Webster’s Dictionary describes the term “sales” as the art of promoting the sale or to influence and induce a purchase. This can be expanded to state that a sale is the act in which the seller convinces the buyer to make a purchase through either trust, understanding, and relationship. The fact of the matter is that everythign you do in life is somehow related to a sale. Do you...

Everyone is having a tough time selling these days. This is specifically true with the state of today’s economy. The global economy is in shambles and people are trying hard to hold onto thier wallets! However, we do have an advantage! The fact that everyone is holding onto thier cash simply means that everyone is looking for a deal. This is whay we need to focus more on Sale Selling. The si...

I have recently given many of my sales team a refresher on the importance of communicating with your customers. This arose from trying to figure out how to maximize the earning potential from the customers that you already deal with on a day to day basis. I figured out that there is one simple trick that you can use to specifically target your customers on an ongoing basis. For example, if you wal...

Here is an off the wall comment that should take all of you salespeople by surprise. Instead of trying to focus at being the most successful salesperson in the company, you should try to focus on being the salesperson with the most value. Success comes and success goes… it is a fact of life that the sales game is full of peaks and valleys and as a salesperson you learn to adjust. The way that I ...

When I train new account managers I have a module that is based on “closing the sale”. One part of closing the sale is learning when to shut up and let your best weapon work for you… silence. Up here in the true north I have had the experience of working with many different account managers during the past. There are some that stick out in my mind because they had the technical knowledge, th...

Your voice is an important sales tool… and just like all your tools it must be in perfect condition if you are to do your job to the best of your ability. If you speak well, people will listen to you. However, if you don’t, people will treat you as background noise and tune you out. Although your voice is a part of your complete image that you present about you and your company, it is also one...

According to Wikipedia: “Cold calling is the process of approaching prospective customers or clients, typically via telephone, who were not expecting such an interaction. The word “cold” is used because the person receiving the call is not expecting a call or has not specifically asked to be contacted by a sales person.” Everyone in sales has their own views on this topic and I am ...

Every salesperson needs a good sales pitch. This is your opening line that grabs your prospective customer’s attention and keeps hold of it. Do you remember the famous line “Here’s Johnny”? That was a great entrance… now ask yourself if your entrance into your business transaction has any life to it or does it doom your sale from the start. Fact: A sales pitch is your results in your fir...

No Fear It’s How You Handle It Author’s note: After interviewing and working with hundreds of salespeople, and people considering the field of sales, they say their #1 fear is the fear of rejection. They’ve told me this is either the reason they never got into sales to begin with, or why they wanted to get out of it at the first opportunity. This article on the subject focuses on this proble...

Step One: Building a customer profile is a key step. You need to devote some of your time and energy on potential customers that would best suite your line of business. Ask yourself what is the difference between your best and your worst performing customers. What are their demographics and what organizations are they part of? Perhaps by knowing a little more information about your potential cust...