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The LEADSExplorer Blog: Lead generation - Website visitors - CRM - B2B
The correlation between CRM efforts and selling
If the correlation between: - The amount of time and effort spend by salesmen into the CRM - The achieved sales level is negative (the more time on the CRM – the less sales) then the company has a serious... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other...
The difference between wanting and buying – The ROI in sales
Consumers People and people in companies want many different things. People and companies only buy a limited number of things. We all want many things that could make life better or to have a better feeling about... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more!...
The 26 sales meeting mistakes to avoid
This is a list of mistakes made before, during and after sales meetings and conference call which are to avoid. Although most seem obvious, many of them occur frequently: - Giving a bad impression - Feeling of being... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and...
The hurdles of social websites for sales and marketing
Online social smalltalk Inspired by Facebook and Twitter a number of on-demand solution vendors propose to introduce the concept of social websites into the daily operations of sales and marketing by merging a CRM with... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more!...
If you trash your competitor, you are likely to trash yourself
During any conversation with potential customers or customers you need to avoid to trash your competitor as this is likely to have a negative effect on your image and business too. Often during meetings and telephone... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and...
Watch out when your competitor loses steam
Since years you have been fighting your main competitor on: - Products - Services - Pricing - After sales service - Marketing events It was a neck to neck race or even a cut-throat competition turning in advance for... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] ...
As Was Marketing Hall Of Fame
I got a notice on my door from my apartment community. Keep in mind that about half the people here rent, and half own as 'condos.' I rent. I wouldn't buy this. But do keep in mind that this development......
Your Friends And Followers... Aren't
In the early days of Twitter, everybody you followed showed up in your timeline. You had to skim everybody to find the people you really wanted to read about. That lead me to choose to NOT follow everybody who followed......
Some Things Shouldn't Go On Post-It Notes
I heard a story today so heartbreaking that I wanted to find a way to share it. A friend was telling me about a friend of his, who had recently died. The guy was still legally married to his wife,......
Weird Shipping Time Math on eBay
I was looking into the "Item Not Received" process for a friend. I went into my own eBay account, and pretended to start it. I had to pick which item I wanted to report. Well, I only have one item......
iPod Touch: The Ultimate Unitasker
I decided yesterday that I must be missing out on something. My lack of access to zillions of iPod and iPhone apps must surely be harming my productivity. There are so many things I could be doing... and I'm not......
Iarla O'Halloran Does Not Work For As Was
It has come to my attention that a worker I terminated in mid-2009 has been contacting clients to tell them he can do work for them. That would be in breach of the non-compete, non-disclosure agreement he signed when we......
TeleSmart Communications
Sales 2.0 Conference, Day Two- My Favorite Sessions
I attended two fantastic sessions at the Sales 2.0 Conference on Tuesday, the first was the Sales 2.0 Training panel discussion and the second was the Social Networking & Sales presentation. I went to the Sales 2.0 Training session prepared to hear about how sales training will go extinct in this...
Welcome to San Francisco- if you are here for the Sales 2.0 Conference, it’s the place to be. I’m tightening up my schedule and can’t wait to check out the line-up of great sessions. Just in case you are still not sure what Sales 2.0 is all about, I’ve organized some...
Sales 2.0 Conference, Day 1- The Good Bad and Ugly
I’m not going to write up a detailed review of each event- that’s Geoffrey James’ from BNET’s job which he does very well. Instead, I will share my honest opinion about my first day experience at this sold out conference. The good- Forget preparing an elevator pitch when you can be filmed in living...
The Sales 2.0 Alliance- The Welcome Committee
The Sales 2.0 Conference is alive and kicking, great turn out today and wonderful to connect with old friends. Gerhard and Umberto delivered their keynotes in front of a crowded room @ the Four Seasons in San Francisco. Four years ago, Sales 2.0 was just a buzzword and today, we have arrived...
Sales 2.0 Conference is here to stay
Sales 2.0 Conference is SOLD OUT! Cool news- we’ve come a long way in spreading the Sales 2.0 wisdom all these years. When I first started blogging, I didn’t know much about Sales 2.0 but knew the sales profession was in the midst of an overhaul. One of my first...
It’s time to stop begging for leads and effectively work the ones you have. There is a huge need for strong lead nurturing strategies and stats to support the fact that a large percentage of leads that marketing provides sales are not effectively nurtured. It’s easier to look to other departments,...
Inc.com
Why You Should Make Privacy a Priority
How you are seen to protect your customers' personal information can have a huge effect on your brand – and your bottom line, according to a new report. Security researcher Ponemon Institute released its list of the "Top 20 Most Trusted Companies for Privacy", based on a survey of 6,627 US...
iPhone apps that will help you get through conference season. For the small business owner or entrepreneur, springtime often equates to conference season. From booking flights and accommodations, to finding out what's going on in the local area, there are plenty of apps that will ease your stress, Mashable reports....
Social Media Trends Among IT Workers
A survey of over 3,000 IT professionals recently showed that they consume more social media content than other types (editorial, vendor) and that they consider this to be a good method not only for staying informed, but for networking with peers as well. According to the study, IT professionals at...
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Tips On Streamlining Accounts Payable
If you're feeling bogged down by the busywork of tracking bills and payments, or if you've found yourself being a less-than-ideal client to your providers, then there's a good chance your accounts payable system isn't up to snuff. For businesses in their early years, often a trusty Excel file and...
How to Make Money on iPhone Apps
How many times has a friend showed you his or her favorite new iPhone app, and you lamented: Why didn't I think of that?With total application downloads from Apple's iTunes app store topping three billion, and monthly sales of upwards of $200 million, the marketplace for apps is booming. If...
Sales Lead Insights: A Blog About B2B Lead Generation, Marketing and Sales
B2B Marketing Automation: Here’s My Definition
How's this for a definition of B2B marketing automation? The use of technology to generate, nurture, score and qualify leads, and drive sales, using customized, multi-touch marketing communications tailored for each contact's profile, level of interest, behavior or place in the buying process. If you'd like to learn more, please use...
Are inbound leads really leads? I believe the majority are not.
I think some of the information being touted by companies that have a stake in inbound marketing can be misleading. What I am talking about is the categorizing of all inbound inquiries as “leads.” If you'd like to learn more, please use my Contact Form, call me directly at 1-800-944-5553 or...
B2B Marketing University: 3/3 in DC and 4/7 in Palo Alto
B2B Marketing University: 3/3 in DC and 4/7 in Palo Alto If you'd like to learn more, please use my Contact Form, call me directly at 1-800-944-5553 or +1-401-294-7730, or check out the marketing consulting or speaking and training pages on my website. ...
Business Marketing Association Renames its Marketing Awards Competition the B2s
Before I get to sharing my opinion about the Business Marketing Association (perhaps better known as the BMA) changing the name of its Pro-Comm Awards to the B2s, let me point out that I'm a long-time member and big-time fan of the organization. If you'd like to learn more, please use...
B2B e-newsletters: Three bits of advice
A client just asked me, "What are the three best pieces of advice to give to companies that embark on an e-newsletter for the first time?" Here's my answer: If you'd like to learn more, please use my Contact Form, call me directly at 1-800-944-5553 or +1-401-294-7730, or check out the...
Advanced B2B Sales Lead Management Strategies: A Webinar for CMOs on What is Really Working Today
Mark your calendar to attend this webinar about advanced sales lead management strategies for B2B CMOs: Advanced B2B Sales Lead Management Strategies - A front line report for CMO’s on what’s really working If you'd like to learn more, please use my Contact Form, call me directly at 1-800-944-5553 or +1-401-294-7730,...
Selling Financial Products by Michael Roby
Authentic Message – Authentic Leadership
Last evening I had the privilege and pleasure to be in the audience for the National Speakers Association – Minnesota Chapter meeting. Professional speaker Phillip Van Hooser, CSP, CPAE spoke on building a business and serving clients. He spoke from the heart, and has demonstrated every single principle contained in...
Many firms have a “packaged” proposal system. While proposals are all over the map in terms of structure, most contain huge amounts of information, with numerous charts and graphs, volumes of copy, and endless disclosures. Whether you present financial plans or individual product presentations, proposals generally contain enough information for...
As a professional speaker, marketing consultant, business coach, and high level-sales trainer, I meet with a wide variety of salespeople and consultative advisors. This week one of my engagements was to the mutual clients of a retirement plan distributor and a third-party retirement plan administrator, or TPA. One of the...
Financial services professionals constantly look for ways to stand out among their competitors. Consider the following idea this Valentine’s Day to reach out to your clients. Some of your best clients are widows and widowers. What do these people not get anymore? Flowers and candy on Valentine’s Day. Make an...
More Than A Ball And A Photograph
Last night at the University of Minnesota Men’s Basketball game, Coach Tubby Smith presented senior guard Lawrence Westbrook with a commemorative basketball in honor of Westbrook joining the “1,000 Point Club.” This occurred at center court prior to the game with much applause and many photos. I commented to my...
Financial advisors commonly look for and attempt to offer the “best performing” investment products, in spite of the fact that one of the basic tenets of the industry is “Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.” An investment wholesaler (a true master of the profession) at a tier-one...
Dave Stein's Blog for Sales Leaders
One Step Forward, Ten Steps Back
I picked this up on the web this morning. A training company is looking for a software application to deliver sales training to 3000 people in 20 countries for $500. Here it is: Description: We are a Training and Development Organisation carrying out a Global Sales Training Program in different languages over the...
Dealmaker Genius. There Are No Excuses Anymore.
Prior to our briefing last week by The TAS Group executives in advance of today’s announcement, we were somewhat skeptical. We thought claims they made in their YouTube videos were more than a bit outrageous, like this one from their press release: “Dealmaker Genius uses over 20,000 core knowledge elements...
6 Mistakes Companies Make When Selecting A Sales Trainer
Over and over I’ve read and heard sales experts say that, “It doesn’t matter which sales approach or methodology you use, as long as every salesperson in the company uses it.” This myth has been around for decades. Don’t believe it. It just isn’t true. When ESR does postmortems on failed...
I really enjoy someone telling me I’ve asked a great question. Even with all these years of selling and consulting, it doesn’t happen that much when I’ve not prepared questions in advance. But when I do, I’m able to build some real credibility just by the nature, content, and delivery...
Can An Independent Sales Trainer/Sales Consultant Provide Real Value To A Large Company?
Yes. That sole trainer (or two- to three-person firm) won’t be rolling out simultaneous live instructor-led training classes in 20 countries. Nor will they be getting in front of every one of 3,000 reps in the North American operation of a large client during a rapid 6-month deployment. But we have seen...
Come On, Dave. Who’s The Best Sales Trainer?
That’s a question I’ve been asked again and again by journalists, sales leaders, sales training company CEOs, corporate training departments, consultants, and our clients, when they first contact us. When I tell them that’s not a question I can easily answer, many offer to pay me just for providing them with...
A Sales Guy
If you’re a business blogger or a reader of business blogs check out Bizsugar and Sugartone’s upcoming contest. Sugartone Sweet Business Blogging Contest. If you’re looking for more exposure for your blog or you can’t get your fill of killer business material you should check it out. Writers AND readers...
LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, Know the Difference
Three years ago, I started cre8Buzz. It was a social networking site, that combined, Facebook, Twitter (not that we knew that then), Yahoo Buzz, and Myspace. cre8Buzz was about getting “buzz” for the best content on the web, regardless of the size of the persons social graph. ...
Ten years ago I tried to buy my last name, keenan.com Another Keenan owned it. He refused an offer of $5,000. I wouldn’t pay more for it. He has since sold it to a company called Keenan. I suspect I will never own my last...
Lou Gerstner said, “I came to see in my time at IBM, that culture isn’t just one aspect of the game — it is the game.” Culture is a fancy way to describe how a group of people act. Every group, community, household, team, has a culture....
My IPhone experiment is over. I’m writing this update from my Mac. That pretty much tells the story. My MacBook shit the bed a week ago, just before I left on a week long trip. I couldn’t get it fixed before I left, so I had...
The Weather Channel said it was 40 degrees out. That is too cold to play outside. I decided to take the girls to an indoor play place. Outside we went, coats and all. As we stepped out into the sun, it became clear. It was...
C-Level, Relationship Selling Blog
C-Level Selling Tip 19 - The Fastest Path to Relationships and Sales Is Through Your Ears
Article explains listening techniques to win people over effortlessly. Most people practice useless listening and wonder why prospects and networking encounters go nowhere....
C-Level Selling - The Only Reason for Sales Rejections and Blocks
Video explains why sales people get blocked or rejected and what to do about it....
C-Level Sales Tip 18 - Good Interviewing Leads to Great C-Level Presentations
Relationships and sales happen because they are set-up. Interviewing is the set-up step to lead you into a great presentation of yourself or your products. Try the presentation without the set-up and you'll see why so many sales people and......
C-Level Sales Training Tip 17-Win-Over C-Level Executives with Effective Communications
Capturing the attention of a top level person is extremely difficult. Holding it is even tougher. Learn from this article how to gab executives' interest and get them talking about what you have to say....
C-Level Sales Training Tip 16 - Conquer Executive Intimidation - Eliminate Sabotaging Self Doubt
Learn how to turn around reluctance or shyness to pursue powerful and/or desirable individuals in this article. Change intimidation into productive and enviable relationships. Intimidation is a form of self doubt which keeps us from networking and approaching the people we’d like to meet and know we should...
C-Level Sales Training Tip 15 - Creating the Confidence Necessary to Win-Over C-Level Executives
Confidence is what C-level decision-makers want to see in their selling partners. The best way to become confident is to prepare. Here’s how....
Shameless Sales Tips from Shamus Brown
Change It Up & Energize Your Sales
Here's my Sales Thought for the Week… Change It Up & Energize Your Sales Repetition has its benefits. But sometimes doing the same things over and over again makes you stale, and you stop growing. Maybe it's time to change things up. Break out of your routine and do something new, something...
Why Rookies Get Sales Objections (and Old Pro's Don't)
Some people think that selling is all about overcoming the objections. "Assume the sale, handle the objections, and you'll close the deal" is how their advice goes… Yet if you ask the old experienced sales guy in any business, you'll find he doesn't deal with objections. Read more on Why Rookies Get Sales...
You may have noticed that prices are falling for many things. The price of houses certainly has fallen to point out one giant obvious thing. Yet simultaneously people are worried about future inflation. Read more on How Much Does Price Matter?…...
How to Find the Best Sales Prospects in Today's Economy
Many people today are whining. Whining and wishing. Whining about how much worse their business is this year. Wishing for the "good ole days" of just a couple of years ago, when business was booming, and sales were easy. Read more on How to Find the Best Sales Prospects in Today's Economy…...
Sun Tzu Had This to Say About Your Sales Competition
Sun Tzu said in The Art of War… Know your enemy and know yourself, find naught in fear for 100 battles. Knowing yourself, knowing your company, knowing your products is not enough. Read more on Sun Tzu Had This to Say About Your Sales Competition…...
Proactively Manage Your Sales Prospecting Attitude
Whether you realize this or not you are responsible for this. Every salesman is. It's crucial to your success. And if you don't proactively manage this, it will derail you, and destroy you. Read more on Proactively Manage Your Sales Prospecting Attitude…...
Sales Training - SalesPractice.com
Since I started in sales I have felt that it is one thing over all else that keeps salesmen from succeeding, Fear. That is why I want to ask the people of this forum, what you fear? And what you think others fear? Your customers? Getting a no?......
In your opinion what are the top ten personal selling skills?...
Do you keep track of how you spend your (life) time?...
Do you think it is necessary to believe in your product to sell effectively? Why do you think so?...
The Science and Practice of Personal Selling
Out of curiosity, which topics would you expect to find in a book titled, "The Science and Practice of Personal Selling"?...
Social media tactics and metrics
What key metrics are you using to measure the success of the social media tactics you/your company have deployed?...
Chris Whyatt thinks...
Get to Great™ can be traced back to 2001, when Chris Whyatt, its creator, was leading a project for Lotus / IBM to improve their bid win ratio. Chris realised Lotus needed to understand their current capabilities and define their......
An open invitation to a Mentor Get to Great briefing
Our customers are telling us that they need to deliver 20% more with 20% less, and therefore they need to transform their approach to leadership, sales, customer service, as well as other aspects of their business. As ‘do nothing’ is......
A false economy or a great idea - you tell me?
I attended the Summer BBQ of the UK APMP (Association of Proposal Management Professionals) this evening, having played in their golf day that afternoon. I spoke with several 'old' friends and was distressed to find that they had been made......
Is your organisation 'sales ready'?
Successfully selling your company’s capabilities to customers depends on many factors. I have spent a lifetime looking at this subject, focusing on what many people call sales readiness. Sales readiness is what underpins everything that sales and marketing does, including......
A great sales story... or two in fact!
Years ago I did some work on bids for Amdahl (manufacturers of IBM look-a-like mainframes) and the now-retired Sales Director (real old school, brilliant guy) told me this story. He went to see the IT Director of a major IBM......
e-auctions - what are your experiences - good and/or bad?
e-auctions have been about for at least 10 years and I hear mixed views on them, mainly from people who 'win' them but never get any business as a result. What do you think?...
At the Edge of Explosion!
The Edge of Possibility: Where are you Standing?
Have you ever felt like you were on the very edge of outrageous opportunity? Like you were so very close to making everything you ever wanted a reality? Being on the edge of breakthrough is a powerful feeling. You feel so close to your dreams that you somehow summon the extra...
4 Reasons You Can’t Shortcut Your Way to Success
There is no shortcut to success. Unlike every episode with Indiana Jones, there is no Holy Grail of aspirational whymsy whereby you plot a few strategic moves and end up with all the pieces on the board. Success is a mindset. Not a point in time... Everything we ever been told about success...
8 paths to domination and 1 big way to fail
Here's a harsh reality: We're just not tough enough... On my wall framed hangs the famous inspiration quotation from Vince Lombardi about football and winning and what it takes to be number one. It's been on the wall of my office for the past decade. It's my own mezuzah to excellence...
Seth Godin Inspires Indispensable Edginess.
Is what you doing right now something the world can't live without? Are you the difference between success and failure? Are you truly indispensable? "So, Seth, do you consider yourself indispensable?" That's what I wanted to say. But I ran out of time. The reality is that the thinking of a guy like...
We hate to be misunderstood. Better yet, we can't stand over-hearing (in someone else's casual conversation) that our motives or intention suck. How many times have you been in a conversation with a bunch of people when you thought you heard your name spaced too close to an insult or...
For those of you who ignored my rage against the fad of making New Years resolutions, I say "bravo"... Sure it's a mindless waste of time to commit to an important goal for just a few months, but you already knew that. All rage aside, I have goals for my...
Sell More, Work Less and Make More Money by Colleen Francis
Snap Out of It! 12 Tips for Breaking out of a Slump and Getting Back on Track
Sales people who are struggling with the economy now or those who just have a poor start at the beginning of a year, often find themselves struggling for the rest of the year to catch up. The good news is, whatever you’re experiencing, we’ve all been there at least once....
The real power behind social media is how it can help transform you from being a complete stranger into a known quantity even among groups of people you’ve not even met yet. As marketing and social media strategist Kneale Mann sums up rather nicely, the benefit is that “social media...
While many of you are already benefiting from our discussion on how to convert leads to customer from last week and question I have been getting is how to deal with the “let me think it over” objection. The trick with this objection is determining whether it’s a real objection or...
Colleen Answers: How do I get prospects to take action?
How do I get prospects to take action? This is a common question I hear during training sessions. And one that was of the top of your list as reported during our sales survey in January We are all facing pressure from our companies our managers and even yourselves (or maybe even...
Join me on the Love Sex Business Teleseminar!
Very soon I will be speaking for the Love, Sex and Business Tele-Seminar series and I would love for you to join me. When you attend this tele-seminar you will hear from the most inspiring, motivating and high achieving speakers who reveal steps and secrets to managing your business and...
Super Sales tips from the Super Bowl
When is a football game not just a football game? When it becomes a sales lesson as well! Here are 4 winning tips from Sunday’s big game that you can apply to your business today 1. Big risks can pay off big. The Saint’s on side kick to start the second...
The Sales Wars
I have had the good fortune of joining a group of professionals in building up a startup. While this experience has been rewarding and challenging, its also been a bit humbling. My moment of “self-realization” showed up when our CEO came to me and asked if I could help build a presentation...
“Local Mediocre Blogger Gets Butt Kicked By Closest Friend”
One of my closest friends is in the midst of a job search. His story is no different that the scores out there who are great people, doing good work, who were motivated to find work elsewhere. So he sends me an email with the title “What do you think ?” ...
Rain Man was a Re’ tard and He did Alright
One of my friends has a MBA from a really good school with a really bad football team. A school so highly regarded that when they received my application some years ago, they not only rejected me on basis of my academic performance, but they added that with my interpretation...
Why Your Demos Need to Tell a Story
When presenting a complex solution, the most effective means of engaging the audience is to create and tell a story that is relevant and is modeled around the prospect’s business. Most will have a story built around their demo data, for ex. “This is ABC Company and they produce widgets”. ZZZZZZZ…oh sorry…I was...
Scattered, Smothered, and Covered….
After my arranged engagement/marriage fell apart over religious differences, she drove a Chevy, I a Ford; I went to drown my sorrows at the only place appropriate to fill the emotional void that filled my heart….the Waffle House. Now for our Yankee readers, our Waffle House is the equivalent to your...
From Doyle Slaton at SalesBlogcast.com… I’m giving away my new eBook “15 Rules for Becoming a Top Producer!” *IMPORTANT NOTE: This eBook is best suited for highly driven sales and leadership minded business professionals. I’d appreciate your help in spreading the word. Please let everyone know they can get the FREE eBook at...
The Fashionable Housewife
Hot Trends from The Makeup Show: Mineral Makeup
At the LA Makeup Show last weekend, one thing was clear: mineral makeup is more than a fad. It’s already taken over a significant share of the market, and all signs indicate that it will keep growing. So what’s the big deal? Well, traditionally makeup contains some type of petroleum...
There are so many great new trends that will be popping up for Spring 2010, but one of our favorites is polka dots. Why? Because they’re fun, feminine and can add a bit of whimsy to your everyday outfits. You might already have some polka dotted pieces sitting in your wardrobe,...
With Spring just around the corner, or so the calendar says, it is about time to freshen up our wardrobes! Nothing has me more inspired this Spring than the Nautical pieces that are floating around in my dreams and at my local mall. Collections from the likes Dolce and Gabbana and Michael...
Paraben and Sulfate-Free Hair Products at up to 70% off!
Since Sarah-Jean and I are both in the middle of needing some sulfate-free shampoos (you NEED to use them with Keratin treatments. It’s a must-have!), I thought there might be one or two of you out there who’d be interested in checking out this sale! Jasmere.com is offering Danu hair...
Sparkle and Shine with ideeli’s Cara Sale!
Maybe it’s because I spent all last night watching Olympic Figure Skating, or maybe it’s just the girly side of me that loves a little sparkle, but I’m oh-so excited for the Cara sale starting today on ideeli! Here’s a little bit more about the brand: Beautiful accessories are undoubtedly the...
Linea Pelle Coupon Code for 25% off Dylan Collection
We have an exclusive discount code just for you!! Linea Pelle is offering readers of The Fashionable Housewife a whopping 25% OFF the entire Dylan line for just 24 hours!!!! Dylan is their most popular line, worn by celebrities such as Lauren Bosworth, Vanessa Hudgens, Marcia Cross, and many others! Use...