Relationship Management

We are living in the age of the customer. The modern buyer has nearly unlimited access to customer reviews and product information. It does not matter if you are in sales or marketing, a customer-centric mindset is essential. To develop an organizational culture that puts the customer at the heart of everything you do both sales and marketing must align with the customers’ needs and pain points. Therefore, sales and marketing must join forces and understand each other better to optimize every step of the buyer’s journey and make it 100% customer-focused. As Jill Rowley, chief evangelist and an expert…

As many as 62% of companies consider themselves to be ineffective at onboarding their new sales hires -- is yours one of them? According to research by the Sales Management Association, it takes an average of 10 weeks of training to ramp up new sales hires. And after that, it takes 11.2 months for them to actually become productive and start giving some ROI. Couple that with the fact that the average cost to replace an “average” sales rep is $97,960 and you can see the major disconnect. Plus, companies that have good onboarding procedures improve quota attainment by 6.7%…

Robin Sharma wisely said, "Words can inspire. And words can destroy. Choose yours well." Have you ever been on the verge of closing a deal, when suddenly one seemingly harmless phrase changes your client’s mind? You’re not alone, even the best salespeople have had this happen to them. Unsuspecting comments can occasionally turn off a prospect or make them question our capacities. The best sales negotiation training experts recommend using role-playing and simulations to become skilled at avoiding these types of phrases. Here are the most common sale-killing phrases to watch out for in your next meeting. "The least I…

Salespeople do more these days than just sell. They are critical thinkers, problem solvers, and some of the best conversationalists you’ll ever meet. With business changing from products to services, and with more complex selling strategies emerging, the sales profession has changed dramatically over just the past few years. All jobs and professions have unique tricks and tips that can lead to success. Knowledge and mastery of critical skills are what differentiates the best from just average. The difference between the best and just average in sales is all about communication. It’s important to remember that no two customers will…