Updated October 2019 Do you want to get better at persuading people? My guess is that you do because whether you are a salesperson selling a product, an entrepreneur courting an investor, or a business owner convincing your team about your vision, your success hinges on your ability to influence other people. Luckily, there are shelves and shelves of books (and information all over the internet) on how to be better at selling, public speaking, and influencing others. A lot of them are good, more of them are mediocre, and almost all of them are relatively boring. It makes it a little more challenging to slog through them. So here's … [Read more...]
Your Passion is A Problem (When You’re Selling)
Passion is good - especially when you are running the show. When I meet a business owner or entrepreneur who isn't excited and confident about what they are doing, I know that the company is heading for tough times. There are many challenges for small businesses. Sometimes the leader's enthusiasm and optimism are the key to finding success at the end of the day. Even though it's good to talk to your customers, employees, and partners with passion, though, it can quickly become a liability when you have to sell yourself or your company. It sounds counter-intuitive, but if your main sales tactic is to share your excitement about what you … [Read more...]
The Sales Truth I Learned Managing a Band
When I was a younger (and hopefully cooler) man, I played in a band called The Jesters. I started the band with my friend Jim, and we split the duties - he would work on the music and I would get us gigs. Here's what I learned that would help me sell in every other part of my career: Bar and club owners didn't care about our music - they cared about getting people in the door who would drink beer and eat food. Focus On Their Needs Being a great band was important to us. We spent a lot of time practicing and writing songs. We worked on our stage show to make sure that our fan base would grow and people would come out and see us. But for … [Read more...]
Why You Need to Follow Sales Scripts if You Want to Build Trust
Over the years I've heard thousands of sales professionals say, "I don't like using sales scripts. It sounds so robotic and stiff and it just doesn't work." Actually, let me restate that: Over the years, I've heard thousands of unsuccessful sales professionals say that. Successful sales professionals understand that having a script - a set process that they follow when interacting with customers - is key to success. There's a reason why following scripts can help: Used correctly, they help build trust. Prospects Respond to Confidence You've probably heard the advice, "It's not just what you say but how you say it." That connects … [Read more...]
Back to Basics
I coach and train a lot of salespeople on how to build their business, increase their volume … basically, on how to sell more and sell more often. They are often top performers who have stalled and hit a plateau. When digging in to find what is missing from their business, that gap which has hindered their efforts, I’ve made one overwhelming observation: They are rarely missing any knowledge, skills, or tools. Instead, more often than not, they’ve gotten away from the basic training that made them successful in the first place. There Are No Sales "Secrets" They are often trying to reinvent the wheel, or they simply stopped doing … [Read more...]