Salespodder (Page 405)

More issues

CRM Success: A Definition

Back to my customer that has Saratoga’s Avenue gear, which all the reps naturally avoid using as much as they can. This isn’t news. Nor is it restricted to this one software vendor’s code. At a recent sales meeting of theirs I attended, they were all moaning

Ditch Those Old Shoes

One of my customer’s is at present trying to nail an objection that’s preventing some of their guys from prising open the door of potential new clients. When cold-calling, they introduce themselves only to receive the ‘we’ve already got a supplier for that’ flea in the ear.

Can you introduce "Value Innovation"?

This is a subject to which I may well return, as I’m intrigued by this new evolution to strategic and growth initiatives. In markets heading towards commoditisation, wrapping more value into or around the product/service you provide is a must. Yet finding ways to do this are fiendishly

Overcoming a 'pats'

For all you cold-callers out there, three objections have been around since the oldest profession established itself. Everyone will recognise being fobbed off with rubbish like ‘I’m too busy’, ‘send me something’ or ‘phone me in a few months’. There are lots of different ways of handling these, and

Sales Pledge Cards

The first time I ever saw a pledge card was on a video during a lecture at Uni. A greying English corporate middle-manager was salivating on the virtues of Deming’s 14 points [http://www.deming.org/theman/teachings02.html] of quality. As a group of students, I sensed most

Reaching The Unreachable

Was in a customer near Shakespeare’s birthplace and met a decent chap called Richard now selling the best drinks dispense systems into the pub retail trade for the past seven months. One of the sales teams aim is to talk business issues with senior execs rather than delivery ones

Re-Presentation 30 Times Over

I’m currently helping a ten-strong sales team sell more of a new product, guaranteeing decent run-rate business. Upon launch a few months ago, most of them didn’t manage to sell any to their distributors/resellers, so enthusiasm waned. I just spoke to one of their guys that finally

Are you Siesmic or Geological?

Learned something illuminating the other day, doing some work for one of my customers that sell to the oil industry. I enjoyed a long telephone conversation with a chap called Ceri, a PhD in geology no less. What I learned, is that in the multi-million dollar science that is guestimating

Sales Bosses Top 5 Dangers

What are the top dangers sales operations face today? According to 2,663 such organisations polled recently, they are these 5: 1. Poorly defined sales process 2. Individual skill shortages 3. Unfocussed sales activity 4. Self-limiting belief prevails 5. Management not nurturing I see all of the above inside the

Going over their head

This is such an age-old problem, yet I cannot recall ever speaking to someone who had a genuine answer to it. The scenario is, you’re selling to one person and things are not necessarily going your way. So you must talk to their boss. What do you do? a)