Dear Butch,

I’ve recently been promoted to a Section Manager at (my company) and will be holding my first sales meeting that I’m responsible for on June 1. I’ll have 9 reps there. Any tips or ideas you can give a newbie?

Thanks and I enjoy reading your site.

Kris J.

Kris:

Congratulations! This sounds like an exciting time in your career. Hopefully, I can give you a little something you can build on today.

First, I noticed your sales meeting is on a Friday. Is that mandatory? Who sets that time? I’m assuming it’s during the day? The reason I ask is that I would get away from sales meetings during a work day as fast as possible. If you have any input at all, you should change that to Saturday morning. Start early and get everyone out at a decent time, but I personally hate to take selling time for meeting time.

You have 9 reps there—with travel time let’s assume it’s going to be an 8 hour day with the meeting, wrap up and all. That means you’re losing 72 hours of selling time plus your time. On top of that, if your competitors find out what day your sales meetings are held (notice I omitted the name of your company), they’ll be all over your customers that day (if they’re smart). So, that’s the first thing I’d do—if you have the authority to make that change.

With that said, here are my 5 Rules of Sales Meetings (feel free to print this and copy it to all your reps if you like)

1-Be Positive: Attitude is truly everything. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t discuss problems or issues or stick your head in the sand. But, there is a proper way to openly discuss legitimate issues.

2-Be On Time: Maybe my biggest pet peeve. Be ready to go when the meeting starts. Not milling around at the coffee pot and drift in and start 20 minutes late.

3-Be Professional: This is a Sales Meeting, not a bull session. You and everyone else are there to learn, improve and grow. That’s not to say you can’t have a good time (I always try to make my meetings enjoyable), but first and foremost is professionalism.

4-Be Respectful: If you have a presenter, speaker or vendor show them the same respect you want when you are calling on a prospective customer. Sales karma is huge. Pay attention and listen, you might learn something.

5-Be Involved: Sales meetings should be dialogue not monologues. Get everyone involved and participating in some way. Everyone is there to learn and grow and the more they participate the more likely they are to ask questions. And, isn’t that what you want?

Kris, I hope this helps. Let me know how the meeting turns out.

Lagniappe: In South Louisiana “Lagniappe” is defined as “a little something extra”. Here’s your Lagniappe for today:

For new managers it is important to establish ground rules early. You want to run the meeting and not let it run you. Have an agenda and stick to it. But, keep in mind: the actual meeting will take MORE time than you think for each topic. For example if you think you’ll need 15 minutes for one subject or area—allow 30. It is better to be ahead than behind on your agenda.

Question: Do you have any tips for new Sales Managers? Or, if you have a question for the mail bag you can email it to me at butchbellah@gmail.com

Copyright and Property of this Article by Butch Bellah Blog, best blogs

Your dream client is going to make a choice. They are going to choose to buy from you, they are going to choose to buy from your competitor, or they are going to stick with the status quo.

Your job in sales is to make sure that your client chooses you, your company, and your offering. You need to drive a wedge between your dream client and your competitors. You need to drive another wedge between your dream client and the status quo. Let’s look at how to do both.

Differentiation Is the Wedge

It’s critical that you can differentiate your offering from your competitors in a meaningful way. What makes your offering different has to make a difference for your dream client. It has to be something meaningful to them.

Maybe the way you do something allows your dream client to produce better results than your competitors. That better result is a wedge.

Maybe you produce the same results as your competitor but the way that you do it makes it easier for your dream client to achieve those results. The way you fit with your client’s business needs is that wedge.

Or it could be that your values are so differentiating and defining that they resonate with your dream clients. Your alignment on values means you are more likely to be a good long-term partner, and that is a wedge.

Whatever it is that differentiates you has to be something that your dream client looks at and says: “We can’t live without it. It’s right for us because of this, and we can’t buy a solution that doesn’t have it.”

What is your differentiating wedge?

Dissatisfaction and Risk Is the Wedge

Your work isn’t over just because you have a driven a wedge between your dream client and your competitors. The status quo can be every bit as dangerous a competitor in many opportunities (as you have doubtlessly experienced). But your differentiation doesn’t do anything to help you beat the status quo. So you are better than your competitors. So what? Change is still scary. And it’s a lot of work. You need a different wedge.

The wedges that you need to push between your dream clients and the status quo are dissatisfaction and the cost of not taking action now.

Your dream client needs to be reminded of all of the ways that they are dissatisfied with the status quo. Dissatisfaction is what drives the decision to change. But that dissatisfaction can be ratcheted up to create a bigger wedge when combined with the cost of inaction. Your dream client needs to be reminded of what’s at stake. You need to help them remember what they lose by failing to act.

Maybe your dream client will continue to lose money that they need not lose by failing to act. The loss of money drives a wedge between your dream client and the status quo.

Maybe they will lose the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage in their market and risk being leapfrogged. Falling behind and losing market share is a wedge.

Maybe they risk losing their own clients by failing to take action. Lost clients are a wedge.

It’s very natural for buyers to get cold feet towards the end of their buying cycle. This is especially true if what they are buying is expensive, is strategic in nature, or is a high profile decision. But even when it isn’t, they want to make sure they are making the right decision.

You drive wedge between your dream client and your competitor by being different in a way that makes a difference for your client. You drive a wedge between your dream client and the status quo by reminding them that inaction comes with its own price—one that is higher than the price of your solution.

Questions

What is the wedge you drive between your dream client and your competitors?

What are the differences that make a difference for your dream clients?

Do you have the ability to use different wedges for different sales opportunities?

How do you drive a wedge between your client and the status quo?

Related posts:

1. What Your Dream Client Owes You What Your Dream Client Owes You is a post from:…
2. How to Compete on Values How to Compete on Values is a post from: The…
3. Your Dream Client Is Waiting Your Dream Client Is Waiting is a post from: The…

Copyright and Property of this Article by S. Anthony Iannarino, best blogs

There is one trend ESR is happy to see: the growing appreciation among sales managers that reinforcement is a critical part of learning.  It’s what extends the experience of learning long enough for new behaviors and habits to take hold.  One age-old reinforcement tool—role-playing—is making a real difference for some salespeople facing the challenge of adopting those new behaviors and building those new habits in the midst of their difficult selling environments. Role-playing with your sales teams shortly after the formal training has taken place can be a game changer.

If your sales training partner offers role-playing as part of their approach, you’re probably in good shape.  Avail yourself of what they have. If not, you’ll have to take matters into your own hands.

Even as competitive as they may be, peer pressure and performance anxiety can strike much more fear in some salespeople than presenting to customers.  For this reason alone, understand that strong performance in role playing situations generally translates well to customer situations.  Role-playing is not a simple undertaking but if you heed the following six principals, you’ll be encouraged by the results. (If you’ve adopted ESR’s approach to hiring salespeople, they will have gone through two role-playing/simulation exercises as a prerequisite for being hired into the position they now hold.)

1. Be prepared to invest management time – Involve your sales management and marketing/brand teams in playing the role of the customer. This requires researching the customer so that your sales reps are challenged with realistic questions and objections.  Hopefully you’ve developed buyer personas to support this approach. Have your group develop a schedule that devotes at least two hours per week over three months after training has taken place.  Consider the customer preparation “homework” aside from regular responsibilities.
   

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2. Sales reps need to do some real homework – Since you don’t want to sacrifice valuable selling time, you’ll want to lay out at least three rounds of work all to be done outside of the normal work day:

1. Initial call role-play – Review web site and pertinent materials to conduct a customer needs assessment
2. Solution proposal role-play – develop a presentation (perhaps a PowerPoint) that aligns with needs
3. Negotiation/ Close role-play – At a minimum, be prepared to handle customer objections. Of course targeted negotiation skills training should have its own reinforcement including exercises and role-plays
   

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ESR is always interested in your feedback and perspective.  We’d like to hear about the differences you’ve made through establishing a disciplined and continuous approach to role-playing.

Photo credit: © goodluz – Fotolia.com

Copyright and Property of this Article by DAVE STEIN'S Blog, best blogs

Avendo scritto un libro in cui dico che tutti noi vendiamo qualcosa (e che non c’è niente di male nel vendere qualcosa) seguo con molta attenzione le campagne di comunicazione per il 5 e l’8 per mille. Una volta le multinazionali scrivevano le regole del marketing. Gli enti benefici e la politica inseguivano. Oggi nel farsi pubblicità spesso il no profit sa essere creativo e innovativo quanto le grandi aziende. La campagna “Chiedilo a loro” della Chiesa Cattolica è un bell’esempio di racconto corale in cui non ci sono testimonial cotonati o costruzioni di fiction, ma persone “in carne ed ossa”.

L’8 per mille scopre lo storytelling. In televisione, sul web e sui social network si possono ascoltare storie vere e credibili, storie con un nome e un cognome, storie fatte di eroi che cadono e si rialzano, storie in cui è possibile immedesimarsi, perdersi, ritrovarsi. E il bello è che non si percepisce la differenza tra “l’azienda” fornitrice di “aiuto umanitario”e i suoi “clienti”. Suor Marisete si racconta così come le ragazze della favela, Don Vincenzo si racconta così come i bambini di Rocca di Mezzo. Tutti insieme, benefattori e beneficiati. Esattamente ciò che siamo o potremmo essere tutti noi, benefattori e beneficiati, piccoli protagonisti di piccoli eroismi d’amore.

Sta qui la forza narrativa della campagna “Chiedilo a loro”, nella facilità con cui ciascuno di noi può vestire i panni di Erasmo, e di Zenilda, di Maria e di Francesco. E’ come se già li conoscessimo, è come se già li avessimo ascoltati. La loro storia è nelle nostre storie più belle, far loro un regalo è fare un regalo a noi stessi.

Qualcuno potrebbe speculare sulla Chiesa che si affida alle alchimie pubblicitarie degli stregoni della comunicazione per lucrare il contributo dei cittadini. Qualcun altro potrebbe replicare che “il marketing di testimonianza” per i cristiani è vecchio 2000 anni e che la parola martire etimologicamente deriva dal greco martus, testimone. Da testimone a testimonial il passo è breve.

Copyright and Property of this Article by Lorenzo Cavalieri,

1. Closing Sales = Sweet Success
2. Be Aware of Unique Cultural Needs in Sales
3. Barriers to Closing

Copyright and Property of this Article by Tom Hopkins Blog, best blogs

The problem is that what the person was claiming was a “risk” for me was something I couldn’t care less about.

Just another stupid telephone sales tactic that has not worked in years.

The number of old-school telephone sales tactics that people still try to use never ceases to amaze me.  Unfortunately, when people try to use them, not only do they not work, but they also give everyone in sales a stained reputation.

It’s time we put a stop to stupid telephone sales tactics.

The biggest one is trying to use fear to gain attention.

Prospects are smart. Quit trying to think otherwise. The internet is the great equalizer in terms of leveling the playing field between customer and salesperson.  The fact that prospects can find out nearly anything they want means this strategy of trying to shock the person on the other end of phone into taking action is simply no longer effective.

Conversely, another tactic that no longer works is trying to get the customer to believe what you have to say is so timely and so critical they have to take action immediately.

Sorry, but unless you’re a medical doctor I just saw, I’m not going to buy this one either.  Again, the level of information available through other avenues simply makes the sales tactic of what I refer to as a “critical call to action” rarely effective.

It would be possible to list many more telephone sales tactics that no longer work, but I think you get the point.

The reason I’m sharing this is I want you to think about how to evaluate things for yourself.

Ask yourself, “Do my sales strategies still hold up in the face of how extensively the internet is used today?”

Ask yourself, “How do my customers find information?  How do they evaluate information?  How does all of this fit into their overall mindset and how they do things?”

The prospect of today is different than the prospect of even a couple of years ago, and I would imagine the prospect will continue to change in the years to come.

Never allow yourself to believe that you don’t need to occasionally change and refine what it is you do.   I’m not advocating change for the sake of change.

What I’m saying is be prepared to change if need be.   Your telephone sales tactics are yours.

Make sure whatever sales strategies you use fit your style and your market.

Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.

Copyright and Property of this Article by Mark Hunter, best blogs

You have learned, in the early grades at school, that the five senses are sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.  These five senses may be called the avenues to the mind. It is impossible for any sensation to reach the objective mind except through one of the five senses.

You should give some time to this thought. Classify all the facts you can know about anything.

• Did you see them?
• Did you hear them?
• Did you hear about them?
• Did you touch the object?
• Or taste it?
• Or smell it?

Is there anything you ever learned or could learn, except through one of these five avenues to the mind? Memory connects the mind with the past; imagination, with the future; but memory and imagination can’t grasp any impression except through its association with one of the five senses.

Imagination, like memory, is bound by the experiences and sensations that have approached the royal throne of the mind through its five avenues, though the combination of the sense impressions may be, and usually are, new.

With this thought in mind, we see that, in learning to control the mind of the buyer, it is essential that the salesperson learn to appeal to each of the five senses successfully and to cultivate his own by practical exercises.

How to train your senses?

In all sense training the method used is to improve each one of the five senses by specific exercises.  The most common evidence that this method is a correct one is found in the success with which those who lack one of the senses are trained to greater expertness in the use of others.

The blind are infinitely better in their sense of hearing and feeling, tasting, and smelling than they would otherwise be, because the lack of sight compels them to rely upon their other senses. The deaf correspondingly have keener sight, feeling, taste, and smell, except, of course, when their deafness is caused by a physical ailment that has injured their other senses as well.

Cases have been known where persons deprived of sight and hearing could detect the presence of other persons, animals, and many objects by the sense of smell, and it is well known that the blind can feel the presence of persons through air pressure and very slight disturbances of the air, due to the motion of those who pass them or whom they pass.

For the salesperson the point is this: each one of the five senses can be cultivated by specific exercises.

The cultivation of any one of the five senses depends upon three things:

• First, the general physical condition of the person;
• second, attention of the will;
• and third, specific exercises.

It should also be said that the training of one of the senses increases the capacity of the others. People who are hard of hearing look closely at the speaker to read his lips and this very process adds to the sensitiveness of hearing.  A person who can’t see a distant object distinctly, listens to another person describe it, in order to assist the eye to see the thing that he knows is there.

Exercises improving your mental or physical quality will exercise a beneficial influence over others (your prospects).

Every effort at self -development increases all the related powers of the body or mind. It is a scientific fact that has the greatest encouragement for all who are endeavoring to increase their personal power.

In the cultivation of each one of the five senses, just as in the cultivation of the character qualities which I have previously mentioned in this blog, your object as a student should be to improve the work of each as to its quantity, quality, time (speed), and mode of use.

—————–

Next time: the sense of sight (including exercises)

Please keep following this blog to learn more about the five senses and how to use them to improve your sales numbers.

Using the Five Senses in Selling is a post from: The Science and Art of Selling by Alen Mayer

Copyright and Property of this Article by ALEN MAJER The Science and Art of Selling Blog, best blogs

A lot of books on leadership will tell you that under-performers should be fired.  Jack Welch, the highly successful CEO of General Electric for 20 years made it a religion to fire anyone rated in the bottom of the company.  Year after year, thousands of employees were cut loose to make room for “high performers”.  Out with the bad.  And in with the better.

And while that sounds sexy. It is often not the right move.  Especially in today’s fast-moving economic churn.

The fire-and-hire cycle just leads to even worse results.

Frankly, the executive you think you should fire was probably performing like an all-star when you hired him.  Given your skill at knowing what your company needs, you hand-picked that person.  For their talents, their charisma, and a work ethic. They were the right fit.

And they probably still are the right fit for you now.

Life just got in the way.  That’s what happens.  Life happens.  Busy executives have personal lives that get confused and chaotic.  Sometimes, for no fault of their own, life deals them a unfair hand.

That extra pressure, that stress, can make him appear cynical.  They can seem combative and argumentative.  They don’t do their job as fast or as expertly as they used to.  They just aren’t as creative.   There’s no extra genius.  No innovation.

The seem “washed up”.  But the wrong approach is to fire them.

It’s not good for you as a company and it probably won’t teach any lessons to them either.

The truth is your under-performer is in a lot of pain.

They are hurting.  And they know it.  They might not want to share all their pain with you, but they know that they aren’t performing like they used to.  And that’s how it has to be for right now.

The truth is that it is easier for them to underperform and use their emotional energy to fight the other hurts in their life than it is to perform for you like they used to. Their personal issues are more important then your business issues.

That’s the case most of the time.

Pain and fear beat the innovation and creativity out of talented business executives.  Their personal challenges change them from the person they used to be to the shadow of an all-star they are now.

And firing them won’t change that.

For your company or for them or for you.

To help them, you have to heal them. To help yourself, you have to help them first.

That’s the secret.  You have to help them solve their personal problems.  You have to lead them to make the next few right decisions.  And even though at times that is sticky and uncomfortable, the end result is rewarding.

That journey might take days or weeks or months or years.

Candidly, you might not be willing to invest that.

It might just be easier to fire and hire and hope the new executive has better luck than the old one.

But if you can care and heal — and if you do, you will have saved a person and grown your business and inspired all those around you.  You will have changed the world.

And that’s probably why you got into business in the first place.

Copyright and Property of this Article by Dan Waldschmidt , best blogs

If you have been selling more than a few years I suspect that you have read, or heard someone say, that you should be sending handwritten thank-you cards or notes to people on a regular basis. This practise seems to be going the way of the dodo bird and very few sales people take the time to incorporate it into their daily or weekly routine.

Here are 16 circumstances or situations when it makes sense to send a handwritten note or thank-you card.

1. After you meet someone at a networking event.

2. After you meet with a new prospect.

3. When a prospect (or customer) accepts your proposal.

4. After a prospect rejects your proposal, product, service or offering.

5. When a colleague or other internal employee does you a favor or helps you.

6. After a customer receives their order or after your solution/service has been implemented.

7. Anytime someone sends you a referral.

8. When an employee does something extra for a customer.

9. When a supplier goes above and beyond the call of duty.

10. On any special occasion such as a client’s anniversary—personal or business.

11. When an employee in a customer’s company helps you.

12. When an employee in a suppliers helps you with a problem.

13. When someone gives you a great idea to improve your business or your sales.

14. When you see someone do an outstanding job or put forth extra effort to accomplish something.

15. When a customer tells you about a mistake or problem in your business.

16. When someone you know is mentioned in a newspaper, magazine, television, radio or other form of media.

Some people struggle with what to say in their thank-you card or note. It doesn’t have to be complicated. And you don’t have to write a long letter. Short, simple, and to the point, will do the trick.

There is no immediate pay-off. You are not going to close a big deal just because you sent your prospect a handwritten note. However, with some persistence and consistent effort, your efforts will pay dividends.

What do you think? Are there other circumstances or situations when it’s appropriate to send a handwritten thank-you card or note?

Copyright and Property of this Article by KELLEY ROBERTSON, best blogs

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”-Author Unknown

Ever heard that? Well, that’s another myth I’d love to dispel. You’re never too old to stop learning, growing and improving. In fact, when you stop doing so it’s usually a sign you’re not living—but dying.

“Old dogs usually are the ones that get run over or put down.”-Butch Bellah

If you are going to continue to run with the “young dogs” and perform at your peak level, you have to do two very important things:

1) Understand and realize that you do NOT know everything

2) Make a commitment to try to learn everything you don’t know

Make sense? Think about it; first admit you don’t know everything and then set about trying to solve that problem. By doing so, you commit to a life-long journey of learning; an unending search for more knowledge and improvement to your skills and talents.

I’ve made no secret about the fact that I LOVE to train salespeople and help them grow. At the same time, I get almost as much enjoyment and satisfaction out of continuing to improve my own skills and learn new ideas, strategies and processes.

I’m always open to finding a better, faster, more economical way to service my customers—and you should be, too.

-continue to read good, well-written books on sales, motivation or your specific industry
-subscribe to newsletters and blogs that not only teach you something but make you think
-commit to constantly improving your skills
-ENJOY THE PROCESS

Learning and growing (to me) is extremely fun and rewarding. I truly enjoy the process. Once you start to see the results, I think you will, too.

Lagniappe: In South Louisiana “Lagniappe” is defined as “a little something extra”. Here’s your Lagniappe for today:

Ask 10 successful salespeople who you respect what current book(s) they’re reading. I guarantee you they are all reading at least one. But, this will give you a list of books YOU should be reading. With amazon.com, public libraries, e-readers and iPads there is no reason you shouldn’t be reading something EVERY DAY!

Question: What book(s) are YOU reading? I’m currently reading two: The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone and Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got by Jay Abraham (for about the 10^th time—LOVE this book!)

Image courtesy of PetandBirdClinic.com

Copyright and Property of this Article by Butch Bellah Blog, best blogs

Copyright and Property of this Article by PAUL CASTAIN'S Sales Playbook, best blogs

Recently I had lunch with a young salesperson. This salesperson’s manager doesn’t really care about him—or any of his other sales people. When we first talked about this young salesperson taking this job, his first job in sales, I wanted him to go somewhere where he would have a sales manager that cared enough about him to help him grow. I wanted him to go somewhere where he would get great training and where he would be developed. It didn’t turn out that way.

Instead, his manager believes that salespeople are a means to an end. He treats them as if they are means. He makes no investment in their training, their development, or their growth. He does no coaching. People aren’t means, and it’s degrading and demotivating to be treated as such.

When he is scheduled to ride along with his salespeople, he cancels at the last minute. Even though the salespeople have scheduled appointments with clients and prospects, prospects who are now expecting to see the salesperson and their sales manager, he no shows. This has taught the sales manager’s team that his word is no good. It’s a violation of trust.

This sales manager is always mad at his salespeople. He yells at them. He’s tough on them. Sometimes that may be a necessary approach. But even when they are doing well, there is no praise, only more yelling that they must do more. There is no victory that is worth celebrating. He is stingy with praise, and praise is free.

My young friend is making his number in spite of having no real sales management or leadership. And he is gaining from this experience.

First, he has learned that he can make his number on his own. He has learned that his work ethic and his individual effort prospecting for new business is the difference between him and his peer group (who are not making their number). His manager has nothing to do with either his work ethic or his diligent prospecting efforts.

Second, he has learned that even though he doesn’t know what he is doing, if he finds opportunities to help his prospects get what they need, things seem to work out okay.

What Not to Do (Phrased in the Positive)

But the most important lessons he has learned will serve him well later, when he is a manager and leader. They are lessons on leadership. He told me: “I know what I am NOT going to do when I am a sales manager.”

People Are Ends, Not Means: This young salesperson has made the observation that sales managers that care enough to help their people succeed have people who walk through walls for them. He has seen other sales managers with salespeople who go the extra mile every time because of their relationship with their sales manager. Because these other sales managers treat their people as ends, they produce better results. People want to work for them.

Your Word is Your Bond: He’s learned that as a leader, you have to keep your word. If you promise to do something for your people, you have to do it. If you don’t intend to do something, don’t promise to do it. And don’t ask people to do something you don’t really want them to do.

Create and Protect a Positive Culture: He’s also learned that an environment of negativity and fear isn’t the kind of environment that produces the best results. He recognizes that praise, gratitude, and a positive environment produce better results, because he can see how different managers approach their role–and their very different results.

Knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do. You have been subjected to lessons like these. If you were wise enough to capture them, you know what not to do.

Questions

Think back to what you have learned from the best managers and leaders you have worked for. What did they teach you about your role as a manager or leader?

Think about your worst manager or leader. What lessons did you learn from them about how not to lead or manage?

Are you using the lessons you learned from your best managers and leaders?

Are you avoiding the crimes that your worst mangers and leaders were guilty of?

What must you do more of to be a better manager and leader?

What must you stop doing now to be a better manager and leader?

Related posts:

1. Accountability and Leading Indicators (A Note to the Sales Manager) Accountability and Leading Indicators (A Note to the Sales Manager)…
2. It’s Not Enough to Manage. Notch Them Up! (A Note to the Sales Manager) It’s Not Enough to Manage. Notch Them Up! (A Note…
3. Shoot the Donkey (A Note to the Sales Manager) Shoot the Donkey (A Note to the Sales Manager) is…

Copyright and Property of this Article by S. Anthony Iannarino, best blogs

Copyright and Property of this Article by Don Cooper The Sales Heretic Blog, best blogs

Almost isn’t good enough.

If you almost got the job that really means you didn’t make the final cut.

If you almost won first place that really means you ended up losing.

If you almost finished the job that means you really left your mission incomplete.

If you almost care that really means you don’t care at all.

If you’ve almost did the right thing that really means you ended up doing the wrong thing.

If you have almost made it in time that really means you ended up being late.

If you almost figure it out that really means you still have questions and unsolved problems.

If you almost have enough to do what you want to do that really means you can’t be where you want to be right now.

If you almost are happy that really means you’re still dissatisfied.

If you almost always do something then that really means you might not be as disciplined as you should be.

If you almost have your mind made up that really means you’re not as confident yet as you want to be.

If you almost have the answer that really means you’re still looking for it.

If you almost are successful that really means you still have more work to do.

If you almost worked hard enough that really means you just didn’t put in enough effort.

If you’ve almost stopped a bad habit that really means you’re not as “in control” as you want to be

Almost isn’t what you want for you.

It is close.  At times it looks like the real thing.

But it’s not good enough.

It’s almost the right thing.

And even though at times the difference is small, you can tell between being almost satisfied with your life and truly feeling a sense of accomplishment from what you’ve done.

From what you have achieved.

Don’t let almost be the enemy of awesome.

Achieve more.

Copyright and Property of this Article by Dan Waldschmidt , best blogs

During my career as a sales trainer and keynote speaker, I have been able to interact with thousands of salespeople and I have discovered that many of them still believe some myths about sales and selling.

Here are seven of the most common myths.

1. Price is the primary reason people make a buying decision

I will never argue the fact that price is a factor in every buying decision. However, it is seldom the primary reason people make a buying decision. It is important to note though, that people will default to price if you fail to demonstrate the value of your product or differentiate yourself from your competitors.

2. Do whatever you need to do in order to get the sale

Manipulative, aggressive, high-pressure sales tactics work. But, they don’t create loyal customers and clients. You may win the sale, but in the long run, you will lose the customer.

I once had a participant in a workshop proudly claim, “I don’t care what my customers want, I’ll sell them what I need to hit my quota.” {{{shudder}}} I don’t know about you but I take serious offense to this mentality and type of behavior because it casts all sales people in a negative light.

3. Buyers are liars

I’m still shocked by how many salespeople use this expression.

Do people mislead salespeople?

Of course. But it’s usually because the sales person has failed to earn that person’s trust.

Gaining someone’s trust means focusing your attention on THEIR situation rather than trying to close the sale. Earning trust means treating people with respect and dignity even if they are not prepared to make a buying decision right now.

4. Anyone can be persuaded to buy

This may be true for small purchases but in today’s business world, buyers are more savvy than ever before. I once heard someone say, “If you have a strong case you will clarify it. If you have a weak case, you will try and persuade the other person.”

The real key is to determine whether or not the person or company you are speaking to has a genuine need for your product or service. If they do not, then your best strategy is to move on to someone who does need AND want your particular solution. Even if a company could benefit from your product but they are reluctant to give you the opportunity to discuss, your time is better spent looking for other prospect.

5. What works well for one person will work for everyone

Countless books have been written about one sales strategy or another and I have read dozens of them. In this search, I have discovered that we all have our unique personality and what works well for someone may not work as effectively for us. However, instead of discarding that particular idea you should look for a way to integrate it into your natural style and approach.

6. Close the sale as quickly as possible

This is one of the craziest beliefs.

Yes, it’s important to move people towards a buying decision. Yes, it is important to gain commitments along the way. Yes, it is important to include a call to action in your proposals and conversations. But, it is also important to recognize that not every sales decision will be made quickly. Decisions can be delayed for a number of reasons, and in certain situations, trying to rush the other person to a commitment will actually cost you the sale.

7. Close the deal at any price

Too many people feel they have to close every deal, even if it does not make good business sense to do so. I have spoken to countless sales people who will accept a deal that has virtually no margin just so they can get the sale.

I recall talking to a store owner who quickly matched the prices of her competitor in order to prevent people from going to her competition. However, this seldom creates loyalty and only conditions that customer to continue asking for a better price.

Decisions like this cost you or your company money.

If you are not making your desired gross profit on a particular sale, then you need to consider whether it makes good business to accept it. I know small business owners who will offer substantial discounts to a large company in the hopes of generating additional business from that client in the future. Unfortunately, they end up giving away their services and expertise because they don’t get any more business from that company. They neglected to negotiate an upfront agreement.

Selling is an honorable career and sales professionals need to avoid falling prey to these myths.

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