Stop Helping People!

This title causes most people to flinch and reread it.  They react with, “but that’s how I describe what I do.  I help people.  I help companies.”  I response with, “Stop it!“

What makes you think they want your help?  What makes you think they need your help?  Why not someone else?  Why now?

Helping people that don’t see a problem is being assumptive.  What upsets prospects the most is assumptive salespeople.  Don’t assume people have problems.  It is insulting.  They certainly don’t want other people pointing out their problems.  Especially a salesperson off the street, they never met.

Start working with people.  Get on the same side of the table with them and fight with them against a problem or towards a desired goal.  Here are three reasons why: [Read more…]

You Don’t Need to Educate Your Prospects

At the beginning of class I usually ask the question, “What is the goal of your sales call; whether it is on the phone or in person?”  I always hear someone say, “I need to educate my prospect.”  I replied with “Educate them on what?”  They say, “On my products, our services, the company, my experience.”  “Is that where you want the focus during the rest of the meeting – on you?” I response.  “Well, they need to know what I offer in order for them to buy from me.” They say.  “And that’s your goal of the sales call?”  “Yes,” they reply. The problem what that is… [Read more…]

Who gets paid more; Educators or Entertainers?

I think we all know the answer to that question. Its probably aligned with how we spend our time and money. This is an example of human motivation and how we buy. How we purchase items and where we spend our money.

The point I want to make is we are more motivated to seek emotional entertainment then intellectual information. We’ve all heard the saying, “People buy emotionally and justify it intellectually.” And we spend more money on how we want to ‘feel’ versus what we want to ‘know.’
Artists, as entertainers, are paid to change how we feel. Keep this in mind when you are working on influencing a decision or convincing somebody to do something.

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Be a Problem Finder!

See, prospects are buying on value, not price. Salespeople think prospects are buying on price, so the right away selling on price, price, price, and then I go, who’s turning your product into a commodity? Me, the prospect you’re leading with price. So you’re telling me I should buy from them. So if somebody else comes in the door and they’re offering your same product for fifty cents less, you’re telling me I should buy it from them? [Read more…]

VIDEO: Growing Revenue and Increasing Profit


Presented a luncheon workshop on Tuesday, January 29, 2019
at the Minneapolis Club [Read more…]

Get Outside your Comfort Zone

In negotiation, the more information you have, the better position you’re in. The greater leverage. Same thing when it comes to sales. Prospects know this so they withhold information, don’t share it with the salesperson, and then they’re in control. The prospects are in control and the salesperson is scrambling. Because the first time they had a conversation with them, there wasn’t enough engagement.

I Was Wrong!

Last week someone came up to me at a networking event and introduction themselves and shared they first heard me present at a chamber event in 2002. I asked them what they remember from that talk, because I may have to walk some of my advice back.

Our market changes everyday and sometimes the advice I gave, is no longer true. [Read more…]

Stop Helping People!

But that’s how I describe what I do! I help people. Stop it!

When you help people. It’s like you’re up here and their down there. “Here, let me save you, you need to be rescued.” As if to say, “hey moron, you’re doing it wrong.” Ever help someone that is not as committed in solving a problem as you are? That only leads to frustration for us, right? [Read more…]

I Can Save You Money!

Ever have that salesperson call on you.  How do they know!  They don’t know anything about me.  How much I’m spending, why I’m spending it there, what else I’m buying, etc.

It’s insulting to tell someone you can save them money, without knowing any information.

What turns people off the most is assumptive salespeople.  These are the salespeople that assume everyone wants their product; and everyone has a problem, and everyone wants to change.  It simply is not true. Don’t assume.  Ask. [Read more…]

You’re Not Being Tested

He walked into my office and sat down.  I asked him, “How you doing since our last session?”  He replied with, “I’m still struggling with confidence.  I wish I saw me how others see me.  I want to earn their (prospects) respect and when they come into the store, I want them to value working with me.  I want to offer them value, so they’ll buy from me.”

I asked him, “What do you think would be of value for them?”  He answered with, “The benefits of the machine.  What it can do.  To show them I know what I’m talking about.”

He obviously had been through the standard, new hire sales training program that emphasis’ features and benefits, with a summary test on product knowledge before releasing them into the wild.  This traditional onboarding program gives him great frustration, because he is not making his numbers and the month is closing in 12 days. [Read more…]