Susan Powers

Think about the last time someone asked you to tell them a little about yourself. Did you stumble? Did you regret how you answered? Did you miss an opportunity to fit in something important? Sandler Training advises that all professionals take time to craft their "thirty-second commercial."

Going on a sales call can be a good opportunity for you and your business and so it’s only natural that people make this mistake working with a potential client; they get so anxious to sell, sell, sell that they spill their candy in the lobby. The problem is that once you give away all your candy…why should the client feel the need to come back for another conversation? They already have what they want!

A good business relationship whether it is buyer/seller or manager/employee is based on the assumption that both parties have an interest in doing things to accomplish the same goal.  The first step in persuading someone to do what you want or need them to do is to establish and Adult-to-Adult relationship with the other person. 

However, summer affects your business, working smart over the next 6 weeks will keep you on track for a strong 2017 finish! Follow these key strategies for making the summer months successful and you will find more time in your own summer schedule to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Try getting the prospect to do what YOU want them to do by taking the opposite approach. Instead of pushing them toward the sale, increase your closing numbers by pulling them away from the sale.

How many times have you made a hiring mistake?  Let's face it, if we hire any level or any quantity of people we are going to make mistakes. A small, inexpensive investment will ensure that you have hired the right person for the right position.

Every time a prospect asks you a question during a sales call, it’s highly likely that you’ve got an opportunity to improve the relationship by asking your own question … instead of answering the prospect’s question directly. Read more about a basic communication principle that too many salespeople overlook.

Ever notice how people tend to buy from people that they Know, Like, and Trust? Then it only makes sense that the first stage of the sales process is to build and sustain relationships. It is YOUR responsibility to create an atmosphere that is comfortable and amicable for doing business.

Over the years, I’ve worked with a lot of different professionals. Those that are successful all have several traits in common. Success is in the eye of the beholder of course – everyone defines it differently. Whatever your definition is, it probably includes these 6 traits:

Used strategically, LinkedIn can be a fantastic prospecting tool, but too often sales professionals neglect its potential. Some see prospecting as simply a numbers game, but it’s much more than that. To succeed in sales, you need to focus on building a reputation and establishing a bedrock network you can pull from in the future. That kind of strategy is exactly what LinkedIn is made for, if you know how to best use it.