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Introductions
Alan Weiss
JANUARY 28, 2021
The key to successfully eliciting quality referrals is to ask for specific names or titles. Example: Would you introduce me to your counterpart in Europe? Would you introduce me to Mary Jones, your CFO?
Alan Weiss
The New Sales Alchemy
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 12, 2021
About two years ago I became more disciplined about asking how new clients found me. Over 90% were from a referral from a colleague or reading one of my books (often because of a referral from a colleague). Marketing is not rocket science.
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Damage Control
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 27, 2021
Many people I’ve coached over the years had been unsuccessful because their default position is that the buyer is somehow “damaged.” ” Because the buyer needs help, the assumption is that he or she has contributed to the problem, or even caused it.
Ideally
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 6, 2021
Years ago an experiment showed that Dunkin’ Donuts customers and Starbucks customers, asked to use the other coffeeshop for a month with all their coffee paid for, all refused to change to the other store at the end of the month. These are tribes, set in their ways and preferences.
The Best Sales Forecasting Models for Weathering Your Goals
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Every sales forecasting model has a different strength and predictability method. It’s recommended to test out which one is best for your team. This way, you’ll be able to further enhance – and optimize – your newly-developed pipeline. Your future sales forecast? Sunny skies (and success) are just ahead!
Stop “Selling”
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 25, 2021
If you can’t enthusiastically convince a prospective client that your points are important to consider and worth pursuing, then: • You’re not communicating well. • You’re scared or intimidated. Your value isn’t sufficient. • You’re not prepared. If you think your job is to “sell” you’re not going to make it. If you think your calling is to provide value and help people, you probably will make it. But you have to manifest and exemplify your value.
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Refer to This
Alan Weiss
NOVEMBER 5, 2020
The next time a prospect asks for references: • “Every person I give you will rave about me. What is that going to prove?”
Did My Passport Just Expire?
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 10, 2021
If you’ve at all adapted to remote marketing and delivery, you’ve seen how much more profitable your business is, even if you have decreased revenues. What lessons are you learning from that? You’ve been undercharging and over-delivering in the past!
Super Bowl Selling
Alan Weiss
FEBRUARY 8, 2021
The Patriots beat the hell out of the Chiefs in the Super Bowl because you only need to win that game, there is no best-of-seven as in baseball and other sports. In one game, anything can happen—bad calls, trick plays, turnovers, a player who catches fire.
Wait A Minute, People Pay Me, I Don’t Pay You!!
Alan Weiss
OCTOBER 28, 2020
I’m happy to provide interviews for both broadcast and print sources. About 99% of them are run by honest, well-intentioned organizations, some of whom have vast networks that help me, and some of whom I’m helping by building their networks. Fine with me.
B2B Pocket Playbook: End-to-End Guide to Sales Enablement
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Sales enablement is the strategic process of providing sales teams with the content, guidance, and mentorship needed to engage targeted buyers. It’s all about equipping sales professionals with the tools they need to put their best-selling foot forward. And if sales teams want to continuously sell better -- and faster -- their sales enablement process must have a game-winning strategy. It's time for you to start selling smarter - and hitting your sales number - with the best B2B database in the market. Get started today.
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Evangelism
Alan Weiss
SEPTEMBER 19, 2020
The future of selling is all about evangelism. Are your customers and clients “marketing” for you by word-of-mouth and unsolicited referrals?
A Little Education
Alan Weiss
AUGUST 13, 2020
If your proposal isn’t accepted, ask the buyer: “What could I have done better or differently to have been successful in working with you?” ” If you find a pattern, you’ll know what you have to change.
In Person
Alan Weiss
JANUARY 24, 2021
Are you scheduling any “live” events and/or meetings in the second quarter and beyond? You can always cancel them, but it’s time to demonstrate that you’re aggressively doing business. You can’t network well on Zoom! Business of Consulting
One Step At A Time
Alan Weiss
OCTOBER 13, 2020
Focus your buyer. If there is “overwhelm” or chaos, or simply too many priorities, just suggest: “Here’s what I think we should do first. Then we’ll see about the rest.” ” Business of Consulting
Pressure Points: How to Ensure Your B2B Pipeline Passes Inspection
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
This eBook highlights best practices for developing a pipeline management process that helps sales leaders and their team C.L.O.S.E (you’ll see what we mean in this eBook) more revenue through data-driven prospecting, stage analysis, and subsequent sales enablement.
Small Business Shouldn’t Mean Small Thinking
Alan Weiss
JANUARY 2, 2021
The stock market and the economy are two different things, not intimately related. While the market reaches record heights, businesses are closing on Main Street. One thing we can learn is this: The less money you have, the more important are critical thinking skills, particularly decision making. Apple can make a $40 million error, and it’s barely a footnote on the financial reports. But for a small business, making a $40,000 error can be fatal.
Guess What?
Alan Weiss
AUGUST 31, 2020
Marshall Goldsmith and I, writing Lifestorming together, agreed that if someone intent on improving something can’t get it done (or substantially begun) in 30 days, they’re not able to do it without help.
One of the Team
Alan Weiss
DECEMBER 21, 2020
If you really want to appear as part of the client’s team and a partner of the buyer, stop parking in the “visitors” parking spaces. Business of Consulting
Leverage
Alan Weiss
DECEMBER 18, 2020
Archimedes said, “Give me a lever and I can move the world.” ” Find the lever that will move your buyer to begin immediately. The probability is that it will be more personal than organizational. Business of Consulting
Marketing-Led Post-COVID-19 Growth Strategies
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Businesses are laying off workers, shutting their doors (some permanently), and struggling to react to the radical destruction that coronavirus (COVID-19) is doing to our society and communities. However, there’s no team better suited to lead that charge than the marketing department.
Jumping Ahead
Alan Weiss
DECEMBER 15, 2020
Try using this phrase with buyers “on the fence”: Why don’t we cut to the chase? I’ll provide you with a proposal that will focus on the objectives and value of the project along with your investment and a dramatic ROI. Then you can respond to those specifics.
Never Go Back
Alan Weiss
DECEMBER 14, 2020
What you need to be helping clients with now—and promoting to prospects—is NOT how to “return to normal” with the vaccine ramifications.
The Best Customers
Alan Weiss
NOVEMBER 4, 2020
We have patronized a restaurant in town here since it opened (as well as two of its sister restaurants in New York and one in Palm Beach).
The Screaming Sellers
Alan Weiss
DECEMBER 7, 2020
I love the videos of the guys (it’s never women, only men) striding across a stage, shouting into a mike, telling people how to “sell.” ” They always seem on the verge of a heart attack or some kind of spasm. They get red in the face and sweaty.
How ZoomInfo Helps Overcome the Top Pain Points of Inside Sales
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
Recent digital transformation has shifted the B2B landscape by ushering in the era of buyer empowerment. With more access to user reviews, analyst opinion, and industry research, decision-makers are more informed than ever while navigating what is now known as the “buyer’s journey.”
What World Are You Inhabiting?
Alan Weiss
DECEMBER 5, 2020
If you are running any kind of small business, boutique firm, or solo practice, and you remain reliant on a physical sales force visiting clients, or appearing someplace yourself, then you must have been in a coma for the last ten months.
Get Out on the Field
Alan Weiss
NOVEMBER 16, 2020
I was watching a football game played in a torrential downpour last night. Everyone showed up, no one complained, they did their jobs. It was decided on the final plays.
Energy
Alan Weiss
NOVEMBER 13, 2020
It has become abundantly clear that, short of a vaccine, the virus is going to charge and retreat, charge and retreat. Thus, nothing is assured, long-term, except the fact that your clients and prospects will need help in adjusting. What are you doing to address this?
Seismic Shifts
Alan Weiss
NOVEMBER 9, 2020
There was a 3.6 magnitude earthquake in this area of New England yesterday, only the ninth of its kind since the 1700s. We’ve never had a stronger one. In California, it wouldn’t even merit discussion.
Marketing Ops: The New Revenue Hero
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
As data continues to play a starring role in today’s B2B organizations, both marketing and sales operations professionals are poised to solidify their place as critical revenue drivers. In particular, the evolution of the Marketing Operations (Ops) role has created a new standard in marketing and has become a vital component of an organization’s success.
Weaponizing Volatility
Alan Weiss
SEPTEMBER 18, 2020
People who have communities, formal or informal, have been far more successful during the pandemic restrictions. By “successful” I don’t mean sustaining themselves, or minimizing losses, I mean growing their businesses.
Power
Alan Weiss
NOVEMBER 2, 2020
As I see it, the main sources of power in business and society: Hierarchy/bureaucracy: What you can control. Leverage: Who you know. Money: What you can buy. Expertise/talent: What you can do. Bullying: Who you can intimidate. Charisma: Whom you can attract.
I’m Not from the IRS and I AM Here to Help You
Alan Weiss
OCTOBER 30, 2020
It’s stunning how many people go into consulting who don’t feel comfortable approaching people to offer help. Why else are you here? If you just want to prance on a stage, or direct projects in an organization, or conduct interviews, then you can get a job as a subcontractor who never has to market personally. Of course, that will pay much less.
Business Thermometer
Alan Weiss
SEPTEMBER 2, 2020
I’m coaching people at the moment in 16 countries and all across the US and Canada. Here is my anecdotal finding at this point: 40%: Doing quite well, either at the same high business level as pre-pandemic or at a higher level.
What We Learned From Our Own Data-Driven ABM Strategy
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
ZoomInfo has created the following eBook to help other B2B organizations gain insights on how to launch their own data-driven ABM strategy. In this eBook, we will reveal the good and the bad from our own campaign and highlight some key takeaways on how to improve your ABM strategies moving forward.
Confirming
Alan Weiss
OCTOBER 25, 2020
Since I began my Crisis Coaching programs I’ve also begun confirming all my calls for the following day, either the prior afternoon or early in the morning. I simply send a BCC email to maintain privacy to those scheduled, asking for a reply only if someone needs to reschedule.
Non-Mediation
Alan Weiss
OCTOBER 18, 2020
I’ve been called upon, as I’m sure many of you have, to mediate disagreements within client organizations.
Where Did You Hear That?
Alan Weiss
OCTOBER 16, 2020
If you read something in the public domain, e.g., a newspaper or magazine, hard copy or electronic, you may use the facts therein.
Help Is Here
Alan Weiss
JULY 1, 2020
A meeting with a prospect is not an adversarial relationship. I’ve heard “sales experts” spout that someone makes a sale, either you with your product or service, or the prospect by rejecting you. That’s pretty sick, and I mean that in the conventional sense as dysfunctional. A meeting is an opportunity to try to help someone where, ultimately, the other party receives huge benefits and you receive equitable compensation.
Catch Them If You Can: The Passive Candidates Edition
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
With the right tools and mindset, it’s possible to track down this candidate (and many others like them!). How? Simple: By thinking like one. To get started on your search, we’ve gathered clues you’ll need to get in the mind of your passive prospects.
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