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Thoughts and Ideas from Sales Concepts

  • What does your forecast tell you?
    May 22, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    What is YOUR reason for forecasting? Is it because your management requires you to forecast? After you submit your forecast, what do you do with it? O...
  • Sorry. I did not have time.
    May 15, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    We were going to write a meaningful message for you this week, but we ran out of time. This is obviously a joke because you are reading our message no...
  • What is the toughest objection you encounter?
    May 8, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    John Maxwell, author and founder of the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation, said, "People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude."...
  • Command attention delivering a presentation.
    May 1, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    Here are six key questions to answer when presenting a business case to help you win and keep attention throughout your presentation. A compelling pre...
  • What does bowling have to do with selling?
    April 24, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    Quite a bit, actually! Some people excel at bowling. They can pick up a ball, roll it down the lane, and watch as it knocks over all the pins. A strik...
  • You should welcome objections!
    April 17, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    Objections often make salespeople sweat! Objections are any concern of a prospect or customer, either stated or not, that can keep you from closing th...
  • Would you buy from you?
    April 10, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    For over 43 years, Sales Concepts has trained people who work with customers and their managers. In many of our programs, salespeople practice selling...
  • What could you learn from a rookie salesperson?
    April 3, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    One common objection from sales managers for not training their salespeople is that our people are experienced. When athletes are good enough to becom...
  • Why don't we ask better questions?
    March 27, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    Children ask a staggering number of questions a day. Research shows they ask at least 73 questions a day. Adults ask only about 20 questions a day. Wh...
  • Would you discuss your investment portfolio with your child's teacher?
    March 20, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    Would you talk to your child’s teacher about maintaining your yard? How about discussing your financial portfolio with your internist or medical issue...
  • Selling is not a dirty word.
    March 13, 2023 at 4:00 AM
    Have you ever thought about the reputation the public holds of salespeople? When you do, what comes to mind? Is it less than flattering? Unfortunately...
  • It's a Forecast, not a Chorecast!
    March 6, 2023 at 5:00 AM
    Do you view forecasting as a chore? Is it something you find yourself cramming for at the end of a quarter, like a final exam in college? Do you resen...
  • What are the traits of effective salespeople?
    February 27, 2023 at 5:00 AM
    The American Counseling Association (ACA)created the list below of characteristics that make an effective therapist. Successful salespeople know that ...
  • What power do you have in a negotiation?
    February 20, 2023 at 12:00 PM
    If someone is negotiating with you, they probably want what you have! So, what should you do? Here are some ideas:Slow down, and allow yourself time t...
  • Forecasting is not just another report!
    February 13, 2023 at 12:00 PM
    Have you ever been thrilled to blow past your quota and forecast but discovered that your management was not as excited as you expected? You worked mo...
  • What is closing?
    February 6, 2023 at 12:00 PM
    A lack of closing skills is blamed for everything that keeps salespeople from selling! Managers often request our services to help their teams do a be...
  • What happens when you don't have time?
    January 30, 2023 at 12:00 PM
    What do people hear when you tell them, I didn’t have time? It is a phrase most of us casually use to defend why we did not do something. But should w...
  • The Difference Between Leading and Managing
    January 23, 2023 at 12:00 PM
    For many salespeople, January is the start of something new. The numbers reset to zero, with twelve months to reach the new goal. Management develops ...
  • Ever work with customers who mainly care about money?
    January 17, 2023 at 1:00 PM
    Think about the people you work with who buy from you. Now, think for a moment about those who could but don’t. Do they mainly care about the features...
  • Why do your customers buy?
    January 9, 2023 at 1:00 PM
    Salespeople often get a bad rap. There are many jokes about salespeople, but by far, this one could be the most hurtful: How can you tell when a sales...
  • Here is a holiday present for you!
    December 19, 2022 at 6:00 AM
    Successful salespeople understand they must ask questions to help prospects and customers overcome the biggest killer of all sales: FUD (Fear, Uncerta...
  • Want to be a better listener?
    December 12, 2022 at 1:00 PM
    Want to be a better listener? Don’t interrupt! Mix up the letters of the word listen, and you end up with the word silent. That can’t be a coincidence...
  • What Motivates You?
    December 5, 2022 at 1:00 PM
    When I travel, attend a business conference, or attend other functions, I am asked what I do for a living. When I tell people I work with a company th...
  • The Benefits of Curiosity
    November 28, 2022 at 12:00 PM
    There are numerous studies regarding the importance of curiosity. These studies reinforce that the more curious a child is, the more they learn. If yo...
  • The great salespeople are grateful.
    November 21, 2022 at 12:00 PM
    It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is upon us here in the United States, so we are quickly working through November and coming to the end of ...
  • Calling on accounts is like riding a bike.
    November 14, 2022 at 12:00 PM
    Would you rather ride a bike uphill or downhill? Probably most of us would prefer riding a bike downhill. It requires a lot less work! But in most ins...
  • Do you fear prospecting?
    November 7, 2022 at 12:00 PM
    Why do so many salespeople fear prospecting? What is so scary about prospecting? If you find a new account to call or stop in and see, what is the wor...
  • What's the secret to connecting with customers?
    October 31, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    We all have had people you click with from the start. We decide immediately whether this is someone we want to get to know. When we sense a connection...
  • What traits do your customers want in a salesperson?
    October 24, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    What traits make a superior salesperson? We often ask this question of salespeople and managers and hear many of the following adjectives:OutgoingDriv...
  • The main thing we learn from history is that we do not learn.
    October 17, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    What do you think about this remark? Are you guilty of any of these below? It may be time you do something different.Treating everyone the same - do y...
  • Why don't salespeople do this?
    October 10, 2022 at 7:00 AM
    Things you do for yourself that enhance your life:ExerciseEat a healthy dietLive within your meansGet plenty of sleepForecastWait, what? Forecast? How...
  • What is both free and priceless?
    October 3, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Here are some riddles that apply to all of us:My value is more significant than you think, but if you lose me, I'm gone forever.I am easy to wast...
  • We know we should not rely on assumptions, but.
    September 26, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    For most salespeople, the longer they sell, the better they get. However, there is one area where experience and longevity can work against us. Those ...
  • The Benefits of a Business Case
    September 19, 2022 at 7:00 AM
    Most salespeople focus on what their products and services are. Successful salespeople focus on what their products and services do, encouraging custo...
  • The Secret, Effective Leaders Know
    September 12, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Many people desire to be in positions of leadership. However, they may not understand the concept of servant leadership. The most effective leaders do...
  • Accelerate The Sales Process
    September 5, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    People want things fast. We pay extra to get in a shorter line or have something shipped to us quicker. What if you could accelerate the sales process...
  • Listening: A Salesperson's Superpower
    August 29, 2022 at 4:00 AM
    You may remember The Ramones, an American punk rock band from New York popular in the 1970s. They released many songs back in the day, but their advic...
  • Do you ask enough insightful questions?
    August 22, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Most salespeople are good at asking questions to send a quote or what their manager may ask during a pipeline call. Successful salespeople dig deeper....
  • Are you a good listener?
    August 15, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    What would your prospects and customers say about your listening skills? What about your co-workers? What about your family? Listening is more than mo...
  • Why don't salespeople ask enough questions?
    August 8, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    While speaking with a client the other day, I mentioned that Sales Concepts had provided sales and customer service training for over forty years. Aft...
  • Who you don't know in selling can hurt you.
    August 1, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Who are you most comfortable calling on within your accounts? Often salespeople are most comfortable working with the people in their accounts who are...
  • Why should your customers listen to you?
    July 25, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Customers value different aspects of companies, products, and services. No single item universally establishes value in the minds of customers and pro...
  • Why don't salespeople prospect?
    July 18, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Research shows prospecting is the most challenging activity for salespeople. Why? Salespeople shared the following reasons with us:It just doesn’t wor...
  • Do you find yourself having to discount to win business?
    July 11, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Do you find yourself having to discount to win business? What would a discount of 2% less mean to your business? That might not sound like much, and t...
  • Do you run your day or does your day run you?
    June 27, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    In the song Time in a Bottle, Jim Croce sings, “But there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you find them.”Is he cor...
  • Customers can tell the difference!
    June 20, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Do prospects or customers care whether they work with a well-trained salesperson? For example, if a prospect meets with your salesperson who has recei...
  • Is forecasting a waste of time?
    June 13, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    The following is a message from the president and founder of Sales Concepts, Don Sharp.After working in sales and sales management for over 45 years, ...
  • Training doesn't work unless your people do.
    June 6, 2022 at 7:00 AM
    A quick game of semantics: Can you, as a manager, motivate your people or keep from demotivating them? We often feel it is our job as managers to fix ...
  • Your customers want to talk about themselves.
    May 23, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Have you ever heard the country song by Toby Keith, I Wanna Talk About Me?Have you ever been on a date and listened while others talked about themselv...
  • What to do when your customer says no.
    May 16, 2022 at 7:00 AM
    Salespeople and managers must master the ability to deal with customer objections confidently. Merriam-Webster defines the word objection as a reason ...
  • Want to get better at selling?
    May 9, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Have you ever asked a child what they want to be when they grow up and hear them say, I want to be a salesperson? Probably not! If you ask a current s...
  • Why do salespeople struggle with closing?
    May 2, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    My people know how to sell. They just don't close. Unfortunately, we hear these words from sales managers we speak with more frequently than you ...
  • A Salesperson’s Worst Foe
    April 25, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Assumption: Something accepted as accurate without proof.Without proof - powerful words.All salespeople make assumptions, but what separates the most ...
  • Selling is like conducting a symphony.
    April 18, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Successful salespeople know that all of the different buying influences in a company determine whether a purchase will move forward, stall, or go to a...
  • Selling is different.
    April 11, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    One of the first things lawyers learn is to never ask a question during a trial to which they do not know the answer. Well, it's the opposite for...
  • Prospecting is like eating potato chips.
    April 4, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    The other day a coworker was talking about his lunch. He is counting calories and successfully losing weight. He complained about how you could not ea...
  • How good of a listener are you?
    March 28, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    Are you a good listener? According to the International Listening Association, most think we are but are not. The average listening efficiency is abou...
  • Would you give your customers worms for lunch?
    March 21, 2022 at 7:00 AM
    We hope not! But you probably wouldn’t fish with a strawberry either, would you?The following is a poignant message from one of our training consultan...

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