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Articles from Casey FitzGerald | Selfgrowth.com
- Sure-fire Ways to Build a Successful Sales Force - Part 1: Be Data Savy - by Submitted on Sep 23, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldIn this new four-part series of articles, we’re going to look at the steps you can take in your own business today to build a sales force that can help you steadily grow your presence in the marketplace in the years ahead. To keep things simple and easy to read, the seven points we are ...
Views: 1339 - Your spiral pipeline in three steps: (2) Participate post-sale - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldIt’s time to reframe how we think about closed business. That’s the key to the second of three steps you need to take to build your spiral pipeline for sales and prospecting. This step involves participating post-sale: staying on the ground and being available even after the sale is closed. ...
Views: 1413 - Don’t settle for living in a boom-bust sales cycle: get started building your spiral pipeline - by Submitted on Jul 22, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldThis is the first in a series of articles that will explore how an important new approach to managing prospects and customers can help you obtain perpetual sales growth. You hear it so often these days that it has become cliché: that sales growth comes in waves. It’s a notion that suggests ...
Views: 1524 - State of the Sales Nation: One Simple Tip for Drastically Refining Your Sales Pipeline in 2013 - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldUnderstanding that no two sales pipelines are exactly the same, there’s a general flow that most follow. Typically, pipeline models start with some forms of discovery, prequalification, and qualification, before they move on to stages like solution design, customer evaluation, and proposal ...
Views: 1323(1 vote) - The Importance of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in Measuring Sales Success - by Submitted on May 27, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldToo often when looking at a sales team’s success, managersonly look at the actual sales (the closing of the business). Of course, this is important—but the sale is a lagging indicator. If you have no sales closing today, it indicates that your team has not been performing well for months. By the ...
Views: 1411 - Measuring a Pipeline in Percentages - by Submitted on May 13, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldWelcome to “Stop Guessing! Sales Accuracy Redefined.” In this article series, we’ll revisit the concept of a sales pipeline and explain why it’s so important to create an objective percentage measurement for the pipeline instead of the subjective measurements too often used by sales teams. Read ...
Views: 1310 - What Can the Sales World Learn from 2012? - by Submitted on Apr 29, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldWe’re three months into the New Year, so most businesses have turned their attention to the challenges (and opportunities!) that 2013 will inevitably present. And why not? Whether you killed it last year or struggled to live up to your lofty expectations, 2013 presents new hope. The economy ...
Views: 1092 - Growth Strategies: Why Up-Selling and Cross-selling Provides the Path of Least Resistance - by Submitted on Feb 15, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldAs my most loyal readers and customers know, I’m a huge fan of and believer in retaining and growing a business’s current customers. Then again, who isn’t? Yes, new customer acquisition is important to building and scaling a business, but cultivating current customers offers the truest ...
Views: 1289 - Trust is Not Enough - by Submitted on Feb 15, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldFor many years, developing trust and rapport was considered the hallmark of a great sales process. Driving sales required exposing your sales team to a maximum number of prospects and developing trust and rapport with those prospects. As such, the primary objective for most salespeople has ...
Views: 1009 - Understanding the New Sales Process - by Submitted on Jan 09, 2013 from Casey FitzGeraldWelcome to a new year! One that I think demands a new understanding of how we sell, and how buyers are buying. In recent years, buyers in the sales process have become increasingly educated, and with that, the sales process has undergone a transformation. In order for your team to be ...
Views: 967 - A Pragmatic Way of Asking for Referrals - by Submitted on Dec 12, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldGetting your sales team to ask for referrals can be a challenging process in and of itself. As we have discussed in a previous article sales reps often avoid asking for referrals due to fear and ego. By incentivizing your sales reps to ask for referrals, you can shift their thinking from that of ...
Views: 1255 - The Power of Referrals - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldAt a recent conference, I was presenting at a session with sales managers and business owners, and the topic of referrals came up. The sales leaders in the room expressed frustration that their team wasn’t asking for referrals, despite the fact that everyone on the team knew that the quality of ...
Views: 968 - Stepping into the Sales Trap: Colleen Francis on the Sales Mistakes that Cause Serious Pipeline Havoc - by Submitted on Nov 21, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldAn interview with Josh Zywien Sales expert and entrepreneur Colleen Francis hates to be a Debbie Downer, but she has a warning for expansion-stage companies whose sales organizations killed it last quarter: Next quarter might suck. In fact, if you’re not careful, it could be a total failure. ...
Views: 1083 - Avoiding Sales Mistakes as an early stage company - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldBy Colleen Francis, Engage Selling Many early stage companies face a difficult struggle with their sales teams that can truly affect their ability to achieve long-term success. Building an effective, high-performing sales team as an early stage company can be a tremendous challenge that can ...
Views: 1172(1 vote) - Recruiting Great Sales People - by Submitted on Oct 18, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldBy Colleen Francis, Engage Selling You say it to your sales team all the time: “ABC. Always be closing.” Well, as a sales leader, I’d recommend that you adopt a slightly different mantra for yourself: ABR: Always be recruiting. Many sales managers settle into complacency when their team is ...
Views: 1579 - Eliminate Negative Self Talk from Your Sales Team - by Submitted on Oct 18, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldBy Colleen Francis, Engage Selling Negativity can be a real killer on any sales team. I’ve seen good salespeople and great sales teams erode rapidly because a single poisonous thought permeates the team. This crops up more commonly in today’s market, where volatility and constant change can ...
Views: 1559 - Converting Dysfunctional Sales Teams to High Impact Sellers - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldDysfunction: the word comes up in conversation every day, usually in relation to crazy families, nutty reality show contestants, and all-around gossip. But what happens when the word dysfunction can be applied to your sales team? In particular, when a dysfunctional sales team is preventing you ...
Views: 807 - Can Your Sales Team’s Rapport with Clients Be Too Strong? - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldRelationships between companies and their clients are complex in nature, the deepest link being between the sales rep themselves with their clients. One frequent issue that often arises is the level of rapport between a customer and an individual sales rep. Companies are often concerned that if ...
Views: 837 - The Myth of Over-Delivering - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldIt sounds like the dream sales team: the one that under-promises and over-delivers, creating an overjoyed customer and exceeding expectations on the sale. What more could you ask for? Have you ever found yourself telling your team to under-promise and over-deliver? If so, today’s the day to put ...
Views: 797 - Leveraging Your Sales Team for Greater Success - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldBy Colleen Francis, Engage Selling The obvious marker of success for a sales team is bringing in revenue for the company and hitting goals and targets. That said, there are some strategies you can undertake that will provide your sales team with even great success and provide added value for ...
Views: 760 - Ways to Retain (and Grow!) Your Customer Base - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldBy Colleen Francis, Engage Selling Keeping customer loyalty is one of the greatest challenges in sales. This can be especially challenging if your product or service is one that is offered elsewhere on the market for the same quality or price. Some time ago, if a customer liked or trusted you ...
Views: 1217 - Successfully Implementing Strategic Direction for Your Sales Team - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldBy Colleen Francis, Engage Selling As a sales leader, you have a vision for how to accomplish your sales goals and fulfill on company targets. In order to accomplish your objectives, you need to work closely with your sales team and ensure that they share that vision. Sales leaders are often ...
Views: 979 - Three Actions that Lead to a Customer for Life - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldBy Colleen Francis, Engage Selling It’s a statistic that’s commonly repeated in sales departments: it costs five times more to gain a new customer than to keep an existing one. That’s why it’s important to not just make sales, but to acquire lifelong customers. Sales representatives should be ...
Views: 1229 - Motivating Your Sales Team: It’s (Not) All About the Money - by Submitted on May 31, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldWhen sales managers think about keeping their sales teams motivated, they often make a critical mistake. Most of them immediately think of money, and most assume that the entire team will be motivated by the same things. In truth, this attitude is a mistake. While some individuals are driven ...
Views: 1655(1 vote) - Three big challenges every executive struggles with to meet targets and how you can solve them - by Submitted on May 31, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldAs a VP of sales, you’re constantly on the lookout for that winning edge to help you and your organization consistently achieve and even surpass your revenue targets. Success in sales is everything. Among executives, it is the most important thing that we are all measured on. Therefore, ...
Views: 1462 - Building a sum even greater than its parts: Why it’s essential to create a cohesive sales team. - by Submitted on Apr 24, 2012 from Casey FitzGerald“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success.” Henry Ford, one of the great industrialists of the 20th century, said that about the importance of teamwork and of how it applies to businesses of all sizes. Today’s economy is more diverse and ...
Views: 1311 - Debunking the perfect sales process myth: Three steps to help you to better meet the unique needs of every customer or prospect - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2012 from Casey FitzGerald“How do I build the perfect sales cycle or the perfect sales process?” I’m often asked this question and my answer tends to disappoint those who are looking for quick answers to challenging problems. There is no such thing as a perfect sales cycle, or a perfect sales process that you can ...
Views: 1078 - The key to better decision making: knowing the difference between what you know is true versus what you feel is true. - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldIn business, your success hinges on the decision-making process you use to solve problems. Sound decisions are determined by making the right choices for the right reasons from a range of potential options. Not only does this influence where your company or your sales team is heading, the ...
Views: 1045 - Price, Price, Price!!! Six steps you can take to keep cut-rate competitors from stealing your customers - by Submitted on Mar 01, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldIn this article we are going to take a closer look at an all-too common problem: what you can do to close an existing customer when your competition keeps lowering their price. All sales reps face competition. And nothing is more frustrating than having your competition offer to sell to your ...
Views: 1167 - Smartening up your message as part of your sales strategy for success. - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldHow do I help my sales team sell more and be more successful? It’s a question that’s never far from the thoughts of many managers and executives these days. Yes, there are a host of proven lead generation, prospecting and follow-up techniques that can make a real difference in your ...
Views: 1168 - Three things you must do before putting pedal to the metal and accelerating your sales Three things you must do before putting pedal to the metal and accelerating your sales - by Submitted on Feb 16, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldHaving a well-oiled sales team and a great product ready to launch can fill your head with a lot of tempting plans. Just like finding a shiny roadster waiting in your garage on a sunny day and that wide open road beckoning, the urge can be irresistable to turn the key, hit the accerlator and see ...
Views: 1049 - Why creating great content needs to be one of your top goals - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2012 from Casey FitzGeraldIn today's market, you and your organization are more than sales professionals: you’re subject experts who can offer something of value to customers and prospects. That is why it’s so important to create a base of thought leadership in your work: transcending what you are selling, and ...
Views: 920 - Closing practices engineered to sell more in less time - by Submitted on Dec 13, 2011 from Casey FitzGeraldHere at Engage Selling, we continue to watch closely how the marketplace is changing. So much has happened in a short period, such that today is a really exciting time to thrive if you’re prepared to respond to wisely to trends while emulating timeless approaches that work. Among the key ...
Views: 938 - Build rapport to navigate enterprise organizations - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Casey FitzGeraldYou know the old adage about how it’s unwise to put all your eggs in one basket. That wisdom applies just as much to sales today. As you may have heard me say before, one is the most dangerous number in sales. You are at risk if all of your information or all of your business comes from a single ...
Views: 1114 - The power of being an insider: thought leadership - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2011 from Casey FitzGeraldWhether you are a selling professional or the head of a team of sales reps, if you want to consistently meet and exceed sales targets in your organization, there are fundamental business habits that you need to emulate every day. As a seasoned sales trainer and coach, I would like to share with ...
Views: 1029 - Digging Deeper for a Lasting Connection: The Client Engagement Process for Large Accounts - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2011 from Casey FitzGeraldThere are big changes taking place in the marketplace today in how to successfully manage large enterprise accounts. To think like a businessperson who sells—rather than a salesperson who just does business—you must pay careful attention to managing every one of your accounts strategically. ...
Views: 840 - Building a winning strategy for selling to large organizations - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2011 from Casey FitzGeraldPrivate coaching clients are telling us regularly how important it is for them to broaden their skills to do a better job of thinking strategically and managing large accounts. Those are areas that we are focusing on increasingly here at Engage Selling. I recognize—just as you do—that so much ...
Views: 891 - The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2006 from Casey FitzGeraldAsk most people to describe a sales person, and likely as not, you'll find yourself deluged by words like "huckster," "snake oil peddler," "fast talker," "con artist" and, of course, "untrustworthy," "arrogant" and "dishonest." Those of us who work in sales and know ourselves to be fine, ...
Views: 1176 - 9 Steps to Building a Profitable Customer Relationship - by Submitted on Aug 14, 2006 from Casey FitzGeraldSuccess in sales depends directly on your ability to make yourself likeable, and create a positive experience for your customers. The following 9 Tips are some of the best - and easiest - ways I know to help you create a more positive customer experience: Love what you sell, the company you ...
Views: 1152 - Stand Up – and Stand Out: 12 Ways To Get Your Prospects to Call You Back - by Submitted on Jul 17, 2006 from Casey FitzGeraldNo matter how persuasive, compelling or brilliant you may be, it’s difficult to build a relationship with a prospect if you can’t get them to call you back. Most sales people use boring, outdated voice and email methods, which leave them sounding just like every other sales person in the world. ...
Views: 1253 - The Fine Line Between Persistence – and Stalking! - by Submitted on Feb 28, 2006 from Casey FitzGeraldIn sales, there's a fine line between persistence and stalking. In my experience, with the exception of prospects who are already in the sales cycle, that line is usually drawn at about once every 6 weeks. So given that you only have once every 6 weeks to make a direct impression on your "B" and ...
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