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Tomorrow’s Success Depends on Today’s Preparation!

Jan 10, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #574 From The Sales Doctor
Tomorrow’s Success Depends on Today’s Preparation! 
How much time are you spending every week preparing and practicing what you do for a living?

I have always subscribed to the 5 P’s: Preparation and Practice Provide Peak Performance.

Your success in 2022 will depend on how much time you set aside for preparation and practice.

When preparation meets opportunity you will be successful.
Filed Under: Tips & Advice

How Good Is Your Voicemail Message?

Nov 29, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #570 From The Sales Doctor
How Good Is Your Voicemail Message?
Phil Stella runs Effective Training & Communication and empowers business leaders to reduce the pain with workplace communication. One of his pet peeves is voicemail messages that are too long and make a bad first impression.

Does this one sound like yours?

Hello, this is ______________________. I’m sorry I can’t take your call right now. I’m either on the other line or away from my desk, but your call is very important to me. Please leave me a detailed message with your name and number at the tone, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you and make it a great day.

Phil suggests that we shorten it.

Hello, this is _________________, your one-stop shop for small business technology needs. Please leave me a detailed message, and I’ll return it within four business hours. Thank you.

Listen to your voicemail today to see if it’s making a good first impression.
Filed Under: Tips & Advice

What is Your Face Saying?

Sep 13, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #559 From The Sales Doctor
What is Your Face Saying?
Does anyone remember the group Earth, Wind & Fire? They are still one of my favorite groups.
I recently heard one of their hit songs, “On Your Face.” The lyrics reminded me that the way we feel is reflected on our faces. 
“Ain’t it funny that the way you feel, shows on your face?
And no matter how you try to hide, it’ll state your case
Now a frown will bring your spirits down to the ground
And never let you see, the good things all around”
What is your face saying?
Filed Under: Tips & Advice

Be Tenacious

Jun 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #548 From The Sales Doctor
Be Tenacious
The dividing line between winning and losing a sale isn’t always talent; it’s tenacity. Being tenacious, not pushy means this:

(1) Giving it everything you have, not more than you have. That means giving 100% – not more, and certainly not less.

(2) Working with determination instead of waiting on destiny. That means being pleasantly persistent.

(3) Quitting when the sale is finished, not when you’re tired. That means getting a yes or not now.

Remember that victory isn’t won until you cross the finish line.
Filed Under: Tips & Advice

When Opportunity Knocks Make Sure You Are Ready to Answer the Door!

Jun 21, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #547 From The Sales Doctor
When Opportunity Knocks Make Sure You Are Ready to Answer the Door!
Your customer will provide you with opportunities to close for commitment. It could be verbal or visual.

These opportunities are referred to as Buying Signals.

A verbal buying signal could be a question that asks for additional information. How long will it take? A visual buying signal could be nodding of the head while leaning into the conversation.

If you overlook your customers’ buying signals when opportunity knocks, you will miss the opportunity to close the sale.

Remember, sometimes opportunity only knocks once!
Filed Under: Tips & Advice

Dumpster Diving

Jun 14, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #546 From The Sales Doctor
Dumpster Diving
I recently received a phone call from a company that shared one of their salespeople had great success with what they referred to as Dumpster Diving.

That was the name they gave to my training topic that focused on making follow-up calls to your entire list of not now’s. I call them CPR calls. All you’re doing is making time to call your open quotes that were not closed. He decided to try it and found out he was able to bring closure to several open quotes that initially decided not to move forward.

Maybe it’s time for you to go Dumpster Diving. I’m sure you have open quotes that can be followed up on from the first five months of 2021.
Filed Under: Tips & Advice
Jun 7, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #545 From The Sales Doctor
Ignorance Does Not Mean You’re Innocent!
When I saw this statement, I began thinking about the negative reputation and/or perception of salespeople that stems from telling and talking instead of Asking Questions and Active Listening.

Then I looked up the difference between ignorance and innocence.

The difference between innocence and ignorance is that innocence is the absence of responsibility for a crime while ignorance is the condition of being uninformed or uneducated; a lack of knowledge or information.

Salespeople do have a responsibility and we should be informed.

It’s definitely a crime if you are still doing what I commonly refer to as an information dump (show up and throw up) instead of a thorough needs analysis.

Get informed! Ignorance does not mean you’re innocent.

https://intranet.edelmanplumbing.com/2021/06/15480/

Filed Under: Tips & Advice

Don’t Allow Your Emotions to Overpower Your Intelligence

May 24, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #544 From The Sales Doctor
Don’t Allow Your Emotions to Overpower Your Intelligence 
– Morgan Freeman
I saw this quote by Morgan Freeman and felt it was well worth sharing in case you didn’t see it. It speaks directly to the importance of exercising self-control.
“Self-control is strength. Calmness is mastery. You have to get to the point where your mood does not shift based on the insignificant actions of someone else. Don’t allow others to control the directions of your life. Don’t allow your emotions to overpower your intelligence.”
I was taught growing up to THINK
 before you speak or act.
Filed Under: Tips & Advice

Your Actions Are Fueled By Your Beliefs

May 17, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #539 From The Sales Doctor
Your Actions Are Fueled By Your Beliefs

This tip made me think of why some salespeople may discount. They just don’t believe or understand their company’s pricing.

If you believe that the pricing of your product or service is firm and fair, you will not panic. Your action will be to get clarification by asking a simple question: Why do you feel the price is too high?

But if you believe your product or service is overpriced, you will not hesitate to provide a discount.

What is your belief?
Filed Under: Tips & Advice

Discounting Is The Tax You Pay For Being Average!

May 10, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Updates from Marvin Montgomery
Sales Tip #538 From The Sales Doctor
Discounting Is The Tax You Pay For Being Average!

In a recent blog written by John DiJulius titled How to Make your Customers Experience So Good, Price becomes Irrelevant, he made a statement that I had to pass on to my readers. “Discounting is the tax you pay for being average!”

When you provide average Customer Service, Quality and Delivery, you have to discount because the value is not there.

When you are providing an experience that’s great, price becomes irrelevant.

Thanks for that tip JD.
Filed Under: Tips & Advice
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