What Do You Do About Ignorant Phone Boors?

Is it just me or are people getting ruder and more insensitive? Have common decency and what would once have been accepted as good manners gone out of the window? Or am I, at 42, just becoming a grumpy old man? I'm sure you will all have your opinions! You might indeed wonder why I am asking and what on earth this has to do with sales and success? Well, in my opinion, quite a lot. Sales is a relationship game after all so everything that you do and how you are perceived will impact upon your reputation, your relationships, your sales and your … [Read more...]

Sales Training Tips For Handling Cold Calling Objections, Part III

Here is part III of my short sales training article on handling cold calling objections... “I’ve had a bad experience with your company in the past!” As objections go this one is slightly different as it may not be an objection at all, it could potentially be a complaint. For this reason it needs to be dealt with as a complaint to avoid stirring it up into something more. Most salespeople are confrontational when put into this kind of scenario. That’s a shame as it really is the complete opposite of how you need to behave to … [Read more...]

Sales Training Tip For Handling Cold Calling Objections, Part II

Here is part II of my short article on sales training tips for handling cold calling objections... “I use someone else!” This is a very common objection and one which salespeople and business owners can get very upset about. What they often hear in their heads is, “So I have no need for you!” Try replacing that self-talk with, “Yes, and?” Obviously, you’re not going to say that out loud but that’s what you need to think to yourself! Clients change suppliers all of the time. Clients moan about their suppliers all of … [Read more...]

Sales Training Tips For Handling Cold Calling Objections, Part I

One of the biggest challenges facing many salespeople is cold calling for new business meetings and winning new sales on the telephone. In many industries cold calling is the most cost effective way of uncovering new business opportunities. It is also an activity which strikes fear into the hearts of even some of the most proactive and confident of salespeople. Not surprisingly, therefore, it is one of the most commonly sought skills for sales training and sales development sessions. One of the reasons for this is the amount of rejection … [Read more...]

How To Sell More In Competitive Markets

I received your newsletter. Thanks again. I wanted to ask you a question. I work for a (market given) magazine that is distributed for free to (consumers) throughout the local area. I sell advertising space in the magazine. Our magazine has been around the longest. It started in (our area) and has branched out to include (surrounding areas). However, there are 2 other magazines that are distributed in the same area. One of the magazines has been in our county since 2000. The other magazine has been around in maybe the same time frame. I have … [Read more...]

Should I Only Be Cold Calling Prospects I Convert Most Easily?

Hi Gavin,   I am wondering if you could help me with a problem I currently have. I work for a web development company. We supply our services to designers and web design agencies. In recent weeks I have been calling a list of graphic designers and a list of web designers. For the graphic designers I normally seem to get an appointment from 1 call in 10 (ish), however for the web developers/agencies it seems to be 1 in 25.   I have two questions, firstly, do you think it is worthwhile to contact web agencies where their objections … [Read more...]

Sales Training Book: Objections! Objections! Objections!

I know that many of you will have read my  first sales training book "Objections! Objections! Objections!" but for those who haven't, here is an excerpt from the end of the book where we start to pull all of our sales skills together. If you haven't read my book then you really need to try and borrow a copy from someone! It's super easy to use and incredibly powerful... or so my clients tell me...  "Conversation 3: The Existing Supplier Client: “I think that I had better stop you there. I am totally happy … [Read more...]