When I give coaching or training, I always get questions that indicate people want line-by-line instructions on how to win the sale. It just doesn’t exist, but it doesn’t mean we don’t benefit from sales methodologies....
I’ve heard from many start-up CEOs and Founders, “I want sales people with a rolodex.” Since I left Microsoft, to start The Five Abilities™, I’ve been approached by recruiters who are very open that their company/client wants my rolodex. They assume after 30+ years in...
NO SURPRISES is a key part of RELIABILITY. It’s about making sure decision makers get relevant information, both positive and negative, from you versus their peers or, worse, your competition. It requires a clear VISION, a MISSION with milestones and a COMPETITIVE REWARD. With these in place, you can create a sales culture where surprising a customer is a rare occasion. ...
Product people sometimes ignore feedback claiming that all sales people will always side with the customer and are not to be trusted. It's called going native. That is a certain way of missing valuable information, alienating customers and, of course, losing business. As Randy Jackson, of American Idol, would say, 'sales people are in it to win it' just like product people. Find out why this assumption is bad....
Having good customer relationships doesn't equate to siding with them on every issue. The customer needs sales people to be objective with the right balance between customer advocacy and company representation so there are no surprises when it comes time to deploy what is purchased. Find out why going native is bad....
