A continuing project in 2024, we're creating a resource to help answer some of the key questions we come across around bringing structure to the sales-customer relationship, and generally selling more effectively.
How to Close Complex Sales
Salespeople are excellent at challenging prospects, solving problems, inspiring action... but not so strong at the strategic, organisational side of selling. And when working on complex sales, it's this strategic view, where the seller always knows what to do next to advance the sale, which is vital to success. Here are some ideas to help.
How to Create a Customer-Centric Experience
The holy grail of successful selling - truly delighting customers so that they buy more, buy more frequently, and become advocates to others. Such a nice idea, yet so difficult to achieve. Here are Navanter's thoughts on how this can be achieved.
How to Forecase Sales Revenue
It's one of those timeless business questions - how do you accurately predict how much revenue will be delivered by your sales team over the coming month, quarter or year? Balancing economic uncertainties with salespeople's eternal optimism can make this uncomfortably difficult. Here are Navanter's thoughts on how to forcast revenue more accurately.
How to Create a Sales Win Plan
Many salespeople have some great sales skills - questioning, presenting, that natural curiosity which leads to sales success. What many salespeople lack, though, is the strategic plan to put all these skills to good use. And that's where SPACECHAMPS™ comes in - the basis of your strategy for all your sales.
We're All Just Selling Money
Salespeople often have a problem with communicating return-on-investment to prospects, getting hung up on features and loose benefits then ultimately losing the sale. The simple concept of selling money can really get salespeople thinking about ROI as they position their solution.
What is Project Management? (And why does it matter for salespeople?)
Project Management skills are needed in most areas of businesses, but project management itself is often misunderstood, and its importance in a sales environment is underestimated. In this article, we take a look at what a project actually is, and why these skills are a vital link between sales and delivery.
What Makes a Great LinkedIn Post?
LinkedIn is one of the key tools in a salesperson's tool-kit in 2024, but how should you use LinkedIn effectively? Part of the mix, is writing LinkedIn posts that have the impact you want them to have, and here's how.
Is LinkedIn a Sales Tool?
A perennial question with a variety of opinions. Here are the thoughts of sales expert Neil Shorney on what LinkedIn is and isn't.
Taking Sales Skills to the Charities Sector
Many people might think that charities are the last people who'd need sales skills, but in fact, these are exactly the kinds of skills charities need. Not just for direct fundraising, but for clearly and persuasively communicating their values and promoting their causes. Here's an article about how sales skills help charities and not-for-profits.
Walker is Right about Customer Experience
An article looking into the findings of the Walker Report into the main differentiators of business, and how customer experience is what matters, more than price or product.
A Sales Mindset for All Staff
Sales isn't just for salespeople - everyone in an organisation has their part to play, particularly those who interact with customers. Helping all staff to develop a sales mindset can ensure customer experience is the best it can be, and that new opportunities are uncovered by those with customer contact.
How to Sell when you're the Cheapest
You might think that having an expensive solution makes it tough to close sales, but in fact the reverse is true - being cheaper than the competition can make winning the right sales very difficult. Here's why.
A Sale Without a Plan Might Never Happen
Too many salespeople rely on the strength of their personalities and on a limited range of sales techniques to close deals. It's in our DNA. But having a plan for your sales is absolutely vital, particularly for the biggest and most complex ones. Here are some things to think about as you get more strategic with your sales.
The scientists, the virus, and the magic groceries – and what it means for salespeople
An article from early in the pandemic, but equally applicable in 2024. An important lesson on the consistency of your sales messaging.
Don't Write Off Friday Afternoons
What's the best day of the week for sales activity? There are lots of thoughts on the internet about this question, but whatever you think is right, don't write off Friday afternoons!
Why some Sales Managers are worried about remote working (and how to get it right)
Remote working by salespeople is nothing new - way before covid came along, field sales reps have spent a lot of their time out on the road. But still, some sales managers find this unnerving. Here's some advice on how to get remote sales management right.
Get It In Your Pipeline
We've all heard this from sales managers - some of us on a daily basis - and we wonder why we need to do this unnecessary admin. After all, salespeople are super-human, and we always know what's due in and when it's due. Here's why your sales pipeline is important, even though you've got sales superpowers!