Why Sales Techniques Backfire in B2B

Being well schooled in sales technique does not guarantee success. In fact, too much focus on technique is counterproductive.

Problem is, a buyer who has been at it for awhile has seen more sales technique than any one sales person can learn in a lifetime. Buyers know all the tricks. They’ve parried every closing thrust, they’ve dodged every closed ended question, they’ve defeated every stratagem to find out what the current price is.

Buyers have seen it all. They can’t be finessed into placing orders. Don’t get me wrong - a solid grasp of sales technique is indispensable. I spend a good…

What’s the Best Sales Advice You Ever Got?

When I wrote about the pitfalls of mentoring, it got me thinking, what was the best sales advice I ever got?

I was fortunate to have four incredible mentors in my sales career who were about as opposite as four people could be - one of these days I’m going to write about them and share their unique wisdom. Here are two pieces of advice that have made a difference for me -

On pricing. If the buyer likes you, he will work with you to make your pricing right. If the buyer doesn’t like you, your price will never be right.

On persistence. Never…

40 Qualities of Successful Sales People

For my coaching and advising program, I recently developed this list of qualities that sales people should develop to the best of their ability. Here they are - please let me know if you have any to add!

A Successful Sales Person Is

1. Prompt
2. Hard working
3. Ethical
4. Always listening
5. Asking the right questions
6. Sincere
7. Creative
8. Full of empathy
9. Positive
10. Organized
11. Attentive to detail
12. Thoroughly prepared
13. Good humored
14. Focused
15. Resourceful
16. Informed about his products
17. Informed about his industry
18. Informed about his competitors
19. Thick skinned, resilient
20. Aggressive
21. Flexible
22. Quick thinking
23. Tough minded
24. Skilled in writing
25. Skilled in marketing
26. Skilled in math
27. Skilled in…

You Must Stay on the Customer’s Radar!

Out of sight, out of mind. Here’s a scene that’s played over and over across the B2B world.

Bob - Hi Phil, take a look at the new features on our underground storage tanks. They’ve made some fantastic improvements.

Phil - Oh, wow. I just bought a 15,000 gallon water tank last week.

Bob - (jaw drops) What? Phil, why didn’t you call? Underground tanks are a core part of our line!

Phil - Geez, Bob. I didn’t know you had tanks. I thought you guys sold fire pumps.

• Do your customers know what you sell?
• Will your customers remember what you sell when they need what you sell?

Sales people are so immersed…

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