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Achieve your Sales Targets with your Sales Pipeline
Being aware of and managing the amount in your sales pipeline each week, fortnight or month can have the single biggest impact to achieving your sales consistently from month to month and quarter to quarter. It is an important forecasting tool that all businesses should use even if they don’t have salespeople, as it clearly shows how many sales to expect and when to expect them.
Boost your Sales through Reinvention
Is it just me or is 2009 going to be the biggest and best year yet? Despite what is being reporting in the media and what we are seeing overseas, many of the people that I’ve spoken to recently are extremely motivated and confident that 2009 is going to be their best year yet (including me). So if 2009 is going to be your best year yet, now is the perfect time to sit down and work out what you want to achieve and what you need to do to make this happen.

Build your Sales Pipeline and Boost Your Prospect Numbers
Do you get frustrated constantly searching for prospects and contact information? The traditional methods of building a list of people that you can market and sell to such as purchasing databases, driving around business parks and noting the tenants of buildings that you walk past are great, and they do work, however, they are costly and time consuming.
Business Networking Tips
Networking has been good to me over the years. Apart from referrals, it has been the single most successful way of generating new business and building my professional network. It must be the salesperson in me, but there is nothing more rewarding than meeting and connecting with new people who end up as friends, associates or clients.

Consultative Needs Based Selling Approach
Looking at your business from a sales perspective and most importantly understanding your business from a client perspective, is one of the most important first steps in sales. Most people hate being sold to but love the feeling of buying; so the clearer you can explain how your business helps and "what is in it for them" the easier it makes prospective customers to make a buying decision. The consultative/problem solver approach qualifies and listens to the customer and helps them to buy what they need. The consultative approach focuses on the needs of the customer and how you improve or benefit them in some way.
How can I increase the number of Referrals I receive?
I’m sure most of you would agree that selling to someone who has been referred to you is much easier and more enjoyable than those generated through traditional sales efforts such as direct mail and cold calling. The success rate is higher because they are in the market for your services and are also much less price sensitive because the referring party has told them the value and benefits that you can deliver.
How can I make cold calling easier?
Lately I have been working with a number of sales teams to help them increase the success of their cold calling and I thought I would share with you some of my tips for success:
How can you find the best of the best in sales?
Many people believe great sales-people are born, not made but I disagree because sales is a process that can be taught to anyone and it is simply how the process is applied that separates good from great. Success in sales comes from skill development, attitude, confidence and behaviour.

How to avoid being a pest in your sales follow up
Did you know that one of the biggest gripes against salespeople by decision makers is the lack of follow up? Many people resist following up because they find it uncomfortable and don’t want to seem pushy or annoying and many people don’t follow up because they simply forget. This lack of follow-up presents a great opportunity for those who are organized and take the time to do it.
Overcoming Sales Objections
Objections are simply reasons or concerns that a prospective client has as to why they won't make a decision when you want them to. You will hear statements such as:

Quick Prospecting Tools
Do you get frustrated constantly sourcing new sales and contact information?
Sales Tips to give your sales a boost in 2010
customers, the same results can be achieved. Besides, you can find new customers from referrals within your existing client base. Here is a couple of quick tips to help you build your revenue in 2010.
Quick Tips to Presenting Proposals
These quick tips will help to reduce some of the 'discomfort' that can be associated when presenting your pricing options
SALES TIPS AND TRICKS
Want to increase sales but don’t have the sales skills or worried you will come across as an aggressive, pushy sales person? The key to developing confidence in sales is by being flexible and open-minded about trying something new!
Sales Tips for Selling in a challenging economy
It’s difficult to ignore the news of the financial crisis that is occurring around the world and the fear and uncertainty that it is creating. Here in Australia many companies have been tightening their budgets and reducing their spending over recent months and it looks like it’s going to continue. So what does this mean for those of us running businesses or working in sales?
Sales Tips for the First Appointment
“It’s all about planning and preparation” It’s amazing how many sales people and business owners I talk to who under-estimate the value and importance of planning and preparing for a first appointment.

The coming together of Sales Leaders in Austalia
I recently had the opportunity to attend the inaugural Optimising the Sales Force Conference along with over 120 high level sales leaders across Australia. I was privileged to be part of the panel of international and local experts presenting on sales effectiveness where we explored the latest research on sales strategy, leadership, learning and development, sales management, sales people, and current market trends. This was the first time in Australia we have had the opportunity to come together as a profession and share ideas and discuss important matters moving forward.
Count your chickens
Everyone I am speaking to, at least, are aware they are working in a softening market. Some businesses of course are counter cyclical, meaning they can make money in these tougher times i.e. outplacement firms for all the obvious reasons, but they are more the exception. If you market is softer or heading or a down turn it doesn't have to be all gloom and doom. It's true now you have to earn your real money through proactive sales practices. So with on the agenda, one of my clients in regional Australia kindly sent me a great article on "The three basic sales strategies in a softening market".
Sell More and Work Less: A Strategic Approach to Sales
The secret to great selling is that less is more. Less confusion creates more clarity. Less activity produces more results. Less indiscriminate effort produces more targeted effort. Selling is the most strategic business function there is, and it ought to receive the thoughtful, purposeful attention you give to the other aspects of your business. Concentrate on fewer deals that are worth more to your company – more revenue, more profit, more long-term repeat purchases. If the market or the economy forces you to rely on small deals, don’t spend a fortune to win each one. Keep your eye on productivity. It pays off. Read on for more insights...

Other strategic selling Related Articles

The Value and Benefits of Strategic Thinking
Strategic thinking plays an enormous role in professional work and is part of the branding of my multi-disciplinary consultancy. ”A Strategic Thinking Consultancy” appears directly underneath the logo for The Renaissance Group ™ and my newsletter name is “Glenn’s Guiding Lines Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Coach.” It is a reality in business today that strategic thinking and the execution of strategic planning are some of the most difficult tasks for business leaders. Although it is easier to be tactical or task oriented, the business leader must be strategic or risk becoming very shortsighted. Therefore a clear understanding of the value and the benefits of strategic thinking are very important. Here are lists of my thoughts on the value and the benefit of strategic thinking.

“Your Strategic Thinking Coach’s List of Ten Key Components of Effective Strategic Alliances”
A strategic alliance is a partnership, a collaborative agreement and/or a relationship between two or more companies or organizations formed to pursue a set of agreed upon goals while remaining independent companies or organizations. Strategic alliances exist in a variety of shapes and sizes and include a wide range of scopes of cooperation levels. Strategic alliances usually are most effective when the entities involved have complementary strengths. What makes a strategic alliance effective? What are the key components of effective strategic alliances? Your Strategic Thinking Coach researched this and came up with ten (10) key components of effective strategic alliances. Here is my list of ten (10) key components of an effective strategic alliance.
“The Top Ten Reasons Strategic Planning Meetings Fail, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
Strategic planning is an awesome and powerful process that sometimes gets a bad rap because of some bad experiences people have had when engaging in some form of strategic planning meetings. Many times the combination of personal agendas, absence of open minds, and preconceived judgments about the strategic planning process can turn strategic planning meetings into real disasters. And frankly, there are many reasons why so many strategic planning meetings are unsuccessful. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed a list of the top 10 reasons why strategic planning meetings fail. And the Top 10 Reasons are:
Major Characteristics of A Strategic Thinker, According To Your Strategic Thinking Coach
Let’s begin with a definition of strategic thinking so we are all on the same page before reading the article. Strategic thinking is the way people think about, assess, view and create the future for themselves and others. It is much more than responding and reacting to both day-to-day and long-term problems, opportunities and new realities. It is proactive, not reactive and focuses on creating a better future and adding value. Strategic thinking always involves change and imagining the results we can achieve in the future. So what makes a strategic thinker? What are some of the major characteristics of a strategic thinker? Here are eight (8) major characteristics of strategic thinkers from my perspective as a strategic thinking business coach.

“Ten Important Ingredients For Your Strategic Marketing Plan, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
Strategic thinking is very important in developing an effective marketing plan for your business. You need to think about a compelling Unique Selling Proposition (USP); an effective positioning statement; and a strategic integrated marketing communications approach. Writing a Strategic Marketing Plan is about understanding the needs and desires of your customers and clients, and showing them how your product and/or service will satisfy the needs of your customers and clients and solve their problems. Based upon more that 35 years of experience, and using a strategic thinking approach, here are Ten (10) Important Ingredients For Strategic Marketing Plans.

Ten Major Fears That Scare Small Businesses Away From Strategic Planning
An often offered comment to me when I speak about strategic planning to small business owners and managers is that their company or organization is too small for strategic planning. Or they will offer any number of other excuses why they do not use strategic planning for their business. In my opinion, this is a sad commentary on the thinking of these small business people. They do not realize or comprehend that their business or organization is on a pathway to the business graveyard without a strategic plan. Well, I really believe if the truth were told, the real reason they do not do strategic planning is related more to fear than anything else. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following ten major fears that drive small businesses away from strategic planning.
Ten Strategic Actions For Commercially Marketing New Technology
The development of successful strategic marketing programs to commercially market new technology is a challenge. It requires the incorporation of good strategic thinking and Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten (10) strategic actions for you to take to develop a successful strategic marketing program for the commercial marketing of your new technology.

Strategic Marketing Tips For Tough Market Conditions, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
The stock market in the U.S. has been on real wild ride since the credit crunch and the housing market collapses in various parts of the United States. It is still unclear when and how the stock market may stabilize, but it is certain that changes in our economy will be affecting our businesses. And Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach wants to alert you that unless your marketing helps you stand out from the competition, selling your products and services is going to get harder in the next few years. And that means you need to focus on developing a strategic marketing plan. Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach has developed a list of strategic marketing tips that will help you retain and attract new clients in tough market conditions.

Critical Skills Needed To Be A Strategic Thinker, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
Strategic thinking is a process that defines the manner in which people think about, assess, view, and create the future for themselves and others. Strategic thinking is an extremely effective and valuable tool. One can apply strategic thinking to arrive at decisions that can be related to your work or personal life. Strategic thinking involves developing an entire set of critical skills. What are those critical skills? Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers the following list of critical skills that the best strategic thinkers possess and use every day.

Activity Based Planning
Selling is both an art and a science. To put it another way, a sales person’s skills determine their level of artistry at selling and their strategic planning provides a scientific platform for their sales activities.

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