How to Create a Sales Strategy You Can Stick With

Sales strategies are like New Year's resolutions: Everyone makes them. Everyone tries to follow them. But eventually, they're forgotten. There are two reasons for this: unrealistic expectations and a failure to adapt to change. Luckily, both of these can be avoided. Start with the Sales Team Most organizations have three plans for how sales should work: what the company thinks is happening, what the sales manager thinks should be done, and what the salespeople actually do. Viewing things from the top…

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Hiring Sales People That Succeed with Robert Hartline

Recently I had the honor of being interviewed by Josh Denning on the Tropical Entrepreneur podcast! We had a great time chatting sales and specifically, talking about some of my best strategies for hiring great salespeople. Here are a few things we covered: How to make the best use of your time. Things to consider before you start building a sales team. The #1 thing that most organization should spend their energy on. 3 things that matter when managing sales people. Effective…

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Telling Stories During a Sales Pitch: Do’s & Don’ts

When it comes to pitching a product or program, salespeople can work with more than just product features and benefit. A clever story that hits prospects on an emotional level can be a valuable sales tool. But is there a right and wrong way to use personal stories? Which kind of stories work best? Use this handy guide the next time you consider sharing a real-life scenario during your sales pitch. The Most Successful Sales Pitch Story I’ve Ever Used…

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How Salespeople Should Ask For a Promotion

Asking for a promotion can be daunting. Any good salesperson knows that good salespeople are tough to come by, so if you’ve been smashing all kinds of records without fail every month, a promotion is probably inevitable. But what about if you’re doing very well, but maybe falling just a little short of target occasionally? What if you’re the best in the team and feel like you could get so much more from the guys if you were in the…

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4 Ways Employees Cheat The Time Clock (And How to Prevent It)

You’re a victim of fraud. … if you’re running a retail store. Time clock fraud happens to everyone in retail. If you don’t think it’s happening to you, here’s what you need to know: it’s happening to you. People cheat the system and cost you money you shouldn’t be paying. Here’s how they do it: 1. Blaming the System Time clock fraud takes several different shapes. Maybe someone’s late for work, so they clock in late. Then they tell their manager…

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4 Ways Auto Glass Salesmen Can Make Their CRM Work Harder for Them

In the auto glass industry, you can’t create sales. You can’t increase sales by closing deals. Unless you go out and smash windshields, you can't generate a problem to solve. You’ve got to wait for something to happen. The waiting game can be hard. After all, in auto glass sales, success depends on how well you can sell to professional sources, like auto shops and insurance agents. And it’s tough to make the top of their list. Maybe you have…

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6 Easy Ways to Get Past the Sales Gatekeeper

You’re out building your network, ready to meet people in charge and make sales. You enter the office, walk up to the reception desk, and see someone sitting there engrossed in their US Weekly. As you ask for Dr. Jones, the receptionist flippantly replies, “He’s in a meeting.” What do you do? You drove across town to get here, and now you can’t even see the person you came to meet! Getting past the gatekeeper can make (or break) your…

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Learn These Subtle Sales Signals to Increase Your Close Rate

Everyone has to start somewhere. Building your client list from scratch is tough, so where do you begin? Most salespeople hit the pavement and dial numbers, talking to one prospect after another, grasping at any potential lead. But the best place to start is getting to know your audience. Think about who needs your product. Then look for the following signs that the prospect is ready to consider an offer. That way, you’ll work smarter (not harder) and generate a…

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How to Use Online Groups to Build Your Sales Career

You have access to more than 1 billion people. Better yet, you can get in touch with any one of them with the mere click of a mouse. Whether you’re reaching out to find new sales prospects or looking to connect with industry leaders like yourself, a Facebook or LinkedIn group can offer you every salesperson’s dream: connection. Here are two ways to make the most of it. 1. Start a Group for Prospects If you want to connect with…

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3 Strategies for Unlocking Deals Stuck in the Pipeline

You just made a killer pitch. You demonstrated how your product solves their problems, then left them with action steps – and expected an answer within days. But that was over a month ago, and you still haven’t heard anything back. So what’s the trouble? You thought you were on track to seal the deal, but it hasn’t happened. The deal is officially stuck in the pipeline. It’s easy for a sale to hit a snag that puts it in…

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