How to Use Competitive Information in #Sales

I speak often about keeping current on the industry and our competition, which is great, but what you do with that information is what’s important.  It needs to be used in a way that’s meaningful to the customer.  You still need to find out what is important to them before you can position IBM Unique Value and help position us (positively) against our competition!  –RBGM

How to Use Competitive Information | BNET.

Why smart managers master the art of listening well

For anyone who has been in a Sales Workshop with me, this is a perfect and real-time example of “Active Listening”.   This solidifies the fact that strong sellers are always at Level 2 &3, and deliver what the customer WANTS, not what you assumed they’d like!   –RBGM

[ Integrated mar.com ]

 

Hacking of #DuPont, J&J, #GE Were Undisclosed #Google-Type Attacks – Bloomberg

IBM sellers, take notice!  This is a great real-time example for your customers when you’re discussing SECURITY.  If J&J, GE, Google, and Disney can be breached, what can IBM do to help keep THEM secure?   What if this were to happen to THEIR organization?  A good conversation to have!   –RBGM

Hacking of DuPont, J&J, GE Were Undisclosed Google-Type Attacks – Bloomberg.

Top 50 Sales Blogs 2011

SalesCrunch Top 50 Sales Blogs 2011.

Wow!  Great list of resources for sellers!  Obviously we all can’t follow this many blogs, but have a look at the top sites and see if any resonate with you.  Even if you just subscribe to one, it’s better than none!  –RBGM

How Much Time Do Your Salespeople Spend Selling?

How Much Time Do Your Salespeople Spend Selling? – SellingPower – Gerhard Gschwandtner’s Blog.

A great article that highlights where we’re spending our time and why it’s shifting.  Perhaps our sales models are not consistently aligned with how customers want to buy?   –RBGM

FP Marketing: Starbucks gets a new logo | FP Posted | Financial Post

Logos are an important part of any brand, but companies leverage them differently.  Starbucks is certainly well known, so this change is interesting.  By removing the English text, they feel they can expand much easier into Asia (or so the company feels).   –RBGM

FP Marketing: Starbucks gets a new logo

When “Yes” Means Something Else in Sales

Some great things to consider when you’re working with your customers.  Don’t get too excited too early, and keep your eyes open for false positives … it could help you save your deal!    –RBGM

When “Yes” Means Something Else in Sales | BNET.

A Perfect Elevator Pitch…From a Reader | BNET

Every sales rep, from Inside Sales to the CEO, needs to master the art of the elevator pitch.  It’s an area most of us seem to miss, but all of us have the opportunity to use.  –RBGM

A Perfect Elevator Pitch…From a Reader | BNET.

Five Dumb Sales Questions | BTalk | BNET

Art Sobczak is a well known sales coach.  He has some thoughts on what we SHOULD NOT ask a customer on the phone (in the consulting phase of our call model).  These could be conversation stoppers you may want to avoid.  The best sales reps encourage their customer to speak 80% of the time.  The art of selling is figuring out how to do that, and dance in the moment with your customers by asking all the right questions.  Listen to this 10 minute pod cast and see if there is something you can do differently!  –RBGM

Five Dumb Sales Questions | BNET

Tips for Humanizing Your Résumé – BusinessWeek

Great article on how to differentiate your resume.  Bottom line, build in plenty of RESULTS!  What did you actually accomplish?  Similar to the IBM annual employee evaluation process (called PBC), you should demonstrate your results in real terms. “In 2009 I drove $100M in new sales opportunities in Canadian whitespace accounts, 20% above plan” vs “Exceeded new sales opportunity quota each quarter”.  –RBGM

Tips for Humanizing Your Résumé – BusinessWeek