Whether I’m working with a fresh-faced new seller or a seasoned pro, one thing that almost every seller does is “underprepare” for meetings and calls. Even when they know I’m going to join them, listen in, or attend the meeting with them, they grab a blank notepad and dial or walk into a meeting. I’ve...Read More

The stats on prospecting that have been quoted (me included!) for the past several years go something like this … 48% of salespeople never follow up with a prospect 25% of salespeople make a second contact and stop 12% of salespeople only make three contacts and stop Only 10% of salespeople make more than three...Read More

I helped a friend out a few weeks ago. She has built a team of salespeople underneath her in a business that sells global products made by artisans paid fair wages and the organization commits the profits heavily to humanitarian efforts around the world as well. Her team members are NOT professionally trained salespeople, yet,...Read More

Sales is exhilarating. Selling is grueling. Sales is non-stop activity. Selling is exhausting. Sales is juggling competing priorities. Selling is chasing a constantly moving target. How do you keep filling your new business pipeline, juggling activities, reports, administrative stuff, client relationships, and AVOIDING burnout? Considering the recent (various) reports that suggest nearly 7 out of...Read More

I surveyed a sales team recently – prior to a Skills Building session on Pushback, Objections, and Negotiation – and asked them some of the most common obstacles they face in business development. Their answers didn’t surprise me, but one of the things about their answers that I pointed out really made them think –...Read More

My agile, fit, 70-year-old mother came over this week after cleaning her gutters. They were pulling away from the house so she climbed on a ladder and in the 90 degree Memphis summer heat, cleaned the debris and gunk out of her gutters. The rub came later when she was in the house and tidying...Read More

How do you feel about negotiation? For most of us, if we had to describe “negotiation” we imagine the back and forth pull and tension we’ve felt when buying a car or a house. And most sellers don’t love negotiation either … the fine line between giving away your margin or having to walk away...Read More

Many sellers approach sales calls for business development with some anxiety. I can completely understand that feeling. In spite of good, better, and even amazing efforts, if you’ve been in sales doing business development for a while, you’ve been on the receiving end of grumpy prospects, hang-ups, yelling, or otherwise unpleasant calls. I can completely...Read More

Putting together a speech for an upcoming keynote and looking for insights about growth and learning, I ran across a quote and the work of Joe Dispenza that describes WHY it’s so hard to learn as an adult: “Psychologists tell us that by the time we’re in our mid-30s, our identity or personality will be...Read More

This was a special Mother’s Day. Unique, for sure. No sleeping in, breakfast in bed, or brunch this year. This year we were out the door before school bus time and on our way to a special experience at FedEx. One of my husband’s patients (he’s the GREATEST optometrist) is a flight instructor and invited...Read More