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Matthew G. Sikich II is The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to "Sales Training". You can find complete information on Matthew G. Sikich II and his products by visiting The 5 Buying Habits.
- Create Opportunities in our Tough Economy - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2009 from Kendra LeeEvery day we’re hearing about how tough it is out there. Prospects won’t take calls. Budgets are on hold. And yet, I remain optimistic, seeing opportunity all around us. While many clients are halting spending, others are getting creative and looking at their businesses from new perspectives. ...
Views: 1177 - How to Lose a Prospect’s Attention Quickly and Easily - by Submitted on Jan 01, 2009 from Kelley RobertsonWhen you make contact with a new prospect—either by telephone or in a face-to-face meeting—you have an extremely short window of time to connect with them. If you fail to achieve this they will quickly tune you out. Here are several things you can do to lose your prospect’s attention in the ...
Views: 1081(3 votes) - Running Effective Sales Meetings - by Submitted on Jan 01, 2009 from Kelley RobertsonSales meetings are a fact of life and business and they are important for a variety of reasons. They allow larger companies to address the entire sales team as a group. They offer opportunities to provide additional training (product, skills, and technical). They help keep your team up-to-date. ...
Views: 1934(1 vote) - 7 Things To Avoid When Building Customer Relationships - by Submitted on Jun 23, 2009 from Jim MeisenheimerWhenever you meet new sales prospects be sure to focus on establishing rapport and building relationships. Most salespeople overlook the importance of these two priorities early during the selling process. Instead of reaching for your sales brochures try reaching out to your sales ...
Views: 1258 - Sales: A Value Exchange - by Submitted on Jun 22, 2009 from Kerry Martin-MooreWe’ve all been exposed to the notion of the business cycle: customer has need/problem, determines solution to need/problem, makes decision & commitment to purchase, and finally goes through the implementation process. For the B2B salesperson, this cycle must be repeated effectively and ...
Views: 1267 - Sales: A Value Exchange - by Submitted on Jun 22, 2009 from Kerry Martin-MooreWe’ve all been exposed to the notion of the business cycle: customer has need/problem, determines solution to need/problem, makes decision & commitment to purchase, and finally goes through the implementation process. For the B2B salesperson, this cycle must be repeated effectively and ...
Views: 1191 - Telephone Sales Skills – Tips to Improve Your Success with Incoming Calls - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2009 from Kate TammemagiSuccess in Telephone Sales with incoming enquiries is measured in conversion rate. What percentage of incoming calls can I convert to a sale? The higher the percentage, the better the Telephone Sales Person, a skilled and experienced Telephone Sales person will convert a higher percentage of ...
Views: 3326 - Achieve Sales Success By Breaking the Rules - by Submitted on Jun 16, 2009 from Mark TewartYou are in charge of your destiny. Be happy that you have critics, as it means you have success to be envied. Critics don’t pick on the weak; they don’t have anything to gain in doing so. In Australia, this is called the “Tall Poppy Syndrome.” When one poppy grows taller than the other ...
Views: 994 - Free Sales Training on Appointment Setting - by Submitted on Jun 14, 2009 from Stephen CraineThis free sales training is focused on how to ask for the buyer’s agreement to a sales appointment. A lot of sales training, on how to make sales appointments, focuses on the opening lines of the cold calling script. They use cold calling tips on grabbing the prospect’s attention and getting ...
Views: 3251 - Use the Power of Persistence to Dramatically Increase Sales and Profits - by Submitted on Jun 08, 2009 from Scott HallmanWe all have heard that in order to effectively sell in today’s intensely over competitive world, you (and your sales reps) must be persistent. The sad reality is very few businesses I have worked with (out of thousands) do this very well. Yet statistics show that the majority of sales happen ...
Views: 951 - Telephone Sales – Building Beliefs Essential to Success - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2009 from Kate TammemagiPositive belief has a direct impact on everything we do in Telephone Sales. It will increase our motivation to achieve higher sales results and our drive to perform well on each telephone sales call. It will improve our skills and abilities with each potential customer – they will HEAR that we ...
Views: 1460 - Be Effective in Sales By Understanding People - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2009 from Dirk ZellerTo be an effective salesperson, you have to understand people. You have to understand that people buy and sell for a set of reasons. They also make decisions on whom they do that with based on their reasons, not ours. Being able to read people and ask the right questions is essential to ...
Views: 1626 - Is the 3-foot Rule Dead? - by Submitted on Jun 04, 2009 from Russ McNeilIs the 3-foot Rule Dead? Or, more importantly, should it be? What is the “3-foot rule” anyway? It’s an old sales adage that means if you get within three feet of me, I’m going to consider you a prospect for whatever I’m promoting or selling. Some folks believe that the 3-foot rule is passé, ...
Views: 1885 - Sales Superstars: Nothing Happens Unless Someone Sells Something - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2009 from Mark TewartThe world as you know it exists because of sales. If someone, somewhere, somehow is not selling every single day, you wouldn’t have food to eat, a car to drive, or a house to live in. We can live a day without the skills of a lawyer, or even a doctor but you can’t live even one single day ...
Views: 1095 - Triple Your Sales Results By Reversing the Way You Sell - by Submitted on Jun 02, 2009 from Paul GageEverybody has been taught to focus on closing. There are thousands of books written on the subject. Trying to close someone without getting to know who they are is a recipe for disaster. This scenario has affected so many sales people. They have studied and applied all the techniques on ...
Views: 1410 - Marketing in the 21st Century - by Submitted on May 31, 2009 from Terri HarleyWhen I first started in business, marketing was easier and less complicated and had a local focus. That was in the 1970’s. When I opened my first business as a Temporary Secretarial Bureau, all I did for marketing was two things: 1. Find secretaries that wanted to earn more money, have a ...
Views: 1161 - 7 Things to Do to Prepare for Your First Sales Call - by Submitted on May 29, 2009 from Jim MeisenheimerWhenever you have a sales call scheduled with a new sales prospect - treat it like a golden opportunity. Because in fact this first sales call, could be a golden opportunity for you. What if your new sales prospect has the potential to become your largest customer. What would the lifetime ...
Views: 1574 - How to Be a Simply Irresistible Salesperson! - by Submitted on May 29, 2009 from Nancy PowersEver notice how some people have a certain energy about them that naturally attracts success. What is their magic secret? Who you are personally shows up in your sales approach. It's a big mistake to think that you can fool people when you are not coming for the right place. It's the subtle ...
Views: 1449 - Barrier of Entry - by Submitted on May 27, 2009 from Dirk ZellerSelling in the new millennium has moved away from transactional based selling to relational based, or values based, selling. For many years, real estate Agents could focus on “doing the deal” – get the consumers into the home and the loan, and move on. Consumers are looking for more than the ...
Views: 1071 - Is Selling Unethical? - by Submitted on May 25, 2009 from Helen GravesI’ve noticed that the word “sell” can be a strongly negative trigger for many of us creative service-based business owners. It tends to conjure up visions of polyester, pressure and pushiness, all of which are just downright unattractive qualities. But, the fact is, without a selling ...
Views: 936 - How to Use Hidden Hypnotic Commands in Normal Conversation - by Submitted on May 25, 2009 from Wesley AndersonIn one of Edgar Alan Poe's short stories, a stolen letter was hidden out in the open on the desk of one of the characters. Because it was in an envelope from another writer, the searchers looked at it, but never thought to check inside the envelope. In a similar way, it is possible to hide ...
Views: 9256(2 votes) - How to Persuade People to Buy from You - by Submitted on May 22, 2009 from Michael LeePersuasion techniques are probably the most important strategies you need in life. If you’re handling your own business, you would need persuasion techniques to close a deal. If you’re a teenage girl, you would need persuasion techniques to convince your parents to buy you that dress. So you ...
Views: 5667 - Spirituality Conflicts With My Career As A Salesman - by Submitted on May 16, 2009 from Stephen CraineSpirituality, religious beliefs, and a sales career can oppose each other and cause internal conflict. One of the people I recently coached had a clash of beliefs when he moved from a customer service job to a role in direct sales. His beliefs about using selling techniques to influence others ...
Views: 2392(1 vote) - The Attractor Factor - by Submitted on May 12, 2009 from Jim MeisenheimerDid you know that being different is an attractor factor? It's true! Allow me a quick sidebar: Last week, Bernadette, my wife and I drove to the East Coast of Florida for three days. We stayed at the grand Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. It's a five-star hotel built in 1926. The hotel was ...
Views: 1139 - Break a Few Eggs - by Submitted on May 12, 2009 from Michael O'GradyI’ve listened and read much over the years about keeping your thoughts and statements positive. Thoughts like, “Why does this always happen to me?”, “What else am I suppose to do?”, and “I only have so many hours in a day “; these can be restraining and inhibit productivity toward your goals. ...
Views: 1668 - The Power of "I Can Help" - by Submitted on May 10, 2009 from Jennifer AllanI'm having a problem with a rental property. My tenant doesn't seem to find it important to pay her rent; go figure. I've been managing my own rental properties for 14 years now and rarely run into this problem, believe it or not. I've arrogantly attributed my success with my rental properties ...
Views: 1758 - Three Most Important Things When Beginning in Direct Sales - by Submitted on May 08, 2009 from Joshua HortonDirect Sales is a potent and lucrative business model. With no inventory cost, no shipping cost, no rent or lease, it has the lowest start up and overhead of any other business out there. This equals huge profit margins and income potential. So why, when the business model is so efficient, is ...
Views: 3062(3 votes) - Bring Your Sales into the New Millennium - Fast, Easy and Right Now! - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2010 from Jason RosadoOne of the most powerful things you can do in your business is to ask a lot of great questions. This will empower employees, foster growth, increase the quality of decision making, improve relationships and take you and your business to a new level of effectiveness. What it will also do for ...
Views: 1466(8 votes) - Selling Strategy: Start-Stop-Change - by Submitted on May 01, 2009 from Jim MeisenheimerWhat kind of selling results are you getting your current selling strategy? "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." This quote is attributed to Albert Einstein, a pretty bright guy. Why do we rely on the same selling strategies that don't work? I ...
Views: 1127 - Salesmanship 101 - by Submitted on May 01, 2009 from Jim MeisenheimerSalesmanship - I just love that word. It's the ability to sell. It's 50% art and 50% science. Of course that's my opinion. Ask most salespeople and they'll say it's 90% art and 10% science. I know, because that's how I felt years ago. I believe there is a science to successful selling and ...
Views: 1949 - A Sales Lesson From Mt. Everest - by Submitted on May 01, 2009 from Jim MeisenheimerHow To Stay Up, Even When You’re Down. This past weekend I was going through some old newsletters when I came across a letter that might help you to deal more effectively with the recession and the tough times you're facing. So - enjoy the updated version of my Mt. Everest Newsletter. Sixteen ...
Views: 1644 - "Curing" the Reluctant Prospector - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2009 from Jennifer AllanHow old are you now - 25? 32? 47? 65? It doesn't really matter; I'll assume that if you're reading a blog about selling, you're old enough. Old enough for what? Well, to know WHO you are, WHAT you like to do, WHERE you like to do it, and HOW often, right? In other words, you are who you are ...
Views: 2068 - If You're Not Having Fun, You're Not Doing it Right! - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2009 from Jennifer AllanWho says that your career can’t be profitable and a heck of a lot of fun? Not me. In fact, as a real estate broker and trainer, I proclaim that the more fun you have selling real estate, the more real estate you will sell! Okay, sure, that sounds nice, Jennifer, but what do you mean exactly? ...
Views: 4778 - Practice Golden Rule Selling - by Submitted on Apr 29, 2009 from John AOVTo improve your sales performance, adopt the Golden Rule mentality. The Golden Rule says to, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It also says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." The Golden Rule mentality in sales, says simply, "Sell unto others as you would have them sell unto ...
Views: 1265 - Selling to Today’s Customers - by Submitted on Apr 29, 2009 from John AOVWhat is selling? In its simplest terms, selling is the process of helping a person to conclude that your product or service is of greater value to him than the price you are asking for. How Markets Work Our market society is based on the principles of freedom and mutual benefit. Each party to ...
Views: 1168 - Listening Wins Sales - by Submitted on Apr 29, 2009 from John AOVListen Attentively When Others Speak There are books, articles and multi-day courses on listening. There are audio/video-learning programs that include hours of instruction and a variety of exercises. They are all valuable and helpful, but what they teach can be distilled down into a key skill. ...
Views: 1147 - Get Customers to Sell For You - by Submitted on Apr 29, 2009 from John AOVFully 84 percent of sales in America take place as the result of word-of-mouth advertising. Why People Buy Fully 84 percent of sales in America take place as the result of word-of-mouth advertising. Some of the most important sales promotion sales activities are those that take place between ...
Views: 1035 - Four Obstacles to Closing - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2009 from John AOVThere are several other reasons why the end game of selling is stressful and difficult. Fear of Failure There are several other reasons why the end game of selling is stressful and difficult. First and foremost is the fear of failure experienced by the prospect. Because of negative buying ...
Views: 1241 - What Nobody Tells You About Selling - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2009 from John AOVHave you ever lost a sale because a prospect came up with an objection? It may have happened at the start when they said they were too busy to talk to you or later when they told you your price was too high. Has this ever happened to you? Has a prospect ever said: "I have to think it ...
Views: 805 - The Key to Sales Success - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2009 from John AOVLearn to Listen Well A vital key to sales success is listening. The ability to listen well is absolutely indispensable for success in all human relationships. The ability to be a good listener in a sales conversation is the foundation of the new model of selling. It leads to easier sales, ...
Views: 1070 - The Endgame to Selling - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2009 from John AOVIn golf, there is a saying that, “You drive for show, but you putt for dough.” In selling, you prospect and present for show, but you overcome customer skepticism and gain commitment for dough. Your ability to answer objections and get the sale is the true test of how good you really are as a ...
Views: 872 - T.J. Rohleder: 1 Minute Advice of a Millionaire - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2009 from Ted CiubaI recently asked my good friend, top marketer T.J. Rohleder, "If you had one minute to say something to somebody who was interested in marketing, what would you say?" Here's T.J.'s pithy response: "I would say, find the people within the market you want to target who are making a lot of money ...
Views: 1703 - Closing Techniques: The “I Want to Think it Over” Close - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2009 from John AOVSaving the Lost Sale There is a powerful technique you can learn called the "I Want To Think It Over Close." This is the only way I know to save this kind of lost sale. You know by now that when the customer says, "I want to think it over," he is really saying "good bye." You know from your own ...
Views: 1197 - The Complex Sale Today - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2009 from John AOVThe Sale is More Complex Today The entire process of selling today is more complex than it has ever been before. It used to be that we would make a single call on a single buyer who would make a single decision on our product or offering. In this simple form of selling, we used the ...
Views: 893 - Be a Doctor of Selling - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2009 from John AOVThree Keys to Building Relationships 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. The medical process is the same everywhere. Whenever you go ...
Views: 1147 - The Invitational Close - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2009 from John AOVThe Invitational Close is simple, low-key, classy and powerful. You use it at the end of a sales conversation to conclude the transaction. It is preceded by a Trial Close such as: "Mr. Prospect, do you have any questions or concerns that I haven’t covered up to now?" Or, "Mr. Prospect, does ...
Views: 913 - Practice the ABC Method - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2009 from John AOV"The first law of success is concentration - to bend all the energies to one point, and to go directly to that point, looking neither to the right or to the left." –William Mathews The more thought you invest in planning and setting priorities before you begin, the more important things you ...
Views: 1588 - Be Prepared to Ask - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2009 from John AOVIf you make a perfect presentation, one that clearly explains the benefits and resolves all the doubts that a qualified prospect might have, the sale will often close all by itself, like a ripe apple dropping out of a tree into your hand. If you make a perfect presentation, one that clearly ...
Views: 801 - Consulting Versus Selling - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2009 from John AOVOne particular self-image possessed by high-achieving salespeople is that they see themselves as consultants rather than as salespersons. View Yourself As A Consultant One particular self-image possessed by high-achieving salespeople is that they see themselves as consultants rather than as ...
Views: 957 - The Foundation of a Salesperson - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2009 from Diane HelbigMy father was the quintessential salesperson. He believed completely in his product. He was confident but not arrogant. He truly cared about the well-being of his prospects and clients. And they knew it. It was a pleasure to watch him interact with his customers. Needless to say, he was very ...
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