Why it’s time to rethink one of the most derided marketing tactics.
Most marketing pros would say that Samantha Ettus is going about it all wrong. That’s because the CEO of Ettus Media Management, a New York City public relations and branding agency, spends a big chunk of her time working the phones, pitching herself and her clients to people she’s never met.

According to the conventional wisdom, that’s a big waste of time. Cold calling, the experts agree, is annoying and irritating, an unwanted imposition on busy people. What’s more, they …

You’ve got just eight short seconds to grab your prospect’s attention and land an executive sales appointment. This sales expert shows you how.
By Tony Parinello

Before you pick up the phone to make a sales call to an executive, I’d like to suggest you remember the following true story:
A few months ago, one of my salespeople, Daniel, had some car problems, so I offered to give him a ride to work. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity to do a little one-on-one role-playing, I suggested we go over some appointment-setting …

Today, nobody seems to be around to answer their phones. You spend time cold calling, and all you get are voice-mail messages. You know people don’t bother calling back if they think it’s a sales call.

Because I kept running into this situation, I decided I had to leave a voice-mail message that would encourage prospects to call back. I found the best results came when I called people who are members of identifiable groups like the Chamber of Commerce. I could reference the group and gain some legitimacy for my …

Achieving sales volume goals for your business is one of the biggest challenges any owner faces. Many factors beyond your control can affect that final number–the economy, the weather, the competition. But one manageable factor is the people in direct contact with your clients–your sales team.

Some business owners ask every person on the team to meet the same sales goals. That’s the easiest thing for a busy entrepreneur to do. But not everyone is capable of achieving at the same level. Some salespeople are better with a certain product; others …

Missing the target with your customer relationship management strategy? Follow these five steps to success

By Julia Chang
In his work in CRM consulting, Yacov Wrocherinsky has seen some disasters. One of the most recent was a large manufacturing company that spent millions on a high-end CRM system, only to realize two years later that it wasn’t providing accurate forecasts. “In the old days, people used to select a system based on a decision by the higher-ups, invest millions, and if the project didn’t meet expectations, they would write it off,” says …

I could have used this post last week.

Learn how to ask the right questions that will help you complete each sale like a star.
Typically, when I talk with my students on a one-to-one basis, they ask me a lot of questions about how to close sales. That’s to be expected because it’s the positive end result all salespeople seek in any contact with potential clients.

In most situations where sales aren’t closed, it’s usually because the salesperson didn’t ask the right question. In all my training, you’ll hear it …

Here are eight steps to make your software sales calls more effective:
Before the Call
STEP 1. Rethink your role. A software sales call is not an opportunity to “pitch” – a monolog that attempts to convince a customer to buy. Instead, a software sales call is a rapport-building dialog between the right salesperson and the right customer. The subject matter of the call should be how your software can address key business issues – not the software and its features and functions.

STEP 2. Do your homework. You’ll never understand – or …

“Start seeing your customers through their eyes instead of having a one-size-fits-all strategy,” says Debbie Allen, international professional speaker, author and president of Allen and Associates Consulting. “People like to be treated differently.”
How do you diversify your selling strategies? Allen provides some tips.

Develop a stronger customer focus. What are the buying influences of different genders or age groups? Before you speak with your next customer, do some research. Learn the buying triggers by reading their publications and watching their TV shows. Then listen and pay attention to them.
Develop a strong …

Of course price is important to buyers, but if your product isn’t the cheapest on the market there are ways of getting around the price objection. The next time you hear your price is too high, use one of these strategies to prove that you and your product are worth it.

Determine needs to establish value. The better you know your prospect’s needs, the better you can explain how your product will meet those needs. Address price objections at the end of the presentation, after you have already discussed needs, value …