A new email pops up in your inbox. It’s a name you don’t recognize, but the subject line says- “Pricing info.” You open the email to find that it’s someone who found your information online. They’re interested in your product and they want more information. Even better, they want to know if you have time for a phone call later this afternoon.

It’s every salesperson’s dream, right? If only more prospects would magically appear in your inbox.

You have a call with the prospect and he seems very interested, but he needs more information. You have a face-to-face meeting with him. Then another call. You mail out information and send some follow-up emails. Soon, the excitement of the initial email wears off. What once seemed like a sure-thing now seems like it may not happen at all. The sale has lost all traction.

Every time you try to move the process forward, you get the same response – “I need more time.” Or maybe, “I’m still thinking over my options.”

What he’s really telling you is that he’s not interested, but for any number of reasons, he won’t come out and say it. Why would someone ask for information on a product they don’t intend to buy? Maybe they really do just want information. Maybe they realized the product was outside their budget. They could have put the cart ahead of the horse and subsequently realized they don’t need your product quite yet. [Read more…]

It’s that time again. Time to change out the calendar, which means it’s also time hit the reset button and make those big, life-changing resolutions. What’s your resolution this year? To eat healthier and finally use that gym membership? To read some of those books collecting dust on your shelf? To drop that nagging habit that you’ve struggled with for so long?

Or maybe your resolutions are focused on work. Specifically, maybe you’re thinking about how you can get better results in 2016. If so, take a look at the five suggestions below. From my 30-plus years of sales leadership and coaching, I’ve found that making simple changes to some of your daily habits can often bring the biggest impact.

The five resolutions listed below aren’t tough to implement or stick with. They’re not as challenging as other popular resolutions, like going on a crazy diet or quitting smoking cold turkey. Instead, these are changes that you can make starting immediately. And all they require is a little bit of focus and dedication. [Read more…]

What if there were a button you could press that would increase your team’s results by five, ten, or even twenty percent? If that button existed, you would push it, right? While it may not be as simple or quick as pushing a button, there is one skill that you can improve upon to drive dramatic results for your team.

What is it?

Simple….it’s your coaching skills. A sales manager has to wear a lot of different hats. You’re a recruiter. A supervisor. A counselor, a partner, and sometimes you might even feel like a babysitter. More than anything, though, you’re a coach. [Read more…]