In the new book Steve Jobs, author Walter Isaacson describes Jobs’ thought process in deciding on the name Apple for his new computer company. His choice was inspired by his association with his newest fruitarian diet and a visit to an apple farm. The concept of an apple farm sounded “fun, spirited and not intimidating,” … Read full article
“The Single Biggest Sales Mistake” Identify the 4 Stages of Buying to Increase Sales September 19, 2011 – Reno, NV – More companies are increasing the quotas for sales people while win rates on new business are at an all-time low. Meanwhile, sales people are faced with an ever-changing landscape including increased product offerings from … Read full article
I published an article early in 2011 about dealing with prima donna salespeople, and got a lot of feedback that the article was very popular online. One of the issues I pointed out in that article is that we sales managers often have a part in creating the prima donnas in the first place. How? … Read full article
NEWS RELEASE –August 31st– Reno, NV – Topline Leadership, Inc. is announcing the release of a train-the-trainer program to accompany its innovative Slow Down, Sell Faster™ sales training. “Every salesperson today is being urged to make more sales faster,” says Kevin Davis, president of TopLine Leadership and author of the new Slow Down, Sell … Read full article
Salespeople are under tremendous pressure these days to sell more and sell faster. Many sales managers harp on salespeople to close more deals, and push the customer along faster and faster. But what matters isn’t what we are doing in our sales process. It’s what the customer is doing in their buying process. Ironically, that … Read full article
What do you do with a prospect who says, “Show me what you’ve got” the moment you walk in the door? This is a very direct prospect who may have already spent considerable time analyzing his or her own needs, either alone or with your competitor. There are two ways to handle this situation. First, … Read full article
Are your peak performers as committed to your company today as they were 18 months ago when the job market was much more difficult? Recent research found that today’s peak performers are twice as likely to have plans to quit and move on than they were in 2008. So, take time to check in with … Read full article
I’ve been delivering sales seminars for more than 20 years and had a decade of sales and sales management experience before that. When I ask salespeople to tell me how they sell, they rattle off the steps of their sales process. When I ask how their customers buy, they’re stumped. They give me a lot … Read full article
Recently I was retained by a regional VP of sales for a large financial institution to evaluate the effectiveness of his team’s sale of investment advisory services provided to high-net-worth customers. He asked me to be a “mystery shopper,” and at his request, I met with one of his salespeople while posing as a high-net-worth … Read full article
Salespeople tend to be very optimistic. When a customer calls, it’s natural to be excited about the opportunity, but keep your eyes open for signs that your potential client isn’t as interested as he seems. A customer who is truly interested in your company will be open to working with you. A customer who has … Read full article