Small business owners tend to stay small because they do not install systems and processes into their business. Most owners want to hire “experienced” sales people. The mentality is to hire someone, teach them about their products and services, then expect the person to “go sell”. What’s the problem? If we hire experienced sales people,…
Read MoreIt’s March Madness time, which I enjoy, but not always for the same reasons my friends do. Because I’m in sales, it’s fun just to watch the teams execute their strategies and then try to figure out how these strategies apply to my own profession. And what stands out, season after season, is how predictable…
Read MoreIf you’re like most sales professionals, you work hard to learn as much as you can about your product or service. You take pride in how much you know about your business. When you can answer any technical question that might come up in a call with a prospect, you feel confident. That’s only natural.…
Read MoreHidden in the uproar over Mark McGwire’s admission that he used steroids was a lesson for sales professionals. You might remember the moment, which has been replayed over and over: When McGwire hit his record-breaking homerun, Sammy Sosa-one of the Cardinal slugger’s opponents-raced in from the outfield to hug him. It “looked great on TV,”…
Read MoreWe don’t ordinarily think of sales as one of the “helping professions,” but maybe we should. People tell their problems to psychologists and clergymen. They pour out their hearts to their neighborhood bartender. But they tell their troubles to sales professionals, too, so we should develop our “helping profession” skills. I have often noticed, when…
Read MoreThe rotten economy, if you haven’t noticed, may be taking a toll on your health. “Today’s economy is stressing people out, and stress has been linked to a number of illnesses-such as heart disease, high blood pressure and increased risk for cancer,” according to a new study in the July 15 issue of the American…
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