Category - Blogs

  Problems are a normal part of doing business. If you do not have any problems with customers now, you will in the future. Someone in their organization, or yours, will eventually create one.  How your people handle it when the time comes can make or break your relationship with them. How do your sales …

At sales meetings, I like to hand out Double Stuff Oreos and watch people enjoy them. At least half the group wants to know where the milk is!  I enjoy seeing how people eat them.  Some eat them whole, and others pull them apart and eat the cream first.  After they have enjoyed their cookies, …

In this post, we discussed how to identify the different types of buyers in a complex sale, and how to use the questions they ask to pinpoint what their buying concerns are.  Understanding each type of buyer’s decision criteria is key to winning the business. This can be challenging, even if everyone involved is a …

In my last post, I discussed the communication problems that arise when a person who thinks one way speaks to a listener who thinks in a completely different way.  The person doing the talking is presenting the kind of information that is important to him, but he doesn’t get his message across because what’s important …

Have you ever been discussing an idea or explaining something to someone, and – no matter how eloquent you were – had the feeling that you weren’t being understood? Have you ever planned the perfect thing to say to someone, only to have them look at you like you were speaking Latin? Have you ever …

It’s Christmas Season – Why Bother will all the rush? This blog is based upon a blog I wrote several years ago on Why bother with Christmas. It is worth reading again. Last night we watched the Grinch That Stole Christmas which is one of my favorite Christmas stories. The Grinch hated Christmas for he …

Complex sales where there are numerous decision-makers can be difficult to navigate.  Closing such a deal requires an understanding of the different types of buyers, what their concerns are, and what influences their desires.  It also requires the ability to anticipate, identify, and address the factors each individual cares about. There are three players in …

One week this month my family was out of town. I had great opportunity to really “get some things done.” What happened was just the opposite; I let the mundane, the trivial eat up my time. I rarely watch TV. I spent every night watching TV. Does that happen to your peoplle at work? It …

After you’ve completed your sales presentation or product demo, the buyer enters the evaluation phase of the buying process, and a scary monster frequently rears its ugly head: risk.  Risk can kill a deal, and its threat can increase as your prospect evaluates your offering. What is the opportunity cost of going with this solution …

You’ve just made a great sales presentation for a great prospect.  The whole sales process has gone smoothly from the beginning.  You like your buyers, and they like you and your offering.  They definitely want to do business with you!  If only you can agree on a price. It’s easy and natural to get a …