SIX STEPS TO AN EFFECTIVE SALES PROCESS All too often, salespeople are directed by the urgencies of the moment: A lead pops up, a customer calls with a problem or some paperwork to which you need to attend. They find themselves busily pursuing an agenda created by other people. They are busy, but too often with the wrong things. The best salespeople, however, understand that sales happen as a result of methodically managing people through certain well-defined steps in a sales process. www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/effective-sales-process

ARE OUTSIDE SALESPEOPLE OBSOLETE? For generations, outside salespeople thrived on face-to-face relationships. Their approach to the job was to get in the car and go see people. The world is full of businesses who have grown on that sales model. Until recently. The Covid lock-down has turned the world of outside salespeople upside down. All at once, field salespeople found themselves locked out of their customer’s building. They couldn’t see their customers face-to-face. Those who were resourceful fell back on the phone and embraced video technology to attempt to stay in contact with their customers. They discovered that it was an almost entirely new skillset, with new rules and new processes. www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/outside-salespeople-obsolete

SIX KEYS TO BEING A PROFESSIONAL SALESPERSON SALES LEADERS Often lament the lack of professionalism in the world of sales. Let’s take a close look at what it means to be a professional sales person. www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/6-keys-to-being-a-professional-salesperson

Q&A FOR SALES MANAGERS: COMMUNICATING EXPECTATIONS Our response to this question: Your Ezine referenced something that I struggle with almost daily. I’m definitely known for having very high expectations that aren’t so easy to meet. I wondered if you could elaborate on what strategies you have seen succeed regarding this, because while I’m sure open to changing my attitude, I’m not thrilled with lowering my expectations. I’m overly driven…and not far from driven crazy! www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/sales-leaders-communicate-expectations

MYTHS OF B2B SALES: GREAT RELATIONSHIPS “I have great relationships with my customers.” That is one of the most debilitating myths around — one that cripples the performance of the average corporate salesperson. Yet, it is endemic within the population of salespeople. I am not sure that there is a salesperson anywhere who doesn’t, to some extent, believe it. Let’s look a little deeper at the belief and its consequences. www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/myths-business2business-sales-1-great-relationships-2

HOW CAN I SELL WHEN I’M NOT THE LOWEST PRICE? I wish I had a dollar for every time I was asked that question in a sales training session. First, let’s start with this premise: “Low price” is not the main reason people buy! In every survey of buying motivations I’ve ever read, low price is never the primary motivation. Yes, it’s important. And, when everything else is equal, it will be the deciding factor. But very rarely is everything else equal. And very few people in this world buy only on the basis of low price. www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/can-sell-im-not-lowest-price

NINE TIPS FOR DEALING WITH ANGRY CUSTOMERS It is easy to work with people you like, and it is even easier to work with people who like you. But that’s not always the case. Sooner or later, you’ll have to deal with a difficult customer. Here’s a set of proven principles and practices to help you. www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/nine-tips-dealing-angry-difficult-customers

THE QUESTION IS THE KEY! If there is only one practice within the scope of the professional sales person upon which you can focus, let it be to gain mastery in asking better sales questions. A series of better sales questions provides you leverage and a competitive edge at every stage of the sales process. www.thesalesresourcecenter.com/the-question-is-the-key-2