Forget Patience, Let’s Sell Something!: Recent Episodes
Tye Maner
Have you ever noticed that lions don't wait for their meals? On the other hand, vultures patiently wait to get the scraps of what is left after the lions have had their fill. Abraham Lincoln once said, “things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” Likewise, the most successful sales professionals don't sit and wait for the telephone to ring or the next client to walk through the door. They initiate the contact. Learn the tips, techniques and skills used by the most successful sales and business professionals who make things happen while others are watching things happen or wondering what happened. “Forget Patience, Let’s Sell Something!” will help you to gain more clients faster and at higher margins by being proactive. Our show is a must listen for sales professionals, business owners, executives and anyone responsible for driving sales or influencing buying decisions.
Sales Experts have identified several sales skills that are essential to a consistently successful sales career. These skills are also necessary to fulfill the consultative sales process successfully and build long term business relationships with repeat business and not a transactional, one-time sale situation. Tune in today’s show as we share key ideas to help you elevate your level of success in the sales and business arena.
Organizational Psychologists have identified several personality traits and characteristics that the most successful sales and business professionals possess. These traits determine the measure of success you will experience in your sales career. The good news is these traits can be developed and honed. Tune in today’s show as we share key ideas to help you elevate your level of success in the sales and business arena.
This weeks show will be a continuation of last weeks show. Tune into today’s show to learn the techniques of successful team negotiations and we will continue to discuss how to counter seven deadly negotiation tactics that normally has many sales and business professionals wondering what happened to their profits. It’s time to protect yourself and your profitability.
New books, blogs and studies are released every day on the subject of how to sell in these times of dramatic change. It's enough to make your head spin! Tune in to this broadcast as my guest Deb Calvert and I sift through all the conflicting and confusing information about how to sell effectively. We'll help you sort it out and get refocused on the modern techniques and competencies that genuinely do make a difference.
72.6% of salespeople using social selling strategies outperformed their sales peers and exceeded quota 23% more often. Top social sellers also tracked back their activities to closed deals – 5 or more! But there is more to being a successful seller in today’s digitally wired, 24/7 connected world than clicking on a few buttons in LinkedIn or Twitter. Using social for brand building, networking, prospecting, sales call research and establishing influence and capability is only part of the equation. If you can’t sell, you can’t close deals. Tune in to today's show as my guest Barb Giamanco will talk about how sales has evolved and what you need to do about it. We will also discuss how social selling strategies do drive revenue objectives, and how if you aren’t visible on social, you are locked out of deals without even knowing it.
Many of the buyers you encounter today are going to pressure you to reduce your price in order to win their business. Make no mistake, you are being commoditized. Without the business acumen to truly understand your client’s business and justify the impact your solution has on your prospective client’s profit, ‘you are destined to compete on price. Tune into today's show as our guest, Bob Rickert shares keen insight on how to enhance your profitability by improving your clients profitability.
There is a famous slogan, “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.” This show is a sequel by popular request to the “Tough Times Don’t Last, But Good Negotiators Do,” episode. You are negotiating everyday in some form or another. Based on surveys with participants in my negotiation workshops, more than 85% have never taken a negotiation course or read any books on the subject. Therefore, their margins, commissions, and profits have been eroded for years and even decades by skilled negotiators. Tune in to today’s show to learn how to handle situations in your professional and personal life that can cause a negotiation to be unproductive, unsuccessful, and unprofitable.
Business is always been about relationships. Relationship marketing is really connecting people with people in business. Today's social media is showing us how we can connect people in a real, human way much more than in a plastic, broadcast-only way.Tune in to today’s show with my guest, Terry Brock will talk about how social media can help you in many different ways to develop customer intimacy and loyalty. He'll also discuss how you can use social media tools like Klout to achieve the maximum effectiveness with your work online.
This is how you take control of your future and your finances. brbr The world and the world of business are rapidly changing. There has never been a greater surge of people becoming entrepreneurs in history. This has created a dramatic increase in competition, and it’s causing many sales professionals, business owners and entrepreneurs just like you to worry about the future success of their business and livelihood. brbr Those who continue to do business today the same way they did even a year ago are discovering it’s only getting harder, more stressful, and less profitable. As the information age comes to an end, and the age of collaboration kicks in, it will be the entrepreneurs who understand this NEW ECONOMY that will secure their position at the top of their industry. brbr In this compelling interview, Topher Morrison will share with you the strategies for how you can collaborate so your business doesn't disintegrate.
Effective questioning skills is the backbone and the life blood to developing long-term and meaningful relationships with customers. Sales professionals must dare to be much bolder in the way they use questions for the purpose of being a powerful selling tool. Tune in to today’s show with my guest Debra Calvert will share from her research how improved questioning skills will greatly enhance your sales effectiveness.
Key People enjoy a special status in their chosen field because they are well connected, well known, well regarded and highly valued. They get invited to be a part of the best teams and projects and they can often write their own terms. The reality is that the greatest entrepreneurs on earth spend most of their time positioning themselves as the most important person in their industry. Your main job as a sales professional or entrepreneur is to become a Key Person of Influence and maintain it. Tune in to today’s show, as my guest Topher Morrison will share with you the strategies for how you can become that Key Person of Influence in your chosen profession.
Key People enjoy a special status in their chosen field because they are well connected, well known, well regarded and highly valued. They get invited to be a part of the best teams and projects and they can often write their own terms. The reality is that the greatest entrepreneurs on earth spend most of their time positioning themselves as the most important person in their industry. Your main job as a sales professional or entrepreneur is to become a Key Person of Influence and maintain it. Tune in to today’s show, as my guest Topher Morrison will share with you the strategies for how you can become that Key Person of Influence in your chosen profession.
Maintaining positive relationships with customers is one of the most important components to a successful sales career or the growth of your business. In most relationships, there will be a “moment of truth” when something happens that can cause the relationship to stall, grow beyond measure, or implode. The outcome depends quite heavily on our reaction or response to the other person. If you respond correctly, trouble is averted and the relationship is enhanced. If you respond incorrectly, the relationship could be damaged beyond repair and a customer is lost. Tune in to today’s show to learn some priceless tools, and tips to foster stronger bonds and greater revenue when trouble raises its head in the relationship.
Once again the year is flying by and we will soon into the second half of the year. This is the perfect time to assess our performance for the first half of the year, and make the appropriate adjustments to accomplish the goals we established for this year. Tune into today's show as we discuss key self assessment points to assist you in finishing the year strong.
The telephone used properly and for the right purpose is still an effective tool in today’s sales arena. Although technology and social media continues to excel, the telephone can still be one of the best ways to reach a prospect. However, used improperly, the telephone can do more harm than good in the sales process. Tune in to today’s show as we discuss some major mistakes in using the telephone for selling and how to avoid them.
Sales Experts have identified several sales skills that are essential to a consistently successful sales career. These skills are also necessary to fulfill the consultative sales process successfully and build long term business relationships with repeat business and not a transactional, one-time sale situation. Tune in today’s show as we share key ideas to help you elevate your level of success in the sales and business arena.
A key characteristic I noticed among the masses of sales professionals was the fear of approaching top-level contacts when beginning the sales process with an organization. The most successful sales professionals that were consistently successful developed a comfort level in working with top executives. The sales process is exponentially more efficient and more profitable when it is started with a top executive in an organization. Tune in to today’s show with my guest Jerry Dittmer. Jerry is a visionary leader, President of the HON Company, and Executive Vice President of HNI Corporation, a leading manufacturer in the office furniture industry. Jerry will share from a senior executive’s viewpoint what it takes to be successful in business, sales, and the best approach to get the attention of top executives.
Organizational Psychologists have identified several personality traits and characteristics that the most successful sales and business professionals possess. These traits determine the measure of success you will experience in your sales career. The good news is these traits can be developed and honed. Tune in today’s show as we share key ideas to help you elevate your level of success in the sales and business arena.
Planning and implementing a successful marketing strategy is a challenge that many sales professionals and companies struggle with. Tune into today’s show as my guest Joe Malinowski will answer your questions, provide keen insight and tips that will help you develop a winning strategy to gain new customers and develop customer loyalty.
Planning and implementing a successful marketing strategy is a challenge that many sales professionals and companies struggle with. Tune into today’s show as my guest Joe Malinowski will answer your questions, provide keen insight and tips that will help you develop a winning strategy to gain new customers and develop customer loyalty.
It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, you are ultimately in the business of building relationships. People buy from people first and foremost, then they buy your company. People also have a tendency to buy from people they can relate to in some way. All clients have personal needs that need to be considered and met while you are also meeting their organizational needs. Tune into today’s show to learn how to quickly recognize an individual’s personal need and how to sell to them based on their personal need.
Contrary to popular belief, the best sales and business professionals are not necessarily the ones that have the ability to talk long and talk often. Truly, the most successful sales and business professionals are the individuals that have perfected the skill of asking deep probing questions to really understand the needs of their customer. The average sales professional talks way too much, especially when they first meet the prospect. The client/prospect also doesn’t want you to come in with your canned sales pitch and briefcase full of brochures that you want to share with them. Tune in today’s show to learn how to probe more effectively to understand your customer or prospect’s needs to win more business, develop customer loyalty, and serve them better.
The fastest way to get additional business is to get more business from your current clients. The sales cycle is much shorter and margins tend to be higher when doing business with a current client. You may be doing business with three departments and your client has a total of fifteen departments. Your client may be purchasing two products from you and there are an additional 25 products you have that may be of value to them. Tune into today’s show to gain key insights and strategies to sell higher, deeper, and wider in the accounts you already have.
The only way to grow your business or turn your business around is to sell something! There are companies that have a need for your products and services; it's your job to find them. Networking is one of the most neglected tools of uncovering leads and potential clients that are waiting to hear about you. Turn your sales around through networking and strengthen your current connections. Tune into this show to gain key tips on how to become a savvy networker.
Success is a choice. Failure is also a choice. You can't fail unless you consent to it. I’m not referring to temporary defeats, because they are part of the formula for sustainable success. The moment you say, “I can’t,” you’re right. To the contrary, the moment you say, “I can,” you’re right. Luck has very little to do with success that is sustainable. There is an old saying, “Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then.” Success is a set of skills that can be developed at any time and any age. Tune in to today’s show, as my guest, Dr. Jomo Cousins former NFL player and business entrepreneur, will share with you the strategies on how you can have success in sales, business, and life that is consistent and sustainable.
There are two areas that are critical to the success of sales professionals and businesses alike; gaining customers and keeping them. Incentives are an exceptional tool to accomplish both. They can help you win the sale by providing value to the customer while protecting your price. Incentives can also be a great way to develop customer loyalty. Tune into today’s show with my guest “H” John Mejia. H will share nine tips and strategies to help you get more people to take notice of your offer and thus close more opportunities and enhance customer relations.
Transforming a brand requires more than simply writing a new marketing and advertising strategy. It requires you to establish and define core values that your customers will find credible and also align with their beliefs and values. Tune into today’s show with my guest Jonathan Pleska. Jonathan will share great thoughts and ideas on how to elevate your brand to create customer demand.
Effective questioning skills is the backbone and the life blood to developing long-term and meaningful relationships with customers. Sales professionals must dare to be much bolder in the way they use questions for the purpose of being a powerful selling tool. Tune in to today’s show with my guest Debra Calvert will share from her research how improved questioning skills will greatly enhance your sales effectiveness.
One of the keys to remaining on top in sales and business is to never allow good enough to be good enough. Winston Churchill once stated, “I never worry about action, but only about inaction.” Tune in to today’s show with my guest Richard Mathews. Richard has a 6 year old insurance agency, and once again is in the top 3% of agents (over 18,000 agents total) nationwide. He will share what actions he is taking to stay on top in an extremely competitive industry.
Honing your negotiating skills is a necessity, not a nicety, especially in today’s economy. Tune into today’s show as we share practical and productive negotiating strategies, tactics, and countermeasures that you can apply personally and professionally immediately to improve the outcomes of your negotiation sessions.
Negotiating is a skill set that should be developed and honed on a regular basis. It is also one of the quickest ways to improve commissions and improve profit margins. Tune into today’s show as we share practical and productive negotiating strategies, tactics, and countermeasures that you can apply personally and professionally to put and keep more money in your pockets or handbags.
Michael Jordan once stated, I can accept failure. Everybody fails at something. But I can't accept not trying. Fear is an illusion. Tune into today’s show as we continue to get your mind right to pursue your vision and make things happen in 2014.
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” is a quote many of us have heard at some point in our lives. Risk is a scary word for many, and your comfort (zone) is a great thing to risk, but only those persons or organizations that dare to take risks reap the benefits, and only in direct proportion to the level of risk they were are to take. The greater the risk the greater the reward. Tune in to today’s show to prepare yourself to venture into new and unchartered waters to accomplish all the things you desire in sales, business, and life in 2014 and beyond.
“Will you take the red pill or the blue pill?” One of my all time favorite movies is The Matrix. It is still one of the most cutting edge movies of our time. There is far more than entertainment value in the movie, than meets the natural eye. There are a multitude of principles in the movie that if applied consistently, can and will change your personal and professional life. “Take the red pill” and tune into today’s show and allow us to “free your mind” to a new level of success!
Abraham once said, “Things do come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” Truer words have never been spoken. There are some people currently waiting for the New Year before they develop a game plan for the New Year. Now is the time to establish or refine your game plan to make the New Year the best year for you, your clients, and your company. Tune in to today’s show as my guest Jomo Cousins returns and will share key tips to develop a winning strategy for the year 2014.
There is an old saying, “Proper planning prevents poor performance.” Your plan for the new year should also include an honest assessment or review of the previous year. Now is the time to establish or refine your game plan to make the new year the best year for you, your clients, and your company. Tune in to today’s show as my guest Jomo Cousins will share key tips to develop a winning strategy for the new year.
One key fact about a shark is that it must keep moving. If the shark stops moving, it will drown. In order to be successful in sales and business, you must keep moving. In business, everything is a risk. You have to determine if it is a good risk or a bad risk. If it is a good risk, take the shot, if it is a bad risk, look for another opportunity. The worse thing to do is nothing. Our guest for today’s show is Kevin Harrington, Chairman of As Seen On TV, and former investor on ABC Network’s highly rated “Shark Tank” television show. Kevin Harrington will discuss his experiences as a successful businessman and investor. He will provide insight in how to overcome adversity in business, and how he learned to turn simple ideas into multimillion-dollar products. Kevin readily acknowledges that he has faced temporary defeat numerous times throughout his career, however, he will also share how those defeats became stepping-stones to his remarkable success.
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe,” is a notable quote from Abraham Lincoln. He knew the importance keeping your tools and skills honed. Tune into today’s show as we conclude our series on sharpening and honing your core selling skills to win more business, and make more money with less effort.
Periodically, it’s critical to slow down in the pursuit of sales, business, or life successes, and sharpen your axe. The “axe” is the skill sets you need to apply daily to attain consistent success. The blade gets dull over time without you realizing it. Therefore, you may keep chopping, putting forth the same or even more effort with less result. Tune in today’s show as we continue to sharpen and hone your “sales axe” to win more business with less effort.
Tony Dungy, former NFL coach and Super Bowl winner as a player and coach, once told me that it was mandatory for both his veteran and rookie players to attend Spring Training Camp. In Spring Camp, the players revisited the fundamentals of the game, the blocking and tackling. They also placed a great emphasis on conditioning. He went on to say the only way to consistently be a “Pro Bowler” was to regularly revisit the fundamentals. It’s the same in selling. Sales professionals should regularly revisit basic selling skills to stay on top of their game. Tune into today’s show to attend our Spring Training Camp to sharpen and hone your selling skills to win more business with less effort.
Business is always been about relationships. Relationship marketing is really connecting people with people in business. Today's social media is showing us how we can connect people in a real, human way much more than in a plastic, broadcast-only way.Tune in to today’s show with my guest, Terry Brock will talk about how social media can help you in many different ways to develop customer intimacy and loyalty. He'll also discuss how you can use social media tools like Klout to achieve the maximum effectiveness with your work online.
Maintaining positive relationships with customers is one of the most important components to a successful sales career or the growth of your business. In most relationships, there will be a “moment of truth” when something happens that can cause the relationship to stall, grow beyond measure, or implode. The outcome depends quite heavily on our reaction or response to the other person. If you respond correctly, trouble is averted and the relationship is enhanced. If you respond incorrectly, the relationship could be damaged beyond repair and a customer is lost. Tune in to today’s show to learn some priceless tools, and tips to foster stronger bonds and greater revenue when trouble raises its head in the relationship.
Your Klout Score is gaining in importance. It measures your influence through social media networks. The score calculates how influential you truly are, in correlation to your clicks, comments, interactions, tweets, posts and retweets. Tune in to today’s show as my guest Terry Brock expands on the significance of Klout, how it relates to your success, and how to raise your score.
A key characteristic I noticed among the masses of sales professionals was the fear of approaching top-level contacts when beginning the sales process with an organization. The most successful sales professionals that were consistently successful developed a comfort level in working with top executives. The sales process is exponentially more efficient and more profitable when it is started with a top executive in an organization. Tune in to today’s show with my guest Jerry Dittmer. Jerry is a visionary leader, President of the HON Company, and Executive Vice President of HNI Corporation, a leading manufacturer in the office furniture industry. Jerry will share from a senior executive’s viewpoint what it takes to be successful in business, sales, and the best approach to get the attention of top executives.
Key People enjoy a special status in their chosen field because they are well connected, well known, well regarded and highly valued. They get invited to be a part of the best teams and projects and they can often write their own terms. The reality is that the greatest entrepreneurs on earth spend most of their time positioning themselves as the most important person in their industry. Your main job as a sales professional or entrepreneur is to become a Key Person of Influence and maintain it. Tune in to today’s show, as my guest Topher Morrison will share with you the strategies for how you can become that Key Person of Influence in your chosen profession.
For most professionals, the only reason to play a game is to win. Winning consistently in any competitive arena requires focus, stamina and dedication. Consistent success requires a mindset where your will to win may have to overcome what seems impossible to your mind or the naked eye. Many professionals say that they are committed to being the best, but in reality they are only interested. When someone is merely interested, they have a tendency to quit when things get difficult. Tune in to today’s show with my guest Richard Mathews. Richard has a 5 year old insurance agency, and has been the # 1 leader for 3 consecutive years in the state of Florida, and in the top 3% of agents (over 18,000 agents total) nationwide. Richard will share with you tips and strategies to be successful consistently against fierce competition, and obstacles he had to overcome in his quest to be the best.
Let’s face it; in recent years, the economy has taken its toll on most companies. Therefore, many corporations today are constantly looking for ways to reduce or contain cost. Many of them have opted to do so by squeezing the profit margins of their suppliers. A company may have dozens to thousands of suppliers. The ability to get an extra percent or two more in discounting from their suppliers can be worth tens of thousands, and up to millions of dollars to an organization. As a result, many sales and business professionals are struggling to make a reasonable profit today and stay in business. Tune in to today’s show to learn some of the tactics used by buyers to erode your margins, effective strategies to protect and enhance your profitability, and establish a win-win scenario for you and the customer.
“Will you take the red pill or the blue pill?” One of my all time favorite movies is The Matrix. It is still one of the most cutting edge movies of our time. There is far more than entertainment value in the movie, than meets the natural eye. There are a multitude of principles in the movie that if applied consistently, can and will change your personal and professional life. “Take the red pill” and tune into today’s show and allow us to “free your mind” to a new level of success!
Networking is a critical component in the success equation of sales and business, and it’s also one of the most neglected components. In some instances, it is overlooked because we don’t know how to network, or see the significance. Most networkers fall into one of four categories: Scared Straight – You really don’t want to go to an event and will only stay 15 -20 minutes to say that you were there. Show up and throw up – You will corner one person and talk them to death until they signal security for assistance. The Terminator – Your sole objective is to seek out your prey and close them on the spot The Saavy Networker – ???? Tune in to today’s show with my guest Joe Malinowski. Joe is an expert on Networking and will share why networking is so critical to your success in today’s business environment and how to be a saavy networker.
Success is a choice. Failure is also a choice. You can't fail unless you consent to it. I’m not referring to temporary defeats, because they are part of the formula for sustainable success. The moment you say, “I can’t,” you’re right. To the contrary, the moment you say, “I can,” you’re right. Luck has very little to do with success that is sustainable. There is an old saying, “Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then.” Success is a set of skills that can be developed at any time and any age. Tune in to today’s show, as my guest, Dr. Jomo Cousins former NFL player and business entrepreneur, will share with you the strategies on how you can have success in sales, business, and life that is consistent and sustainable.
Key People enjoy a special status in their chosen field because they are well connected, well known, well regarded and highly valued. They get invited to be a part of the best teams and projects and they can often write their own terms. The reality is that the greatest entrepreneurs on earth spend most of their time positioning themselves as the most important person in their industry. Your main job as a sales professional or entrepreneur is to become a Key Person of Influence and maintain it. Tune in to today’s show, as my guest Topher Morrison will share with you the strategies for how you can become that Key Person of Influence in your chosen profession.
Your Klout Score is gaining in importance. It measures your influence through social media networks. The score calculates how influential you truly are, in correlation to your clicks, comments, interactions, tweets, posts and retweets. Tune in to today’s show as my guest Terry Brock expands on the significance of Klout, how it relates to your success, and how to raise your score.
Twitter has become one of the ten most visited websites on the Internet, and has been described as the SMS (short message service) of the Internet.” The three primary questions with any of the social mediums is, how do I use it effectively and efficiently, how do I make it relevant to others, and how do I profit from it? Tune in today’s show as my guest and I delve into these questions and more. Mike Barnes is an online marketing strategist and social media expert. Our goal is to help you establish an understanding and game plan that will help you stay connected with clients, and get you the exposure necessary to find new business and customers now!
The gatekeeper is one of the most important persons in which you should have a good relationship in any organization. They are also known as the administrative assistant or the executive assistant to top executives. Many sales and business professionals have a love-hate relationship with the gatekeeper. In reality, they can help you or hurt you in the sales process. Several years ago, I interviewed and surveyed many gatekeepers with Fortune 500 companies. They worked for high level executives in those organizations. The information they gave me was amazing on what should be said or done by a sales professional to win them over. Tune into today’s show; we are going to invest some time to really understand this individual and their role in the sales process.
This weeks show will be a continuation of last weeks show. Tune into today’s show to learn the techniques of successful team negotiations and we will continue to discuss how to counter seven deadly negotiation tactics that normally has many sales and business professionals wondering what happened to their profits. It’s time to protect yourself and your profitability.
You are negotiating everyday whether you want to or not. In many instances you are negotiating against someone that is highly skilled and trained to erode your margins and commissions for the sake of enhancing their companies profitability. Tune into today’s show to learn how to counter seven deadly negotiation tactics that normally has many sales and business professionals wondering what happened to their money. It’s time to protect yourself and your profitability.
Let’s face it, there are so many social media venues today that it’s difficult for the average sales and business professional to know which direction to go, or which mediums are most relevant. Should you engage in all of the social media sites, some of them, or none of them? Does anyone really have clarity regarding the significance of social media in today’s business and sales arena? How much time per day/week should you invest in having a presence online? Tune in today’s show as my guests and I delve into these questions and more. Jim Patterson and Mike Barnes are partners, and are online marketing strategist and social media experts. Our goal is to help you establish an online marketing strategy that will get you the exposure necessary to find new business and customers now!
The most successful sales and business professionals form the habit of doing the things consistently that unsuccessful sales and business professionals don’t do. This doesn’t mean they can’t do them, they just don’t do them. It’s been said that your actions become your habits, and your habits become your character, and your character become your destiny. Therefore, to accomplish the outcomes you desire, it is critical to form the right habits. Tune in to today’s show with my guest, H. John Mejia. H. John is an entrepreneur with many successful startup ventures to his credit and will share key components to consistent performance in selling and growing your business.
The customer is the lifeblood of every business. There are two important factors that are critical to the continued success of your company, maintaining your current customer base while adding new customers. Unfortunately, your competition would like to increase their market share by reducing your customer base. In today's highly competitive environment, you must enhance existing customer relationships while targeting and acquiring new customers. Today’s show is the second of two parts that will provide ideas and strategies for dealing with difficult customer relations.
Half the year is gone. What are you going to do right now make the rest of this year, the best of this year! It's time to take your Sales, Business, and Performance into High Gear! Tune in to our next show with my guest, Delatorro McNeal, II. Delatorro is back by popular demand and will challenge business professionals and sales professionals alike in the areas of Attitude, Time Management, Personal Growth, Leadership, Prospecting, Building Trust and The Power of Asking! You don't want to miss this show!
The customer is the lifeblood of every business. There are two important factors that are critical to the continued success of your company, maintaining your current customer base while adding new customers. Unfortunately, your competition would like to increase their market share by reducing your customer base. In today's highly competitive environment, you must enhance existing customer relationships while targeting and acquiring new customers. Today’s show is the first of two parts that will provide ideas and strategies for delighting your customers and developing customer loyalty.
The good news is business is great. The bad news is business is great. A growing business often needs an infusion of money to operate the company or finance the growth. In recent years, banks have become extremely difficult to get loans from, making it very difficult for many businesses thrive, let alone survive. Tune in to today’s show with Jeff Mitchell. Jeff is a First Vice President with Crestmark Bank. He will share insight in to today’s show to discuss growth strategies for your business and how to get working capital to grow your business to the next level.
As identified before, one common fear of many sales and business professionals is whether or not to approach a top level executive in a major corporation when they are attempting to win them as a client. We also wrestle with how to approach them. Because of this fear, we have a tendency to take the path of least resistance and initiate our contact with lower level individuals because it feels safer to do so. That approach has a tendency to lead to longer sales cycles and lower margins. Tune in to today’s show with my guest Bill Bundy. Bill is a dynamic leader, and President of Trendway Corporation, a growing force to be reckoned with in the office furniture industry. Bill will share from a senior executive’s viewpoint what it takes to be successful in business, sales, and the best approach to get the attention of top executives.
One of the common topics sales and business professionals ask about in the workshops I conduct is how to be a more effective closer. They also ask about special closing techniques. The best time to close is when the prospect is ready to purchase or conduct business. Almost everyone gives some verbal and nonverbal signals when they are ready to purchase. The problem is that in many instances we don’t recognize the buying signals. As a result, we allow the sales process to take longer than is really required, or miss out on the sale altogether. Tune in today’s show to learn how to recognize verbal and physical buying signals, test the water to confirm your prospect’s willingness to purchase, and simple techniques to close the sale.
One key fact about a shark is that it must keep moving. If the shark stops moving, it will drown. In order to be successful in sales and business, you must keep moving. In business, everything is a risk. You have to determine if it is a good risk or a bad risk. If it is a good risk, take the shot, if it is a bad risk, look for another opportunity. The worse thing to do is nothing. Our guest for today’s show is Kevin Harrington, Chairman of As Seen On TV, and former investor on ABC Network’s highly rated “Shark Tank” television show. Kevin Harrington will discuss his experiences as a successful businessman and investor. He will provide insight in how to overcome adversity in business, and how he learned to turn simple ideas into multimillion-dollar products. Kevin readily acknowledges that he has faced temporary defeat numerous times throughout his career, however, he will also share how those defeats became stepping-stones to his remarkable success.
Tiger Woods made a great statement during a tournament, when the commentator asked him what he does after hitting a bad shot. Tiger made a simple but profound statement, “You just play the shot you got.” In sales, business, and life, we all need to understand that we can’t rewind the first half of the year, we just have to play the shot we got. There are many coaches that sometimes burn the last game tape when it was really bad, because there is nothing positive to learn from it. Sometimes, we start so well that we get too comfortable with our success in the first half. Whether you ahead of or behind where you wanted to be at this point in the year, we need to assess our current position to finish strong(er) in the second half of the year. Tune in today’s show with my guest, Dr. Jomo Cousins, former NFL player and business entrepreneur, as we discuss the similarities between sports and business, and how to achieve an astounding second half comeback.
This week’s show will be a continuation of the show from last week. We will continue to discuss, strategies, tips and techniques to elevate your skill level in probing to understand the needs of your customers. The other side of the coin to questioning effectively is listening effectively. Tune in today’s show as we continue the topic of successful probing skills and also share key steps on how to listen to understand and not just to listen to respond.
Contrary to popular belief, the best sales and business professionals are not necessarily the ones that have the ability to talk long and talk often. Truly, the most successful sales and business professionals are the individuals that have perfected the skill of asking deep probing questions to really understand the needs of their customer. The average sales professional talks way too much, especially when they first meet the prospect. The client/prospect also doesn’t want you to come in with your canned sales pitch and briefcase full of brochures that you want to share with them. Tune in today’s show to learn how to probe more effectively to understand your customer or prospect’s needs to win more business, develop customer loyalty, and serve them better.
How do you create a brand that’s irresistible to your audience and positions you as an authority, especially if you’ve never built one before? Building or rebuilding a brand takes research and some specific steps necessary to create a brand that’s unique to your personality, company, products, and services. In order to build an irresistible brand, you need to take what you learn about yourself, your audience, and your competition and blend that research with your own personality to create a style that attracts your audience. Tune in to today’s show with my guest, Karin Arden as we discuss how to pull together the information you need to create your style and then gives you specific steps you can take to turn that style into an irresistible brand.
An expert is defined as a person with a high degree of skill in or knowledge of a certain subject. Their expertise can be attained by training, experience, or a combination of both. Being perceived as an expert by your community and customers is a great way to expand your sales, business, brand, and build customer loyalty. Being a well-kept secret in your community benefits no one, especially you. Do you have what it takes to be considered an expert? Are you using your knowledge base to your fullest capacity to help your customers and community? Tune in to today’s show with my guest, H. John Mejia. H. John is an entrepreneur with many successful startup ventures to his credit and will share key components on how to develop the status of expert, and use your expertise to give back to your community and grow your business.
One of the constant comments I hear from upper management in many companies is that their sales professionals aren’t investing enough time on the telephone with customers and prospects. The average sales or business professional today does far more texting, instant messaging, and e-mailing versus using the telephone as a tool to engage a customer or prospect. These tools are definitely more efficient, but are they more effective? Is the telephone still a relevant tool today or are their better ways to connect with customers and prospects? What’s the best way to use the telephone if it is still viable? Tune in to today’s show as we discuss the pros and cons as well as the do’s and don’ts of the role of the telephone in selling today.
There is a famous slogan, “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.” This show is a sequel by popular request to the “Tough Times Don’t Last, But Good Negotiators Do,” episode. You are negotiating everyday in some form or another. Based on surveys with participants in my negotiation workshops, more than 85% have never taken a negotiation course or read any books on the subject. Therefore, their margins, commissions, and profits have been eroded for years and even decades by skilled negotiators. Tune in to today’s show to learn how to handle situations in your professional and personal life that can cause a negotiation to be unproductive, unsuccessful, and unprofitable.
This week’s show will be a continuation of the show from last week. We will continue to discuss, strategies, tips and techniques to elevate your presentation skills to win more sales and business opportunities now!
A national survey conducted by USA Today revealed that most Americans feared speaking before a group of people more than they feared death. Most people fear speaking to a group of strangers and many others have a greater fear of speaking to a group of their peers. The irony is that public speaking is a necessity to sales, business, and many other professionals. Not being proficient in this skill will certainly cost you business opportunities, lost sales, and limit your ability to climb the corporate ladder. Tune in today’s show to get invaluable tips and techniques on how to enhance your presentation skills and provide sizzling hot presentations to win more sales, business opportunities, and advance your professional career.
A national survey conducted by USA Today revealed that most Americans feared speaking before a group of people more than they feared death. Most people fear speaking to a group of strangers and many others have a greater fear of speaking to a group of their peers. The irony is that public speaking is a necessity to sales, business, and many other professionals. Not being proficient in this skill will certainly cost you business opportunities, lost sales, and limit your ability to climb the corporate ladder. Tune in today’s show to get invaluable tips and techniques on how to enhance your presentation skills and provide sizzling hot presentations to win more sales, business opportunities, and advance your professional career.
Social media is a popular topic that is discussed every day in every form of media. However, most sales and business professionals struggle to comprehend the real value of this medium and how get the most benefit out it. It can be overwhelming trying to figure to best way to efficiently use Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Blogs, Google+, etc. Clearly, the correct use of these tools can increase contacts, sales, and business. Unfortunately, social media used improperly can be a black mark on you and your company. Tune in to today’s show with my guest Joe Malinowski. Joe is an expert on social media marketing and will share why the appropriate use of social media is so critical to your success in today’s business environment and how to use these tools to your advantage.
There is one major factor that is critical to the continued success of your business; finding new customers at a reasonable profit. Unfortunately, your competition has the same goal. They would also like to increase their market share by reducing yours. New business development skills are necessary today in acquiring new customers in a marketplace in which your product or service may be perceived as a commodity. In today’s highly competitive environment, you must be more skillful at penetrating new accounts or markets. Tune in today’s show to learn top shelf ideas and strategies for finding new opportunities and clients in today’s economic environment.
Let’s face it; in recent years, the economy has taken its toll on most companies. Therefore, many corporations today are constantly looking for ways to reduce or contain cost. Many of them have opted to do so by squeezing the profit margins of their suppliers. A company may have dozens to thousands of suppliers. The ability to get an extra percent or two more in discounting from their suppliers can be worth tens of thousands, and up to millions of dollars to an organization. As a result, many sales and business professionals are struggling to make a reasonable profit today and stay in business. Tune in to today’s show to learn some of the tactics used by buyers to erode your margins, effective strategies to protect and enhance your profitability, and establish a win-win scenario for you and the customer.
The most successful sales and business professionals form the habit of doing the things consistently that unsuccessful sales and business professionals don’t do. This doesn’t mean they can’t do them, they just don’t do them. It’s been said that your actions become your habits, and your habits become your character, and your character become your destiny. Therefore, to accomplish the outcomes you desire, it is critical to form the right habits. Tune in to today’s show with my guest, H. John Mejia. H. John is an entrepreneur with many successful startup ventures to his credit and will share key components to consistent performance in selling and growing your business.
One common fear of many sales and business professionals is whether or not to approach a top level executive in a major corporation when they are attempting to win them as a client. We also wrestle with how to approach them. Because of this fear, we have a tendency to take the path of least resistance and initiate our contact with lower level individuals because it feels safer to do so. That approach has a tendency to lead to longer sales cycles and lower margins. Tune in to today’s show with my guest Pete Peterson. Pete is a dynamic leader, and Senior Vice President of U.S. Sales for Tech Data, one of the world's largest wholesale distributors of technology products, services and solutions. Pete will share from a senior executive’s viewpoint what it takes to be successful in business, sales, and the best approach to get the attention of top executives.
Networking is a critical component in the success equation of sales and business, and it’s also one of the most neglected components. In some instances, it is overlooked because we don’t know how to network, or see the significance. Most networkers fall into one of four categories: Scared Straight – You really don’t want to go to an event and will only stay 15 -20 minutes to say that you were there. Show up and throw up – You will corner one person and talk them to death until they signal security for assistance. The Terminator – Your sole objective is to seek out your prey and close them on the spot The Saavy Networker – ???? Tune in to today’s show with my guest Joe Malinowski. Joe is an expert on Networking and will share why networking is so critical to your success in today’s business environment and how to be a saavy networker.
For most professionals, the only reason to play a game is to win. Winning consistently in any competitive arena requires focus, stamina and dedication. Consistent success requires a mindset where your will to win may have to overcome what seems impossible to your mind or the naked eye. Many professionals say that they are committed to being the best, but in reality they are only interested. When someone is merely interested, they have a tendency to quit when things get difficult. Tune in to today’s show with my guest Richard Mathews. Richard has a 5 year old insurance agency, and has been the # 1 leader for 3 consecutive years in the state of Florida, and in the top 3% of agents (over 18,000 agents total) nationwide. Richard will share with you tips and strategies to be successful consistently against fierce competition, and obstacles he had to overcome in his quest to be the best.
This may sound crazy, but the best way to hit your goals is to not focus on them. At the beginning of every year, many of us sit down and identify our goals and objectives for the year. We write down the goals we want to achieve and the date by which we want the goals accomplished. In most cases, traditional goal setting does not and will never work. Tune in to our next show with my guest, Delatorro McNeal, II, and me to learn how to set goals that you will achieve in the allotted timeframe with less effort.
One of the greatest struggles for most people is time management. Another problem for the average person is procrastination. Procrastination is to the sales professional what kryptonite is to Superman. Remember in the comic books and movies how invincible Superman was until he was exposed to that mineral? Once exposed to kryptonite, he became ineffective and as a weak as any other human. As long as he stayed away from that perilous kryptonite, he was unstoppable. So it is with sales and business professionals. The world, unrivaled success, wealth and/or peace of mind would be theirs if they would just stay away from their kryptonite - procrastination. Tomorrow is the busiest day of the week based upon what everyone plans on doing when tomorrow comes. Come listen to today's show to learn how to get control of your time, and procrastination to accomplish your goals in 2013.
Well it’s a brand new year and you’re off to the races again. For some, this is great news because you want to put last year behind you because of lackluster or poor results. For others, last year was astounding and exceeded your expectations. However, you’re wondering how in the world you’re going to have another great year like that plus the ten percent that was added to your sales goal for 2013. Whichever position you find yourself in, on January 1, the slate is wiped clean and you start at zero again. The pressure is on to and the race begins to find new customers or get more business from your current clients. Come listen to today’s show to learn the characteristics the most successful sales and business professionals possess that are essential to your success for 2013 and beyond.