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Qualifying Questions

Assessing versus Assuming

Assess OR Assume…you can’t do both.

And the only way you know which one you are currently doing is…drumroll, please…you are asking questions with only ONE of them: Assessing. Assessing means asking questions, not knowing and looking for evidence, but asking in order to know.

Asking questions is a skill. Every sales professional needs to see it as a skill to develop FOREVER because the customer buying process changes, the marketplace evolves, and the desire and ability to learn more and do …

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Process for Selling Intangibles

Selling intangible outcomes like appointments is different from selling tangible outcomes, like sofas or chairs. Selling an intangible requires a process of introducing the concept when you first realize that it will be the intended outcome of the sales interaction. This is because it is CLEAR that the customer cannot buy today – based on the answers to your questions that were intended to determine that (not your assumptions).

At that point, introduce the concept: “Since we can only accompl…

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The Start of a New Quarter

The beauty of quarters is that they are measurable and manageable components of time that allow for a bit more breathing room than months alone allow. 

As sales professionals, we are challenged to make goal every month and to make goal every quarter. However, it doesn’t always work that smoothly…with significant goals, you might miss goal one month, go a bit over the next month, and look to square up the quarter in the third month…which is why I like quarterly goals so much.

Each quarter t…

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Process…plus….

Of the three key points, this one is most critical to know in order to direct the interaction to an outcome today – and the only outcomes that count are a sale or an appointment.

Every buyer is somewhere in their buying decision. Where they are and what they have done and what remains to be done will impact what they CAN do today. 

Surprisingly, this is the area least explored by most salespeople or considered critical in what outcome can be achieved today. And I assert that not knowing th…

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Q2 2021

Q2 2021

For sales associates and leaders everywhere

 Q1 2021 is now behind us. If you hit your quarterly goal, congratulations! If you missed it, check your performance statistics and you will find what was insufficient that kept you from  hitting your target.

The obvious challenges most retail and trade showrooms are facing right now are supply chain shortages and insufferable lead times. This is what the remainder of the year will look like, so it’s critical that we manage what we can contr…

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HubSpot Sales Statistics…With Secret Sauce Added

Hi everyone….

In my next series of posts, I am going to be talking about a data set that HubSpot published in 2018 on Sales Enablement Statistics. These are great bits of information for salespeople and sales managers to know in order to impact the actions they take with prospects and with selling and coaching time. I intend to address all 20 of them over time and I welcome you to share how they impact YOUR actions with your team or with your prospects.
  1. 50% of sales time is wasted on poor pro…

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You Won’t Win Them All

For sales professionals, everywhere
 
And you don’t have to win them all.
You want to win them all, will do your best to win them all, and sometimes obstacles will arise that will prevent that from happening.
There is ALWAYS something to learn that can be improved, eliminated, or adjusted.
You want to engage so that THEY feel heard and fully expressed and so that YOU can accomplish something - the sale today or to forward the sale today.
And when you fail to produce a result, look to see if…

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