Month: October 2024

Should you call them three times, ten times, or even more? Should I call them 20 or 30 times?

I’ve had prospects where I’ve had to stay in the game for months, even for multiple years because they’re large enough. They get validated via these eight questions.  I’m here to provide clarity. Here are eight essential questions to help you determine your engagement strategy.

1. Do They Fit Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)?

Assess whether the prospect fits your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). If they don’t, why invest your time? Understanding your ICP is crucial for effective prospecting.

2. Can You Help Them?

Next, evaluate if you can genuinely assist the prospect. It’s not enough that they fit your ICP; you need to determine if your products or services will address their needs.

3. What’s Their Today and Lifetime Value?

How much is this prospect potentially worth to you?

Consider both the immediate and long-term potential of the prospect. How much revenue can they generate now and in the future? Understanding their value is key to prioritizing your efforts. 

4. What’s the Sales Cycle?

How long is it going to take to close this deal?

You should cold call a prospect multiple times, as it can take an average of 8 attempts to reach a prospect If closing the deal will take years, think carefully about your commitment. However, if the lifetime value is high enough, it may still warrant your attention.

5. What’s the Potential for Downstream Revenue?

If landing this prospect could lead to additional sales within their network or to their customers, it’s worth pursuing them longer. This can create a snowball effect for your business.

There are a lot of companies that I’ve stayed in the game for because I know that if I land them, they’re going to put me in front of a lot of other potential customers. 

6. How Are They Positioned in Their Industry?

Evaluate the prospect’s standing within their industry. For a high-profile company, I’m probably going to stay in the game longer, while a lesser-known business could pose risks. Be strategic about where you invest your time.

7. What Are Their Referral Opportunities?

Landing this prospect could lead to valuable referrals. Let’s say I’m dealing with one particular division, and this customer in turn could refer me to a dozen other divisions within the same company. Bingo! Referrals can be a game changer in sales.

8. What’s the Learning Potential?

Lastly, consider the learning opportunities. Working with this prospect might provide insights that enhance your skills or position your company favorably. Continuous learning is essential for growth.

Understanding these eight attributes will help you decide how long to engage with a prospect. I’ve had situations where I needed to stay in touch for months or even years due to high potential, while some prospects require only brief engagement.

Happy Selling,

David

All of us face challenges and difficulties in our lives. The most important thing is how we respond. Choosing optimism will allow us to overcome those challenges more quickly. Choosing to be an optimist when challenges come will impact your overall success and your outlook towards life.

Optimistic people have a much better chance of success in their careers. They understand that there will be disappointment. The difference is that they turn that disappointment into motivation, which helps them to succeed.

When faced with adversity, you must learn to control your thinking. Having the right attitude will help you overcome challenges. We have all heard that It is not what happens to you in life that matters. It’s how you respond to what happens to you that will make the big difference.

The truth is, we all have a choice when a challenge comes our way. We can choose to be pessimistic or we can choose to be optimistic. Sadly, a negative person sees a setback as a permanent problem. The optimist sees a setback as temporary.

Those who choose to be positive understand that failure is part of the process and it has no lasting impact on their future. When you find yourself in a difficult situation, it’s important to take a moment to reflect before you react. When a challenge comes, make the decision to learn from it and choose to improve.

Never let a negative event impact other phases of your life. If you desire true success, you must learn to be a big picture individual. When you do that, you understand that you will face challenges, but you will overcome them. This allows you to stay calm and work through any situation. Eventually, you will turn a negative situation into a positive one. When a negative event happens or failure comes your way, put it into perspective. Look at the big picture and stay focused on your big goals.

Do not get caught up in the details. Never look at failure as being permanent. Things will happen that you cannot control, but you can control the way you react to them. Choose to view your failures as learning opportunities.

The most important attitude to have is an attitude of gratitude. Feeling grateful makes you a much happier and optimistic person. Write down five things each day that you are truly grateful for. Your perspective will change as you are focusing on the more positive aspects of your life rather than dwelling on a negative thing that you have no control over.

Attitudes are contagious. Surround yourself with positive people who will encourage you and help you to remain optimistic. Remove any negative influences in your life. There are a lot of them out there. Be careful on how you spend your time. Limit the time you spend watching the news and on social media. Listen to music that is uplifting. Your overall environment plays a key role in your success.

You can and you will become a more optimistic person. It’s all a matter of making a choice and committing to it. Choose to be optimistic in every aspect of your life. You will find that your life will be much more enjoyable, and you will be a much happier person. No matter what comes your way, choose optimism!

Happy Selling,

David

Good morning everyone, 

Sales often has a bad reputation… It’s often associated with people that lie, people that are slick, people that apply pressure, hound customers, are purely money driven etc

The reality couldn’t be farther from the truth The best salespeople are the complete OPPOSITE to that. They want to help people, solve problems and live to serve their customers.

For those out there who have entrepreneurial spirit, enjoy finding solutions, enjoy meeting and building relationships with new people and who are driven by money and success, then sales could be the best job for you. 

Here are our 10 reasons why we think sales is the best job out there, if you have one to add make sure you write it in the comments box at the end!

From the Home Office in Burnt Corn, Alabama, Here are

Top 10 Reasons Sales in the GREATEST Job

10. It’s Like Running Your OWN Business

In sales you often manage your own customer base, what you do each day and every action affects how much you earn. You’re responsible for finding customers, building relationships, selling and creating a pipeline that brings in new opportunities every month. 

If you want to make more money, make more sales. If you need more customers you can prospect more, if you want referrals, you can build stronger relationships. You have nearly the same amount of control as someone who runs their own business, which is a huge benefit. 

9. It Builds Your CONFIDENCE

It’s hard to hide away in sales and succeed so you’re often encouraged to come out of your comfort zone in many situations. You may have to phone total strangers one day or present to a panel of decision makers the next. 

In sales you are faced with the challenge of building relationships, building trust and asking people for their money and commitment which is no easy task. It requires confidence and if you don’t have it at the start you’ll certainly pick it up!

8. There’s No Shortage of VARIETY

You could be sat at desk phoning people one day then travelling around into meetings the next. Some sales people even get to travel the world. It’s rarely the same every day and you’ll often be speaking to totally different people each day.

Plus each of your prospects and customers will be different, different people with different interests and experiences. 

7. You Genuinely HELP People

There is nothing more rewarding than the feeling that you’ve helped someone. In sales that’s exactly what you do, you listen to their problems and find solutions for them. 

You’re often saving them money, saving them time or helping make their day, role or company more effective and efficient. It’s a great feeling and one of our personal favorites.

6. You Can Make A LOT of Money

The more you sell the more you make, it’s that simple! Most jobs out there have a set salary and that’s it. In sales you can earn as much as you want, some companies have an uncapped and unlimited earning potential meaning the more work you put in the more you could earn.

5. It’s a Very Rewarding Career

Not only do you make money but the feeling of getting a sale after your hard work is hugely rewarding. Like catching a fish after hours of fishing you can end up spending days, weeks sometimes even months working on a sale and the feeling of finally closing it is amazing.

If you choose to progress to a sales leadership role you get to find, support and see your own team of sales professionals succeed and achieve their goals and dreams.

4. It’s Often Highly Competitive

You may be competing with your team or just competing against your own results from the previous month, but competition is fun and a real driver for hard work. If you enjoy sport or you’re just a naturally competitive person sales could be a great job for you.

3. There Will ALWAYS Be Work For You

Every company needs sales people and there will always be demand for good sales people. If you can show that you can sell and prove your previous results you should never have trouble getting a job.

2. It’s a Skill Valid ALL OVER The World

Sales is a role that you can get anywhere in the world, you don’t necessarily need a qualification you just need to be able to prove that you can sell. If you wanted to move to the US, UK, India, anywhere, there will always be companies looking for sales people.

And the #1 Reasons Sales in the GREATEST Job is…..

1. It Offers Great PROGRESSION

There are often fantastic career paths built for sales people. This could include going into a supervisory role, sales team leader, sales manager, sales director, sales trainer, sales support, the list goes on. 

You’ll also find that most Managing Directors, CEO’s and business owners all started or have worked in sales during their careers. The skills you gain often tie in very well to running a business.

Have a great weekend,

David

On your success journey, you will have storms that will come into your life. We live in a turbulent time. Storms are everywhere, of every size and shape. It is important to learn the art of surviving them.

Often the storms will come out of nowhere. Life seems to throw them at you when you are least expecting them. When you’re going through a storm, it may seem like it will never pass. Be encouraged, it will. You will experience pain and struggles, but you must push forward with determination and power. Eventually, you will find your way through them.

You must realize that every person will experience storms in their lives. As a matter of fact, that is the first step. You must accept the fact that you will face storms. You will face small storms and, more than likely, at least one big storm. Acceptance does not mean approval. It means acknowledging it and agreeing to face it.

Sometimes storms that come in our lives are consequences of bad choices. It is important to take responsibility for dealing with the storm and its consequences. Never get into the attitude of the blame game. Forgive yourself and make a positive decision to deal with it and move on.

Remember that the storm always passes. It may last a while and it might leave some damage, but the storm itself will pass. Make a commitment to learn and pay attention to the progress you are making as you move forward and celebrate the victories along the way.

As you are going through a storm, surround yourself with some people that will help you and encourage you. Do not isolate yourself or become a lone ranger. Have the courage to move on and march forward.

Many people when they go through a storm, they often ask the question “Why me?” Change that perspective and ask a different question like “What can this storm teach me?”

With this attitude, you will find that storms can teach you about sincere gratitude. It’s very easy to be grateful when things in life are going well. It’s important to understand that even in difficulty, we can find things to be grateful for.

You will find also that you can learn to experience joy, peace, and real strength. I reflect upon the storms that I have had in my life, and it has taught me to never take things for granted, and to truly be grateful and to have joy even in the midst of suffering. It is the storms in life that will make you stronger.

Your future looks amazing. Keep going through life with joy and peace. Understand that the storms will come, but you will overcome them with gratitude, joy, strength, and peace. You’ve got this! Keep growing and keep learning.

Happy Selling,

David

When it comes to achieving success, Mark Cuban spells it out very clearly with this quote…“It’s not about money or connections. It’s the willingness to outwork everyone.”

Over the years, I have heard many say that people are only successful because they were either born into it or they are naturally talented. The truth is, successful people make a commitment and they never give into excuses.

They grind and they make it happen on a daily basis. You control your own destiny when it comes to achieving success.

The only thing that can stop you is YOU.

When you make a commitment to grind and outwork everyone else, nothing can hold you back. If you want to be at the top of your game and be a high-level performer, you simply have to do what most are not willing to. In order to be in the 1% club, you have to do what the other 99% don’t want to do.

You have to outwork everyone else in order to be the best. I read an awesome quote recently that sums everything up. “ Success isn’t owned, It is leased and the rent is due every day.”

The bottom line is that there is no secret formula to success. It takes commitment and you have to work at it consistently. Talent alone is not enough. I have met many talented people who never reached their full potential. They were definitely gifted but, unfortunately, not willing to put forth the effort to achieve greatness. What distinguishes merely talented people from those who attain truly great success is their drive and their willingness to do whatever it takes.

A great example of this is Michael Jordan. There is no denying that Jordan had amazing physical talents. However, what made him a legend was his work ethic. He would spend his off-season practicing his jump shot hundreds of times daily, until he felt it was perfect. No matter what level he reached, he knew that he had to continue to work harder than everyone else to be the best.

You have been gifted with some amazing opportunities. Are you ready to become a top performer?

Write out your goals, and be specific about what you want to achieve. Once you define your goals, put together a plan of what it’s going to take to accomplish them. It’s time to get serious about this. This is going to require some life-changing behaviors.

I’m talking about waking up early and using every second of your time wisely. There will be days when you don’t feel like it. It’s important to remember that your feelings have nothing to do with it. Work at it and let your feelings catch up with you. In order to be the best, it’s going to require some incredible effort.

Please understand that I am speaking about every phase of your life. Do not work a burn out schedule and fail in maintaining your relationships and health. Proper balance is very important. Choose to be the best in ALL phases of your life. Balance your success with meaningful relationships and a healthier lifestyle.

This will make your career and financial success much more enjoyable. Enjoy this wonderful success journey. Make a 100% commitment to be the best at what you do. This is your time! It’s not going to be easy but, I guarantee you, it’s going to be worth it. You will fail, and you will have disappointments. Don’t ever let that stop you.

That is all part of the journey. In order to succeed, you must fail. Keep learning and keep growing! Outwork everyone else and join the winners. 

Happy Selling,

David

We live in such a busy world and sometimes your head can get cluttered. To have consistent success along with joy on the journey, it’s important to have a clear mind.

There are plenty of things that you can do to clear your mind. If you have found yourself in a position where you may be feeling stressed or anxious, take a deep breath and decide today to put together a game plan on having a clear mind.

Most people get stressed out because they are worried about the future or anxious about things that they have no control over. Let me encourage you to start focusing on the present moment. Be grateful for this day because today is truly a gift.

Start each day with a gratitude list which will help you focus on the positives of each day. Write out all your favorite things, people, places, and memories, and start focusing on why you are thankful. There is no better attitude than an attitude of gratitude.

Make meditation and prayer part of your daily schedule. Schedule at least 20 minutes every day to meditate and pray, no matter how busy you may be. If you haven’t made this part of your life, it may not be easy at first. You will find the more you practice this exercise, the easier it will become. This is a great way of clearing your mind. Quiet time is an important part of the day.

Far too many people get stressed out because they are simply flying by the seat of their pants with no plan. Take time to write down what you would like to accomplish each day. It’s important to do this before you begin your day. Make sure you also include fun activities and tasks. Having an organized schedule will give your day structure and help things seem much more manageable. Don’t get down on yourself if you don’t get everything on your “to do list” done. You will start to feel better, and your mind will be much clearer because you are now making accomplishments.

Surround yourself with good people that are going to encourage you. It’s important to have people in your life so that when you are struggling, you can trust them enough to be able to let them know what’s going on. This truly helps you to clear your mind and it also gives you a chance to sort through your thoughts verbally. Being around positive and encouraging people improves your overall attitude and protects you from stress and negative thinking.

There are so many other ways of clearing your mind. Make sure you get enough sleep. Make exercise part of your daily routine. There’s nothing like taking a walk to clear your mind. You can also listen to positive uplifting music as well.

This is your success journey, and you have an incredible future ahead of you. If you have found yourself with you much on your mind, make the decision today to take some positive actions to clear your mind. Be aware of your own thought patterns and make sure you are focusing on the positive.

Happy Selling,

David

Several years ago I was selling wholesale seafood and I traveled to meet a new sales rep. I was tasked to train. This was supposed to be him transitioning from his current business into our industry.

Beforehand, he had asked if we could run a few calls on some of his business prospects that morning that he needed to see. I wasn’t thrilled about that but I decided that it would be OK.

I actually felt it would show me how he operates in his current element. It didn’t take very long to see that the was an average representative at best. The first thing that he needed to do was stop for coffee. After that, he had to get gas for his car. After meeting several prospects and talking about nothing for 30 minutes, I told him that his time was done and it was time to begin real training.

Later on, some of the owners were asking me how he was. The only thing that I could say was. “This guy has no sense of urgency at all. He will never become a top performer in anything with this mentality.”

High-level success involves developing a sense of urgency. This requires an action orientation.

To become highly productive, it’s important to take the time to plan out and set your priorities. Once you have your goals set, you must put in an incredible amount of work and not waste time. Unfortunately, most people waste time working on things that don’t bring them any value.

Momentum plays a big part when it comes to success. When you work on your success plan and you stay consistent, it’s almost a magical thing how that positive momentum comes to fruition. Some people call it ‘being in the zone.’

Top level performers are those who get themselves into this state much more than anyone else. This is where your confidence is at a peak level and almost everything you’re doing seems effortless. it starts to become natural. The best way to develop this momentum is to have a sense of urgency.

This is something that’s inside of you. It is a burning desire to accomplish your goals and to get them done right now.

This is why it’s important to get rid of distractions and stop wasting time on things that are of no value.

In a sense, it is an impatience that motivates you to get going, and to keep going. Once you have clear focus on your goals and you have the sense of urgency, you start developing a readiness to take action. Most people talk about what they’re going to do. Having a sense of urgency makes you stop talking and start doing.

If you want to be at the top of your game, you must develop this mentality. Focus on specific steps that you need to take immediately.

Start right now and start right where you are. Concentrate on the things that you need to do right now which will help you to get the results that you want. Starting today, develop a sense of urgency.

No more wasting time and no more pretending that you are busy.

It is time to be productive and it is time to make a decision that your success cannot wait any longer. The time is going by and you might as well be successful. Your future is counting on you. 

Happy Selling,

David