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PodcastCheck out our podcast | Sales BlasphemyIdeas to set yourself apart from your competition so you win business and sell at your highest potential in a lasting and consistent way. Be You | Be Different!
Our Blog
Thoughts and Ideas from Sales Concepts
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What does your forecast tell you?May 22, 2023 at 4:00 AMWhat 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... -
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Sorry. I did not have time.May 15, 2023 at 4:00 AMWe 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... -
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What is the toughest objection you encounter?May 8, 2023 at 4:00 AMJohn Maxwell, author and founder of the John Maxwell Leadership Foundation, said, "People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude."... -
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Command attention delivering a presentation.May 1, 2023 at 4:00 AMHere are six key questions to answer when presenting a business case to help you win and keep attention throughout your presentation. A compelling pre... -
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What does bowling have to do with selling?April 24, 2023 at 4:00 AMQuite 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... -
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You should welcome objections!April 17, 2023 at 4:00 AMObjections often make salespeople sweat! Objections are any concern of a prospect or customer, either stated or not, that can keep you from closing th... -
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Would you buy from you?April 10, 2023 at 4:00 AMFor over 43 years, Sales Concepts has trained people who work with customers and their managers. In many of our programs, salespeople practice selling... -
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What could you learn from a rookie salesperson?April 3, 2023 at 4:00 AMOne common objection from sales managers for not training their salespeople is that our people are experienced. When athletes are good enough to becom... -
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Why don't we ask better questions?March 27, 2023 at 4:00 AMChildren 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... -
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Would you discuss your investment portfolio with your child's teacher?March 20, 2023 at 4:00 AMWould you talk to your child’s teacher about maintaining your yard? How about discussing your financial portfolio with your internist or medical issue... -
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Selling is not a dirty word.March 13, 2023 at 4:00 AMHave you ever thought about the reputation the public holds of salespeople? When you do, what comes to mind? Is it less than flattering? Unfortunately... -
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It's a Forecast, not a Chorecast!March 6, 2023 at 5:00 AMDo 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... -
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What are the traits of effective salespeople?February 27, 2023 at 5:00 AMThe American Counseling Association (ACA)created the list below of characteristics that make an effective therapist. Successful salespeople know that ... -
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What power do you have in a negotiation?February 20, 2023 at 12:00 PMIf 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... -
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Forecasting is not just another report!February 13, 2023 at 12:00 PMHave 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... -
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What is closing?February 6, 2023 at 12:00 PMA 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... -
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What happens when you don't have time?January 30, 2023 at 12:00 PMWhat 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... -
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The Difference Between Leading and ManagingJanuary 23, 2023 at 12:00 PMFor many salespeople, January is the start of something new. The numbers reset to zero, with twelve months to reach the new goal. Management develops ... -
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Ever work with customers who mainly care about money?January 17, 2023 at 1:00 PMThink 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... -
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Why do your customers buy?January 9, 2023 at 1:00 PMSalespeople 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... -
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Here is a holiday present for you!December 19, 2022 at 6:00 AMSuccessful salespeople understand they must ask questions to help prospects and customers overcome the biggest killer of all sales: FUD (Fear, Uncerta... -
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Want to be a better listener?December 12, 2022 at 1:00 PMWant 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... -
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What Motivates You?December 5, 2022 at 1:00 PMWhen 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... -
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The Benefits of CuriosityNovember 28, 2022 at 12:00 PMThere are numerous studies regarding the importance of curiosity. These studies reinforce that the more curious a child is, the more they learn. If yo... -
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The great salespeople are grateful.November 21, 2022 at 12:00 PMIt'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 ... -
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Calling on accounts is like riding a bike.November 14, 2022 at 12:00 PMWould 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... -
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Do you fear prospecting?November 7, 2022 at 12:00 PMWhy 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... -
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What's the secret to connecting with customers?October 31, 2022 at 11:00 AMWe 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... -
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What traits do your customers want in a salesperson?October 24, 2022 at 11:00 AMWhat traits make a superior salesperson? We often ask this question of salespeople and managers and hear many of the following adjectives:OutgoingDriv... -
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The main thing we learn from history is that we do not learn.October 17, 2022 at 11:00 AMWhat 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... -
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Why don't salespeople do this?October 10, 2022 at 7:00 AMThings you do for yourself that enhance your life:ExerciseEat a healthy dietLive within your meansGet plenty of sleepForecastWait, what? Forecast? How... -
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What is both free and priceless?October 3, 2022 at 11:00 AMHere 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... -
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We know we should not rely on assumptions, but.September 26, 2022 at 11:00 AMFor most salespeople, the longer they sell, the better they get. However, there is one area where experience and longevity can work against us. Those ... -
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The Benefits of a Business CaseSeptember 19, 2022 at 7:00 AMMost salespeople focus on what their products and services are. Successful salespeople focus on what their products and services do, encouraging custo... -
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The Secret, Effective Leaders KnowSeptember 12, 2022 at 11:00 AMMany people desire to be in positions of leadership. However, they may not understand the concept of servant leadership. The most effective leaders do... -
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Accelerate The Sales ProcessSeptember 5, 2022 at 11:00 AMPeople 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... -
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Listening: A Salesperson's SuperpowerAugust 29, 2022 at 4:00 AMYou 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... -
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Do you ask enough insightful questions?August 22, 2022 at 11:00 AMMost salespeople are good at asking questions to send a quote or what their manager may ask during a pipeline call. Successful salespeople dig deeper.... -
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Are you a good listener?August 15, 2022 at 11:00 AMWhat would your prospects and customers say about your listening skills? What about your co-workers? What about your family? Listening is more than mo... -
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Why don't salespeople ask enough questions?August 8, 2022 at 11:00 AMWhile speaking with a client the other day, I mentioned that Sales Concepts had provided sales and customer service training for over forty years. Aft... -
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Who you don't know in selling can hurt you.August 1, 2022 at 11:00 AMWho are you most comfortable calling on within your accounts? Often salespeople are most comfortable working with the people in their accounts who are... -
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Why should your customers listen to you?July 25, 2022 at 11:00 AMCustomers value different aspects of companies, products, and services. No single item universally establishes value in the minds of customers and pro... -
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Why don't salespeople prospect?July 18, 2022 at 11:00 AMResearch shows prospecting is the most challenging activity for salespeople. Why? Salespeople shared the following reasons with us:It just doesn’t wor... -
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Do you find yourself having to discount to win business?July 11, 2022 at 11:00 AMDo 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... -
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Do you run your day or does your day run you?June 27, 2022 at 11:00 AMIn 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... -
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Customers can tell the difference!June 20, 2022 at 11:00 AMDo prospects or customers care whether they work with a well-trained salesperson? For example, if a prospect meets with your salesperson who has recei... -
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Is forecasting a waste of time?June 13, 2022 at 11:00 AMThe 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, ... -
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Training doesn't work unless your people do.June 6, 2022 at 7:00 AMA 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 ... -
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Your customers want to talk about themselves.May 23, 2022 at 11:00 AMHave 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... -
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What to do when your customer says no.May 16, 2022 at 7:00 AMSalespeople and managers must master the ability to deal with customer objections confidently. Merriam-Webster defines the word objection as a reason ... -
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Want to get better at selling?May 9, 2022 at 11:00 AMHave 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... -
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Why do salespeople struggle with closing?May 2, 2022 at 11:00 AMMy 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 ... -
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A Salesperson’s Worst FoeApril 25, 2022 at 11:00 AMAssumption: Something accepted as accurate without proof.Without proof - powerful words.All salespeople make assumptions, but what separates the most ... -
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Selling is like conducting a symphony.April 18, 2022 at 11:00 AMSuccessful salespeople know that all of the different buying influences in a company determine whether a purchase will move forward, stall, or go to a... -
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Selling is different.April 11, 2022 at 11:00 AMOne 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... -
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Prospecting is like eating potato chips.April 4, 2022 at 11:00 AMThe 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... -
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How good of a listener are you?March 28, 2022 at 11:00 AMAre you a good listener? According to the International Listening Association, most think we are but are not. The average listening efficiency is abou... -
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Would you give your customers worms for lunch?March 21, 2022 at 7:00 AMWe 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...
