QBS now on iTunes!

By popular demand, QBS LIVE Mondays podcasts are now available to be downloaded via iTunes. URL: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=322849834

We’ve had a lot of fun with QBS LIVE Mondays. More importantly, lots of people are tuning in to participate at our new time, 11:30amEDT. Our next LIVE broadcast will be on August 10th. Hope you will join us.

QBS Live Mondays: Why Question Based Selling is not Just About Asking Questions

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Time to Make Selling FUN Again!

“Freese’s simple, logical approach to selling—based on being of service to the prospect—is likely to help any sales professional recognize the most effective path from that first knock on the prospect’s door to that all-important signature on the contract.” From Robert A. Markowitz’s review, New York Journal of Books (Read Entire Review)

Most of the sales training that has been available for the last 20+ years is process training. Perhaps you’re familiar with programs like Solution Selling™, Target Account Selling™, SPIN Selling®, Power Base Selling, or Strategic Selling®, a few of the more popular options.

Formalizing your company’s internal sales process was intended to provide benefits like defining the steps of the sale, having a common language, and forecast consistency. But, just defining the steps of a sales process doesn’t address the competitive pressures that sellers now face on a daily basis.

Honestly, you don’t need to hire me to tell your salespeople that Step #1 in the sales process is to Identify New Opportunities, Step #2 is to Uncover Needs, Step #3 is to Qualify, Step #4 is to Propose Solutions, and so on.

What do you suppose the first step in your competitor’s sales process is? Couldn’t we assume it probably has something to do with “identifying new opportunities”? From there, they’re trying to “uncover needs,” “qualify,” and “propose solutions,” just like you. Identifying the steps of the sales process is nice, but just having a process in place no longer gives companies a competitive advantage.

“Frankly, there is a problem in the world of sales training where it has become VERY unclear (to clients) as to the most cost effective program given all the generic and conflicting information that’s floating around the industry.”   -T. Freese

Traditional process training addresses the question, “What types of things should a salesperson be doing?” Meanwhile, the real challenge sellers face on a daily basis has more to do with figuring out “HOW” to do those things more effectively?

Like, How to penetrate more opportunities?  How to get mindshare with key decision makers or influencers in target accounts?  How to cause skeptical customers to ‘want to’ share information with someone they don’t yet know or trust?  How to get a significant advantage over the competition, even if the solution products and services are comparable on paper?  How to create a sense of urgency, so decision makers feel motivated to move forward sooner rather than later?  How to close more deals with less effort?

Truth be told, the effectiveness of the individual is more important than the products they sell or the company they represent. All you have to do is glance around your industry and you will quickly notice that some salespeople are more effective than others, selling the same types of products to the same target audience.

Especially in this new economy, it’s exciting (and even FUN) to discover that a few small adjustments in strategy can produce a significant upside in results.

We’re here when you’re ready!  Let me know how we can help.