The Ultimate ‘NO’ and How to Overcome It
Few people would accuse those in procurement roles as being ‘yes men’. But perhaps a direct ‘no’ is less common than people think. Those in procurement and finance have found a more effective way of stopping buyers (and those who want to sell to them) in their tracks. It is to ask for a cost-benefit […]
Buyers: Don’t be a Skinflint!
The Lesson from Flint Michigan is: Be Cautious of Short Term Savings The Presidential declaration of emergency in Flint Michigan offers lessons to buyers and sellers about the danger of short term savings that cost dear in long term. An Old Term Gets New Meaning The term ‘skinflint’ has gained new meaning in recent times. Traditionally it […]
Selling in the Cloud – Building the Business Case for Your Solution
Buying IT has changed. It is now as much a business decision as a technology decision and that makes the financial analysis of the costs and benefits and the return on investment very important. The implication for those selling IT is that a technically oriented sales pitch is no longer enough! With a range of […]
Jefferson, Octupus & Wheelbarrow: Taking Needs Analysis To A New Level
What are the principles of world-beating solution selling? Well, here communicate them using a rich metaphor – one that you won’t easily forget. It is Jefferson’s Octopus In A Wheelbarrow! Jefferson Thomas Jefferson, was a founding father, lead author of the Declaration of Independence and 3rd President of the United States of America. […]
15 Megatrends In Buying
You don’t need to be taken by surprise – that is because it is relatively easy to predict changes in how your customers buy. The Rising Tide of Procurement Sophistication The tide is rising in terms of the overall level of procurement sophistication. The trend of more sophisticated and more demanding buyers seems to be evident in most […]
Could The iPad Kill Solution Selling?
The much publicized failure of one of the world’s largest iPad contract represents another ‘nail in the coffin’ of Solution Selling You have heard people say that Solution Selling is dead. But what you probably don’t realize is that the iPad may be hastening its demise. More specifically the much publicized failure […]
Want Your Customers To Spend More? Then don’t do this!
The actions of two major European retailers demonstrate two alternative strategies for up-selling, or getting customers to spend more.
53% of IT Sellers Have Their ‘Heads In The Clouds’
When it comes to the buyer’s business justification for the purchase of IT software, hardware or services, 53% of sellers have their ‘heads in the clouds’. Too many sellers are missing basic information such as the business rationale for the purchase or the buyer’s relevant numbers. Many don’t even realize that these things are needed. For ever […]
How Soon Can You Really Get Them ‘Across The Line’?
Buying decisions are often a lot more complex than sellers realize. They can involve up to 5 stages – many of which do not involve the salesperson. That has real implications for getting the deal across the line.
Selling To Teams: Lessons From Sport
Some organizations don’t do team work very well. That is a problem in the context of collaborative buying decisions, cross functional buying committees and internal approvals procedures. Some organizations are a dream to sell to, while others are a nightmare. The individuals involved may be nice to deal with, organized and professional. However when it comes to […]
In Search Of The Number 1 Sales Question
The search for the most powerful sales question is ongoing. The objective, to find the one key question that will help the sales person to win the complex B2B sale. There are as many sales questions as there are sales techniques. But not all questions have the same power in terms of engaging the customer, […]
How Healthy Is Your Sales Organization?
Sales managers often think about the effectiveness of the sales team, sales strategy or sales process. However, there is one vital ingredient of sales success that is generally overlooked. That is the health of the sales organization. Organizational Health – The New Sales KPI A sales team’s strategy, process or skill-set may not be enough […]
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