This article is not about whether it’s important to have a playbook…it’s important. If you don’t have one, do your company a big favor and take the time to get it done. Rather, this article is about what is sometimes missing from playbooks which is crucial for getting...
April marks the anniversary of my dad’s passing. I think often about the ways he influenced me over the years. He owned his own business and was in sales for most of his entire career. One of my favorite stories about him takes place early in his career when he was...
It was 4pm on a Thursday and I was sitting in my car outside Starbucks. It had been one of those days. You’ve probably had one like this too. Phone call followed by phone call followed by meetings and then more phone calls. I had one more call to go. One call standing...
It sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? We personalize our conversations all day long with the people we know. It comes to us as naturally as reaching for our first cup of coffee in the morning. Yet, in all my years of selling and coaching others to sell,...
For many, fourth quarter can be a time to reflect on decisions made over the last year. What worked, what didn’t? What to continue doing to meet your goals and what to stop doing? As you may be embarking on this kind of reflection as well, I thought it would be...
During a prospect meeting, it’s not just about asking the right questions. It’s also about asking the right questions at the right time. One of our Door Openers accompanied a client’s salesperson on a meeting to evaluate how well the salesperson did eliciting...
When business leaders or salespeople hear prospects say, “I already have a contract for that, thanks anyway” they too often think there is no opportunity. They hang up, cross the prospect off the list, and never contact the prospect again. Big mistake! They are...
A seminar attendee once said, “If a prospect cancels a meeting, it obviously means the prospect is not interested. Further, if the meeting is rescheduled and the prospect cancels again, the prospect is not only uninterested, but also rude and unworthy of my...
It's not easy to get a meeting with a decision maker. So when you have one, it had better go well! Have you ever finished a meeting and wished you achieved a better outcome, gotten further into the discussion or secured better next steps? We call this "the valuable...
After working hard to find the right prospect and having a great first meeting, you want to be sure the second meeting happens (and in the shortest timeframe possible)! Below are our Door Openers’ best practices for keeping the conversation moving. 1. Date & Time....
In sales, there is nothing more frustrating than waiting to hear back from a prospect. We’ve all been there—spent time researching a potential client, had great meetings, agreed on next steps and then nothing, nada, just silence. Rather than dealing with prospect...
You speak with a prospect who tells you he/she is interested in your services. You’ve contacted that person many times (all the while using the 3 P’s of prospect follow up – Persistence with Patience without being a Pest) with no answer…now what? Are they no longer...