"Before you begin a thing, remind yourself that difficulties and delays quite impossible to foresee are ahead... You can only see one thing clearly, and that is your goal. Form a mental vision of that and cling to it through thick and thin."

“We all sell something a product, an idea or a service.” When you think about it, every profession is dependent on communication skills.
The best lawyer doesn’t know the most about the law. They communicate the best to the judge, jury and opposing counsel. The best Preacher, Priest or Rabi doesn’t know the most about the Bible or Torah, they communicate it the best to the congregation. The best teacher doesn’t necessarily know the most about their subject but they communicate it the best to their students.
This is my point, no matter what we do our communication skills, to some extent determine our success. I have no idea what grades my doctor made or whether he “passed” the state licensing requirements by one point. I go because he communicates effectively with me. I trust him. Trust is a key element of communication/ sales.
Yet what do most of us, even those of us in sales, think about the word “salesman”? We think pushy, high pressure, con man, Charlatan, cheat, dishonest, crooked, twist your arm, make you buy, say anything to get the sale, good golfer.
Now we in sales have to recognize this stereotype. We have to embrace that on a sales call we are “sub-human” until we gain enough trust to be promoted to “human”. So like other successful professionals, how do we learn to communicate? “You can trust me. I won’t lie to you. I have your best interests at heart.”
You should start with the frame of mind that “I am here to serve you”. In the first meeting with a prospect, if you can focus on the prospect and not yourself, you’ve come a long way towards success in sales. The mindset of “I am here to serve” does two things.
First, it eliminates the unspoken, non-verbal signal we send when we’re there to “make the sale”. Potential customers can see the dollar signs in your eyes. Remember, 60% of what you communicate is non-verbal and when your focus is on your needs first, you send that signal and your customer picks up on it.
Second, if your mindset is to serve, you accomplish a major step in making the sale; that of finding or creating a need. If you’re there to help, you will find it much easier to explain how your product meets a specific need you’ve uncovered. Remember, nobody buys to help you win a sales contest. They buy to meet a want or need of their own.
Another way to get promoted to “human” from “sub-human”, in other words, to improve your communication skills, is to let the prospect (early in the discussion) know others have promoted you from “sub-human” to “human”. The use of other customer’s names and the use of other company names you do business with builds trust and will get you promoted rapidly.
When I was selling books door to door, the Southwestern Company sent me a bumper sticker that I kept on my car for years. I sold that car with the bumper sticker still on it. The bumper sticker said “I Am Third!”
The message I sent myself everyday was God is first, my customer is second and I am third. Putting the customer ahead of yourself will help you get where you want to go.

In selling, trickle-down fear causes all kinds of problems. When the boss trembles, the staff shakes. What's the fix? Keep in mind that there are good times and tough times. Worry never made a worrisome situation better. When you feel threatened by fear, make a list of all the things within your control. You'll find you're better off than you think.

If you have 500 customers, you have 500 friends. Before persuading people to part with their money, you must first earn trust, which means you have to win them over as friends. Making friends is half the fun of doing business. When you're dealing with people who trust you and look for ways to provide mutual value, business becomes a joy. No asset is worth more.

If it wasn’t for the darn customers, business would be easy.  They are so demanding. You can also blame poor sales results on Wall Street, the administration and millennials.  It might be time to stop the blame game and take a tour of your company to see if you are creating raving fans or clients that are raving mad.
Case in point.  A colleague of mine purchased a computer earlier this year and within a week the infamous blue screen showed up.  The computer shut down and she had to return it.  The company actually handled the return fairly well.  They took back the computer and even allowed her to pick out another computer because she didn't trust buying the same model.  Six months later Murphy's Law hit and her second computer from this retailer blew up.
For some reason, this broken computer was handled much differently.  She received a cheery voicemail saying that her computer needed to be send back to the manufacturer because it didn't work.  (Duh)  And it would take about seven to ten days to diagnose, fix and return.  My colleague had purchased the $300 warranty - to prevent this type of hassle.
Let's ask few common sense questions around this scenario:

• Who can afford to be without their business computer seven to ten days?  
• How smart is it to leave this type of information on voicemail?   It's kind of like a doctor leaving a message that the test results aren’t good and an operation is in order.
•  And maybe, just maybe, wouldn't it make sense to jump through hoops to keep this client satisfied because it was her second computer blow-up in six months?  

My colleague did what most people unfortunately have to do to get the service she paid for.  She got upset, pushy and finally got a good customer service person that scored high in emotional intelligence.  She was empathetic, listened and provided the right solution.  She saved my colleague as a client.
Companies focus on winning business each year in order to grow revenues.  It's great to have business coming in the front door.  Just make sure customers aren't turning around and going out the back door.  
Here are two things to examine and do to retain and grow sales.
#1.  Secret shop your own company.   Document everything from the first point of contact with your company.  How friendly is the person answering the phone or...is no one answering the phone?   How are prospects and clients greeted when they walk into your office?   Are they greeted by name or do they feel like they are interrupting the business managers work day?
What's the sales process like from the prospect’s perspective?   Is your sales team consultative or still using outdated trial closes?  “So Mr. Customer, wouldn’t you agree that our product could…..”  Or equally bad is the proverbial product dump.  This is where your salesperson goes into a canned presentation and product dump after the poor prospect asks, “Can you tell me more about your company?”   
How do you deal with returns, billing issues and service after the sale?   Remember, not every customer gets upset and complains.  Many just go away and you never learn why or how you lost their business.   Janelle Barlow, an expert in the customer service world has a great quote.  "Complaints are a gift."  Secret shop to identify and prevent complaints.
#2.  Duplicate companies that create a great client experience.  Zappos, the on-line shoe company, grew to one billion dollars in ten years.  They are known for providing great customer service.  Their focus:  create a WOW factor for their clients.  Order shoes from them, even if you don’t need any, just to experience this WOW factor.
For example, your first shipment arrives overnight, at no extra charge.  WOW!  If you return all nine pairs of shoes, there is no lie detector test asking you if you wore the shoes.  They apply the common sense rule.  If a customer is shopping on-line, he or she doesn’t have the time or desire to shop in a crowded mall.
Zappos also gives their customer one year to return shoes.   They know their customers are busy and sometimes don’t get returns processed in 30 days.  Remember a not so friendly company called Blockbuster?  Yeah, those late fees on movies served them well.
Are you losing customers because of your 'ten day policies?'   Secret shop your own company.  Apply common sense and create a great client experience.    Keep sales coming in the front door and not out the back door.  

"There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophies."

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."

There’s been a lot of debate over the last few years about the effectiveness of multitasking.
Productivity experts make the case that trying to do more than one thing at the same time leads to poor results — and half-finished outcomes.
Nothing gets the best use of your attention. Instead of doing more, you actually get less done. And what you get done isn’t game-changing or noteworthy.
Maybe multi-tasking isn’t broken.
Maybe it’s your focus and planning that need a tune up.
If you’re not focused, you’re not going to be achieving your best. You’re not going to produce results that are legendary.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to throw out your multitasking. Maybe you just need to add a better plan — so that you can do better at doing more.
Maybe you need to figure out your focus.
Maybe you need to build a plan to get more things done each day. After all, isn’t a plan the key to being productive?
Here are a few ideas for hyper-tasking your way to outrageously effective outcomes.

1. Dedicate time each week to prioritizing big picture goals for the coming week, month, and quarter.
2. Use reminders to notify you of upcoming tasks due throughout the day.
3. Change your default hour long meeting to just 20 minutes and make sure anyone requesting your time knows you’ll be leaving early.
4. Use task tracking apps like Todoist, Wunderlist, or Asana to get generic tasks done throughout the day when you have a few free minutes.
5. Make it a priority to get everything done that you put on your list done each day. Be religious about not procrastinating.
6. Use your calendar as a “real time” diary of whom you call and what you do in time slots throughout the day. Makes it easier to remember in the future.
7. Use your smartphone technology to dictate reminders, events, and tasks that need to be done as you think about them throughout the day.
8. Block out distractions by turning off notifications when you have an important project that needs your full attention.
9. Use music, a TV in the room, or other background noise to keep your brain engaged while you work on boring business tasks.
10. Use multiple computers or multiple screens to manage different pieces of the project you are working on at the moment.
11. Adjust the size of your “to do” list and the number of appointment on your calendar based on your ability to keep getting things done effectively.
12. Answer, archive, or “act on” your email messages within 30 seconds of reading them. Get them out of your way as soon as possible

Maybe it’s time to plan for getting more things done.
Multitasking, hyper tasking, focusing on what’s important — whatever you call it, the key to being amazing is having an amazing plan.
Just because you do more than one thing at a time doesn’t mean you’re doing less than your best.
It might just mean that your big goals demand that you do more than everyone else around you.
Act like a champ. Be a multi-tasking superhero.

"Ingenuity - plus courage, plus work - equals miracles."

"Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade."

"Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure."

"How many millionaires do you know who have become wealthy by investing in savings accounts? I rest my case."

"The beginning is the most important part of the work."

Are you promotable? This question warrants some self-reflection. Salespeople who want to move up through the ranks need the ability to coach and communicate. They must be able to influence others. They must know how to give positive and, when necessary, constructive negative feedback. These characteristics bode well for personal as well as professional growth.

"If you would hit the mark, you must aim a little above it; every arrow that flys feels the attraction of earth."

"The more informative your advertising, the more persuasive it will be."

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An sales, we’re often trained to become numb to the word “no.” We hear it at the very start of the sales process and, depending on how our interaction with contacts goes, we might hear it several more times before a deal ever closes. In prospecting, we can expect to hear it at least eight times — remembering that a lack of a reply is actually a silent “no” — before we ever get a response. And even that response might be a very audible “no.”

Unfortunately, we don’t just hear “no” from customers, either. Sometimes, it comes from technical experts and managers we work with, too:

No, I can’t come with you on that sales call…

No, we can’t build that solution…

No, we don’t have those resources…

No, we don’t have those skills…

No, you can’t offer that discount…

No, we don’t work with that target market…

No, we don’t want to partner with that company…

The bottom line is that, as a sales rep, you’ll inevitably face “no” every single day — and probably multiple times throughout the day. If you let it bother you, that kind of rejection can beat you down and make you want to start looking around for another job.

Until, you hear the magic word: “Yes.” And all it takes is one “yes” and suddenly you’ve forgotten about all the previous “nos.”

Yes, my boss would like to speak with you…

Yes, you’re right, we should address that issue…

Yes, I would like you to talk with our owner…

Yes, I do want to work with you…

Yes, let’s do it!

Ah, the sweet sound of success!

The reality, of course, is that you’ll always hear “no” significantly more often than you hear “yes.” After all, if you consider that a successful sales rep typically boasts a 25 percent close ratio, that means he or she is still hearing “no” three times before they hear one “yes.” It’s up to you, however, to choose how to handle rejection.

Here’s my advice: Soak up the joy of every yes and recognize the opportunity in every no.

It’s an opportunity to turn a gatekeeper or prospect around and land that first appointment. It’s an opportunity to uncover more details and, ultimately, show a contact why they need to address a particular problem. It’s an opportunity to show your manager the real potential in an account. And, most of all, it’s an opportunity forge ahead and win another sale.

The bottom line is that “no” is in the eye of the beholder. So, how are you going to respond when you hear it today? Will you see potential failure or potential opportunity?

An sales, we’re often trained to become numb to the word “no.” We hear it at the very start of the sales process and, depending on how our interaction with contacts goes, we might hear it several more times before a deal ever closes. In prospecting, we can expect to hear it at least eight times — remembering that a lack of a reply is actually a silent “no” — before we ever get a response. And even that response might be a very audible “no.”
Unfortunately, we don’t just hear “no” from customers, either. Sometimes, it comes from technical experts and managers we work with, too:
No, I can’t come with you on that sales call…
No, we can’t build that solution…
No, we don’t have those resources…
No, we don’t have those skills…
No, you can’t offer that discount…
No, we don’t work with that target market…
No, we don’t want to partner with that company…
The bottom line is that, as a sales rep, you’ll inevitably face “no” every single day — and probably multiple times throughout the day. If you let it bother you, that kind of rejection can beat you down and make you want to start looking around for another job.
Until, you hear the magic word: “Yes.” And all it takes is one “yes” and suddenly you’ve forgotten about all the previous “nos.”
Yes, my boss would like to speak with you…
Yes, you’re right, we should address that issue…
Yes, I would like you to talk with our owner…
Yes, I do want to work with you…
Yes, let’s do it!
Ah, the sweet sound of success!
The reality, of course, is that you’ll always hear “no” significantly more often than you hear “yes.” After all, if you consider that a successful sales rep typically boasts a 25 percent close ratio, that means he or she is still hearing “no” three times before they hear one “yes.” It’s up to you, however, to choose how to handle rejection.
Here’s my advice: Soak up the joy of every yes and recognize the opportunity in every no.
It’s an opportunity to turn a gatekeeper or prospect around and land that first appointment. It’s an opportunity to uncover more details and, ultimately, show a contact why they need to address a particular problem. It’s an opportunity to show your manager the real potential in an account. And, most of all, it’s an opportunity forge ahead and win another sale.
The bottom line is that “no” is in the eye of the beholder. So, how are you going to respond when you hear it today? Will you see potential failure or potential opportunity?

What do you think the most important skill of a Top 20% producer is? Persistence? Work ethic? Time management skills? Closing skills? Tenacity? Certainly all of these skills are present with any Top Performer, but what really separates a pro is their ability to truly listen. And I mean the ability to sit through awkward silences, to not jump in and speak when the client or prospect is thinking, and to be O.K., in fact even welcome, those dead silences when it’s almost impossible not to say something…
So how do you get better at listening? Here are the three top techniques I teach that immediately make you a better listener:
#1) Get in the habit of hitting your MUTE button immediately after you ask a question OR immediately after your prospect or client begins to speak. This habit will force you to listen and, because you’re muted, it even allows you to talk over your prospect because she/he won’t hear you!
The other rule with the MUTE button is to count slowly to 3 after they pause or when you think they are done speaking. You’ll be amazed by how they will often fill in the space and complete their thought – often giving you amazing information you can use to close the sale.
#2) Use my favorite technique to encourage someone to keep talking. If a prospect says something you don’t understand, or if they haven’t revealed a buying motive yet, when they stop talking, simply say, “Oh?” I know that sounds too easy, or even a little awkward, but try it and see for yourself how powerful this is.
Also, make sure your voice goes up at the end of the “Oh?” Put a question in your voice as you say this and after you do, make sure and Hit MUTE. If you master just this one technique, you’ll be so far ahead of your competition because you’ll learn much more from your prospects and clients…
#3) Use any of the following statements to encourage your prospects to keep talking:
“What do you mean by that?”
“And what else?”
“How do you mean?”
“I’m sorry, come again?”
“What would have to change for you?”
You see how this goes. The important thing is to ask an open ended question and, after you do, Hit MUTE!
It took me several years to learn how to truly listen to my prospects and clients, and I used all of the above techniques to help me get really good at it. I will tell you now that I hear things no one else hears. I hear the motive and the meaning behind what they are saying, and if I’m not clear, I simply say, “Oh?”
Don’t take my word for this, instead, try it yourself and see. I guarantee that once you get good at listening, you’ll get better at qualifying and closing. And if you don’t improve your listening skills, you won’t improve in those areas very much or very quickly. Remember, the most important skill of a Top Producer is the ability to truly listen.

As sales managers, we are always looking for the same thing – increased revenue. So, here’s a question for you: How do you get a 10% increase in effort to result in a 67% return on investment?  Sounds pretty attractive, doesn’t it?
Let’s start with the first step – your sales people must put in 10% more effort. But we have all tried that approach and we know that only gets us so far.  But for those sales people (and their managers) who really DO want to improve and increase their revenue - the ones who hunger for success and eagerly want to know, how DO they get to that 67% increase?  Here’s your coaching approach.
Your sales people will need to begin by putting in 10% more effort in prospecting. That means increasing their efforts in asking for introductions, meeting with centers of influence, and turning association meetings into new suspects. It does not mean they have to cold-call more; so, you can eliminate that objection from their thinking.
After that, the steps for getting to that 67% increase are sort of simple; they just take consistent and persistent application. Your sales people don’t have to invent a whole new way of doing things, they just need to improve on the things they are already doing by just 10%. Here is the list of things they need to improve and you need to coach:

1. EFFORT: 10% more effort will result in 10% more appointments - even if they don’t improve your skills.
2. PHONE SKILLS: If they improve their phone skills by 10% they will convert 10% more contacts to appointments.
3. QUALIFYING SKILLS:  Help them improve their qualifying skills by 10% and now they pick up 10% more opportunities.
4. CONVERSION RATES – Even if your sales people simply maintain their current conversion of opportunities to presentations and maintain their current closing ratio, they will increase their results simply because they have added more to their pipeline dramatically over 12 months.
5. INCREASE AVERAGE SALE – If you can help them increase their revenue per sale by just 10%: instead of $10,000 deals, they get $11,000 deals. That makes a significant impact over the course of the year.

Here are two coaching tips to handle any push back you get from your sales people about the increase in prospecting effort:
1)    GETTING NAMES: Make sure that they understand that you are not talking about cold-calling. Sure you can help brainstorm ways they can get more names like networking, LinkedIn, clubs they belong to, etc.  The key here is that they still have to pick up the phone and call them. Just increase their effort to get names and make sure you track it!
2)    NO TIME MYTH: This will help you to eliminate the “I don’t have time” excuse.  Here is what you explain to your sales people who come to you with that problem:  “We all know that if you attempt to call ten people a day, you will NOT talk to 8 of them. So… the question becomes, “How long does it take you to NOT talk to 8 people?” And the answer is…?”
I guarantee you that if your sales people increase their effort, you help them improve their skills, and increase their average size deal by just a mere 10%, you WILL end up with a significant multiple of 10% improvement that is closer to that 67% we began talking about.  But they have to increase the effort and you have to be persistent and consistent with your coaching.

"What's The Best Sales Prospecting Qualification Questions to Ask?"
SalesBuzz Answer:
I recently read an article that touted what the "BEST SALES PROSPECTING QUALIFICATION QUESTIONS" were to ask. I was excited. I wanted to see what these "best questions" were.
So I read. And then I was let down. Hard. Here's why...
At the top of the list, the very first "best" sales prospecting qualification question to ask was:
What challenges are you experiencing with your current process/technology?
Here's why that is far from being the "best" sales prospecting qualifying question to ask:
For starters, almost every sales person, no matter what they are selling, asks the "What challenges are you experiencing?" (or very similar) qualifying question.
Now put yourself in your prospects shoes for a moment. If you are a decision maker where you work, that means you are getting calls from tons of different salespeople in all different verticals every week.
And no matter what it is they are selling, they all start to sound the same to you. It won't take long for prospects to tune out a salesperson that asks that question.
You, as a sales professional, want to separate yourself from the everyday average sales herd. You want to stand out from the pack. Be unique. Especially early on in the sales process.
With that being said, let's get one thing straight - The "What challenges are you experiencing with..." qualifying question is attempting to uncover a buying motive or what I like to call, get "problem recognition."
When a sales person asks "What challenges are you experiencing with..." they are hoping that the prospect will spill the beans on their biggest headaches and hand them their problems on a silver platter. And if you are in customer service, and you handle inbound calls from prospects that are wanting you to solve a problem for them, then by all means, ask the "What challenges are you experiencing with..." question.
But the article said they were going to show the best "sales prospecting qualifying questions to ask" and if you are PROSPECTING, you aren't in customer service and you aren't sitting around waiting for inbound calls.
You're making outbound sales calls to prospects that, in most cases, weren't expecting your call. And if you get past the opener (what you say after "Hello, my name is...") and they are still on the phone, and you ask the "What challenges are you experiencing?" question, well, today's prospects are going to get annoyed real fast with you.
It's not your prospects job to educate you.
You SHOULD ALREADY KNOW WHAT CHALLENGES YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE HAS TO HAVE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE A POTENTIAL PROSPECT.
Let me explain. Every business is only in business because they solve specific problems for certain audiences. You need to know what those most common or popular problems are, and also know what CAUSES those problems and THAT is where you will find your buying motive (problem recognition) question to ask.
Example:
When I'm speaking with a prospect, instead of asking "What challenges are you experiencing?" I'll ask these questions:

1. How often does your team get blocked by gatekeepers? (All day long!)
2. What about voicemails… are they getting a fair amount of prospects to call them back? (No!)
3. What about when they actually get a decision maker on the phone… do they hear "No, Thanks" / "Not Interested" / "We're all set!" responses? (YES!!!)

We confirmed the challenges that they are having and my questions were unique to their situation. I didn't sound like everyone else. And since those are the areas that I specialize in fixing, I know I can help them.
Once you've crystalized who your targeted audience is and what problems they have to have that would make them interested in your solutions, only then will you be able to come up with the right "buying motive" or "problem recognition" qualifying questions for your specific audience.
And guess what?! Your question will be unique, and specific to your targeted audience. It won't sound like all the other sales calls your prospect gets all day long. And here's the best part: when they answer it, it will be genuine and insightful.

"In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these."

"Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver."

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

"People die of fright and live of confidence."

I would like to invite to LIKE MY PAGE !https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gino-Chimienti/197675123614922

"The first and best victory is to conquer self."

"I think there's a great beauty to having problems. That's one of the ways we learn."

Willpower helps us move in a positive direction. Most of us, however, experience times when willpower falters. To develop your "willpower muscles," be aware of times or situations when you feel weak, and identify small steps you can take to stay on track. Focus on the long-term goals you've set, and then create daily, realistic goals. You can also recruit someone else to hold you accountable or call you out when you slip.

"The First wealth is health."

"Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old by deserting their ideals. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair."

Now that Labor Day is past, it’s time to think about getting back to work, pushing hard in September to set yourself up for the fourth quarter and….and….wait a minute.  Fourth quarter?  That reminds me the NFL season is about to begin!  Are you ready for some football?  I sure am!
In preparation for the season, all 32 teams have been working hard on scripting out every play on offense, defense and special teams.  They have studied the talents of their players and developed plays to maximize their strengths.  They have analyzed their competition looking for tendencies and weaknesses, and they have scripted out the plays most likely to be successful against them.
After they designed these plays, they organized them into a playbook and then gave a copy to every player and coach – usually on an iPad, by the way – and they told them to study, learn and memorize every play and position during that play.  It’s absolutely crucial that the players internalize each play so they react rather than think.  As Dan Shula, the Superbowl winning ex-coach of the Miami Dolphins once said, “If you have to think about what to do next, it’s too late.”
An NFL playbook is a sacred thing.  Most players are responsible for always knowing where their playbook is, if not to always having it with them.  They bring it to every meeting they attend, take it home with them, and spend hours each day studying it.  The only time they let it go is if they get cut.  And no player ever wants to be told, “Coach wants to see you.  Make sure and bring your playbook…”
No NFL team is without a playbook because no NFL team could be successful without it.  And the same is true for a company with an inside sales department.  If you own or run or are a part of an inside sales team, your playbook is your complete script book.  Just like in football, your playbook also has sections.  These sections include cold calling and qualifying, closing the sale and objection handling, and for call backs.  It should also have a section of best emails and voice mails.
And just like in the NFL, every one of your sales reps need to study, learn and memorize every best practice response for every situation they get into.  Just like in football, your sales reps need to automatically know how to handle the situations that find themselves in.  When they get an objection or stall, they must automatically know how to respond.  If they have to think about what to say, it’s too late!
In football, as in sales, being prepared with a proper game plan is crucial for success.  No football team would just go out on a Sunday and wing it.  That would be suicide for the coach and the team.  Yet it’s amazing how many sales reps and sales teams do just that.  Instead of taking the time to script out the best responses, they insist on ad-libbing and winging it.  And then they wonder why they don’t win more sales.
To succeed in the game of sales, take a tip from the NFL – identify the selling situations your team gets into, identify every objection, question and stall, and then script out the best, most likely to succeed response to each of them.  Give them to your team members and make them drill, practice and rehearse them.  The most prepared team on Sunday tends to win.  And the most prepared sales rep tends to close the most deals.
If you’re in sales management or an owner of an inside sales team, then it’s your responsibility to equip your team with the tools and techniques they need to win.  And that starts with a playbook of scripts that will help them properly qualify prospects, overcome stalls and objections and close the sale.
Remember: No NFL team would think of entering the season without a carefully constructed playbook, and your team shouldn’t either.

"When you affirm big, believe big and pray big, putting faith into action, big things happen."

"It is not enough to have great qualities; We should also have the management of them."

Pain is an inevitable part of life, but we do ourselves a disservice when we allow our past pains to define us. You can refuse to let your scars and pain keep you from moving forward. Commit to letting go of whatever hurt you in the past. Believe in yourself and your ability to live the life you want. Take one small step away from old wounds and in the direction of a better future.

"He who refuses to embrace a unique opportunity loses the prize as surely as if he had failed."

Have you ever been in a closing situation that seems to have stalled, where your prospect isn’t really objecting, but they sure aren’t going where you want them to go?  If so, then you may find it necessary to re-open the close, so to speak, so you can get your prospect talking to find out exactly what they’re thinking and where they might be leaning.
This is especially true when you’re not sure how to respond to an objection or to how your prospect or client feels about a specific point or feature you just brought up.  At times like these, all you need to do is just ask a question and let your prospect tell you which direction you need to go.
Use the following questions to help open your prospect up and to get them to reveal where they really stand, and what you need to do to move closer to the sale:
“I can tell that’s important to you; why does it mean so much?”
“You know, I’ve given you a lot of information, do you mind if I ask you what you think so far?”
“I understand that you need to (talk to someone, check on something, or any other stall), but let me ask you: Based on what we’ve gone over so far, what do YOU think?”
“Let me see if I have this right.  You (restate what they said), right?  What would have to change for this to work for you then?”
“Do I have that right?”
“What else do I need to know to understand how this affects your operation?”
“How would you react if I told you we could handle that and give you this?”
“Can you give me more detail on that?”
“What is your perspective on this?”
“Just out of curiosity, why do you feel that way?”
“What is your experience with this (solution)?”
“When was the last time you tried this?”
“What happened the last time you took a solution like this to your boss?”
“What would have made it work better for you?”
“If you went ahead with this, what would be the worse thing that could happen?”
“I hear you saying X, but I’m also hearing something else.  Could you elaborate on that please?”
“And if you didn’t move on this solution today, how are you going to change your results and get more (leads, sales, production, etc.)?”
“Do you see how this (your solution) has been designed to fix your exact problem?”
“How is this sounding so far?”
“If you had to make a decision right now, what would it be?”
“And what would change that for you?”
If you found these questions helpful, then it’s time to write some of your own.  Make them specific to your product or service, and write them so you’d be comfortable asking them.  But then Use Them!  If you’re a manager, this is a great exercise for a sales meeting.  You could do two: one for prospecting and one for the close.
 Bottom line is that your prospects and clients always have the answers as to why they will or won’t buy from you.  If you’re not asking questions and getting them to tell you, then you’re probably pitching and talking past the close.  And you already know where that gets you….

What are your three most important metrics you measure to track and predict revenue?
That was the question I asked my LinkedIn “Inside Sales Management Group,” and the answers I received were quite interesting.  Whether you’re a business owner, sales manager or even a sales rep, you know that metrics are a crucial way to measure your performance, predict revenue, and evaluate progress made.  But which metrics are the most important?  Before I give you my answer, let me share some of the answers I received:
One answer was: 1) Opportunities created, 2) # of times contacted, and 3) conversions, deals closed.
I thought that was an interesting answer, especially the “# of times contacted.”  While I understand the opportunities created and conversion or deals closed, I don’t know that I’d include # of times contacted as one of the three most important metrics to measure.  Obviously it’s important to know how much time a sales rep is spending chasing a sale, and also how effectively they are closing on each call, but I think there is a more important metric that I’ll share later on.
 Another answer was: 1) Opportunities created, 2) Calls made on the accounts, and 3) Quality of the call.
This was obviously in relation to account management calls, and once again opportunities created was listed number one.  The thing that I found interesting with this answer was quality of the call.  As you’ll see later in the article, quality of the call, and, more specifically, how that quality is measured, is one of my top three metrics.
The most interesting answer came from VP of Sales, DJ Farnworth.  Here was his answer:
1)  # of open deals (times) 2) Historical win rate (times) 3) Historical ave. deal size = Pipeline.  DJ said:
“One metric I've found very effective is: (# open deals) X (historical win rate) X (historical avg. deal size) = Pipeline. This takes some of the moving variables out of measuring just the numbers that are in the existing open deals and is based on past performance which should better indicate likelihood than a probability entered by the sales person.”
What I liked about this answer is that it seemed to most accurately predict the upcoming pipeline.  I’ve sat in a lot of pipeline meetings, some worldwide even, and almost everyone in the room knows there is a lot of ‘wood’ that isn’t going to close.  Getting an accurate account of what is truly likely to come in seems hard.  This formula seems easy.  You should try it.
O.K., now for my answer:
1) # of opportunities, 2) Close percentage 3) Script grading adherence evaluation per closing call.
#3 (Script grading adherence) is based on recording each call and grading adherence to your best practice script and scripted rebuttals. The reason is if a rep is winging it, they won't get better and you can't coach them. The manager's job is to teach the best practice approach and then coach to it. Then you measure who is adhering to it and who isn't. Every other metric (number of calls, number of contacts, trending to revenue for the month), etc., flows from that direct metric.
I always like to talk metrics with managers to see if they are measuring this very important component.  Bottom line is if your reps aren’t using the best approach and handling objections and sales situations effectively, then the other metrics won’t improve much.  If you ask them to make more calls, all you will get is more bad calls.

You’ve all seen this salesperson.  He looks busy, complains there isn’t enough time to get everything done and has no sales results to show for his efforts.  What’s not working?
This salesperson is confusing being busy with being productive.  As a result, he is on an endless sales-gerbil wheel leading to no sales.
 Here are a couple of tips from top sales producers that are busy AND productive.
#1:  Time Management.   Great salespeople are excellent at planning and managing their time.  When they come into the office on Monday morning, they know who they are going to contact, why they are going to contact them and when they are going to contact.
They use a basic time management tool called calendar blocking.  If you look at their calendars for the month, these top performers have blocked out specific times for prospecting, account management, running appointments and follow-up.  They are planning their work and working the plan.
On the other hand, the busy and non-productive salesperson starts getting ready to get ready on Monday morning.  By the time he has organized his week, the competitor has contacted all of his best prospects!
#2:  Track and measure.  Productive salespeople score high in the emotional intelligence skill of reality testing.  They closely track and measure their efforts and results.  Their ideal client is identified and pursued.   Non-productive salespeople are busy pursuing---anything that fogs a mirror! 
The productive salesperson has clearly identified selling steps and stages and HONORS those steps.  For example, if the prospect isn’t willing to allow access to other decision makers, this salesperson disqualifies the prospect early in the sales process. The non-productive salesperson doesn’t really have a defined sales process so they are busy---pursuing prospects that are never going to buy.
Are you busy or productive? 

"Financial education needs to become a part of our national curriculum and scoring systems so that it's not just the rich kids that learn about money.. it's all of us."

"The secret of business, especially these days, is to focus relentlessly on your unfair advantage - the thing you do that others don't."

Transitions are not always easy. Starting something new means leaving something old behind. For some of us, transitioning from one thing to the next is difficult because we attach false meaning to the past and future. We find it difficult to let go of what is familiar. We worry that what lies ahead will be worse than what we already know. In reality, we cannot control the past or the future, only the present moment.

"There's been nothing but discipline, discipline, discipline all my life."

"Don't worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition."

"Successful people recognize crisis as a time for change - from lesser to greater, smaller to bigger."

"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. "

Email prospecting is the top sales prospecting strategy. It’s easier and less threatening for contacts to respond than voicemail. However there’s always the legal concern niggling in the back of sales reps’ minds.
Q: Recently Chris, an insurance counselor, asked, "I'm curious as to how email prospecting adheres to the U.S. CAN SPAM regulations.  Is there a limit to the number you can send per day?"
A: The best way to adhere to the U.S. CAN SPAM regulations with email prospecting is to be sure to include an unsubscribe option at the bottom of your email under your signature. If you’re sending emails out in batches, this will protect you.
As to the limit of emails, when you are sending an email to more than 10-15 people, you’re now into more lead generation and nurturing than sales prospecting. In the lead generation realm, you are sending the same email content to a group of similar contacts with similar issues. While you can definitely use prospecting strategies with groups, you might be better served to use a lead generation approach. There are a number of email applications that allow you to send large numbers of lead generation emails at one time without interfering with the U.S. CAN SPAM regulations.
My next question for you to consider: Do you understand how lead generation and prospecting differ? 
In lead generation, you aren’t expecting to talk with every prospect. Your goal is to get interested contacts to identify themselves to you with a response. In prospecting, you are attempting to get every prospect to respond.
Which approach do you think best suits your current needs?

SALES QUESTION:
"I don't like using sales scripts because they don't encourage genuine organic conversations with prospects. Do you agree?"
SalesBuzz Answer:
I disagree with this statement and here's why...
Top sales scripts that work follow a formula that creates a conversation between the two parties.
It follows a successful process that allows for dialogue while covering (or uncovering) key steps needed in order to determine if an opportunity exists, if you are speaking with the right person and if the prospect can afford your solution to their problem, all while having a "conversation".
Bad sales scripts on the other hand, fail because they try and hypnotize the prospect into a yes pattern or get forced agreements from the prospect.
OBJECTIVE BASED SALES SCRIPTS
When you realize that sales can be broken down into small, winnable objectives or agreements, sales scripts quickly become your ally, and not your enemy.
Knowing exactly what to say BEFORE ever picking up the phone, no matter if you get a gatekeeper, prospect's voicemail or the decision maker on your sales call, will catapult your sales numbers far and above any Captain Wing-Its out there that continuously fly by the seat of their pants, sales call after sales call.
Understanding what your objectives are of each phase of the sales cycle, and using the proper script to execute them, allows for measured success while still allowing for the sales person to "be themselves" while having room to ad-lib where necessary.

"Self-discipline is a form of freedom. Freedom from laziness and lethargy, freedom from the expectations and demands of others, freedom from weakness and fear—and doubt."

"A lot of people are afraid to tell the truth, to say no. That's where toughness comes into play. Toughness is not being a bully. It's having backbone."

You’ve probably had to deal with professional criticism at some point (or often) in your sales career.
In such a fast-paced, high-pressure profession that is continuously focused on results, we are often subject to our fair share of criticism from colleagues, managers, clients, and prospects.
If you want to be successful in sales, you must train yourself to take criticism and use it to your advantage. ← Click To Tweet
It’s easy to get wrapped up in your faults when others are pointing them out to you. But, there are steps you can take to efficiently move past the negativity and actually create success through the criticism that you receive.
1. Change The Definition
Remove the word “criticism” from your vocabulary and replace it with the word “feedback.”  Changing your mindset about the feedback that you receive helps turn the situation from a negative to a positive.
Don’t struggle with feedback from your manager, try to understand their point of view and use that knowledge to improve yourself. If you’re constantly losing paperwork, it may be a sign that your organization needs improvement. If your client mentions value that your competitor offers and you currently do not, perhaps you can discover new opportunities for your business as well.
Notice that simply by changing the definition of the issue, you go from a state of fault to a state of improvement.
2. You’re Not Alone
Understand that any feedback you receive has likely been relayed to many of your colleagues and fellow salespeople as well. We all have and will receive feedback from multiple sources throughout our careers.
You do not have to shoot for perfection. You simply need to approach your sales career with a willingness to learn and improve.
3. Take Action
Learning from the feedback you receive is a wonderful thing. It’s an important first step! However, any knowledge that you acquire is useless unless you put it into motion.
If you have discovered that your organization skills need improvement, take steps to improve them! If you have learned that you need to communicate more effectively, start researching ways to improve your communication!
By using the feedback you receive as learning experiences, you break down any tension you may be feeling and enter a state of improvement. The most successful sales professionals are simply the ones who made mistakes, received feedback, and took positive action to enhance their skills!
What’s one piece of feedback you have received and improved upon in the past?
You can build consistent and continuous sales results with my new book, Nonstop Sales Boom! Learn the strategies you need to succeed!

"Losing is a learning experience. It teaches you humility. It teaches you to work harder. It's also a powerful motivator."

"Believe you will be successful and you will."

"You make the world a better place by making yourself a better person."

"If you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else. "

Nothing in life lasts forever. What can we take away from this fact? We know that it's imperative to celebrate the days when things are going well and you're enjoying yourself to the fullest. Take every opportunity to celebrate life. On the other hand, remember when you are down and out that the pain is not eternal. The sun will come out from behind the clouds sooner or later. Have patience and faith.

"Happiness is prosperity combined with virtue."

"Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus."

"Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."

"Visualization is daydreaming with a purpose."

Raising your self-esteem takes time and continuous reinforcement. It also takes the right resources. Are you taking advantage of the proper resources available to you in order to boost your self esteem? Beware: the material you allow to dominate your thoughts will soon take root and affect your behavior. If you overdose on negative television and news reports, for example, you may gradually become more cynical and pessimistic. Instead of filling your mind with negative news, expose yourself to more positive, motivating material. Seek out resources that are uplifting and help you take control of your world in positive ways.

"The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts."

Make a list of your past successes. Your list doesn't have to consist of only monumental accomplishments. Include such "minor" victories as learning to skate, graduating from high school, or reaching a sales goal. If your list is long, good for you. If not, focus on how much you can improve. Review your list often, and as you do, close your eyes and remember the satisfaction and joy you felt with each accomplishment. Remember the special abilities, dedication, and effort required to achieve each success, and remind yourself that you earned and deserved each one.

If you go out in life looking for a friend, you will find them hard to find.  If you go out in life to be a friend, you will find them everywhere.  

"The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It's your mind you have to convince."

"You can become an even more excellent person by constantly setting higher and higher standards for yourself and then by doing everything possible to live up to those standards."