Tom Niesen

Some sales people assume happy customers will automatically shower them with referrals. Others find asking for referrals uncomfortable. And, some people ask for referrals all the time, but they aren’t specific enough when they ask.

The sales world is changing again.

We have all heard that before, but it has always meant things like new techniques, how to sell to the top, or emails instead of cold calls. I mean it is REALLY changing.

One of the most important aspects of human development is that we can be very good at learning from our experiences. Unfortunately, when it comes to sales, people don't often document their successes AND failures...

Most sales leaders believe that building a great sales culture means something like instituting a new policy or creating a fun place to work...but in reality, it means creating a place where salespeople can GROW.

As a neutral party you know that there are two sides to every story and you only hear one side of both stories. I bring this up because I want you to know when you ask your sales people about their pipeline you are listening to a Democrat or a Republican and you are probably hearing one side of both stories.

When prospecting, how often are you able to reach a decision-maker? And, even whenever you do, how often do they simply refer you to someone else?

Depending on the kinds of question you ask, you might be referred back to what we call an "order-taker", or your call will simply be ignored altogether. At Sandler, we categorize prospecting questions as either being strategic or tactical.

The key to keeping your sales funnel full is not always about getting a lot of people in your funnel…..but the right people. It is too easy to fill the funnel up with the wrong people who waste your time, frustrate you, and can at times depress you. The only way to have a clean funnel with the right prospects is by keeping a WIN/LOST journal.

In this episode, Tom discusses:

Does your company have a culture?
How do you look at the people you have now?
What are 5 major weaknesses in sales people?
What is your sales process?

No one expected it, but we are in another recession (this one caused by a virus). It happens about every 10 years.

Is your company and sales team prepared for it?

With the year winding down, perhaps it’s a good time to take stock of what you have accomplished so far this year, file away the lessons of your successes and failures, and begin thinking about what you’d like to accomplish in the coming year.