Keep Your Customers Close

A colleague and I were signing in to see a prospect about a request for proposal when we noticed some competitors’ names, including the fellow who had been representing the client in the most recent past, and whom we naturally felt had the inside track this time around.
 
To test the waters, when the prospect came around to see us, I jokingly said, “Looks like Steve beat us to the punch.” The prospect’s reply was absolutely chilling to anyone who sells for a living. Read More

Here’s What Salespeople Can Learn From Tom Brady

Well, after Sunday’s Super Bowl, Tom Brady took his place among the all-time greatest quarterbacks in NFL history . . . some say the greatest. A special talent for sure, but did you know that he is also considered one of the hardest working players in the NFL during the offseason?   Read More

The Power of Giving Thanks

One of the more interesting areas of research that we conduct relates to the awesome power of linguistics, that is, the words we use not only to communicate, but to develop thoughts in our heads.
 
We all know, for example, that positive words can put us in a positive frame of mind, and that powerful, action words can spice up a sales presentation.
 
But today, let’s focus on two of the most familiar, yet emotionally charged phrases in the English language . . . “thank you” and “you’re welcome.” Read More

How Creativity Connects to Sales

I was looking through some of my files on “creativity” today, and a few things jumped out at me:
 
Humor and laughter promote relaxation and creativity. Unfortunately, as we get older, we laugh a lot less. In fact, studies show that children laugh 400 times each day while adults laugh 15 times per day. Creativity? Kids win hands down. Read More

Another Validation for Keeping Things Simple for our Clients and Prospects

I saw an interesting article in the Harvard Business Review that reinforces the notion that we want to try to keep things as simple as possible in our client interactions and customer service. 
 
According to the article, today’s customers are more well- informed than ever as they conduct their own research via Google and other sites, and by the time they engage with us, they are often more interested in action steps than in hearing more about what they already know.
 
So a good early question before we move into our sales discussion is: Read More

1 Subtle Change to Take Your “Small Talk” to the Next Level

There have been a lot of psychological studies done about what we as laymen might call “small talk.” You know … the inane chatter about the weather, or the weekend, that people inevitably engage in when they first come together or after not seeing each other for a while.
 
But, according to the research, there is a lot more going on during “small talk” than meets the eye.
 
People are subliminally seeking resonance with each other both in thought and in speech. They are letting their guard down a bit in an attempt to relate and connect. And they are preparing, both personally and in terms of business, if it is a work setting, to engage.
 
Why is this important for us to understand as salespeople? Read More

Persistence – The Key to Achievement!

Happy 2017!
 
For us as salespeople, there is nothing quite like a fresh new year!  And as we move into 2017, remember this:
 
Of all the factors that go into successful selling and relationship building, NOTHING is more important than persistence.  Not talent, not intelligence, not personality.  Read More

A  Mr. Shmooze Style New Year’s Resolution

This is our last column of the year, and of course everybody is compiling their New Year’s resolutions as we speak. In the spirit of Mr. Shmooze, think about including the following resolution:
 
In 2017, each time I have an encounter with anyone, when I finish, I will pause for just a second and ask myself the following question:

“Did I lift the other person’s spirits, even just a little, when we interacted?”
 
That’s it!  If the answer is yes, you will have one of the most successful and fulfilling years of your life in 2017. It takes some discipline, and a little focus,  but once you get in that mode, magic can happen.
 
Happy New Year everyone!

It’s About Time . . . And . . .

I am often asked if there is one thing we see the world’s most successful salespeople do more or better than everyone else in the great game of selling. There are several things that come together, but one that stands out is the sheer amount of time they actually interact with prospects and customers. Or, conversely, the surprising small amount of time their competitors spend with customers.
 
I recently spoke to a salesperson I was beginning to coach, and we went through his daily schedule. It looked something like this. Read More

A Mr. Shmooze Moment – How Businesses are Made or Broken

I always like to talk about Mr. Shmooze moments when they occur spontaneously. Here is one from the past week.
 
I went to the same restaurant twice last week for breakfast. Same brand, same product . . . completely different experience based upon salesmanship/service. Read More

Are We Doing Enough for Our Relationships? Are We Really?

In my workshops, I like to ask people the following question to get the juices flowing.

Here is the scenario: Take your most profitable client.  Now imagine that he/she was your ONLY client, that is, if he/she went away, you would lose your livelihood and could not provide for your family.  Read More

Going Negative – Bad Idea When It Comes to Sales

Well, tonight is the big (election) night! In the past, I have often used the Presidential elections to point out real time applications of effective marketing and communications techniques, but I purposely stayed away from this one because it is so emotionally charged. 
 
However, as we move into the final evening, I want to point out one thing that this election has proven in spades . . . Read More