People continue to say how cold-calling is dead and how in today's environment, it no longer can be cost justified. The answer in my book is both "yes" and "no." Let me deal with the "no" first. ...
The phone rings and the sales manager hears on the other end the all-too-familiar plea of a salesperson. The salesperson tries to convince the sales manager that it makes so much sense to offer the ...
If you want to make more money in today's competitive environment, then you need to master your business niche. Let me show you a perfect, prime example of niche marketing at its best: The AARP ...
Successful negotiating requires you have a strategy. The clearer your strategy before negotiating, the more successful you will be. At the core of the strategy is what I refer to as the "3 Ts of ...
We've all been there. After countless calls, meetings and an endless amount of work, you just can't get the customer to say "yes" and move forward. There can be hundreds of theories and ideas ...
1. Never negotiate with anyone who is not qualified to negotiate. If in doubt, ask your contact how they've handled a similar type of negotiating in the past. Listen for names, dates and other ...
Keeping your pipeline of prospects full is no easy task. I'm not going to suggest it is. I talk to salespeople all the time and most say that prospecting is their number one source of new ...
Have you ever concentrated on something so hard that the world seems to recede into the background? Like when you see a blemish on your chin and it begins to take on the dimensions of a quarter? Or ...
Do you think you can you really just think and grow rich? Well, you're in for a rude awakening. I am sure that even Napoleon Hill would agree with me that you cannot merely think and grow rich. ...
We find ourselves in an economic environment where belts continue to tighten and consumer spending is still being reduced. Companies believe they have to take drastic measures to create cash flow and ...
"Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." Mark Twain said that back in 1897. Print newsletters have been saying it for the past ten years. Why? Because many business owners feel... 1. With ...
Success in sales does not go to the one who has the lowest price. Nor does success in sales go to the one who has the best customers. And, success in sales does not go the one who has the most ...
One of the most difficult parts of a salesperson's job is dealing with purchasing departments. Whether you are a new salesperson or a seasoned veteran, you likely will agree that dealing with a ...
It's always rewarding to close a sale and immediately have the new client sign the documents to secure the sale. No matter how many years in the business, this always feels good. We all have ...
In today's marketplace, offering discounts seems to be the number one technique people are using to try and get business. Management has bought into the age-old argument that the only reason ...
You know that article writing and article marketing is the #1 way to increase your website visibility, gain credibility, improve your website traffic and get more sales. So, what's stopping you ...
Most people think article marketing is just about getting links. They couldn't be any more WRONG! Article marketing is about getting your messages (in the form of articles) out to as many ...
One position that has not been impacted by the economy is sales. Ask any CEO and you will hear that one of their biggest issues is finding and retaining good salespeople. Something happened on the ...
Position Yourself as a Leader by Mark Hunter It's been said that to be a successful salesperson, not only do your listening skills have to be great, but your closing skills have to be even ...
(An excerpt from LINCOLN SPEAKS TO LEADERS by Gene Griessman and Pat Williams, with Peggy Matthews Rose) ABRAHAM LINCOLN: "When I was young, I read a book that most people read in my day, but few ...
Last summer my grandson Dylan, who was playing on a little league team, went into a hitting slump. He had been swinging vigorously, doing his best to look like a big-league slugger. But he was ...
(Some years ago I wrote this Lincoln soliloquy for the training film "Lincoln On Communication" and subsequently incorporated it into my one-man play "The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln." It is ...
Considerable skill is required to successfully say to someone in a power position, "I want to do it my way instead of your way." Yet this skill is often needed by leaders at every level--whether ...
The Beatles did it before becoming world famous. Bill Gates did it before becoming one of the world's richest men. And Abraham Lincoln did it before becoming one of America's most honored ...
Today, I have important advice just for you. Keep your strategies simple. You've likely heard of simplifying your life. From bookshelves to daytime talk shows, simplicity is a hot topic. When it ...
Making your sales goals in a good year is one thing, but attaining them in a difficult year is an entirely different challenge. Putting aside the common cliché that when times are tough, great ...
Discounting on price is not a sales strategy. It's an impulsive move made by desperate salespeople. In a tough economy, customers think and expect everything is going to be discounted. Because of ...
Is your niche happy with you? Does the media hang on your every word? Will they still love you tomorrow? To build strong, lasting relationships, you must remain front and center. The allure is all in ...
You will always be your number one customer. It's not the big account you service, nor is it the hot new prospect you just uncovered; it's you. The reason is simple. If you're not ...
Selling a price increase can be difficult in nearly any type of situation, but trying to sell one in a soft market can be downright brutal. Yet, as unpleasant as it can be, it is often essential. The ...
As I write this article at my favorite Starbucks, I can't help but hear the conversation next to me. A middle-aged woman is having a coffee meeting with a peer discussing job opportunities, the ...
Price increases are currently occurring at a faster rate than we've seen in the US economy for nearly 25 years. The driving forces behind these increases seem to be the rising costs of labor, raw ...
We've all had to deal with price increases in one form or another. Similarly, many of us have been faced with a belligerent customer who not only is unwilling to accept your price increase, but ...
If you want to test the true character of a person, see how they respond to adversity. Watch how they handle the pressure of a lost sale, an angry client, or a difficult boss. What do they say? How ...
Over half of all Americans between the ages of 15-34 consider themselves active social network users. They regularly visit well-known social networking sites, such as MySpace or Facebook, or log onto ...
(An excerpt from LINCOLN SPEAKS TO LEADERS by Gene Griessman and Pat Williams, with Peggy Matthews Rose) ABRAHAM LINCOLN: "When I was young, I read a book that most people read in my day, but few ...
Last summer my grandson Dylan, who was playing on a little league team, went into a hitting slump. He had been swinging vigorously, doing his best to look like a big-league slugger. But he was ...
(Some years ago I wrote this Lincoln soliloquy for the training film "Lincoln On Communication" and subsequently incorporated it into my one-man play "The Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln." It is ...
Considerable skill is required to successfully say to someone in a power position, "I want to do it my way instead of your way." Yet this skill is often needed by leaders at every level--whether ...
The Beatles did it before becoming world famous. Bill Gates did it before becoming one of the world's richest men. And Abraham Lincoln did it before becoming one of America's most honored ...