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Articles from Mike Brooks | Selfgrowth.com
- How to Beat Your Competition - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2011 from Mike BrooksMany sales reps send me emails asking the same thing, "How can I sell against my competition and win the deal?" They tell me it gets more and more difficult as there is always someone who has a similar product for less money, or who can offer their kind of service with more bells and whistles, ...
Views: 1056(1 vote) - The 3 Keys to Successful Sales Management - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2011 from Mike BrooksIf you are a business owner or sales manager responsible for getting your team of sales reps to make their numbers or achieve sales quotas, then I feel your pain. If you're like many of the sales managers and owners I work with, then I know you're being pulled in many different directions. ...
Views: 1003(1 vote) - The One Email Guaranteed to Get You a Response! - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2011 from Mike BrooksEver had a client or prospect never get back to you? Because you're in sales, then I know it's happened to you (or is happening with several of your clients or prospects right now!). If you ever find yourself in a place where you've qualified a prospect, sent information to them on your ...
Views: 1009(1 vote) - 4 Secrets to Attracting What You Want - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2011 from Mike BrooksPeople ask me if I believe in the Law of Attraction. I tell them that not only do I believe in it, but I use it every day to attract the kind of life I want. In fact, using the Law of Attraction is as important a part of what I do as is picking up the phone and speaking with clients, ...
Views: 1010 - 5 Closing Questions You Must Be Asking - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2011 from Mike BrooksI get a lot of ezine topic requests each week, and the majority of them are requests for different questioning techniques to use during the qualification stage. I'm glad to see these requests because it means people understand the importance of identifying and then spending time with ...
Views: 1080(1 vote) - MLB and Recording Your Calls - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2011 from Mike BrooksI was reading an article by my favorite sports writer, Peter Kings, last week, and he had this small section about his recent visit to the Ranger’s dugout: “Thanks, Jon Daniels, for showing us around the ballpark in Arlington. What amazed me is the video sophistication. Behind the Rangers’ ...
Views: 931 - 4 Ways to Get Out of a Sales Slump! - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2011 from Mike BrooksLet's face it - every now and then sales don't seem to be going our way and we can begin to get into fear about making our numbers, making our mortgage, taking that vacation, etc. While we may not be able to control the ebb and flow of sales, what's important is that we keep control of our ...
Views: 1077 - How to Handle the “I don’t have the Time” Objection - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2011 from Mike BrooksWelcome to the New Year! So, are you ready to start cold calling, prospecting and reaching out to prospects? If so, you’d better be prepared for what is sure to be one of the biggest brush off objections this year: “I’m too busy/don’t have the time to talk to you now.” Because of the ...
Views: 1237 - 3 Keys to Reaching Your Financial Goal in 2011 - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2011 from Mike BrooksI don’t know about you, but for me this week between Christmas and New Years Eve is the week that I solidify my goals for the New Year. As always, I balance my goals and so set them in all areas to maximize my growth as a person and as a professional. I have goals for health that include diet ...
Views: 968 - The iPhone App I’d Like to Own - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2011 from Mike BrooksYour results in sales – and all of life – are completely dependent on what you think about all day long. Your thoughts lead to your actions, and it is your actions that determine your results. But everything starts by your mental attitude, by what you dwell on all day long. I’m sure that ...
Views: 978(1 vote) - What the Top 20% Really Make - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2011 from Mike BrooksYou know how big I am on the 80/20 rule in sales. I see it in every company and industry I work in, and, as many of you know, I’ve dedicated myself to helping sales reps and companies elevate their skills and techniques, so they can start producing sales and income like the top 20% of sales ...
Views: 1089 - Stop Worrying about Sales - by Submitted on Oct 05, 2010 from Mike BrooksSomeone once said that worrying is praying for things you don’t want to happen. What a great saying, and, like all sayings, there’s a lot of truth in it. When you think about it, praying is when you concentrate on one thing and then you meditate or “pray” on it to the exclusion of all else. ...
Views: 992 - 5 Mental Attitudes of Winners - by Submitted on Sep 13, 2010 from Mike BrooksSuccess in sales, as in all of life, starts by first developing and maintaining an expectant attitude of success. Simply put, all top performers expect that they are going to succeed, and because of this they consistently take the actions that lead them to achieve their goals and become ...
Views: 1120 - The Key To Building Value - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2008 from Mike BrooksYou hear it all the time -- if your price is higher than your competition you're told to “build value." You’re instructed to stress the quality, the warranty, the features, etc. But your prospects have heard all that before, haven’t they? Want a better way? Let’s face it -- prospects will ...
Views: 3346 - The “Instant Close” Technique - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2008 from Mike BrooksWhen I was on vacation in Hawaii, I met a salesperson for Starwood properties. She was selling ownership units (used to be known as timeshares) for one of the more beautiful properties on Maui -- the Westin, Kaanapali Beach, Maui. She told me a little about the great value of the properties, ...
Views: 1016 - The Five Secrets To Effective Time Management - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2008 from Mike BrooksI don't know about you, but 24 hours in a day isn't enough. And 8 - 9 hours for work just barely covers the paperwork, order follow-up, client calls, e-mails that need answering, voicemail messages, etc. "You mean you want me to prospect and find closing time, too? What, are you ...
Views: 889 - The 5-Step Method Of Handling Objections - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2008 from Mike BrooksI get so many requests asking me how to handle objections, that I thought I’d go ahead and give you the secret method that I reveal in my in-person trainings – the definite way you should handle and deal with all objections. This is a Top 20% favorite and it works because you are not ...
Views: 1633 - The 5 Secrets Of Motivating Your Sales Team - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2008 from Mike BrooksMotivation seems to be one of the toughest areas to get a handle on. Many managers tell me that some of their reps are already motivated and don't need their help in that area (usually the Top 20%), but that the majority seem to need constant motivating, mentoring, counseling, or out right ...
Views: 3033 - The 5 Secrets of Winning Emails - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2008 from Mike BrooksYears ago voicemail was all the rage. There was no e-mail, so people tended to honor and even return their voicemail messages. It was a good time... But that's history now. Email has changed everything, and people now hit the delete button on their voicemail messages the instant they hear ...
Views: 765 - How To Listen Like A Detective - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2007 from Mike BrooksI once heard an interview with a police detective that directly relates to sales. The detective was talking about various interrogation techniques, and he said something that I thought was brilliant and totally applies to the importance of listening while selling over the phone. The detective ...
Views: 1019 - The 5 Secrets Of Great Vacations - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2007 from Mike BrooksAt a company I’ve consulted with over the last nine months, there is a manager, Brad, who would never think of taking a full week away from the office. "Much too much to do, and I don't really need it anyway." He tells me. “When was the last time you did take off on a real vacation?" I ...
Views: 820(2 votes) - The One Secret Of Effective Goals - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2007 from Mike BrooksYou've read many books and articles on why having specific goals is so important. Goals help keep you focused, keep you motivated, reinforce progress, etc. And I'm sure you're all familiar with the rules of goal setting -- make them specific, write them down, put a timeline on them, keep them ...
Views: 685 - Don’t Answer Objections, Isolate Them! - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2007 from Mike BrooksMost sales reps hate getting objections. Their hearts sink into their stomachs, their palms start to sweat, and they start wondering how they're going to pay the rent. Sound familiar? When sales reps ask me how they should handle objections, they are often surprised by my answer. I tell them ...
Views: 846 - Why Goals Work - And How To Work Them - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2007 from Mike BrooksYou've read many books and articles on why having specific goals is so important. Goals help keep you focused, keep you motivated, reinforce progress, etc. And I'm sure you're all familiar with the rules of goal setting -- make them specific, write them down, put a timeline on them, keep them ...
Views: 730 - The Key To Building Value - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2007 from Mike BrooksYou hear it all the time -- if your price is higher than your competition you're told to “build value." You’re instructed to stress the quality, the warranty, the features, etc. But your prospects have heard all that before, haven’t they? Want a better way? Let’s face it -- prospects will ...
Views: 690 - How To Hire Successful Sales Reps - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2007 from Mike BrooksMany business owners and sales managers ask me if I have a proven system or a way to identify and hire top sales reps. They have tried everything, they tell me. They check references, review similar work experiences, talk to ex co-workers, hold multiple job interviews, and sometimes they even ...
Views: 1198 - Change Your Self Talk – Change Your Results - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2007 from Mike BrooksFirst of all, did you know that you are talking to yourself all day long? (You’re thinking, “Do I talk to myself? What does he mean, talk to myself? I don’t talk to myself!”) Psychologists estimate that you are talking to yourself at a rate of 1,200 to 1,500 words a minute (in contrast, when we ...
Views: 794 - 5 Secrets To Exercising Authority - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2007 from Mike BrooksIf you are a sales manager or business owner, then you probably know and understand that fine line between being a leader and exercising authority, and trying to fit in as part of the team and wanting people to like you. Managers struggle with this all the time, and many would be leaders lose ...
Views: 860 - The Five Secrets To Effective Time Management - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2007 from Mike BrooksI don't know about you, but 24 hours in a day isn't enough. And 8 - 9 hours for work just barely covers the paperwork, order follow-up, client calls, e-mails that need answering, voicemail messages, etc. "You mean you want me to prospect and find closing time, too? What, are you ...
Views: 761 - How To Grab Interest In 5 Seconds - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2007 from Mike BrooksI hear over and over again how important the first few seconds of a phone call are to make a connection and grab interest, and my question to you is -- are you still opening your calls with the standard, “How are you today?" If so, then you've just turned off about half of your ...
Views: 1045 - The Five Elements of a Qualified Lead - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2007 from Mike BrooksPeople ask me all the time what I think makes up a qualified lead. It's simple, I tell them. There are five things that every Top 20% producer knows when he or she hangs up the phone with a prospect. Know these five things and chances are real good you're going to close this prospect. Leave ...
Views: 770 - The Five Secrets to Effective Time Management - by Submitted on Aug 21, 2007 from Mike BrooksI don't know about you, but 24 hours in a day isn't enough. And 8 - 9 hours for work just barely covers the paperwork, order follow-up, client calls, e-mails that need answering, voicemail messages, etc. "You mean you want me to prospect and find closing time, too? What, are you ...
Views: 689 - 5 Secrets to Exercising Authority - by Submitted on Aug 21, 2007 from Mike BrooksIf you are a sales manager or business owner, then you probably know and understand that fine line between being a leader and exercising authority, and trying to fit in as part of the team and wanting people to like you. Managers struggle with this all the time, and many would be leaders lose ...
Views: 817 - Don’t Answer Objections, Isolate Them! - by Submitted on Aug 01, 2007 from Mike BrooksDon’t Answer Objections, Isolate Them! By Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales Most sales reps hate getting objections. Their hearts sink into their stomachs, their palms start to sweat, and they start wondering how they're going to pay the rent. Sound familiar? When sales reps ask me how they ...
Views: 701 - 5 Questions To Ask During the Close - by Submitted on Jul 19, 2007 from Mike Brooks5 Questions To Ask During the Close by Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales I get a lot of ezine topic requests each week, and many of them are requests for different questioning techniques to use during the qualification stage. As many of you know, I've written many feature articles over the years ...
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