Article

Selling – It’s More Personal Than You Think

No matter how much experience you have, reviewing the fundamentals of getting and keeping attention is always important. The market has changed, attention spans are shorter, and more “clutter” makes it difficult to stand out.…

Bill WallaceOctober 5, 2023

Article

The Seven Great Lies of Selling

As sales professionals, we are well acquainted with the intricate dance of communication. However, we are less likely to identify a trail of smoke and mirrors that can come from potential clients when discussing opportunities.…

Kevin DoddrellSeptember 11, 2023

Article

Traditional Account Management is Dead

Traditional thinking about account management is killing your business. There is a subtle change occurring within the world of account management that has significant implications for your revenue results. Rather than thinking of account management,…

Bill WallaceAugust 22, 2023

Article

Four Best Practices for Strategic Account Reviews

The principles in this article reflect the real-life story of how a large business unit in a $4b global financial services firm retained and grew 100% of their strategic accounts by expertly executing these four…

Vince CoricaAugust 7, 2023

Article

10 Characteristics of a Sales Pirate

“There is no passion to be found playing small –in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” – Nelson Mandela Steve Jobs was well known for being…

Bill WallaceJuly 10, 2023

Article

Transforming Sales Objections into Collaborative Opportunities

Hundreds of books and articles have dealt with overcoming sales objections – typically implying that sales objections must be countered or corrected. This implies you, as the sales professional, can change someone’s mind if the…

Kevin DoddrellJune 13, 2023

Article

How to Navigate the Complexities of Selling

I have the pleasure of coaching and working with some of the world’s most experienced and skilled sales teams, often tackling the largest of opportunities. I also see the new generation of sales professionals developing…

Kevin DoddrellMay 9, 2023

Article

The First Sales Call

The first call, whether face-to-face or virtual, with ANY new contact, regardless of where you are in the sales cycle, is the most important because it determines if there will be a second. I coached…

Lon CunninghisApril 11, 2023

Article

Six Buyer Excuses and How to Respond

We, as salespeople, are prone to look at the bright side of everything we hear. By nature, we want to accept everything said to us. We are positive people. My deal is awesome! My client…

Kevin DoddrellMarch 14, 2023

Article

How Culture and Language Impact Selling

Growing up as a first-generation individual, I was exposed to language and culture differently than my schoolmates and neighbors. In my home, we spoke Spanish and English. I needed to figure out how not to…

Ilsa Mendoza-JacksonFebruary 14, 2023

Article

Understanding the Client Decision-Making Process

Armed with new tools, techniques, and thinking after completing sales training, sales professionals often ask, “How should I begin?” A fair question after having been somewhat “fire-hosed” with fresh ideas for several hours during training.…

Ian RamsbottomJanuary 10, 2023

Article

Is Your Sales Team Recession-Proof?

As we enter a likely global recession and continue to deal with the aftermath of the pandemic, we are seeing some alarming trends in our 2022 Sales Challenges Surveys. These trends suggest many organizations are…

Lon CunninghisDecember 13, 2022

Article

Defuse the Disruption

As salespeople, our lives are very much about meetings… virtual meetings, as well as in-person. Effective, well-facilitated meetings are our most reliable path to success and help define our personal brand. But… what do we…

Vince CoricaDecember 6, 2022

Article

Congratulations on Your Promotion to Account CEO

The dreaded subject of account planning needs an overhaul. It is looked upon as an administrative task that has very little value for the account team, and generally, not regarded as one of the most…

Bill WallaceNovember 8, 2022

Article

Shift From Knowing to Critical Thinking

Concerned about being an “inch deep” when you bring thought leadership? The fear of being “found out” that you are only an inch deep on your thought leadership when selling makes the idea of calling…

Lori PrestonOctober 11, 2022

Article

Empathy – Creating a Foundation of Trust & Understanding

In sales situations, you, your prospects, and your clients are interdependent. When you realize you are dependent on your sales relationships to succeed, then you become motivated to understand what they are feeling and vice…

Jacques BossonneySeptember 20, 2022

Article

Selling via Email Is Lazy Selling

This will age me! When email first arrived on the scene, I was a front-line sales leader, leading a team of about 15 sellers in the IT Industry. The instruction came from above that all…

Kevin DoddrellSeptember 6, 2022

Article

Encounter Planning for the Win

As many of us are enjoying the good fortune by returning to normal ways of conducting business following the pandemic, one of the great joys coming back are client meetings. Real, live, face-to-face client meetings.…

Ian RamsbottomAugust 16, 2022

Article

Every Minute Counts

In an information, data saturated world, buyers are truly able to engage with sellers less and less. In a report published in Q1 this year from Gartner, in a complex B2B purchasing decision, the stakeholders…

Mary CasperJune 14, 2022

Article

HR and the CHRO Could be Your Best Sales Opportunity

By now everyone has heard about the “Great Resignation,” where in America alone almost 4 million people quit their jobs each month during 2021 – the highest on record, and where there were over 10…

Lon CunninghisMay 10, 2022

Article

Setting Yourself Up for Success in a New Sales Role

If you are not in a new sales role, you can benefit from this article too! In my many years of engaging global sales teams, I am now seeing the most fluid market of sales…

Kevin DoddrellApril 12, 2022

Article

Reach Back and Ask For More

Lush green front yards and gardens have experienced great year-over-year growth over the last couple of years as people spend more time outside than ever before. Our focus on health makes us more conscious of…

Ilsa Mendoza-JacksonMarch 8, 2022

Article

Teams Win – That’s a Fact!

NASA’s January 8, 2022 announcement… James Webb Space Telescope completes epic deployment sequence….   It’s done. The biggest astronomical mirror ever sent into space is assembled and ready for focusing to enable humankind to capture…

Ian RamsbottomFebruary 8, 2022

Article

Are You Afraid of Success?

"Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear." I love this quote – I try to remind myself of it on a frequent basis. It jolts me a little when I realize…

Bill WallaceJanuary 11, 2022

Article

The Linkage Between Technology & Business Outcomes

The sole existence of almost all business technological innovation is due to the need to solve a customer issue or problem. From a proactive perspective, it is to improve the performance of the business by…

Mary CasperDecember 7, 2021

Article

Lessons Learned After 80 Weeks of Virtual Selling

80 weeks! We are approaching 80 weeks of managing complex sales cycles virtually. When it comes to complex sales, we have learned several critical lessons about how to connect and gain a relationship advantage. We…

Kevin DoddrellOctober 12, 2021

Article

The Power of Pause

With the world’s expectations for being dialed in 24/7, speed and responsiveness are of the essence. Sometimes to get the best outcome, particularly in the heat of a deal, it’s ok to hit a brief…

Mary CasperSeptember 14, 2021

Article

Want to Buy Some…Digital Transformation?

Almost every technology company and salesperson on the planet is selling some form of Digital Transformation today. As much as we would like to think those words enchant and motivate our clients to buy, typically…

Lon CunninghisAugust 10, 2021

Article

It’s All About Winning… but for Who?

As sales professionals, we need to be able to answer three key questions: 1) What do we sell? Easy. 2) What business value are we bringing to our client? And 3) Who wins? Here is…

Ian RamsbottomJuly 13, 2021

Article

Selling Through Uncertainty

Besides the obvious impact of the pandemic, there are significant trends emerging you may not recognize yet. These will require us to change how we sell. The world learned how to buy almost everything online…

Lon CunninghisJune 8, 2021

Article

What’s Your Story?

The secret in the book “Think and Grow Rich” is revealed by way of ideas and actions. As a salesperson, you can master this approach by applying thought to your client’s business and generating IDEAS…

Bill WallaceMay 11, 2021

Article

Strategic Sales Are Won in the First Half

One of our clients recently won a contract worth over $1 billion in a highly competitive deal where they ousted a long-time incumbent. When looking back at their strategy and approach, the account team agreed…

Lon CunninghisApril 14, 2021

Article

Building Rapport – It’s More Important Than You May Think

While we have a course and webinar to help people sell better virtually, I wanted to share some tips on the number one sales skill salespeople have stated in our surveys they are finding the…

Debby RizzoMarch 9, 2021

Article

Keep It Real

There is a secret to building relationships and connection with people, which lends itself to successful selling. Many do not learn it until later in their career, if at all. The secret to connect with…

Bill WallaceFebruary 9, 2021

Article

Four New Sales Habits for 2021

Welcome to 2021! Let us put 2020 behind us and make this year successful. Read about four simple habits you can focus on to take advantage of the challenging world of virtual sales.

Kevin DoddrellJanuary 12, 2021

Article

Client Self-Sufficiency – The New Threat to Enterprise Sales

How do you stay sucessful in 2021? Learn how to adapt to tech-savvy, self-sufficient clients and continue to create demand for your services!

Lon CunninghisDecember 15, 2020

Article

New Year, New Energy, New Approach, and New Results!

2020 is finally ending! The new year offers an abundance of opportunity if we are willing to focus on new approaches, become more daring, and refuse to accept anything less than success.

Bill WallaceDecember 8, 2020

Article

This Time It’s Personal

“But they have much better relationships than we do…” How many times do we hear this about the competition from our sales executives? First thought? What evidence do we have that this is the case?

Ian RamsbottomNovember 17, 2020

Article

The Five Keys to Winning the Largest Deals

When faced with leading the largest deal of your career, how do you lead the pursuit team to a win? Read this article to find out the five critical parts of your deal winning strategy.

Kevin DoddrellNovember 10, 2020

Article

The Best of the Best

How do you become the best of the best in your sales career? In this article, we give you four key areas of focus which will enable you to move ahead of the pack.

Ian RamsbottomOctober 13, 2020

Article

Lights, Action, Camera!

When leveraged successfully, virtual selling – especially for strategic sellers, will afford you significant competitive advantage in the marketplace. Start with your camera! Learn more tips by reading this article.

Lon CunninghisSeptember 8, 2020

Article

Mental Toughness for Success in Business and Life

The anxiety and uncertainty caused by our new reality has created a lack of personal and professional momentum. Recapture your passion, commitment, and direction with secrets used by elite military, business leaders, and top performers.

Bill WallaceAugust 11, 2020

VideoWebinar

Coach’s Secrets to Surprising the Competition

You would be surprised how many salespeople do not set and execute a strategy to outmaneuver the competition. This is especially prevalent with RFPs, where far too much time is spent on the solution. This…

Kevin DoddrellJune 17, 2020

Article

Don’t Overlook This Front-line Defense

In the post-pandemic world, the Service and Delivery Teams are critical to both protecting and growing revenue, and the Sales/Service partnership is more critical than ever.

Lon CunninghisJune 9, 2020

VideoWebinar

Rock Your Thought Leadership Throughout Your Sales Cycle

Gamers love the pursuit of extra lives, resources, and special powers. This is the thrill within the thrill of the game. Sounds like selling! Salespeople also love the thrill of acquiring extra powers in the…

Lon CunninghisMay 28, 2020

Article

Creating a Virtual Competitive Relationship Advantage

Welcome to the “new normal” of virtual selling like we have never seen before! This article provides five key guidelines on how we can create a virtual competitive relationship advantage and beat the competition.

Kevin DoddrellMay 12, 2020

VideoWebinar

How to Master Sales – It’s a Game of Chess

Your value proposition doesn’t stand by itself. You need to make the right moves, with the right people, and tie it to the right outcomes. In this webinar, we discuss evaluating your go-to-market strategy, identifying…

Bill WallaceApril 21, 2020

Article

Deal Slippage – A Perennial Problem

What can be done to minimize deal slippage? Well, there are three critical success factors which, when executed well, can significantly improve your hit rate for deal signing. Are you aware of them?

Ian RamsbottomApril 14, 2020

Article

Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome

Selling is being redefined and there are five skills you'll need to adopt in order to be effective. Start focusing on these to create the necessary momentum that will carry you through this challenging environment.

Bill WallaceApril 7, 2020

Article

How to Virtualize Your Team’s Sales Approach During Social Distancing

The global pandemic has forced companies to change how they work, which has significant impact on how we sell. Social distancing is another barrier and selling virtual may become the foreseeable new norm.

Lon CunninghisMarch 19, 2020

Article

No Surprises – How to Wire Your Client Interactions for Maximum Impact

Every important interaction with a prospect or client must be intentionally planned to ensure maximum success. Learn the rules to “wiring” your discussions so Mr. Murphy doesn’t stop you from accomplishing your critical objectives.

Bill WallaceMarch 12, 2020

VideoWebinar

Your Solution Isn’t the Solution

Most salespeople learn that “solution selling” is the way to win. But what happens when your solution becomes commoditized or there is a better solution on the market? How do you win then? If you…

Kevin DoddrellFebruary 19, 2020

Article

Win Themes Done Right

Win Themes, poorly executed, sound like long, boring, bragging statements. They can ramble on about the benefits of products or services and likely sound a little different from any other competitor. Win Themes, at their…

Ian RamsbottomFebruary 11, 2020

Article

Five Easy Steps to 2020 Sales Success

Happy New Year! If you are like many sales professionals, you are thrilled to have survived the end of 2019 madness, and you are ready to jump into 2020! However, if you have growth targets…

Lon CunninghisJanuary 14, 2020

Article

Do Things WITH Clients Not TO Clients

Many people believe the ultimate goal in working with our clients is to become their “partner,” and not just another vendor. Yet, in a traditional selling process, most salespeople have several conversations with the client…

Lon CunninghisDecember 10, 2019

Article

The Hidden Danger Inside Your Account Base

Is a hidden danger lurking inside your Account base? Instead of having a competitive advantage as an incumbent, you may have a competitive liability! As leaders, we often recognize success and celebrate team wins. Yet,…

Bill WallaceNovember 21, 2019

Article

Building Relationships Ain’t Like It Used to Be!

How to best build superior business sales relationships has changed markedly over the last few decades. What has not changed is the sales theory that superior relationships can overcome a number of other weaknesses. I…

Kevin DoddrellNovember 12, 2019

Article

Differentiate on the First Executive Call in Three Steps!

The competitive sales world continues to change faster now than any time in history. We were all taught in sales school 101 the key to success was based on how well we could differentiate our…

Kevin DoddrellOctober 8, 2019

Article

Stop Speaking Wonka

There is a major issue within Sales and Marketing that, if corrected, will pay immediate dividends. Too many of our salespeople are working too low in their client’s organization. They are limiting their upward mobility…

Bill WallaceSeptember 17, 2019

Article

Get it Right: The Target, The Message, and The Media

Why Executive Communication Fails 2.2 hours a day. That’s the average time people spend on social media each day. As if executives aren’t busy enough with all their responsibilities, this adds to their jam-packed days…

Bill WallaceSeptember 10, 2019

Article

Five Considerations for Leveraging Your Executive in a Sales Meeting

The most under-leveraged and misused asset in a sales opportunity is the Executive Team. Correctly involving themselves in an account or sales cycle is an art that few Executives have mastered. Executive customer calls are…

Kevin DoddrellAugust 13, 2019

Article

Dare to Do Things Differently

The saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results” is widely attributed to Albert Einstein. Those of us in Sales and Sales Leadership have related to that quote at one point…

Bill WallaceJuly 10, 2019

Article

Using Emotion to Create Action & Results

If you have participated in traditional sales training and learned how to create and deliver a compelling value proposition, you are probably doing it wrong! The old school training strongly reinforces the need to create…

Bill WallaceMay 15, 2019

Article

The New Playing Field

Those of us who have been in business-to-business sales for a long time can easily recall being asked by our manager or coach about the ever-elusive decision maker.  “Are you the decision maker?” We were…

Kevin DoddrellApril 8, 2019

Article

The Simple Rules of Delivering a Game-Changing Executive Message

To deliver a powerful message to an executive in order to move them to take further actions (the key purpose of a sales call), we need to clearly understand the context of the situation we…

Kevin DoddrellMarch 11, 2019

Article

How Will You RISE Above to Win in 2019?

As we put the holiday parties, champagne and extra calories behind us many of us are looking forward to a financial win in 2019. How will you RISE above your sales targets from last year?…

Kevin DoddrellFebruary 11, 2019

Article

Proactive Account Management:Leading your Clients with Thought Leadership and an Exciting Value Vision

Let’s be real: If someone asks an Account Manager to explain their role, most would say, “I am responsible for keeping strong, positive relationships in a customer account, solving their issues or questions that arise…

Lon CunninghisJanuary 7, 2019

Article

Numbers Matter – The Key to Creating a More Compelling Value Proposition

Presenting an idea or a proposal to an executive is never easy, but its difficulty is compounded by the lack of financial justification. The term value proposition can easily be replaced with business case. Every…

Bill WallaceNovember 29, 2018

Article

The Five Things You Must Know About Your Competitors in Every Deal

One of the most important positions within a company is that of a Sales Leader. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most precarious. The most recent estimate of a Sales Leader’s tenure is only…

Lon CunninghisNovember 2, 2018

Article

Partner Allies and the Greatest Relationship Sin

You remember the 3 “Relationship Sins” that we all tend to fall victim to in our deals: We over-invest in the wrong people, We under-invest in the right people, and We miss key people in…

Lon CunninghisOctober 10, 2018

Article

Preparing for a Momentum Changing Sales Call

Before we can discuss the logical aspects of preparation, let’s first understand the dynamics of a meeting. There is a difference between attempting to “sell” people something and “moving” their position of belief. Here we…

Kevin DoddrellJune 25, 2018

Article

4 Ways to Become a Thought Leader for your Client

Too many times salespeople stick to talking about their own products and services because that is where they are most confident and comfortable. They discount their personal knowledge and that of their company unnecessarily, thinking…

Debby RizzoMay 7, 2018

Article

3 Secrets to Sales Success

There are three secrets to selling that can immediately affect your performance if you embrace them, study them, and apply them. The secrets to selling are: Understand the political environment Be human and explore emotions…

Bill WallaceApril 25, 2018

Article

Success Is Waiting Outside Your Comfort Zone

The Olympics are like Sales I don’t know about you, but I loved the 2018 Winter Olympics! It is a perfect analogy for success in the sales profession. Each Olympic athlete understands the psychology of…

Bill WallaceMarch 21, 2018

Article

Selecting Your Go-to-Market Strategy

Every wise business person wants to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.  How can we set ourselves apart?  By having a very smart, clear, well executed and fully aligned Go-to-Market Strategy! A Go-to-Market Strategy…

Revenue StormMarch 19, 2018

Article

Hunter vs. Farmer

The classic definition and role designation of “Hunters” and “Farmers” has become obsolete and counter-productive to a sales organization’s revenue growth. Traditionally, Hunters were people that enjoyed the pursuit of opportunities with new accounts, while…

Bill WallaceJanuary 4, 2018

Article

Overcoming Fear, Anxiety, and Doubt in Sales

Everything you want is on the other side of fear. Unfortunately, we all have moments of fear, doubt, or anxiety that keeps us from performing at our very highest levels. Interestingly enough, over-achievers may experience…

Bill WallaceAugust 4, 2017

Article

Every Winning Strategy Needs Countertactics

When it comes to employing competitive strategy in key deals, many salespeople only do half the job. Besides executing a winning offense, you must also execute a winning defense by employing competitive countertactics that assist the…

Lon CunninghisJuly 14, 2017

Article

The Hitlist

Creating new opportunities within accounts may seem daunting. The fact is, it is relatively simple; it’s all about developing and sharing ideas with your contacts while helping their business and personal interests. The problem resides…

Bill WallaceJuly 10, 2017

Article

Become a Sales Shark

The sales culture is ever-evolving, yet the aggressive approach has declined dramatically, creating issues central to accomplishing revenue plans. It is true, sales is more demanding with challenging complexity and reliance on technology, but many…

Bill WallaceMay 5, 2017

Article

Colonel Mustard in the Library with the Candlestick

I am sure many of us affectionately remember playing Clue (aka Cluedo). The fun involved in following the clues, uncovering agendas, and taking risks — so many twists and turns throughout. It is a game…

Kevin DoddrellApril 6, 2017

Article

Do You Need to Kill Your Deal?

The average solutions salesperson wins 2.5 out of every 10 deals. A big reason for that performance stems from chasing unqualified opportunities. That is the blunt truth. Every funnel yields a large number of opportunities…

Bill WallaceMarch 13, 2017

Article

A Simple Process for Crushing The New Year

Take the “I think, therefore I am” statement, posed by philosopher Rene Descartes, a step further. Your subconscious mind will direct your energy to success, mediocrity, or failure, depending on your focus. Many of us…

Bill WallaceJanuary 9, 2017

Article

The Secret Formula to Consistently Exceed Your Sales Goals

There is a secret formula to exceed your sales goals consistently, but as you might expect, it takes work. The good news is that most people could do it if they chose to. Set a…

Bill WallaceSeptember 13, 2016

Video

Leveraging Your Relationships – Parody

The most common concerns that managers have regarding their salespeople and customer relationships are: Do we know the right people? and, how strong is the connection with those people? In this office parody watch as…

Revenue StormOctober 3, 2013