Archive for Category: Awareness & Education: “The Problem”

Between renewals: how to keep customers after the sale

Dear business owner, If you’re selling on annual contracts, the measure of sales success is in your renewal rate. Managing the relationship between renewals is indispensable if you are to keep your business afloat. Customer retention – not acquisition...

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Debt collection strategy: how to turn finance from ‘foe’ to an ally

Just when you thought you had argued the debt collection dilemma and whether salespeople should take charge – and demonstrated that debt collection is in itself a formidable salesman – you come across a case that turns the debate...

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Do other people’s work: the sales skill nobody talks about

If you are going to thrive in selling, you must be prepared to do other people’s work. “Other people” here includes customers and colleagues —and anyone else whose inaction could stand between you and the sale. Before you object,...

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What went wrong? The sales debrief that builds better reps

“What went wrong?” That’s the question I debrief my team with after every customer engagement. It’s how we review what happened in the previous meeting, with the intention of improving the next. This is what a small business owner...

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Tech customer service: Dear Techie, talk to your customer, boss

Dear techie zungumziaga customer, boss. Tell us what you are doing, as you are doing it. When we don’t know what you are doing, our anxiety heightens and we assume the worst. You might as well be a doctor...

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Your product isn’t the problem: your sales offering might be

Your competitor isn’t always beating you because they have a better product. Often, they have a better sales offering. Sometimes they respond faster. Explain better. Follow up consistently. Make buying easier. Remove friction. Keep their promises. Or they do...

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Challenge the customer: push back to add real value

If you just accept what the customer says you aren’t adding value. Challenge the customer. Push back. Respectfully. Let’s unpack that. Challenge the customer: being agreeable isn’t the same as being useful “I want a drill.” “Sure, here.” “Jaza...

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How to handle objections in sales: a complete guide

“I don’t want to see you! Your colleague lied to me. You are all liars!” The executive was fuming. How dare the company send another salesperson after he had told them off about being lied to by the first?...

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Bake your pitch to perfection: why practice beats berating yourself

An account-winning pitch takes time to bake. And sales pitch practice is what gets it there. As with every new skill, even the seasoned salesperson will struggle with a pitch – for a similar product or service he must...

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Everyone sells: why non-salespeople must embrace persuasion

No buyer is concerned with your product or service – yes, you too have one you are selling. Your buyers – yes, you have those too – are only interested in what your service or product can do for...

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