Jack, a salesperson, was having some challenges. Feedback from multiple sources -- his own clients, prospects, customers, and colleagues -- suggested that his communication skills needed some work.
Stan was frustrated. He kept getting “shot down on price” during discussions with prospective buyers. He knew he was supposed to talk directly about money issues before making a presentation ... but somehow he never seemed to iron out the details in a way that gave him a clear sense of whether the buyer felt his pricing was acceptable. Buyers always seemed to play their cards close to the vest. He decided to ask his manager Phil for help.
I had a gun to my head. I was a young partner with Arthur Andersen. A pretty successful business developer. But man, I was an artist at doing it the hard way.
Jane, a new sales hire, was settling into her workspace on Friday morning, all ready to celebrate the first quarter in which she’d been able to exceed her revenue target … when she got a voicemail message that made her stomach churn.
Ryan, a salesperson in his mid-fifties, had hit a performance plateau. His commissions had been flat for the past six months, and he had narrowly missed quota in each of those months.
The popular DISC behavioral model is an important tool that can help you develop a deeper understanding of individual prospects and buyers. DISC outlines four clear sets of behavioral characteristics that describe, with remarkable accuracy, just how human beings process information and emotion … and how they prefer to interact with others.
Once you’ve identified a goal that really matters to you, you’ll be more likely to attain it if you put the power of visualization to work on your behalf. Visualization is only one part of the goal-setting process, but it’s a vitally important part. It makes a goal seem much more real and attainable and harnesses the extraordinary power of your subconscious mind.
Having a big pipeline of "prospects" is typically seen as desirable. The more prospects you put into the pipeline, the more will eventually emerge as customers. At least that's the theory, but is it the right strategy?
