Lynn Mcinturf

Ryan, a salesperson in his mid-fifties, had hit a performance plateau. His commissions had been flat for the past six months, and he had narrowly missed quota in each of those months. He scheduled a meeting with his manager, Jeannine, to see if, working together, they could identify any steps that would turn this pattern around. 

The popular DISC behavioral model is an important tool that can help you develop a deeper understanding of individual prospects and buyers. DISC outlines four clear sets of behavioral characteristics that describe, with remarkable accuracy, just how human beings process information and emotion … and how they prefer to interact with others.

Brian, an inside sales rep, spent too much of his time chasing deals that ended up going nowhere. He knew it; his sales manager Francine knew it. Late one Friday afternoon, Francine asked him to give some thought to the matter, and to come up with some ideas about why this was a problem for him.

The relationship-status label "it's complicated" may be popular online . . . but these words should never drive the offer you pass along to a prospective buyer.

For some salespeople, the vagueness of their initial prospect meetings carries through to their eventual presentations. If you don’t establish a clear and unambiguous connection between the “what” and the “how” during your presentation, you’ll lose the opportunity to the salesperson who does!

High-performing sales teams are led by strong sales managers who embody leadership skills that motivate and empower the team. Exceptional sales professionals display certain traits that allow them to stand out from the rest and achieve great sales success. 

How many times have prospects told you, “I need more time to make a decision”? Too many?

In those situations, it’s easy to blame the prospect for being indecisive, uncommitted, and a procrastinator. But does the prospect deserve all of the blame? Shouldn’t some of it fall on the salesperson’s shoulders? Perhaps the major share?

When you first meet with a new prospect, how do you position your product or service? How do you characterize its various features, functions, and advantages? Which elements do you emphasize as having the strongest potential appeal to the prospect?

Not all prospects are qualified to see your presentation (or get your quote, see your demonstration, or entertain your proposal). There are particular criteria that a sales professional must make sure are present first.

A prospect must be truly qualified before they see your solution. Performing some "due diligence" to be sure you and your prospect are still on the same page will help you discover if you are ready to make a presentation.

It can be tough for sales professionals to be objective in a deal. We all want to win business, be a hero, get commission dollars and feel good about ourselves. However, often that failure to dig under the surface and find out the truth only leads to problems. A wise person once told me to “be curious, be skeptical, and don’t be attached to the outcome”.