A Lesson from a Sales Split Test: We Benefit from More Structure than We Like

A Lesson from a Sales Split Test: We Benefit from More Structure than We Like

A Lesson from a Sales Split Test: We Benefit from More Structure than We Like The Accidental Sales Split Test I started a call recording and coaching program with a client who had two sales teams. After the initial training, one of the team leaders created a checklist for a discovery call and required her team to check the boxes as they made their calls. … Read more

Which wins in an A/B test? Pitch Deck vs. Diagnostic Deck

Which wins in an A/B test? Pitch Deck vs. Diagnostic Deck A buyer needs to understand your offering, so you should walk them through the Corporate Pitch deck in your first meeting, right? Here are seven observations from call recordings that compare these two approaches: Discovery calls that employ a Corporate Pitch Deck Discovery calls that use my Diagnostic Deck Since you may suspect that … Read more

2 Rules for Selling to a Committee

2 Rules for Selling to a Committee

2 Rules for Selling to a Committee More often than not, large deals mean that you have to sell to a committee, rather than an individual buyer. In these situations, many salespeople fall back to using the corporate deck to present to the group. This is a mistake. Though the corporate pitch deck is designed to cover all bases, it does not account for the … Read more

Selling to Committees

Selling to Committees

Selling to Committees All buyers want to have options, and they want a simple way to compare those options. An example is the Mutual Fund industry. Most brokerages have tools that allow buyers to compare funds side-by-side, helping them to make an informed decision. Yet Matthew Morey of New York’s Pace University, found that it was not necessarily the performance metrics that motivated the purchase … Read more

Objections in Sales Presentations

Objections in Sales Presentations

Objections in Sales Presentations Overcoming objections is an important step in the sales process, but it’s one of the most dreaded parts of sales. No one likes handling objections, but when they come out of left field they can throw off your game – and your sales forecast. I’m going to make the argument that if you are getting regular objections and stalls from buyers, … Read more

BEST PRACTICES FROM TOP S.E.'S FOR TECHNICAL DEMO'S AND PRESENTATIONS

Best Practices from Top S.E.’s for Technical Demo’s and Presentations

Best Practices from Top S.E.’s for Technical Demo’s and Presentations We naturally focus on facts, not emotions It is natural to use facts and figures to convince prospects to buy. But stories make communication more effective. Ground-breaking work done at Princeton University by Associate Professor of Psychology, Dr. Uri Hasson, Ph.D. has shown that the brain of an individual listening to a story synchronizes with … Read more

A Feature Too Far

A very good salesperson called me and said, “Steve, I just blew it.”