Sales culture insights to help empower your team
and energize your business.
Where is the follow up?
ToddCohen.com Sales Community,Its time to really rant again! 3 weeks ago today I was given a proposal for services by a local company. Do you know what? Not only was the proposal poorly done, the vendor has yet to call me and see if I have received said "proposal" and if I had any reaction. Nothing. Nary a phone call, a email, a telegraph, carrier pigeon..nada, zip, silence. I keep checking my phones for a dial tone-still working. My PC has not suffered any email outages-still receiving. What kind of selling is that? I will tell you. Lousy selling. In fact, its not selling at all.What it is says ...
Sales Culture.
Dear Sales Community, I want to start a new conversation right now. I am always talking about and being asked my opinion on what makes a great sales culture. This is an important and critical topic for the sales community. Our profession is always changing. 2007 brought significant new advances in technology that brings new products and services....and then this brings new complexity to how we sell. This means that how well we sell is in part due to the sales culture empowering us. Right? Right!I recently posed the following question to colleagues and associates from my Linked-In network: " When you think of sales culture what is the first thing that comes ...
WHAT are you waiting for?
ToddCohen.com Sales Community,Forgive me friends for I am about to rant a little bit again. I am trying to understand why, when given a personal referral, sales professionals wait to call that warm lead? Please help me understand this one! Anyone? Hello? What am I missing? OK, I admit this is a pet peeve. So call me a "Type A".When we are given a lead, this is a warm lead and hence needs to be addressed immediately. There is no other way. Period.There have been times when I have made personal referrals for people and I am stunned to find out that calls to follow up have not been made. Color me clueless as to why! ...
Do you have your Sales Mojo?
Hello 2008!I want to welcome the Toddcohen.com sales community to a new sales year! It has been a few weeks since you have returned to work. Hopefully you have done what you need to to do to get organized to get off to a fast start. I talked with you a few times last year in the ToddCohen.com weekly columns and blog about making sure you are doing the things that will help you get off to a fast start....doing the tactical things you must do!This brings me to a question I want to ask my sales community...Do you have your sales mojo? Are you mentally ready to tackle the 2008 plan and hit the (larger) ...
Happy New Year! Resolutions?
Sales Community!Happy New Year! Welcome to 2008 and a 12 months of sales excellence and crushing your numbers! I hope that as each of you start the new sales year today you are charged up and ready to close the business.Given the start of a new year, I admit to thinking about what my 2008 resolutions are. I know the whole resolutions thing is a bit trite and well worn, but I will take a crack anyway. So, here are my 2008 Sales Resolutions:1-I will make every effort to take care of myself first. Take a vacation and get enough sleep. Always be thankful for my health, friends and family. Without these ...
Job for Life? Not!
One of my favorite parts of being a sales professional is that my skills ( and yours) are transportable. Like some other professions, we can take what we do and be successful in many places and industries. Essentially, as long as we continue to demonstrate that we can deliver the business, we should enjoy employment. The title of this blog reflects the fact that I believe we are always in some state of professional transition. Last weekend I gave a speech on using sales techniques to manage career transition. The first question I asked the group was "who in the room is in transition?" A few raised their hands. I asked it again, ...
My Interview on Career TV a.k.a. Networking at Work!
Recently I was interviewed by CareerTV, an excellent website devoted to young people understanding how to successfully navigate the world of job hunting and securing that first job! They have an amazing amount of information and timely content.I was approached a few months ago by one of their producers, Melissa Uhniat, about doing a piece on the importance of " closing the order". I was flattered by the offer and appreciate their interest in my thoughts on this topic. I am happy to share my interview with the ToddCohen.com Sales Community! I hope you find it helpful and informative.Please make sure you check out CareerTV! It is a very well ...
Play your Best Game!
Dear Sales Community- Those of you who know me know I am not big on sports analogies-mainly because, well, I am just not that versed in sports and all of the rules and intricacies. However, in a recent conversation with Ray Jackson, a leading expert on innovative leadership and a former professional basketball player, we started to talk about the relationship between playing a sports game and selling. ( I will admit to being a die hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan though!)Ray was talking about how the best games are won when players play at their best and not just to the level of their opponent. If you are playing a superior team, then players will rise to the ...
I am Pissed Off.
Do I have your attention? The reason I am ...ahem....annoyed is that I have had it with the carping and complaining of some "sales people" in certain professions moaning and groaning because the market is bad now. I cannot believe the way some salespeople have become so entitled the last few years and have actually forgotten how to sell! Things have come much to easily and now that the market has turned, everyone feels like they are helpless! Get a grip. I mean right now! No one is entitled to permanent success and its time to get tough. Stop telling me how crappy everything is. Start telling me what you ...
Persistence Pays Off.
I think at this time of the year, its time to make sure that you are being persistent about closing business. Not that you should be less persistent any other time of the year, but now we have to make the plan and there is little time left to do it! We have bonuses and commissions to earn and I hate to think we as a sales community are leaving any money on the table. Thats just not acceptable!I am reminded of a story about what a very good rep I used to have on one of my own teams did to close an order he needed to make the plan. He had been working with ...
Most Popular Posts
Recent Blogs
Upcoming Events
Copyright © 2008 Todd Cohen. All rights reserved.
Please do not copy, cite, or reproduce
without author permission. Terms & Conditions.
Brought to you by SalesLeader, LLC
Website by Whiteboard Media
Strategic Marketing and Communications by Zer0to5ive
Photography by Richard Green Images
Podcasts by Lubetkin and Co.