03 Jan

This sounds like an obvious statement. Wouldn't Homer Simpson say "duh" if I said this to him? Isn't it a binary condition—either one or the other? And isn't the reverse then true, too? No, not really. It also could be neither. It is not that simple. How do you know whether you are winning or losing the sale you are trying to close? Who should you ask? Your contact at the company you are trying to sell? They're not always truthful. Your competition? They can't be trusted to be honest. Your sales manager? It is probably your best option, but do you...

23 Dec

I am often asked this question: If a buyer gives you the choice to be the first, middle, or last seller to present your proposed solution to the evaluation team, which should you choose? Conventional wisdom suggests that one should try to be the final presenter when the buyer reviews several suppliers. Many sales trainers say it is to your advantage to be the last presenter. The thinking is that the buyers will remember what was most recently presented to them when they decide. This strategy has an element of validity because buyers may forget the key points you pointed out...

  Salespeople often ask me to explain the best method of identifying the highest-potential prospects to target.  “How can I find these prime prospects so I do not waste my time on companies that will not buy from me (this year)?” There is no easy answer to this, but there is a strategy that you can use to increase your chances of finding the best prospects.  And it is not as difficult as it may seem.  The clue is that you need to decrease the universe of all prospects to just those with needs that best fit your company and product. Consider a...

18 Nov

Your sales manager is anxious and wants you to close additional sales this month.  Perhaps she is worried about meeting her quarterly or annual new business sales quota. She directs you to go find some “low-hanging fruit.” This a metaphor representing the most accessible fruit to reach on a tree, which she assumes will take the shortest amount of time to close.   You leave her office wanting to please her but wonder where to find these opportunities. So, where can you find these “low-hanging fruit “opportunities? Here are a few ideas: Current opportunities that you can close within 30 days Examine your...

29 Oct

We have reached the time of the year when sales managers carefully examine the opportunities forecasted to close by the end of the calendar year. Most sales pros are optimistic and often will forecast an opportunity to close by year-end, even if they only had one conversation with the buyer. Most organizations use a sales methodology incorporating milestones or activities to explain an opportunity's stage in the pipeline or funnel. For example, I have used the Miller Heiman sales methodology1 to define where an opportunity is at in the sales funnel, with the activities that occur in each stage, is as follows: ...

23 Oct

What is the “best” sales presentation? How can it be defined or characterized? Is it a flawless presentation, perhaps utilizing the most up-to-date technology designed to awe the audience? And one with no technological glitches, like a poor internet connection or mysterious pauses? Or one with large, readable graphics? Or the slickest? Or one in which the presenter was the most charismatic and articulate? Maybe it would be like the presentations that Steve Jobs used to give at the annual Apple Worldwide Developers Conference or for new product introductions. Or is it the one that best addresses the buyer’s current, future, or even...

30 Sep

I have read that we must keep lowering standards, such as the educational requirements for elementary and high school kids, where graduation rates and grade point averages have risen. Still, standardized tests show declines in comprehension and academic performance. In addition, the U.S. military and police and fire departments have lowered standards. This was done mainly because not enough people have qualified for the standards in place for ages. It will hurt students later when universities or employers expect them to perform at the levels that they supposedly achieved. There is also strong evidence that there has been inflation in the...

06 Aug

Recently, an interviewer asked me what the best advice I had ever received was and, on the contrary, what the worst was.  These were very challenging questions, and I had to ponder for quite a while to determine thoughtful answers.  It was easy to think of some that were not very serious.  Much of what I have been told by trusted relatives, friends, and teachers was well-meaning but not very beneficial. For example, many told me to behave better and not to talk so much in school, which seemed unachievable.  Not everybody who gives you advice has the best intentions;...

09 Jul

Pausing AI Development Is Not Feasible Many in politics, academia, technology, and the media have recently called for a cessation or pause in Artificial Intelligence (AI) development. Their concern is that AI can be so disruptive that it can harm people’s lives, especially regarding employment.  Perhaps robots and computers will cost people’s jobs.  And they are alarmed that the technology is moving too quickly. Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic church, “issued a warning against artificial intelligence . . . , saying in a statement it should be used in ‘service of humanity’ and warning to be vigilant of the ‘rapidly increasing...

23 Apr

My latest book, Above Quota Sales Management, has been published by Armin Lear Press and is available on Amazom.com and barnesandnoble.com.  Here is the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Above-Quota-Sales-Management-Techniques/dp/196327105X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2H3YJCJUCYJ78&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.K_4_4T0BF1S7HRvC6pufcqmtuy_tgN8ieKomqmfZPcVzKTXUkoyezqjeoVXsc_UdHCQRZlFV My first book, Above Quota Performance , was targeted at sales professionals with the goal of improving their performance by following the hundreds of tips and techniques that were covered in the book. It has been well received by readers, many of whom have given it a perfect 5-star review on Amazon so far. Above Quota Sales Management follows a style similar to my previous book but targets sales managers. The book covers many critical...