I don't know much about baseball. But I do know that it is an incredibly intricate, complicated and tough sport. Watching my son, Wyatt try to get his first hit in live pitch baseball really drove it home. And getting a hit is a lot like getting a sale. Continue reading

The panic button sits on my desk. And its a fantastic reminder that in sales staying calm is the way to go, even if you want to panic! This is especially true when you are waiting for a contract. Continue reading

Working on a deal? Just who do you trust? Please say your prospect. Because if you don't, you may lose the deal. And you know what they say:if you love somebody set them free. Continue reading

Got a hot prospect you can't wait to close? Hit them with some great stats from the latest case study, white paper or report! That will convince them. Convince them to not buy from you! Continue reading

You hear it time and time again. The hardest thing to do is find and keep good salespeople. There's lots of implications to "find and keep good sales people." Let's focus on the "good" part. Want the truth about why you or a colleague got fired from a sales job? Read on. Continue reading

It's been a few long weeks since I blogged. Bad blogger! The sales team has been slammed, so at least its for a good reason. Naturally it wasn't surprising when I found out a grand total of ZERO people read my blog the past few days. Time flies when your head is up your ass and you don't do anything! Then how come so many salespeople do nothing and expect to get something? Continue reading

A few weeks ago, one of my best friends called me. He was frustrated about his pharmaceutical sales job, particularly the way the company calculated “sales”. It has finally pushed him to seriously consider another gig. Truth is I have seen lots of pharma reps apply for sales positions I have. None of them have been able to change belief of mine. Pharma is not sales. Can you convince me? Continue reading

How many times have you called someone you know works with a competitor? Lot's right? Well, how many times have you slammed that competitor in your initial conversation with the prospect? That's what I thought! If you wonder why you don't close many of them its because you didn't follow a golden rule for second graders: if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. Continue reading

As salespeople we are trained to figure out a prospect's "hot button." Just what will make them buy? Yesterday, I realized that a bigger question is: what makes you sell? What is the "carrot" that makes you pull the donkey cart of sales? Continue reading

My second grade son understands the concept of chores. Do them and he gets an allowance. But "do" is a relative term. He has an endless array of methods to whittle down his actual work load while still expecting full pay. It reminds me of what salespeople ask for and do everyday, like get dirty with interns. Continue reading

One of the coolest things about writing articles is the surprise of which ones "take off." Yesterday's post, Are You Checking In? about how silly it is for salespeople to "just check in" was the most popular ever. One of my best friends, Bobby who happens to be the GM of a luxury car dealership told me, "I used to call and just ask if they want to buy something yet so I could make a commission." Honesty. What a novel thought. Continue reading

The car salesman strikes again. Last time one inspired me to write "Car Salesman Cold Call." This latest guy made me realize just how silly it sounds to tell a prospect you are "checking in." Bet you say that, too. What does "just checking in" mean anyway? Have you ever stopped to think about it? Continue reading