Todd Cohen

Systems Driven

Hello Sales Community- How many times have we as sales professionals heard the complaint that we could not get a deal done because there was some issue with the systems at our company?  I once worked for a company that had no less than 17 billing systems!   Yes, you read that right!  17 separate and discreet billing systems. In this era of mergers and acquisitions, companies are buying each other long before they think about how to merge and integrate billing systems to make it easy for the client to do business.    Now, you may be asking yourself...."is this another Todd rant"....?  Well, sort of.  We as sales professionals cannot let this back office dysfunction get in the way of us bringing great solutions to clients problems. Just today I was taking to a coaching client of mine ...

Sales AND Marketing - It’s AND not VS.

ToddCohen.com Sales Community, I was in a meeting yesterday with a client and we were having a spirited and engaging conversation around the topic of sales and marketing working as a team. Now to great sales professionals this is a basic tenet of our job. To be a great sales culture, sales and marketing need to be aligned, on the same page, in synch or whatever saying you prefer - you get the idea. Wait, not everyone does though....the conversation yesterday was with people who DO get it, but I am still amazed at the people who cant get this fact and think that sales and marketing is actually sales vs. marketing. Its NOT. Wake up! We ...

Sales Culture and Service!

Hello ToddCohen.com Sales Community! Here is a thought for the day.....have you though about the fact that great sales cultures are built on delivering great service? OK, maybe this is not your first and last though of the day, but as sales professionals and part of the overall sales community we must be the ones who are experts at delivering exceptional service to our clients. This is really not a negotiable point.

Starbucks.

Dear ToddCohen.com Sales Community, I love my coffee ( yes, I do actually drink decaffeinated). Yes, this post has virtually nothing to do with sales and I dont care. I was finishing my walk this morning and stopped into my regular Starbucks to get my large decaf coffee. I refuse to say the words "venti" or whatever. Anyway, I am amazed that people can ask for a drink that's at least 16 different words and do it with straight face. I am equally amazed that the people behind the counters can repeat it and it gets made correctly. So, I began to think about how these people who work at Starbucks might ...

Almost There

Dear ToddCohen.com Sales Community, Its amazing ( well at least to me)! On June 4th we will celebrate our first full year of building the ToddCohen.com Sales Community! How does a year go by so fast?....Well, to that end, several new things are about to happen. First, you will be seeing the new and upgraded ToddCohen.com website. We have made many upgrades to the technology and added great new features. I have just finished recording video and more podcasts. Many great people writing timely articles for us to learn from as a community. On the heels of the new ToddCohen.com, my new corporate website, SalesLeaderLLC. com will be launched as well. ...

Finding Sales Talent

ToddCohen.com Sales Community, Finding great sales talent is always a challenge for companies. Its hard to find the best! Sourcing and attracting sales talent takes time, skill and the right focus and perspective. I have asked John Smith, Vice President and Partner from Kellen James in Phoenix , Arizona to comment on this for our Sales Community! I think you will enjoy Johns comments and thought. Good Selling! -Todd

10 Digits Away!

Hello ToddCohen.com Sales Community!

Email is everywhere. It rules our lives, or so it feels at times! I for one am sick of it. I like my voice-more importantly I like hearing other peoples voices! Great sales cultures depend and thrive on effective and consistent ("obsessive") communication.

Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. When you, as a sales leader have an opportunity to talk or email with someone, what do you choose? Why did you choose that manner of communication? I realize that there are some things that need to be documented, but not everything needs to be in email. I

Coaching vs. Telling

Hello ToddCohen.com Sales Community,  Are you in a position to be a coach to someone? The answer is "YES"! It does not matter if you are a  sales manager or an individual contributor.  You can always find an opportunity to coach and offer counsel to other sales professionals in your real and virtual world. I am asked many times about the best way to coach someone? The first thing that comes to mind is to know the difference between coaching and telling them something. The difference is in delivery and how you "set up" the coaching session. Always begin a coaching session-- or as I like to call them "coaching moments" --by asking if you may coach them at  that time?  If ...

Prospecting for Quality Business

Dear ToddCohen.com Sales Community, Are you prospecting and creating quality business? In other words, are you bringing business to the able that is profitable, actionable and is a win-win for both parties? Let me suggest that as we go forth and prospect and develop business, always ask yourself, "Is this good business?" Does it make business make sense? Can my company deliver it and make a profit? Will it stand out as business that the company can act on and deliver? These are all good questions that great sales professionals constantly challenge themselves with. It is true that we can get caught between bringing any business to the table and knowing when to bring forth the right ...

Sales Culture Part TWO!

Dear ToddCohen.com Sales Community, As many of you know, my work and passion is very much about helping companies build successful sales culture. I have been doing some formal and informal research the last few months and have been asking the question" What does sales culture mean to you"? Here are some more answers:

“Sales culture is the sum total of all the informal behavioral interaction between people, within the organization and between the staff and customers. It starts at the top and pervades all levels of the organization. These behaviors will tend to fall into one of these behavioral categories: rigid, coherent or diffuse. Coherent behaviors are the ones that engage people – staff as well as customers –