Jeff Schneider

To sell effectively to the modern buyer, we need to identify and set aside all the head trash that keeps us from engaging effectively and often to uncover new opportunities.

In 2019, we conducted our first AI-for-Sales Research Study into if/how sales organizations were leveraging advances in AI technology to enhance their technology stack in ways that further increased sales efficiency and effectiveness.

The STORY:
Nick knew he was not connecting with Michael. For the past four minutes, which seemed like four hours to Nick, Michael had done little more than occasionally say one or two words. Michael’s almost complete inability to maintain eye contact was most annoying to Nick. He looks everywhere but at me, thought Nick. I wonder if he really has any interest at all.

It is far easier to sell at your listed price than most salespeople realize – even during economic uncertainty. Here are three steps you can take today that will make selling without discounting second nature, no matter what else is going on in your market.

When it comes to closing deals, no fool-proof method will earn you a 100%-win rate. However, any sales leader can use several strategies to improve their success. With deals won reaching 51%, the highest recorded rate reported by the 2022 Sales Performance Scorecard by Sales Mastery, many organizations are tapping into a secret weapon in performance improvement.

The STORY:
Bob was sitting on the low stone wall in front of the office, eating his lunch. As Larry, a salesperson who had repeatedly refused to be promoted to sales manager drove up in his fully restored MG-TD, Bob wondered why Larry was always so successful.

Rick, a 10-year sales veteran, had major issues creating rapport during his sales calls.

As a sales leader, you already know the cost of a poor hire is high. That cost ranges from wasted budget on onboarding, training, salary, and benefits, to lost revenue and increased stress for everyone. It’s estimated that a bad sales hire costs your organization 30% of the annual salary . . . and that figure doesn’t even take into account problems like excess time spent on ramp-up, cultural problems, and higher turnover.

The STORY:
“In conclusion,” said Nick, “I believe the picture I’ve painted, how my company’s products fit in perfectly with where you are now, would show us the path to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”

What do you do when a buyer or a prospective buyer says something aggressive or confrontational?