Categories for Sales Blog

Never negotiate against yourself. You’ll lose every time

July 16, 2010 2:40 pm Published by 6 Comments It’s tempting to get your price in line with buyer expectations by lower your price even before you present it to your customer. But negotiating with yourself accomplishes nothing, and only leads to additional concessions once the buyer gets involved. Read on to find out what to do when negotiations begin and how to avoid starting out in the hole.

My Greatest Sale: ‘Sorry – I only buy from family’

July 14, 2010 11:30 am Published by 4 Comments It’s true that family loyalty is tough to beat. A competitor might have a long list of advantages over you, but that doesn’t mean you should give up. One sales rep tells his story of how he was able to take advantage of his competitor’s complacency and make the biggest sale of his career.

When buyers tell you that you’re selling a commodity

July 12, 2010 11:00 am Published by Leave your thoughts Even those who sell rocks don’t buy the argument that their product is a commodity. So why should you? Accepting the claim that the only thing separating you and a competitor is price is deadly to a sale. Read on to find out how you always differentiate your product from the rest when faced with claims that you’re selling a commodity.

Think like a CEO to open more doors and close more sales

July 9, 2010 11:40 am Published by Leave your thoughts Even rookie salespeople know that the fastest way to win sales is to earn the support of CEOs and other key decision makers. And the best way to do that is to ask the right questions about the competition, industry trends and other factors likely to impact the future health of their organization. Read on for a list of engaging questions that help you uncover the hot-button issues.

Can they really get a better price?

July 6, 2010 3:31 pm Published by 2 Comments When a prospect tells you that they’ve found a better price elsewhere, there’s usually a subtext behind it. Maybe they just want to blow you off, or maybe they really have gotten a better offer from a competitor. Either way, as a sales rep its your job to find the real meaning behind price objections and make every effort to win back that sale.

In sales, position yourself as a leader with your customers and prospects

July 5, 2010 1:30 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Everyone at least knows a sales rep who ends up in a hot streak that leads them to a couple of good years. But the ones who can turn a lucky stretch into consistent, career-spanning success are harder to find. It takes a few key characteristics to make the leap from sales rep to sales leader. Read on to find out what sales leaders do to distinguish themselves from the pack.

How to blow a sales presentation

June 29, 2010 12:06 pm Published by 2 Comments Getting hung up on delivering the perfect presentation can kill a sale. Why? Because a finely polished presentation can get in the way of connecting with your prospect. Buyers need to know that you understand them and can meet their needs. Read on to find out how a seemingly done deal can be wiped out if you’re not prepared to step away from your presentation.

‘Sideways’ questions to use in cold calling

June 25, 2010 11:25 am Published by 4 Comments Cold calling recipients have heard it all. If you start a cold call the same way everyone else does, you’ll get thrown into the junk pile along with all the other sales reps. But if you can come at your prospect from a different angle, you just might capture their interest. Read on to learn three methods of “sideways” cold calling.