Sometimes the worst questions we can ask on a sales call are the ones that come out of our mouths the easiest. A great example is, What are you paying?
It’s a natural question to ask, and it has a valid purpose, because you never want to throw prices out blindly. However, asking the question this […]

When I started out in sales, my first territory was south-central Iowa. Coming from Chicago, I was having trouble adjusting to the laid back, rural culture, where the main topics of conversation included farm chemicals and the condition of the Iowa State wrestling program.
One day I stopped to make a cold call at a factory […]

Wouldn’t it be lovely if every business conversation started with,
Hello, my name is ________. How can I help you?
Simple enough, but how often do we hear it when we call in to customer service or invite a sales person into our office?
The first thing a customer hears will set the tone for the conversation and […]

If you’re unlucky enough to fall into Worst Bad Habit Number 5, dwelling on the negative, you’re only a short step away from Number 6, losing respect for your company, your colleagues, and your customers.
Needless to say, this habit is about as bad as smoking three packs of Camel filterless cigarettes a day, only it […]

My last Worst Bad Sales Habit was about drawing a general conclusion from an isolated bad experience and applying it to all similar situations. This Worst Bad Habit is similar.
It’s called not letting go. Dwelling on the negative. Holding grudges. Grinding an ax. Forgiving but not forgetting. An eye for an eye. Get the idea?
Such […]