.html As a seller, I'm sure the last thing in the world you want to do is to make your job even more difficult. But the truth is, many of you are doing just that - all the time and without even knowing it. This past week I was talking to one seller about a particularly challenging sales issue he kept running into. As it turns out, he was his own worst enemy.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jill Konrath) Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1435/1/Passing-the-quotTell-Me-Morequot-Test/Passing-the-quotTell-Me-Morequot-Test.html Establishing a business relationship with a new prospect is a lot like walking on a balance beam. Every single move you make has consequences. When you execute it flawlessly, you're in a perfect position for your next move. However, any misstep on your part sends you into recovery mode. Sometimes you're able to bounce back, but other times you fall off and are out of the competition. To make it even more challenging, stone-faced judges ruthlessly evaluate how well you execute each move and its level of difficult.   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jill Konrath) Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1430/1/Promiscuous-Prospecting/Promiscuous-Prospecting.html "How many prospecting calls did you make last week?" That's the first thing my sales manager asked me every single Monday morning. I dreaded those meetings because they put me in a no-win position.I hated to lie, but if I told the truth I'd get in big trouble. My numbers were significantly and consistently below the sacrosanct corporate standards which were established to help us be more successful. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jill Konrath) Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1429/1/Creating-Sales-The-Secret-to-Finding-Hidden-but-Ripe-Opportunities/Creating-Sales-The-Secret-to-Finding-Hidden-but-Ripe-Opportunities.html Quick. Qualify your prospects. Make sure they have the budget for your product or service. And, if not, move on. Your time is precious and you can't waste it with prospects who aren't ready for change.Heard those words before? Traditional sales wisdom says that focusing on the low-hanging fruit is the fastest way to get business. Look for the "ready now" buyers and ignore the rest - that's the key to success. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jill Konrath) Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1403/1/How-to-Sell-to-Anyone/How-to-Sell-to-Anyone.html Let's face it. We all have those difficult customers to whom we are required to sell. From the demanding, abrasive buyer to the individual who never seems to make a buying decision, we encounter challenging people on a regular basis. Part of the reason this happens is due to the disconnect we have because  of conflicting personalities. This article will look at the four key types of people and how to improve your results with each. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1383/1/Beating-Your-Competition-How-To-Easily-And-Cheaply-Win-The-Hearts-And-Wallets-Of-Your-Competitors-Clients/Beating-Your-Competition-How-To-Easily-And-Cheaply-Win-The-Hearts-And-Wallets-Of-Your-Competitors-C.html If you are playing tennis, basketball or golf for fun, you probably want someone as good if not a little better than you to make it fun. If they are way better or way worse than you the game is not nearly as fun. However, if you are playing for money, your mindset changes. If you have a Benjamin riding on the game you probably want to play an opponent that is worse than you. Or you may be extremely competitive and want to play someone better than you. Either way you want to win, right? daleking@guruknowledge.org (Michael Kaselnak) Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1342/1/The-Fear-Factor/The-Fear-Factor.html What are you afraid of?If you are like most of the people I encounter in my sales training programs, you likely have some type of fear relating to the sales process. When I pose this question to people in my workshops, the fear of rejection is usually the top concern participants express. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1341/1/The-Power-of-Self-Development/The-Power-of-Self-Development.html Self-development is a critical component. Here is the transcript of an interview I recently gave that outlines the importance of self-development. "Let's start with what seems to be an obvious question...why is self-development so important?"   daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1340/1/A-Winners-Attitude/A-Winners-Attitude.html What does it take to be successful in sales? Certainly effort, hard work and dedication is important. An excellent understanding of the sales process is also essential. But it's more than that. The most successful people I know have a slightly different outlook than their coworkers and associates. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1339/1/Powerful-Questions-That-Will-Increase-Your-Sales/Powerful-Questions-That-Will-Increase-Your-Sales.html I recently wrote an article called, Feeble Questions Can Kill Your Business. In the article, I stated that too many sales people get caught in the trap of asking low-quality questions instead of more powerful ones. Many people contacted me and requested more information on what constitutes a great question. This article will address that issue. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kelley Robertson) Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1274/1/Practice-Golden-Rule-Selling/Practice-Golden-Rule-Selling.html One giant step to building a better self-image and improving your sales performance is to adopt the Golden Rule mentality. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Brian Tracy) Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1273/1/Consulting-Versus-Selling/Consulting-Versus-Selling.html One particular self-image possessed by high-achieving salespeople is that they see themselves as consultants rather than as salespersons. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Brian Tracy) Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1272/1/Becoming-a-Master-of-Persuasion/Becoming-a-Master-of-Persuasion.html Persuasion power can help you get more of the things you want faster than anything else you do. It can mean the difference between success and failure. It can guarantee your progress and enable you to use all of your other skills and abilities at the very highest level. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Brian Tracy) Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1271/1/Be-A-Doctor-of-Selling/Be-A-Doctor-of-Selling.html Top sales professionals see themselves as "Doctors of Selling." They see themselves as professionals, well educated, acting in their "patient's" best interest, and bound by a high code of ethics. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Brian Tracy) Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1256/1/What-you-can-learn-from-the-Movie-Business/What-you-can-learn-from-the-Movie-Business.html Maybe everything you need to know you can learn from the movies. A friend of mine is a screenwriter in Los Angeles. Over a glass of wine, we were discussing his business and the nature of the beast in Hollywood. He's a boy from Winnipeg who gave up his much-loved Honda, his life savings, and his broadcasting career to move to Los Angeles to attend the American Film Institute. Not an easy feat in your mid-30s. After 8 years of hard work he is now becoming the new discovery of LA. He said the most difficult thing to adjust to was all the talking. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kim Duke) Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1255/1/Corn-Flakes-Rice-Krispies-or-Fruit-Loops/Corn-Flakes-Rice-Krispies-or-Fruit-Loops.html Last week-end my 5 and 8 year old nieces came to visit. In the morning, I asked them - "So what do you feel like eating for breakfast today?" "What are you craving?" Being kids - of course they said "Something sweet." daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kim Duke) Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1254/1/Stirring-The-Sales-Pot/Stirring-The-Sales-Pot.html Cooking and selling have many things in common. You are always working with a variety of ingredients to create the desired end result. You turn the heat up or down. You let things simmer to achieve perfection. This Sales Martha also believes in stirring the pot! daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kim Duke) Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1253/1/Brain-Fertilizer/Brain-Fertilizer.html Spring always brings back childhood memories of growing up in Plunkett, Saskatchewan. My mother had one of the largest gardens in town, as my sister and I often complained about! One of my responsibilities was to help my mother with the garden. No small feat considering my sister and I had to shell peas until our thumbnails were green and ragged - truly the only green thumb I've ever had! Each spring, before we could plant a single seed, we had to work manure and compost into the soil; preparing a fertile environment for the seeds to grow in. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Kim Duke) Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1217/1/Lead-Generation-Seminars--What-Works-What-Doesnt/Lead-Generation-Seminars--What-Works-What-Doesnt.html Seminars are outstanding ways to generate "conversations" with prospects---and ultimately leads. But if done poorly, they can ruin your brand. If you're a sales professional and you are asked to do a seminar, then take these into consideration. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Bill Caskey) Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1216/1/What-Should-You-Be-Spending-On-Training/What-Should-You-Be-Spending-On-Training.html Recently the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) delivered their 2007 State of Training Study. In it, they address the national average of investment-per- employee in training. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Bill Caskey) Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1215/1/Talking-To-CEOs/Talking-To-CEOs.html The Universe has a funny way of working. It seems to have the attitude of, “I’ll allow it to happen when it’s ready to happen.” We see this in all phases in our life. We really want something—really bad. But we don’t get it. Then later, we realize we really didn’t want it. What if we were to get everything we think we want? Not so good. The Universe usually knows best. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Bill Caskey) Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1214/1/When-the-Prospects-Mental-Budget-Is-Lower-than-the-Real-Cost/When-the-Prospects-Mental-Budget-Is-Lower-than-the-Real-Cost.html Last week, one of my clients called and said that his price had slipped out during a conversation with the prospect, and he realized, after he left, that it was much higher than what the prospect thought it was going to cost to do this work. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Bill Caskey) Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1208/1/Basic-Principles-of-Selling/Basic-Principles-of-Selling.html When you are selling any type of product or service there are a few aspects you must be aware of. If you cannot successfully execute the sale then your business is bound to fail due to the fact that your business survives on its consumers and if you cannot draw your consumers in, then your business will not continue to grow. You must be able to apply a few basis strategies to the proper sale of your product or service that your company is offering in order to secure the longevity of your business. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jeff Blackwell) Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1207/1/Salesmanship-and-Empathy/Salesmanship-and-Empathy.html One of the simplest ways to increase your productivity as a salesperson is to tune into your buyer's point of view. When you are in tune with your buyer you have empathy. This means that you can identify with and understand their situation, feelings, and motives. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jeff Blackwell) Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1206/1/Sales-Training---Making-It-Stick/Sales-Training---Making-It-Stick.html Communication is often touted as the most important aspect of sales training, but the most important thing about sales training is whether or not it brings about results. Why is it that when you simply repeat your requests in memo after memo or yell what you need changed, the change in sales training that you are hoping for doesn’t come about? Because what is going to happen if they don’t implement the new training procedure? Another memo? Another yelling session? For most, this is not enough motivation to make a change, especially a change that they are not inspired to absorb. daleking@guruknowledge.org (Jeff Blackwell) Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1195/1/Sales-Organization-Strategies/Sales-Organization-Strategies.html Sales Organization Strategies It was 3000 BC. Tribal club seller Og ran into stone knife salesperson Ur down at the local watering hole. After the mandatory exchange of grunts and dinosaur claws, talk turned to the best way to set up a sales group. Five thousand years later, CEOs are still debating. Everyone has an opinion, very few people get to start off with a clean slate, and often things “just happen” rather than result as part of a long term strategy.   frank@riverheightsconsulting.com (Frank Hurtte) Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1170/1/Try-Before-Buy/Try-Before-Buy.html In the service and technology industries, it is not uncommon for prospects to request pilot programs before committing their full business. Yet, there are important steps for the sales person to take before agreeing to the engagement.   lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1142/1/How-Richard-Got-My-15000-In-Less-Than-An-Hour/How-Richard-Got-My-15000-In-Less-Than-An-Hour.html How do you learn best? Personally, my favorite method is having great information served up in huge chunks in a short amount of time. That’s why I go to tons of seminars. To me nothing beats the ability to learn from someone who’s “been there and done that”, the opportunity to hang out with other like-minded people. adam@themarketingmentors.com (Adam Urbanski) Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1096/1/The-Sales-Persons-Kryptonite/The-Sales-Persons-Kryptonite.html RFPs can leave you feeling powerless. Before you decide to respond to your next RFP, read this article. You can regain the power!     Superman, as strong he is, is paralyzed by kryptonite. It brings him to his knees despite his superhuman strength. Sales people have their own kryptonite called RFPs, the dreaded Request for Proposal. An RFP process doesn’t have to be kryptonite. Superman has no choice but to fight this nemesis to survive. Sales people have choices.   lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1091/1/The-Plain-Truth-About-Sales/The-Plain-Truth-About-Sales.html Are you mystified or terrified by the whole idea of sales? Many small business owners start their businesses with great passion, but little experience in how to sell their product or service. Yet, developing powerful selling skills and feeling empowered to succeed at the sales process can make the difference between success and failure.     info@smallbusiness-bigresults.com (Janis Pettit) Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1089/1/Will-You-Pass-the-Flinch-Test/Will-You-Pass-the-Flinch-Test.html There is a little test that professional buyers give to every sales person. It is a test to see if they are confident in the price they presented. They call it the flinch test. Will you pass the test?     lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1080/1/When-the-Sale-Doesnt-Happen/When-the-Sale-Doesnt-Happen.html In a perfect world, every buying process would conclude with an award of the business. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen. There are lessons to be learned in sales gone awry.     lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1077/1/-Why-Cant-I-Hire-The-Right-Sales-People/Why-Cant-I-Hire-The-Right-Sales-People.html A disconnect exists between sales managers and recruiters that causes challenges for both. Together, they can resolve this issue by creating their company’s Sales Talent Screening Program.     lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1071/1/Whats-The-Plan/Whats-The-Plan.html If you don’t have a destination, how can you develop a map to get there? This may sound like a question for a driver, but it is also a question for sales people.     lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1069/1/The-Most-Underutilized-Strategic-Advantage/The-Most-Underutilized-Strategic-Advantage.html Sales people are always looking for a way to differentiate themselves to win an account. Few use one of the most powerful tools in their bag, the right reference. lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1067/1/What-Every-Sales-Person-Could-Learn-From-the-Yankees/What-Every-Sales-Person-Could-Learn-From-the-Yankees.html This is the time of year when salespeople begin to reflect on their performance. Was it a good year? Was it a great year? Some will say they earned the dollars they desired, so it was a great year. Others will hang their hat on an account that they won and say it was a good year. However, as Joe Torre, former manager of the New York Yankees recently learned, employers have a single data point for measuring success that dwarfs all other statistics.    lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1061/1/Cant-Sell-Today/Cant-Sell-Today.html Can’t sell in January. Between the terrible weather and everyone coming back from vacation, how can you expect someone to focus on buying now? I’ll pound the pavement next month.   lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1049/1/The-Secret-To-Overcoming-The-Price-Objection/The-Secret-To-Overcoming-The-Price-Objection.html Ok. This is false advertising. There is no secret to “overcoming” the price objection. The truth is that the price objection cannot be overcome. That is because it isn’t intended to be overcome. It is meant to be resolved through thought facilitation by a sales person. The sales person’s role is to help the prospect work through the price concern as opposed to attempting to overcome it.   lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1040/1/Migrating-From-Vendor-To-Partner/Migrating-From-Vendor-To-Partner.html So, it’s been another round of price squeezing. Very painful! They want it cheaper and your company is tasking you with protecting margin. To make matters worse, the prospect called you one of the worst things possible… a vendor! At this point, you have probably decided that sales really isn’t fun. There is hope! You can change the entire playing field by changing your style, your approach, and your game.   lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1038/1/Successful-Selling-and-The-Theory-of-Relativity/Successful-Selling-and-The-Theory-of-Relativity.html Albert Einstein formulated the theory that says that space and time are relative concepts rather than absolute concepts. For example, consider a car speedometer reading at 65 miles per hour. How fast is the car going? This question seems like the beginning of the joke of who is buried in Grant’s tomb and you are expecting a punch line. No joke here, I assure you. As a matter of fact, most would respond 65 miles per hour. This is the correct answer if and only if you are comparing the car to someone who is not moving. However, if you compare that same car to the car driving next to it that is driving 55 miles per hour, your car is only moving at 10 miles per hour.   lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1037/1/Close-Doors-Not-Sales/Close-Doors-Not-Sales.html Recently, I was asked to provide my thoughts on sales people and the requirement that they "ask for the business" as a closing technique. I've always taken issue with this approach. Maybe in the 1960s or 1970s, people were different and enjoyed being asked what it would take to get their business. I doubt it, but I wasn't old enough at the time to have experienced it. lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1020/1/Finding-The-Right-Home-For-Your-Sales-Skills/Finding-The-Right-Home-For-Your-Sales-Skills.html It’s that time of year again when salespeople peak their heads up from their cubicles to see if there is a better opportunity out there. So, what do I mean by “that time of the year?” Actually, it’s most every day. The way most salespeople are wired, they have an insatiable urge for more. More money! More responsibility! More, more, more! Recruiters will often tell you that it is easy to get salespeople to consider a new opportunity regardless of their satisfaction level with their current job. As one recruiter shared with me, “The mere mention of the possibility of more money gets the engines going with salespeople.”   lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1019/1/5-Keys-To-Ensuring-A-Spectacular-Sales-Training-Experience/5-Keys-To-Ensuring-A-Spectacular-Sales-Training-Experience.html You woke up this morning and decided that today is the day to get sales training for your team. But what is driving that decision? What makes you think you really need sales training? Before setting out to find a sales trainer, the next best step may be to assess the sales team since there are a lot of options out there. Do they meet your profile for your ideal salesperson? If not, training becomes secondary to finding sales talent that meets your needs. lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/1008/1/The-Sales-Marriage-Finding-The-Right-Sales-Talent-For-Your-Company/The-Sales-Marriage-Finding-The-Right-Sales-Talent-For-Your-Company.html I recently had the opportunity to speak to a group of CEOs about their sales recruitment needs. To make a point, I mentioned to them that my friend, Willie McMoney, had heard that I was speaking to this group and asked that I mention he was looking for a new sales home. I shared Willie’s background with the group: Willie has a Bachelor’s Degree from a well-respected institution, has a great look, has been selling for over ten years for household name companies that offer low-price products, and has exceeded quota each of the last three years. That being said, I asked the group who wanted to hire Willie. Most raised their hands in earnest.   lsalz@salesdodo.com (Lee Salz) Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/634/1/Selling---Always-Go-for-Top-Money/Selling---Always-Go-for-Top-Money.html If you've ever flown economy class on an international flight then you've probably noticed that the airline makes you walk through Business or First Class to get to your economy seat. You become very much aware of the wider isles, the more spacious, comfortable seats and the greater leg room. As you squeeze into your "cattle class" seat you wish you were in front of that curtain enjoying the better food and the extra service. The airlines do this deliberately; they want you to wish you were in Business or First Class. Only 20% of the aircraft is reserved for "big comfy seat class" however, that 20% contributes 80% of the profits. alan@themotivationdoctor.com (Alan Fairweather) Tue, 12 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/633/1/Stop-Selling-and-Make-More-Sales/Stop-Selling-and-Make-More-Sales.html A few months ago I spent time training some telephone sales agents who were new to selling. They'd mainly been involved with handling incoming calls but now their company needed them to do some out bound sales calls. I spent two days running a sales workshop for them and another three days coaching them on the job. The biggest challenge I had was trying to stop them selling. Or at least their idea of what selling is all about. Many people who are new to sales and also some experienced sales people want to keep talking about their product or service. They open the conversation with one or two general questions which are often irrelevant to the customer and then launch into their sales spiel. alan@themotivationdoctor.com (Alan Fairweather) Tue, 12 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/612/1/My-Little-League-Coach-on-Sales-Management/My-Little-League-Coach-on-Sales-Management.html In my 30 (plus) year career in sales, I have read (what we call in Iowa) “a pile” of books on sales and sales management.  Integrity Selling, Selling to Vito, Structured Selling, Dale Carnegie Selling, Features/Benefit Selling and Rain Maker come to mind.  I have over 20 linear feet of shelving devoted to selling courses and the length is growing.  If sales books were guns, I could equip an army – but, last week a funny thing happened.  A friend emailed me and said he was moving from operations into a sales management roll.  He was looking for some guidance, and he wanted it soon.  Without thinking, I started rattling off a list of books.  As we chatted, our conversation digressed to baseball and the summer of 1963.  Then it hit me – Sales Management is like being a Little League coach. frank@riverheightsconsulting.com (Frank Hurtte) Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/582/1/Sales-Techniques-to-STOP-Using-If-You-Want-to-Sell-More/Sales-Techniques-to-STOP-Using-If-You-Want-to-Sell-More.html The differences between top sales professionals and the rest of the crowd isn't just about what they DO, it's about what they DON'T do as well! Over the course of more than 20 years developing the MasterStream Method, we've identified over two dozen traditional selling approaches that, upon closer examination, cause more damage than good. In this article, we'll begin exploring several mistakes sales professionals make, starting with: Why "Feel, Felt, Found" is a Foolish Thing to Say The essence of every sales call is to complete three basic tasks: 1) help your prospect identify a situation in need of their immediate attention; 2) prove you're the solution they need; and 3) secure their commitment. aanapier@adelphia.net (T. Falcon Napier) Thu, 16 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500 http://guruknowledge.org/articles/522/1/Sell-Your-Product-or-Service-to-the-US-Government/Sell-Your-Product-or-Service-to-the-US-Government.html The United States Government is the world's largest purchaser of goods and services to the tune of over $225 BILLION dollars annually. Virtually everything you can think of is purchased in both large and small quantities. So, have no doubt that whatever service or product your business is selling it is being sought by this prolific buyer! Also, get the idea out of your head that the Government only deals in large purchases. Sure, they buy airplanes and submarines for billions of dollars but in fact this level of buying accounts for less than 5% of all Government purchases. The majority of purchases are for $5,000 or less. robert@isquare.com (Dr. Robert Sullivan) Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400