A Sales Compass – A Blog by B2B Sales Connections

In sales there are positive financial consequences associated with your ability to listen attentively and effectively. Here are some excellent questions to ask yourself in order to assess and rate your listening skills followed by some thoughts and suggestions that will help you take appropriate corrective actions. (more…)

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I just had a call I just had call from a sales person who wanted more information about a job we have posted.  This person committed 4 telephone blunders that happen all the time and unfortunately they won’t ever know why they didn’t make it to the interview process. In hopes that you don’t make the same blunders whether searching for a job or calling prospective customers I am going to list the 5 most common errors that we hear on a daily basis. (more…)

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Jobfox released its hiring report this past summer and listed Sales Representative as the most recession proof career.  In a similar study conducted annually by Manpower Inc. reporting on the most difficult job to fill, sales representative topped the 2006 and 2007 list and slid to second place in 2008. 

Do you know the actual cost of hiring a new sales professional?  Do you know the cost of failing to replace a sales person who is not generating revenue?  How long will you hang on to non-performing sales representatives?  Do you believe it’s better to keep a low performer than replace them?

 One of the best methods of reducing costs is to revisit your existing hiring practices. (more…)

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In today’s competitive environment, a properly designed Customer Relationship Management (CRM) program is simply a must have in order for your business to survive and grow.  It doesn’t matter whether you are a small make-your-own wine store, a chiropractic clinic, an office equipment supplier or any other business, you must define the processes to be implemented to handle the contact with your customers.  After all, if you don’t take care of your customers, somebody else will!  (more…)

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“Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact.” – George Elliot

Aim Higher!

Susan A. Enns, B2B Sales Connections

www.b2bsalesconnections.com

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In some industries, it is common for prospects to request free, on site trials of the product before they make their purchasing decision. Whenever possible, regardless if it is commonplace in your industry, do not agree to these trials. (more…)

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This is a true story.  Over the course of a year, a local branch manager had 7 separate photocopier sales people conduct face to face prospecting calls on her business.  However, since the current equipment was on a lease with an expiry date far into the future, it was not the right time in the buying cycle to start the sales process.  The branch manager asked each sales rep to call back on the same specified date in the future.  Of the 7, only 2 sales reps called back.  Only 2!

Although this may sound unbelievable, it is more often the rule than the exception.  (more…)

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As like most things, our job as salespeople is changing. Pre-Internet, salespeople were the keepers of the information and prospects needed us as sources of knowledge and information. Not any more.

Now our prospects are often more knowledgeable about what we sell than we are. This means that instead of being involved early in the prospect’s buying process we’re coming in at the mid-point. Instead of us approaching them, they often approach us. It’s the new sales dynamic, Sales 2.0.

The ability to properly qualify the prospect is even more critical as we need to determine what mis-information the prospect might have dug up.

Sales 2.0 is also about relationships and the ability to leverage social networking will increase in importance.

Time are changing. Are you?

Brian Jeffrey

www.salesforceassessments.com

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Ever since we were young, we have been taught to watch our language.   “Mind your p’s and q’s, and if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”  A sales person knocked on my door the other day.  The experience served as a reminder that professional sales people must also watch their language, their sales language that is.  (more…)

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Today, most cover letters are emails as opposed to actual letters as they were in the past.  The old printed cover letter used to be part of the actual resume as it was normally stapled to it.  Now, the email is read once, the resume printed and/or saved, and then the cover letter email deleted.  

As such, the format of the cover email must change from its printed ancestor.  (more…)

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