Archive for Category: Attitude

Optimism a key lifeline for successful salesperson

One research showed that life insurance agents that were optimists sold 37 per cent more insurance in their first two years than did pessimists. Optimism: hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something. Optimism is not idle banter for a salesperson; neither is it feel good talk by a motivational speaker.

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Don’t be too quick to sell simply because the buyer is eager to buy

Driven by the desire to make a quick sale, it is easy to lose sight of what business you are in and who feeds it. It is amazing the sales lessons you can glean from simple, common experiences. Two happened to me which have inspired this article. One early morning, sixteen years ago, in a

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Are Kenyan Banks Too Big To Fail?

Are Kenyan banks too big to fail? The digital migration tsunami announced its impending media disruption a whole decade in advance. It is instructive that half a century old giant Kenyan media houses tuned into denial mode. Are Kenyan banks too big to fail? Why? That’s what some financial institutions were deemed to be at

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It Takes Patience And Commitment To Attain “I Have A Guy…” Status

Getting to “I have a guy” status is a long term game because people take time to trust you. Nonetheless, there is selfish reason why you should aim for it… “I have a guy…” These are words every salesperson should aspire to. They are words that position you as the go-to person. And they are

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Maintain customer dignity when he’s cornered

When you have a customer ‘cornered’, instead of chest thumping for outing him, give him an out instead. Maintain customer dignity. Even if he’s wrong he’s still right. I learnt from a security expert, that riot police have several techniques at their disposal to disperse a riotous crowd. This was after one of the anti-IEBC

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Why we need to mind our language

Communication is one of the most complex, yet indispensable tool we use daily. It is made even more complex when the language of, er, communication is English. To declare competence in communication means that you have the ability to do something successfully. And because perfection doesn’t exist, competence therefore implies a perpetual work in progress.

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Patience in sales: the key to trust, referrals, and repeat business

“If you had read the invitation properly, you…” or “if you were listening to what I was saying, you…” and embarrassing the buyer by insisting you were right, are all signs of impatience. You may win the battle but you will lose the war. Patience pays. Successful businessmen and salespeople know this. Mediocre salespeople are

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Why stupidity gets you places in selling (and intelligence doesn’t)

“Displaying your intelligence to the buyer is displaying stupidity” Remain Dumb. Stupidity gets you places in selling. Yes, I know. You’ve been told that speaking intelligently and looking intelligent gets you places. True. And in this taking selfies, peer driven, Keeping Up With the Kardashians world, it will. But not in selling. To thrive in

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