Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast WINNING AT SELLING

Words represent our thoughts and intentions.  Expectations and obligations are expressed through words.  With a career in sales, words are the currency of commerce and the better we communicate the more successful we are in selling.

Let’s start defining some expectations as Bill and I discuss 5 Words and Concepts and other memorable musings on episode 632 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

We’ve all had to deal with them. The sales process is going along fine until the prospect’s true colors come out and you have a problem personality to contend with. Perhaps it’s the person who won’t make a decision or the guy who’s trying to prove how smart he is, or the woman who must have the best deal in all the world. So, what do you do?

Of course you listen in as Scott and I struggle to Deal with the Toughest B2B Customers and other concerning considerations on Episode 631 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Do you have a daily goal?  A routine you want to accomplish before leaving your office. Ever get interrupted by someone that steals your unrecoverable time?  What was their goal in the disruption.  Oh, it was to see if I have a positive response to their uninspiring proposal.  What was the point of the proposal?  Oh, that was missing.

Listen up for your new daily goal as Bill and I tell you to Stop Touching Base and other inspiring insightson episode 622 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Statistics show that referrals are more likely to give you an appointment and more likely to make a purchase. But for many of us, we don’t get many referrals to begin with. Why does it seem so hard to do? Our guest will warn us that getting referrals is a process, not an event. And maybe that’s where our problems start.

So, lock and load as Scott and I welcome world-class salesperson and selling consultant, Garry Duncan as he takes aim at Professionally Targeting Referrals on Episode 621 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Ever see the meme about being nice to people because you have no idea about what battles they are fighting? Everyone we talk with is coming from and taking a position about our pending conversation. Ever ask yourself, where are they coming from?

Look both ways as Bill and I discover Where Are They Coming From? and other tantalizing tidbitson episode 620 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

How does a salesperson make us “want” to buy from them? Is it their great charisma, alluring appearance, dazzling smile, perfectly styled hair? Or is something else entirely? Whatever it is, you and I both need it to make our way in this crazy profession of selling.

So strap on your helmets as Scott and I delve into Developing Trust and other important ideas on Episode 619 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Every interaction we have with another person creates a split-second impression.  They may say – “Who is this” - with interest in wanting to know more. Or “Who is this - and why are they interrupting me.  Our actions define and create the curiosity we want others to have in talking more with us. 

 If you are interested in learning how, stay tuned as Bill and I welcome Wall Street Journal cartoonist, Hall of Fame-nominated marketer and author Stu Heinecke to episode 618 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Rats! I thought I was about to close a deal until my client said that he would have to submit the plan to procurement! What does that mean? A bidding war? A long and costly RFP process? Negotiations with a team of master negotiators who are bent on the cheapest product possible? Yes, the thought of dealing with procurement can strike fear into even the most seasoned sales professional.

If you want to learn how to turn the purchasing boogieman into cuddly little lamb keep listening as Scott and I discuss Building Relationships with Procurement and other challenging concepts on Episode 617 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Selling more and better starts with sounding different than others in the industry.  Asking better questions outside of the prospects problem and sharing your solutions will make you sound more interested in learning about the prospect’s environment, expectations and priorities. 

 Set your expectations high as Bill and I discuss the 10 Questions to Ask Your Prospect and other thoughtful ideas on episode 616 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Is your sales conversation the same as it was 5 years ago? Do you still have that tired company pitch that extols the virtues of your organization? Are you caught in the cycle of fact-benefit-confirmation? Is your customer supposed to provide the information and you match up the solution? Well, it’s time to change your approach.

If you want to keep from falling further behind the sales curve tune in as Scott and I welcome our guest Anthony Iannarino to tell us Why You Must Be One-Up Now on Episode 615 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Have you ever worked in a company that just seems to be off balance with its people?  Like a car with a misaligned front end.  You are limited in how fast you can go.  Where do you begin to look to find the problem? Is the problem the process, or the people and how they interact with each other?

 Listen up as your problem-hunters - Bill and I take on dysfunction in an Overview of the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team on episode 614 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

A-B-C. A-always, B-be, C-closing. Always be closing! Always be closing!! A-I-D-A. Attention, interest, decision, action. Attention -- do I have your attention? Interest -- are you interested? I know you are.  You close or you hit the bricks! Decision -- have you made your decision? And action. A-I-D-A; get out there!! You got the prospects comin' in; you think they came in to get out of the rain? Guy doesn't walk on the lot unless he wants to buy. Sitting out there waiting to give you their money! Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it?

So, do I have your ATTENTION!? If you are INTERESTED, make the DECISION to listen as Scott and I take ACTION about Closing the Deal on Episode 613 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

The Top 10% of sales reps don’t stop working because it’s 5 p.m. or the weekend. They understand that the work they put in outside of the workday makes the difference between being at the top or being part of the other 90%. The work they put in outside of work is to sharpen their mental, physical, and spiritual game so they can perform at their best professionally. They know - to own their own income and create the life they deserve and desire, they need to be at the top of their game every day.

 If you want to learn how to make this happen, stay tuned as Bill and I discuss The Work to Get to the Top - Doesn’t Happen at Work and other interesting information on episode 630 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

As the adage goes - We battle our head and heart constantly in our day to day actions.  Often when we don’t see the results of our intentions or actions and we get down on ourselves.  Some have said, Nobody can be harder on me than me.  And I’m one of those people.  So, if this also applies to you.

 Take a break and give yourself a break as Bill, and I Welcome our guest, Dr. Andrea Hollingsworth to discuss Inner Critic vs. Inner Advocate on episode 612 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Having no plan is really a plan to fail. But by thinking through our goals we can develop the detailed steps we must accomplish in order to attain that big objective. As the saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” And as a sales professional you will need to analyze, determine and plan out those “bites”.

So grab a knife and fork as Scott and I dig into the steps for creating a Personal Sales Strategy on Episode 611 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

We all have different goals and priorities.  Measured on different benchmarks.  Fueled by different motivations. Have you ever met someone and wondered what their motivation is for doing what they do? What’s in it for them?  We present our solutions to prospects with a WIIFM approach, but how about when someone is selling to us.

Let’s flip the script as Bill, and I investigate, Who are They Working For?- on episode 610 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Dr. Dennis Waitley once said, “You must look within for value, but must look beyond for perspective.” Our customers are looking for value, but to gain their perspective we need to look at the issues from their point of view. Only then can we make a sale that delivers that value.

So, get ready to look at the world in a different way as Scott and I welcome author and sales expert Jimmy Z to discuss Shift Your Sales Perspective on Episode 609 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Do we learn more from successes or failures?  Regret can be a wonderful teacher if we let it. How do with treat regret?  Success can validate us, but failure keeps us in the game – if we get back up.  Do you want to stay in the game and do better in the future?

 Don’t regret skipping this episode as Bill, and I reminisce about Memorable Moments - sales lessons learned the hard way on episode 608 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Could it be that the key reasons that a salesperson loses a deal is through self-inflicted wounds? Is it possible that the mistakes they make when interacting with a prospect are the very things that cause the sale to be lost or “put on hold”?

Get ready for what might be a painful self-examination as Scott and I dive into the topic 5 Ways You Are Hurting Your Sales and other radical ideas on Episode 607 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

What is the difference between sales and marketing? Where does one stop and the other start? Who has the most influence on the decision? Who goes first? I feel like this discussion will be like debating which military branch is most important.

 You don’t have to participate, but if you are curious enough to learn more, stay tuned as Bill, and I welcome marketing expert Seth Johnson to discuss Selling in Sync - How sales and marketing can unite to generate more leads and close more deals on episode 606 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

I heard someone say that they treated their sales territory as if it were their own business. It seemed to make sense to me so I thought Scott and I should discuss the pros and cons of thinking like an entrepreneur.

So be ready to take control as Scott and I venture into a capitalist discussion about The Entrepreneurial Salesperson on Episode 605 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

The most successful salespeople will admit the best leads they receive are from referrals.  Referrals serve as evidence of a “transfer of trust.”  What have we shared about building trust in a sales conversation.  It’s the only way you receive honest answers.  When the TIMING is right and TRUST is high, you increase your chances of converting a lead to a commitment.

 So, think about who you’d like to refer this episode to - as Bill, and I discuss Referrals: Asking, Giving and Receiving and other miraculous matters on episode 604 of the Winning at Selling Podcast

Some believe that a salesperson is born, not made, while other believe a salesperson is made and not born? Leaving us with the question, are some people psychologically predisposed to be better at selling? Or can anyone, with the proper training and motivation become a high performing sales professional? It’s an interesting question that deserves to be explored.

So, take off your tinfoil caps as Scott and I welcome author and sales leader, Mark Hunter: The Sales Hunter to Episode 603 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Scott and I are often asked what an employer should look for when hiring a new salesperson. So often they want to find someone with industry experience. But if there is anything they can teach them internally, it is about the industry. And everyone is used to gaining product knowledge when they get a new job. From our point of view, the hardest thing to modify is someone’s character traits. But what are the traits that make up the best salespeople?

It’s time for some serious introspection as Scott and I add up the Six Strengths of a Superior Salesperson to and other memorable musings on Episode 629 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Sales is an emotional career.  We trade our time and hope our wager turns into a winning hand.  But not everything is within our control. The marketplace is changing, the economy is in flex.  While we need to keep our head up while moving forward. That may not be as easy as said.

 If you want to learn how to manage the changing time, stay tuned as Bill, and I discuss Keeping a Positive Attitude When Sales are Down and other uplifting topics on episode 602 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

John Maxwell says that “The key to your success is found in your daily routine.” The highest paid and most successful salespeople have developed routines that get them focused on the most crucial tasks to drive their sales. You can change your level of success by developing better work habits.

So, pull out your Day Timer as Scott and I discuss Work Habits of Top Sales People and other helpful ideas on Episode 601 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

As the adage goes – the separation is in the preparation.  Add other famous quotes like – Professionals don’t practice on prospects – throw in a sports analogy - and I think you will uncover the theme of today’s show.

So, suit up as Bill, and I welcome speaker, author and sportscaster, Joe Schmit to discuss How Sports Professionals Practice on episode 600 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Is any sale a good sale or should the salesperson be concerned about profitability? Do you get paid on raw sales amounts or are you compensated on the profitability of the final numbers? Can salespeople be trusted to negotiate the final contract or do the immediate dollar signs get in their eyes.

Well, hold on to your wallets as Scott and I discuss Maintaining Your Profit Margin and other valuable lessons on Episode 599 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Most of the time your prospect is someone else’s client or customer.  You may have a better product or service.  You may even have a better price.  However, it is going to take more than that to convince your prospect to be your next sale.

 If you want to change minds, hearts and souls - listen up - as Bill, and I discuss Unseating the Incumbent and other fascinating topics on episode 598 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Do you dread the idea of Monday mornings? You know the start to another miserable week at your job. Seldom is the problem the job, instead it’s the people we work with and work for. It has been said that people don’t quit a company, they quit bad managers.

If you are experiencing these feelings hold on just a little longer as Scott and I welcome best-selling author and speaker Eric Harkins to discuss Do You Have the Right Leaders in Place for 2024? on Episode 597 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Ever ask yourself how you won or lost the sale, as you walk back to your car?  As you debrief, what did you concentrate on and want to repeat – or regret and refine before applying again?  What can you control, how can you better prepare and how do you increase your chance of making more sales in less time?

If these are questions you ask yourself everyday – today is your day as Bill, and I consider When Good Sales Calls Go Bad on episode 596 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Son of a nutcracker! The prospect just told me that they are looking at a couple of other vendors for this deal! I hate it when that happens! I know our product is good but what can I do to win this sale?

What you can do my apoplectic sales professional, is take some notes as Scott and I discuss Winning a Competitive Sale and other challenging topics on episode 595 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Sales is fundamentally an extended conversation with prospects, suppliers, providers, clients, customers, and colleagues. What gets talked about, how it gets talked about, and who is invited to the conversation will determine what will happen or won't.

If you want to have better conversation with yourself and others, stay tuned as Bill, and I welcome our guest Susan Scott author of Fierce Conversations & Fierce Leadership to episode 594 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

It’s coming, in the very near future. It’s just around the corner. You can’t run and you can’t hide. It will be upon you before you know it. That’s right – the new year – 2024 is less than a month away. How will you prepare?

Well, a good start would be to listen as Scott and I discuss Get Ready for 2024 and other forward-looking topics on episode 593 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

The Sales department is built on relationships and operations. Both are needed to generate the desired results. However, if your sales team fails, your organization could be in jeopardy of maintaining or growing revenues.  If this is the case, leadership must identify the threats and change the sales culture.

 If you want to transform your culture, create more opportunities and leverage the opportunities you create, stay tuned as Bill and I discuss the 6 Reasons Sales Departments Fail and other interesting information on episode 628 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Seasoned salespeople will adhere to a sales process.  A system with a predictable outcome.  But does that work when selling newly launched products.  Think about it.  What objections and stalls do you hear when selling a new product or service?

If I’ve created a new interest in selling newly launched products, turn up the volume, as Bill, and I discuss How to Sell New Products and other interesting ideas on episode 592 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

As sales professionals we know that if we can be seen as a trusted expert rather than a peddler, we will attract more clients, develop stronger relationships and maintain a better profit margin. The question is, how do we elevate ourselves to that level of proficiency?

Fortunately for all of us our guest, Kelli Schutrop is an expert in this approach, so listen closely as we discuss Thought Leadership Activation on episode 591 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

While Professor Plum and I do our best to be clear about how to win at selling, sometimes we can muddy the waters as we debate about the most effective way to get the job done. We can be so confusing, that our listeners feel the need to write in and ask us to clarify what we or our guests have said.

So, if you’ve been befuddled by our banter, listen in as Scott and I field Questions from Listeners and other baffling topics on episode 590 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

As sales professionals and leaders, most of us have overcome the overwhelming feeling of rejection and disappointment.  We risk our emotions every day on a quest to seek validation, please others and serve when there is an opportunity. Does this sound familiar?

Just a reminder, this is safe space as Bill, and I discuss Avoiding Disappointment and other cool concepts on episode 589 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Everywhere you look there are “hiring” signs. I talk to colleagues and clients, and they tell me how hard it is to find capable sales professionals. Yet, more often than not, when I start consulting with a new client, I find that they are consciously or unconsciously, doing everything they can to annoy the heck out of the salespeople that they already have!

­­­So, wipe away those crocodile tears as Scott and I investigate 7 Ways to Demotivate Your Sales Team and other uplifting topics on episode 588 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Do you remember your first sales manager?  What did they do that worked and what lessons did you learn from their mistakes.  Too often sales managers are created for the wrong reasons and lead the sales teams into unsuccessful territory.  But that won’t happen to you because you are listening and learning.

 So, get out your talking pad as Bill, and I welcome author and selling expert Mike Weinberg to discuss The Key to Success as a First Time Sales Manager on episode 587 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

There are forces in nature. Invisible forces that act upon all physical objects and beings. Some of these forces can be destructive or restrictive such as friction or gravity. And others can be constructive or multiplying such as focus and repetition. Today we want to consider one of these forces and determine if we can use it to be more successful.

So, lace up your running shoes as Scott and I investigate Creating the Big MO and other mesmerizing concepts on episode 586 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

Emotionally risking is a typical bet salespeople make every day. Not risking is the surest way of losing. How can you increase your chances of winning? How can you reframe your mindset to overcome the conceptual barriers that limit your results? 

 Learn how to conquer the greatest weakness salespeople experience as Bill, and I discuss Overcoming the Need for Social Approval and other deep thoughts on episode 585 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there a 13,183,250 people listing their job title as sales or selling. They have a mean annual wage of $50,370 (and that is really mean!) and if you are in the 90th percentile, the average wage is $94,040. That tells us that there a lot of sales reps out there who are basically starving to death because they don’t know how to differentiate themselves from the pack.

So, if you want to move into that top 10%, listen up as Scott and I welcome our guest Sales Leadership Expert, Steve Keating to tell us How to Move from Sales Rep to Trusted Advisor on episode 584 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

It has been said people do not leave companies, they leave bad managers. What are the signs your sales team is considering other options - outside of the company?  And I'm not talking about new clients through prospecting. I'm referring to salespeople looking for other companies to sell for. As a sales manager what do you look for in these circumstances and as a salesperson are you tipping your hand.

Stay right where you are as Bill, and I discuss Signs Salespeople are Leaving and other thought-provoking topics on episode 583 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Artificial Intelligence is on everyone’s mind. How will it affect my job? Is it being used on me? Can I get any advantage from it? For those of us in sales it the question might be, “How can I use AI to reach more prospects and win more deals?” Fortunately for you, our guest has the answers to these important questions.

So slip on your thinking caps as Scott and I welcome author, speaker and information guru Sam Richter to Episode 627 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

I imagine that most of our listeners are pretty good at selling. I would even wager that most of you are in that vaunted Top 20 Percent that make most of the sales for your company. Perhaps that gives you a little swagger at the awards convention. But really, that is a pretty small pool of candidates. How about being the best in the industry, the best in your city or even one of the best sales professionals in the whole country! Now that would be something.

Be ready to have your greatness challenged as Scott and I deliberate on How to Become a Sales GOAT (Greatest of all Time) and other cool topics on episode 582 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

A new study of 1 million people revealed that a positive attitude makes you dramatically more successful! Those who are happy at work are more committed to their organization, rise to positions of leadership, achieve higher sales, and suffer fewer health problems.  Happiness should not be an afterthought for selling. It should be an essential goal – entwined with critical selling skills as the key to individual and organizational success!

 When you build an environment focused on nurture, positive reinforcement, and highlighting strengths and potential, you help people to be the most successful version of themselves!

 Let’s talk with the founder of the Happy leadership Institute as Bill and I welcome Tom Guetzke to discuss The Winner’s Attitude : Unlocking the Power of a Positive Mindset on episode 581 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.

Are great salespeople similar to great athletes? They certainly have a desire to win and for many, sales can be more lucrative than sports. But it’s not easy to be the best and it’s not something for the weak of heart or the lazy of character.

 So, lace up your cleats as Scott and I examine Sales Lessons from Great Competitors and other fascinating info on episode 580 of the Winning at Selling podcast.

AI is becoming more popular and confusing. What is real and what is the output of a formula? But we cannot ignore this movement. Let’s see what ChatGPT responds with when asked for the Top Challenges Salespeople experience in the marketplace.

 Standby for real advice with over 82 years of experience – before AI, as Bill and I explore, Top 6 Sales Challenges According to ChatGPT and other nifty ideas on episode 579 of the Winning at Selling Podcast.