I say every week when talking at conferences as a sales motivational speaker that you have to Share Sales Success Stories (my powerful 4S Principle) with yourself, with your sales team and within your organization and yet, I don't share very many with you. So I thought it was about time that I rectified that so here's one that I got a couple of days ago. It says all there is to say about cold calling when it's done right (which is of course what I teach) and from the right sales mindset so I suggest you read it several times, imagine what … [Read more...]
Be Proud Of Being A Professional Salesperson
July 21, 2011 By 4 Comments
On my travels as a sales motivational speaker, I meet a lot of people who “fell into” sales. Infact, when I ask people at sales conferences to ask the people sitting near to them, “How did you get into sales?” the vast majority reply, “Well, I kind of fell into it.” So many people don’t choose sales as a career. They don’t sit in first school talking about how they want to be a salesperson. They don’t argue that they want to be Lord Alan Sugar instead of Rooney when they’re kicking a ball about in the playground and they … [Read more...]
The Sales Apprentice 2011: Sales Training & Business Development Tips From The Hit TV Show, The Final
July 18, 2011 By 8 Comments
So last night, bumbling but friendly inventor Tom Pellereau, who from now on I shall call Caractacus Potts (after the rather nice but boffin father in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), won The Apprentice and in doing so made something of a mockery of actually bothering with the weeks and weeks of tasks... Despite ten weeks of competition in which he had only been on the winning side three times and had spent more time being called nice but useless by Uncle Alan, he walked away with the top prize of £250k investment in his business. He might rue the … [Read more...]
The Sales Apprentice 2011: Sales Training & Business Development Tips From The Hit TV Show, Week 11
July 13, 2011 By 6 Comments
So it was week 11 and Jim was first up to answer the ringing phone which was put down on him when he asked if there was any dress code for the forthcoming task. I mean, seriously, if that’s how Lord Sugar’s PA treats you before you even start working for with him, I'd be checking out the small print. Tonight’s task was to set up, brand, briefly run and then get assessed on a new fast food shop with the potential to become a chain. Another convoluted task with not enough time to get things done. Was this task about creativity? Was it … [Read more...]
The Sales Apprentice 2011: Sales Training & Business Development Tips From The Hit TV Show, Week 10
July 6, 2011 By 7 Comments
So, it’s week 10 of The Sales Apprentice and we’re down to six; Natasha, Suzy and Jim facing off against Helen, Tom and Melody. Just looking at the last six I was left feeling pretty uninspired. They are none of them without their shortcomings and I don’t think I would be investing £250k into any of them from what I’ve seen and that’s before we see them torn limb from limb in the interviews and hear what crackpot business ideas they might have... And I wasn’t that inspired by tonight’s task either! I have to admit that I … [Read more...]
The Sales Apprentice 2011: Sales Training & Business Development Tips From The Hit TV Show, Week 9
June 29, 2011 By 4 Comments
And for those who have been following my Sales Apprentice for a few years you know that there’s always a week during the show when I am travelling in the evening and cannot get this done on time. Last year, my good friend Andy Smith guest stepped into the breach and wrote a superb piece but this year he has just moved to France so… If you watch the Apprentice and you have thoughts, comments or advice from last night’s show then please have your say and I will use them here in a "mash up" of your comments. I'll add mine when I've … [Read more...]
Sales Leadership, Are You A Duck Or A Goose?
June 29, 2011 By 1 Comment
Over the last week I have been making the most of the glorious sunshine and have had trips to the Yorkshire Dales (beautiful weather) and the Lake District (raining as per usual!). I’ve also been out jogging along the canal near my home and although I run along it all year, perhaps the beautiful weather has caused me to pay more attention to my surroundings than normal. Something I have been watching with interest are the ducks and the geese and their “management” of their young. It’s pretty interesting… The ducks seem to have … [Read more...]
Does Cold Calling Work, 2?
June 22, 2011 By 7 Comments
I hope that you’re having a good week, speaking to lots of new clients and winning lots of new business. I want to start this blog post by asking you a question, “What do you think about cold calling?” Now by asking that, what I don’t mean is do you like being rung at home when you’re eating your dinner (tea for us Northerners) and someone trying to sell you timeshares? No, what I mean is, “Do you think cold calling works?” Now I know that this is a very divisive question. It’s divisive for a whole variety of reasons. It’s … [Read more...]
The Sales Apprentice 2011: Sales Training & Business Development Tips From The Hit TV Show, Week 8
June 22, 2011 By 7 Comments
Week 8 of The Sales Apprentice and it’s time for our two teams to head over La Manche to sell some wacky British products to the unsuspecting French. With only 8 Apprentices left, tonight’s task saw Suzy leading Jim, Helen and Zoe facing off against Tom “leading” Leon, Melody and Natasha. It also did a lot to clarify my thoughts about the candidates and I’m sure by now you must have your favourites too. First task of the night was to pick two products to sell. After some deliberation and some bizarre questions from Suzy (“Do the … [Read more...]
