Management Tips

4 Lessons I Learned About Entrepreneurship From High School Band

I never realized being a band geek was leading me to entrepreneurship. I grew up in Germany on an army base. With my dad as my music teacher, I started playing alto saxophone in seventh grade and continued through high school. The endless hours of practice and the cut-throat competitions did more than just make me a better sax player. They taught me a lot of sales strategies and made me an entrepreneur. Four principles took root in me back…

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January 26, 2016
Management Tips

How to Finish the Sales Year Strong With A ‘They Said No’ Audit

The end of the year is not typically when you do your best work. During “the most wonderful time of the year,” most people become a little more distracted and a little less motivated. You may have a few deals on the line you need to close, but business is slow. Do you let it ride hoping for new vigor at the start of a new year or change your strategy? The best sales managers take advantage of this extra…

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December 22, 2015
Management Tips / Sales Tips

How to Manage Your Time When Your Schedule is Unpredictable

Unpredictability is part of the beauty of sales. Rather than being cooped up behind a desk, you get to drive around town and meet a variety of people in the process. Each day is different because each day holds new interactions. It’s hard to get bored with a job when no two days look the same. But what happens when that unpredictability turns into un-productivity? Maybe you get a last minute request from management. Maybe a client has a problem…

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November 10, 2015
Management Tips / Sales Tips

7 Must-Have iPhone Apps For Salespeople

Your iPhone: the one piece of technology you always have with you on the job. No matter where life takes you, your iPhone lies within arms-reach. Why not equip this side-kick with a few more tools to make your job easier? Once you have these 7 apps, you won’t know how you worked without them. Dropbox Need easy access to your files? Dropbox ensures you have your files on the go. No matter where you are, you can quickly share…

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October 6, 2015
Sales Tips

How to Write the Perfect Sales Email

Who doesn’t get bombarded with sales emails every day? When I open my inbox each morning, message after message blasts me with the latest opportunity only available for a limited time only. My favorite button: delete. Turns out, it’s not just me. In fact, 35% of email recipients open emails based on the subject line alone. Conversely, 69% of email recipients report email as Spam based on that same subject line (Convince and Convert). So how do you get your…

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September 29, 2015
Management Tips / Sales Tips

Social Media Mistakes Salespeople Don’t Know They’re Making

You decided to spend a little time on Facebook today… “networking.” After all, you’re in sales and this is one way to keep up with your clients and potentially make a sale. You sign in and see a friend request, which links you to a few others you want to connect with. You notice someone you haven’t heard from in years and decide to see what he’s up to. Several minutes pass, and it’s time to get back on track.…

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August 25, 2015
Sales Tips

7 Rules for Getting Past the Gatekeeper

You’ve driven across town for a sales meeting, only to find the receptionist catching up on the latest issue of US Weekly while Dr. Jones is tied up. Now what? We’ve all been there – suddenly in a battle to get past the gatekeeper. In many cases, gatekeepers are low-waged employees who don’t really understand the business. They don’t care about how awesome your product or service is. It could be the perfect solution to solve all their company's woes,…

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August 18, 2015
Management Tips / Sales Tips

3 Tips For Tracking Door To Door Sales

Is door to door selling dead? Not by a long shot. In fact, this sales tactic is growing. From 2013 to 2014, U.S. retail sales in the direct selling channel increased 5.5%, bringing in an estimated $34.47 billion, an industry record high. You may try to dismiss this tactic as dated and ineffective, but the fact remains: this is a $34 billion industry still on the rise. Which Industries Should Use This Approach? For some, door to door is clearly…

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July 7, 2015
Management Tips / Sales Tips

3 Insights You’re Missing From Your Sales Reports

Sales reports: Everyone “should” do them but are they really that important? Are these reports worth the time they take from salespeople who could be selling rather than working on a spreadsheet? The short answer: Yes. These reports are vital to the health and success of a company as a whole. So, how can you make the most of your sales reporting without wasting your time? Why Create Sales Reports? Before you create your next sales report, understand who the report is…

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June 30, 2015
Sales Tips

3 Ways Sales Reps Can Maximize Time Between Meetings

After twenty five years of sales, I've noticed one thing: sales people do a terrible job of scheduling client meetings. They waste time scheduling back-to-back clients across town from each other or trying to get to meeting at peak traffic time, and lose valuable time in the process.Selling is all about time management, and being in the right place at the right time is key. The salespeople who are on top every month are doing so much prospecting they accidentally…

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June 9, 2015