FROM THE SELLING POWER BLOG The Power of Optimism and Realism in Sales


Conventional wisdom tells us that, with a positive attitude, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to. But what if we’ve been misled? What if ignoring the bad and focusing only on the good is actually preventing us


from reaching our full potential? This concept was presented as a primary lesson in the famous business book Good to


JEFF SEELEY CEO


CAREW INTERNATIONAL


Great by Jim Collins, in which he discusses the Stockdale Paradox, a concept named after James Stockdale, a Navy admiral and POW during the Vietnam War. As a POW at Hoa Lo (the notorious “Hanoi Hilton” of Vietnam POW camps), Stock- dale lived to recount the many difficulties he endured. Read More >


FROM THE SELLING POWER BLOG


How Effective Sales Enablement Starts with Prioritizing the Right KPIs


ED CALNAN


CO-FOUNDER & CEO SEISMIC


Teams looking to remain effective and successful while working remotely need to be sure they share the same goals. Without the ability to stay in touch on the ground – and hold in-person check-ins and meetings – having a team that rolls up to the same goals is critical to keeping your go-to-market engine running smoothly with a distributed workforce. And enablement is one of the best ways to ensure your sellers are focused on the right things. But what are you tracking to make sure your teams stay effective? As a sales leader, you need to be sure your team has the right priorities to succeed. For Seismic, it’s about tracking key results that all filter into our central focus. Read More >


SELLING TIP Consultative Concepts


The consultative approach to selling is oriented toward customers, needs, and problems rather than products. The following guidelines will help improve your consul- tative selling skills. • Do research to understand each customer’s needs. The


core commitment of the consultative salesperson is to meet the needs or solve important problems for every customer. • Become your customer’s partner. The consultative salesperson identifies customer needs and focuses on effectively and efficiently meeting those needs – even if that means coming up with a plan with only a small ben- efit to the salesperson. The important point is building long-term positive relationships.


• Help your customers achieve their business objec- tives. Consultative salespeople believe that, if they’re seen


as helping customers meet their business needs and not just as salespeople, they will get the customers’ business. They’re committed to a positive, reciprocal, back-and-forth relationship with their customers. • Provide your customers with the products and ser- vices that best fit their needs. Consultative salespeople commit to provide their customers with top-notch products and services. They have pride and confidence in their company and believe their products and services are capable of solving customer problems and meeting customer needs.


• Show your customers the full range of your knowl- edge. Consultative salespeople know more than just their products and services. They know the strengths and weaknesses of their products and services versus the competition and how they fit into the customers’ organizations. It means putting the customers’ needs and problems first and your own second.


– WILLIAM F. KENDY


SELLING POWER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | 11 © 2020 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.


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