I know why I’m stuck. Here’s what I’m going to do about it.

It happened. I’m in a rut. A bit ironic, because I teach a full-day workshop called From Rut to Strut. Now I need to practice what I teach.

Let me share more about my state.  I’m busy!  Never been busier.  But I’m not growing.  As a person, I am not growing.  And as a business, I am not growing. [Read more…]

7 Tips to Goal Setting in Real Life

  1. Do the means justify the ends?  Too often we focus on the outcome and lose track of the process.  Remember your math teacher from 4th grade that always wanted you to show your work?  You found the answer, but what they really wanted was to make sure you understood the process.  When you focus on the process, the outcome is predictable.  Over time you improve the process and the outcome improves.
  2. What are you known for? This is your brand, your reputation.  It is also the topic-zone you work in.  Think of 5 buzzwords that describe your business.  I use sales training; sales seminars; sales workshops; sales coaching; and sales development.  All related to sales.  Sometimes I’m invited, and tempted, to present on other topics.  I need to pause and focus on what I’m known for.  If I stray and attempt to deliver something else, that I’m not as strong in, my reputation will take a hit and I will feel like I didn’t deliver the results I intended. [Read more…]

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…]

Selling is Your Reputation in Action

CLICK HERE FOR THE SLIDES

11-10-2020 — Club E will be joined by Scott Plum, President, Minnesota Sales Institute

Creating a sales culture starts at the top. Company leadership defines the sales culture – every day – by what they are willing to tolerate from the sales channel. Every day we can proactively focus on our goals or by reacting and waiting for someone else to do something.

CLICK HERE FOR THE SLIDES (The slides are a little blurry)

Learn how to create a strong value-proposition that positions your company as the best value and not the lowest price. There is difference of leading and competing.

If you are a business owner, sales manager or salesperson, this event will deliver the elements of leading with reputation, managing by creating experiences and selling to create customer advocates.

Scott Plum is the President of the Minnesota Sales Institute and facilitates most of the classes taught. He started his selling career in 1987 and since then he has been sharing the skills and techniques he learned. His goal for students is to “inspire growth and change in your presence and have it last and continue in his absence.

He is Professor Plum and host of the podcast “What Salespeople Need to know About Selling” and co-host of the weekly podcast “Get in the Door Podcast.”

He published the book; Taking Off Into the Wind – Creating Lift Out of Life. This book is written for the person who is a salesperson – the human being before the human doing. A salesperson of someone that has an Impact on the Experience and an Influence in the Outcome.

He served as the Vice President of the National Speakers Association – Minnesota Chapter, as President of the Sales and Marketing Executives of Minnesota and President of the Professional Sales Association.

Scott’s Social Media: LinkedInFacebookTwitterYouTube

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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Whose Easter Eggs are They

Bed time was the usual time of 8 o’clock for the kids, though they did not fall asleep quickly.  Tomorrow is Easter Sunday with the traditional Easter egg hunt in the morning before Church.  The parents were ready with eggs filled with candy, dollar bills and small gifts.  They would have to wake up before the kids so they could hide the eggs in the backyard.  All was ready and off to bed the parents went.

The next morning the parents awoke before the children and quietly snuck out to the backyard.  They hid some eggs under the big evergreen tree, a few next to the swing set legs, a couple under the trampoline, one in a tree and some along the fence.  They counted 24 the night before and all were placed for the kids to hunt for and discover. [Read more…]

When They Say NO!

Most salespeople will admit they don’t like hearing a “No” from prospects during the sales process. There is a small sting of rejection that is hard to accept with a lingering sense of discouragement. This is not uncommon and if you feel this way, you are not alone. [Read more…]

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…]