Top Sales Blog

Is Hiring Salespeople From Your Competitors Always the Right Thing to Do?

2010-03-18T18:43:00.007-04:00

I recently ran across an article by Lee B. Salz titled "Beware of Hiring Your Competitor's Sales People". Lee makes some great points on why focusing purely on hiring salespeople from competitors in your industry is a bad idea. While I'm not totally against hiring salespeople from your competitors, I certainly agree with Lee's main points in his article.

If you are a salesperson making a transition to another company in the same industry, you definitely need to have a great explanation ready for your customers (especially if this involves bringing your old customers over to your new company). "I'm making better money" would not be a great answer. "My company was sold, so I'm not sure what the future will hold for either one of us" would be an example of a great explanation. Whatever the circumstances, make sure your message is very clear to your customers on why you are leaving.

Please check out Lee's article by clicking here.

Should I Trust My Sales Manager’s Advice?

2009-12-07T07:34:00.000-05:00

A good portion of salespeople wonder at some point during their tenure with a company as to whether or not they should trust their sales manager’s advice. I wanted to tackle this issue head-on this month as this is an important subject which impacts all salespeople.

Generally speaking, you should trust your sales manager’s advice. However, this doesn’t mean you should stick your head in the sand when he or she gives you advice, either. It is always important to weigh their advice and mix in your own experience & knowledge before taking action. It is also a good idea to engage your sales manager with your own thoughts after you have been given his or her advice. After all, two heads are certainly better than one. Issues and problems which come up when working in a sales capacity can be complicated, so never be afraid to seek out your sales manager’s opinion before moving forward.

If you know for a fact that your sales manager’s advice cannot be trusted, I would think very seriously about continuing with your present employer. At the very least, you might want to consider making a lateral move within the company. Poor sales managers who give bad advice will ultimately not only impact your moral in a negative way, but will also impact your sales numbers and income at some point in the future, too.

While the majority of sales managers do a good job, there are still far too many sales managers who fall into the “poor” category. This can even sometimes happen at companies where the company is great but the sales manager seems to sabotage sales at every stage of the game because he or she is a poor manager in general. Whatever the case may be, it is always a bad idea to continue working for a manager who doesn’t know what it really takes to sell or is simply incompetent.

The bottom line is that you ultimately need to trust your sales manager to sustain long-term success. Don’t be afraid to seek out their advice when you need it. And if you can’t trust your sales manager, you need to move on to another company or make a position change within the same company.

Consistent Salespeople Retain Customers

2009-11-26T20:33:00.002-05:00

I have had the fortunate opportunity to have lived on both coasts and the Midwest in my adult life. I also lived abroad in Asia for year. I have been to every region of the country at one point or another, and visited many states in-between them. Of all the national chains around, there is one business in particular which always seems to be the same no matter where they are operating.

That business is McDonald's. No, I’m not here to pitch their food, service, or nutritional information. What I will say, however, is that they are certainly a model of consistency we should all immolate as salespeople.

Think about it. Do you ever wonder if the food at McDonald’s is going to make you sick? Do you worry about their restroom being dirty? Do you worry about the food not tasting the same when you are half way across the country eating at one of their restaurants for the first time? In my experience, these thoughts never arise as they maintain a high degree of standards which are followed by each and every franchise owner. No matter where you are, you know what you are getting when you pull up to the “golden arches”.

This leads me to my next point. Do your customers know what to expect from you when a problem arises? What is their expectation of you when it comes to keeping them up to date on your new products or services which can benefit their company? Do you maintain consistent communication with your customers or just show up when you think your business with them is “on the rocks”? Do you trash your competitors in conversations with your customers, or do you operate like a real sales pro?

Displaying consistent confidence in areas such as those I mentioned above will keep your customers in a business relationship with you more than anything else. After all, do you really think your customer wants to take a chance on a new company & new salesperson when they already have confidence in you and know what to expect? Can you see how being consistent with your customers will negate price, service, and quality to certain extent?

Being consistent sounds easy on paper, but is hard to practice in reality. If you can be consistent in the way your operate as a salesperson, however, you will keep your competitors from taking away your customers. And if you cannot retain business with the vast majority of your customers, you will ultimately find it impossible to sustain any substantial sales growth.

Industry Experience & Formal Education Levels are Overrated When It Comes to Finding Successful Salespeople

2009-09-25T12:46:00.006-04:00

Industry experience and individual education levels are often overrated when it comes to hiring new salespeople. Passionate, motivated, and goal-driven individuals are far more likely to achieve sales success regardless of their industry experience or education level.

This is not just my opinion, either. A recent article posted on the Gallup Management Journal confirms this, too. Studies have shown that hiring salespeople with more industry experience or higher education levels does very little to improve a sales team's results over the long-term. Instead, companies that are succeeding in this economy with their sales team are going after the top talent and nurturing their own top performers.

I'm certainly not trying to deter anyone from gaining industry experience or obtaining more formal education. However, this is not the driving force in what makes an individual salesperson successful.

For more information on this very important topic and debate, please check out the Gallup Management Journal article when you get a chance.

Sales Happenings Around the Web...

2009-08-20T20:17:00.005-04:00

Yes – I am still alive. Many of you emailed me, and I want to apologize for posting so little in the last couple of months. I’m planning on getting back to providing some really good material here on Top Sales Blog between now and the end of the year. Unfortunately, I have been very busy in other ventures as of late – but hope to get back on the “horse” very soon as sales theory & discussion is my passion.

First, I wanted to give a quick “shout out” to Brad Trnavsky over at Sales Management 2.0. Brad has launched a new Sales E-Book that is really good, and I would encourage you to get his free download when you get an opportunity. The book is on Sales 2.0, so if you are interested in Sales 2.0 you should definitely take advantage of it. If you don’t know what Sales 2.0 is or have never heard of it, you most certainly need to download this book to get up to speed with your competitors!

Also, on top of having the best community sales management website – Brad is backing this up by also having the best sales podcast on the web, too. Please make sure to check out the Sales Management 2.0 podcast. He is posting a 45-60 minute interview every week from published authors and sales experts from around the web focusing on specific topics. It is not just for sales management folks, either. If you work in sales in any capacity whatsoever, I would encourage you to give his sales podcast a visit. I really enjoyed his recent interview with Tom Schaber.

ZoomInfo.com is offering a free B-to-B Intelligence Day on Aug 26. If you are looking for leads (as all salespeople and sales managers should be!), you should take part in this free trial. You will have free and unlimited access to deep intelligence on 45 million professionals at 5 million companies for a 24-hour period. Please visit the ZoomInfo.com Sign-Up Page to get on the list.

A new book coming out that I will be reading is Own the Room: Business Presentations that Persuade, Engage, and Get Results by Deborah Shames and David Booth. The following is a "teaser" which was communicated to me about the book:

These tips go against the grain of traditional presentation advice, but they work. For example:

•Having a CEO present alone is often the worst mistake you can make.
•Don’t open with a joke! You’re not that funny.
•Don’t lead with your name and your business. No one will remember you.
•The goal of your presentation is always to persuade, not to educate.
•You must have a specific role, and it should NOT be an “expert.”

For more information on the authors and Own the Room, please visit: http://www.owntheroombook.com.

Give Em’ the “Goodies” in Your Presentation

2009-07-10T07:50:00.001-04:00

Good presentations can be extremely effective when trying to “turn” a prospective customer. While there is usually too much emphasis that is put on this part of the sale (i.e. “the close”), it is not doubt an important part of the sales process in most cases.

When giving presentations, salespeople often spend too much time on the wrong things. For the most part, prospects really don’t care more...

SBU Post: Going Beyond the Usual Probing Questions

2009-06-14T21:25:00.004-04:00

Your time in front of a prospective customer is extremely valuable. The hardest part of the sales process can sometimes be just getting quality time in front of the prospect to ask questions. When you get to this point, you definitely want to make the most of your opportunity. You never know, this might be your only chance to advance the sale.

It is a great idea to take an evening to sit down and come up with a list of some great probing questions. It’s not like you will be doing this from scratch, either. This will be the time to search your memory more...

Jamie Moyer: A Lesson in Persistence That We Can All Learn From

2009-05-30T20:27:00.007-04:00

When I was a kid, I was the biggest baseball fan out there. I collected all the cards and knew just about every baseball player in the majors. I use to have my friends pick up a random card and name the player. Without hesitation, I could tell you his position, team, race, and some sort of statistics. While I know longer have that sort of grasp I had on the game in the mid 80's, I still remember a player named Jamie Moyer.

Jamie Moyer came into Major League Baseball in 1986. If you would have asked me in 1986 about him - I'm sure I would have told you the following:

1) He is a pitcher
2) He plays for the Cubs
3) He is white
4) He has a high E.R.A. and he is not that good

I would have been right about everything, except number #4 on my list. Well, let's just say #4 is half right...

Jamie had a rough go at it early in his career. This culminated in him being released in 1990 by the Texas Rangers. I can hardly blame the club. He had career record well below .500 and a lifetime E.R.A. that hovered close to 5.00.

Next year (1991), it got worse. His record was 0-5 and his E.R.A. was 5.74 with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals released him in the off season. He was then signed and released again by both the Cubs & Tigers in 1992 season. Jamie never even got to play a game that year in the majors.

At this point in his career, Jamie was 30 years old. Retirement had to seem at hand. He had his chance, his time should have been over.

But instead, this is where the story of persistence starts...

Jamie was signed by the Orioles in 1993 (for a 50% pay cut compared with his 1990 salary) and had a record of 12-9 with an E.R.A. of 3.43. Not only was this his best season, but it marked a year that justified him staying the majors. The 1994 & 1995 were mediocre seasons for Jamie, but he again pitched well enough to stick around.

In 1996, Jamie (at the age of 33) started having the kind of success a MLB pitcher dreams of . He went 13-3 with a 3.98 E.R.A in '96. From then on, he went 17-5 (1997), 15-9 (1998), 14-8 (1999), and 13-10 (2000).

In 2001 (at the age of 38), Jamie had his best season. He went 20-6 with an E.R.A. of 3.43. Jamie even finished #4 that year in the Cy Young Award voting in the American League. For whatever reason, however, he was not voted in as an All-Star.

Jamie didn't quit at that point. He stuck around and had an even better year in 2003, going 21-7 with an E.R.A. of 3.27. Finally, at the age of 40, Jamie made his first Major League Baseball All-Star team. Keep in mind, he had been in the majors since he was 23.

Where is Jamie today? You guessed it, he's still playing in the majors. He's also the last player left who played in the majors in 1986. Yes, he is the oldest man in baseball right now.

More importantly, you should look at his earnings. He could have quit at the age of 30 with slightly over $1,000,000.00 in lifetime earnings. Instead, he hung around long enough to earn another $67,000,000.00 in his career. Not too bad, not too bad at all.

Jamie is also in the top 50 in Major League Baseball history in wins (249) and strikeouts (2274). While currently playing for the Phillies this year, he will celebrate his 47th birthday in November. Whenever he decides to retire, he will be given Hall of Fame consideration.

If you would have asked me in 1986, who will be the only player left from this year (1986) come 2009? - Jamie Moyer would have been the last player I would have guessed. Instead, he gave me one of the best examples I have ever seen in what persistence is all about.

Top Sales Blog Made the Top 15 Sales Bloggers/Twitter Users List from BTS 411

2009-05-30T12:52:00.003-04:00

Top Sales Blog made The Top Sales Blogs & Twitter Users List from the BTS 411 Blog. Admittedly, I was pulling up the rear at #12, but I am happy nonetheless to make the list. Please check it out when you get the chance as there are some great sales blogs on the list. I'm certainly happy to receive the recognition.

Don't Give Up Too Quickly on Your New Sales Process

2009-05-27T07:09:00.004-04:00

Have you ever tried to implement a new sales process with prospective customers in your sales career? If you have ever sold for a living, you have. You have to start somewhere, right?

Whether you were just a new salesperson or were just trained on a new way of selling, we all take a first step in new way of selling in our sales careers. Any sales trainer worth his salt, however, will tell you that it takes time before your new way of selling will become effective. It is quite normal for your sales productivity to actually dip as you begin implementing your new sales process. At some point, you will be tempted to go back to your old way of selling.
If we know in our heart that we are working more...

Should I Follow My Company's Sales Process?

2009-05-21T20:55:00.003-04:00

Most companies will usually have a sales process in place which they want you to follow. This begs the question - should I follow my company's sales process?

The answer is both yes and no. Yes, you should explore and look at the way your company proposes that you sell. Most companies have spent a good chunk of money coming up with an effective way to sell their goods and services. There is a good chance that there is some really good information packed into their sales process.

But on other hand, I'm going give you a "no" answer as well. No, you should never place 100% of your sales education on your company's shoulders. This is your career, not theirs. You need to continue reading and learning on your own - regardless of what your company teaches you.

Good salespeople are creative. This profession demands no less than that. Every selling situation you will encounter will be different, so the more information you are armed with - the better. When we read - we breed creativity within ourselves, and again good sales people are creative with their personal model of selling.

At the end of the day, your own sales process will be molded by your sales manager or company management, your own time spent learning & reading about sales, and your own successes and failures.

Rugged Individualism Trumps Collectivism When Working to be Successful in Sales

2009-05-20T06:05:00.001-04:00

For thousands of years, countries, governments, and monarchies were run using a collectivist model. What was good for the country or the leadership in charge was always best for the people. The needs of the group were always far more important than the desires or ambitions of the individual. Basically, none of the kings or emperors really cared about empowering individuals to be in charge of their own future.

For a short period of time, the Greeks and the Romans got away from this way of thinking - but it never lasted in their respective civilizations. The idea of rugged individualism, free speech, and self expression didn't really take hold in our world until the founding of the United States in the late 18th century.

While I'm personally a big believer in rugged individualism and American exceptionalism, there are still times where collectivism is needed. For instance, without a collectivist effort, the world would have fallen into darkness under Nazism in the 1940's. Even in sports, your favorite team would never win a game without a collectivist effort. Without people working together in a collectivist way, your company would never be able to thrive or even stay in business.

In sales, however, I fully believe that rugged individualism trumps collectivism when it comes to being successful. The best way I can explain this is by using the sport of baseball. You need to play the field on defense as a team player. You might even be called upon to lay down a bunt or to try to hit a sacrifice fly ball. But no matter how well you play defense or are perceived as a "team" player, you cannot escape the fact that you must have individual accomplishment at the plate. If you cannot hit effectively as an individual, you won't play.

It is no different in sales. Yes, you need to be team player, but you cannot hide from the fact that your sales numbers and individual results will define your success above everything else. While you have to give attention to both areas when working in sales, remember that it is the individual accomplishment that will come to define the overall success of your career. If you fail to recognize this aspect of being a salesperson, you could certainly find yourself in a position you don't want to be in later on down the road.

Top Sales Blog's 1st Birthday!

2009-05-18T08:16:00.005-04:00

Well, here it is. Top Sales Blog is now a year old. I wanted to share the success I've had over the past year, let you know where this blog is going in the future, and take some time to thank all of you - my readers.

When I initially started this blog, I had several goals I wanted to accomplish within the first year. I have listed them below with the results:

1) Have Top Sales Blog found on the 1st page of Google when searching for "sales blog" and "sales blogs".

I actually reached this goal pretty quickly on the "sales blog" search on Google. I have been as high as #3 in the organic search results, but usually stay around #5 or #6. A lot of you might have found me through Google on this specific search.

As for the "sales blogs" search on Google, I am currently bouncing from page #1 to page #2 but it seems I never fall past #11 overall. While this is currently somewhat fluid, I hope to secure my spot in this result pretty soon.

On Yahoo, Top Sales Blog is #1 on the first page when searching for "sales blog". I'm also #6 when searching for "sales blogs".

I wasn't sure when I started that I could accomplish this, but to my own surprise it has happened.

2) Have Top Sales Blog found as the #1 website when searching for "Will Fultz" on Google.

This was accomplished somewhat recently, but Top Sales Blog is now found in the #1 and #2 position when searching for "Will Fultz" on Google. The #1 spot is the homepage and the #2 result is my bio that is listed on the blog. Top Sales Blog is also #1 when searching for "Will Fultz" on Yahoo.

3) Get the web traffic on Top Sales Blog to be equivalent to the other top sales blogs currently found on the Internet.

Whether using Alexa or Compete to compare web traffic with other websites, I have to say that this goal has been accomplished, too. No, I'm not at the level in traffic that community sales websites such as Sales Gravy and Sales Management 2.0 are at, but these sites are not sales blogs where the author provides 100% of the material. When you look and compare data from Top Sales Blog to other sales blogs run by a single individual, I'm right there with anyone and even beat most in traffic ratings. I've past numerous published authors and well known sales trainers in traffic along the way over the past year. I want to thank all of you, because without your clicks and visits this would not have happened.

I also became a member of the Sales Bloggers Union in November of 2008, which contributed greatly to increasing the traffic on Top Sales Blog. Whether it be Skip, Brad, Karl, Ian, or anybody else over there who helped - thanks guys for letting me be a part of the SBU!

As for the future, I will be publishing details of my Overwhelming Force sales model next week. In this series, I will be detailing a new program that I developed to attack large customers and sales opportunities. Please stay tuned, because this series will be the best information I have ever given out on this blog and it will be 100% free!

Lastly, I want to thank all of you who have been consistently reading, commenting, or staying engaged with me on Top Sales Blog. I hope the information you have come across on this blog has helped your sales career in a positive way. I know it is cliche, but if I helped just one person become successful, it was worth it. If you haven't emailed me before or commented, please feel free to drop a message at willfultz@gmail.com - as I would certainly like to hear from you.

Thanks again and be prepared for an even more exciting year on Top Sales Blog...

You Have to be Responsible for Your Own Motivation

2009-05-15T20:45:00.003-04:00

Far too many salespeople turn to their boss or company for their personal motivation to be successful in sales. This is a huge mistake, as salespeople need to be responsible for their own motivation if they want to become successful.

You might have had a sales manager or boss that was an excellent motivator in your past or you might even have one in the present. While there is nothing wrong this, you can never count on it or expect it from your management team. Just like your success, you must own and be responsible for keeping yourself more...

One of My All-Time Favorite Quotes

2009-05-13T21:03:00.009-04:00

I'm certainly not trying to say anything political by putting this up, but I've always liked this quote from Nixon in his farewell address. I'm also not defending Nixon or his presidency, but these lines that follow are truly great and his delivery was perfect when he gave this speech. They certainly ring true for all of us working in a sales capacity who are on the road to success. Enjoy.....

"It is only a beginning, always. The young must know it; the old must know it. It must always sustain us, because the greatness comes not when things go always good for you, but the greatness comes and you are really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes, because only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.....Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty; always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself."

-Richard Nixon, 1974

The History Channel's New Show on Sun Tzu's Art of War

2009-05-04T08:21:00.005-04:00

This history channel has a new show out on Sun Tzu's Art of War and how his style of making decisions could have changed the outcome of several historical battles. The Art of War is one of those books that I haven't read cover to cover yet, but one that I have picked up quotes from through the years. Now that I have seen the show, I have a renewed interest in reading his complete piece. If you get an opportunity, please check out the new Sun Tzu show on the history channel which will be airing again this weekend. War strategy relates very well to business strategy, and our business is selling!

This Week's Sales Podcast Roundup

2009-05-01T07:11:00.002-04:00

-The new episode of the Sales Management 2.0 sales podcast features your humble blogger Will Fultz in a discussion about what motivates sales professionals, and what companies should do to keep top sales performers motivated. Check out Rewarding Your Top Producers.

-In “The Essence of Selling,” the latest episode of the Selling to Consumers Sales Podcast, Skip Anderson offers six tips for getting your prospects to make a decision and get off the buying decision fence.

-The next episode of Sales Evangelist TV will be tackling the subject of “Thinking About Thought Leadership?” You will learn about the benefits of building a reputation as an expert in your industry. Visit Sales Evangelist TV on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 7:30pm PST. You can also visit the page to view past episodes which are also posted.

-What’s in Your Pipeline?, a podcast from Tibor Shanto, declares that the pipeline is important to sales success, and as such, a strong core allows you to excel in all other areas of your sport. The discussion will center around key elements which every sales person can put into practice to ensure a consistently healthy and vibrant pipeline.

-At Ian Brodie's Sales Excellence Blog, please be sure to check out his latest podcast on Lead Nurturing. Ian explains how potential clients that don't buy right away can still be good long-term prospects.

-Last but not least, don't forget about the sales-oriented podcasts on the SymVolli blog.

My New Podcast is Up on Sales Management 2.0

2009-04-29T07:33:00.006-04:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that my new podcast is up on the Sales Management 2.0 Podcast website. Brad Trnavsky, Jerry Kennedy, and I spoke on the importance of rewarding your top sales producers. This is a subject that I am very passionate about, and I was little under the weather when we recorded this a while back - although I did get better as the podcast went on. I believe all of you will like this, especially for those of you who are sales managers or are aspiring to be on the sales management side of the business. For most of my readers, this will also be the first time that you will get a chance to hear my voice. Please check it out when you get an opportunity, as I believe it will be well worth your time.

Recruiting is Critical to Being Successful in Sales Management

2009-04-26T10:20:00.002-04:00

The term sales management is very misleading, because the emphasis is really on the word “management” and not “sales”. Ultimately, this means the game changes dramatically for an individual who is making the jump from salesperson to sales manager.

While there are many responsibilities that come with being employed in sales management, perhaps none can turn around the sales equation quite as fast as effective recruiting. You can have the best sales strategy and plan around, but it means very little if you don’t have the quality personnel in place to carry out the plan of attack. At the same time, (more...)

My New Post on "Qualifying" is Up on the Sales Bloggers Union

2009-04-16T07:23:00.004-04:00

When you get a chance, please make sure to check out my new post on the Sales Bloggers Union titled Properly Qualifying Prospects Separates the Winners from the Losers More than Anything Else in Sales. Qualifying prospects is an extremely important activity in sales, as you will see in this article.

Recognizing Top Salespeople is Important

2009-04-12T21:07:00.006-04:00

“A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of a colored ribbon” -Napoleon Bonaparte, 1815

For all companies and managers out there that aren't doing it, you need to recognize your salespeople who are high achievers. And I'm not just talking in a monetary sense, either.

Failure to do so will result in not just possibly losing some great salespeople, but a loss of a moment in which you can lift up moral and provide a clear direction for the rest of your sales force. When you recognize the top 10% or so of your sales force in front of their peers, what sort of impact do you think that has on the other 90%? In our current economic environment, don't you think it is important to show your sales force that success is possible?

People want to be recognized and appreciated for their efforts, regardless of what they tell you. A plaque, ring, or any other award that is given for sales excellence is a very small investment for what you get in return. For all of the talk on how important retention of key salespeople is, I'm still amazed how many companies don't take the time to recognize the top performers within their sales force. Regardless of your company size, implementing a sales award program is always beneficial and important. Not only will it help in the area of retention and building loyalty among your employees, it is also the right thing to do.

I'll be discussing this in great detail with Jerry Kennedy and Brad Trnavsky in a podcast episode that will be posting on the Sales Management 2.0 Podcast series here in a couple of weeks. Until then, make sure to check out the SM 2.0 Podcast when you get an opportunity.

What Should You Do as a Salesperson When Your Company is For Sale?

2009-04-08T13:44:00.005-04:00

Shaun Priest over at Closer Q had a great question from one of his readers this week about what to do when your company or a division within your company is for sale. I actually encountered this once myself in my own sales career. Other than the great advice which Shaun once again gives, I also think he hit the nail on the head in his rule of thirds. Most often, a third of the people stay, a third of the people are let go, and a third of the people leave on their own according to Shaun. In my own experience in which the company I worked for at the time was sold, this was exactly the case. Please be sure to check out his latest post when you get an opportunity. Even if you don't see this sort of event on the horizon in your near future, it is a great post on how to deal with it should it come to pass at some point.

"Your Faith Can Knock Out Fear" by Gene Tunney

2009-04-01T06:04:00.000-04:00

When I was a child, my parents purchased an older book for me about famous sport figures and the struggles they had gone through in their lives. While I don't remember the exact title of the book, I still have remembered to this day a short story written by a former heavyweight boxing champion, Gene Tunney. I'm also a little partial to Tunney, as Tunney was in the Marines just like I was.

Tunney lays out a great story of how his faith was an integral part of how he became the heavyweight champion. I was fortunate enough to actually find this on the web, and I wanted to pass this along to everybody.

In all walks of life in whatever we choose to pursue, the fear of failure is always one of the biggest obstacles. The believe in one's self is the only medicine of prevention we can take to ward off this enemy. Tunney lays this out perfectly in how his faith allowed him to defeat Jack Dempsey (one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all-time) not once but twice.

Please take the time to read this four-page story which will hopefully inspire you to overcome your fears.

"Your Faith Can Knock Out Fear" by Gene Tunney

Winners in All Professions Always Rise to the Occasion in Their Darkest Hour

2009-03-29T12:12:00.009-04:00

It is my firm belief that winners in all professions always rise to the toughest occasions to become victorious.

On September 17, 1954, the current heavyweight boxing champion Rocky Marciano was facing off for the second time in a title defense against Ezzard Charles. In their first match-up, Charles had went the distance with Rocky in fifteen rounds but had lost by a decision on the scorecards.

In their second fight, Charles landed a punch in the 7th round which had split Marciano's nose very badly. The referee told Rocky and his corner that he would allow him to fight just one more round. He would then have to stop it after that because of the severeness of the cut. Because the cut was caused by punch, a stoppage by the referee would mean that Charles would win by a TKO and become the heavyweight champion.

Keep in mind, Charles had went the distance with Rocky in their previous fight. Charles was also a dangerous fighter, and had even killed a man in the ring. Against all odds and knowing the only way he could retain his title was by winning with a knockout in the following round, Rocky came out and put away Charles with a knockout in the 8th. Marciano went on to retire as the only undefeated heavyweight champion in history, with a 49-0 record with 43 knockouts. This was only made possible by the way Rocky had risen to the occasion when he was put in the worst possible position.

In sales or in life in general, you will face such a challenge at some point regardless of how talented you are. If you are prepared and believe in yourself, you will rise to the occasion to become victorious. Winners always do what no one else believes they can do. Marciano's career serves as one story of many of how winners always rise to the occasion in their darkest hour.

Just Got Done Recording a Podcast on Sales Management 2.0...

2009-03-28T18:19:00.004-04:00

I had the pleasure of recording a podcast today with Brad Trnavsky and Jerry Kennedy on the Sales Management 2.0 Podcast. The subject is about the importance of rewarding your top salespeople and how this can positively influence your entire sales force.

I want to thank Brad and Jerry at Sales Management 2.0 and encourage my readers to check out their Sales Management 2.0 Podcast series. The podcast that was recorded today will post on their site in about a month or so. I'll be glad to let everyone know when this happens.

Latest Sales Bloggers Union Post on Sales Technology

2009-03-26T06:05:00.002-04:00

I recently posted on the SBU's latest category, sales technology. Please check this out when you get a chance about how customers are now expecting that salespeople receive their emails in real time. Be sure to also check out some of the contributions from the various SBU members on the subject of sales technology. The Sales Bloggers Union website has also been growing by leaps and bounds with new readers, so make sure you continue to check out the various topics that are coming up.

Are You Afraid of Taking a New Direction in Your Sales Career?

2009-03-24T06:15:00.003-04:00

Sales is a challenging profession in both good and bad times. If everyone could do it, it would no longer be one of the highest paid professions. Therefore by default, a sales career brings with it a natural fear of failure.

For salespeople who are starting out or even those who are veteran salespeople who are struggling, there comes a point in which you know internally that you need to take a new direction. It is always tough to change, to try new things, or just take responsibility for your own success. Hey, it is tough just to pick up the phone sometimes and take action.

I can only tell you that you are not alone. Every successful person encountered fear along their path to success. Many times when I encountered fear, I found the following quote always gave me strength and put things in the proper perspective.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." -Ambrose Redmoon

Your fear will never go away. The trick to conquering fear is to not allow it to control your actions. Just like the man said, there are things that are far more important than fear. The recognition of this will not only lead you down a path of success in your sales career, but also in your overall life.

Why Should You Focus on Building Your Own Credibility First as a Saleperson?

2009-03-22T13:10:00.001-04:00

It is certainly critical in sales to have credibility. It is also important for a prospective customer to have faith not only in the salesperson, but the company that they will be doing business with, too. If this is the case, why should the salesperson's own street cred be put ahead of the company's credibility in the sales process?

There are certainly many reasons why this should be done in the correct order. First, if your own credibility is confirmed, isn't it natural for the customer to trust your company as well? Don't you think that if you are providing outstanding sales representation for your company, that it will be assumed that your company is trustworthy and respected for hiring an outstanding individual?

Secondly, how many times have we seen good companies that are represented by poor salespeople? Indeed, many times prospective customers have a good opinion of the company only not to buy because the salesperson has poor personal credibility or lacks any sort of professional selling skills.

And lastly, don't you want to be recognized as a trustworthy and credible individual by your customers? Is their a possibility you might work for somebody else in the future? You bet their is. If your sale with your customer is only built with your company's credibility, how can you expect to do business with them again if you move to another company or industry. While you certainly owe it to your own company to build their reputation among your customers, it is wildly important you don't leave yourself out in the process.

Whatever you do, do not make the mistake of not building your own credibility first in your sales interactions with your prospects and customers. After all, a lack of personal sales credibility is a major obstacle that keeps so many salespeople from being successful.

Don't Waste Your Time with Scripted "Talking Points" in Sales

2009-03-19T06:03:00.000-04:00

As we all know, political parties and politicians regularly use "talking points" to further their message & political ambition. While one could argue in either direction on whether or not this is actually successful, I would certainly avoid scripted talking points with your prospects and customers.

Day in and day out, all of us get hammered with marketing from TV ads, radio ads, newspapers, billboards, Internet ads, and yes - salespeople. Do you really think your prospective customer has time to hear a scripted talking point on how great your company is? Can you not see that this will actually hurt your selling efforts?

If you are approaching prospects with statements like "my company is #1 in our industry" or "we never have customer complaints", it might be time to re-examine your selling methods. While the general public has an expectation that even politicians they vote for will lie a little, I will promise you that this courtesy will not be extended to you as a salesperson. Even if your talking points have been scrutinized to reflect the most accurate picture possible, it is only the perception that counts in sales. Never make statements that can be perceived as dishonest.

Being Memorable is Important in Your Sales Interactions

2009-03-18T06:00:00.001-04:00

Being memorable is certainly important in your sales interactions. One of my fellow SBU members, Tim Rohrer, recently reminded me of the importance of this. His article simply titled, Be Memorable, is excellent and you should certainly check this post out when you get a chance.

While a down economy does present an opportunity to get in doors that you might not otherwise, it also brings an onslaught of salespeople making calls in an attempt to keep their jobs. If you are going to succeed, you need to be memorable in your sales interactions with prospective customers.

Would You Rather be Liked or Seen as Competent by Your Customer?

2009-03-15T20:28:00.008-04:00

A big debate has been taking place for some time now in the sales community on how important it actually is to be "liked" by your customers. Others argue that competency is more important. So what is it? Would you rather be liked or seen as competent by your customer?

First, let me state that I feel both of these areas are critical to making a sale happen. In a perfect world, there is no question that I would like to have both of these things going for me with a customer. This is especially true for salespeople who work with customers who purchase on an ongoing basis.

If you put a gun to my head, however, I would have to say that competency is more important. Why - you might ask? The fact of the matter is that a sale takes place because you end up reducing expenses, recovering lost revenue, increasing productivity, or making life simpler for your customer. If a customer legitimately believes that you are impacting these areas, it is hard for them not to pull the trigger on the deal - even in the face of not liking you personally.

That being said, let me again state that being liked personally is important, too. If the deal between you and a competitor is real close, this can make the difference. However, at the end of the day, business is about making money - not making friends. Never forget that.

One Statement and One Question You Should Never Use with a Prospective Customer

2009-03-13T07:36:00.009-04:00

While there are many questions and statements you should never make to a prospective customer, there is specifically one statement and one question you should never use.

"Mr. Prospect, I will work to earn your business." - You might ask, don't you want to let your prospect know that you will work hard to get their business? Don't you want the prospect to know that you are a "can do" individual that can get the job done for them? My response is simple and and there are several reasons why you don't want to do this.

First, if you make a declaration that you will work to earn a prospect's business, guess what they are going to make you do? You guessed it, they will end up running you around in circles to get their business. Can you blame them? You were the one after all who told them you wanted to "work" to get their business. Before you know it, your prospect will forget that you even have other customers and prospects to call on!

Salespeople get paid by solving problems by the way of offering profit-justified solutions that are win-win for both sides. Instead of showing someone how hard you work (which by the way - you are already doing in most cases), why don't you show your prospect how you can impact their bottom line? In the end, the solution you provide to your prospective customer is the primary driver that will land you the business. Whatever direction you take, do not make the mistake of making the "anything it takes" statement the motivating force behind getting their business.

"Mr. Prospect, could you tell me what you like about your current vendor?" - This is another common and cliche question that most salespeople have been taught to ask. And there is "no question" that this question is a big mistake.

Why in the world do you want your prospect to be reminded about everything they like about who they are currently doing business with? By asking this question, you are re-enforcing why they are doing business with your competitor.

This question undoubtedly makes you look petty, also. It will look like a cheap information grab that serves only your purposes. It will be seen as a self-serving path in which you can push their buttons and manipulate them into buying from you based on what they already like.

All that being said, you should also not reverse the question by asking them "what they don't like about their vendor". This question is so direct and pushy that you will find your prospect will defend their vendor in most cases. In the end, this looks like another cheap parlor trick to manipulate them into doing business with you.

The questioning process is critical to making a sale happen. Don't waste your valuable time on questions that many salespeople are already asking and in most cases won't lead to sales. Differentiate yourself from other salespeople by asking questions that uncover specific problems for which you can provide a profit-justified solution. After everything is said and done, this is what will ultimately transform prospects into customers.

Another "Five Minutes with Vito" Book Giveaway Courtesy of Sal Aliotta

2009-03-02T20:51:00.010-05:00

I wanted to inform everybody that I am starting another book giveaway this month for the book - "Five Minutes with Vito". I will be giving away four books this month and the drawing will be held on March 20th, 2009.

I am going to make entry for this giveaway simple. If you sign up for email updates, you will be entered for the drawing. If you are already currently signed up for email updates, then you are already entered for this drawing. I will announce the winners after March 20th, and you will have five days to claim your prize by responding with an address for me to send this book to. If I do not get a response within five days, I will award the book to another individual.

I would personally like to thank Sal Aliotta, President of Sandler Training in Evansville, for the donation of these books for the giveaway. Sal has a strong background in both sales & management and also offers a great selling system from Sandler. If you are a company or an individual in the Evansville area who is struggling or looking to increase sales, you should certainly contact Sal. Sal can be reach by email at sal@winssi.com

Finding Ways to Reduce Your Stress is Important in Sales

2009-02-27T07:05:00.006-05:00

When you work in sales, the amount of stress that comes with the career can be overwhelming. Exercise, diet, and your overall lifestyle habits are certainly important to keeping your stress in check. However, it is also important to supplement these mainstream activities with small things that take the edge off during your workday.

It could be a snack like popcorn, your favorite drink, or a picture of your family. If you are a sales road warrior, you can take a break by walking in the park or visiting a book store. Whatever it is, these small things that bring you joy really do make a difference in reducing your stress.

For me, it is Jazz. It doesn't matter whether it is Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, or a host of others - it just seems to relax me and drop my heart rate every time I put it across my speakers. I thought I would leave you today with a song titled "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck. If you are not a Jazz listener, give this song a try as it is one of the best Jazz songs ever recorded. Who knows - you might end up finding yet another way to reduce your stress...

Is it Better to Cold Call in Person or on the Phone?

2009-02-25T07:21:00.006-05:00

Probably ever since the telephone came into wide use, a debate started as to whether it is better to cold call on prospective customers on the phone or in person. This is one of these questions that will always draw many opinions and will continue to be debated for decades to come.

If you are going to cold call over the phone, there is one huge benefit that goes with it. You can obviously make a much higher volume of calls sitting at a desk and calling versus driving to each of your prospects for an in person visit. Indeed, the ratio could be as high as 10:1 in regards to how many calls you make over the phone rather than cold calling in person.

If this is the case, why would you bother to make face to face cold calls? After all, isn't the goal of many salespeople to make as many cold or sales calls as possible?

While this volume equation is true, I still think it is much harder to tell somebody "no" when they are right in front of you. Therefore, the major benefit of making an in person cold call is that it can be far more effective than cold calling over the phone. With both of these benefits of each method in mind - what is the answer as to which strategy is better?

On my last post, I published an article on how implementing your own creativity to each sales situation is the real secret to having sales success. Therefore, there is no definitive answer to this question. In fact, it mind come down to your own belief structure as to which method is more effective. If you believe or don't believe in something, it quite often becomes a self fulfilling prophecy when you set out to make it happen.

I would urge you to try both methods if you currently only using on of them. You will probably find that you will lean towards being better at one of these methods versus the other. However, you will run across situations where only one of these methods might be your only option. For instance, you might have a prospect you try to call over the phone repeatedly only to be stopped by the infamous "gate keeper". On the the other hand, you could run into a situation where your in person cold call is shut down by the "gate keeper" because you don't have an appointment. Regardless of which method you prefer, it is wise to develop skill in each cold calling method.

Remember to be yourself and to use your own creativity when you approach your cold calling activities. If you repeatedly get turned away when you cold call and have no results to show for your hard work, don't be afraid to change up your approach. Cold calling will always be difficult, so don't get discouraged on your sales quest. If it was easy, everyone would do it.

What is the Real Secret to Having Sales Success?

2009-02-20T06:01:00.000-05:00

I love sales like no other profession. From the start, I always sought to discover why very few salespeople were successful while others struggled so much. It was only after having year after year of ups and downs that I finally discovered the underlying secret it takes to be successful in sales.

Why do so many salespeople fail? How can an individual come along with the same products, services, and pricing and all of sudden become successful? What truly separates the winners from the losers?

If I've said it once - I've said it a million times. The complicated answers we seek are most often coated in simplicity. Because the real secret to having sales success is creativity. That's it. Pretty simple, right?

This is not to undermine hard work, sales training, reading, or seeking out outside sales coaching or mentoring. These elements are extremely important and will enhance your ability to be creative. But if you don't have the ability to take plans or strategies and find creative ways to implement them - there is a good chance you will struggle.

To put this in the proper perspective, think about the following situation. Pretend there are two individual salespeople who are throwing balls at a target. For every strike they throw, this equals a "sale". One of these salespeople has 50 balls to throw at the target on the wall and the other salesperson only has only twenty. The "hard working" salesperson has fifty - but is wearing a blindfold. The "creative" salesperson has only twenty, but has full view of the target because he has taken the time to clearly see what is in front of him. Who do you think will hit the target more often?

The most common strategy (usually the only strategy) that is used to gain new customers for most salespeople is purely based on activity. The more calls you make, the more sales you make - right? However, this model of throwing everything you can at the wall and hoping something sticks is very inefficient. Wouldn't you rather see the target so you can hit it?

I've been fortunate enough in my career to meet lots of great salespeople along the way. Rarely is the salesperson who make the most calls the most successful in the bunch. It is rather the salesperson who takes each individual situation and creates a unique plan of attack for a prospective customer who will succeed most often. With this in mind, make sure you approach each sales situation you come across with one of your greatest weapons - your own creativity.

Interview with Ryan Vener from Written Inc.

2009-02-12T08:27:00.016-05:00

Will Fultz: Ryan, thanks for being here. Could you please tell my readers what your company does and what types of clients you serve?

Ryan Vener: Sure, thanks for having me. Written Inc. is a personality reporting company based in Southern California. Our newest product, Salesperson Insight, was created to help individual salespeople as well as sales teams close more business. Our reports reveal to the salesperson the personality traits that are having the greatest impact to their selling success. They learn which traits may be holding them back, preventing them from building rapport or costing them sales. They also learn what they’re communicating to their prospect through their body language and what they can do specifically to change and improve.

Will Fultz: Obviously, I run a sales blog that caters to salespeople and sales management folks. How does your personality report differ from other personality assessments currently available for salespeople?

Ryan Vener: Written Inc. spent 10 years developing a proprietary technique, known as Written Body Language Analysis™, which taps into the salesperson's subconscious mind to reveal their true personality traits. Other personality assessments currently on the market ask the salesperson to answer questions about themselves. This approach only reports the perception they have of themselves, which is often very different from reality. Plus questionnaire based assessments can only reveal broad personality types such as “dominant extrovert” which has limited benefits to the salesperson. Because we’re tapping into their subconscious mind, our reports reveal traits that can’t be found from any other method. And, salespeople often learn about personality traits they weren’t aware they possessed.

Will Fultz: What are some of the desirable and undesirable aspects of the salesperson's personality that your reports reveal?

Ryan Vener: We can identify undesirable traits such as: defensive, arrogant, argumentative, critical, sarcastic, abrupt and self-doubt. A few of the desirable personality traits include: enthusiastic, flexible, tenacious, intuitive, creative, independent and logical.

Will Fultz: You mentioned arrogance as an undesirable trait. I believe some of the best salespeople have a little bit of arrogance. Can a trait that is usually perceived by most people as a negative actually be a positive for certain positions?

Ryan Vener: That’s a great question. Well I think self confidence is one of the most important attributes for sales success. Confident salespeople appear to be knowledgeable and put prospects at ease. But arrogance is different. Although confidence is the main component of arrogance, it’s the behaviors associated with the trait that most people see as negatives. Arrogant people brag about their accomplishments, act like they are above everyone else and take all of the credit for their success. It’s not the confidence that people dislike, it’s the lack of humility and the behaviors associated with the arrogant trait. Now, if the arrogant salesperson can avoid these behaviors around their prospects, they will likely be seen as confident and not conceited. The problem is most arrogant salespeople don’t think they are arrogant. They see themselves as confident. Salesperson Insight helps them see the difference between the two traits. The report shows them how they appear to others, the impact of being arrogant has on sales, how the trait is communicated through their body language and what they can do to change their behavior and thinking.

Will Fultz: Once the salesperson learns they have an undesirable trait, what can they do to change?

Ryan Vener: The reports provide them with suggestions for changing their thinking and behavior. The easiest way to explain it is through an example. A fairly common trait we see in salespeople is idealistic. The idealistic salesperson tends to see and believe only the positive things a client or prospect tells them. Being optimistic and expecting to win in sales is an important trait for a successful salesperson to possess. But the idealistic salesperson runs into problems when they incorrectly forecast their opportunities, assume they are farther along in the sales cycle and waste time perusing dead-end deals. One of the suggestions we give to the idealistic salesperson is to run their deals by their sales managers, sales trainers or even colleagues. Doing this will provide them an objective view of their deals and help them become more realistic.

Will Fultz: If a company or individual is interested in using your services, how can you be contacted?

Ryan Vener: They can call our toll free number (888) 670-6702 or send us an e-mail at sales@writteninc.com. We also have a contact form on our website: http://www.writteninc.com

Will Fultz: Thanks for your time, Ryan. I would like to encourage my readers to check out your company's website when they get an opportunity.

Ryan Vener: My pleasure, thanks again.

A Lesson in Achieving Goals: The Story of the 11th U.S. President - James K. Polk

2009-02-09T08:30:00.001-05:00

In sales, one of the problems we can run into is when we don't incorporate clearly defined goals into our overall strategy. When our goals are not clearly defined and few in their numbers, it becomes very easy for us to get off-track and not accomplish anything of value.

One of the best U.S. Presidents, in my opinion, was James K. Polk. Polk serves not only as a model for presidential greatness, but also for anyone trying to achieve success in their own life. Perhaps no other president, other than possibly Lincoln, accomplished so much in four years.

Polk campaigned and promised at the beginning of his presidency to primarily accomplish four things in his four year term (as he also promised not to seek re-election):

1) The re-establishment of the Independent Treasury System
2) The reduction of tariffs to increase trade & boost the U.S. economy
3) The acquisition of all or some of the Oregon territory
4) The acquisition of California and New Mexico (the current U.S. southwest) from Mexico

Polk ended up accomplishing every goal he set out at the beginning of his presidency and his accomplishments were many. The treasury system he created in the 1840's lasted until 1913. Before taking over as president, the US was a nation that extended just west of the Mississippi river. It was Polk that took the nation all the way to the Pacific ocean, making the United States a continental power. In a protectionist era in which high tariffs were thought to be positive for the US economy, Polk had the sense to lower them to increase trade - thereby boosting the overall US economic conditions. Texas, Iowa, and Wisconsin were admitted to the Union during his term, but parts or all of nearly a dozen more states would follow due to his territorial acquisitions. While all of these accomplishments would be hard to fit into an 8 year presidency, Polk managed to accomplish all of these goals in four years. He also kept his promise, and did not run for re-election in 1848. After all, he had accomplished every goal he had laid out at the beginning of his presidency.

Because the Civil War took place 12 years after his presidency had ended, Polk's legacy was overshadowed by Lincoln for the rest of the 19th century. In the 20th century, however, historians could not help but to re-examine how the presidency of Polk had positively impacted the United States. In the 21st century, Polk is now regularly listed as one of the top 10 U.S. Presidents by historians - even though most Americans hardly know anything about him.

Indeed, the history of the United States would be much different without the presidency of Polk. But even more important than that, Polk serves as a model to everyone that you can achieve overwhelming success when you set out on your "mission" with clearly defined goals. This by itself, might be Polk's greatest legacy of all.

Winner Announcement List for the "Five Minutes with Vito" Book Giveaway

2009-02-09T08:28:00.003-05:00

I only have a partial listing of winners for the January book giveaway as everyone who has won has not gotten back to me at this point. Here are the ones who have contacted me and verified their shipping information.

Vittorio of Albany, GA
Chris of Evansville, IN
Charles of Saratoga, CA

Congratulations to these three individuals and I hope to announce the other winners as soon as I hear from them. Thanks for everyone who participated - and keep in mind that I plan to do more book giveaways in the future. If you sign up for updates via email (located in the top right corner of Top Sales Blog), you will remain entered for future book giveaways as long as your account is active and you are not a current winner of the last book giveaway.

How to Sell More by Reducing Risk | Free Sales eBook

2009-02-05T05:56:00.006-05:00

I became a member of the Sales Bloggers Union in 2008 and am happy to be working with some of the best sales experts in the world. The SBU consists of nine sales bloggers from the U.K., Canada, and the U.S. The SBU is also very active in the online community to advance the sales profession.

The Sales Bloggers Union has recently released it's new free eBook. All nine of us have contributed articles on the subject of "Selling More by Reducing Risk." Please be sure the download the eBook as soon as you get an opportunity.

The Sales Bloggers Union members are:

Nesh Thomson, Sales System Developer at Symvolli

Tibor Shanto, Principal at Renbor Sales Solutions

Tim Rohrer, The Sales and Marketing Loudmouth

Will Fultz, Top Sales Blog

Brad Trnavsky, Sales Management20.com

Colin Wilson, Managing Director of First Border

Karl Goldfield, The Startup Sales Mentor

Skip Anderson, Founder, Selling to Consumers Sales Training

New Post on the SBU on "Sales Burnout"

2009-02-04T06:30:00.004-05:00

I have a new post up on the Sales Bloggers Union on the subject of sales burnout, titled - "Sales Burnout is Usually the Result of an Imbalance in Your Personal Life". Please make sure to check this post out and all the other posts that have recently been provided by the SBU (Sales Bloggers Union) authors on sales burnout.

Story Telling in Sales: When it is Done Right - it Builds Great Relationships

2009-02-03T06:30:00.000-05:00

I'm a big believer in the fact that people do business with other people for a variety of reasons. In order to take your sales numbers to the highest possible level, you need to capitalize on every possible opportunity to build "genuine" relationships with other people. One of the best ways to do this is through effective story telling.

First off, it might be difficult or come across as "fake" to start telling grand stories the first time you meet with a prospective customer. However, as more visits are made and some rapport is developed, it always helps when you are an interesting person to the customer on the other end. Let's face it, the products or services we represent will only generate so much excitement. But when you become seen as a fascinating person to converse with, people will look forward to speaking with you in the course of their working day.

When you think about it, life is primarily nothing more than a collection of stories. Every week, something happens in our personal lives that is funny, interesting, and insightful to other people. When you take the time to build the necessary skills to effectively share these experiences with your customers, you will build rapport at a much faster rate. If you haven't been telling stories from time to time to your customers - this is an activity which I would encourage you to engage in immediately. If you can effectively tell interesting and funny stories to your prospective customers, you will end up getting business that in some cases you otherwise wouldn't.

You Can't Sell to the Customer that You Can't See

2009-01-29T05:36:00.000-05:00

To begin, this article title can be interpreted as not making a sales call or not being able to secure a meeting with a vital prospective customer. This is actually not what I will be speaking to in this article.

I drew the title of this article way back from my days as a baseball player. I had a former Major League baseball player and American Legion coach who always told me, "You can't hit what you can't see." This means if you don't recognize the pitch coming down the plate and can't see it, you have very little chance to hit the ball. It is no different in sales. If there is a prospective customer out there who you can benefit, it matters very little unless they know about you or you know about them.

Companies and salespeople usually identify what they believe are the major players in each of their markets. Some of these customers are in there column, others remain elusive year after year as a business connection is never able to be established. I call this group of customers and prospects - the "usual suspects".

To truly grow your sales at an unprecedented rate, you have to move past the "usual suspects" in your sales quest. With proper networking and prospecting through targeted information searches, you can always discover a hidden market of prospective customers that have not been identified. I believe this to be true even for companies and salespeople who normally have a narrow scope of prospective customers.

Don't ever fool yourself into believing that your company or sales manager has properly identified all the "good" prospects in your market. Take the time to network properly with your existing customer base, always take different routes when traveling to discover new businesses, and learn to use the Internet to identify new companies that you can benefit. If you can master the art of finding hidden markets & prospective customers, your sales numbers will skyrocket like never before. And always remember - "you can't sell to the customer you can't see."

Making Assumptions in Sales is a Big Mistake

2009-01-24T08:44:00.005-05:00

One of the biggest mistakes that can be made in sales is making assumptions about prospective customers before doing any sort of investigating. That being said, I don't want anyone to get this confused with qualifying prospects. Qualifying is extremely important in attaining sales success, but qualifying doesn't involve making assumptions. Qualifying is a process in which a prospect is thoroughly examined through questioning and other relevant fact-based analysis.

In your sales career, you might have pulled up to a facility that seemed sub par and decided there was no way that any buying potential existed for your products or services. You might have met with a gentleman that you just couldn't see as being successful, therefore you left them in the dust and never took action. While your judgement might be right, I would argue you need to make sure to investigate these opportunities thoroughly before pulling out of the fight.

There have been numerous times in my own sales career that I have missed opportunities by making false assumptions. As I grew in my selling career, I started dismissing my own initial gut feelings about prospective customers and began a qualifying process of them to make sure I was right. While my own "gut" check was usually on the mark, I occasionally would find a "gem" in the group.

If you are making assumptions in your sales interactions, I would urge you to discontinue this activity immediately. Every opportunity is worth investigating, even if your own initial feelings point you toward dismissing them. I can guarantee you that if you qualify every prospect that comes your way, you will occasionally find a great opportunity that you didn't see initially.

Surviving a Bad Economy - "Live to Fight Another Day in Sales"

2009-01-22T06:31:00.002-05:00

Unless your specific industry has been lucky enough to sustain "across the board" overall growth through the past year, the road ahead will be difficult one for all who travel it. And if you haven't planned on taking market share from your competitors in 2009, you will certainly find an even harder road ahead of you.

That being said, many salespeople simply won't achieve either their company sales quotas or their own personal sales goals in 2009. Economic downturns are also a really bad time for the "non-believers" in the sales profession. It seems that every 8-10 years when a downturn occurs, our ranks of salespeople are purged of the ones who don't belong. The problem is, however, that some really good people end up getting caught in the cross hairs of this decimation, too.

If you can't achieve your goals for 2009 - what should you do? First off, don't give up or concede the year at this point. We are only a little more than halfway through January, so we still have close to 95% of the year left! As a salesperson you are an agent of change, so get out there with your best "game" and make it happen. It might be a harder ladder to climb, but you as a salesperson have the power to climb it.

When times have ever gotten tough in my own life, one of my favorite Clint Eastwood movies always comes to mind - The Outlaw Josey Wales. Towards the end of the movie, Josey Wales and the people he has befriended along his journey find themselves preparing to defend their homestead from an impending Indian attack. After going through every one's job and responsibility in preparation for the attack, Josey says to the group, "Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is."

And that is the way it is. Complicated problems are often coated with simplicity in the way they are solved. Wake up earlier. Work longer. Exercise more. Make the extra call. Read another sales book. Get mean. Get mad. Accept nothing but a complete and total victory. And if the 1987 version of Mike Tyson appears before you ready to brawl, you are going to go down swinging. Make the SOB regret ever stepping in the ring with you, even if he wins. Because he is going to get hurt in either case.

There is a warrior spirit in all of us. When times get tough, we have to call on our warrior spirit. Warriors have never been, and will never be determined by their wealth, race, creed, gender, or religion. Yes, you can be a beautiful 115 lb woman and have a warrior spirit you can bring out to succeed in sales!

Take to the streets right now as if you were Mad Max the Road Warrior on his last quest. If you put in the effort and combine it with a well thought out sales strategy, you can succeed in '09. More importantly, even if you don't achieve all of your goals this year - "you will survive and live to fight another day." And remember that surviving is worth something, because a good economy is always right around the corner.

Marketing Optimism: How Insight Seems to be Using an Old Political Campaign as Inspiration for Their Commercials

2009-01-21T12:20:00.005-05:00

Over the past six months, I have noticed how Insight Communications (a cable company) seems to be using a version of Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign, "Morning in America" in their commercials. The "Morning in America" campaign was highly successful, as Reagan swept 49 out of 50 states and garnered close to 60% of the popular vote. Because Reagan's approval numbers were so high going into the election season, his team tried to run a very positive campaign (can you imagine this now? - in our current day and age...).

I must admit, I am an Insight customer and they have been wonderful to business with. That being said, I don't blame them for using a version of Reagan's optimistic theme for marketing purposes. I have included below a commercial from the Reagan campaign in 1984 with a current Insight commercial below it. I'll let you be the judge on how close they actually are.

Don't Put the Future of Your Success in the Hands of Others

2009-01-20T06:49:00.004-05:00

Today, on January 20th, 2009, the US will inaugurate a new President. There is certainly a lot to be proud of as Americans when President-Elect Obama becomes sworn in as President. The positive symbolism of today is so thick you can cut it with a knife. That being said, I want to remind everyone to stay grounded in reality when it comes to your own success.

All sides can argue that having a certain politician in office can help you more economically than another, and that it is a fair assessment. However, it is foolish to put the future of your own success in the hands of others. No President, now or ever, has the power to bring or stop success coming to your life by your actions. Always remember that your success is determined by what you do, and is ultimately determined very little by the political leadership in charge.

Enjoy the moment and the day, as the peaceful transition of power is always a proud moment. When you wake up on the 21st of January, however, make sure you don't fall prey to putting the future of your success in the hands of others. And never fool yourself into believing that your success is determined by who is in charge of the country.

The Five Most Common Types of Salespeople

2009-01-19T05:51:00.002-05:00

Rather than just typecast prospective customers, I also like to analyze different types of salespeople I've come in contact with in my years of selling. Salespeople "crack" me up, because they don't think anyone understands how they operate. I have listed below the five most common types of salespeople I've had the opportunity to typecast over my career.

The "Ghost" Sales Rep - This has got to be one of my favorites. The "ghost" sales rep typically works in an industry with repeat customers that buy every month. This rep is usually hardly ever seen in person, hence the name - "ghost". He or she is just a voice on the other line, and primarily drives business by using the phone only. While this rep is not a new business kingpin, they usually are half decent at getting price. The reason why is they don't want to have to work harder when prices are lowered. This might call for "face to face" activity and the ghost sales rep can't have that! When times get tough, this rep has a hard time digging his or her way out of it. In most cases, this rep is found in the average or slightly above average category when it comes to performance. If they can burn up the phone through massive cold calling, they can make it to the top.

The "T to T" Sales Rep (aka - Tuesday to Thursday Sales Rep) - Obviously, this sales rep hates working in the field on Mondays and Fridays. Ghost Sales Reps were usually in this classification at some point before they decided to stay home! T to T reps can actually become very proficient, and use Mondays and Fridays for organization, paperwork, getting reports done, cold calling, and planning sales strategies. They seem to maximum their "face to face" activity to the utmost from Tuesday through Thursday. Believe it or not, they are quite a few top performers that are "T to T" sales reps. Most are usually "status quo" salespeople, however.

The "Rule Breaker" Sale Rep - Usually very independent, this sales rep is horrible when it comes to doing paperwork or getting in reports on time. They are also cynical when it comes to rules and regulations, though they very rarely voice their dissent in company meetings. The rules breaker is not necessarily dishonest, and he or she is very creative in driving new business. A lot of top performers are rule breakers, because they do what it takes to make their number. They have come to understand the phrase - "Better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission." The rule breaker is usually found at the bottom or the top, and seldom can be classified as average.

The "By the Book" Sales Rep - This is the prototypical sales rep most companies go after. This sales rep will always work the required hours, get paperwork in on time, and put a lot of strength on the company's own method of selling. However, this sort of sales rep usually finds it hard to make it to the "top performer" level. While they work hard, they usually lack the creativity to drive business at a high level. They seem to call the "boss" on just about every semi-difficult situation they face. 80-90% of reps in this category could be classified as "average" when it comes to their sales performance. Their sales numbers also usually match the company's overall growth or decline.

The "Price" & "Complainer" Sales Rep - This is the sales rep that loves the sound of his or her voice in company meetings. Why? - because they love to complain! When dealing with customer complaints, they will almost always blame the company and have a hard time negotiating a "fix" with the customer. They are cynical beyond belief about company rules, but after voicing their dissent they actually follow the rules most of the time. This rep always gives away price unnecessarily, and likes to complain about company prices being too high, also. This type of salesperson never makes it into the top performer category unless they are extremely lucky. When it comes time to scale back the sales force, this person becomes an easy target for downsizing. This is also the most common sales rep type to leave the sales profession behind altogether.

Well there it is...the most common types of salespeople I've run into over my career. If you have one in mind that isn't described above, please feel free to leave your description as a comment to this post.

More Good News for the "Five Minutes With VITO" Book Giveaway

2009-01-17T08:33:00.006-05:00

I have been fortunate enough to come across three (3) additional books for my "Five Minutes With VITO" giveaway. This will bring the book giveaway total to six (6) books in all. These books are being supplied by Karl Goldfield courtesy of his sales blog. If you haven't yet qualified for the book giveaway, please go to my original post on "Five Minutes With VITO" to view the qualifications for the drawing that will be held at the end of this month. Thanks again to Karl Goldfield and his donation for the book giveaway.

Is it OK to Give Up on a Prospect?

2009-01-16T08:12:00.008-05:00

As most of you know, I am a big fan of Karl Goldfield's Sales Blog. He recently started a TV Show, also. His first episode was great, and I enjoyed being a part of it. While Karl is a sales mentor for start-up entrepreneurs, his ideas certainly can be implemented by salespeople, too.

In his first TV show, someone asked the question, "Is it ok to give up on prospect?" Karl's response was that as soon as productive a business conversation doesn't take place, it is time to move on. I agree completely with his assessment.

Sure, when calling on a prospect for the first time or two, there will be some awkwardness and push back. However, repeatedly calling a prospect that gives you the cold shoulder over and over is nothing but a fruitless pursuit.

Self respect, in my opinion, is always more important than any sale. When we lose self respect from repeatedly calling on prospects that show no interest or won't engage in a business conversation, we ultimately damage our outlook on becoming successful. If you move onto the folks that show genuine interest, you will no doubt improve your sales numbers at a much higher pace.

Free Book Giveaway - "Five Minutes With VITO"

2009-01-13T06:39:00.005-05:00

I just wanted to remind everyone once again about my free book giveaway for "Five Minutes With Vito" that will be held at the end of this month. All you have to do is leave a comment or sign up via email for blog updates. Once you have done either one of these, you will be entered in for the drawing for one of the three (3) free copies that will be given away here on Top Sales Blog. If you leave at least one comment on a post and sign up via email for updates, your name will be entered twice for the drawing.

I'm in the process of finishing this book myself, and it is certainly a great read. Be sure to enter in on the drawing as this book is one that I highly recommend.

Is "Price" Retention Going to be Our Biggest Sales Challenge for 2009?

2009-01-09T06:47:00.007-05:00

With a full US and worldwide recession underway, salespeople will face many challenges in '09. Recently, we have also seen falling prices at the pump. While this will likely be the #1 reason we will get out of our current recession, I certainly believe there will be drawbacks to falling fuel prices.

When we were hit with record gas and diesel prices in 2008, we saw numerous products spike in price. Basic food items such as milk and bread went up overnight. Most retail products jumped, also. Raw materials jumped up in price as well rather quickly - including steel and most building materials. What all of us learned from this is that in our present time, fuel is the engine that drives our economy. You might not like it, but it is certainly the truth. Think about it. Before oil became a widely used natural resource, most of the world lived in log cabins or huts accompanied with outhouses.

With fuel prices falling, the numerous competitors that exist in every industry will eventually lower prices in an attempt to gain market share and also because the present market conditions demand it. This will negate the price increases that were passed along in 2008 that propped up sales for many companies. With a full recession underway, some companies had also already been making "never seen before" deals to prop up sales before fuel started its downward trend in price. The combination of these issues will put a great deal of pressure on salespeople to make their sales quota for 2009 and be able to preserve the price they had been getting on their products or services in the second half of 2008.

Is there a way to combat and fight these issues? You bet there is. There is no time like the present to scrutinize your proposals to make sure they present a solid profit justified solution. If you can show that your solution will increase efficiency, productivity, and recover lost revenue - you will be able to preserve the price you have been getting. Don't forget to add in the fact that more companies are willing to take a look at who they are doing business with during a down business cycle, either. If you can prepare for these challenges that will face all salespeople and companies this year, there is certainly no reason why you cannot have a successful 2009 sales year.

"Happiness is..." - Not Watching the News!

2009-01-07T06:54:00.005-05:00

Ever since the '08 election ended, I haven't been watching the news. And guess what? I could not be happier!

Not only did I end my sales year stronger than ever, my 4th quarter performance was my best of the year. I can attribute this to many things, but among them are the fact I quit watching the negative cycles on the cable news channels.

Should you vote? Yes. Should you care about the direction of the country and the world? Yes. Should you write your elected officials about areas of concern? Yes. Should you sit around obsessing about what you can't control? No!!!

Sure - its great to vote, have an opinion, and write a politician when you have a major area of concern. But constantly obsessing and getting mad about what is going on in government will get you nowhere. It's also a complete waste of time. The only other way you can bring about change is by running for political office yourself.

Will you miss out on anything by not listening or watching the news? It's not likely. If a major scandal or event erupts, somebody will let you know.

Make a pledge for '09 to turn the TV off and turn inward for your own sales development. Not only will you sell more, you will also have a much better attitude and perspective in your pursuit of sales success.

How Many Christmas Cards Did You Recieve From Your Customers?

2009-01-04T07:54:00.005-05:00

As 2008 has now closed and the sales year for 2009 has begun, it is good to measure where you stand with your customers. Hopefully, you sent out a number of hand written Christmas cards to your customers during our recent holiday season. More importantly, I would ask - "how many of your customers sent you a Christmas card?"

If you didn't receive any, don't worry or get down about it. Most salespeople don't get any from their customers, either. However, it should be a goal and a milestone when you start receiving them. I was fortunate enough to receive quite a few from my customers during this past Christmas.

When this finally occurs in your sales career, this will show you that a transformation has taken place from being an ordinary "salesperson" to a "trusted business advisor or advocate" with a particular customer. Regular sales folks don't get Christmas cards - but great business people who benefit others with their business advice do.

Five Minutes With VITO - Here is How to Get Your Free Book

2008-12-28T07:46:00.008-05:00

I have some really great news to pass along to everyone. I was recently selected to receive several free copies from the publisher of the new book from Anthony Parinello and David Mattson, Five Minutes With VITO. I've read Anthony's previous book - Selling to Vito, the Very Important Top Officer - and it was a great read. While I'm not as familiar with David, I am very aware of the company he currently heads, Sandler Systems, Inc. Sandler sales training has been around now for quite some time and certainly has made a positive impact on the sales world.

I'm still currently in the process of reading this book. While I have not finished it yet, I can tell you that I will endorse this book based on Anthony's previous work. I should have a review up on my blog by mid-January.

Alright, now let's get on to the good stuff. I will be giving away three (3) copies of this book here on my sales blog. Here is how you can qualify to be selected (no purchase of anything is necessary, of course). Leave a comment from now until the end of January on any posts from Dec 28, 2008 until Jan 31, 2009 (you must include your name & email address) and your name will be entered once (to keep this simple - you will only be entered once regardless of how many comments you post). If you sign up for an email subscription (located in the top right corner of the blog), you will also be entered once. Therefore, if you leave at least one comment (with email address & name) and also sign up for an email subscription you will be entered twice for the drawing.

Even if you don't win this drawing, please keep coming back as I have worked out more future giveaways for 2009. Good luck to everyone and the drawing will take place in the first week of February.

Price Discounting Will Force You to Have to Sell More

2008-12-21T11:39:00.008-05:00

I was over on Karl Goldfield's Sales Evangelist Blog this weekend, and discovered a great post titled - "Sales Process - Next Year, The Best Story Wins". If you get a chance, please check his post out. He also got my wheels turning on his discussion of how we as salespeople should not offer massive price discounting for a variety of reasons.

One of my main reasons for not offering massive price discounting is because this forces us to have to sell more to make our quotas. For most of us in sales, it is when we go over our quota that the real monetary incentives take hold. For every unnecessary dollar we give up on price, we have to make it up with another sale down the line. In other words, this not only hurts our gross profit numbers but also hits us hard in the volume equation - which is the #1 area most salespeople get paid for.

My main point here is simple. Developing the necessary skills to preserve margins and to get "price" will allow you to grow sales at a faster pace. As 09' approaches, all of us need to think real hard about whether we should be giving away price unnecessarily. After all, by offering massive price discounting we end up hurting ourselves more than anyone else. "Work Less - Sell More" should be the rule and not the exception for top producing salespeople.

Is it Time to Change Armies and Fight For Someone Different?

2008-12-16T06:24:00.004-05:00

Many salespeople might be wondering as 2008 comes to a close - is it time to change armies and fight for someone different?

After working in a sales capacity for a number of years, I'm confident of certain universal truths that exist in our sales world. One of these such truths is that there are more sales opportunities than there are good salespeople to fill them. In other words, there is a shortage of great salespeople in comparison to the great opportunities that exist in the marketplace. On top of that, just about every company is always willing to take a "look" at a top performing salesperson.

How do you know when it is time to switch armies? This question is always difficult to answer. I believe, however, that you must really believe in what you are selling and be happy doing it. If not, I just can't see how you can succeed long term. If you find yourself dreading the alarm clock in the morning, it might be time to start investigating a move in your career.

Before you start investigating other opportunities, you need to define what sort of sales environment you enjoy. What is more important to you - money, freedom, base salary, or fringe benefits? Do you want a company car or is a big base salary more important? Do you want more freedom in your daily work environment or are health benefits a bigger concern? You need to put these priorities in order before you start inquiring about possible sales positions.

For me, it is freedom. Several years ago, I was interviewing for a sales position with a well known company in my area. There was actually a good amount of money on the table as the offer was a good one - as far as income goes. Then came the discussion of daily working hours - in which this gentlemen stated to me, "I require an 8-5 day no matter what. I don't care when you start or how far you are above your quota." I sort of smirked, and told this guy I would be a poor fit for his company. To my disbelief, he still called me a week later to offer the position to me. This guy just could not get it through his head that it was freedom above all else that was at the top of my list - and this was more important to me than income potential.

Indeed, the reason for your unhappiness in your current position might be grounded in the fact you didn't prioritize your wants before signing up with your company. When you get interview opportunities in your career quest, I would not hesitate to discuss these areas with a potential employer. This is the only way you can truly find what you want in a sales position. If you have made a decision to change armies, good luck on your quest and don't "short" yourself on what you want. Believe me, there are plenty of great sales opportunities out there.

New Post on the Sales Bloggers Union Website

2008-12-11T05:56:00.006-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that I have posted a new article on the Sales Bloggers Union website. Our topic for this two week period is Sales and the Internet. If you are interested in growing your sales by using the Internet, make sure to check out my article titled Ground Zero for a Salesperson Who Wants to Grow Sales Using the Internet. This article will provide you with a starting point for using the Internet to increase your selling efforts.

Do You Want Proof that Salespeople Are Still Needed?

2008-12-10T06:56:00.005-05:00

The woes of Circuit City have certainly been overshadowed by other American industry failures as of late. That's too bad, because the lesson of the Circuit City failure should be business 101. The decline of Circuit City began back in 2003, when they decided to eliminate commissions from salespeople. Then in 2007, Circuit City fired 3400 of their highest paid staff in their stores to be replaced by lower skilled workers. This culminated in Circuit City filing for bankruptcy in 2008.

It is all about price and salespeople aren't needed, right? Go ahead and follow the Circuit City model - and I'll see you at the bottom of the cliff.

Christmas Cards for Customers - What You Should Send

2008-12-07T21:56:00.006-05:00

I've been sending out Christmas cards to my customers for some years now. Even though it is always time consuming to do it, I actually enjoy sending them out when the holidays finally arrive. Last year, however, I did something a little different that brought some outstanding results that were unexpected. I also did not set out to do this as a strategy or to gain traction with anyone, I did this because I was truly grateful for everything I had achieved through my customers.

First off, I hand wrote a message to each customer that was tailored to them individually. I didn't write a book, but I did write 3-4 sentences. Yes - it did take time, but this isn't something most salespeople will take the time to do.

Second, I also included a picture of me, my wife, and my daughter. I also used the same picture that I sent to all my family and friends for Christmas. In other words, I didn't draw a distinction between my customers and my other personal relationships I have in my life when it came to Christmas cards.

Lastly, I also sent a card to multiple people within the same company. Anyone who I felt was involved in my sales success received a card. This was anyone from an administrative assistant to someone who used my product.

The results? Never before did I get so many comments on my Christmas cards! Nearly every customer that I sent a card to gave me a positive comment. I even had some customers bringing this up halfway through January! After getting all of this great fanfare, I reflected over the next several weeks why this happened.

Here are the three reasons I came up with for why this worked so well:

(1) The personalized & hand written message was a given - most salespeople simply won't take the time or effort to get this done. We have all been told to do this, but nobody ever does. After all, it is very time consuming.

(2) The family picture allowed my customers to see me as something different - a proud father and loving husband. This made me a real person, not just a salesperson. There is flesh & blood behind this guy we do business with after all!

(3) On top of that, a lot of the people within some of the companies I deal with probably received their first Christmas card at work. How often does a administrative assistant or blue collar worker receive a Christmas card from a salesperson? One guess - NEVER. Don't you think this will endear them a little more to your cause?

If you take the time to do this, you will deepen your business relationships. We are always looking as salespeople for opportunities to take relationships to a deep level. Don't allow this opportunity to pass you by.

Also, remember to do this because you are grateful and don't go into this Christmas card activity having an expectation for something in return. Having that attitude would also truly go to what Christmas is supposed to be all about...

Skip Anderson & Prospecting for Those in Business To Consumer Sales

2008-12-05T08:37:00.003-05:00

A friend and fellow sales blogger of mine, Skip Anderson, has recently released a great podcast for those in business to consumer sales. This latest podcast covers how retail salespeople of all stripes usually don't prospect for new business themselves. Please take the time to visit his latest article and podcast, "New Sales Podcast Episode: Sales Prospecting". Additionally (and especially if you are in business to consumer sales), you should visit his blog homepage - Selling to Consumers. Skip is one of the foremost authorities in our marketplace on business to consumer selling.

The Smoking Salesperson - If You Are Going to Do It - Make Sure to Do This!

2008-12-04T07:45:00.007-05:00

We all know top salespeople usually work hard and play hard. We waste a lot of our money, have a poor diet, don't work out enough, and a bunch of our group are smokers. Hey, I'm not here to tell you what to do and what not to do on your personal time. I'm far too much of a Libertarian when it comes to what decisions you make for your own life to do that. There are also enough people out there to beat you up if you are puffing on cigarettes anyway.

What I would suggest, however, is that you don't ever do this in front of prospects or customers. This is a given and I'm sure most of you know that. If you are doing this, please stop right away!

That doesn't go far enough, however. You need to conceal the odor as much as possible, too. The last thing you want to do is offend a potential prospect because you smell like you stepped out of Studio 54 on a winter night in 1982.

Let's keep this simple. There are three things you will need to keep in your car or office (this was a recommendation given to me by a buddy of mine that he uses). Hand sanitizer, gum, and some body spray that smells good should do the trick. Wash your hands, chew the gum, and make sure to throw on a couple of sprays (please don't overdo this step). This should drown out most of the smoke smell and keep parties that might be offended from noticing.

Would it be easier to quit and not have to go through this? Probably, but let's face it - I know this isn't going to happen for a large portion of salespeople. If you are going to smoke, at least make sure not to let your habit destroy your income. Isn't it better to make a little extra effort in order to keep from losing a sale?

Sales Management 2.0

2008-12-03T07:06:00.008-05:00

Sales Management 2.0 is quickly becoming the #1 website for sales management professionals and those seeking to go into sales management in their careers. Brad Trnavsky has also done a wonderful job of creating a space where a number of voices can be heard dealing with the issues facing the sales management community. I think of Sales Management 2.0 as sort of a ground zero "think tank" for sales management strategies and ideas.

Brad has recently posted a new article, “What is Sales Management 2.0?”. For those of you who have not visited his site, I would highly encourage you to start with this recent article. Regardless of your career goals, Sales Management 2.0 should certainly be a stop on your route to sales success.

Do You Really Know What is Desired in the Marketplace?

2008-12-02T06:21:00.006-05:00

Anyone who knows me well understands that I am a huge AC/DC fan. The band just seems to keep on churning out the hits as the years go by. I was kind of surprised to read how successful their new album (Black Ice) has been, however.

It was just a couple weeks ago that I was bragging to a group of friends about how I had not purchased any new music since 2005 (yeah, that must mean I am getting old). Perhaps I was just stuck in the 80's or 90's, but I think it was something else. The marketplace wasn't producing any music that I liked enough to go out & purchase.

Nothing against Rap, Country, or R&B, it just isn't my kind of music. Hey, I'm proud of it, I'm just more of a hard rock kind of guy. AC/DC fits in very well with what I like.

That being said, I must not be alone! The Black Ice album has debuted #1 in 29 different countries, including #1 on the US Billboard 200. It is not just the over 30 crowd embracing this album, either. I have been encouraged to learn just how many generational lines AC/DC has crossed. Black Ice is well on its way to becoming the #1 selling mainstream hard rock album of all time - in an age in which rock music is supposed to be declining.

My point here is simple - don't believe for a second that your company alone knows what is desired in the marketplace. We should all be thankful of this of this fact as well. Because the big companies get it wrong so of often, the opportunities for independent minded salespeople and small business owners will always be present.

I guess I am going to have to break my own pledge as well, and move the date in which I bought new music for the last time to December of 2008.

Buying Versus Selling Made Easy For Salespeople

2008-11-30T21:59:00.003-05:00

I often find that prospective customers would rather buy than to be put through some sort of sales process. Don't get me wrong, some situations require a little "push" to get the job done and put a sale on the board. A salesperson, however, should not have to continually fight an uphill battle with every prospect on "what's your best price" and "I am happy with my current vendor".

When these questions arise it is obvious that the salesperson has not taken the time make sure he or she is credible in the prospect's eyes. In short, the prospect has no perceived value in dealing with you when these questions come hurling at you like darts.

When selling is done correctly, buying should take place without any push from the salesperson. If the prospect has been qualified, the salesperson has taken the time to show third-party proof to enhance credibility, and the proposal is profit-justified, a sale should take place with no closing skills of any sort. If the prospect is qualified and believes in you, they will certainly believe your proposal and the money, time, or productivity you are putting back in their pocket.

Will I Have to Cold Call for the Rest of My Sales Career?

2008-11-27T23:41:00.012-05:00

Will you have to cold call for the rest of your sales career? While I might have said yes to this statement five years ago, I'm not so sure anymore. As a moved in my sales career over to becoming a top producer, I found myself struggling to remember the last time I actually made a 100% pure cold call.

Make no mistake about it, every salesperson starting out needs to be able to cold call with some success. After all, the biggest reason why most people get out of the sales profession is their lead generation is inadequate. Therefore by default, they simply do not have enough prospects to sell to. This leads a salesperson down the path to either a loss of job or not enough income to justify staying in the sales profession.

After you have survived in sales for a few years, however, the monotony of cold calling will start to burn you out. It is awful hard to be seen as an expert salesperson by so many of your customers and then have to pick up the phone to cold call (in other words, to make hundreds of cold calls to people who don't want to speak with you).

Garbage in = Garbage out (usually). I don't care how strong your desire or attitude is - it is very hard to displace all of the negativity that comes with cold calling. This is especially true when so many alternative lead generation options are available. Amazingly, I still know a lot of salespeople who use this as their primary or only way to obtain leads.

Most alternative lead generation activities take time and a lot of effort before they become effective. If cold calling is your primary way of obtaining new customers, I'm certainly not advocating that you stop this tomorrow. What you need to do instead is to start building and developing other lead generation methods to replace your cold calling activities over time.

When you move from being a mediocre salesperson to a top producing salesperson, you will find that your biggest problem is not filling your lead bucket but rather having the time to get to everyone who is in the bucket. The happy trouble of having too many people who are eager to do business with you (only for you to turn them down due to time constraints or lack of qualifications) should be your #1 goal. When this happens, you simply won't have the time to cold call. Listen up as this is important, because you don't stop cold calling because you don't like it - you only stop cold calling when you don't have the time because your lead bucket is overflowing.

So the short answer to the question in my book would be - no- you probably won't have to continue cold calling for the rest of your sales career. This will only become true, however, if you take the time to learn & develop alternative lead generation methods. At the same time, you don't want to paint yourself in a corner with believing it will never become plausible for the need to cold call in the future, either. If your alternative lead generation activities dry up or become inadequate for whatever reason, you must be prepared to cold call your way back to being a sales success.

Sales Bloggers Union

2008-11-26T06:54:00.007-05:00

Last week, I was fortunate enough to be voted in and accepted as a contributing member of the Sales Bloggers Union. The Sales Bloggers Union is comprised of various sales experts from a variety of backgrounds. When you are looking for a diversity of expert opinion on the overall sales experience, I cannot imagine a better resource that exists on the web.

The Sales Bloggers Union website will feature a new topic every two weeks in which all contributing members will have a written submission that will be posted. In the current cycle, the topic is negotiations. Please make sure to check out my first article which was just published today - The Top Five Items a Salesperson Needs to Know Before Heading into Negotiations.

There were several people I would like to thank who where instrumental in getting me involved and "up to speed" as a contributing member of the group:

-Brad Trnavsky of Sales Management 2.0, who has always been willing to help me out without asking for anything in return. You planted this seed with me for this group a while back.

-Skip Anderson of Selling to Consumers, who took the time to speak with me on what was involved in being a contributing member and who helped me get "up and running".

-Nesh Thompson of Symvolli, who has also been instrumental in getting me up to speed and involved on the website.

I would also like to thank the other contributing members of the Sales Bloggers Union for allowing me to be involved with the group:

-Ian Brodie of Sales Excellence

-Tim Rohrer of Sales Loudmouth

-Tibor Shanto of The Pipeline

-Colin Wilson of The Entrepreneurial Salesman Blog

and last but not least...

-Karl Goldfield of Sales Training by Karl Goldfield

Thanks again to all of you and I look forward to offering all of our readers quality sales advice that will make a difference in their lives. I would also like to encourage my readers not only to be regular visitors to the Sales Bloggers Union, but also to the individual websites of each contributing member. May all of your sales be great ones!

Bad Economy = Your Chance to Increase Your Market Share

2008-11-25T06:27:00.006-05:00

If you are sick of hearing about the bad economy right now you are not alone. Bailouts, rescue packages, unemployment, and massive upcoming federal debts just seem to dominate every news cycle. Quite frankly, if you watch the morning news it is very easy to convince yourself that making a sales call is a waste of time. Do yourself a favor, turn off the news and don't fall into this trap.

Companies will pay more attention to whom they do business with during a down business cycle. There is no doubt about this in my mind whatsoever. If you take the time to show your prospects how to improve their productivity, increase their revenues, and decrease their expenses you will find more ears that are willing to listen. I'm not blowing coffee house smoke here, this really is your chance to shine and improve your market share.

While many sit home and whine, others are putting together and closing some of the biggest deals in their sales career. A down economy puts pressure on a company to do things better - and this where your expertise will be welcomed. Don't miss this opportunity to get in doors that you otherwise wouldn't, because that good economy everyone is looking for is right around the corner.

Small Gifts of Appreciation Go a Long Way in Sales

2008-11-22T08:57:00.006-05:00

This past week I was out working as usual when I realized I was driving on fumes. Not wanting to run out of gas, I stopped at a new gas station for the first time. It was really cold, and I was pumping I looked up to find a sign that offered a "free cup of coffee" with any purchase of a tank of gas or diesel.

This sounded great and after I filled up my tank I headed inside to take them up on the offer. The lady inside was unusually nice, and directed me over to the coffee station. I gladly filled up my cup of coffee and waived goodbye as I headed back to my vehicle.

Being that I was involved in a beverage business that sold to C-stores years ago, I knew that cup of coffee probably only cost them a nickel or so. To be truthful, it really wasn't that great of a cup of coffee, either. This didn't seem to matter to me, because after filling up my vehicle twice a week for more weeks than I care to remember - this was the first time that someone was giving me a small gift of appreciation for my patronage. I'm positive I will be back, especially on some of these cold days that reside in the future.

This also reminded me once again of how far small gifts of appreciation go in sales. When someone takes the time to give you a referral or a customer gives you a first order, a small gift of appreciation is certainly in order. A couple boxes of doughnuts, a lunch, or $25 gift certificate is hardly anything for what you get in return.

Keep these gifts small, however, so they will not be understood as a bribe or someone trying to buy their business. This activity is all about appreciation - from a grateful person who knows where their success comes from. Many times in sales when we do something worthwhile without expecting any sort of benefit in return, the rewards we reap are far greater than we could ever expect.

What Exactly Qualifies as a Cold Call?

2008-11-15T08:16:00.013-05:00

One of the most talked about subjects in sales is cold calling. While I've read hundreds of articles on the subject, I don't ever recall anyone clearly defining what exactly qualifies as a cold call. When I researched the definition on the internet, I found the following definition - "A telephone call or visit made to someone who is not known or not expecting contact, often in order to sell something".

In order to understand cold calling, don't you think it would be important to know exactly what would be considered a cold call? Even among experts, I still believe their is much debate. For instance, would a customer who has not purchased anything for several years be considered a cold call if he or she was contacted? Would a prospect who has been confirmed to be a purchaser of your types of products or services within your industry qualify as a cold call?

Again, these are all great questions and the "cold call" in the subject of cold calling is rarely defined. I decided to put together a short list below to describe what I believe would qualify and would not qualify as a cold call. Here is my expanded definition.

What qualifies as a cold call:

1) Calling on anyone in which you have no idea if they need your products or services.

2) Calling on anyone who is a former customer that has not purchased from your company in over a year (this only applies if you have not met the customer before and you are unknown to them).

3) Calling on anyone who has been confirmed to be a user of your types of products or services but you as a salesperson are unknown to them; These prospects will remain in this "bucket" of classification until you become known to them.

4) Calling on anyone who has been referred to you but the referring party was not used in any capacity to make the initial contact.

Here is what I believe would not qualify as a cold call:

1) Calling on anyone in your customer database that is presently a purchasing customer of your company's products or services but you as a salesperson are still unknown to them.

2) Calling on anyone in which you are a known salesperson (even if they are not presently purchasing your products or services).

3) Calling on anyone who initially contacted you first for an inquiry on your products or services or subsequently contacted you after you made a cold call on them.

4) Calling on anyone who was referred to you but the referring party makes the initial introduction or first contact on your behalf.

Don't Get Wrapped Up in Where Your Sales Reports Rate You in the Present

2008-11-12T18:36:00.005-05:00

Sales reports are a vital tool in analyzing your sales efforts as they stand in the present. It is important to break these numbers down "shotgun style" to see your strengths and weaknesses in your sales plan as it is being carried out. While this sort of activity is critical in adjusting your strategy, don't get wrapped up on where your sales numbers stand in the present.

I can't tell you the number of salespeople and sales managers I have worked with in my career that put way too much effort into keeping a daily eye on where their sales numbers stand. Instead of spending all your time worrying or gloating about your current numbers, put this energy into something constructive for your own sales future. Remember, your sales future will be determined by your actions, not any report that your company or management team will put forth.

You can have the greatest sales plan around, but it means nothing without your actions. Never analyze your way into believing you cannot force a change in the trajectory of your sales numbers. And don't get too wrapped in your present sales reports, as the future you have the ability to create is just around the corner.

Obama Presidential Victory Shows the Value of Great Sales Presentations

2008-11-08T06:52:00.007-05:00

President-Elect Obama won a very clear victory this past Tuesday for the Presidency of the United States. Sure, you could break down the exit polls to see exactly how he won or make the assumption everything was in his favor with an unpopular President sitting in the White House belonging to a different political party. Looking at the larger picture, however, I believe this election all came down to great sales presentations.

Obama, did not have a wealth of experience or accomplishments to run on. His ideas and plans (just like McCain's) were not really all that specific. What he had, though, was a series of great sales presentations to the American people that he was smart, ready, different, and able to make the sort of changes that voters where looking for. His sales ability, I believe, above all else was the overriding reason he won.

There is great lesson for those of us in sales here to learn. This teaches us that if we have a product or service that is untested, has little history, or is unknown, these difficulties can be overcome with great sales presentations. It is always better to have a successful track-record on your product or service, but Obama's victory certainly emphasizes that a well thought-out strategy and plan can negate these advantages held by your competitor.

Never Give Up, Never Surrender in Life or Sales

2008-11-03T09:18:00.006-05:00

One of the most beautiful things in this life is that none of us are failures until we quit. As November 4 dawns tomorrow, another Presidential election will take place. This reminded me of the famous election of 1948 in which the incumbent Democratic President, Truman, was pitted against the Republican Governor of New York, Dewey.

Dewey was so far ahead in the polls, President Truman's family actually did not believe he could win. Truman never gave up, and campaigned his heart out across most of the small towns in America. When he awoke after election day, he found that he had solidly defeated Dewey in spite of what the pollsters had predicted. The Chicago Tribune even had went to print with the story that "Dewey Defeats Truman" before the final outcome was known.

The election of 1948 will always be remembered as the biggest political "upset" in Presidential politics. More importantly, it reminds us yet again to never give up and to never surrender in life or in sales.

As the Election Draws Near, I'm Reminded That it is The Fight & Struggle in Life That Makes It Worth Living...

2008-10-31T07:29:00.004-04:00

As the election draws near, I can't tell you how much I am reminded that it is the fight and struggle in life that makes it worth living. For the Presidency, one side will lose and one side will win. No matter your political affiliations, this is always a very exciting time in America. Fighting and striving for the most powerful position in the world also seems to me to be the ultimate sale.

For the winning side, they will gain much power and influence. They will be able to take the country and world in their direction. But make no mistake, with this new found power will come great responsibility and hard work. For the supporters and volunteers of the campaign, their will be a sense of rejoicing and celebration.

For the losing side, heartbreak and disappointment will set in quickly after the loss. For the supporters and volunteers, there will be a sense that all is lost and all their hard work was for naught. But in their election loss, they will realize at some point that the seeds of victory are always contained in the ashes of defeat. They will rebuild, and come back to fight another day.

Nobody sums this belief of fight and struggle in life better than former President, Teddy Roosevelt. I wanted to leave you with his "Man in the Arena" speech, which still inspires me today nearly 100 years after it was given:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

- Teddy Roosevelt, April 23, 1910

Low Approval Ratings for President Bush Can Be Traced Directly to a Lack of Sales Ability

2008-10-29T06:33:00.009-04:00

During President Bush's second term, he was hit with a poorly managed Hurricane Katrina relief effort, questionable government appointments, increased government deficits, and a quagmire in the Iraq War (although it has now gotten much better). Even after the Iraq War had turned around for him, he got hammered with the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression as the stock market plunged along with an overall increase in the unemployment rate. With all of this in mind, it is certainly understandable that his approval ratings have reached all-time lows.

Maybe no sitting President governing under these conditions could have mid 70's in their approval ratings. I do believe, however, that President Bush could have had much higher ratings for most of his second term had he possessed better sales ability. It seemed no matter what happened during his administration in his final term, he was never able to sell his ideas effectively to the American people.

There is no better profession when starting out in your adult life than sales when it comes to learning how to influence people. Maybe if the President had a sales job at some point in his 20's, he could have had the background to influence the American people more to his favor. In any case, his lack of sales ability certainly cost him dearly in his second term in regards to his approval ratings and getting things done for the American people.

Historians concur that it takes about twenty years after a President leaves before you can judge a presidency. With a final grade that will most likely be low from the American people on his way out, President Bush must now leave his legacy in the hands of future historians and American citizens. We will never know, however, how the President could have been regarded and what he could have accomplished if he had a better ability to sell his ideas to the American people.

Making a Sale is More Like a Sprint; Not a Marathon

2008-10-26T08:24:00.003-04:00

Making a sale is more like a sprint, not a marathon. Look at the comparison between these two races. A sprinter in the Olympics will usually win gold by a couple hundredths of a second; a marathoner can win gold by whole minutes leaving their opponents in the dust.

The difference between making the sale and losing it will usually turn on a couple of small differences. When major competitors compete, the pricing, service, credit terms, and quality will usually be very close. The sale will instead turn on finding the answer to one more question or presenting a more qualified profit-justified solution.

My main point here is simple. Don't get down on yourself too much if you lose a big sale. Chances are, you were running very close in making the sale happen. Don't be afraid to go back and ask your prospect why you didn't get the sale. A good salesperson is always inclined to analyze what has happened. If you don't take the time to investigate, you will miss an opportunity to grow in your selling knowledge.

Remember, just like a sprinter, you probably lost by a couple hundredths of a second. And remember that in sales just as in life, we always learn more in defeat than in victory.

You Must Leverage Your Current Business Relationships for Sales Growth

2008-10-23T06:48:00.005-04:00

There are lots of great salespeople out there who can build a great business relationship from scratch. When I say "scratch", I literally mean starting from a cold call and working your way up to being a trusted business advisor or favorite salesperson with a customer. This is still, without a doubt, the hardest way to grow new account sales for even the most experienced salesperson.

When you are new to sales with no clients or customers to speak of, this is the primary (or the only) method you will use to garner new business. When you start becoming successful, however, the drive to go through this process over and over will diminish. Let's face it, when you become highly successful in getting a great deal of customers to turn to you for business advice in your area of expertise, it is darn hard to go back to being a "hungry" cold caller who gets no respect with prospects.

But at the same time, all of us in sales have to continue the process of opening new doors to grow sales. This aspect of sales can never be forgotten and always needs production. How can we do this if we don't have the drive to make the cold calls we did in the beginning?

This is where leveraging your current relationships comes into play. And by the way, the method of leveraging relationships to become successful applies to all areas of life and not just sales. No man or woman becomes a CEO, business owner, or even President of the United States without using their existing relationships to create new ones. Becoming successful in life can all boil down to the relationships you have, both business and personal (or a combination of the two).

We usually have two distinct choices in sales to grow new business - either we cold call or get qualified referrals from existing customers. It is really that simple. I can't tell you the number of salespeople who never even try to use some of their best customers to get them in new doors. If you are successful and don't like cold calling, you must implement the "leverage" strategy or your numbers will tank in the future. If you can't or won't do this, then get back to cold calling.

I'll publish more articles in the future on how to properly use leverage with your existing customers to gain new business with qualified referrals.

To Talk Presidential Politics or Not with Prospects and Customers?

2008-10-16T06:32:00.007-04:00

I often get asked if it is alright to talk politics with prospects and customers. During a Presidential election season, it is bound to come up at some point with some of your better customers. While I would not make it a habit of bringing politics up, the chances are very good that your customer will.

If you are asked directly who you support for President, my advice is to go ahead and answer. Just make sure you back your answer up with a business point that supports your position. After all, both of your businesses are tied together. If your customer is successful in their business, this allows you to be successful in selling your products or services. Just make a brief point in why your support translates into what is good for both of your businesses.

It might seem easier not to answer and I believe this is the default position of most salespeople. But when a Presidential election is in full swing, no customer or prospect in their right mind will believe you have no opinion. In my book this will make you seem petty and gutless. These are a couple of attributes that you should never aspire to be identified with.

Just make sure not to get into verbal sparring with your customer on this issue. This is where the conversation needs to end. State your point and move on. If disagreement arises, empathize with their belief structure and then move the conversation on to something else.

In the end, your customer will respect your opinion and your willingness to share it if you limit it to both of your business interests. Be respectful, be yourself, and don't claim to have no opinion when everyone with concern for their country will clearly have one.

Give Your Prospect a Way Out

2008-10-10T06:17:00.007-04:00

I have always hated cold calling. Yes, I use to be one of those people who would try to put a good face on it and claim that I loved to cold call. But in reality, I never liked it and always believed there were better methods to get new customers.

There are times, however, where cold calling is still applicable. Sometimes you will run into a prospect that is a known purchaser of your products or services. If no other method of introduction is available, a cold call will most likely be your only avenue of attack.

If I get the opportunity to speak with the decision maker, my conversation will include a way out for the prospect if they are not interested. While most people in the sales world believe this is a bad idea, I believe it is extremely important to find out immediately if a sale has a reasonable expectation of taking place. Wasting time on prospects who will never buy is the #1 reason why people do not succeed in sales. Let me say this once again, wasting time on prospects who will never buy is the #1 reason why people do not succeed in sales.

While making the first face-to-face contact with the primary decision maker, my conversation usually will follow as listed below:

Me: "Bill, my name is Will Fultz and I'm a representative of XYZ widgets. I do quite of bit of business with companies just like yours. Part of my mission is reaching out to companies that don't do business with us, and today I just wanted to stop by and introduce myself to let you know there is another option out there."

Prospect: "Well, we do purchase quite a bit of widgets. We have been purchasing from ABC widgets for quite some time and have been happy with their service."

Me: "That's fine, I understand how important great business relationships are. I have quite a few of them myself. I certainly don't want to waste your time or try to break-up your relationship with ABC widgets. If you don't want me to come back around, that's no problem and I won't come back to interrupt your day again."

There is the out, but here is what will transpire if the prospect has some interest.

Prospect: "Well, do you guys carry the express widget, this is what we mainly use. I wouldn't mind looking over your product along with pricing."

Alright, now we have a prospect that has returned some interest to our cold call. This possible sale is still a long way from taking place, but the prospect has opened the door far enough for you to call on him. You have now also picked up the critical information needed to make the sale. You know the current vendor, main product that is being used, the decision maker, and you have generated some interest. The known product or service that is being used can now be investigated to be picked apart for you own profit-justified proposal.

However, at this point there are still several seperate motives that your prospect might have. Your prospect might be wanting a product with pricing to negotiate with his current vendor. The credit situation with the company is also unknown, so a new vendor with a fresh line of credit might be needed (meaning you might not get paid or this company might get turned down for credit). Additionally, the prospect might just want to see what is out there but has no real interest in ever buying from you. You must assume that all three of these motives are in the mix and be on the lookout for signs that these things are happening.

At the end of this cold call, you have now managed to at least somewhat qualify your prospect. There is still a lot of work ahead to get the business, but you now have the critical information to move forward in advancing the sales process. Isn't this truth finding way of cold calling much better than hearing the typical misleading responses from prospects that cause a loss of your time?

Honesty is Needed More Than Ever Right Now in Sales

2008-10-06T12:03:00.003-04:00

There is no doubt that honesty is needed more than ever right now in sales. With a worldwide economic crunch that was caused by a combination of corrupt governments and businesses, none of us can afford in these times to be perceived with even the smallest amount of deceptive qualities. It is certainly time to reinvent and rediscover a new way of doing business - the honest way.

Now more than ever, study your prospecting and presentation methods to remove anything that can be perceived as deceptive or dishonest. I will publish more in the upcoming weeks about how you can take advantage of these times that are upon us.

Sure Things Are Never Sure in Sales

2008-09-28T08:21:00.004-04:00

I can't tell you the number of times I've been right on the cusp of doing business with a prospect in my sales career. I've had all the buying signals present and then the order never comes. It seems as if the "sure things" are just never sure in sales. As a matter of fact, when it looks like a slam dunk it is time to take off your boots and start running in retreat in the desert.

Why do these sure things or slam dunks just never work out? It is usually found the qualifying process you are using. Most likely, you didn't ask the correct questions when you were trying to "qualify out" your prospect. Your sure deal was never sure, it just seemed this way because you missed some key elements in your prospect's buying process.

The deals I seem to close (whether they are big or small) usually involve at least some mild resistance. This makes sense, because customers generally do not like change (as most people in general don't) as this creates a feeling of instability in their business.

I'll throw a little wrench in the mix here, also. If any kind of proper use of a referral is involved, than a sure thing actually will be sure most of the time. The reason why is because the credibility gap is closed so fast by your referrer. When a proper referral is present, business can come relatively easily.

Remember, when a sure deal exists with a prospect, try to dig a little deeper in the sales interaction to make sure you aren't missing anything. Better to find out the beginning, before tons of your time has been poured into a prospect that has no intent of doing business with you.

Friends Must Be Approached with Caution When It Comes to Turning Them into Customers

2008-09-23T20:12:00.004-04:00

I am a big believer that many customer relationships can end up turning into some wonderful friendships as you go through your sales career. Hey, when it comes to referrals, these friendships are vital to your future business. As you grow in your sales career and come into contact with many other business people, you will also be able to refer people to some of your top customers to enhance their business as well.

What I have a problem with, however, is when you go after a friend's business the same way you would any other prospect (what I am specifically talking about here is an existing friendship that was developed before entering your sales career). This will make you seem very petty, and will be perceived in most cases as leveraging pressure on your friendship in order to make a sale. Not only could you lose a friend, but you won't get the sale either.

There’s nothing wrong with doing business with friends and family, but you must approach each of these situations with caution. Make clear what you do for a living. Maybe even tell them if they ever need anything you can cut them a good deal, but always let them know in a subtle way that you are friends first. Take the pressure off, and let them come to you. Believe me, if they know what you do for a living and understand it could benefit them, they will certainly make a move in your direction at some point. Never push business on a friend in any shape, matter, or form, unless the friendship is of mild consequence to you.

Who Every Salesperson’s Biggest Competitor Will Always Be

2008-09-21T18:30:00.002-04:00

Many salespeople give a variety of responses when asked, “who is your biggest competitor?” No matter which industry you represent, the answer is always the same to this question. The biggest competitor will always be the status quo, or who the prospect is currently doing business with when it comes to the products or services you represent.

Yes, this means your biggest competitor can be Billy Bob’s shack down the street all the way to a top Fortune 50 company. Don’t assume all big companies do business with other big companies. I’ve been surprised in my sales career to see some very big hitters who are serviced and sold to by relatively small companies.

Knowing who your prospect does business with is obviously very important and is always a priority in the information gathering process. Who your prospect does business with will tell you a lot about them. Assumptions in selling can lead you down a very dreary road and take you off of your game. Always remember that your biggest competitor is not that Fortune 500 Company that you hate running into; it is instead the status quo company that your prospect is currently involved in doing business with.

Electricity is Important In Running a Blog

2008-09-18T16:09:00.003-04:00

I apologize to everyone, my power was out as a major storm came through my area. It is important to have electricity if you are running a blog! I hope to be back up and running soon. Thanks to all of you...

Getting Up After Getting Knocked Down in Sales

2008-09-15T05:08:00.000-04:00

I'm a huge boxing fan. One of my favorite fighters is the world middleweight champion, Kelly Pavlik. We all get knocked down in our selling career, but it is always about getting back up. Kelly Pavlik got knocked down in his bid to become world champion, too. In the end, however, he got up to provide a KO to take the belt. I hope this video inspires you to get back up when you get knocked down, also. Enjoy the video that HBO provided to youtube.com...

"Flashback" Friday: If You Are Going to Cold Call, This Is When You Should Try

2008-09-12T05:09:00.001-04:00

To me, cold calling is the last avenue of attack. Let's say you know of a prospect that absolutely could use your product or service. You have tried finding another method of getting in the "door", but all of your efforts have fallen flat. This is one of the few situations where cold calling is still applicable.

Ok, now we have a prospect that we need to place a cold call on, right? Well, not so fast. I happen to think the timing for yourself has to be in place also.

What do I mean by that? Quite simply, if cold calling is going to take place, it needs to be done when your energy and confidence is at the highest. When are you at your best? You are at your best right after closing a deal with a new customer or finally getting a purchase order for that big order you have been working on for weeks. There will be no time better for cold calling than this.

Trust me, regardless of the outcome of the cold call, any negative feedback will bounce off of you like bullets on superman. While negativity is very damaging to a salesperson’s mindset (which is why I have a problem with cold calling), this will be the one time where you will be invincible in this area. Do yourself a favor the next time you close a big deal. Instead of hitting the golf course early, make just a few cold calls (on well-known prospects) and you will see that my advice rings true.

Glengarry Glen Ross in Review

2008-09-11T05:27:00.004-04:00

Glengarry Glen Ross was an award-winning Broadway play that was from the middle 1980's. It became a movie in 1992. It also has an all-star cast, including Alec Baldwin and Al Pacino (though for some reason, I don't think they actually share a scene in the movie).

This movie presents everything wrong with sales, and I can promise you that someone who has never been in sales would walk away from this picture believing it is a dirty profession.

If you haven't seen this movie, I can tell you it is certainly worth the price. The one thing it will teach you (if you are in sales) are the viewpoints potential customers have of salespeople. For this reason alone, you should see this movie if you are in sales. Knowing how prospective customers are going to view you (in the beginning of the relationship) will make you understand how important building credibility and trust are when working in sales.

On another note, the opening speech from Alec Baldwin is great. This one scene sent me rolling on the floor in laughter. Al Pacino does a pretty good job, also. Glengarry Glen Ross will forever remind me of how many crumby sales jobs are out there. Again, this picture is a must-see if you are in sales.

Your Prospects & Customers Need to Hear Their Names

2008-09-10T05:15:00.001-04:00

My post yesterday dealt with how important it is to record names as you come across them from prospective customers. Chances are, the big sales you are trying to close will involve several people within a company. Just knowing their names is only the beginning, however.

Your prospects and customers need to hear their names when you speak to them. This will slowly build the needed rapport that is necessary in closing sales.

Make sure you engage your prospects and customers with their names. The more they hear them, the more likely they will view you as a known quantity and warm to the idea of doing business together. Do not underestimate the value of engaging prospects and customers with their name. And always remember, the sweetest sound one can hear is one's name.

Having a Great Memory Is Both Good and Bad When Working in Sales

2008-09-09T05:08:00.001-04:00

Having a great memory is both good and bad when working in sales. I actually have a great memory that most people would like to have; however, it has gotten me in trouble before.

I can't tell you the number of times I have forgotten an important name or piece of information critical to landing business. In my view, forgetting a name is one of the biggest sins when working in sales. And we, of course, work way too hard in uncovering critical information that leads to closing sales to lose it due to bad organization skills.

Take the time to keep your notes straight. Whether you work out of your car or office, please make it a priority to stay organized. We certainly work way too hard to allow crucial information to be lost.

You Must Like Your Customer Types If You Are in Sales

2008-09-08T05:59:00.003-04:00

If you are in sales, you have to like the types of customers you will be doing business with on a regular basis. This sounds easy enough, but many people who get into sales do not realize the types of customers or prospects they will need to forge relationships with to steady their ship towards a path of success.

I'll explain further. If you enjoy wearing a suit and tie, an industrial sales job will be a poor fit for you (unless you enjoy having to buy suits on a regular basis). If you have a general dislike for doctors and nurses, how in the world will you be able to forge relationships with them? If you don't like dealing with the general public, why in the world would you go into retail sales? If cars don't excite you, how are you going to be able to excite a prospect that shows up on the lot?
Many of your customers should be people that you can be friends with outside of work. Building these types of relationships can take your sales to a whole new level. Friends will always readily help with referrals that turn into new business, and everyone enjoys helping someone they like succeed.

Remember, no amount of money will make you happy if you are continually having to deal with a group of people you don't enjoy being around. Before you accept that next sales position that comes along, think hard about whether or not you will enjoy being around the types of customers for that particular industry.

"Flashback Friday": "Sharpening Your Pencil" a Little is Alright to Close a Sales Deal

2008-09-05T05:06:00.004-04:00

Many times, when a customer is right on the edge of doing business with you, they might ask you to sharpen your "pencil" just a little. Especially if it is large business deal, you will have to think really hard about whether or not you need to do this. If the deal is still profitable, my advice is to go ahead and get the dotted line signed.

I'm not talking about a huge price drop here, either. When I refer to sharpening the pencil, it requires a reduction in price by less than 5%. While your price might be justified and already strong, it is simply a last bit of leverage the customer is exercising on the "deal". Sure, you could hold your price and still get the business in many cases, but at worse the deal could fall apart if the customer gets the least bit insulted.

By agreeing to this concession, this also puts you in a position to ask for something in return. There will be no better time than now to get the type of quality referral we dream about as salespeople. I'm not talking about a name and a phone number here, either. This will be the best time to ask for a three-way lunch or personal referral letter to a prospect of huge importance that this customer knows. If you ask this in return for your price concession, your customer will gladly help you in this area as this will not cost them anything.

Negotiation is relevant in all aspects in life, and this includes sales. Don't ever be afraid to ask for something in return, especially if you are making a concession on price.

"Black Coffee" & "Latte" Sales Authors

2008-09-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

One thing that I am really concerned about these days is some of the latest sales authors I've seen out there on the net. These authors may write some great material, but come from a position of being out of touch with their audience. They seem to be older or have the slicked back Wall Street hair look, and just present an overall image of someone who has not been in sales for a long time.

I've coined a new term here for these authors - the "Latte" Sales Authors. I'm reminded of someone sipping on a Starbucks's cup looking at his latest art piece. Somebody that turns his head when his hands get dirty or despises having to deal with anyone considered "entry" level (unless a five or six figure contract is attached). Someone who generally looks down on other people, especially the ones who get up every morning to go to work (by the way, these are the people who make America the greatest country in the world!).

It really burns me up at times that the minority of salespeople (the ones that seek out additional education) are handing their money over to these people who are out of touch with the 21st century sales world. Salespeople who seek out continuing education at their own expense have worked really hard for the money that is being wasted. Salespeople simply deserve better than what they are getting, especially at book stores.

On the plus side, the rise of sales authors (both young and old) in blogs gives everyone in the sales community hope. For these straight-shooting authors, I have also coined a new term - the "Black Coffee" Sales Authors. These are the authors that stay in touch with the selling community and have a very engaging personality. This by no means is limited to young or start-up sales authors, as I would include Jeffrey Gitomer (for example) in this group.

I certainly mean no disrespect to anyone who drinks a latte now and then, as you can be a latte drinker and still be a "Black Coffee" Sales Author. Black coffee simply comes to represent someone who pulls no punches, and throws the ball right down the middle of the plate. Whatever you do, think twice about handing your money over to a "Latte" author when a "Black Coffee" author is readily available.

Tony Soprano Selling

2008-09-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

I am still a very big fan of the show The Sopranos. The episodes were crafted so well that it seems like you see something new in them every time you watch. It really was one of the best shows to ever grace a television screen.

My favorite character, like most fans, was Tony Soprano. Now Tony always made a lot of mistakes, but he also had some attractive qualities salespeople should pay attention to when it comes to selling.

No, I'm not talking about giving anyone a "beat down". Nor am I talking about "whacking" a prospect or customer (I hope you were not thinking of that!). What I am talking about, however, is the power and respect that the Tony Soprano character carried through the series. So few salespeople view themselves as powerful, and emulating Tony Soprano in this way would be very helpful to salespeople looking to put strong sales numbers on the board. Ask yourself this: Would Tony Soprano take abuse from prospects or customers on a regular basis?

Tony Soprano also realized at times that his position was weak and he would even go to a "bended knee" if it was necessary. While he never made a habit if this, he was smart enough to understand it was his best position to take in certain situations he encountered in the series. He didn't give the farm away to solve a tough issue, but gave just enough away to maintain order for the moment.

Salespeople should realize they should act as powerful individuals, but also have enough instinctive ability to understand when a "bended knee" is necessary. The Tony Soprano character provides a great balance between both of these positions we must sometimes take in the business world.

A "Thank You" to My Readers

2008-09-02T05:17:00.008-04:00

I just wanted to give a quick "thank you" to my readers today. This sales blog has now been viewed in over 50 countries and in all six inhabited continents of the world (thanks Africa - I recently just hit your continent a few weeks ago!).

My fundamental goal starting out was to become the best sales blog author on the net. My primary method of attaining this goal has always been focused on providing quality material to do this. It is my firm belief that any successful blogger places this as their number one priority.

I have much more to provide in the future. Please hang around, as I have other ideas in the pipeline that you will find extremely helpful. I'm currently working on a book right now, too. I don't want to give details or a timeline, but I'm certainly in the process of doing this. Thanks again - you (my readers) have inspired me to make Top Sales Blog one of the top and best sales blog on the net!

The "Cold Call" Blitz

2008-09-01T13:33:00.000-04:00

I'm not a big fan of the old fashioned "cold call" blitz. If you haven't heard of this term before, it refers to setting aside a "cold call" day, in which you go out to see numerous prospects in the hopes of generating leads. I just feel this method of trying to prospect has really seen its better days, and there are much better ways to use your time.

There actually is a "spin" you can put on this old fashioned method that will get results, however. I'll post in the future on you can take the "cold blitz" to a new level in achieving prospecting success.

McCain's Boldness Reflects the "Risk" Versus "Reward" Argument in Sales

2008-08-31T07:10:00.009-04:00

It is hard during this intense political season to not be influenced by the political developments in the current US Presidential race. I have often found that many of these developments, however, relate so much to our sales world.

McCain shocked the world and took Obama off of the front pages by selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate. This will certainly further his maverick image and independent streak. In a race that is within several points for either candidate, this was a very risky move for the Senator from Arizona.

I have already analyzed the potential upsides and downsides to this move. Met bet is, however, that the maverick McCain made this move believing that his boldness to embrace "change" would be rewarded. In a race that is about change, this move was probably needed to keep McCain in the running.

Every transaction we take in life will carry risk - it will always be this way. Your job as a salesperson is to mitigate this risk as much as possible so buying will take place. Always position your recommendations to be viewed as logical; but do not underestimate the emotions your customers or prospects are going to feel in regards to the risks they are taking. You have to persuade your prospects into understanding that there are no rewards in taking no risks. If you can channel into this powerful emotion effectively, buying can still take place even with lackluster proposals.

Only time will tell if this VP pick for McCain will work out. But in my estimation, I would rather lose by being bold than lose by staying conventional. This sales mindset has always driven me to take risks, which has many times been paid off by big rewards.

Please Take Time to Vote in the New Top Sales Blog Poll!

2008-08-29T07:52:00.010-04:00

I have listed a poll in the top right hand corner of Top Sales Blog that I would like your participation in. While I have gotten into meat & potato issues from time to time, I would like your input (my readers) as to what is the #1 topic you would like me to cover. After voting has been completed, I will put together a plan to cover this topic in detail for a two week period. In the end, you will have a detailed plan for implementing a strategy for this issue.

The four areas I have listed are the topics I will bring the most experience and insight to in regards to coverage. Please take the time to vote as your input is needed. Thanks in advance and I look forward to seeing what is your top interest!

"Flashback" Friday: What's on the Back of Your Business Card?

2008-08-29T05:00:00.002-04:00

Many salespeople leave blank one of the simplest ways to market their products & services. What is on the back of your business card? Like most business cards, chances are it is blank.

There are a number of ways to market yourself on the back of your business card. It can contain sales awards, a one-time discount for new customers, your different locations, or even a short sales pitch. You can even take this one step further by having several versions of your business cards with different material on the backside.

I'll be publishing more posts in the future on the specifics of what a business card should contain. Stay tuned, and start thinking of ways you can "brand" yourself as a salesperson by using this method.

The "Bully" With the "Juice"

2008-08-28T06:06:00.005-04:00

I'm a big fan of Steve Martin's Heavy Hitter Sales Blog. A while back, he published an article titled - Selling in a Recession: The Best Recession Sales Strategy. His description of the "bully" with the "juice" (the man or woman that can make your sales deal happen) is one of the best I have ever run across. Please check this article out when you get a chance, as it will provide you with a fresh look at selling in an economic downturn.

Ezinearticles.com / Will Fultz Profile

2008-08-27T05:11:00.003-04:00

If you have not run across some of my additional articles on the net, you can take a look at them by going to http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Will_Fultz

A couple of months ago, I published a number of sales articles on ezinearticles.com in order to promote Top Sales Blog. To my surprise, the number of times these articles showed up in Google search rankings at #1 is amazing. I would highly encourage you to visit this page when you get an opportunity. This is certainly some great material you can use in addition to this sales blog.