In my experience, I’ve found most companies approach sales training the wrong way. This might sound surprising, but hear me out. When sellers consistently fail to meet growth targets, the automatic assumption tends to be, “It’s a skills-related issue.” The company believes that all its sales team needs to succeed is proper training by an… Read More
SASS: Companies Already Abusing the New Canadian Anti Spam Legislation!
July 1st marks the date the new Canadian Anti-Spam legislation comes into play. CASL changes the way businesses can communicate with their customers, making it necessary to get express consent to send e-mails and other marketing messages. I am all for the legislation and feel that most legitimate businesses with ethical marketing practices have been… Read More
Seller’s Dilemma: It’s Not What You Think It Is
You’ve seen—or even struggled with—this sales problem before: to close more deals today, you have to keep your head down and focus on the pipeline. But to close more deals in the future, you have to keep your head up and spot new opportunities. So which is right: head up or head down? That’s what… Read More
Separate Yourself From The Rest!
What are you currently doing to separate yourself from other salespeople? I don’t recommend locking yourself in a room and working through your days without any interaction with your colleagues, but I do recommend taking steps to truly differentiate yourself and stand out from the pack. If you want to be the best, you must… Read More
Show Me the Data!
What are the critical pieces of data you must be tracking to ensure success? Watch Colleen’s Sales Tip to learn more. https://s3.amazonaws.com/TopSales/sales-library/2014/may-27/Show+me+VST1a.mp4
Stop Over Selling!
Too often, a deal goes off the rails when prospects are surprised by what’s in the proposal. Learn how to avoid this! https://s3.amazonaws.com/TopSales/sales-library/2014/may-27/Stop+over+VST20.mp4
Surround Yourself With Success
Do you want to be successful? Alright – that was obviously a rhetorical question. Since I know you want to be successful, it’s imperative that you surround yourself with success. You’re probably familiar with the following quote: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If you want to… Read More
Survey: Local Presence Dialing—Foot in the Door, or Door-Slammer
Instructive new research from Software Advice a sales software comparison website about the likelihood of prospects answering unknown calls vs. local calls vs. toll free. “The idea is that people are more apt to answer a call from an unknown number if that call appears to be coming from a local number: this gets the caller’s “foot in the door.” But is answering enough? Does… Read More
Taking Post-Sale Responsibility
Once the sale is done, you are not off the hook! If you want to maximize your revenue, you have to stay and help ensure client success. https://s3.amazonaws.com/TopSales/sales-library/2014/may-27/Taking+Post+VST17.mp4
Territory Planning for New Teams
What steps you should take in managing your sales territories as you build a new sales team and avoiding the one common mistake that can destroy team morale. https://s3.amazonaws.com/TopSales/sales-library/2014/may-27/Territory+planning+VST4.mp4
The Biggest Sales Mistake
You’ve observed others making mistakes and you’ve probably made a few yourself. Salespeople are often highly susceptible to embracing processes that hurt their sales long-term. They often make decisions which seem like a good idea in the moment, but cause massive complications in the future. However, the biggest error that a salesperson can make is selling toeveryone…. Read More
The Growth Picture: Addressable Market, Visibility & Closing
In my 14 years of consulting, I’ve rarely met a company that doesn’t want to grow. To be fair, there was one or two that couldn’t expand to new markets because they were a monopoly, so instead they grew by creating new products to sell to their existing accounts. In every other case, the companies… Read More
The Most Important Referral
How to get the most important referrals… the one’s you really want… …those within your current clients! https://s3.amazonaws.com/TopSales/sales-library/2014/may-27/The+Most+VST9.mp4
The People Vector in Sales
I see resistance every day in how sellers—especially seasoned ones in mature B2B markets—view the digital economy (and social media especially) as something that’s at odds with personalized selling. For example one of my clients, a 100 year old resources company is just this year rolling out their first CRM to their sellers and have… Read More
The Power of Acknowledgement
Are your client and prospect conversations often turning into a form of verbal combat? All too often salespeople get so wrapped up in being right that they completely forget to acknowledge their clients’ feelings and opinions.Demonstrating acknowledgement is a key step in continuing a conversation instead of jumping straight into an argument! When you acknowledge your… Read More
The Secret of the Power Lunch
The often maligned Power Lunch can be one of your best sales weapons – if you do it right! Colleen Francis tell you in this video top how to create a regular power lunch that helps you close more deals, faster. https://s3.amazonaws.com/TopSales/sales-library/2014/may-27/The+Secret+VST12.mp4
The Worth of Clients Beyond What They Buy
Most sellers measure the Total lifetime value of their clients. This is a mistake. What they should be measuring Return on Client Relationship. ROCR is the true worth of clients beyond simply what they buy. When you calculate this number and track whether it is growing or shrinking over time you will know if you… Read More
Thinking Beyond Year-End
Yes, of course you should be highly focused on hitting those Q4 and annual numbers, but do at least have one eye on Q1 2015, if you really do want to avoid the “boom and bust” syndrome, advises Colleen Francis.
Time To Get Organized!
As you know, organization is simply one of those “must-have” skills that a salesperson must possess in order to be successful. Let’s make a distinction – being organized in sales doesn’t mean having a spotless office with perfect stacks of paper and a strategically placed hand sanitizer beside your computer. Being organized means having one… Read More
Transforming Dysfunctional to Performance
Dysfunction: the word comes up in conversation every day, usually in relation to crazy families, nutty reality show contestants, and all-around gossip. But what happens when the word dysfunction can be applied to your sales team? In particular, when a dysfunctional sales team is preventing you from getting the results your company needs to move… Read More
Use Awards to Create Leads
Business awards are one of the best ways to develop new connections – but avoid these pitfalls! https://s3.amazonaws.com/TopSales/sales-library/2014/may-27/Use+awards+VST15.mp4
Use the S.A.L.E. Methodology to Counter Any Objection
We all face questions and objections from buyers. The key to creating a nonstop sales boom is in reframing these objections as simple conversation starters that lead towards a sale. In doing so you will reduce your anxiety and will be able to work through them more effectively. S = Stop and listen. That’s right…. Read More
Want Sales? Get Some Sleep!
Your health and wellness are important factors to consider if you want to increase your sales. As you know, it’s tough to focus and get things done when you’re stressed or working on a lack of sleep! Due to this, it’s so important to focus on youjust as much as you focus on your sales… Read More
What Do Customers Want?
In sales, our focus is often set on making the next sale. But, our current client base should never be neglected for the sake of closing another deal Always nurture and build relationships within your current customer base. You want to keep them happy because not only does it feel good to deliver quality to… Read More