Welcome to the Sales Gravy blog, where salespeople and sales leaders get better every week. We publish new sales training articles and podcast episodes three times a week, covering prospecting, cold calling, objections, negotiation, and leadership, written by Jeb Blount and the Sales Gravy trainer team.
The Power of Networking Networking is a critical sales skill; after all, the more people you connect with the more sales opportunities you create. However, many sales people make a variety of mistakes that
Warning: The information you are about to read will dramatically change the way you see yourself and how you relate to other people! In his book, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus,
While 90% of sales reps tend to remain stuck working within and producing up to (or more likely down to) their invisible dollar sign, the good news is that about 10% of sales reps
To build successful sales relationships, there are three critical components: expertise, enthusiasm and empathy, all of which lay the foundation for the even more critical component, trust. Unfortunately any of these three individually or
There is a better way. What all top producers do is have an unyielding faith that things are going to work out as long as they keep taking action, change their actions as their
Utilize the time you do have by adding extra exercise into what you have to do anyway. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator, carry your materials and luggage yourself, and park
We’ve all done this at one time or another. Sales slow down and suddenly, a new customer appears, a new product comes out or a new sales technique emerges, and you start to think
When representatives feel as though they could be better utilized anywhere else, they are less likely to take the event seriously. Unfortunately, this is not just a personal problem for them – a negative
In my role as a sales consultant, I’ve watched a great number of people with incredible sums of intellectual capital not being challenged at all to contribute. At the same time, I’ve watched people
Regardless of how you feel (stressed, tired, overworked…) when the show opens each morning, it is essential that you make yourself look like you do when you feel your best. Once you look like
If you are serious about changing your career and your life, then get in the practice of working on your mental attitude first. Adopt these five mental attitudes of winners to powerfully change your
Be willing to work with the media. They may have a different concept about profiling your business than you do and go with it. They are not giving you a free advertisement – they
Can’t stomach cold calling? Steal Jeb Blount’s 13 proven alternatives to picking up the phone that build real pipeline and actually work.
When should you ask questions on a cold call? Questions come after you’ve earned the right, when you’re gathering information and qualifying, and they lead the conversation only when the prospect contacted you first.
To prospect for new clients, stop making random touches and run a consistent five-step system. Work this system every day and you gain control of your pipeline, along with the peace of mind that
Salespeople fail at cold calling for five common reasons. Fix them and the phone starts producing appointments again.
Email response rates are collapsing because decision maker inboxes are stuffed with automated, AI-written slop. This is exactly why the phone is more powerful today than it was ten years ago.
Quick Summary Cold calling anxiety is not a symptom of weakness. It’s human and natural to feel fear when you cold call. You are interrupting a stranger who was not expecting you, and everything
Fear of the phone is quietly draining sales pipelines, and the reps who win are the ones willing to stop hiding behind email and LinkedIn and simply make the call.
Salespeople seek a magic window that makes cold calling easy. When prospects answer happy, say yes without a fight, and book the meeting themselves. So, is there a best time to call?
Short Answer Yes, you can make cold calling fun, and it is worth doing, because the reps who enjoy the phone are the ones who stay on it. Fun is not a personality trait
Salespeople sometimes treat LinkedIn like just another cold prospecting tool, and they end up engaging their prospects in a pretty abrasive way. A few weeks ago, I received a LinkedIn message from a user
Ah, the life of a salesperson. Perpetually condemned to sleazeball status, pushing unneeded or unwanted services on prospects who have no interest in those wares, only to run off into the sunset with briefcases
“I’m not sure if I have the right people and I am not sure if they’re doing the right things.” — Every Leader I’ve heard this from countless CEO’s, Sales Leaders, and Business Owners over
Understanding how to create an impression that stands out is the way to close the sale in 10 seconds or less. Actually, great sales people can do it even faster IF they make a
In this economy, asking whether you need to sell online or in person is like asking which came first, the chicken or the egg. I was keynoting at a conference last week, when a
Here are some of my favorite screw-ups. Those funny stories that I have seen many of my fellow sales professionals make – me included. Ever realize how much you can learn from watching other
If you don’t invest the time and effort in your projects, you will not enjoy exceptional results. Doesn’t your business deserve the most impressive product possible? Have you ever made spaghetti sauce from scratch
In a world that’s getting noisier by the day, the longer you wait to reveal yourself, the likelier it is that you’ll find yourself stuck in the visibility vacuum. For months (or maybe even
To be spectacular is to be different. Do you encourage your employees to be different, to do different? Are you encouraged to be or do different? There is great honor in being the first
Having A Common Sales Language Prevents Miscommunication The language we use is key to the success of all sales organizations. Most companies share a common corporate language, and that lingua franca is English. Even
On this episode of the Sales Gravy podcast, Jeb Blount (People Follow You) sits down with Leigh Cantrell and Rob Matura who are Regional Vice Presidents at Cigna to discuss the keys to leading
In today’s world there are few barriers to career change. Top sales talent can walk out of your door to another career opportunity at any time. This puts more pressure on sales leaders than
5 Leadership Skills to Weather Any Economic Storm The storm clouds are brewing once again. We don’t quite know what is in store for us economically, but what we do know is that we
Three Sales Habits That Close More Business Let’s take a look at the top three sales habits of top producers and examine the neuroscience and emotional intelligence skills behind the development of success habits.
Leaders Must Be Authentic Communicators These five tips for authentic communication can help build trust within an organization, especially when it starts with leadership. Whether it’s holding open dialogues, or sharing stories and passing
Are Sales Contests Worth It? Sales contests and promotions should be conducted with one thought in mind: Changing behavior to achieve a desired result or outcome. There are a few things to keep in
Sales Skills: In Class Vs. Out In The Field One of the biggest challenges for most organizations is helping salespeople execute in the field what they’ve learned in theory in the classroom. It is
Leading A Dysfunctional Sales Team? Here’s How To Fix It Maybe you inherited a dysfunctional sales team, or inadvertently created one. Here’s how you can turn it into a high performing sales machine. Ridding
