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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.
- Insurance Sales Training: Which of These 10 Mistakes Are You Making? - by Submitted on Jul 29, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenThe insurance sales training you’re getting from the insurance agency and insurance carriers does little to prepare you for success. For the most part, this training provides half-solutions and makes your job at least 100 times harder than it has to be. Look over this list and circle each ...
Views: 655 - Insurance Sales: Aren't You Selling Money At A Discount? - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenAren't you selling your service rather than a product? So what are you doing marketing products? Stop trying to market or sell products and start increasing your sales. Dan Kennedy talks about the technique of selling money at a discount. And that’s exactly what you should ...
Views: 1032 - Insurance Sales: A Needs Analysis Isn't A Product Sales Tool - by Submitted on Nov 28, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenAfter you've done a needs analysis, do you get a lot of not now's and other objections? That's because you're incorrectly implementing the right idea. And that happens because you think a needs analysis is a product sales tool and it shouldn't be. You see when you do a needs ...
Views: 1166 - Insurance Sales: Are You Winning The Sale before The Sale? - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenIsn't it true that before you can ever sell anyone anything you have to sell them on having an appointment? Do you find it challenging to fill your appointment book? Wouldn’t you like to hold appointments each week with people who are genuinely interested in doing business with you? ...
Views: 627 - Insurance Sales: But They Told Me They Wanted It! - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenHas a prospect ever told you they wanted to buy, and then changed their mind? Or they bought and then almost immediately backed out of the deal, wanted a refund, or canceled their premium. Were you left wondering how that could happen when they seemed so excited and on board? If ...
Views: 575 - Insurance Sales: Closing Anxiety? - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenWhy do perfectly normal people break out in a sweat when it comes time to close the deal? Normal people have closing anxiety because they haven't properly handled the earlier steps in the sales process. Closing should be nothing more than a natural conclusion to a selling conversation. ...
Views: 709 - Insurance Sales: Discovery Or Interrogation - by Submitted on Dec 07, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenYou understand that questions are a critical part of the sales process. Yet, questions aren't producing the results you want. That’s because the way you structure the questions you ask, and the intent behind them have a dramatic impact on the prospect. Questions serve as a ...
Views: 2061 - Insurance Sales: Do You Hate To Prospect? - by Submitted on Dec 06, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenEven members of the MDRT will tell you they don’t really like prospecting, but they know it’s something they have to do. Prospecting should be something you look forward to with excited anticipation because you can’t sell anyone anything until you have someone to talk to, but ...
Views: 700 - Insurance Sales: How To Get Referrals & Never Be Pushy - by Submitted on Nov 14, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenThe way you're trained to ask for referrals is pushy, obnoxious, and downright embarrassing. You hate it and your clients hate it, and it does nothing to further you’re relationship. You ask clever questions like, who are the three people who speak most highly of you. Choke, ...
Views: 1271 - Insurance Sales: I Know Just What You Need - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenHow many times have you met with a prospect, heard what they said, and then offered a solution only to be told “no”? More often than not, right? Well you may be causing yourself to get a “no” when you should be getting a “yes”. Of course, you ...
Views: 570 - Insurance Sales: If You Can't Reduce Their Risk You Can't Earn the Sale - by Submitted on Oct 31, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenWhy don't prospects buy? It's no secret they don't buy because they feel buying is too risky. And they have a very valid concern. With the wrong decision they can get locked into products that are completely wrong for them and too costly to walk away from. It’s your job to ...
Views: 618 - Insurance Sales: If You have To Cold Call - by Submitted on Nov 19, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenCold calling would never be my first recommendation for success, but there are times when you may have no alternative. So, why not learn how to do it well if you have to do it anyway. There are a few simple things you can do to do it better and have greater success. If ...
Views: 600 - Insurance Sales: If You're in the Commodity Business Get Out! - by Submitted on Nov 05, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenThere's plenty of competition for the price shoppers, and you don't want to play that game. Price shoppers are the worst clients you could ever ask for, so why would you ever want to attract them? But that’s exactly what you’re doing when you offer to quote someone insurance. ...
Views: 592 - Insurance Sales: The Secret Weapon For Influencing People - by Submitted on Oct 29, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenThe secret to influence isn't what you probably expect. The big secret to powerful influence is in the way you listen. You have to know how to listen to unlock this powerful influencing force. Effective listening isn’t a natural skill and you make it unnecessarily hard for ...
Views: 654 - Insurance Sales: The Solution To Turning Objections Into Sales - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenAre you tired of hearing "no" and "not now" when the answer should be "yes"? Accept responsibility and start getting "yes". There are three reasons you’re being told “no” and “not now” when the answer should be “yes”. The first reason is ...
Views: 587 - Insurance Sales: When You Make The Complicated And Confusing Simple You Win - by Submitted on Nov 01, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenFace it most people don't really understand insurance and they don't want to. When you make the complicated simple people will buy and they will buy from you. And there are two very good reasons for that. First, when you make it simple you remove a lot of the risk involved in a ...
Views: 529 - Integrity In Sales - Consultative Sales - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2007 from Louis JordanIntegrity in sales starts when you look someone in the eye, shake their hand and introduce yourself. If you start off the relationship by being disingenuous about your position why would anyone want to buy from you? Since the early 90's the word "consultant" has become the buzz-word for sales ...
Views: 989 - Investment Sales Success: Are You Creating a Buying Atmosphere? - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenLong-term investment sales success requires a buying atmosphere. In a buying atmosphere: you both know why you’re meeting, you both feel comfortable and share open communication, and you’re both focused on one thing; the best outcome for the customer. It takes pre-work to create the most ...
Views: 895 - Investment Sales Success: Do You Have the Right Associations? - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenIf you want investment sales success you will need to develop the right associations. There are three types of associations that will be the most valuable to you: other successful people, networking affiliations, and experts to guide you where you need to go when you need to get there. You ...
Views: 554 - Investment Sales Success: If You Want to Sell them You Have to Feed Them - by Submitted on Jul 23, 2007 from Cheryl ClausenHow’s the seminar/dinner approach working for your investment sales success? If your offer has real educational value you don’t have to bribe people to come by offering them a free dinner. If you can’t get people to attend your seminars now unless you offer some kind of free food it can only ...
Views: 819 - Is It Time To Close The File On That Stalled Prospect - by Submitted on Aug 27, 2010 from Robert WeeseAs sales professionals we’ve all most likely had this problem with a prospect at one time or another. They were a hot prospect sending you all the right buying signals and then all of the sudden they switched off. Now they don’t return your calls. They are unresponsive to your emails and you ...
Views: 3572 - Is Procrastination Holding You Back? - by Submitted on Jul 20, 2009 from C.J. HaydenWhen you look at your marketing to-do list, do many of the items on it look all too familiar? Have entries like "call Donna Sanchez" and "follow up with Floyd Corp." been copied from a previous week? Putting off unappealing tasks may be human nature, but for an entrepreneur, procrastination can ...
Views: 1321 - 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: 854 - 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: 1767 - Is Your Leadership Effective? - by Submitted on May 14, 2008 from Michael BeckIn many ways, good leadership is hard to define. It can't be directly measured. There's no leadership "score" or report card. In fact often the measure of leadership is qualitative rather than quantitative - although quantitative results always follow. So, the questions remains, how can you tell ...
Views: 1027 - Is Your Sales Presentation In Danger? 5 Top Tips Of Sales Communication Training - by Submitted on Aug 26, 2011 from Milly SonnemanCountdown to a big client pitch? Are you struggling to get organized, focus on benefits and answer tough questions? Learn 5 top tips to be a super star sales communicator. If you’ve ever faced an important client presentation with increasing anxiety, there is an alternative. Sales ...
Views: 1111 - It works! Knock-Their-Socks-Off, Wildly Effective Advertising - by Have you ever noticed that most ads suck?
For example, you probably saw and heard about 400-600 ads yesterday. How many of them do you even remember?
Why do most ads suck? Because marketers and advertisers follow trends. If everyone's doing it, it must be right.
Tsk, tsk. I can just hear ...
Views: 1042 - It's A Jungle Out There - by Submitted on Dec 28, 2007 from Kelly McLeanWhoever coined the phrase, “It’s a jungle out there!” must have been a sales rep. Why? Because some days you’ll encounter more difficult customers than there are animals in the jungle. When hacking your way through the dense underbrush to get to the sale, the trick is to ...
Views: 617 - It's Not The Economy, Stupid! - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2008 from Craig JamesAt just about every networking event I attended this Summer, there were two complaints I never failed to hear - "no one's around in the Summer", and "the economy is in recession". To the former, I replied, "I - and everyone in this room, and rooms like this all across town - am around this ...
Views: 875 - It’s All About Taking Risks - by Submitted on Dec 28, 2004 from Marshall NorthcottOur country was and continues to be built because of those special people who are willing to take a risk. Many present day success stories are based on people who traveled here, arriving with nothing more than a dream in their heart and little or no financial resources to their name. Risk is ...
Views: 1402 - Job Interview Tips for Sales: What's Your Sales Style? - by Submitted on Aug 10, 2011 from Peggy McKeeAre you in a sales role? Or trying to get a better sales job? If so, what's your sales style? Do you even know what I mean by that? And if you do, can you communicate that to a recruiter or a hiring manager who's considering you for a new position? In my role as a medical sales recruiter, ...
Views: 4602 - Just a Click Away: Using the Internet to Facilitate Your Market Research - by Submitted on May 04, 2006 from Susan FriedmannMarket research is one of the most valuable selling tools a show organizer has. Up to the minute, accurate market data arms you with the type of valuable information you need to ‘sell’ your show to potential exhibitors, including who is attending your show, how well your exhibitors did at last ...
Views: 885 - Just Making More Calls Doesn't Guarantee Sales Success - by Submitted on Oct 26, 2010 from Susan EnnsDo you find that there are just not enough hours in a day? Are you working long hours, making call after call, but you still don’t sell enough to even come close to reaching quota? If you answered yes to these questions, you may be one of the many sales representatives who mistakenly believe ...
Views: 1291 - Keep Your Clients Coming Back - by As a business success coach and a sales coach, I work with business people whose clients are everything from large companies in California that have been in business for decades to micro businesses that have started in the last two years.
Whoever your clients are, it is far more cost-effective ...
Views: 947 - Keeping A Hard Copy Record Of Your Sales - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2008 from Niall DevittWe recently recruited a senior salesperson for a top company in the construction industry. Needless to say, there was a lot of interest in the role and it carried a great salary and fantastic benefits package. Eventually two outstanding candidates were short-listed, however it was proving ...
Views: 1220 - Know What You Are Asking! - by Submitted on Jul 11, 2007 from Oz MerchantWho is your customer? (Person) What do they want? (Thing or Activity) Why do they need it? (Reason or Justification and/or Criteria) Where else can they find it? (Location) When do they need it most? (Time) How will you deliver it to them? (Process) As Zig Ziglar says, “Questions are the ...
Views: 820 - Know Your Partner's Dreams - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2008 from Sally ConnollyWhat are your partner’s secret desires? If she could do or be anything that she wanted, what would it be? If he could spend time on one new activity, what would that be? Where would she most like to travel? How does he envision retirement? What are some things that your partner would ...
Views: 835 - Know Your Product or Service and Believe In It - by Submitted on Sep 19, 2007 from DR. SYBIL L. INGRAMI cannot tell you how many times I have encountered sales people that don’t know anything about the product or service they are promoting and said to myself, “what is this person doing here?” or “why did I even bother to ask this person a question” or worse yet, ,just turn heel and walk ...
Views: 1660 - Laugh Your Way to Closing the Sale - by Submitted on Jun 06, 2011 from Peter O'DonoghueEveryone can probably remember a cartoon or television show that makes them laugh every time they think about it. And every time we think about it, it makes us laugh again and we tell all of our friends that they have go to watch it as soon as they get a chance. This kind of Humour, you ...
Views: 1001 - Lead Generations Ideas - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2009 from Bob BeckOften times during my Quid Pro Quo™ Sales Training workshops, sales reps complain that they just can't seem to fill their pipeline with leads ending in sales results. The market out there is changing and very competitive. First, to be successful in today's selling environment, you need to ask ...
Views: 1203 - Leads, Leads, Leads - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2009 from Lori HubbsIn a more challenging economy clients’ decision processes often become more protracted. You think that salespeople would jump on every possible lead. Yet our research and experience show that, even today, many leads are too easily discounted. For example, some salespeople mistakenly ...
Views: 546 - Leads360 Secret Shopper Results - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2011 from Joel AndersonInternet leads have become an essential element of doing business for insurance companies in this day and age. However, despite working hard and spending considerable amounts of money on marketing to pull in these leads, most insurance companies don’t do enough of the basic legwork to ensure ...
Views: 1520 - Learn the Art of Positive Influence and Become a Sales Superstar - by Submitted on Aug 17, 2012 from Andrew HortonOne of the greatest success skills super achievers develop is the ability to build meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships with their clients and to add real and meaningful value to them, when they sell them either their products or services. When I talk about sales I am not referring to ...
Views: 941 - Learn the Art of Positive Persuasion - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2013 from Andrew HortonIf you really want to excel in 2013 and unleash that sales giant, which is inside every sales professional I have ever encountered, when they move away from old school hard selling and instead focus on using positive influence and persuasion, to build meaningful, mutually beneficial ...
Views: 1193 - Learn, Teach, Sell Yourself to More Sales - by Submitted on Feb 27, 2009 from Mark HunterEvery sales call you make needs to include the “Learn, Teach, Sell” concept. Today’s customer has many options available to them. Rarely are we in a position to sell to a customer something that is so unique and compelling that they have no other choice but to buy from us. To help create a ...
Views: 831 - Learning the Power of Negotiating in Sales - by Submitted on Mar 27, 2011 from Ben SandersonOne of the most important parts to the selling process is pure negotiation. It's a valuable skill we needs to close deals and provide the perfect pitch. One of the best ways to do this is by reading the Power Negotiating for Sales People by Roger Dawson. It helps you focus on how to negotiate ...
Views: 837 - Lessons From The Real Estate Market - by Submitted on Sep 19, 2007 from Paul McCordOver the past few years, mortgage money has been cheap, mortgage companies have been willing to lend money to virtually anyone who could draw breath long enough to close on the home, and the oversight by regulatory agencies has been minimal at best. Consumers saw home values steadily ...
Views: 1187 - Leverage Your Preparation - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2009 from Lori HubbsPreparing for a sales call, while it still takes discipline and time, has never been easier. Technology (CRMs, Google, other web resources) has dramatically reduced research time. The other side of the coin is that technology has made business more instantaneous and that has put more demand on ...
Views: 814 - Leveraged Selling Versus Leveraged Delivery - by Submitted on May 13, 2016 from Lisa SasevichEverybody’s talking about the need to be leveraged, but most people aren’t making the distinction between leveraged selling and leveraged delivery. Therefore, they’re missing half of the picture. Leveraged selling means you’re selling to more than one person at a time. You do that when you ...
Views: 2356 - Life Strategy: Choose a "Successful Response" and Move On! - by Submitted on Nov 30, 2004 from Michael RussMaintaining an optimum level of energy, passion, and creativity, requires a specific method for responding to the vast array of challenging events life throws your way. You may not be able to control the event, but you can always choose how to respond to it. Let's face it, as a participant in ...
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