Just Do It ( Right) the First Time

ToddCohen.com Sales Community,I am exhausted! I have heard enough excuses this past week why people are not closing deals!  I think that the time of year makes sales reps and some sales professionals a bit crazy and this year is not an exception!  We are all in the mode to work to do everything we can to get the deals closed and invoiced.  So, here is the deal -do you want to close more deals?  Do you want to raise your close ratio and your profit ratio?  Then get it right the first time!I have taken the time to look at more proposals and listen to additional sales calls these past few weeks and the one thing that has become ...

Sales is not an “If”

Dear ToddCohen.com Sales Community,Sales is precise. We have talked in the past that what we do is an art and a science. It is a skill and it takes time to hone it to perfection. Sales is not about the "if". Let me explain. I have been listening to different sales people lately and I seem be hearing a great deal of:"If only the economy was better, I could have......" "If the product was better I could..... "If the CEO would only take my call...." "If I could just get in front of so and so......... "If .....and so on.I think you get the point!  Sales is not about the "if".  It is about the "I can" and "I will".  Sales Professionals ...

……”but it feels so good…..”

Dear ToddCohen.com Sales Community,As a sales professionals, we are all accountable to drive the correct activities that produce results. We all know this.  When you are thinking about your pipeline or are in a discussion about your pipeline, do you find yourself saying "Well, I feel really good about my pipeline", or "I have been having some great meetings," or perhaps "I am pretty sure I have enough to make my numbers", or " I think I can hit the targets"?  Do you find yourself saying these things? STOP.  Step away from the fuzzy cliches.Part of being a great sales professional is the ability to move beyond the "feel good" and demonstrate ability to translate the right activities into closeable business!  ...

Voice of the Customer (VoC) in a Recession

By Geoff RhineThe current economy is a perfect time to get the rest of your organization on-board with Sales Culture and in touch with the Voice of the Customer.With the recession, the pie is getting smaller. You can gain market share by maintaining your sales volume or achieving modest increases, while your competitors lose volume; but how do you accomplish that position?  There will be market consolidation and your goal is to assure that your customers are the remaining entities.  Price cuts will not capture a bigger piece of the smaller pie nearly as well as value based differentiation.  Those who attempt to survive solely on price reduction are likely to see consolidation from the wrong side.Now is the critical ...

Are you Mentorvating?

ToddCohen.com Sales Community,I am hereby pleased too announce a brand new word to the international lexicon of sales vernacular!  Ready?  The word is "mentorvate".OK, I admit it - I talk too fast sometimes.  The other day I was engaged with a client and we were talking about the main job of a sales leader.  When I suggested to them the real answer "......to coach, develop, mentor and motivate....", I said it so fast it came out sounding something like "....the number one job of a sales leader is to coach, develop and mentorvate your people..."!! In case you are still trying to figure this out, I merged the words mentor and motivate, not intentionally, but a new word was born. ...

Are you in Control?

Dear ToddCohen.com Sales Community,I was having an interesting conversation with an (overwhelmed) client recently.   He was struggling with how to balance the many demands on his schedule and feeling anxious and stressed out.  No kidding!  We are getting busier and being asked to do more with the same or less resources.  This is the way things are now and there ain't a whole lot I can do to change that.  However, during this conversation, I asked this sales professional one question " are you in control?".  For about 45 seconds I had silence on the other end of the phone ( remember, the first one to speak loses the deal).  Then the response was.."no".When I probed what he meant by ...

Can You Delegate?

ToddCohen.com Sales Community,Delegation is a skill and one that we all need to be very good at if we are to be great sales leaders and build sales culture. We all know that our business is well...busy and one of the many things we can learn to do better is to delegate and empower people.  Effective delegation is a skill that I have observed great sales professionals do well to it is a strength that separates good from great.

The Most Valuable Component

ToddCohen.com Sales Community~

Here is a question to think about as we enter the last quarter and 2009. How do you leverage the value of your customer relationships, both for yourself and for your customer?   You are in this business relationship together and so you are both actually selling to each other, since both will benefit from the others’ success.  You, yourself, will make it your business to work collaboratively to establish trust and a sense of interdependence between you.

Your customer is the most valuable component of your business, to say the least.  You must, I repeat, must leverage that value to create your own success.  When a customer complains, expresses concerns or dissatisfaction, or even says  “ No”

“I See Sales People”

Good Morning ToddCohen.com Sales Community-Ok, I its time to confess my secret.  I see sales people everywhere.  Every time I interact with someone I see some element of selling.  I have always said that "Everyone is in Sales" and I see it all the time.  Do you see it? The Barista at Starbucks, flight attendants and ticket agents ( including one excellent agent from Northwest Airlines who recently went above and beyond to help me) the locksmith I had to recently use and so on.So why do I think that these are all sales people in some fashion?  One is that they are all engaged with a client and are trying in some fashion to help and serve.  How they handle there duties leaves an impression on me and will certainly influence ...

Momentum is KING

ToddCohen.com Sales Community: Q3 is Here......yes, it has snuck up on us and now we have to keep the momentum strong. It is now more important then ever that we each hold ourselves accountable for keeping up the momentum. If we are to leverage what we have started and finish the year at or above plan we need to keep the momentum strong. Great sales leaders leverage the positive and at the same time ratchet things up.Momentum is KING. How can we keep up the momentum?Increase you field travel where possible and cost effective. You will accelerate more deals by being in the field as much as possible. This is excellent coaching time-in real time. Prioritize your field travel to ...