Archive for Category: Personal Growth

Think like a business owner for success in sales

One of the challenges many salespeople face is the inability to think like a businessman.This happens because their buyers are businessmen and they are employees. One of the challenges many salespeople face is the inability to think like a businessman. In most instances they get by without having to, but in some they struggle when

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Two years on- 12 ways to become a first-class seller

Today’s article is the 101st and marks this column’s 2nd anniversary. As with any milestone, reflection is advisable. Only editorial space limits the depth to which we can reflect and so we’ll look at twelve ways in which we can connect with the buyer. After all connection is the underlying theme of Sales Pitch. 1.

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Selling luxury items without feeling intimidated

When selling luxury items, with understanding in hand, and getting out of your own way, intimidation by such opulence is lessened. “A pair of shoes for Kes. 280,000. That’s a bargain for Kenya’s billionaire club.” So screamed the Daily Nation story. The story went on to report, “…that an elite group of only 25,000 people

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To motivate sales people, allow an incubation period

“But they have just come from a training; why aren’t they performing?” A common lamentation among managers in an organization, upset as to why the newly trained, highly charged, novice salesman isn’t closing business. These managers are unaware that sales people (on recruitment and after training) need an incubation period. Selling is much akin to

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Believing in your product is key to successful sales

Believing in her product is the hallmark of a true salesperson. You will be amazed how many sales are lost because the salesperson did not believe in her product. So profound is belief, that it is the reason why people are conned into believing that they can have their money multiplied through prayer. In belief

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Bounce back from rejection with positive attitude

Rejection. The salesman’s nemesis. Rejection. The leading cause for the high attrition in the sales profession. Rejection. The foremost reason why most people shun sales. Yet, you should bounce back from rejection Rejection is painful. Rejection is so painful, that many actively avoid it. Sadly though, for the salesperson, avoiding rejection is a step backwards

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Use PowerPoint as a visual aid, and not to kill your presentation

“I came hoping to get some relief of my ulcer but listening to him only stressed the ulcer the more.” This is because in his presentation, the doctor had used PowerPoint as a verbal crutch not a visual aid. Use PowerPoint as a Visual Aid If it’s been said once it’s been said a million

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Making salespeople into CEOs might not help firms

Stellar salespeople struggle as CEOs. Leadership calls for a “generalist”. A salesperson is a specialist, which is a narrow approach to leadership In the past couple of weeks, acres of editorial space globally have been assigned the transition at the helm of Microsoft. Finally, a Satya Nadella took over as captain from Steve Ballmer. According

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What winning salespeople and firms have in common

I was recently invited to a sales achievement awards ceremony and a few things stood out for me. The most prominent one (selling ethically) was the topic of last week’s column. Today we focus on the other five on what winning salespeople and firms share. To begin with, the event was held at a prestigious

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Hunger the quality that separates sales ‘men’ from ‘boys’

Hunger the quality that separates. A labourer’s appetite works for him, the Bible proclaims; his hunger drives him on. Hunger. The mark of a true salesman. What makes the newspaper vendor trot after you in traffic? Hunger. Hunger makes the hawker I met in the evening traffic the other day plead as a tactic to

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