August 2020
Compressing Time
Imagine the arc of a complex sales process and the time span it occupies. Now think about compressing time. Make that time span smaller, shorter, and more dense. From the identification (or even better, the creation) of buyer interest to the point where a purchasing decision is finally made, there are any number of events …
Sales Fundamentals – Understand Copywriting
If you’re focused on sales fundamentals, it pays to spend some time understanding copywriting. Here’s a simple homework assignment: Study how copy is written. Learn why the good stuff works. Most importantly, be like all the good copywriters and understand the basic psychology behind it. Because the folks that do it well understand buyers and …
The Request for Proposal
I think there have been four unsolicited Request for Proposal (RFP) wins in the course of my sales career. Four. That’s an average of one every… never mind. Of course, that may suggest that I suck at RFPs. Or maybe the deal was skewed to the favor of some other vendor. (I’m going with the …
Sales Fundamentals: Your Sales Toolkit
Do you have a sales toolkit? Because a salesperson’s income is directly linked to their sales performance, being more productive pays real dividends. Which means every increase in preparedness and productivity typically translates into increased sales success, which should then result in greater earnings. (Or it should.) A ten percent increase in your productivity should …
Sales Fundamental: Have a Sales Out
Early-stage founders need to be actively selling. It’s a key sales fundamental to understand that having a dual founder/sales role means that the buck stops with you. This means your prospective client knows that you call the shots. They know that you have the authority and can commit. You can say YES. But… there may …
Sales Fundamental: Got Sales Game
I like to think I’ve got sales game, but would have never thought of this. Because I’m not a gamer, so I just don’t have that perspective. Maybe I should. It’s good to be able to think outside the box. Plus, sales golf has never been a big part of my strategy. Too much time …
Sales Fundamental: Reliability
One of the most basic sales fundamentals is reliability, the simple act of doing what you say you’re going to do. You could also argue it’s the most obvious. (It’s also a rule that translates equally well to most other areas of life.) In two words: Be reliable. Deliver on your commitments. Be on time. …
Sales Fundamentals – Have Patience
When selling to big, brand-named B2B accounts, it helps to have patience. One of the more frustrating aspects of sales for early stage start-ups is the decision-making process and the slow pace of progress that’s inherent with enterprise accounts. A juicy, high-profile deal with one can be a game-changer for any small company, but making …