Winning in nothing but underwareAnyone responsible for selling something, whether it’s a product, service or idea, has a competitive streak. The will to win drives us to rethink our strategies and try different approaches. When one method fails, we try another. It was no different for John Edgar. In 1948 he wanted to own the fastest motorcycle on earth. Read more
How to sell – identify the customer’s currencyWhile reading an article this week about the East Bay Homemade Food Swap, I was reminded how we all have our own currency. Whether certain foods or a yearning for a vacation in the mountains, when you learn someone’s personal currency, you can get the customer’s attention. Read more
Top five practices of exemplary leadership“Describe a time when you were at your best as a leader.” That was the first assignment we received from Barry Possner, co-author of The Leadership Challenge, at a recent leadership workshop. It set the foundation for a rich conversation about how leadership is personal and reinforced the need to create a relationship if you want to entice others to want to follow you. Read more
New Sales Enablement Ideas – SAVO’s AMPs, Part 7 – Customer Focused ContentYour brand is the key to your success; it’s what differentiates your organization from your competitors. It’s critical for all customer-facing employees to project the brand your organization has worked so hard to establish; everyone must consistently deliver the same message. Yet, it is crucial for your sellers to be able to customize and target messages based on specific selling situations. Read more
How to introduce humor in public speaking, part 2In the last post, I shared some tips to help you get your presentation off to a good start via humor. When your audience laughs, they may have a tendency to see things your way. At the very least, if you can keep them amused, they won’t fall asleep! In this post, tips #5 – 10! Read more
How to introduce humor in public speaking, part 1President Barack Obama exacted his revenge last weekend after weeks of attacks from his would-be Republican challenger Donald Trump, joking that the billionaire businessman could bring change to the White House, transforming it from a stately mansion into a tacky casino with a whirlpool in the garden. Read more
How to find the right sales coachThe Sales Playbook is one of my favorite topics. So, when the Corporate Executive Board and their Sales Executive Council (SEC) announced their most recent research was entitled Rewriting the Playbook, How High Performers Win the Consensus-Based Sale, I was one of the first to register for the event highlighting their findings. Read more
What leadership has to do with loveLast time, I wrote about hearing Howard Schultz speak during his book tour for launching Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul. It was an eye-opening interview. He spoke about the word “love” and what it means for someone to love what they do, to love the company they work for and to love a brand and what it stands for. Read more
Don’t serve the founder of Starbucks Peet’s CoffeeI had a chance to attend the Los Angeles leg of Howard Schultz’s national book tour launching Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul. I’m a big admirer of Schultz’s leadership style and corporate vision. Read more
New Sales Enablement Ideas – SAVO’s AMPs, Part 6 – Subject Matter Expertise PromotionWho are the critical Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) inside your organization? If you’re like most companies, there are far more than you think. Leveraging this army of expert insights can make the difference between success and failure. Identifying and promoting their knowledge isn’t easy – but it is critical to your sales team’s success. Read more