Minneapolis, MN - Sales Training, Seminars, Workshops, Classes, Coaching, and Sales Management
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…]
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…]
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.
Presented a luncheon workshop on Tuesday, January 29, 2019
at the Minneapolis Club [Read more…]
Imagine you are checking into a hotel and the front desk clerks says, “We hope you enjoy your stay.” As if to really say, “We haven’t done anything special for you, even though we knew you’re staying with us. We just hope, by luck, you are satisfied.” Really! [Read more…]
When I interview salespeople, whether they are an existing employee, or a candidate for a sales position, one of my most resourceful questions is, What’s a perfect week look like for you in your current role?
Often they will tell me “it depends.” This tells me how much of their time they are being proactive or reactive – letting other people determine how they spend their time. [Read more…]
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…]
Lately I’m hearing a lot of salespeople say they call prospects, leave messages and they never call them back. Most times the prospect doesn’t answer the phone. In an age where every phone has Caller ID it is a split second decision to quickly ignore the interruption. When this is true most of the time, we want to ask ourselves, “Why?”
The strongest influence in personal behavior is weighing the consequences of any action. What are the consequences of answering the phone or returning a voice mail message of any unknown person? Another factor in determining what we do and don’t is fear. Combine those two and here is what the prospect is thinking; “I don’t know this person; I don’t know why they are calling; I’m busy; I’m afraid if I answer, I’ll never get that time back; and if I avoid it, it will go away.” And guess what, you do. You stop calling. The prospect was right! [Read more…]
Last week I spent a day on a ride-along with a sales rep visiting existing accounts and meeting new prospects. The conversations during the miles we covered were mixed between business and personal topics. One personal story was about how the rep can’t find her hotspot at home, so she has been using the cell phone as a hotspot. I asked her how long the hotspot was missing and she said about 3 months. She was not sure if her daughter hid it or the dog ran off and buried it in the backyard.
The following week when the sales report came out, she fell short of her weekly goals. I reminded her about the story she told me about the missing hotspot. I asked her if she is willing to tolerate substandard results at home, she will also accept substandard results at work and she will never succeed if she continued to believe she doesn’t deserve anything better than what she is getting. [Read more…]
I remember growing up and wanting to be a doctor. My grandfather was a doctor and was allowed to smoke Dutch Masters President cigar’s in the house after dinner. I thought that was pretty cool. I’m sure there were other reasons I aspired to be like him, but cannot recall them today.
Recently I asked a new client who they admire and they were caught off guard. They replied with, “Well, I guess my father.” I asked, “How often do you see your father?” “About two to three times a year, I guess.” they answered. “What do you admire about your father?” I asked. Silence. He couldn’t think of anything. [Read more…]
