By Kelly Riggs | Sales + Leadership
Handling customer objections can be a challenge. But the REAL problem is trying to figure out the difference between a genuine objection – a legitimate barrier – and the kind of objection that’s designed to communicate something entirely different: “I’m really not interested, but I don’t want to come right out and say so.” Been there?
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By Kelly Riggs | Sales + Leadership
One of the key challenges in moving to the Top 5% of the sales world is breaking through the “Product Pusher” trap. You know you’re in that trap when you frequently compete on price; or you routinely submit proposals that don’t get responses; or lots of sales calls end with you leaving (or sending) a business card and a brochure.
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By Kelly Riggs | Sales + Leadership
There are certain things that average salespeople do over and over that can kill a sale. I know because I’ve done most of them. For some, I’ve been guilty many times. [I’m not hopeless, but I am slow.] Turns out, however, it’s not just me; most every salesperson makes these same mistakes. Which is sad because every single one of the seven things listed below can be fixed immediately.
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By Kelly Riggs | Sales + Leadership
One of the most significant challenges that confront sales management is the salesperson that insists on cutting prices to gain business. Although salespeople have no shortage of excuses for taking a little off the top, it is my experience that this pervasive problem is almost always a sign of poor or undeveloped selling skills. To be clear, there are times when companies or salespeople should choose – strategically – to lower a price and, as a result, accept a smaller margin. But, while there can be good, rational reasons for cutting your price, the much more common scenario is that salespeople simply use a lower price to close a deal because they lack the skills to present and negotiate value.
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