Todd Cohen

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! ...

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, ...

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 ...

Do Natural Born Salespeople Exist?

Dear Sales Community Members, Time for the age old question of whether or whether not sales people are naturally born or are created? I have written this weeks column on this topic, but I really want to know what you think-the opinions on this one vary from end to end! Here is a snippet from my column:

"A question that I have discussed for years is whether sales people are born or made. In other words, is there such a thing as a natural born sales person? This is a term that has been bandied about for years and I think that a case can be made for both sides of the argument. I

PhindMe Found Me!

Dear Sales Community, Social Networking is all the rage..and I am getting involved! Read on.. "Philadelphia-based senior sales leader Todd Cohen, a consultant on successful sales strategies, has been named executive advisor in sales and marketing by technology start-up PhindMe (www.phindme.mobi). In his consulting position with the firm, Cohen provides counsel and direction for PhindMe's sales and marketing efforts. PhindMe is developing mobile marketing technologies that will enable local businesses to reach customers through cell phone-based and online content. PhindMe offers its clients easy to use content management, customer relationship management and social networking tools......." I am honored by the trust that PhindMe has placed in me. I will report back to the ToddCohen.com Sales Community from time to ...

Humility Counts.

Hello ToddCohen.com Sales Community... I am back after a week of dealing with the typical change of season cold....and thank you to those of you who wrote to me and asked when the blogging would continue! Your kindness touched me and I am grateful. On another note, my colleague, Dr. Janice Presser,and I both had articles published in the Business World Times last month. Her article was on the topic of humility, an area that also I speak about in my recent white paper. I am passionate on this point that great sales professionals have deep and sustaining humility. This is what I said:

"Humility is at the heart of lasting sales success. Genuine

5, 4, 3, 2, 1….Liftoff to a STRONG Q4 Close!

I was reading the local paper this morning and there was a headline that read "Stock Market Soars to Record Close to Kick off the Fourth Quarter". This made me think about the fact that we are now in the last 3 months of the year and its make or break for us in the sales community! Yes, the final push is ON. Are you positioned now to close the business and beat your plan? In my last Newsletter, I asked the sales community where you will be on the last day of the year? Relaxing or standing a lonely vigil at the fax waiting for the final orders to come in? There are some basic things ...