Posted on Monday, June 7, 2021

Shrug It Off!

Sometimes the best way to handle a setback is to just let it go.

Years ago, a co-worker came into the office one morning and told us about his son’s shocking announcement: His four-year-old was now a T. Rex, and thus would no longer be wearing shoes of any kind.

Getting a four-year-old ready in the morning is tough even on a good day—and when you’re a parent who’s already running behind, this is not the announcement you want to hear!

My co-worker didn’t lose his patience, argue, or yell. He just grabbed his son’s socks and shoes, said “Oh, well,” and headed out to the car.

It was the middle of winter. He knew that as soon as his kid’s feet hit the cold concrete outside, the boy would change his mind—and say, “Hey dad, can I have my shoes?”

Posted on Monday, May 31, 2021

How To Write The Perfect Sales Proposal

Don’t let your sales proposal get in the way of your deal! Here’s how to avoid the most common mistakes.

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Not every salesperson needs to write sales proposals, but if you’re in a relationship-based sales cycle, there’s a good chance your client expects to see a proposal. And, your entire deal may hinge on this single document! Where do you even start?

If you want to craft the perfect sales proposal, you need to:

Follow a clear outline.
Keep it about the client, not you.
Be specific, not generic.
Come prepared.

Posted on Monday, May 24, 2021

Plan Your Sales Goals Around a 46-Week Year

Have more freedom—and less stress—by planning your goals around a 46-week year.

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Have you ever had a deal get delayed due to a holiday? Decision-makers are traveling and offices are closed. Around a holiday, you can lose an entire week—and this happens multiple times a year!

Many salespeople assume they have 52 weeks a year to reach their sales goals. Nope! When a holiday rolls around, you can’t hit your weekly quota, and suddenly you’re playing catch-up. If you’re lucky, you can catch up before the next holiday—and the cycle repeats.

So, how can you be strategic about planning your sales goals for the year?

Posted on Monday, May 17, 2021

How To Master Your Sales Goals

For sales goals to work, you’ll need a plan to achieve them.

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When was the last time you really examined your goals? As salespeople, we’re used to creating goals on a quarterly and annual basis. But the magic happens when we evaluate our goals and turn them into a plan.

Here’s the good news—creating goals is actually pretty easy.

There are three basic steps to achieving sales goals:

Know the numbers.
Look to the past.
Plan for the future.

Unfortunately, implementing a plan that will help you achieve that goal can be a little more painful. You need to have an honest talk with yourself—how are you going to take your sales goals and turn them into a realistic sales plan?

Posted on Monday, May 10, 2021

3 Tips For Remembering Names

Here’s a lie I hear people tell themselves all the time: “I’m no good at remembering names.” Try these three tips on your next introduction!

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Remembering names seems like it comes naturally to some people, while others struggle.

But I’ve found most people who have difficulty remembering names just need to learn how to do three things:

Change your attitude
Pay attention (and slow down!)
Use new names immediately

Posted on Monday, May 3, 2021

Experiencing Burnout? Change Your Quadrant!

If you’re struggling with getting everything done, it’s vital to understand the Four Quadrants of time management.

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When I ask a sales manager how business is going, I usually hear a little pride in their voice as they say, “We’re totally slammed!” In the business world, people seem to think it’s cool to be buried up to their necks in work!

Hearing people brag about being slammed always makes me think of one of my favorite Tim Ferriss quotes:

Posted on Monday, April 26, 2021

It’s Time To Embrace A Sales Culture

Being shy about being in sales doesn’t help you, your company, or your clients. Embrace it—and love it!

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You’re a salesperson. Can you admit it? I’ve met plenty of “recruiters,” “financial advisors,” “insurance agents,” and “loan officers” who tell me, “I really don’t see myself as a salesperson.”

This mentality even affects our job titles! There are hundreds of job titles that could be replaced with the word “salesperson” and be just as accurate—if not more accurate.

Let me start with a big, fat, bold statement: Being a salesperson is an honorable profession! So why are so many people in sales reluctant to admit that they’re in sales? And why don’t more businesses that rely entirely on sales embrace a sales culture?