Sales Is King

With 2020 ticking down, it is time to look forward to 2021 and year most people have been wishing for since March. Well, with that said, our sales game needs to shift into high gear to make 2021 your best ever. Dan covers 5 areas of focus: 1) Pre Call Research - we often talk about the power of doing the homework prior to a call. But are we doing the right research and enough of it? What major initiative is the company undertaking? Cloud? Digital Transformation? AI? How are they going to grow next year? What has COVID done to their business and what do they need to do to succeed in 2021? Has their customer base changed? Should it? How do their customers make money and how have they been impacted? What new methods of distribution can be leveraged? In short, the research needs to be conducted with these types of questions in mind. The financial reports, the recent interviews with the company CEO, the industry publications are all key. 2) Having a Point Of View- while we are all on new ground in the Zoom Economy, we need to formulate a POV on the state of affairs in our industry. What do you see happening in the short and long term? What are the trends and how are successful companies tackling these key issues? What do you recommend based on what you have seen? There has never been a better time to bring ideas and insights to the table. The status quo is weaker than it has been in a long time. And while your prospects like to hold onto comfort, they know now that change is the key to not only success but basic survival. 3) Selling Change - By posing the questions around the prospect's current state and leading them to discuss the consequences are staying the course, we open the door to change. We need to be able to then connect our offering to that large initiative(but only 33% of reps can effectively make this leap according to Objective Management Group). How does what we bring to the table help our prospect lead that paradigm shift? Not just how it works, but what it will do for the company strategically. The impact it will have long term. Why vs How. 4) Selling Urgency- There is no time to waste in the Zoom economy. Not only do we need to sell change, but we need to sell urgency, action, execution. The reps that can demonstrate conviction, and highlight the cost of standing still and the benefits of swift action are succeeding, but according to OMG, only 12% can do this effectively. Thinking Big means turning on these skills. 5)Finding the Money -How do you tap into the largest buckets of dollars that your prospect has set aside for immediate action vs. the nice to have, "we'll come back to you" solutions? There are only a handful of these initiatives at your prospect's organization. Tap into them, discuss your ideas to help. What initiatives are being funded aggressively and how does your solution fit? Companies are spending billions on change, on reinvention, on new business models, on paradigm shifts. Be there.

There is a thin line between the top reps and the average reps. But why do the Elite reps outshine everyone else? And where in the sales process does this occur? Dan hits you between the eyes as he reveals the inflection point where the Elite rise and the average reps fumble it away. Don't miss this one!

Dan returns to the studio with a blueprint for becoming an elite seller in the new "Zoom Economy' Listen in for what is now a requirement for finishing out the year strongly and blasting in 2021 with a vengeance.

It is by far the most effective method of prospecting, yet leveraged less in the sales process than any other channel. James Muir returns to Sales Is King with a new book and incredible advice for sellers looking to make Referrals a key part of their success.

Sales Leader, Michael Macchiarelli joins the podcast to discuss how Equinox has pivoted to maintain it's superior service to its customers in a challenging environment. We also discuss how selling needs to shift in the COVID economy and some of the keys to Michael's sales success which has resulted in rapid promotions during his seven-year tenure at Equinox. With over 27,000 followers on Linkedin, Michael gives us the G2 on building audience on social and leveraging it to build credibility and revenue. Don't miss this interview!

A new study from Demand Gen Report validates what we have been experiencing over the past  3 months. The purchasing process has become more complex with buyers dramatically raising their expectations of sales reps. We walk through some of the eye-opening changes in Buyer Behavior and outline the steps you need to take to keep winning business in the COVID economy. Here is the link to our new blog https://dansixsmith.blogspot.com/ Sign up to join our mailing list: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5ef11d5b877ab5002773f840 Peace

Dan discusses the critical differences between Sellers and Closers, with a focus on the requirements for increasing win rates in the COVID economy. Check out Dan's new blog: The New Normal: Selling In The COVID Economy https://dansixsmith.blogspot.com/ Peace ✌️

In my recent Linkedin Poll, the #1 challenge Sales Reps face today is Prospects Going Dark and the research backs this up as according to Forrester only 17% of reps are invited back to a second meeting. These initial meetings are disasters for a large chunk of sellers. Why? Today we review the Top 7 Reasons Why Prospects Go Dark, according to USC Business School.

Once again, the profession of Sales is being disrupted. First it was the rise of the digital buyer gaining more knowledge and power and now it is the COVID19 economy and the transformation of the way business needs to be conducted during and after this monumental crisis. Just like high profile companies that faced disruption and lost(Blockbuster, Sears, ToysrUs), we in sales cannot afford to be a spectator while the cataclysmic shift occurs. The world just picked up its pace and we need to keep up or face displacement. On the flip side, change of this magnitude brings massive opportunity. How can we become the Amazons and Ubers of this BusinessQuake? Follow Dan's steps to getting out ahead of change, to embrace change and lead change versus getting swallowed up and left behind. Here is how you become the Netflix of Selling; the Amazon of Selling versus the Blockbuster's and Macy's of Selling. Are you talking about the good ole days or paving the new path of success in a radically different world?

Are you making the moves now that will contribute to your success in the future? How far in advance are you playing? With a crisis in our laps right now, shouldn't we be 100% focused on the here and now? Not so fast. Your long game, your long term plan, connecting with those key contacts that can be helpful to you and get you to your longer term goals is key. Staying 2 or 3 moves ahead of your competition, ahead of the market is going to be a key barometer of how well you are going to fare in the future. This pandemic is driving some executives farther away from their goals, while motivating others to double down, work harder, get more specific on their objectives and improve all aspects of their sales and business game. Which one are you? Here is that great Alex Rodriguez(ARod) interview:https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dansixsmith_how-to-turn-rejection-into-a-home-run-motivation-activity-6657988379289899008-Cxhb