You are probably already familiar with the Pareto principle. Just in case, here’s a quick reminder: 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. Or, in simpler terms, you achieve 80% of your results from 20% of your work. Understanding and applying Pareto can be especially beneficial to sales planning and activity...
Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker provides five simple ways to build your business over the coming months.
Have you heard of WIIFM? It’s a phrase I use if anyone tries to negotiate with me. It stands for “What’s In It For Me?” If someone wants me to reduce my price or give them something extra, I always ask how I benefit. It can lead to some interesting conversations! Many people don’t know how to answer WIIFM. That’s why you need to have some answers ready for them...
Many people tell me this is a crazy thing to say. On the face of it, it seems like a strange thing for a salesperson to say. But I am consistently surprised at the results I achieve from it. This is a phrase I use when I’m failing to get hold of a prospect. I've had a response from them before, but now they have gone cold...
As a buyer, one touch is rarely enough to grab my interest. See here for tips on executing a successful sales follow-up.
Most salespeople ask for quotes too soon. I constantly receive calls and emails with a few brief details about a company. This is immediately followed by a request to quote on any projects that I might have coming up. As a buyer, I can react in four ways to this—and none of them are great outcomes...
Does your organization suffer from over-familiarity? Matthew Parker describes a recent poor experience with a sales rep, and the dangers that over-familiarity can lead to with clients. See here for some simple tips on maintaining professionalism within your sales team...
The more you engage with your network, the more opportunities arise. Here is a 6-step guide to making the most of these opportunities.
See here for a 5-step checklist to improving your LinkedIn usage and tips for building stronger relationships through social media.
Imagine if you called someone you’d love to do business with. And, if they answered the phone, you stayed absolutely silent! Wouldn’t that be crazy? But many people do the exact equivalent of this on LinkedIn. They connect without sending a message. And, if someone accepts their connection, they do nothing...
Many people give me objections that they believe are valid reasons for not using LinkedIn. Let’s deal with the most common ones.
Many people think that a sales script results in someone reading the script word-for-word. It doesn’t have to be like that.
Many people are unaware of the real barriers to winning new customers, or use being too busy as an…